National Geographic .”
“You’d be away from home a lot, I imagine.”
Again I shrugged. “I guess. I mean, that is . . . if I decide to go that route.” I looked out over the water and swung my legs like scissors cutting through time. “What about you? What are you going to do? Work your dad’s boat?”
His eyes opened wide. “Heavens no. I’m leaving for Florida State in the fall. I’m going to study business management . . . get off this island and get a real life.”
I felt disappointment slide down my spine. “Where will you go? After college, I mean.”
“I don’t know. After four years of college there ought to be some door open to me. I’ll look for the right doors and I’ll walk through them.”
“Is that it?”
Steven nodded. “I guess so. It’s as far ahead as I can think right now anyway.” He paused, then added, “Look.”
I followed his gaze to the horizon, where the sun now hung low in the eastern sky, veiled in baby pink. Darker pink clouds shaped like a V spread wide above it, finally giving way to the white that had been there all along.
I raised my camera, took shot after shot, mindless—almost numb—to its beauty. A great blue heron flew into view. I captured it forever with its wings spread wide, gliding over the calm of the water in search of a place to land. The sun rose higher, turning neon pink and orange. The sky around it returned to gray-blue. Magically the orb before us changed its color again, from neon to blazing yellow surrounded by shimmering red. A wide line on the water, now dotted with waking herons, rippled under the reflection.
I finished one roll of film, then replaced it with another. I shot eight more photos then lowered my camera for good. All the while Steven had sat there, staring at the landscape before us, unaware—I felt—of the war going on inside me. The need to capture the moment versus the concern that I was only a summer fling to Steven.
When he was so much more than that to me.
“How do you think you did?” he finally asked.
“Good, I think.”
“There’s a photo lab on the mainland in Gainesville. Maybe we can take them there this evening . . . pick them up tomorrow?” He looked down at the plate, picked up a sticky bun, tore off a piece, and extended it toward my lips. I opened them, allowed him to feed me, then nibbled on his fingertips, which he drew back.
“Careful,” he said, but elaborated no further.
He swung his legs and jumped to stand on the deck. I carefully packed my camera into its case, keeping my eyes away from his, then allowed him to help me stand. He glanced at his watch. “I gotta get you home and then get to work.”
I nodded.
“Okay if I pick you up at 6:00? We’ll grab a burger or something . . .”
“With fries?” I said, maybe a little too quickly. One thing I knew about Steven: he loved fries.
“You know me well.” He winked. “Sound good?”
“I’m sure Mom will say it’s okay.”
Rosa was waiting outside when Steven brought me home. She leaned against one of the oaks, twirling her long dark hair around a finger. Seeing us, she straightened. I waved with all the enthusiasm of a girl spying her best friend. Rosa lifted her hand lazily, then let it fall.
“Thank goodness Rosa is here.” I looked at Steven as the truck slowed to a stop. “If I can’t be with you, at least I have her and Heather to pal around with.”
Steven’s gaze appeared guarded. “What kind of stuff do you do with her?”
“Swim mostly. Otherwise we look at Glamour magazines and talk about hair and makeup. You know, girl stuff.”
He leaned over and kissed me so quickly I almost missed the moment. “Just be careful.”
I drew back. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing.” He smiled then. “I really have to go.”
I stole a final kiss, then bounded out of the car and over to Rosa. Together we watched the truck back out of the driveway, then turn sharply and head back for the main
“You’d be away from home a lot, I imagine.”
Again I shrugged. “I guess. I mean, that is . . . if I decide to go that route.” I looked out over the water and swung my legs like scissors cutting through time. “What about you? What are you going to do? Work your dad’s boat?”
His eyes opened wide. “Heavens no. I’m leaving for Florida State in the fall. I’m going to study business management . . . get off this island and get a real life.”
I felt disappointment slide down my spine. “Where will you go? After college, I mean.”
“I don’t know. After four years of college there ought to be some door open to me. I’ll look for the right doors and I’ll walk through them.”
“Is that it?”
Steven nodded. “I guess so. It’s as far ahead as I can think right now anyway.” He paused, then added, “Look.”
I followed his gaze to the horizon, where the sun now hung low in the eastern sky, veiled in baby pink. Darker pink clouds shaped like a V spread wide above it, finally giving way to the white that had been there all along.
I raised my camera, took shot after shot, mindless—almost numb—to its beauty. A great blue heron flew into view. I captured it forever with its wings spread wide, gliding over the calm of the water in search of a place to land. The sun rose higher, turning neon pink and orange. The sky around it returned to gray-blue. Magically the orb before us changed its color again, from neon to blazing yellow surrounded by shimmering red. A wide line on the water, now dotted with waking herons, rippled under the reflection.
I finished one roll of film, then replaced it with another. I shot eight more photos then lowered my camera for good. All the while Steven had sat there, staring at the landscape before us, unaware—I felt—of the war going on inside me. The need to capture the moment versus the concern that I was only a summer fling to Steven.
When he was so much more than that to me.
“How do you think you did?” he finally asked.
“Good, I think.”
“There’s a photo lab on the mainland in Gainesville. Maybe we can take them there this evening . . . pick them up tomorrow?” He looked down at the plate, picked up a sticky bun, tore off a piece, and extended it toward my lips. I opened them, allowed him to feed me, then nibbled on his fingertips, which he drew back.
“Careful,” he said, but elaborated no further.
He swung his legs and jumped to stand on the deck. I carefully packed my camera into its case, keeping my eyes away from his, then allowed him to help me stand. He glanced at his watch. “I gotta get you home and then get to work.”
I nodded.
“Okay if I pick you up at 6:00? We’ll grab a burger or something . . .”
“With fries?” I said, maybe a little too quickly. One thing I knew about Steven: he loved fries.
“You know me well.” He winked. “Sound good?”
“I’m sure Mom will say it’s okay.”
Rosa was waiting outside when Steven brought me home. She leaned against one of the oaks, twirling her long dark hair around a finger. Seeing us, she straightened. I waved with all the enthusiasm of a girl spying her best friend. Rosa lifted her hand lazily, then let it fall.
“Thank goodness Rosa is here.” I looked at Steven as the truck slowed to a stop. “If I can’t be with you, at least I have her and Heather to pal around with.”
Steven’s gaze appeared guarded. “What kind of stuff do you do with her?”
“Swim mostly. Otherwise we look at Glamour magazines and talk about hair and makeup. You know, girl stuff.”
He leaned over and kissed me so quickly I almost missed the moment. “Just be careful.”
I drew back. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing.” He smiled then. “I really have to go.”
I stole a final kiss, then bounded out of the car and over to Rosa. Together we watched the truck back out of the driveway, then turn sharply and head back for the main