way more intimidating
than how Lawrence described him. Both he and Lawrence
are dressed in expensive-looking suits, as if they are headed to
church or something.
“This is Cassandra,” Lawrence says to Ned, moving subtly
away from me as he speaks. “Cassandra… Can’t remember
your last name,” he adds with a laugh.
“It’s—” I start to answer, but Lawrence noticeably jumps to
speak over me.
“She lives up past the point. The summer crowd.” He turns
to me and there’s a flash of seriousness in his eyes. “Do you
have that card, Cassandra?”
My mind scrambles for a second, but I figure it’s best to play
along. “Yeah. I mean, yes.”
Lawrence nods. “Ned and I are about to leave, but I told him
you needed me to deliver your condolences.”
“Ex-exactly,” I stammer, hoping against hope that he doesn’t
expect me to know what he’s talking about. “Thanks again,
Lawrence.”
Ned’s eyes stay on me. I swallow hard. At least I’m wearing
a dress, not jean shorts and a tank top. Even still, I can’t help
feeling that Lawrence’s uncle knows I’m out of place. As if my
very presence screams: Not from 1925. But he couldn’t possibly know. Could he?
“I’ll see Cassandra down the beach,” Lawrence says casually.
“Won’t be long.”
“Of course,” Ned says. “But don’t dawdle, Lon. We don’t
want to be late.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ned hesitates, glancing back at me, but then heads toward
the house. His house, I guess. As it was in 1925.
As soon as he leaves, I release the breath I’ve been holding.
Lawrence says, “I’m sorry about that. I think we gave you quite
a scare.”
“Um, you could say that.”
“Ned can be a little gruff, but he’s a swell guy. Don’t worry
about him.”
But I am worried. It can’t be good that he saw me. Even if he
bought Lawrence’s story, it seems dangerous that I was seen by
someone from his time.
“Are you going to explain what you were talking about?”
In an instant, the brightness on Lawrence’s face vanishes. He
sighs. “We’re headed to a wake. Billy Howard died yesterday.”
He shakes his head. “Sorry, I forget you wouldn’t know him.
He was a friend of mine. We weren’t close, but were both going
to start at Harvard in the fall.”
I set my hand on Lawrence’s arm. “I’m so sorry.”
“It was a motor-car accident. He…well, Billy liked a good
party. I guess he was a little drunk, and he didn’t see the road
turn ahead…”
I shudder. “That’s awful.”
Lawrence turns his eyes to the sea. “I should have been there.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Lawrence. It’s not your—”
“No, I mean it. I was supposed to go with him, but I came
to meet you instead.”
My stomach drops. “Oh gosh.”
Lawrence goes on as if he hadn’t heard me. “I told him I
would go along. If I had, Billy wouldn’t have been driving that
car, I would have. And I would have made that turn, and—”
“You can’t think like that. It’ll make you crazy.”
“I know… I just…” Suddenly, Lawrence throws his arms
around me. He holds me tightly. I’d be thrilled at our first
embrace if my heart didn’t ache for him.
“I can’t stop picturing it,” he whispers.
I hug him back, setting my head on his shoulder. “It’s not
your fault. Sometimes bad things just happen.”
“I know. You’re right, but I still feel responsible.” He breaks
his grip. “Forgive me. I’ve felt low all morning.”
“I wish there was something I could do.”
“Meet me here later?”
“Are you sure you’ll be up for hanging out?”
“I’d like the distraction. Perhaps not tonight, as we’ll be comforting Billy’s family. But tomorrow night?” A sad half-smile
tugs at his lips. “I still need to give you your surprise.”
“Oh gosh, you don’t need to worry about that.”
“I want to.” He looks back down the path. “I should probably go now. Ned’s waiting. But I really do want to see you
tomorrow, if you’re
than how Lawrence described him. Both he and Lawrence
are dressed in expensive-looking suits, as if they are headed to
church or something.
“This is Cassandra,” Lawrence says to Ned, moving subtly
away from me as he speaks. “Cassandra… Can’t remember
your last name,” he adds with a laugh.
“It’s—” I start to answer, but Lawrence noticeably jumps to
speak over me.
“She lives up past the point. The summer crowd.” He turns
to me and there’s a flash of seriousness in his eyes. “Do you
have that card, Cassandra?”
My mind scrambles for a second, but I figure it’s best to play
along. “Yeah. I mean, yes.”
Lawrence nods. “Ned and I are about to leave, but I told him
you needed me to deliver your condolences.”
“Ex-exactly,” I stammer, hoping against hope that he doesn’t
expect me to know what he’s talking about. “Thanks again,
Lawrence.”
Ned’s eyes stay on me. I swallow hard. At least I’m wearing
a dress, not jean shorts and a tank top. Even still, I can’t help
feeling that Lawrence’s uncle knows I’m out of place. As if my
very presence screams: Not from 1925. But he couldn’t possibly know. Could he?
“I’ll see Cassandra down the beach,” Lawrence says casually.
“Won’t be long.”
“Of course,” Ned says. “But don’t dawdle, Lon. We don’t
want to be late.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ned hesitates, glancing back at me, but then heads toward
the house. His house, I guess. As it was in 1925.
As soon as he leaves, I release the breath I’ve been holding.
Lawrence says, “I’m sorry about that. I think we gave you quite
a scare.”
“Um, you could say that.”
“Ned can be a little gruff, but he’s a swell guy. Don’t worry
about him.”
But I am worried. It can’t be good that he saw me. Even if he
bought Lawrence’s story, it seems dangerous that I was seen by
someone from his time.
“Are you going to explain what you were talking about?”
In an instant, the brightness on Lawrence’s face vanishes. He
sighs. “We’re headed to a wake. Billy Howard died yesterday.”
He shakes his head. “Sorry, I forget you wouldn’t know him.
He was a friend of mine. We weren’t close, but were both going
to start at Harvard in the fall.”
I set my hand on Lawrence’s arm. “I’m so sorry.”
“It was a motor-car accident. He…well, Billy liked a good
party. I guess he was a little drunk, and he didn’t see the road
turn ahead…”
I shudder. “That’s awful.”
Lawrence turns his eyes to the sea. “I should have been there.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Lawrence. It’s not your—”
“No, I mean it. I was supposed to go with him, but I came
to meet you instead.”
My stomach drops. “Oh gosh.”
Lawrence goes on as if he hadn’t heard me. “I told him I
would go along. If I had, Billy wouldn’t have been driving that
car, I would have. And I would have made that turn, and—”
“You can’t think like that. It’ll make you crazy.”
“I know… I just…” Suddenly, Lawrence throws his arms
around me. He holds me tightly. I’d be thrilled at our first
embrace if my heart didn’t ache for him.
“I can’t stop picturing it,” he whispers.
I hug him back, setting my head on his shoulder. “It’s not
your fault. Sometimes bad things just happen.”
“I know. You’re right, but I still feel responsible.” He breaks
his grip. “Forgive me. I’ve felt low all morning.”
“I wish there was something I could do.”
“Meet me here later?”
“Are you sure you’ll be up for hanging out?”
“I’d like the distraction. Perhaps not tonight, as we’ll be comforting Billy’s family. But tomorrow night?” A sad half-smile
tugs at his lips. “I still need to give you your surprise.”
“Oh gosh, you don’t need to worry about that.”
“I want to.” He looks back down the path. “I should probably go now. Ned’s waiting. But I really do want to see you
tomorrow, if you’re
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