“Don’t tell me it’ll be all right,” she said.
“Never,” he said. “I know better.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go home.”
By the time they got back to the car, Lucy had dried her tears. There would be plenty of time to cry, but not today. Today was Christopher’s day, not hers. As a mother now, she had to put her own feelings aside.
Twenty minutes later, they were at the ferry terminal.
“Ready?” Jack asked Christopher.
Christopher replied in a voice about ten decibels louder than necessary, “Ready!”
The air was warm and the sun bright, and the sky bluer than Lucy had ever seen it as the ferry carried them toward the island. Christopher and Jack stood side by side in the bow. Jack would point out something. Then Christopher would. When Jack put his hand up to shield his eyes to see a bird flying overhead, so did Christopher.
Hanging back with Hugo, Lucy had to laugh. “They look like grandfather and grandson.”
“They are.” Hugo smiled at her. “Have you and Jack decided what you’re going to do as his official sidekick?”
“We have big plans,” she said. “First off, we’re going to start a nonprofit to provide free books, backpacks, and school supplies to kids in foster care. Care packages postmarked from Clock Island. What do you think?”
“I think that’s one of the best ideas I’ve ever heard.”
“I think we’re going to call it—”
Hugo suddenly looked toward the front of the boat and held up his hand.
Lucy froze, whispered, “What?”
“Christopher, come here,” Hugo ordered. Christopher turned and ran to him. “Look.”
Hugo pointed out at the water where a single gray triangle cut through a wave before it vanished under the water again.
“Shark?” Christopher breathed.
“We have lots of them around here,” he said. “Never go swimming with a steak sandwich in your pocket.”
The ferry made its slow, steady way around the southern edge of Clock Island. Six o’clock, five o’clock, four o’clock.
Lucy pulled out her phone and started recording. Angie wanted pictures and videos. She would get them.
Finally, there it was, shining in the sun. The house on Clock Island.
“Home sweet home,” Jack said to Christopher.
“What? That’s our house?” Christopher said. He looked at Hugo, at Lucy, awestruck.
“That’s it,” she said. “Like it?”
The ferry reached the dock. The captain cut the engine.
“Tick-tock,” Jack said. “Welcome to the Clock.”
Christopher’s grin was wider than the sky.
Hugo got off the boat first and helped Lucy, who helped Christopher. All three of them helped Jack.
—
