Page 101 of The Otherworld

“You know how much it hurts when someone you care about goes missing!”

The ghost of a painful memory crosses Jack’s face. He nods understandingly.

“Not to mention, Papa will probably call the coast guard when he can’t find me.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.” Jack huffs a frustrated sigh, forking one hand through his chestnut brown hair as he glances out to the ocean. He falls silent for a moment. “What if your father gave you permission to go with me… would you?”

“Of course. But he won’t.”

Jack’s gaze snaps to mine, a challenge sparking like a match in his eyes. “Well, you never know until you try.” He turns abruptly and starts striding toward the lighthouse.

“Wait, Jack!” I catch up to him, grabbing his arm. “What are you doing?”

“I’m gonna talk to your father.”

“I don’t think that is a good idea.”

“Why? Does he not like me?”

“He… barely knows you. But that’s not my point. I’ve been asking him for this for years—don’t you understand? He won’t change his mind. He’s the most stubborn person in the world.”

Jack glances down at my hand clasped on his arm, then back up to my face. A self-assured grin twitches onto his lips. “The second most stubborn,” he says. “Right after me.”

34

Love Conquers All

ORCA

On the way back to the lighthouse, I try to convince Jack to let me go in first so that I can gently break the news to Papa.

“What’s the point of that?” Jack counters. “I’m not afraid of him.” He marches on with renewed determination, and I hurry to keep up. Lucius trots beside us, his ears perked at the sense that something is out of the ordinary.

At last, we reach the lighthouse. The chickens are pecking around the yard, and the back door is open, but I don’t see Papa outside. I cut in front of Jack to enter the house first, but he follows right on my heels. We find Papa in the kitchen, lugging an armload of firewood through the front door.

His name bursts past my lips as I stop in the doorway of the kitchen. He has his back to me as he sets down the pile of wood. “Orca, I was wondering where you went. I didn’t see…”

That’s when he turns—his gaze landing on Jack, who stands just behind me. I brace my arm across the doorway, barring him in the living room.

“What are you doing here?” Papa growls, his expression darkening.

My heart hammers in the back of my throat. “Jack was just—”

“Jack can speak for himself,” Papa interrupts, motioning for me to release the boy from the doorway.

When I don’t move, Jack pushes my arm aside and strides into the kitchen. “I’ve come to ask your permission to bring your daughter to the mainland. It’ll only be for a week, and she’ll be staying with my family, so you don’t have to worry. My mom and dad really appreciate everything Orca did for my brother, Adam, and we’d like to return the favor. I know how much Orca wants to see the mainland.”

For a breathless moment, there is nothing but silence. Papa stares at Jack, a flare of outrage and panic in his eyes.

“That is out of the question,” he says, his voice deceptively calm. “Now, please leave my house and do not come back.”

I rush forward. “Papa—”

“No,” Jack snaps. “I won’t. Now, I don’t want to fight with you, sir—but I want you to hear me out. Orca will be fine; she’ll be with my family. We’ll take good care of her. I think she deserves this chance, don’t you?”

Papa’s jaw sets as he sizes up Jack in one glance.

“Your daughter has begged you, for years, to take her to the mainland. Just to see it. And you’ve denied her again and again.”

---