Nantucket Summer

Chapter Two

Sam POV

Sam tossed the ball to his little sister and she easily caught it in her bright pink baseball glove. He smiled happily at her and clapped.

"Whoop whoop! Hailey Madison, best out fielder in the league!" Sam exclaimed like an announcer at a sports game. He ran forward and scooped up the petite blonde girl and spun her around easily. She giggled and screamed as he set her down and tickled her.

"Stop stop!" She cried though her fits of laughter.

Sam laughed and helped her stand up as she wiped her grass stained hands on her jeans. "You know what, Sammy?"

He chuckled lovingly and raised his eye brows, "What?"

"I'm gonna be a pro baseball player just like you." Hailey's stern, stubborn brow eyes told Sam she was dead serious.

Sam sighed and sat down, patting the grass next to him for her to sit down. "Hailey I'm not a pro baseball player. I can't play anymore."

"But Sammy, you're the best."

"The doctor said I can't play anymore. I can't play because of the accident." Sam sucked in a breath, rubbing the dull ache that was ever present in his right knee.

Hailey looked up at his with sincere brown eyes, "Sammy, why'd you get in an accident?"

Sam sighed and looked out on the ocean that stretched beyond the park. After choosing the right words he replied, "I made a very bad choice, one I hope you will never make."

"What kind of bad choice?" she pressed, her flaxen eye brows knitted in curiosity.

Sam sighed and set his hands on her shoulders. "One that you will understand when you grow up. But now even though I can't play ball anymore we just need to be happy I'm here to coach you," Sam said thoughtfully, a warm smile rushing to his face.

Hailey quickly forgot her pressing questions and moved back to baseball, "Yep that's why I'm gonna be a pro, cause you're the best coach ever!"

"Well if you want to be a pro then we need to work on hitting a curveball!" Sam exclaimed chasing after her towards the pitcher's mound.

The night had fallen hours ago but Sam had not received a wink of sleep. He had no idea where is future was going, what he was doing. He still had not heard back from any schools or any of the jobs he'd applied to. It scared him immensely. He'd applied to University of Boston, where he'd wanted to attend for years but he was still waiting for an acceptance that he wasn't sure would come.

Slowly he swung his legs out if bed, the sun would be up soon and his uncle would be expecting him at the dock in a couple of hours and there was no use in waiting for the day to begin without him.

After pulling on jeans and a t shirt with a warm sweatshirt to block out the cool early April rain Sam strapped on his knee brace and headed down stairs where he found hailey already awake in the kitchen attempting to pull a carton of eggs from the fridge. Sam rushed behind her to grab the giant carton before they fell.

In a low whisper he said, "Careful there, Ace. You're going to wake the guest."

The Madison's had owned the Bed and Breakfast for four generations on Nantucket Island. Though they had few guests before the third week of May they had one who'd showed up early this year, keen to start the summer.

Hailey nods and runs around the kitchen pulling out all the equipment to make the "Sailey" omelet. Ever since Sam had taught his little sister his trick she'd insisted on helping every time he made it so instead of being the "Sam omelet" it was the "Sailey omelet". Which actually made it quite popular for tourists who came to Nantucket for the sailing.