Lizabeth's Story (10 page)

L
izabeth was hurrying to meet Kat, Amanda, and Rose in the lighthouse tower. She was late. She had stopped off on the way.

She was almost there when she saw the light switching on. Its rays slowly revolved above the darkening town. It seemed to signal that all was well. The skirt of her new pink eyelet dress swirled around her legs as she rushed toward the welcoming beam. I'll always love pretty dresses, she thought, but there's a lot more on my mind now.

Kat, Amanda, and Rose were waiting in the tower room.

“What happened?” Kat asked. “We almost gave up on you.”

“We saved some muffins for you,” Rose said, “and that wasn't easy.”

“Just proves we're true friends,” Amanda said.
“They're so good. Blueberry.”

“Sorry, I stopped off at the Pelican and I got into a conversation with Mrs. Cornell. She's so nice, I didn't want to cut her short. Anyway, a book I ordered finally came in. I've waited three weeks!” Lizabeth shifted the heavy volume to her other arm.

“Oh, good! Can I get it next?” Kat asked.

“I hope it's a romance,” Amanda said. “I get seconds!”

Lizabeth laughed. “I don't think you'll want this one.”

“Why? What is it?” Kat asked.

“
Basic Anatomy
,” Lizabeth said.

“Say that again.” Kat looked mystified.

“
Basic Anatomy
. I'm going to memorize all the bones.”

“You're going to
what
?” Amanda asked.

“I was just remembering.” Lizabeth went to the window and gazed at the waves hurling foam on the rocks below. “We've always shared our dreams up here. Since…since I don't know when.”

“What does that have to do with
bones
?” Kat asked.

“My dream has changed,” Lizabeth said. “Completely changed.” She turned back to her friends and continued almost shyly. “I want to be a doctor.”

“You mean
medical school
?” Rose asked.

Lizabeth nodded. “Well, after high school and college.”

Her friends took a moment to let it sink in. Lizabeth was grateful that no one brought up the awful things she had said about women doctors—a few weeks and so very long ago. She hoped no one remembered.

“I'll have to get excellent grades to even hope to be admitted,” Lizabeth said. “But I'm going to try my best. Starting next term.”

“Hello? Is this Lizabeth Merchant speaking?” Kat asked.

“The
real
Lizabeth Merchant. Because…because that's what I truly want. Maybe what I've always wanted if I'd given myself a chance to think about it.”

“You can do it if anyone can,” Amanda said.

“Do you honestly think so?” Lizabeth asked.

“Of course you can!” Kat said. “You're extra-smart. Smarter than all of us put together.” She grinned and added, “When you're not doing really dumb things.”

Lizabeth smiled back. “I reserve the right to do something dumb once in a while.”

“As long as you remember a doctor does
not
put nightshade in her eyes,” Kat said. “It makes a bad impression.”

The others looked puzzled.

“You should talk to my father,” Rose suggested.

“I did. He's been giving me advice. Rose, he's wonderful!”

Rose smiled, pleased.

Kat looked thoughtful. “My dream hasn't changed. It's still art school, in Boston or New York, but I'm not just dreaming anymore. I mean, I'm saving up my gift paper money. I have time to do a
lot
of saving. And I'm finding out about scholarships.”

“My dream is still horses,” Rose admitted.

“Well, that's a big surprise.” Amanda laughed.

“After high school, I'd love to have a ranch where I'd train and breed horses. Maybe out west. Mustangs and Palominos! And I'd have space to take in abused and abandoned carriage horses. What about you, Amanda?”

Amanda shrugged. “I guess I just want a husband and children someday.”

They fell silent. Lizabeth was sure the others were thinking of Jed Langford, too, but no one mentioned him. Her father's disapproval made Amanda too unhappy.

“Now wait, Rose, before we leave your ranch in the west. Do you see a certain man among the horses?” Lizabeth teased.

Rose seemed to glow. “Chris likes the idea of ranching as much as I do. He loves the outdoors.”

“You mean—have you actually talked about it?” Lizabeth was surprised.

“Well, yes. We talk about everything. A shared dream is the best kind.”

“Does that mean you're serious? Are you engaged?” Lizabeth asked.

“We're too young to be
engaged
, but we're…I guess, engaged to be engaged to be engaged.”

“I'm not even trying to figure that out,” Kat said.

Rose smiled at Lizabeth. “Someday, I might be your sister. Only in-law, but—” She suddenly stopped and looked distressed.

“It's all right,” Lizabeth said. “You're allowed to say the word ‘sister' in front of me. You don't have to be so careful with me.” Nothing anyone did would bring Tracy back, she thought. Maybe someday I'll learn how to heal other children. She shook off the sadness. “Forget ‘in-law.' All three of you are my sisters in every way that counts.”

“We were born a week apart,” Kat said, “so Lizabeth and I are sort of twins.”

Everyone broke into laughter.

“Surely not
identical
.” Lizabeth giggled.

“All right,” Kat smiled, “maybe not.”

“The four of us, sisters,” Rose said. “I do like that.”

“Four forever,” Amanda said, “in our special place.”

They stood hushed at the window. They held hands and looked out at the moon and the stars. The light slowly turned in its circle.

“Thank you, God,” Lizabeth whispered. “Thank you for my friends and the happy times. Thank you for the strength to go on after the bad times. We'll face whatever life brings and we'll do it together.”

“Together,” Amanda, Rose, and Kat repeated.