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Back The Lighthouse Save as PDF
Chapters (50)
  1. PART ONE
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. PART TWO
  13. 12
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 18
  18. 19
  19. 21
  20. 22
  21. 23
  22. 24
  23. 25
  24. 26
  25. 27
  26. 28
  27. 30
  28. 31
  29. 32
  30. 33
  31. 34
  32. 35
  33. 36
  34. 37
  35. 38
  36. 39
  37. 40
  38. 41
  39. 42
  40. 43
  41. PART THREE
  42. 44
  43. 45
  44. 46
  45. 47
  46. 49
  47. 50
  48. 51
  49. 52
  50. EPILOGUE

Amy sat in silence, twisting the soggy noodles into clumps around her fork while at the same time trying not to wince at the overpowering scent of soy and garlic wafting up from the box. She plucked out a solitary cube of celery and placed it in her mouth.

“No, this is good,” she said, crunching slowly and getting the distinct impression that her every move was being closely evaluated.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Haven’t got much of an appetite, that’s all.” Amy stuck the fork in the food and closed the carton.

“I can see that,” Sam said as she began inspecting Amy from head to toe. “There’s hardly anything left of you.”

“Don’t you start too. You sound just like my dad.”

“Speaking of him, where is he? Didn’t see his car out front.”

“Dunno.”

“Is he back at work already?”

“Probably.”

“Things still not great between you two?”

Amy shook her head, in no mood to recount the details of their most recent argument.

“Right. And are you still finding it hard to sleep?”

Amy nodded.

Sam took a sweeping gaze around the room and cleared her throat. “And I guess you still haven’t been getting out of the house all that much either?”

“No,” Amy answered softly. “I haven’t.”

“Ames, what would it take for you to come out with me? It doesn’t have to be anything major. We could do whatever you want. We could go for a walk in the park. Maybe catch a movie? Or, hey, here’s an idea . . .” Sam leaned forward, her eyes flickering with enthusiasm. “Why don’t I get your gear together and we go for a drive out to Cannon Beach for a swim? Might feel good to get some fresh air, get your body moving. What do you say?”

“I don’t think so, Sam. I’m sorry.”

Sam got up and sat beside Amy, putting an arm around her friend. “I can’t imagine what any of this must be like. I really can’t.”

“I’m scared, Sam . . . I just miss Mom so much. I’m scared it’s always gonna hurt this bad. I’m scared I’m gonna feel this way forever.”

“Oh, Ames.”

Amy laid her head down on Sam’s shoulder, unable to stop herself from crying. She was so upset that she didn’t hear her dad’s car pull into the driveway. She didn’t even hear the front door open. It was only when she heard her name being called from downstairs that Amy blinked away her tears, slid off her bed, and poked her head into the hall.

“What is it?” she called out.

“Pack a bag,” he answered. “We’re going on a small trip.”

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