I remembered what Mr. Khouri had said about the haven kids thinking this place was paradise. I could see how where we lived must have seemed so magical and perfect to them, compared to the conflict and destruction in their country. But right then, even though this place was like paradise, Sam and I weren’t really in the mood for exploring or playing.

“Nah, let’s leave them,” I said. We watched for a few more seconds as two of the boys balanced on slippery rocks to make their way to a wide tide pool that was probably full of starfish. Merjeme and Arta looked up at us, but we pointed behind us to explain that we had to get going.

“Mom would like it here,” Sam said suddenly. “Next time we come back, we’ll bring her—yeah?”

“Yeah,” I said. “We’ll bring Anika—Pop and Luca too.”

My nose and cheeks were starting to tingle from all the salt and wind. As I sniffed and brought my sleeve up to rub my nose, Sam said something I couldn’t quite hear. I had to turn and ask him to say it again.

“I said, it wasn’t too bad today, for my birthday.”

I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. “What do you mean, your birthday?”

“Today is,” he said, and shrugged. “Twenty-ninth of August.”

I thought back to the night before and this morning—to Anika staying in her room, and Pop doing chores and Luca at work and Sam not saying a single thing. Not one word about today being his birthday.

What just-turned-eleven kid does that? What kid can hold it in and not make a week-long event out of their birthday?

And then I had another sinking feeling.

“Did . . . did your dad ring you yet? Is he coming down?”

Sam adjusted his glasses and brought his sleeve up to wipe his red nose. “Nah, Mom would have had to remind him. He’s bad with stuff like that. . . .”

Sam didn’t need to say any more. We both knew why Sam’s birthday had slipped Anika’s mind.

I looked at the haven kids jumping over the rock pools down below, and then back to Sam. “We could go down if you wanted to hang out for a bit . . . ?”

But Sam shook his head. “It’s okay, let’s just ride back.” He put one foot on a pedal, ready to kick off, and then looked over his shoulder at me. “But, Fred?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t say anything to my mom about forgetting—okay?”

I nodded.

“It’s just a silly birthday.”

I winced when he said that but followed after him when he pushed off the ground and started pedaling.