“Not when I’m with you,” she answered, staring at his face in the moonlight. “You make me forget all about my other life.”
Jack stared into the darkness, recalling the day they met. “I’ll never forget the first time I saw you. You were determined to get on that boat. I don’t think there was anything I could have said that would have stopped you, was there?”
Ellie shook her head. “Probably not. When I make up my mind about something, I’m determined to get it.” They sat silently until she asked, “Would you ever consider leaving this place?”
“I don’t know. This is the only home I’ve ever known. I guess I’m not opposed to the idea, but it’d take a real good reason for me to leave. Why, what are you thinking?”
“Nothing. Something. I don’t know. This whole business about us being apart has me troubled, and I’ve been thinking of a way where you could be closer to me. Since you’re planning to go to work anyway, what if you moved to Indiana and found a job there? Bloomington has an RCA plant where they make televisions, and GE has a place there too. You could find work, no problem. That way, we could see each other anytime we want.”
Her suggestion intrigued Jack. “Ellie, that all sounds great, and I’d do anything to be closer to you, but what about Mama and George? They depend on me. I can’t just up and leave. And even if I could, what about the summer? I’d be there, and you’d be somewhere else.”
“Well, it was only a thought.”
Jack could hear the disappointment in her voice, so he offered a solution of his own. “I don’t suppose I could talk you into transferring schools, could I? I’m sure the University of Tennessee has an astronomy program.”
“If only it were that easy. Tell you what,” said Ellie, “let’s not talk about it anymore. Let’s just enjoy the time we have left.”
* * *
A week before Ellie’s departure, she and Jack took the boat and anchored near Rock Island.
“It’s so dark tonight.” Jack was unable to see his hand in front of his face.
“Which is why this is the perfect night for stargazing. Did you know the stars appear brighter out here than they do in the city?”
“Why’s that?”
“Cities produce ambient light, but out here in the country, away from the hustle and bustle, it’s clear. Look.” She traced a cluster of stars with the end of her finger. “That’s the Big Dipper. And over there is Orion.”
“How’d you get to be so smart anyway?”
“I’ve been fascinated with the stars for as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl, my father would take me to the library, and I checked out every book they had on the subject. When I’d read everything there was in the library, we started looking for bookstores. In fact, there’s one not far from campus where I spend most of my afternoons reading. I also work there on the weekends.”
“I didn’t know that,” said Jack.
“You know, I’m really going to miss it here.” She peered into the darkness. “I know it’s only been a few months, but this place was starting to feel like home.”
“Not as much as I’m going to miss having you here. You’ve become as much a part of my life as eating and sleeping.”
Around midnight, Jack returned to the dock and tied up the boat.
“Since we only have a few days left, why don’t we do something special?” Jack put away the life jackets and locked the door to the shack. “Whatever you want. Your choice.”
Ellie thought about it for a minute, then made up her mind. “Why don’t we go to the island one last time and sit beneath the stars?”
“Are you sure? We could do something more exciting, like go to Knoxville.”
She shook her head. “That island means more to me than any other place, so I’d like to spend one last night there.”
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Heat Lightning
The next evening, Jack and Ellie met at the dock like usual. Ellie had come dressed in a blue sundress with her hair in curls. Jack couldn’t recall a time when she looked better.
“You ready?”
She nodded, smiling, and he took her hand and helped her into the boat.
