“I still don’t see why freshmen have to arrive so much sooner than everyone else,” Asa grumbled. “Just think, Dad, if I stayed here and found a job, you wouldn’t have two tuitions to think about.”
Sarah studied him. She still hadn’t been able to put her finger on what was troubling her son, but she couldn’t help but think it was the prospect of going away. “Asa, everything will be fine. You’ll become adjusted in no time.” She followed Samuel into the kitchen, and Asa could hear them quietly talking. He leaned forward to listen.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately,” he heard his mother say. “He’s been so moody and withdrawn. I honestly think he’s hiding something.”
“You worry too much,” his father answered. “I’m sure he’s just anxious about school. You know he’s not like Isaac. He’s much quieter… and less outgoing. He’ll find his way once he gets settled and caught up in a routine.” Samuel paused and shook his head. “And I don’t know what he could possibly be hiding-I think that’s your imagination.”
“I hope so,” she sighed.
Asa leaned back, closed his eyes, and continued to stroke the noble black head that rested contentedly on his thigh.
45
Isaac was in the driveway when Jen pulled up in the Corvair. He tucked two beers under a beach blanket and convinced her they should go for a ride before everyone else arrived. Asa seized the opportunity to move his truck down to the parking lot at Nauset Light. He had plans of his own. If anyone asked, he would just say that he was making room for all the cars. He grabbed a bottle of champagne from his father’s cellar supply and put it on ice. Placing the cooler on the passenger floor with a blanket thrown over it, he drove the truck down to the parking lot and walked back along the path that passed by the lighthouse.
Samuel was on the porch squeezing a lime into his drink when Asa came up the porch stairs. “Well, what can I get for the birthday boy?” he asked, smiling.
“I’ll have what you’re having,” Asa said, feeling bold and excited by what the evening might hold. Samuel made another drink, held it out to him, and lifted his own glass.
“Happy birthday, Asa,” he said, looking his son in the eye. “May the year ahead be full of blessings, adventure, and high marks!”
Asa laughed. “Thanks, Dad, but you’re supposed to say, ‘ ’Tis the chowdah that warms a man’s belly…’”
Samuel agreed with a chuckle. “Yes, that too.”
They both turned as Martha barked and struggled to pull herself up off the weathered wooden floor.
“Don’t you know me yet, you silly old girl?” Nate came up the steps and kissed Martha on the nose. He smiled, shook hands with Sam, and clapped Asa on the shoulder. “Happy birthday, Asa! It’s all downhill from here!” He turned to Samuel. “And you-you must be feeling really old!”
Samuel laughed and pointed to his glass. Nate nodded.
“Where’s that lovely wife of yours?” Samuel asked, putting ice in a glass for Nate.
“Oh, she’s coming. She has her own birthday gift, and she had to ‘fix’ it,” he said, winking at Asa. “Which reminds me.” He reached into his pocket for an envelope. “Asa, let me give these to you now before it gets crazy.” He held the envelope out to him. “I want you to know, I thought of this all on my own, and I had to get special permission from the boss to get you out of school.” He winked at Sam. “I hope you won’t miss anything too important.”
Asa looked puzzled as he opened the envelope and pulled out four tickets. The two men watched as a smile spread across Asa’s face.
“Hey! Tickets to the Sox-Orioles game!” He looked at the date. Wednesday afternoon, September 28. “Thanks, Uncle Nate. I’ll be there.”
“The other tickets are for Isaac, your dad, and me. Isaac will have to miss school and get himself to Fenway too.”
“I’m sure that won’t be a problem,” Sam said.
“You will have to come the farthest,” Nate said to Asa. “Hope you won’t mind a long bus ride.”
“I won’t mind. I think that’s Ted Williams’s last home game. I would travel any distance to be there!”
“You’re right.” He smiled. “That’s why we’re going!”
Noelle had gone into the house through the front door to fix Asa’s present and now she and Sarah came out onto the porch. Sarah hugged Nate, who was still smiling. “I told you he would like ’em,” he said to her.
“Oh, I had no doubt he would like them! Just as long as he gets all of his work done,” she said, eyeing Asa.
“I will, Mom. Don’t worry!”
Noelle stood next to Nate with her hands behind her back. Nate put his arm around her shoulder. “I don’t know if your gift is going to be able to beat mine,” he teased.
“I don’t know either,” she teased back with a grin. “We’ll just have to see.”
Noelle held out an elegantly wrapped package. “Happy birthday, Asa,” she said with a twinkle in her dark eyes.
Asa struggled to hide his emotions. “Thanks,” he said, fumbling with the ribbon. He finally managed to untie it, and Martha made her way over to help with the wrapping paper. Under the delicate tissue paper was a white cotton T-shirt with forest green piping around the neck and each sleeve. On the left chest, also in green, was the Dartmouth insignia. Asa smiled, lifted the shirt out, and realized that there was something tucked inside. He unfolded the shirt and revealed the worn cover of an old book that he had seen once before. He looked at Noelle in amazement as he reverently picked up the signed copy of Leaves of Grass that Noelle’s grandfather had given her.
“You shouldn’t give this away,” he said in disbelief.
“I want you to have it,” she said. “That way, I’ll always know it’s in good hands.” She smiled warmly at him, hoping he understood exactly what she meant. Asa’s parents and Nate seemed oblivious to the deeper meaning of their exchange.
Asa searched Noelle’s eyes. He wanted to hold her, to say so much more. Instead, he just smiled and said, “Thank you very much.”
“You are very welcome.”
Nate broke the silence. “Well, I guess it’s a toss-up.”
Asa grinned. “You are both very generous. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Why don’t you try on the shirt?” Sarah suggested as Sam handed each of the ladies a glass of wine.
Asa nodded and took the gifts up to his room. He tucked the tickets inside the book and set it on his desk. Then he unbuttoned and pulled off his shirt, threw it on the bed, and pulled on the new one. He glanced in the mirror; it was a good fit.
When he came back down, Isaac and Jen had returned and Nate was telling Isaac about the tickets. “That sounds great. I’m sure I can get away.” Isaac elbowed him. “Hey, nice shirt!”
Asa elbowed him back. “Hey, thanks!” He found his drink, took a sip, and looked around for Noelle. She was standing by the stairs. Asa walked over, leaned on the railing, and looked out at the ocean swells. Noelle turned to lean on the railing, too, and her arm brushed against his.
“Be careful,” he warned softly, “I can’t handle too much bare skin…”
“Mmmm, I know.”
“Do you also know”-he hesitated and glanced around-“that I can’t get you off my mind?”
“I have that effect on men,” she teased.
“I want you so much,” he whispered.
Noelle eyed his drink. “I thought you didn’t touch that stuff.”
Asa looked down at his glass and absently wiped away the drops of condensation.
“I’m throwing caution to the wind.”
“Well, you have a long car ride tomorrow. You should take it easy.”
He gazed at her. “Noelle, I need to see you alone. Is there any way you can meet me later?”
She heard the longing in his voice and turned to look at him. She couldn’t help noticing how tan his face looked against the snowy white of the T-shirt and how bleached the summer sun had made his hair. She realized that he must have just had it cut, because there was a line of fair skin around his neck and in front of his ears.