Part 1 (2/2)

Bored with their grown-up conversation, Tess was watching the pink-cheeked Lisa as she began to lurch, in the toddler's side-to-side gait, across the gra.s.s. Tess wished she had her camera to take a picture of her. She was cute as a doll, her ringlets s.h.i.+ning in the hot afternoon sun. Tess squinted up at the puffy clouds gathering in the sunny afternoon sky. Soon the beautiful day would be over. She looked over at her mother beseechingly and caught her eye.

”What is it, Tess?” she asked.

”Will you come in the water, Mom?” she pleaded.

Dawn smiled at her, bemused. ”Is it cold?”

Tess shook her head, wide-eyed. ”No. Really.”

”Go ahead, hon,” Rob said. ”I'll keep an eye on Sean.”

Dawn was not the sort of person who needed to be coaxed to have fun. As Rob toweled off and flopped down on the blanket beside his new son, Dawn took Tess's hand. ”Okay, let's go,” she said, tucking her dark brown hair behind her ear and smiling. ”'Scuse us.”

Tess waded back into the water, leading the way. Phoebe stood up, waist high in the lake, and began to splash.

”Honey, don't splash me,” said Dawn. ”It's going to take me a minute to adjust.”

Phoebe shrugged but desisted. Tess slipped back into the cold lake like a seal, but her mother entered more gingerly, rubbing her arms and saying ”brrr” until suddenly she inhaled a deep breath, extended her arms, and dove in, emerging a few moments later out past where Phoebe stood, laughing. Dawn waved to Rob and the other couple on the sh.o.r.e and they all waved back.

Tess swam to her mother's arms. Dawn glanced over at the group of teenagers. Jake was seated among them on the boulders now, loudly joining in the chatter. The pretty blonde was seated right beside him.

”Dad says he's trying to make the girls like him,” Tess informed her mother.

Dawn smiled a little wistfully. ”He's growing up on us.”

”Well, I think he should stay with his family,” Tess said.

”Oh, it won't be long till it's you over there,” Dawn said.

”Not me,” Tess insisted. ”I'd rather be with you.”

Dawn gave her a kiss on the forehead. ”Hey, come on. Let's catch Phoebe. Pheebs,” she cried, ”we're coming to get you.”

Phoebe, who was floating on her back, gazing at the brilliant blue sky and the puffy clouds, righted herself in the water. The sun flashed off the s.h.i.+ny surface of the ”Believe” medallion, which she always wore on a silver chain around her neck. It had been a birthday gift from their G.o.dmother, and Tess had one exactly like it. She never wore hers swimming, however, for fear of losing it. ”What?” Phoebe said.

”We're getting you,” Tess threatened.

Phoebe's laughing eyes widened and then she screamed and began frantically to paddle away.

Jake returned to the campsite s.h.i.+vering as the sun was setting, and changed into dry clothes as Rob started the campfire and Dawn managed to find everyone a stick long enough to toast marshmallows after their skillet dinner had finished cooking on the camp stove. Their faces burnished by the lantern light, they ate their dinner hungrily, agreeing that the food at home never tasted this good, the same thing they said on every camping trip. After dinner they huddled around the campfire while sparks flew up like a cloud of orange bees, and the mountain evening air grew chilly. The kids sat on logs and tree stumps, their parents on folding camp chairs, and they all toasted their impaled marshmallows over the campfire.

Rob told a couple of ghost stories so familiar that the girls' screams antic.i.p.ated the punch lines. Afterward, as the fire died away, there were good-night kisses all around. Phoebe and Tess wore socks, sweatpants, and fleece hoodies because of the cold night air. They ducked into their tent and crawled into sleeping bags, propping their long-handled flashlight on the ground between their air mattresses.

Tess reached into her backpack and fished around until she pulled out the camera she had begged for, and received, on her ninth birthday. She turned the lens on Phoebe, who was brus.h.i.+ng out her tangled, golden hair.

”Pheebs,” she said.

Phoebe looked up at her sister and Tess snapped the photo.

”Put that down,” Phoebe commanded her. ”I hate having my picture taken.”

”But you look cool with that big shadow behind you,” said Tess, gazing at her sister's silhouette, large and dark as a thundercloud against the tent wall.

”I don't care. Stop doing that.”

In response, Tess snapped another picture and Phoebe threw her hairbrush at her younger sister, hitting her in the forehead.

”Ow,” Tess yelped, lowering the camera.

”Put it away,” said Phoebe.

Tess stuck out her tongue, but placed the camera carefully back into her knapsack just as Jake entered the tent. He had wide shoulders, even features, and beautiful, golden brown hair that was curly again now that it was dry. He crouched just inside the door of the tent wearing boots, jeans, and an MIT sweats.h.i.+rt.

”Hurry up and take your boots off and get in your sleeping bag,” said Phoebe. ”So we can turn out the light.”

Jake pulled back the flap on the tent and peered out at the quiet campsite, the embers of the fire still glowing. He began to chew on his thumbnail absently. ”I'm going to go out for a little while,” he said.

Tess stared at him in disbelief, but Phoebe sat up and protested. ”Go out? Where?”

”I'm going to walk into town. Into Stone Hill. There's a dance tonight,” said Jake.

”You can't leave here,” Phoebe protested. ”Does Dad know about this?”

Jake glared at her. ”No. And don't you tell him, you little brat. I'll be back in a couple of hours. It's no big deal.”

”If it's no big deal, why don't you ask Dad if it's okay?” Phoebe insisted.

”I don't have to get his permission for everything I do,” said Jake irritably.

”He'll be so mad if he finds out,” Phoebe warned.

”If you two keep your mouths shut, he won't have to find out, will he?”

Tess and Phoebe exchanged a glance, Tess looking frightened, Phoebe looking angry. ”You're supposed to stay here with us,” said Phoebe.

”Don't be such a baby. You're two feet from Mom and Dad. I'll be back before you know it.”

Phoebe was shaking her golden head.

”Besides, I'll give you each five bucks if you keep quiet,” he said.

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