It's a hot July summer day. Ryan Douglas is walking up and down the water's edge, his shoes tied and hanging from his shoulders. Sitting on the beach, the gentle breeze off the lake brings back fond memories of his mother. Ryan recognized that for him to move on with his life, he had to reconcile the passing of his mother and a father who hated him. Further down the beach stood Karen Wilson, waves rolling in over her feet, asking herself, How far can I swim before I can swim no more? With no answer, she stepped back and continued walking down the beach until she saw a familiar face. Kids in school thought they were dumb because they were always sitting in the hallway or the library taking tests. They were far from dumb and were actually extremely intelligent-two of the smartest kids in the state. Because their fathers, who were drunks and abusive, made their mothers buy their clothes from secondhand stores, they were called secondhand trash. Ryan and Karen's friendship became strong through high school and college. Ryan said he would stay with Karen until she was ready to be on her own. The night before Karen left for New York to become a famous lawyer and Ryan went to Chicago to work in an investment firm, they consummated their love over and over until they fell asleep. Karen was devastated and took on a new personality. Ryan became successful beyond his dreams, and Karen became known as the Ice Queen of Mergers and Acquisitions. The secret Karen kept from Ryan for thirteen years broke his heart and his trust and never healed until they both passed away within days with broken hearts.