One Summer

38

Sammy turned to Jack and said, “I think it’s time to knock off. It’s almost midnight.”

“You go on. I’m just going to finish up a few things.”

They were in the lighthouse. After working most of the last three days at Anne Bethune’s house, Sammy and Jack had eaten a hasty dinner and worked another four hours on the lighthouse. They had cleared out all the wood from the collapsed stairs and assembled the scaffolding up to the top platform, which also needed repair. Fresh lumber delivered from Charles Pinckney’s hardware store was neatly stacked outside in preparation for the rebuilding process.

“Jack, you’ve put in sixteen hours today. You need to get some rest.”

“I will, Sammy. Just another thirty minutes.”

Sammy shook his head, dropped his tool belt on the lower level of the scaffolding, stretched out his aching back, and walked slowly to the Palace.

Jack tightened down some of the scaffolding supports and then climbed up to the top and stepped out onto the catwalk. What he was trying to imagine was how Lizzie the little girl would have thought of the view from up here.

“Were you scared at first, Lizzie? Did you think you might fall? Or did you love it the first time you saw it?” He stared out at the dark ocean and let the breeze wash over his face. He eyed the sky, looking for the exact spot where little Lizzie had imagined Heaven to be perched. And also where her twin sister had gone.

And now where you are, Lizzie.

Farther out to sea he could see ship lights as they slowly made their way across the water. He closed his eyes, and his thoughts carried back to that frozen cemetery four days after Christmas, when they’d laid Lizzie into the ground. She was there right now, alone, in the dark.

“Don’t, Jack,” he said. “Don’t. Nothing good will come from dwelling on that. Remember Lizzie in life. Not like that.”

He looked to his right and was surprised to see someone walking along the beach. As the person drew closer, Jack could see that it was Jenna. She was holding her sandals in one hand, slowly swinging them as she walked close to the waterline. He looked at his watch. It was nearly one in the morning. What was she doing out here?

She suddenly looked up and under the arc of moonlight saw him. She waved and started toward the rocks.

She called up to him. “Working late?”

He said, “Just finishing up a few things. Surprised to see you out.”

“I sometimes take a walk on the beach after closing down the Little Bit. Helps to relax me.” She gazed at the lighthouse. “Heard you were fixing it up.”

“Trying.” He added, “Guess it seems pretty crazy.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” she said, surprising him.

“Why?”

“I just think it’s a good idea. That’s all.” He didn’t say anything. “By the way, you did a great job on the soundproofing. Can’t hear a thing. It’s raised the quality of my life a thousand percent. And I won’t have to kill my only child.”

“I’m glad I could help.”

“Well, I guess I better head back.”

Jack looked down the dark beach from where she had come. “Do you want me to walk back with you? It’s pretty dark out there.”

“No, I’ll be fine. It’s a safe place. And you look like you have some thinking to do still.”

Before he could say anything, she’d turned and walked off. He slowly climbed back down the scaffolding. When he touched bottom, he passed through the doorway and then turned and looked at the hand-painted sign.

“I’m going to get it working,” he said. “Lizzie, I promise that this light will work again. And then you can look down from Heaven and see it.”

And maybe see me.