Forever Her Hero

by Belle Calhoune

  “I wish I could pretend I didn’t need your help with that, but I haven’t been able to lift them since they were four.” Ava reached out and smoothed back Dolly’s hair. The look on her face was filled with so much love he felt privileged to witness it.

  “It’s been a long day for them. Are you ready to head up to the house?”

  Ava nodded, grabbing a handful of tiki torches as she said good-night to the band, who had just about packed up their equipment. He started walking up the path, making sure he had a firm grip on both of the kids as he picked up his pace. When they were a few feet away from the house, Ava walked ahead of him and opened up the back door. She flipped a switch, turning on a lamp that cast a subtle glow over the downstairs hallway. Sawyer made his way upstairs, closely followed by Ava. He reached Dolly’s bedroom first. Her pink, frilly room was every little girl’s dream, bursting with stuffed animals, books and dolls. Ava pulled down the covers, and he laid her in the bed, watching as she turned on her side and curled up in a fetal position. He reached down and grazed his palm against her cheek as something warm inside him bubbled up to the surface. As he turned away he saw Ava lean down to give Dolly a good-night kiss. He heard her whisper, “This day is done, my little one. May God keep you until the morning sun.”

  The bedtime prayer moved him. He hadn’t heard it spoken since he was a child when his own mother would recite it to him as he drifted off to sleep. Despite Ava’s fears that she’d strayed away from her spirituality, her actions spoke volumes. She wasn’t as far off course as she thought. The Lord was still ever present in her world, even though she was still searching for a way to reconnect with her faith. As Casey rustled in his arms, he made his way through the doorway connecting their adjoining rooms. He heard Ava’s soft footsteps behind him as he placed Casey down on the bed.

  “Good night, sweet prince,” she murmured as she pulled the covers up over him and pressed a kiss against his forehead. “May the Lord keep you in the palm of His hand.” As the light went out, a dozen or so fluorescent stars lit up the ceiling, casting a celestial glow to the room.

  A memory, sharp and sweet, swept over him. It came to him so clearly, as if it were being shown on a television screen rather than in his mind’s eye. As a kid, Ava had been a big fan of astronomy. Matter of fact, for the longest time she’d planned on becoming an astronomer. On the occasion of a summer meteor shower, Mr. P had invited them, along with a few other guests, to watch the monumental occasion from the parapet of his lighthouse. They’d been sitting outside, blanketed in the blackest of nights, shivering in the winter’s chill.

  “Look, Sawyer. Over there by the Big Dipper!” Ava had shouted, tugging him by the arm and looking up toward the heavens.

  “Where? I don’t see anything,” he’d said in an impatient voice, eager to experience the meteor shower. He’d hated the idea of missing out on something.

  “Over there.” She’d pointed up toward the velvet sky. “By the handle.” No telescope had been necessary. The shooting star exploded in the obsidian sky like a ball of fire. Reds and oranges lit up the night sky. Seeing Ava’s face as they saw one shooting star after another—wide eyes, a radiant expression, pure wonder—was something he would never forget. To this day he still didn’t know what had affected him more—the meteor shower or the sight of an awestruck Ava.

  As he said good-night to Ava and made his way across the sand to his lighthouse, his heart was filled to the brim with his blessings. Thanks to the Lord’s gracious gifts, he was back in Buzzards Bay with his family and friends.

  Today, he’d been surrounded by so much love. It had vibrated and hummed in the very air around him. Inspired by the joyous union of Melanie and Doug, he couldn’t help yearning for something of his own. A soft place to fall. A peaceful refuge from the storms of life. Kids to tuck in at night when the day was done. Someone to belong to, not just for a little while, but for all time.

  What he wanted more than anything was love. Pure, wondrous, knock-him-off-his-feet love. He wanted to walk down the aisle with the woman of his dreams and pledge his everlasting love and fidelity to her. He wanted children...lots and lots of them. He wanted someone to stand beside and take care of when the seas became rough. Going through life alone no longer held any appeal. And when he imagined it all unfolding—the courtship, the wedding, the happily ever after—it was always Ava’s stunning face that came into sharp focus.

  Chapter Seven

  Sawyer was up to his knees in sand. Daniel was on all fours, digging a massive moat for his sand castle. Although he’d tried to get his brother to scale the project down, Daniel had insisted on going big. Trying to reason with him was like telling the sun not to shine. When he was in one of his creative moods it just wasn’t possible. So here he was, on his day off, no less, helping his brother craft a replica of Versailles, the famous French castle. As a history buff, Daniel wanted to pay homage to a place he dreamed of one day visiting.

  Sawyer had to admit he was having a blast. Spending time with Daniel was a luxury he hadn’t been afforded for an entire year. Filled with boundless energy, creativity and a genuinely good heart, his brother made even the mundane things in life seem like an adventure.

  They’d walked a mile down the beach from his lighthouse to get to this section of beach, passing by Ava’s house on the way. He’d been tempted to drop by to check in on her and the kids, but he’d stopped himself, not wanting to wear out his welcome. The last thing he wanted to be was a nuisance.

  It had been a week since he’d spent time with them—largely owing to the long hours he’d logged at the Cape Cod Air Station—and he keenly felt their absence. Friday had been their last day of school, and the twins were now officially on summer vacation. The last time he’d spoken with Ava, she had been looking at summer camp options, vacillating between a half-day camp in town and having them home for the summer. For selfish reasons he hoped Ava opted not to enroll them at Camp Tidewater. That way he’d be able to plan adventures with them on his off days.

  He cast his gaze upward, studying Ava’s house on the bluff. With its light blue shutters and white facade, the house was a modernized version of a classic Cape Cod cottage. A few years ago, the house had been renovated, with a second story being added to the structure. Perched on the cliff overlooking the ocean, it was one of the most visually stunning homes in town. Even from this distance, Sawyer could feel the strong sense of home and hearth emanating from the Trask home.

  “Can we go visit Casey and Dolly?” Daniel asked, his eyes now trained on the cottage.

  “I’m not sure if they’re home today,” he hedged. He felt badly as he watched Daniel’s face crumple in disappointment. Perhaps he should just head up there and see if Ava and the kids were at home. What harm could it do?

  “Look!” Daniel shouted, his finger pointed at three figures walking along the shore from the other direction. “It’s them! Ava, Casey and Dolly.”

  As they came closer, Sawyer realized Daniel was right. Casey and Dolly must have spotted them also, since they began running toward them, their little legs pumping in the sand. Ava was walking behind them at a leisurely pace, stopping every now and then to pick up a seashell and place it in the bucket she held. She raised a hand and waved to them.

  “What are you guys building?” Casey asked as soon as he reached them, breathing heavily from exertion.

  “We’re building a castle,” Daniel said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Do you want to help us?”

  The twins nodded enthusiastically and scrambled over to his side. Daniel handed Dolly a shovel and gave Casey one of his extra buckets. Casey ran down to the water to fill it up just as Ava joined them. She was dressed casually in a pair of blue capri pants and a white cardigan. Her hair was swept up in a short ponytail, and she was barefoot. She placed her pail on the sand and folded her arms across her chest, gazing upon the sand castle with cl
ear admiration in her eyes.

  “Guys, this is amazing. I’ve never seen a sand castle this impressive,” she raved.

  “Daniel gets all the credit,” Sawyer answered with a shake of his head. “He conceived this idea based on pictures he’s seen of Versailles. Believe it or not, he did this from memory.”

  “I’m not good at a lot of things, but I have a really good memory and I’m a good builder,” Daniel chimed in. “Someday, I want to be an architect.”

  A sense of pride gripped Sawyer as he heard his brother’s words. Despite Daniel’s limitations, he was determined to reach for his dreams. It would break Daniel’s heart if he wasn’t able to successfully chase the career goal he’d nurtured since childhood. For as long as Sawyer could remember, his brother had been sketching buildings and constructing fortresses. For Sawyer, attending the Coast Guard Academy and becoming an officer had been a deeply held ambition ever since he was in grade school. Being able to achieve his heart’s desire had been one of the greatest moments in his life. He wanted nothing less for Daniel.

  “Something tells me you’d be a great architect, Daniel. You’re very talented,” Ava gushed. Daniel was grinning from ear to ear. Ava’s words made him want to sweep her up in his arms and plant a wet one right on her cheek. Daniel didn’t get a lot of compliments outside of family members. His self-esteem was a huge issue because of neighborhood bullies and insensitive remarks from random strangers. Leave it to Ava to make him feel as if he could take the world by storm.

  While the kids continued to work on the sand castle, Sawyer edged closer to Ava, intent on having a private word with her out of earshot of the children.

  “Thanks for what you said to Daniel. He doesn’t hear praise like that too often,” he said in a low voice. Ava’s act of kindness served as a reminder to him to continue to lift his brother up whenever possible. Positive reinforcement was a powerful motivator.

  “You don’t have to thank me. I meant every word of it. Daniel is creative and quite talented.”

  “I know, but sometimes people tend to focus on his limitations rather than his strengths.”

  Ava’s eyes opened wide and she made a tutting noise. “Well, hopefully Daniel’s success will just show them how small-minded they really are. It’s unfair to count him out before he’s even traveled down that road.”

  “I’m a firm believer in going after your dreams. There’s no guarantee he’ll become an architect, but he’s got the talent and the vision to follow through with it.”

  “No, there are no guarantees,” Ava conceded. “He might end up working in that field or become an artist or an architect’s assistant. You just don’t know where his dreams will take him.”

  Sawyer nodded in agreement. Most people didn’t realize Daniel’s potential. Because of Daniel’s disability a lot of people assumed his brother would be greatly limited in his options. Ava was one of the few people who seemed to realize that Daniel’s talent and vision were infinite. She didn’t view his challenges as insurmountable obstacles. Just knowing how deeply Ava believed in his brother caused a groundswell of emotion to surge up inside him.

  “Are you two going to just stand there talking?” Dolly asked as she wiped her brow with the back of her hand. “Building sand castles is hard work.”

  “It’s hot out here, Sawyer. I’m a little thirsty,” Daniel announced.

  “Me, too,” Casey piped up. More times than not, Casey always tended to be in agreement with Daniel. Sawyer suspected that the six-year-old thought Daniel hung the moon.

  “If everyone’s hungry, I can whip up some sandwiches at my place and bottles of water,” he suggested, looking toward Ava to see if she was agreeable.

  The kids all began speaking at once and talking over one another, delighted at the idea of having lunch at the lighthouse and spending even more time together.

  Ava smiled and nodded. “I wouldn’t dare say no at this point. I think I’d have a rebellion on my hands.”

  After gathering up all the beach toys, they walked down the beach toward the lighthouse. Along the way they made a game of collecting the most beautiful seashell. Casey let out a cry as he came upon the empty shell of a horseshoe crab. It was decided by unanimous vote that Casey had found a unique seashell. Rather than bring it with him, Casey gingerly placed it back in the ocean.

  When they reached the lighthouse, he couldn’t help stopping and admiring his new home. For some reason unknown to even him, he never got tired of the sight of it. The red-and-white-striped lighthouse stood in stark contrast to the deep blue sky. From the first time he’d laid eyes on it when he was a boy, it had been embedded in his heart and soul. He’d studied it, photographed it and explored its every nook and cranny. And all these years later it felt right to be the owner.

  As he led the group into his house, Daniel took the lead and began showing Dolly and Casey around. Despite the fact that the twins had regularly visited Mr. P and knew the lighthouse like the back of their hand, they let out a few oohs and ahhs as they walked around. Mr. P had spent a lot of time and money renovating the lighthouse before his illness impacted his mobility. Although there were some changes Sawyer wanted to make to the master bedroom and the kitchen, he considered himself fortunate to not have to do a major overhaul of his living quarters.

  “Is peanut butter and jelly still a crowd favorite?” He tossed the question out there as he headed toward the kitchen.

  “That would be perfect. Thanks, Sawyer.” Ava had followed behind him. She was looking around her with wonder, pausing to study a few unique aspects of his new digs. She ran her fingers along the copper stove he’d just had installed. A smile lit up her face as she opened up one of his cabinets and spotted the antique wall safe behind the door. As kids they’d been fascinated by the safe, spinning tales of unimaginable treasures hidden inside—gold coins, stacks of money and jewels had been some of their favorites.

  “I think I might have some chicken salad in the fridge for a more refined palate,” he said in a teasing voice.

  She looked at him as if he were crazy. “Refined? Are you serious? Most days I eat what the kids are having...chicken nuggets, fries, hot dogs. And, of course, peanut butter and jelly. Being a mom has forced me to be flexible.”

  He shook his head knowingly. “Sounds exactly like what Daniel chows down on these days. Mom says he’s eating them out of house and home.” Although his mother complained about his brother’s voracious appetite, Sawyer knew how much she enjoyed nurturing Daniel. He was, and always would be, her baby.

  “He’s such a sweetheart, Sawyer. The kids love spending time with him.” Ava’s gaze traveled toward the living room where Daniel and the twins were playing a spirited game of checkers.

  “Well, he’s like a big kid himself. It’s tough for him to make friends his own age. He’s just not on the same page with most twenty-year-olds.” He pulled a loaf of bread and peanut butter from the cupboard. After rummaging around the refrigerator, he hit pay dirt with a jar of grape jelly.

  “Success!” he said triumphantly, earning a chuckle from Ava.

  “You’re really making this place your own, aren’t you?” she asked, a smile hovering on her lips.

  He nodded, acknowledging she was right. “Yes, I suppose I am. At first I couldn’t help thinking of it as Mr. P’s place, but with every day that passes it’s becoming more and more my own.” He felt a burst of pride when he thought about his decision to buy the lighthouse. While some might call it impulsive, it was one of the best decisions he’d made in his life. It was the first place he’d owned lock, stock and barrel, and it came with a rich and textured Cape Cod history.

  Ava leaned across the kitchen counter and began helping him make the sandwiches. “Mr. P would be happy about you living here. He always worried about finding a caretaker for this place. Then when he got sick and went downhill so quickly, there was
no time to find anyone. Up until the very end he felt incredibly blessed to have lived such a long life here in Buzzards Bay.”

  Ava’s voice was tinged with sadness, although it was clear their friend had live a full, rich life. She and Mr. P had shared an amazing friendship. Even when they were kids, he’d always suspected Ava was Mr. P’s favorite. And who could blame him? he thought. She’d always been kind and thoughtful, with a dash of playfulness most had found irresistible. He knew he’d never been able to resist Ava’s adorable smile, infectious grin and her generous heart.

  “It’s a blessing to be back home. Living here—” He gestured around him with his hands. “It’s icing on the cake.”

  “Cake? Are we having cake?” Casey asked, having heard the tail end of their conversation as he walked up. Within seconds, Dolly and Daniel began chattering about having cake for lunch. The din was so loud Sawyer felt the need to let loose with a loud whistle to calm things down.

  When the kids quieted, he announced, “There is no cake, guys. But if you three want to sit down at the table for lunch, we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And we have some chips.” The kids let loose with groans of disappointment, still focused on cake.

  Sawyer frowned at the children. Ava put her hand up to her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to camouflage her laughter. A flutter began rattling around his insides at the way her face lit up with merriment. He placed the food down in front of the kids, letting them know with the sternest look he could muster not to bring up cake again. Their dejected faces did a number on him. He let out a sigh, realizing he was nothing but a big pushover.