So far, Heddy has discovered a German man living on the beach in Dr. Monroe's abandoned beach house. She has met a new friend named Lester, who helps his aunt at the post office. And now Willis, who has been over seas for two years, is finally coming home.

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Momma loosens her hug and looks towards the front door. We have left the big door open with only the screen door keeping the mosquitoes out of the house. She starts to stand and looks at me as she slowly walks toward the front door.

"They're here, Heddy. He's finally home."

I hang behind her, my stomach twirling suddenly at the thought of seeing my big brother for the first time in years. Momma moves quickly over to unlatch the hook on the screen, then steps back, her hands clenched together as if she were praying.

The porch boards creak and I hear his voice. "You don't know how many times I'd close my eyes and picture this porch. Damn, it's good to really be here."

Momma doesn't seem to hear the bad word Willis used, she just stares at the screen door, waiting.

When it opens, Daddy steps aside and lets Willis enter. The smile on my daddy's face is about the biggest one I've ever seen. "We're home," he says, looking from Momma to me.

Momma opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out. She just shakes like she's cold. For a few seconds she just stands there unable to move. Finally, she runs towards him, throwing her arms around him and just saying the same thing over and over. "My boy is here. Praise the heavens, my Willis is home."

He hugs her tightly, his eyes closing as if he's praying as well. He looks different than I remember. His hair is darker, his shoulders broader and he doesn't look like a boy anymore. He pulls back long enough to look at Momma. "I missed you all so much. I lived for the letters you would send." He looks over at me. "Heddy, I used to tell the guys in my unit stories about you."

I smile bashfully. I can feel my cheeks burn. "Hey, Willis."

He steps away from Momma and limps into the living room. "You think you might have a hug for your brother?"

For a moment, I try to picture the old Willis. He smiles and opens his arms. "I missed you, Heddy." His voice cracks as he says it. "You remember me, don't ya?"

Daddy nods at me. I feel my feet moving and before I know it, I'm swept up into the arms of my brother. "I'm home," he whispers as he holds me. "I was so afraid I'd never see y'all again."

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We sit in the living room late into the night, listening to him talk about the different countries he was in. He says his favorite is France. My eyelids flutter as I listen. The sounds of the waves mixing in with his stories. I fall asleep and dream about the rolling fields filled with the fragrant purple flowers he described.

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I wake up sometime after everyone else has gone to bed. I push off the covers and go to the window. I can just make out the silhouette of Willis as he stands at the edge of the yard and looks out at the ocean. He looks so lonely, not at all like the strong man who came home a few hours ago.

I wish Nonni was here right now. She would tell me what to do. I slip my feet into my sandals and quietly go down stairs. The back door is slightly open and I go stand on the back steps. I wonder what he's thinking about. I know he's glad to be home, but maybe he's a little scared as well.

"Willis," I call, making sure I don't scare him. "What're you doing out here?"

He turns enough to look over his shoulder. "Hey, what are you doing up?"

"I just wake up sometimes."

He nods and draws in a deep breath of air. "I used to tell my friends about this place. They called it the magic island. Most of them came from the city, but there were a few who grew up out in the country. None of them had to ride a ferry to get to the mainland. I would tell them about the hurricanes and the Nor'easters that would blow through here. I started to believe this was a magical place, too."

"That's what my friend, Lester says about it. Says we are safe here."

"Is he the kid who is staying with the Collettes?"

I shake my head. "He's nice. Momma gave him some of your old clothes. He only had wool pants when he came here."

"I'm glad you have a friend. I used to worry about you, you know. You've always had a hard time getting on with others. I was glad when Nonni came to live with y'all. But when she died, I felt like you were all alone again."

I look out at the pale foam on the waves that roll towards shore. I wish I could tell him that Nonni is still here, but I can't, not yet anyway. "He's gonna be leaving at the end of summer. He misses home."

"I sure know what that's like," Willis says softly. He absently rubs his hip with his hand. "This hurts like a toothache."

"What happened?"

"I just got tumbled around and landed wrong."

"Did anyone else get tumbled?" I step closer and take his hand in mine, looking up to see him twist his mouth and close his eyes.

"Yes, Heddy. Some got tumbled real bad. Some couldn't come home." He squeezes my hand and looks down at me.

"I'm glad you got to come home. I'm sorry I was afraid of you at first."

He doesn't answer right away, just nods before he finally answers, "I am too."