So far, Heddy has discovered a German man hiding on the island. She has met a boy her age named Lester. They deliver a letter that Lester's aunt had hidden to the German, Artie.

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Daddy comes to my bedroom early one morning. He smells like fancy shaving soap. His hair is oiled and combed neatly. "Morning, Ladybug. I'm heading to the mainland today. Going to bring a surprise home tonight." He squats down next to my bed and brushes my hair off of my cheek. "I'm gonna need you to take care of things here for your momma. Will you do that for me?"

I rub my eyes and stretch as I struggle to wake up. "What's wrong with Momma?"

"Nothing. She just might be a little antsy today."

"Why?" I ask, absently running my hand across his smooth cheek and chin.

"I'm going to bring your brother home with me tonight. She's just excited. Maybe take her for a walk on the beach. Help her in the garden. She's gonna need you to keep her busy. Can you do that for me?"

I nod, pushing back the covers and giving him a giant hug. "I promise. Is Willis gonna remember me? Does he know Nonni isn't here anymore?"

Daddy lets me sit on his knee. "He remembers you. He's only been gone for two years. And we wrote him about Nonni. Look, Heddy, I know you're a little scared, but I promise you everything is going to be fine."

I lay my cheek against his shoulder. When he says it, I believe things will be fine. Willis will come home and we will be a real family again.

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Momma is dropping things. She is nervous and keeps apologizing, not so much to me as to the room. She won't walk on the beach. The closest I can get her to it is to stand at the edge of the yard and look out at the ocean.

"I remember when you and Willis used to play in the water almost every day. Didn't matter if the water was cold or warm. Neither one of you missed the opportunity to jump right in. He taught you to swim. Do you remember that?"

I shake my head. I don't remember it, not exactly. I remember him carrying me out into deeper water, then letting me go. I remember the salt water as it stung my eyes when my head dipped below the surface. He had looked so far away. I stretched my toes trying to feel the sandy bottom but there was nothing. I could hear his voice, yelling for me to kick my feet and move my arms. The happiness in his voice as he said "you're doing it, Heddy. Keep on kicking your legs. Push the water with your arms. Swim to me."

"Neither your daddy nor I knew he was going to teach you. Yes, ma'am, Willis loved having a little sister."

"He was kind of mean to me."

"He teased you. That's all. Why, your Aunt Lana was mean as a snake to me when we were growing up. It's just something brothers and sisters do. But don't you ever doubt that he loves you. Every letter he wrote he asked about you."

My mother's face is turned to the sky, a smile on it. She looks so pretty. She looks happy pretty. Daddy said her heart was about to burst it was so full of joy.


As the afternoon dwindles and the sun starts to dip below the tree tops, we start dinner. She fries up two eggs for each of us. "I'm not sure what time they'll be getting home. Last ferry runs at ten. If they don't make that one, I guess they won't get here until tomorrow." Her words trail off and I know the thought of going to bed with no Willis home makes her sad.

"Let's play checkers after dinner," I say, swirling my biscuit around in the runny yellow part of the egg.

Momma studies me for a second, then nods. "I'm pretty good at checkers. You aren't gonna cry if I beat you, are you?"

"Are you gonna cry if I beat you?"

She playfully pinches my cheek. "Go get it set up on the dining room table and I'll be there as soon as I finish with the dishes."

I pull the cardboard box out of the bottom of the china cupboard and carry it to the dining room. It only takes me a few minutes to set it up. I hear her humming as she washes the dinner plates and I wander to the window. There isn't any sign of Daddy and Willis. The evening air is cooling and the leaves on the trees ripple a little in the evening breeze.

"Ready?" Momma calls from the dining room.

I cast one more hopeful look towards the road then run back to play checkers.

We play three games before Momma finally says she's checkered out. I won two of those games. "You aren't gonna cry are you?" I tease.

To my surprise, Momma bursts into tears. "This is torture, Heddy. Where are they? I just want to see my boy."

"They're coming home, Momma. Daddy promised. He keeps his promises."

She uses the edge of her apron to dab her eyes. "You're right. I know he does. I'm being silly, aren't I?" She tries to smile through her tears. "Your momma is just being silly."

"I won't tell him you were scared. Okay?"

She looks at me with eyes that glisten like jewels and opens her arms. "Come here. You've been a big help to me. Through all of this. I love you, Heddy."

As she wraps her arms around me, I hear the faintest of voices. They are here.