Box Set: The ArringtonTrilogy (50 page)

“Sure, Ayden,” I said, though I was more
interested in staying with Heath and his grandfather. But I could
see how much he wanted me to.

“You two have fun,” Heath said, barely giving
us a second thought.

“You have wonderful grandparents,” I told
Ayden.

“I suppose so,” he replied, not thinking much
of it.

“Do you have any others?”

“Any other what?”

“Grandparents. Like your father’s
parents?”

Ayden set up the board. He took black. “Yes.
They live back in England. I’ve never met them.”

So Ayden also had grandparents he’d never
met. We had something else in common. It made me feel better; it
made me feel less different.

“Have you ever been there?” I asked then made
the first move.

“Where?”

“To England.”

He didn’t look up from the board. “No.”

“I would love to go to England. From there I
would want to see France and Germany.”

“I wouldn’t,” he replied, then jumped me.

“Why not? I think it would be fun to travel
the world and experience different cultures,” I said, as my mind
took me to Paris. “Did you know they eat snails?”

Ayden grimaced then said, “That’s
disgusting.”

“It’s called escargot.”

“I don’t care what it’s called; it’s still
disgusting. I would never eat it. I never want to live anywhere but
on a lighthouse station,” he declared while I made the next
jump.

“Don’t you think that is kind of boring?
After all, you can be a lighthouse keeper and travel on your time
off.”

“I won’t travel.”

“Never?”

“Never, ever.”

I sat back against my chair, amazed. There
was a whole world out there. In just a few rows of an oar, one
could climb aboard a vessel and discover new lands. Ayden didn’t
see how marvelous the thought of that was. All he wanted to do was
stay put on a remote island and man a tower. That was it. As
exciting as that could be, I was not going to stay isolated for the
rest of my life. Maybe instead of being a lighthouse keeper like
Daddy, I would be an explorer, or maybe even an anthropologist. I
didn’t share my exhilarating idea with Ayden. He didn’t have my
ambitions; he had no desire to experience new people and places.
That was one thing we absolutely didn’t have in common. That was
the one thing that, in years to come, would put our friendship to
the test and on the threshold of its demise.

Supper was formal in honor of the guests of
Jasper Island. I returned home after two hours of checkers with
Ayden to wash up and change into my best dress. Momma had already
prepared herself and was in the kitchen gathering up the apple pie
she made especially for the occasion. Daddy had gone to the
mainland earlier in the week to get the apples she requested. The
house was filled with the most delectable aroma; it made my mouth
water. After chocolate cake, apple pie was my favorite. During the
autumn season, though we used to be far off in the Atlantic Ocean,
the supply vessel often delivered a box of apples a year, and Momma
made pie after pie. Daddy and I could never get enough.

“I’m going to get too fat to climb the steps
to the tower if I keep eating your momma’s scrumptious pies,” Daddy
laughed to me.

He used to say that all the time, and I
believed he would on the evening we dined with the grandparents.
But as he walked through the house to change into his cleanest sack
coat, he didn’t comment. Daddy appeared preoccupied, even uptight.
Momma, on the other hand, was joyful, much different from earlier.
She sang as she baked her pie. Even Daddy, who always stopped to
smile when he heard Momma’s beautiful voice, didn’t that
evening.

Momma, Daddy, and I arrived fashionably late.
Opal had set up a lovely supper table. It was the first time we had
dined in their home. The Daltons’ house was a scaled-down version
of ours. The rooms had the same basic layout, except there was a
bedroom on the first floor, and all the rooms were smaller. It was
a tight fit around the table, but we managed. Edward and the
grandfather sat at the ends of the long table. Daddy appeared
awkward, sitting off to Edward’s side. I sat between Momma and
Daddy. The introductions went rather well, I thought, as Daddy
seemed to turn off some kind of switch inside him. He was cordial
to the grandparents, and I was thankful. I had not known Daddy to
be unkind to anyone, except for the drunken sailor that Daddy
quickly put in his place.

As predicted, the conversation went straight
into getting to know Momma and Daddy. This was Daddy’s worst
situation; Daddy was private and didn’t like to reveal much about
him, Momma, and me, unless it had to do with his position as
primary keeper, or his experiences at Rock Ledge Island. If anyone
approached Daddy with a subject other than that, he dodged the
questions, changed the subject, or simply removed himself from the
discussion. I had no idea why anything about Momma and Daddy’s past
had to be kept silent, other than the fact that he had been a
Confederate soldier. Was that the only thing that made Daddy
cringe? Could it be the worst shame of his life?

“Where were you stationed before Rock Ledge?”
the grandfather asked.

Daddy took a bite of his potato, and I saw
Momma and him exchange an uncomfortable glance.

“I served in the navy,” Daddy answered with
dignity.

“In the war?”

“Yes, sir.” Daddy calmed when the grandfather
didn’t ask which side Daddy fought for. He obviously presumed it
was for the Union.

“We certainly honor your service, both then
and now,” the grandmother said.

Daddy thanked them. Momma was rather fidgety,
and Opal noticed.

“Amelia, are you all right?”

“Yes, yes, of course.” Momma was flushed.

“Where are you originally from?” the
grandfather asked Momma.

“We are natives of New York,” Daddy answered
for her, which was a lie.

“New York?” Edward said, confused.

“I thought I had mentioned it. In any case,
we haven’t been home in a long while.”

Momma looked at Daddy, and I noticed him
reached under the table to squeeze her hand, then he quickly let
go.

The grandfather was about to speak, when
Opal, sensing how much the inquisition made Momma uncomfortable,
changed the subject. “Father, tell us about your voyage this coming
spring.”

I watched as Momma took a long-needed
breath.

“We will be sailing on the Atlantic, a new
ship, a White Star Line vessel, from Liverpool to New York,” said
the grandfather.

“It was built in Belfast last year. She’s
four hundred and twenty feet in length and breadth—forty feet,
nine-tenths,” Heath stated.

“And what’s her registered tonnage?” the
grandfather quizzed, making sure Heath was thorough with his
statistics.

“That would be two thousand, three hundred,
and sixty-six,” Heath quickly answered.

“Very impressive.”

Heath was always looking to impress us. Even
Daddy had lifted his brow in amazement. Heath had his grandfather’s
astuteness, his father’s good looks, and his mother’s gentle
nature. I was thrilled to have such a boy as my friend, my best
friend. I couldn’t help but long for Heath to someday feel more for
me, something other than friendship. I hoped one day he no longer
saw me as a little girl—that I would grow up to be as attractive
and mesmerizing as Momma. If I turned out to be the likeness of
Momma, I was certain Heath would fall in love with me.

Momma was excited to serve her apple pie for
dessert. Opal set it in the stove for a few minutes to warm it
up.

“It’s smells delicious, Mrs. Arrington,”
Ayden commented. He was anxious to have a piece.

“Indeed it does, Amelia,” the grandmother
added.

Daddy sat back with a smile. He was so proud
of Momma. Daddy was always proud of her. Whatever she set her
sights to do, she did perfectly.

“Can I get anyone some coffee or tea?” Opal
asked.

The men asked for coffee, and Momma wanted
tea. Opal slowly lifted herself and walked around the table. Inside
of her, she had a baby growing, I remembered. It must feel strange,
I thought. I wondered if she felt it move around. As she passed me,
I felt the urge to reach out and touch her belly, but I kept my
hand still and at my side. As much as pregnancy frightened me, a
small part was fascinated.

“Lillian?” Momma said to me, bringing me out
of deep thought.

“Yes, Momma?”

“Show the grandmother your necklace and
bracelet.”

I looked down at my wrist.

“She commented on it. I told her Heath and
Ayden gave them to you on your birthday.”

“Oh, yes, here.”

I extended my arm so she could take a closer
look, and with my other hand I pulled the necklace out from under
my collar. Ayden turned away, while Heath gleamed with pride.

“All sea shells from the beach below,” Heath
told her.

“Beautiful,” the grandmother said as she held
my hand in hers. Her hands were wrinkly and boney and covered in
small brown spots. I had never been touched by such an old hand. I
supposed if I had a grandmother, her hands would be just like hers.
Tenderly, she let go and smiled at me, then said, “A lovely
necklace for such a lovely young lady.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” I said softly then slowly
pulled my hand away.

Daddy gave me a satisfied nod that told me I
had done well; he approved of my poise. It was one thing Daddy
emphasized. “Always stay self-assured and controlled; keep your
head high. Be polite and courteous—always, Lillian.”

After dessert, after all of the compliments
on Momma’s pie, the men headed up to the lighthouse, including
Heath and Ayden, while I helped clear the table. I listened as Opal
commented on how well the supper went. Momma acknowledged how
well-bred her parents were. I sensed Momma was relieved it went so
well. Her chipper voice told me all of her concerns about meeting
the grandparents were long gone. She again felt secure in her
environment and no longer feared her confidential times of yore
would be exposed. Someday, I hoped Momma and Daddy would let me in,
trust me enough to have their secrets revealed, and divulge
whatever burdens they carried year after year.

The week of the grandparents’ visit seemed to
fly by, and before I knew it, Edward rowed them out to meet the
vessel that would take them back to Boston. The very next day,
Heath and Ayden started school. They were gone before the sun came
up, rowed to the mainland, and took the short walk to the school
house. It was a lonely morning without Heath chattering about
something he read, or something he discovered somewhere on the
beach. I didn’t have Ayden to ask me to play checkers or hide and
seek. Instead, I had my own morning chores—gathering the eggs,
sweeping the house, and cleaning up with Momma after breakfast.
Then Momma called me in to start my studies.

Our first lesson began with the
Mexican-American war then Momma proceeded to arithmetic. After
lunch, Momma needed a nap and told me to take out my McGuffy reader
and spend at least one hour reading. I took the book with me
outside to the bluff. I sat under my favorite tree, in my favorite
spot, where I planned to do as Momma said. But as I leaned against
the tree, I couldn’t help but think of Ayden and Heath. I couldn’t
wait to hear what their first day of school was like. What was the
name of the school master? How many children would attend? What did
they play at recess? I worried that they would make new friends and
forget all about me. Maybe a pretty girl would catch Heath’s eye.
What if Ayden found a new friend he would rather play with? I
couldn’t stand the thought of them coming home and not running to
me and asking me to spend time with them. I felt so lonely knowing
they weren’t even on the island for me to call out for. Heath was
always nearby to lend me a hand, and Ayden was the only one who
shared my secrets of the ghost.

My feelings left me glum, and I certainly
didn’t feel up to reading. So I closed my eyes and envisioned a day
when I was a grown up and no longer under Momma and Daddy’s wings.
I would fly away, just like all baby birds did when it was time to
go. I would leave the lighthouse and only return for occasional
visits. I would return with treasures collected from all over the
world. I would come bearing gifts for everyone, just as the
grandparents had. The day couldn’t come soon enough for me.

The hours of the day went by like minutes,
and I grew tired waiting for time to pass. Instead of doing what I
was told, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep. The air was
warm, and the salty breezes cascaded over me as I lay down on the
ground. It was only seconds before I fell into a dream.

The voices that filled my mind brought me out
of a peaceful sleep. I wasn’t sure if they were in my dreams or
real. I slowly sat up, rubbed my eyes, and focused. Ayden and Heath
were rowing up to the island; they were not too far out. I stood on
the bluff and called to them. They spotted me and waved back.
Without a moment to waste, I hurried down to the beach. Though they
had only been gone for most of a day, it seemed as if they had been
away for a lifetime.

The minute their feet reached the beach, I
ran and threw my arms around them. They were taken aback, surprised
at my burst of gladness.

“I missed you both,” I cried. “How was your
first day of school? Tell me everything; tell me all about it.”

“It was boring; school is always boring,”
Ayden muttered. “I wish I could stay here with you.”

Surprised, I shook my head then looked at
Heath.

“Ayden hates school. He sits there with a big
pout on his face. Today he refused to take out his chalk and
slate.”

“Ayden, why wouldn’t you do ask the teacher
asked?” I wanted to know.

“She is a mean lady, and I’m not going
back!”