“I know, but it wouldn’t be fair. They’re already doing something worthy, and that’s more than enough.”
I could feel my feet slipping in the sand.
“Why Wilmington?” I asked. “I mean, why come here to build houses, instead of somewhere like Lenoir or Raleigh?”
“Because of the beach. You know how people are. It’s hard enough to get students to volunteer their time for a month, but it’s easier if it’s in a place like this. And the more people you have, the more you can do. Thirty people signed up this year.”
I nodded, conscious of how close together we were walking. “And you graduated, too?”
“No, I’ll be a senior. And I’m majoring in special education, if that’s your next question.”
“It was.”
“I figured. When you’re in college, that’s what everyone asks you.”
“Everyone asks me if I like being in the army.”
“Do you?”
“I don’t know.”
She laughed, and the sound was so melodic that I knew I wanted to hear it again.
We reached the end of the pier, and I grabbed my board. I tossed the empty beer bottle into the garbage can, hearing it clank to the bottom. Stars were coming out overhead, and the lights from the houses outlined along the dunes reminded me of bright jack-o’-lanterns.
“Do you mind if I ask what led you to join the army? Given that you don’t know whether you like it, I mean.”
It took me a second to figure out how to answer that, and I shifted my surfboard to my other arm. “I think it’s safest to say that at the time, I needed to.”
She waited for me to add more, but when I didn’t, she simply nodded.
“I’ll bet you’re glad to be back home for a little while,” she said.
“Without a doubt.”
“I’ll bet your father is glad, too, huh?”
“I think so.”
“He is. I’m sure he’s very proud of you.”
“I hope so.”
“You sound like you’re not certain.”
“You’d have to meet my dad to understand. He’s not much of a talker.”
I could see the moonlight reflected in her dark eyes, and her voice was soft when she spoke. “He doesn’t have to talk to be proud of you. He might be the kind of father who shows it in other ways.”
I thought about that, hoping it was true. While I considered it, there was a loud scream from the house, and I caught sight of a couple of coeds near the fire. One of the guys had his arms wrapped around a girl and was pushing her forward; she was laughing and fighting him off. Brad and Susan were snuggling together nearby, but Randy had vanished.
“You said you don’t know most of the people you’ll be living with?”
She shook her head, her hair sweeping her shoulders. She swiped at another strand. “Not too well. We met most of them for the first time at the sign-up, then again today when we got here. I mean, we might have seen each other around campus now and then, and I think a lot of them know each other already, but I don’t. Most of them are in fraternities and sororities. I still live in a dorm. They’re a nice bunch, though.”
As she answered, I got the feeling she was the kind of person who would never say a bad thing about anyone. Her regard for others struck me as refreshing and mature, and yet, strangely, I wasn’t surprised. It was part of that indefinable quality I’d sensed about her from the beginning, a manner that set her apart.
“How old are you?” I asked as we approached the house.
“Twenty-one. I just had a birthday last month. You?”
“Twenty-three. Do you have brothers and sisters?”
“No. I was an only child. Just me and my folks. My parents still live in Lenoir, and they’re happy as clams after twenty-five years. Your turn.”
“The same. Except for me, it’s always been just me and my dad.”
I knew my answer would lead to a follow-up about the status of my mother, but to my surprise, it didn’t come. Instead she asked, “Was he the one who taught you to surf?”
“No, I picked that up on my own when I was a kid.”
“You’re good. I was watching you earlier. You made it look so easy, graceful even. It made me wish I knew how.”
“I’d be happy to teach you if you want to learn,” I volunteered. “It’s not that hard. I’ll be out tomorrow.”
She stopped and fixed her gaze on me. “Now, don’t make offers you’re not sure you intend to keep.” She reached for my arm, leaving me speechless, then motioned toward the bonfire. “You ready to meet some people?”