The Lighthouse by Mary Schramski

Author:Mary Schramski
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2005-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

It’s seven-thirty in the morning and I’m walking. I was hoping this would help me get my mind off our argument last night, but it isn’t working. I called the airline, but I could only change my reservation to tomorrow.

Now that I’ve decided I’m leaving, I’m anxious to go home. I keep checking messages, calling the office. I’m not missing a thing. At least, when I get home, I can put in office hours, work on getting more contracts.

A motorcycle drives by, circles, and Adam smiles at me. He pulls up by the sidewalk, shuts off his bike and takes off his helmet. His brown hair is sticking up in places, flattened out in others. For some reason, it looks okay on him.

“How are you?” he asks.

“I’m okay.”

“Just okay?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Where you going?”

“The park.” I want to go there, say an official goodbye to my mother, since I’m leaving tomorrow.

“Want a ride?” He gestures to the extra helmet on the back seat.

“Me on a motorcycle? I don’t think so.”

“Why not? The Department of Motor Vehicles thinks I’m safe.”

I laugh, nod. “Yeah, like they know what they’re doing. Have you seen the people they give driver’s licenses to?”

Adam grins, pats his bike. “Oh, come on. Live a little.”

“Is this the same bike you bought in Oregon, the Easy Rider one?”

“No, I crashed that one a long time ago.”

“That’s why I think I’ll walk.”

“Then so will I.” He kickstands his bike, straps the helmet on the seat, then looks at me. “That is if you want some company?”

“I don’t mind, but aren’t you afraid someone will take your motorcycle?”

“Nah.”

We begin walking.

“So what’s new?” he asks.

“I’m heading home tomorrow.” We are close to the park, and I can hear the ocean.

“You’re going home so soon?”

“Yeah, I need to get back to Tucson. I’ve got a lot to do.” I gesture to my cell phone that’s clipped to my waistband.

“Right.”

At the park, we walk through the lighthouse gate, and I notice it doesn’t squeak. I try the door, but it’s locked. “I guess Dad’s not here.”

“Probably went for supplies.” He looks around. “You know, you’ve got to give him credit for dedicating himself to this place.”

“Yeah, I guess so. I just don’t want him to kill himself doing it.”

We walk to the bench close by and sit.

“Weather’s nice,” I say, lifting my face to the sun, feeling the heat on it. I think about how I used to tell my mother goodbye right before I’d leave, and I can almost hear her say, “I don’t want you to go.” She always said that when I was leaving. My throat grows tight and I can feel tears. I sniff, shake my head, tell them to go away.

“You okay?” Adam is looking at me with concern.

“Yeah, fine. Just thinking. The sun feels good.”

“You have a boyfriend in Arizona?”

His question is so direct, I laugh. “No. I haven’t had a boyfriend in a long time, well, a serious one in two years.”

“I haven’t had a girlfriend in a while, either.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.