Returning to Shore by Corinne Demas

Author:Corinne Demas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group

12

In the afternoon Richard had work he wanted to do at his desk. Clare said she was fine going to the beach alone. She decided to wear her newest bathing suit, but she covered it with a T-shirt and draped a beach towel over her shoulders. She walked to the other end of the island to the cove where people swam. The small cluster of beach umbrellas—hot pink and turquoise and yellow stripes—looked festive, though a little jarring against the background of pale sand and beach grass. There were two boys digging in the sand, but no one was in the water, so Clare spent some time beachcombing, instead. She walked around the tip of the island, past the people, and then started back again. She noticed a girl her age ambling in her direction along the edge of the water, but didn’t acknowledge that she’d seen her. But the girl was more gregarious. Once she spotted Clare she changed her course so she was headed right towards her. Clare stood where she was. As the girl approached, she gave a little wave. She was a few inches shorter than Clare and had an abundance of thick, bushy hair held up with an elastic, and a plump face that made her look, Clare guessed, probably a lot happier than she really was.

She introduced herself just the way Vera would do, holding out her hand and giving Clare’s hand a squeeze.

“Hi, I’m Jaylin, J-A-Y-L-I-N,” she said. “I always spell it because people never seem to get it right. Someone even once thought I said, ‘Caitlin’.”

“I’m Clare,” said Clare. “No ‘i’.”

“That’s a relief,” said Jaylin, and she smiled. “Are you staying here on the island?”

“Yes,” said Clare.

“Do you have a house here?”

“Well, my Dad does.”

“My parents built a house,” said Jaylin, “and dragged me here last summer. And there’s no one around who isn’t ancient or a little kid except for Mark—my brother—and his friends, and they don’t count. How come I didn’t see you last summer?”

“I wasn’t here. I haven’t been since I was little.”

“Lucky you,” said Jaylin. “I hope you’re here for a while this time, because I’m stuck here for two more weeks.”

“I’ll be here,” said Clare.

“Sweet,” said Jaylin. “We can hang out together.”

“Sure,” said Clare.

“What are you collecting?” asked Jaylin, looking at Clare’s hands.

Clare held out her open palm. “Whatever looks interesting,” she said.

“Last summer I was obsessed with collecting scallop shells. I’m not anymore, but there’s nothing much to do on this beach, so sometimes I still pick them up.” Clare noticed Jaylin’s gold bracelet. It seemed crazy that someone would wear something expensive like that on the beach.

“I don’t know which shells are which,” said Clare, “but I thought I could look them up. There’s a shell book at the house.”

“Where’s your house?”

“Back there,” said Clare, pointing vaguely towards the marsh.

“We’re right up there,” said Jaylin. The house she pointed to was a big one, perched on the top of the dune with decks hanging off in all directions.

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