The Keeper of Dawn (24 page)

“This time will be different.”

“This time will be different,” Roland mocked him. “I’ve
heard that before.”

“But this time it really will be. Think about it. For once
I’d be helping someone.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it. It’s all about you. It’s
always about you!”

“Usually, yes. But not this time.”

“There is no
this time
.” Roland drew himself up. “If
you push this, I’ll go straight to Lawson and tell him everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes.
Everything
.”

“Really?” Chris looked smugly at Roland. “You gonna tell him
how great it was to lose your virginity? Huh? I bet if they put that in the
brochure, they’d get a lot more applicants.”

“I don’t care,” Roland said, blushing. “If that’s what it
takes, I’ll still turn you in.”

“Well have you ever thought to ask Jake? He’s the one who’s
in
mourning
. Shouldn’t it be up to him?”

“Will someone please tell me what the
hell
you two
are talking about!” Allison shouted.

“We are talking about getting Jake out of here,” Chris said.
“We’re calmly discussing our only option.”

“Which is?” Allison asked.

“Jake,” Chris said, coming over to me. “You’re going to have
to ask yourself how bad you want this. I can get you off this godforsaken pile
of dirt, but it’s going to be one hell of a ride.”

I looked up into his feverish eyes. “How?”

“It’s what I keep telling you. No one can keep this bird out
of the sky.”

* * * * *

Roland collapsed in the lower bunk, pulled his knees to his
chest and withdrew from the conversation. Derek looked thunderstruck. Kate came
over and put her arm around my shoulder. Allison sat perfectly still, staring
at Chris as if trying to decide whether he was a hero or a fool.

I was completely against the idea. I envisioned a horrific
scene of a helicopter plunging into the ocean, or at the very least, of Mr.
Lawson announcing our names as the latest additions to the expulsion list. In
the end, I told Chris that the risks were too great.

“It’s just a funeral,” I concluded.

“
Just
a funeral?” Chris said. “Is that all this is? Hey,
if that’s the case, then you’re absolutely right. Why risk our necks for that? But
as quiet as you are, Jake, you don’t fool me. Where’d you go for your week off?
Your grandpa’s. You didn’t think for a second about going home. Your old man is
too busy to even pick up a phone, and your mother’s …” he waved his arms,
“babysitting a bunch of birds in Canada.”

“Hey, I—”

“You’ve never come right out and said it, but I know how
much your grandpa means to you. And you know what? I bet it drives your father
nuts, which is why he doesn’t want you at the funeral tomorrow.”

“You don’t know that.”

“It’s written on the wall, my friend. You didn’t find out
about your grandpa from your father, who lives two states away. That’d be too
easy. That would be something a
normal
family would do. Instead, your
brother calls from halfway around the globe fifteen hours beforehand.”

“You don’t know that!”

“Jake, I wish it were different. I really do. I wish you
came from a Norman Rockwell family, but you don’t. None of us do.” He glanced
at Roland and Derek, who were both examining the floor. “What makes me such an
expert? Because I’ve got seventeen years experience in how fucked up a
relationship can get between a father and son, that’s why. So don’t sit there
and tell me this is
just
a funeral. It’s nothing short of a family
crisis. When Roland went to the Anvil, did we let him go alone? Hell no. And
we’re not letting you go through this alone either. And if the roles were
reversed, I know you’d do the same for me. This isn’t just a funeral. It’s
about
them
controlling
us
.” He pounded his fist into his palm. “They
stick us out here in this … this breeding ground to mold us into who they think
we should be.
Screw
that! If we play by their rules, they win every
time. Every time! The helicopter isn’t an excuse to fly. It’s about you
standing up to your family. You’ll see what I’m talking about when you show up
at that cemetery tomorrow and look your father dead in the eye.”

Chris was right, and I hated him for it. He knew what it was
that kept me awake at night, knew about the thing I never spoke of. And once he
had pulled it out and showed it to me, I realized that this was a battle worth
fighting. It was the politician in him, the power of persuasion that was so
irresistible everyone in the room fell beneath his spell, including Roland, who
only moments before had been muttering “pure suicide” beneath his breath. There
was something appealing in his take-no-prisoners attitude, something convincing
in his devilish grin that made you want to smile right along with him. Mr.
O’Leary had properly coined Chris’ life as a rollercoaster, and despite having
been forewarned, I wanted nothing more than to jump onboard and speed
recklessly down the tracks.

Everything hinged on acquiring Mr. Noble’s keys. The plan we
devised involved Holly and Kate “interviewing” the young Coast Guardsman. The
idea of getting arrested for a federal offense did nothing to curb Chris’
enthusiasm; in fact, it only encouraged him. “We’ll bring some dignity back to
the Guard,” he said. “They don’t have anything better to do than play Legos
with an old lighthouse. Besides, I’ll park it right where I found it and leave
gas money on the dash.”

Before he ushered us out of the room (claiming he and
Allison had some unfinished business to attend to), he pulled me aside.

“You have to promise me something before I fly you out of
here.”

“Sure. Anything.”

“You have to come back.”

“Where else would I go?”

“I mean in case your mother wants you to spend the week at
home, or your old man tries pulling you out of here. You can’t let them. I
don’t have time to explain it right now, but you have to come back.”

“For the debate,” I said, intending it to be a question, but
the words gave away my conviction.

“Just promise me.”

“Chris, the only thing I know for sure is that I
will
be back. That part I know.”

While Roland led the girls through the courtyard to Mr.
Noble’s room, Derek helped me pack. He threw a fistful of the Mr. Crackle candy
bars he was rarely without into my backpack. “Can’t get to New York on good
intentions,” he said, handing me a wad of crumpled bills.

The money felt awkward in my hands. It had been so long
since I’d bought anything, I would have shown up at the bus stop empty-handed.

Roland, Holly and Kate were waiting for us in the Kirkland
Hall alcove, our agreed upon rendezvous. Despite their umbrellas, all three had
gotten wet. Though the lightning had stopped, a cold rain persisted.

I felt relieved when Holly jingled a set of keys in the air.
Only later would my doubts return.

Derek gave her a fierce kiss. “That’s my girl!” he said,
grabbing her waist.

“He was putty in our hands,” she bragged.

“It was pretty easy,” Kate confirmed. “I think we got a
knack for this.”

“Oh we totally have a knack for this.”

“How’d you do it?” I asked.

“The hardest part was
finding
the keys,” Kate said. “While
the interrogator here was asking him all these stupid questions, I was—”

“What do you mean
stupid
questions?” Holly asked.

“‘So, do they ever let you guard anything besides the
coast?’” Kate asked in a high-pitched voice while twirling a strand of hair
around her finger. “Come on, only a blonde would ask that. But your Mr. Noble
didn’t have a clue. He even thought we were students here.”

“So where were the keys?” Derek asked.

“Under his hat,” Holly said. “He started telling us about
how his great-grandfather used to work at this lighthouse for like … forever. The
story took forever too, but then he showed us his light keeper’s hat.”

“So then Miss Sunshine here asks if she can try the hat on,”
Kate added. “And when he put it on her head like it was a …”—Kate could barely
contain her laughter—“a tiara at a beauty contest, I grabbed the keys. I’m
telling you, he was a pushover.”

“You’re mean,” Holly accused Kate. “I thought he was nice.”

“That’s ‘cause he wanted to bang your boat, girl.”

“There’s only one man who can bang
this
boat,” Holly
said, throwing her arms around Derek.

A moment later, Chris poked his head out of the Senior’s
Door. “We in business?”

“We just so happen to be in desperate need of a pilot,”
Holly said, jingling the keys and flashing Chris her unforgettable smile.

“Music to my ears. You’ve delivered a boat, and now a
helicopter. I want Air Force One here by the end of the week.”

While the others said their goodbyes, Kate fidgeted with the
handle of her umbrella.

“It’s not right, you know, them not telling you.” She shook
her head. “I’m sure they had their reasons, but …”

There was something familiar in her words—the way they
pressed up to what needed to be said—that any Hawthorne would have recognized. It
was the way David talked whenever Father was mentioned.

“It’s … complicated,” I said.

I knew that if I said anything more, then all of my emotions
would come out. It wasn’t fair to Kate. I felt I owed her something. I wanted
to stick around to make sure nothing happened to her, but there seemed to be an
unspoken understanding between us that it was me who needed looking after.

After the story of the stolen key had been retold, Roland,
who had been unusually quiet, stepped forward and announced in a firm voice:

“I’m coming with you.”

Everyone looked at him.

Chris crossed his arms as if to say—
what is it this time?
“And why, exactly, would you do that?”

“Because I’m your co-pilot, that’s why.”

“A noble gesture. Truly. Look, we don’t have time for this. It
won’t be long before Mr. Lighthouse realizes that these,” Chris rattled the
keys, “are missing. Come on, Jake. Let’s roll.”

When Roland started to follow us, Chris turned and shoved
him away. “Hey, think for a second, will ya? Stealing a helicopter won’t
exactly be a great start to your career.”

“This isn’t about me, or my career,” Roland said, returning
Chris’ shove. “It’s about you.”

“Me?”

“Yes,
you
.”

“Look, unless you know how to fly one of those,” Chris
pointed in the direction of the helipad, “then you’re dead weight. I’ll see you
when I get back.” He turned and walked into the rain.

“You’re not coming back!” Roland shouted after him.

Chris stopped mid-stride. He spun around, not bothering to
step beneath the cover of the passageway.

“You hate this place,” Roland continued. “You know they’ll
arrest you the minute you get back.”

Chris started to say something, but cut himself short with a
shake of his head, as if silence alone could refute Roland’s accusation.

“I bet before Jake came asking for help, you were planning
on leaving with the girls. But now you’re on to the next grand plan. You want
to go out in the biggest way possible. But as much as you hate being here,
that’s not the real reason you’re leaving.”

“Do tell,” Chris said.

“You don’t want to be here when your father arrives. Nothing
will piss you off more than him coming to
your
island. For once,
you
won’t be the center of attention!”

Chris lunged forward, hitting Roland hard in the stomach. Roland
doubled-over, the breath rushing out of him.

Holly let out a scream.

“Hey, come on man,” Derek said, taking a step forward.

With an effort, Roland straightened and faced Chris. Chris
looked more surprised than anyone. But there was no anger in Roland’s eyes;
only a stubborn refusal to compromise.

“You can hit me all you like, but you’re stuck with me,
Chris Forsythe. If it was only you coming back in that helicopter, God knows
where you’d end up. You might not give a shit about yourself, but for whatever
reason, you seem to be concerned about
my
welfare. So I’m coming whether
you like it or not, because I’m the only guarantee you’re coming back!”

We all waited for Chris’ reaction. Derek looked ready to
jump between them at an instant’s notice.

“You are one … stubborn mule, you know that?” Chris said at
last.

Roland smiled like he had just been paid the highest
compliment.

“That’s it, kiss and make up,” Derek said, grinning.

Holly looked relieved and Kate was smiling.

“You know, your girl will be proud of you for flying,” Chris
said, putting his arm around Roland. “Chicks dig that shit.” Then he turned to
Derek. “Think you can handle four girls by yourself?”

Derek’s wolfish grin sufficed as a response.

“Everyone know what they’re doing tomorrow?”

“Take the girls to the beach and wait for Sandy,” Derek
said. “Then come back and board the ferry. Oh, and forge Jake’s name.”

“Good. Well, I’m not one for long goodbyes, so …”

“Are you
sure
you know what you’re doing?” Derek asked,
to which Chris gave his standard reply that we chanted in unison: “I was born
to fly.”

Derek and the girls left through the Senior’s Door. Kate was
the last to leave.

“Good luck up there.”

I returned her smile and watched as she ducked into the
stairwell.

We were preparing to head out into the storm when the door swung
back open. I turned, half-expecting to see Kate, but it was Max standing in the
doorway.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the three musketeers.”

“Just enjoying the weather,” Chris said, as if Max’s sudden
appearance was of no particular concern. Meanwhile, Roland and I had the look
of startled rabbits.