"You've got to start studying for exams, Cary,"
I called as he started away.
He just waved back at me without turning and
continued to walk past the pink wild beach grass,
strands of his hair lifting in the wind. I stood there
watching him for a few moments and then made my
way back to the house, feeling I had won some sort of
victory, but not sure what it was.
However, the following Monday at school,
things were different. Cary was friendly to Robert, so
friendly, in fact, that even I was taken by surprise. "Laura tells me about all the work you and your
folks are doing on the Sea Marina. I'd like to check it
out one of these days," Cary offered, glancing at me
quickly after he had said it.
"Great," Robert said. "I could sure use some
advice about the dock. It has to be reinforced, only I'm
not sure how to go about it."
"Maybe Wednesday," Cary said, "after school."
He turned to me. "We'll pick up May and take her
along."
"She'd love that," I said, bursting with so much
happiness, I thought I might explode.
"We'll have to tell Ma," Cary said. "Let's not
mention it to Dad," he added in a lower voice. I
nodded.
Despite my father's need to have a market for
his lobsters and his cranberries, he parroted Grandma
Olivia's complaints about the tourist industry and the
damage it had done and would continue to do to the
Cape. I was grateful Cary hadn't brought it up in front