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I shake my head firmly. “No, sir. I mean what I say. I love your daughter. I believe I could make her happy. I want nothing more than to make her happy. I think that’s something you and I have in common.”
Mr. Monroe ponders this for a moment. His gaze slides to the window, where the light of day is beginning to brighten the outside world.
“Last night,” I continue, “Orca told me she’s resolved to give up the whole idea of us being together. She feels so guilty about what happened to you. She’s terrified that it will happen again, and it will be her fault. I don’t want to take her away from you, sir. I don’t want things to change between the two of you. But I also don’t want to see her deny herself the kind of life we could have together… out of guilt or self-punishment.”
Mr. Monroe shakes his head. “I don’t want that either, son.”
“Then let me help. You can’t work yourself as hard as you did before; you’ll need another man to help out. Orca’s set on doing everything herself, but it’s going to be too much for her. And yeah, I have a business to run, but I work for myself—I can take days off. With your permission, I’ll fly out to the lighthouse and help you with whatever you need. Please give me this chance. Let me show you. Let me prove to you that I’m worthy of her.”
Mr. Monroe scrutinizes me for a long moment, considering my offer. “You’re right about one thing, young man. My daughter does love you.” He pauses to murmur a sad laugh. “I’ve spent my life trying to protect her. Not for her sake alone, but because I couldn’t bear the thought of losing her.”
“You wouldn’t have to lose her—”
“I’ve lost her already,” he says, without a trace of anger or bitterness in his voice. “You will learn one day that there are two kinds of loss. The kind you can see… and the kind you can feel. Orca told me how much she loves you, and I know that she will never be truly happy without you.”
A flame of hope reignites in my chest, desperate for his answer.
“I’m willing to let you prove yourself. If you really do love her as you say, you will wait for her.”
“Yes, sir. I’d wait forever.”
“I don’t ask for forever,” Mr. Monroe returns. “But I do ask for one year. If you can prove your devotion and commitment to her, then after a year, I will give you my blessing.”
I can hardly believe what I’m hearing. A year? That’s it? Maybe I should be disappointed. Maybe any normal person would argue that a year is too long, that he’s being unreasonable. But it’s nothing to me.
A year. That’s it.
“Thank you, sir.”
He looks apprehensive of my smile. “Don’t make her any promises you can’t keep.”
“I won’t.”
“Remember, Adam—you’re taking her heart in your hands. And if you break it…”
“I swear on my life, I will do nothing but prove my love for Orca.”
Mr. Monroe is still unsure; I can see it in his eyes. “We’ll see.”
I shake his hand and say, “Yes, sir. You will see.”
59
The Man
ORCA
After two days, Papa is discharged from the hospital, and Adam flies us back to the lighthouse. Papa sits beside me in the backseat of Adam’s plane, with Lucius sprawled at our feet. I watch the Otherworld shrink to a mere rumple of distant land on the horizon, just as it always has been. The weather is fair for our flight—calm seas, bright sun, infinite blue sky—but I find no pleasure in the majesty surrounding me.
When Adam lands the plane at our beach, I want to smother him with kisses and tearful goodbyes. I want to throw my arms around him and never let go.
But I restrain myself. I am no longer that foolish, feckless girl who followed every romantic urge she felt, fulfilled every want at the expense of someone else’s need.
I take Papa’s arm and walk with him back to the lighthouse. I hear Adam’s plane take off, but I don’t look back.
I’ll never look back.
I’ll never long for the Otherworld again.
