I took a deep breath, composed myself and started shoving more food in my mouth. I suddenly had no idea what the truth was. Was Dex here because he wanted to be or what? Was this the lie or was everything that he told me earlier the lie?
I was so mad.
“Wow,” Tony said and handed the picture back to Dex. I was glad he didn’t even attempt to show it to me.
The rest of the dinner went swimmingly—for everyone else. I just kept admonishing myself for being attracted to Dex in the first place and for even thinking that he could be attracted to me. Granted, I never actually had those thoughts, but I figured I must have subconsciously wanted that because I was feeling so stupid and disappointed over his “hot girlfriend.” On the surface, however, I played it cool. I laughed at Uncle Al’s stupid jokes and pretended to be interested in whatever video games Dex and the twins were bonding over. I avoided all eye contact with Dex, though, lest his inquisitive eyes pick up on something. I had no doubt he’d see how I really felt inside, and for the sake of my pride, I would rather he think I was an antisocial bitch than to let him know the truth.
When dinner was over and the twins had convinced Dex to watch a few rounds of some lame zombie game they were playing, I headed for Uncle Al’s liquor cabinet in the kitchen.
Al watched me curiously as he threw the paper plates in the garbage.
“I can make you something, Perry,” he offered sweetly. I felt like he was handling me with kid gloves.
I grabbed a bottle of vodka. Ah, dependable vodka.
“No, that’s OK. I just need some juice of some sort.”
He opened the fridge and handed me a carton of pulpy orange juice and watched me as I made my drink. I was getting very tired of people watching me all day.
“He’s an interesting fellow,” he said quietly.
I took a slow sip of my drink. It was very strong. I wasn’t used to that.
“Just watch out,” he said, looking over at the living room. “I know you are a grown woman now, but you’re still my niece and your parents would kill me if you got hurt.”
“I’ll be fine. I can defend myself, remember? Knee strike?” I joked, making a kicking motion with my right leg.
Uncle Al smiled. “Oh, I remember, Perry. I saw your karate recitals. But you know what I mean. This man is a lot older than you and has his own agenda. Have fun. Enjoy this moment. And I really hope you get something out of this in the end. But watch your heart, OK, bella?”
I gave Al a tired look. “Heart? Oh, come on, Uncle Al, I just met the guy. Men are the last thing on my mind right now, especially someone like that. I have a hard enough time dealing with myself, let alone another head case.”
He chuckled and nodded. “I know, but what kind of uncle would I be if I didn’t try and protect little Perry?”
He reached over for the phone and handed it to me. “By the way, call your mother. She phoned a few times before dinner. I didn’t want to tell you before you had some food in your system.”
I exhaled grumpily and snatched the phone from him.
***
By the time I was done dealing with my mother, I was exhausted beyond words. I was just about to go plunk myself down on the couch and mindlessly watch the twins play their games when a huge sound exploded and the whole house shook for a second. The kitchen door flew open, blowing the leftover paper plates off of the table.
“What was that?” I yelled. I hoped it wasn’t the lurch of an earthquake since we were in prime tsunami zone.
Dex hopped to his feet. The windows all started to rattle and Al ran out of his study to the kitchen door.
“I guess the real storm is starting!” he cried out.
He went to close the door but Dex snuck past him and ran out into the stormy night.
“Hey,” Al yelled after him. “Be careful!”
I love storms. I ran out after Dex. Al tried to grab me but I outmaneuvered him.
“Perry,” he warned. But the twins followed me as well, and Al was more than outnumbered. I turned around and saw him shut the door and peer at us through the window.
The weather was absolutely wild; the gusts were coming in so strong and blunt that it was hard to stay upright at times. It wasn’t raining yet but the air did feel weighted, like it was about to let loose at any moment. Thunder’s mighty rumble shook the sky and the ground beneath us. We waited—spread out on the dark lawn looking toward the ocean—with bated breath for the lightning to show its face. A few seconds later (nine Mississippis to be precise) it forked aggressively from the heavy clouds down to the churning waves on the horizon.
It was during the lightening flash that I saw something I had never seen before. In the distance was a solitary island, shaped like a sharp anvil. On top of that mound was what looked like another lighthouse.
Just like the one I had made up.
I froze, keeping my eyes on the spot even as the strike faded and turned my view back to black.
As the boys made impressed noises at Mother Nature’s display, I waited for the next strike to happen so I could get a better look. It seemed odd that I had never seen that lighthouse out there before and even odder that I was talking about it earlier. Perhaps I had seen it before through the fog and just never consciously recognized it. Perhaps I read it about it in the history books without realizing it.
Thunder shook the air again with even more power than before; its vibrations rattled around in my skull like balls in a washing machine. I started counting and at five Mississippis, the lightning struck.
This time there were several electric branches that forked out, some sideways, heading in the direction of the offshore lighthouse that was now clearly illuminated. There was no denying that it was there.
“The Tillamook Lighthouse,” Dex said. I looked beside me. He was standing to my side and I hadn’t even noticed. His cheekbones were obsidian shadows against the house’s flickering porch light. I couldn’t see his eyes but I could feel them. He was looking at me, not the lightning show.
“Like that story you made up,” he said without emotion. “We should go do this. Now.”
As he said it, another huge gust of forceful wind knocked me off my feet a little and the thunder growled again, only closer now. It was definitely a sign from God that we should not be traipsing off to the lighthouse, but Dex had already turned and was running back into the house.
“Get some better clothes and shoes on,” he yelled over his shoulder, and went into the house. Matt and Tony decided to go back in too.