Free Lessons of a Lowcountry Summer by Rochelle Alers

and Christian as his family. “My little sister cries and sulks more than she talks, while Christian is hell-bent on turning nerdy Brandon into a thug. They have less than a week of school left, and I’m thinking of taking them away for an extended vacation.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œI haven’t decided where.”
    â€œLook, Theo, maybe I can help you so we both can get what we want.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œI built a little place off the South Carolina coast for myself whenever I need to disappear from my ex-wives. It’s on McKinnon Island. It’s small and laid-back. The tourists have yet to discover it, or it would be overrun like some of the other islands in the region. The house has four bedrooms and four full baths. It’s only a few hundred feet from the ocean, is centrally heated and cooled, and equipped with modern appliances. The kids can hang out, go fishing and crabbing, while you can write your ass off.”
    Theo smiled. “You make it sound very tempting.”
    â€œI’ll hold off telling the network that you won’t be able to do the project until next week. If you change your mind, then call me. I’ll arrange for a private jet to fly you and your family into Savannah. I’ll also arrange for a vehicle for you to use during your stay on the island.”
    â€œI won’t promise you anything, but I will think about it.”
    Theo ended the call. Before he made any decision, he would discuss it with his family.
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    Three days later Theo sat at the dinner table with Noelle, Brandon and Christian. They ate without talking. It had been that way since Christian and Brandon’s Saturday night fiasco.
    Placing his fork next to his salad plate, Theo cleared his throat. “I’d like for all of us to go away for the summer.”
    â€œWhere?” Noelle asked.
    Theo gave his sister a gentle smile. She was the most vulnerable of the three. Her parents were killed the day before her thirteenth birthday. Tall and willowy, she reminded him of a startled doe, with her large eyes and delicate features. She wore her relaxed shoulder-length hair in a profusion of tiny braids.
    â€œMcKinnon Island, South Carolina.”
    Brandon glanced up and stared at Theo. “What would we do there?”
    â€œThe house where we would stay is close to the ocean, so that means swimming, boating and fishing.”
    â€œWill there be kids our age, or old farts sittin’ around talking about their grandkids?” Theo glared at Christian, who dropped his gaze. “Sorry. We can’t swim.”
    Theo stared at each of them. “None of you know how to swim?” They shook their heads. He smiled. “Would you like to learn?”
    â€œYes,” chorused three voices.
    â€œThen that settles it. We’ll leave for McKinnon Island Sunday. And tomorrow we’ll go to the mall after school and shop.”
    Noelle sat up straighter. “What are we shopping for?”
    â€œBathing suits, sandals, tank tops, three disc players, several dozen CDs…” His words trailed off as his sister and brothers exchanged high fives.
    â€œIs Miss Helen coming?” Brandon asked.
    A powerful sense of relief swept over Theo. He had gotten them to agree to summer on McKinnon Island with him.
    â€œYes, Brandon, Miss Helen is coming. She lives with us, and because she does, we have to think of her as family.”
    Family. He was getting used to saying the word. His grand mother had been his only family for many years, but now he had his brothers and sister.
    As a realist, Theo knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but at least spending the next two months on an island off the Carolina coast was a beginning—for all of them.

Part Four
M C KINNON ISLAND
    I saw the tracks of angels in the earth.
    â€”Petrarch

Nine
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    The sea its millions of waves is rocking, divine.
    â€”Gabriela Mistral
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    H ope smiled. She had