Lost on Brier Island (7 page)

The drive only got worse after that. A
lex tried to start conversations, but the grumbled one-word answers, if she got any at all, weren't worth the trouble. At least when they stopped for lunch, she had Aunt Sophie to talk to.

Strolling down Digby's main street, Alex saw scallops on the specials board of a café. “Let's go in here!”

Alex raced ahead through the dark interior and picked a table on the balcony overlooking the harbour. Everyone settled into the rattan chairs and ordered iced teas. A sailboat whizzed along close to shore, on its way to deeper water. Its bright red and yellow sails billowed full in the breeze.

“Scallop Days are a lot of fun here. You should come for that sometime,” Aunt Sophie said.

Neither of her parents responded. Alex felt like she had to say something. “Sounds like fun,” she muttered lamely.

“We have a big bike rally here in September. It's quite a sight, motorcycles everywhere you look.”

Alex could tell Aunt Sophie was trying to make things more comfortable. Her mom was staring off in one direction, her dad another.

Alex scanned the menu. There were some odd things on there—Solomon Gundy, dulse, Digby chicks?

“Ready to order there, hon?” The waitress smiled at her.

“Um, what are Digby chicks?” Alex wrinkled her nose. Who would eat little baby chicks? Gross.

The waitress laughed. “It's not what you think. They're smoked herring.”

“Herring?”

“Early settlers couldn't afford poultry. Renaming the herring must've made it sound better.” The waitress shrugged.

“Ick! It would still taste the same.” Alex shook her head. “No chicks for me.”

Aunt Sophie and her mom chuckled. Even her dad cracked a smile. It broke the solemn mood for a bit. Their meals came and they passed around the tartar sauce and ketchup, raving about how good the food was. It was nice.

Afterward, Alex and her aunt strolled along the boardwalk. Her dad was making calls on his cell phone and her mom had gone into a craft shop. Alex was in temporary food heaven, slurping a triple-decker butterscotch ripple ice cream. Aunt Sophie had a maple walnut.

Alex felt almost bouncy in her sneakers—especially not having to curl her toes like she did in Adam's shoes to keep them from falling off. No toe cramps.

All kinds of boats were tied up at the wharf. The coolest were the fishing boats. Some had long horizontal arms and rigging that looked like angel wings as they bobbed back and forth on the choppy waves. The wind blew in off the water. Alex tucked her dark, wavy hair behind her ears to keep it from whipping around her face.

She gazed out at the water, troubling thoughts looming inside her head. “Aunt Soph, what's the matter with my parents? You and Mom talk all the time. You know, right?”

Her aunt's footsteps slowed. “What do you mean?”

“They're always fighting.”

“Well, adults argue from time to time.”

“I'm not a kid—I know grown-ups fight,” Alex said. She thought of the mean words and looks that seemed to be her parents' only interactions lately. “But this is different. Ever since…Adam…they talk to each other like Craig and I do. He's a guy in my school—and we don't like each other one bit.”

“Well, they're having a tough time too, you know.”

“I guess.”

“They miss your brother—just like you do. And they're very sad, and angry too, that he's gone.”

Alex sat down on a bench facing the harbour. “I know they're sad. But why do they have to fight?” She didn't know why she was bothering to ask the question. She knew why her parents were fighting. It was because of her, because of what she did.

“It's hard for everyone, Alex.”

Alex looked up into her aunt's blue eyes, searching for the blame that should be there. Her aunt must think it was her fault too, right? “Do you think it'll be okay, Aunt Soph?”

“I hope so, kiddo. I sure hope so.”

Aunt Sophie sat down beside Alex. They stared at the waves in silence as they finished their ice cream cones, waiting for Alex's parents to join them.

It turned out that her dad had to go see a client, so they roamed the town for most of the afternoon. Alex didn't mind, although she was pretty tired. But her mom was complaining to Aunt Sophie that this was typical, and why couldn't he have told them beforehand. When her dad finally met up with them, it was almost suppertime and plans had changed.

“I have to drop by to see another client. It could take a while, so you should go down with Sophie and I'll meet you there.” Her dad popped the trunk and began transferring the bags to the other car.

“Really, Douglas?” Her mom was tapping her foot on the pavement. “More calls? On a Saturday?”

“Look, Colleen, I told you. I missed a lot of time. I need the calls when I can get them right now.”

“It's okay, Dad,” Alex jumped in. Her stomach was churning as her parents' voices rose. “We'll go with Aunt Sophie!” She wrapped her arms around her father's waist and hugged him tight.
Please don't fight. Please don't fight
, she repeated in her head.

He was stiff as a board for a minute. Then Alex felt him relax as he hugged her back. “Love you, Munch,” he whispered. His voice sounded raspy. “See you tonight.”

She looked up at him, but couldn't see his eyes behind his dark glasses. He seemed to be watching her mom. He stood there for another minute before getting into his car. Gravel flew as he sped out of the parking lot.

Aunt Sophie squeezed Alex's shoulder before sliding into the driver's seat of her car.

It wasn't until they were boarding the second ferry, the one at Freeport on Long Island that took them to Brier Island, that Alex's gloom lifted slightly. The car tilted forward as they descended the steep bank. The last time they had driven onto the ferry, it had been almost even with the road. The tide seemed to be all the way out today.

She hopped out of the car. The cool air was a shock, a big difference in temperature from Digby. Leaning against the metal railing, Alex found herself face to face with a wall of periwinkle shells and the seaweed her aunt called bladder wrack clinging to the wooden dock. She looked up—way up.

“Impressive, huh?” Aunt Sophie said. “The difference between high and low tide here is almost twenty feet. Highest tides in the world. That's a lot of water every six hours.”

Alex nodded, remembering the tall stilts of the garage buildings covered with barnacles and seaweed.

“It'll be good to get back, huh, kiddo?” Aunt Sophie sighed.

Alex's gaze drifted to the village of Westport on the other side of the passage. She squinted, imagining she could see Eva's café. The lodge was clearly visible, high on the cliff.

“I was talking to Eva last night. She and Gus have been worried sick about you. It would be nice if we could pop in there first. Are you feeling up to it?” Aunt Sophie brushed her fingertips lightly against Alex's hair. “It's been a long day.”

“We can go. I'm okay.” Alex didn't mention the headache that was pulsing behind her eyes. But she didn't want to go back to Aunt Sophie's right away. She knew that as soon as her dad arrived her parents would probably start arguing again. “Where's Mom?”

“She stayed in the car.”

The engine roared and they began to pull away from the dock. Alex tilted her face into the wind. They'd barely cleared the end of the wharf when Alex noticed dark forms in the water.

They were back in the other world that was Brier Island. The world of whales.

“Alex, look,” Aunt Sophie squealed. “C'mon!” She dragged Alex with her to the very front of the fer
ry.

Is Daredevil there?
Alex peered over the side.

“Darn it. I need to get my camera.”

Alex watched, amazed, as three whales breached high in the air before crashing back into the water. The ocean churned as more whales jumped and splashed. They were everywhere.

She couldn't take her eyes off the unbelievable scene.

The whirring and clicking of a camera told her Aunt Sophie had returned.

“What's all the fuss?” her mom asked. “Soph, you drag me out of the car for—what on earth?”

“I know, right?” Aunt Sophie cried.

“Look, there's another one!” someone called out.

“Two more behind us!”

Suddenly, the ferry slowed and the rumble of the engine ceased.

The captain's voice echoed over the speaker. “Seems like our whale friends have followed a school of herring here into Grand Passage.”

Sure enough, Alex stared at the water and could see swirls of tiny fish beneath the surface. Just then, one of the humpbacks surged up under the fish, its jaw suddenly clamping shut around them.

“Wow!”

The gigantic creatures were in a feeding frenzy. They splashed, smacked their flippers, shot up in the air—Alex didn't know where to look. There was no way to tell if Rooftop and Daredevil were in the mix.

Everyone was out of their cars now, crowding around the railings and snapping pictures. They stayed like that, drifting in the current, until the frenzied pod continued away from them, on through the passage and out of sight.

“Welcome back to Brier Island,” Aunt Sophie said. “I didn't plan this welcoming committee, I swear.”

Alex managed a nod, but was disappointed not to have been able to tell if she'd seen Daredevil. As they drove off the ferry, another unexpected sight was waiting for them. Gus.

He was standing by his truck, waving like a nut. Aunt Sophie pulled up beside him and stuck her head out the window. “Hi, Gus. How did you know we were on this one?”

Gus leaned against the roof of their car and peered
down at them. “Jimmy, the ferry captain, called me when you boarded.”

In case she hadn't noticed already, this was proof for Alex that she was back in the land where everybody knew everybody. She squirmed, uncomfortable. Just when she'd rather hide away, unnoticed, she felt like an ant under a microscope.

“Have you seen Rooftop's baby since I left?” Alex blurted. “I saw on one of the blogs that he was around.”

“As a matter of fact, I saw the little tyke yesterday on the afternoon tour. Not to worry. He's a wanderer all right, but he always ends up back safe with his mum,” Gus said.

“I wasn't worried,” Alex mumbled.

“Uh-huh. No matter, glad to have you all back safe and sound.”

“We're going over to Eva's,” Aunt Soph said.

“She was hoping ya would—made something special.” Gus winked.

“Sis? I need to run up to the house for a minute,” Alex's mom said. “I'll come down later.”

“Oh, okay then.” Aunt Sophie opened the car door. “Take the car. We can go with Gus. Or walk. It's only down the street.”

Alex opened her door. But before she could get her foot down, Gus had swooped in and scooped her up in his arms.

“Gus, I can walk! I'm fine.” She pushed her hands against his tree-trunk arms.

“Bogs! S'pose that bandage on your head is just for dress-up, eh?” he muttered gruffly.

Gus bounded across the gravel as if she weighed nothing and tucked her into the passenger seat of his pickup truck.

“Be right back—have to speak to your mum.”

His long stride took him quickly back to where her mom was standing. He towered above her and Aunt Sophie, his bushy mane of hair blowing in the breeze. Alex thought he looked more like a lion than ever.

“Pleased to meetcha!” Gus extended his plate-sized hand towards her mom.

Her mother stood with her arms crossed in front of her. She made no move to take his hand and stared up at him. “Gus, the boat captain? The adult who was supposedly supervising my daughter when she almost got killed?”

Alex could hear the anger in her mom's voice. “Mom!”

“Uh, well, yes, she was on my boat.” Gus's hand dropped back to his side. “I'm very sorry, ma'am. I feel awful about what happened…”

“Colleen, what are you doing?” Aunt Sophie sounded horrified. “You know it was an accident!”

“I have to go,” her mom said, turning away and getting into the driver's seat. All of them watched her drive away.

“Gus, I don't know what came over her. She knows it wasn't your fault,” Aunt Sophie said. “She's dealing with a lot of things and—”

“No, no, she's right. I shouldn't have let them go up on top alone—wasn't thinkin'.” Gus's head slumped low as they made their way back to Alex and the truck. “Not used to looking after young ones, I guess.”

Alex's stomach lurched. “No one pushed me or anything. My shoes—I slipped.”

“It's all right there, Alex, not to worry.” Gus gave her a weak smile and sighed. “Gave us a right fright. Yes indeed.” He folded himself up in the driver's seat. It looked like it was back as far as it would go and his knees were still practically banging on the steering wheel.

No one spoke for the short ride down the street. When they entered the café, the smells of cinnamon and fresh bread tickled Alex's nose as the hummingbird wind chimes tinkled their greeting.

“Eva?” Sophie called.

“Well, there she is!” Eva bustled out from the back room and pulled Alex into her arms. It was like getting hugged by a pillow—a soft, squishy pillow that smelled like vanilla.

Alex murmured a weak protest into Eva's shoulder, but was ignored.

“Sweetie, so good to have you back!” Finally releasing her, Eva dabbed her watery eyes with a corner of her apron. “Heavens, look at me—blubbering like an old fool.”

“Eva, it smells so good in here.” Aunt Sophie plunked down on a stool. “I missed my island.”

“Missed my food is more like it.” Eva's eyes twinkled. “And no wonder—they don't know how to feed you on the mainland.”

Aunt Sophie groaned as she took a huge drink from her coffee mug. “Oh yeah, that's the stuff—just like a blood transfusion.”

She was fast. Alex hadn't even seen her go near the coffee pot.

“Sit down now, the rest of you. Hope you're hungry. I whipped up a special batch of my seafood chowder and buttermilk biscuits.”

Eva bustled like a whirlwind around them, setting out utensils, napkins, bowls of steaming chowder, and a platter of biscuits.

Gus quietly pulled a stool over and dug into his piled-high bowl. “Ya outdone yourself, Eva,” he murmured politely, his mouth full.

Eva beamed as she circled around, refilling water glasses and dumping more biscuits on the platter.

“The chowder's wonderful! I know you've got some secret ingredient,” Aunt Sophie said.

“Well, as a matter of fact, there is a little trick I've been using. I boil up a pot of fresh periwinkles. Now they're a bit too chewy for my taste, so I don't leave them in. But the broth makes a tasty base for my chowder.”

“I knew there was something!”

They settled back after eating refilled bowls of chowder and countless biscuits. Alex moaned and held her stomach. After the big lunch they'd had in Digby, her insides felt stretched and ready to burst.

The steady stream of food and conversation seemed to have slowly brought Gus out from under his gloomy cloud. Finally, during dessert, he let out one of his roaring belly laughs.

Alex got a lump in her throat as she watched him gulp from his mammoth mug of tea, thinking of her own family dinners since Alex had died. They hardly ever ate together. When they did, no one laughed, that was for sure.

Eva had just started to talk about her garden and the new herbs she was using in her cooking, when Gus banged his mug on the table.

“I almost forgot,” he said. Jumping up, he walked out the
door to his pickup parked next to the café. Alex watched him open the big storage box in the bed of the truck and pull out a bouquet of flowers.

Cut flowers—ugh! Alex hated them. Flowers were supposed to stay attached to the rest of their bodies, growing in the ground, not be hacked up to die. They had been a constant presence in Adam's hospital room. Her mother had always replaced the drooping and dying ones with new ones—their overpowering perfumes mixing into a sickly sweet stench.

Her stomach rolled at the memory, chowder sloshing around inside her. She felt dizzy. Oh no, she knew that feeling. Any second now she was going to throw up.