The Summer Wind by Mary Alice Monroe

her, where would she go?” Carson asked worriedly.
    “Back to her community. Dolphins are very connected to their family pods. Communication within community structure is critical for their survival.”
    “And if she can’t be released back to the Cove?”
    Lynne paused. “Well, that’s our first goal, of course.”
    “I’m confused. Didn’t Blake tell you that there have been questions about whether she’s part of the Cove community? He hasn’t found Delphine in his database yet. He’s still looking.”
    Lynne shook her head. “He didn’t mention it. That’s a serious issue. We don’t make the final decision. If she can’t be released to the wild, we’ll find a suitable care facility for her.”
    “Blake mentioned the Dolphin Research Center.”
    “An excellent location. Have you ever been there?”
    Carson shook her head.
    “You should go. Check it out. I’d be curious to hear your feedback.”
    “I hold hope Delphine will be able to go back to the Cove.”
    “You know what that means for you, though, don’t you?” Lynne asked. “You could observe her, but you could never interact. Delphine might well want to return to your dock, mooch a free meal. It’s easier than hunting.”
    “Blake’s raked me over the coals on that, you can be sure of it.”
    “Yeah, I can imagine. He’s seen too much to be laid-back about it. We all have.” Lynne signaled to the other Mote staffer. “You can stay in here awhile. I’ll lower her toys and you can try to engage her. If she seems tired, just stand nearby and observe. Let us know if you see anything strange. And hey, I’m glad you’re here. You did good.”
    Carson was left alone in the tank with Delphine. She couldn’t just yet extinguish the hope that flared in her heart that Delphine might return to the Cove. But before today, she hadn’t really seen how severe her injuries were, how compromised she was.
    Delphine came to rest again in front of Carson. They gazed eye to eye for several minutes in companionable silence. The sun was hot on Carson’s back. The water rocked gently with Delphine’s movements. From somewhere in the distance, gulls cried.
    Carson closed her eyes and felt the first peace she’d known in what felt like a long while. It would take time to work through the harsh truths revealed in the past month: how her mother had died in the house fire, her parents’ alcoholism, and the likelihood that she, too, suffered from the disease.
    But looking into Delphine’s eyes, and seeing the unconditional forgiveness and love there, Carson felt the hardness of her heart soften and the process of absolving herself of her past mistakes begin.
Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina
    Harper stood outside the library door and peeked in the dimly lit room. Inside, Nate was sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the television set. He was a slight, pale boy, his fair hair badly in need of a haircut. He sat motionless except for his nimble fingers rapidly working the remote control of the game he was playing. His concentration was intense; he was utterly unaware that she was watching him.
    Seeing Nate in this room, small and alone, absorbed in his own world, reminded Harper of herself at that age. Harper had often squirreled herself away in this very room, only she wasn’t into games back then. She escaped to her books. She still treasured the books of her youth, counted them as friends: A Wrinkle in Time; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe ; andanything by Judy Blume. So many books, so many hours . . . She remembered being engulfed in stories, completely engaged in the enchanted worlds. During those times she hadn’t felt lonely.
    Like Nate, she had spent much of her childhood alone. Harper had been raised as generations of James children were raised before her. The upper-class British family subscribed to the children are best seen and not heard school of child rearing. James parents did not kiss or coddle their children. Emotional