Dot crossed awkwardly into middle age. She stumbled badly when she discovered she, and her four sisters, were each conceived in a different hotel.

She and her older sister Lee walked side by side along the gravel path outside the old Bodega Bay Lodge. Because the day was chilly, Dot gestured with a gloved hand. "Which room do you think it was? And, why this hotel?"

Lee was the steady sister. She had agreed to this tour of hotels more to satisfy Dot's discomfort than to discover anything about herself. "Don't ask me. I mean, Mom should have put more details in her diary."

"She said she had a view of the bay. But all these rooms face the bay. How can I possibly know which room it was?"

"At least the restaurant hasn't moved. We know Dad and Mom ate dinner there."

"A full belly. Yeah. That's how I was conceived. On a full belly."

"What do you suppose she meant when she wrote this was going to be the last hotel?"

"You know," Dot stopped walking so she could face her sister. "It's always bothered me that she first used the D word after this hotel." Dot laughed. "She couldn't even say divorce in private."

"Still. You were born, then Win, then Mom and Dad died in that crash. She never had time do divorce Dad."

"Weird how Mom didn't name the hotel for Win. She just called it a dive."

"Is it any wonder Win didn't want to join us on this trip?"

Dot turned and looked back up the path. "I suppose we should get back to the car."

Dot started to walk but felt Lee's hand on her arm so she stopped.

Lee asked, "What would you have done if you'd been conceived in a dive?"

"I would have lived my life differently. That's for sure. I wouldn't have married so young. I would have traveled. I would have gone to college."

"You would have been Win."

"Maybe. But I would have been a well adjusted Win."

They laughed together, then walked in silence back to the car. It was still early and Lee had an idea where they might find that dive.