Was I being ridiculous, walking into a place and asking if they had a job, as though jobs grew on trees? I cleared my throat.“I was wondering if you had any jobs for the summer?”
The woman’s patient expression didn’t change. “I’m sorry, no. If you’re interested in volunteering…”
I thought about all the money I was missing out on by not working at Lulu’s Diner, about how last year, embarrassed, Dad had said the overnight school trips were too expensive. How the year before, he’d softly suggested I drop private clarinet lessons, and how I’d always known clothing came out of whatever I made at Lulu’s or babysitting. If I was going to volunteer for anyone, it would have been Dad, but he didn’t need a volunteer because he had Ethan.
“Um, no, thank you,” I said. “I don’t suppose if you know any other opportunities for astronomy on the island?” I asked, not very hopeful. I thought of my father. “Or visiting researchers who need interns?”
She looked thoughtful “It’s not likely, but you can leave your name and contact info. I can ask around.”
“Really?” I perked up. “That would begreat.”
***
At six, I met up with Dad at a pizza place he’d suggested. “How was your first full day on Nantucket?” he asked as we sat down, a little too heartily.
“Good, I guess.”Why didn’t you want my help?I wanted to ask. “I looked into jobs. And I went to one of the beaches.”
“Which one?”
“Jetties, I think?” I’d walked from town to a lighthouse, passing more houses and hotels, and tall hedges and climbing flowers. The lighthouse had been short and squat, surrounded by fishermen casting their lines into the water. To the right, I could see Nantucket harbor, filled with small boats and a few massive yachts. In front of me had sailed what looked like an honest-to-god pirate ship. I’d walked along the water all the way to a public beach, filled with laughing parties and aggressive seagulls.
Dad nodded. “They have a restaurant we’ll have to go to.”
I tried to picture my dad at the beach bar I’d seen, with its brightly colored chairs, live music, and colorful cocktails. “Is it your local hang now?” I teased.
Dad looked embarrassed. “I haven’t been. But I thought you might like it.”
Guilt hit me. Right, of course Dad wasn’t galivanting around restaurants. He just wanted me to have a good time here. “Yeah, okay.”
Dad cleared his throat. “I thought Ethan could show you around the island a bit—so even if you haven’t met anyone yet, there’ll at least be someone your age—”
“Dad! You don’t have to set up play dates for me, I’m not six.”
His shoulders drooped again. “Right, I know,” he said quietly. “I just don’t want you to be lonely.”
I blinked several times, my chest aching dully. “I’m not lonely,” I lied in a kinder voice. “There’s tons of cousins at the house.” I held up the menu. “What do you think—Veggie Supreme or the Fortissimo Formaggio?”
“Definitely the Fortissimo Formaggio. Great band name.”
“Wedding cover band.” My role, when Dad pointed out a potential band name, was to match them with their music. “Italian ballads only. Their showstopper is ‘That’s Amore.’ ”
Dad laughed, and I felt warm and happy and like maybe this summer would be okay.
Our four-cheese pizza came, and we talked about normal, nothing topics, like the end of school and Aunt Lou’s trip and what Grace and my other friends were up to for the summer. At the end, Dad picked at the food, then set his fork down decisively. “Remember how I got a call last night? About the house?”
Uh-oh. This was an alarming tone. “Yes?”
“How would you feel…if we lived somewhere else?”
I put down my soda. “What.”
He winced. “I was thinking, after you leave for college, I’m not going to need so much room.”
Was Dad planning to sell my childhood home? “But I’ll be back! At Thanksgiving and winter break and the whole summer.”
Dad tilted his head back and forth, as though weighing these arguments. “True, though for the last few summers, you haven’t been at the house.”
“Becauseyouhaven’t been there!” I felt betrayed. “But you’re not planning to come to Nantucket every summer forever, are you? How long do you need to be out here?”
