The Wish Page 19

  Beneath the house, the wind kept me unsteady on my feet, but at least we were out of the downpour. I watched my aunt struggle to get the generator started; I took over and was finally able to get it going on the third attempt. We fought our way back into the house, where Aunt Linda lit a bunch of candles and plugged in the refrigerator. The tiny flickers did little to illuminate the room.

  I finally fell asleep on the sofa sometime after midnight. The storm continued to rage until just after dawn. While it was still windy, the rain eventually diminished to a drizzle before finally stopping midmorning. Only then did we step outside to survey the damage.

  A tree on the neighbor’s property had toppled over, limbs scattered everywhere, and patches of shingles had been ripped from the roof. The road out front was under more than a foot of water. Neighboring docks had twisted or been torn away completely, the debris nearly reaching the house. The air was frigid, the wind positively arctic.

  Bryce and his father showed up an hour before noon. By then, the wind was a whisper of what it had been. Aunt Linda brought out a bag of leftover biscuits while I started toward Bryce. As I walked, I tried to convince myself that my feelings from the day before were akin to a dream upon waking. They weren’t real; they were nothing but flickers and sparks fated to vanish completely. But when I saw him reach for the ladder in the bed of the truck, I thought again about the way he’d paused before me and knew I was only kidding myself.

  His smile was as ready as ever. He was wearing the sexy olive jacket again and a baseball hat along with his jeans and the tool belt. I kind of felt like I was floating but did my best to appear nonchalant, like it was just another day for us.

  “What did you think about the storm?” he asked.

  “That was crazy last night.” It sounded like my words were coming from somewhere else. “How does the rest of the town look?”

  He set the ladder on the ground. “There are a lot of toppled trees and there’s no power anywhere. Utility crews will hopefully get here this afternoon, but who knows? One of the motels and a couple of other businesses flooded, and half of the downtown buildings have roof damage. I guess the big thing was that one of the boats broke free and washed onto the road near the hotel.”

  Because he seemed like his normal, casual self, I felt myself relaxing. “Was my aunt’s shop damaged?”

  “Not that I saw,” he said. “We took down the plywood, but obviously we weren’t able to go inside to check for leaks.”

  “And your house?”

  “Just some downed limbs in the yard. Gwen and my grandparents were okay, too. But if you’re planning to try for some pictures today, watch for downed power lines. Especially in flooded spots. They can kill.”

  I hadn’t thought about that, and visions of getting electrocuted made me shiver. “I’m just going to hang with my aunt, maybe do a little studying. But I’d still like to see the damage and maybe take some pictures.”

  “How about I come by later and drive you around? I can grab some more film.”

  “Will you have time?”

  “Taking the boards down goes a lot faster than putting them up, and my grandpa already took care of the boat.”

  When I agreed, he hoisted the ladder and carried it toward the porch. From there, Bryce and his father reversed the process from the day before; the only difference was that they used a caulk gun to fill in the screw holes. While they worked, my aunt and I began cleaning the debris from the yard, piling it near the street. We were still working when Bryce and his father backed down the drive.

  With the yard done, Aunt Linda and I returned to the house, blinking at the light streaming through the windows. My aunt immediately went to the kitchen and started making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

  “Bryce said the shop seemed okay,” I commented.

  “His dad said the same thing, but I need to head over there in a little while to make sure.”

  “I forgot to ask, but does the shop have a generator?”

  She nodded. “It comes on automatically when the power goes out. Or it’s supposed to, anyway. That’s another thing I want to check on. People will want biscuits and books tomorrow, since there won’t be much in the way of cooking or anything to do until the power’s restored. It’ll be swamped until then.”

  I thought about volunteering to help, but because I hadn’t had my biscuit-making lesson with Bryce yet, I figured I’d just slow her down. “Bryce is going to come by later,” I said. “We’re going to see what happened in the storm.”

  She put the sandwiches on plates and brought them to the table. “Be careful of downed power lines.”

  It seemed clear that everyone knew about this potential hazard but me. “We will.”

  “I’m sure you’ll enjoy spending time with him.”

  “We’re probably just going to take photographs.”

  I’m pretty sure Aunt Linda noticed my deflection, but she didn’t press. Instead, she smiled.

  “Then you’ll probably become an excellent photographer one day.”

  * * *

  After lunch I studied, or tried to, anyway. I kept getting interrupted by the sight of the manila envelope, which seemed to insist that I peek at Bryce’s picture instead.

  It was several hours before Bryce pulled up. As soon as I heard the truck idling in the driveway, I grabbed the camera and started down the steps, grinning at the sight of Daisy in the bed. She whined and wagged her tail as I approached, so I stopped to give her some love. Bryce, meanwhile, had hopped out and rounded the truck so he could open the door for me, and my heart did the crazy pitter-patter thing again. He offered an arm to help me up—he’d showered and I could see drops of water still dripping from his hair—and when he closed the door, a voice inside scolded me to get a grip.

  We drove through town, chatting easily while stopping here and there to take photos. Near the hotel, where the boat was resting on its side in the middle of the road, I spent a lot of time trying to get just the right shot. In the end, I handed the camera to Bryce to let him try, and I found myself watching him walk away, noting again the fluid way he moved. I knew he was working out to get ready for West Point, but his natural grace and coordination made me think that he would have been good at any sport.

  Then again, why should that surprise me? Bryce, as far as I could tell, seemed to be good at everything. He was the perfect son and older brother, smart and athletic, handsome and empathetic. Best of all, he made all of it seem effortless. Even his demeanor was like no one else’s I’d known, especially when compared to the boys at my school. A lot of them seemed nice enough when I talked with them one-on-one, but when they hung out with their friends, they’d preen and act cool and say idiotic things and I’d end up wondering who they really were.

  And yet, if Madison and Jodie found their attention flattering—and they definitely did—I wondered what they’d think of Bryce. Oh, they’d notice right off the bat that he was cute, but would they care about his intelligence or his patience or his interest in photography? Or that he was training an assistance dog to help someone in a wheelchair? Or that he was the kind of teenager who helped his father board up homes for people like Aunt Linda and Gwen?

  I wasn’t sure, but I had the sense that for Madison and Jodie, the way he looked would have been more than enough, and the rest would be only mildly interesting. And, if J was any indication, I’d probably been the same way before I’d arrived here and met a guy who’d given me a reason to change my mind.

  But why was that? I used to think I was mature for my age, but adulthood still seemed like a mirage, and I wondered if part of that had to do with high school in general. When I thought back, it seemed like I’d spent all my time trying to get people to like me, as opposed to figuring out whether I liked them. Bryce hadn’t gone to school or had to deal with all those idiotic pressures, so maybe for him, that had never been an issue. He’d been free to be himself, and it made me wonder who I would have become had I not been so caught up in try
ing to be exactly like my friends.

  It was too much to think about and I shook my head, trying to force the thoughts away. Bryce had climbed on top of a dumpster to get a better view of the boat in the road. Daisy, who’d tagged along with him, stared upward before finally remembering my presence. She trotted toward me, tail wagging, then curled around my legs. Her brown eyes were so friendly, I couldn’t help but lean over. I cupped her jaw in my hands and kissed her on the nose. As I did, I heard the faint sound of a shutter clicking. When I glanced up, Bryce—still on the dumpster—wore a sheepish expression as he lowered the camera.

  “I’m sorry,” he called out. He jumped down, landing like a gymnast, and started toward me. “I know I should have asked, but I couldn’t resist.”

  Though I’d never liked photos of myself, I shrugged. “It’s okay. I took one of you yesterday.”

  “I know,” he said. “I saw you.”

  “You did?”

  He shrugged without answering. “What next? Anything else you want to see or do?”

  At his questions, my thoughts began to race.

  “Why don’t we hang out at my aunt’s house for a while?”

  * * *

  Aunt Linda had gone to the shop, leaving Bryce and me alone. We sat on the sofa, me on one end with my feet tucked up and Bryce on the opposite end. He was flipping through some of the photos I’d taken the day before, complimenting me even when I’d done something obviously wrong. Right before he got to the photograph of him, I suddenly felt the tiniest sensation in my tummy, like a butterfly flapping its wings. I automatically put my hands on my belly but otherwise stayed completely still. He must have asked a question, but concentrating hard, I missed it.

  “What is it? Are you okay?”

  Lost in what I was experiencing, I didn’t answer; instead, I closed my eyes. Sure enough, I eventually felt the fluttering again, like ripples moving through a pond. Though I had no prior experience, I knew exactly what it was.

  “I felt the baby move.”

  I waited for a bit but when nothing else happened, I settled into a more comfortable position. I knew from the book my mom had given me that in the not-too-distant future, those flickers would become kicks and my stomach would move on its own like that super-gross and scary scene in Alien. Bryce remained quiet but had paled a little, which seemed kind of funny, since he was ordinarily unflappable.

  “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” I teased.

  The sound of my voice seemed to snap him out of it. “I’m sorry,” he responded. “I know you’re pregnant, but I don’t ever really think about it. You haven’t even put on any weight.”

  I rewarded his lie with a grateful smile. I’d put on thirteen pounds. “I think your mom knows I’m pregnant.”

  “I didn’t tell her anything—”

  “You didn’t have to. It’s a mom thing.”

  Strangely, I realized that it was the first time my pregnancy had come up since we’d decorated the Christmas tree. I could tell he was curious but didn’t know how to express it.

  “It’s okay to ask me questions about it,” I said. “I don’t mind.”

  He set the photos on the coffee table, his expression thoughtful. “I know you just felt the baby move, but what’s it like to be pregnant? Do you feel any different?”

  “I had morning sickness for a long time, so I definitely felt it then, but now it’s mainly just small things. I’m more sensitive to smell, and sometimes I feel like I need a nap. And, of course, I pee a lot, but you already know that. Other than that, I haven’t noticed much. I’m sure that will change once I start getting even bigger.”

  “When’s the baby due?”

  “May ninth.”

  “It’s that exact?”

  “According to the doctor. Pregnancies last two hundred and eighty days.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “Why would you?”

  He laughed under his breath before growing serious again. “Is it scary? The thought of giving up your baby for adoption?”

  I deliberated over my answer. “Yes and no. I mean, I hope the baby will go to a wonderful couple, but you never really know. That part does kind of scare me when I think about it. At the same time, I know I’m not ready to be a mom yet. I’m still in high school, so there’s no way I could support her. I don’t even know how to drive.”

  “You don’t have your driver’s license?”

  “I was supposed to start driver’s training in November, but coming here sort of nixed that.”

  “I can teach you how to drive. If my parents say it’s okay, I mean. And your aunt, of course.”

  “Really?”

  “Why not? There’s hardly ever any cars on the road to the far end of the island. It’s where my dad taught me.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Can I ask another question about the baby?”

  “Of course.”

  “Do you get to name her?”

  “I don’t think so. When I went to the doctor, the only thing he asked was whether I wanted to hold the baby after giving birth.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I didn’t answer, but I don’t think I will. I’m afraid that if I do, it might be harder to give her up.”

  “Have you ever thought about names? If you could name her, I mean?”

  “I’ve always liked the name Chloe. Or Sofia.”

  “Those are beautiful names. Maybe they should let you name her.”

  I liked that. “I have to admit, I’m not looking forward to labor. With first babies, sometimes it can last for more than a day. And I have no idea how an entire baby will…”

  I didn’t finish, but that was okay. I knew he understood when I saw him wince.

  “If it makes you feel better, my mom has never mentioned how hard labor was. She does, however, remind us that none of us were good sleepers, and that we’re still responsible for making up for her sleep-deprived years.”

  “That would be hard. I do like sleeping.”

  He brought his hands together and I saw the muscles in his forearm flex. “If you leave in May, will you go straight back to school?”

  “I don’t know,” I answered. “I guess it depends on whether I’m all caught up or even ahead. I might not need to be there except for finals, and I might be able to take them at home. I’m sure my parents will have an opinion on it, too.” I ran a hand through my hair. “They’re supposed to come visit me at the end of the month.”

  “I’m sure it will be nice for you to see them.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed, but the truth was, I felt ambivalent about it. Unlike my aunt, they weren’t the most relaxing people to be around.

  “Do you have any crazy cravings?”

  “I love my aunt’s beef Stroganoff, mainly because it’s the best ever. And right now, I’m kind of in the mood for a grilled cheese sandwich, but I don’t know if that counts as a craving. I’ve always liked them.”

  “Do you want me to make you one?”

  “That’s sweet, but I’ll be okay. My aunt will be making dinner soon.”

  He scanned the room, as if casting about for something else to ask. “How are your studies going?”

  “Oh, don’t ruin the conversation,” I said. “I don’t want to think about school right now.”

  “I will admit it’s a relief to be finished with high school.”

  “When do you have to leave for West Point?”

  “In July,” he said.

  “Are you excited?”

  “It’ll be different,” he said. “It’s not like being homeschooled. There’s a lot of structure and I hope I’ll be able to handle it. I just want to make my parents proud.”

  I almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of what he’d just said. I mean, what parent wouldn’t be proud of him? It took me a moment before I suddenly realized he was serious.

  “They are proud of you.”

  He reached for the camera, lifted it, then carefully set it back in the sa
me position. “I know you’ve mentioned that your sister, Morgan, is the perfect one,” he said, “but it’s not easy having Richard and Robert as brothers, either.” His voice was soft enough that I had to strain to hear him as he went on. “Did you know that they took the SAT last September? Remember, they’re only twelve, and both of them got nearly perfect scores: 1570 and 1580, which were a lot higher than I scored. And who knows if Richard will even need to go to college? He could go straight into a career in coding. You know about the internet, right? It’s going to change the world, trust me on that, and Richard is already making a name for himself in the field. He earns more than my grandfather does, working part-time and freelancing. He’ll probably be a millionaire by the time he’s my age. Robert will do the same. I think he’s a bit jealous about the money, so for the last couple of months, he’s been working with Richard on programming, in addition to building his plane. And of course, he finds it laughably easy. How can I compete with brothers like that?”

  When he finished, I couldn’t say anything. His insecurity made no sense at all…except that in his family, it kind of did. “I had no idea.”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I’m proud of how smart they are, but it still makes me feel like I have to do something extraordinary, too. And West Point will be a challenge, even though I’m under no illusions that I’ll ever be able to replicate what my father did there.”

  “What did he do?”

  “Every West Point graduate receives a final rating based on academics, merits, and demerits, which are influenced by character, leadership, honor, and things like that. My dad had the fourth-highest score in West Point history, right after Douglas MacArthur.”