Brandy sorts the rocks by size. “So, don’t you think this is babyish to still do?”

“Not if we like it.”

“Yeah . . . I guess. And at least no one can see us.”

I look up at her. “And if they do, who cares?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she says.

But I know Brandy. Her mouth may agree, but her brain is thinking something totally different.

Chapter 3

MADRE SEAL

Brandy’s mom leans outside and calls to her. “Honey! We have to leave in a few minutes for our appointments.”

Brandy yells okay, and I feel sorry for her. “Bummer,” I say. “You going to the dentist or something?”

She smiles. “No, my mom and I are getting mani-pedis.”

My next-door neighbor Esme gets those, so I know what they are, but I’ve never had one. It’s more likely that Grammy would take me out on a raft in the middle of a nor’easter.

Brandy waves as they go, and I have to swallow an empty feeling I haven’t known before as they disappear around the corner.

I’m an orphan. Like Aimee says. No mother. No father.

I never used to think about this. And I never used to worry, either. But now that I’ve started to, I wonder what I’d do if something happened to Grammy. Would Henry and Esme take me? Even though they have their own girl?

Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I find Grammy to tell her I’m going for a run on the beach and I’ll meet her at home.

“You be careful, now,” she says, and she kisses her palm and pretends to blow it in my direction. Since I was little, I’ve always play-slapped my own face as if getting hit with kisses. But I can’t manage it today.

On the beach I walk at the water’s edge, watching small stones roll back and forth with the waves. The same way Aimee’s orphan question rolls back and forth in my head.

But then . . . I come across something on the beach I never expected.

At first, I think it might be dead, but its dark eyes follow me as I walk in front of it. It looks so unnatural lying on the sand with no legs, looking like it wants to walk. To run, even.

The beach patrol officer is a small woman with a big voice. “Now, stand back!” she shouts to the gathering crowd. “The seal pup is frightened.”

I can tell that most of these people are tourists, with their sea of Cape Cod T-shirts bought from that famous “buy one, get twelve free” place. A true Caper wouldn’t be caught dead wearing one of those.

People won’t move fast enough for the officer. Leaning forward. Taking pictures. “Honey,” a mom says to her daughter in a loud whisper. “Just take a few steps closer to the seal and smile.”

The officer becomes a wall, stepping into the line of people with her arms out like she can fly. “No, ma’am. Move back now.” I admire how she sounds nice but says don’t mess with me at the same time.