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Show Fair Forever 167 I give her a thumbs-up and wave at Mom, and a minute later, Katie is backing us away frorn shore. I let her pilot, choosing to sit on the middle bench, looking back as she smiles. The wind tosses her hair and I'm so happy my heart starts to hurt. She hugs the shore at first, but soon veers out to the channel, aiming for Beacon 9. "The Captain is right," I say, raising my voice over the outboard. "You drive like an old salt." Katie grins. She grips the tiller with her right hand and guides us toward the channel. The bay is choppy so she opens the throttle. The bow rises, bounces, climbs over the small waves. When we approach Beacon 9, she cuts the engine and we drift. "Want to take her in?" she asks. "In a few minutes, maybe. Why don't we do algebra instead-right here in the channel." Katie looks toward the lighthouse. "I'd rather hear about /Amanda. Tell me how you met and what happened before she rowed to the light. Tell me everything." I look at my watch. "It's a long story." Katie npds and leans back. "Then you'd better toss out the anchor." Soldo. Katie listens to every word with her hands in her lap. She's still and serious, intent on hearing the whole tale. An hour passes. She laughs when I laugh, worries when I worry. When I get to the part that she's already heard, I stop. She curls her lip and asks me to finish. "You'll have to wait," I say. |