One Summer

67

The ambulance took Mikki and Jack to the hospital to be checked out. Sammy followed in his van with Liam, while Jenna stayed with the boys at the Palace. Jenna had made hot tea for Bonnie, who had watched Jack’s heroic rescue of his daughter from the top of the lighthouse. Now she just sat small and stooped on the edge of the couch, a sob escaping her lips every few seconds.

Jenna had tried to comfort her, while Fred just sat in another chair and stared at his hands. When Sammy called from the hospital and told them they would be home shortly and that everyone was okay, Jenna had finally broken down and wept.

Afterward, Jenna had ventured into Jack’s room; she wasn’t sure why. As her gaze swept the space, it settled on the letters, which were still lying on the bed. She went over, sat down, picked them up, and started reading.

She emerged from the room ten minutes later, her eyes red with fresh tears. She walked over to Bonnie and tapped her gently on the shoulder. When Bonnie looked up, Jenna said, “I think you need to read these, Mrs. O’Toole.”

Bonnie looked confused, but she accepted the letters from Jenna, slipped on her reading glasses, and unfolded the first one.

The storm, its fury rapidly spent after fully hitting land, had largely passed by the time they returned from the hospital. An exhausted Mikki was laid in her bed with Cory and Liam watching over her like guardian angels, counting each one of her breaths.

Jack told everyone that Mikki had suffered no permanent damage and should be as good as new.

“The doctor said she was one strong lady,” added Sammy.

“Like her mother,” said Jack as he looked at Bonnie.

He passed through the house and went outside and up to the top of the lighthouse. He stared out now at the clearing sky, the sun coming up in the east. He bent down and saw the wires he had spliced the night before. It was a miracle that he had finally spotted the trouble that had befuddled him for so long. Yet a miracle, thought Jack, was somehow what he, however irrationally, had been counting on.

He leaned against the wall of glass and stared out at what looked to be the start of a beautiful late-summer day.

He turned when he heard her.

Bonnie, wheezing slightly, appeared at the opening for the room. He helped her through, and they stood side by side looking at each other.

“Thank God for what you did last night, Jack.”

Jack turned and looked back out the window. “It was Lizzie, you know.”

“What?” Bonnie moved even closer to him.

Jack said, “I’d given up. Mikki was dead. I didn’t have any breath left. She was dead, Bonnie. And I asked Lizzie to help me.” He turned to her. “I looked up to the sky and I asked Lizzie to help me.” A sob broke from his throat. “And she did. She did. She saved Mikki, not me.”

Bonnie nodded slowly. “It was both of you, Jack. You and Lizzie. The match made in Heaven. Two people meant for each other if ever there was.”

He stared at her, surprised by the woman’s blunt words.

From her pocket she drew out the letters. “I think these belong to you.” She handed them back to him and reached out and touched his face. “Sometimes people can’t see what’s right in front of them, Jack. It’s strange how that works. How often it happens. And how often it hurts people we’re supposed to love.” She paused. “I do love you, son. I guess I always have. And one thing I know for certain is that you loved my daughter. And she loved you. That should have been enough for me.” She paused again. “And now, it is.”

They exchanged a hug, and she turned to go.

“Bonnie?”

She looked back.

“The kids?” he said in a small voice.

“They’re right where they should be, Jack. With their father.”