“Open my present first,” Paula urged, sitting, of course, right next to Todd. “It was actually my mom’s idea. I hope you like it.”

Even in the dim light on the lanai, Paula looked horribly sunburned.

“Did you use anything for your sunburn yet?” Marti asked. “You really got too much sun today, Paula. You can get sick from sunburn, you know. Your lips will swell and blister, and your skin will peel. You did use sunscreen today, didn’t you?”

Paula avoided answering by focusing on Christy, who had opened the small box from Paula and lifted out a picture in a heart-shaped silver frame. Christy held it closer in the dim light to see better.

“It’s us,” Paula said. “My mom took it on our first day of kindergarten.”

Christy held it up to the light and smiled at the two little faces, pressed cheek to cheek. Both had a front tooth missing.

Christy couldn’t explain it, but all of a sudden she felt like crying. The picture delighted her. It warmed her from the inside out. It brought an ocean full of childhood memories and dreams. It made her feel closer to Paula than she had felt their whole trip. She couldn’t be angry with that little cherub beside her in the picture.

“I love it, Paula. Thank you.” Christy reached over to give her a cheek-to-cheek hug.

“Owww!” Paula responded the instant Christy touched her.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s your sunburn, huh?”

Instantly, the surge of closeness receded. An invisible shield went up between them again.

Mom and Marti admired the picture and handed it to Todd for his examination.

A smile spread across his face, and he teased, “Which is which?”

“Can’t you tell?” Christy asked. “I’m the one on the right.”

Todd kept looking at the picture and smiling.

Mom handed Christy her gift in a shopping bag and apologized for not being organized enough to have brought along a box and wrapping paper. It was a big, multicolored beach bag.

Christy really liked it, which was good since she and Mom usually didn’t have similar tastes.

“Here,” Todd pulled a cardboard tube out from under his chair. “I’m not one for wrapping paper either.”

Popping the plastic end off the tube, Christy pulled out a rolled-up picture of a gorgeous waterfall surrounded by tropical foliage. An old bridge stretched across the top of the waterfall.

“This is pretty. Thanks.” It was a pretty picture, but it wasn’t exactly a personal, romantic kind of gift like the gold ID bracelet Todd had given her for Christmas. He had had the word Forever engraved on it. Christy had grown familiar with its light touch on her wrist and all the hope and promise for their relationship it carried.

“You said to send you a postcard of a waterfall,” Todd said in his teasing way. “And that’s a waterfall that, well …” He looked like he wanted to explain something about the waterfall, but it was too deeply personal. “Well, I like it a lot.”

Christy smiled her thanks, unsure of his unspoken message, and rolled the picture back up. Gently, she eased it into the tube.

“One more gift, Christy,” Marti said with a song in her voice.

Christy felt even worse at the thought that she might now receive an expensive gift. “You’ve already given me my birthday present, bringing me here and taking us to the luau and everything! I really couldn’t accept anything else.”

Bob handed her an envelope, and she felt a bit relieved, thinking it might be a card with twenty dollars or something that would be easy to accept.

It was a card, all right. “Happy Sweet Sixteen,” the front proclaimed. Fortunately, no money was inside. Only an odd-shaped piece of paper that floated to her lap. Christy held it up and then looked at her aunt and uncle and asked, “What’s this?”

“Can’t you tell?” Marti bubbled. “It’s a clue. Try to guess.”

“It’s a picture of a car.”

“A car!” Paula spit out the words as if they disgusted her. “I’m so sure, Christy! You’re so spoiled, and you don’t even know it.”

“Hold on now,” Bob said calmly. “It’s not a brand-new car.”

“Remember my old car?” Marti asked.

Christy gulped, “The convertible Mercedes?”

Paula turned away and looked out at the ocean.

“We traded it in,” Bob explained. “Well, sort of traded it in. The bottom line is, after you get your license, you and your dad will go with me to the dealer and trade in your parents’ car as well. We’ll use the credit from their car and the Mercedes to do a little wheeling and dealing. Hopefully, we can manage to come up with a car for you and one for your mom and dad as well.”

“I can’t believe this! Thank you.” Christy hugged Bob and Marti and then Mom.

Her stomach had begun to do flip-flops the moment Bob said “when you get your license,” and now she felt that strange sensation of horror and expectation. So much depended on her taking the test when she got home and passing it the first time.

Just then the phone rang inside the condo.

“Who could that be?” Marti asked. “After all, your father already called this morning.”

“Want me to get it?” Christy offered, since she was the only one standing.

“Sure,” Bob said.

Christy lifted the receiver on the third ring. “Hello?”

A loud crackling and clicking came across the line.

“Hello?” she said louder. “Hello?”

A woman spoke in what sounded like Spanish or Italian, and then the phone clicked and a surprisingly clear male voice came on the line. “Yes, hello. I’m trying to reach Christy Miller.”

“This is Christy.” Her heart pounded, echoing in her ears. This is strange! Who could be calling me?

“Christy! Do you know who this is?” There was a delay and a little bit of an echo on what seemed to be a cell phone, which made it even more difficult to identify the deep, vaguely familiar voice.

“Ah, ahh …” She didn’t know what to say.

Obviously, this person knew her, knew she was in Maui, and somehow had gotten the phone number. Suddenly, she remembered the mysterious, unsigned letter she had stuck in her purse. Could this be the person who wrote the letter?

The voice laughed on the other end of the line, and she knew she had heard that laugh before. But where? When? Who was this?

“I’ll give you a clue. You owe me something, which you promised to give me on July 27. Well, where I’m calling from, it’s already July 28, but I’m calling to tell you that just because you’re in Maui, you can’t forget your promise. You still owe me.”

The strong voice had taken on a Mafia-type accent, and Christy felt a little frightened, even though she knew it had to be someone playing a trick on her.

“I intend to collect on what you owe me before the summer’s over, got it?”

“Well, um.” Christy tried hard to sound light and playful, but she was in a fog over what this masked voice was talking about. “Just exactly what is it I owe you?”

The voice laughed, not deep and mysterious but freely, in its natural range. Then switching back to Mafia style, he said, “A date, Killer Eyes. You owe me a birthday date.”

Christy burst out in wild, relieved, delighted laughter, causing everyone on the lanai to stop talking and look inside the condo at her. She pulled the phone cord around the corner, into the kitchen to be out of their view.

“Rick! I can’t believe you’re calling me!”

“You really didn’t know it was me?” he asked in his usual self-confident tone.

“No, I couldn’t figure it out at all! Where are you? I thought you were in Europe.”

“I am. I’m on the island of Capri.”

“Where’s that?”

“Off the coast of Italy. We took a hydrofoil over from Naples yesterday. We’re going to Rome later this afternoon and then up to Florence and Venice.”

“I can’t believe this. How’d you get my number?”

“I called your house yesterday. Your dad told me you were in Maui, and he gave me your number. It was easy. You didn’t think I’d forget your birthday, did you?”

“But Rick, this is going to cost you a fortune!”

“About the same as dinner and a movie in Escondido,” he teased. “We’ll compare prices when I take you out in August. If we plan it just right, there should be about a week before I leave for college, and we’ll celebrate your birthday then. You pick the day.”

“Okay.” She knew she should keep talking, but her mind went blank. She felt her cheeks burning and heart pounding over Rick calling her all the way from Europe. He hadn’t forgotten her birthday. She never expected this.

“I thought of you yesterday,” Rick said in a low, rich voice. “We went to the Blue Grotto. You ever heard of it?”

“No.”

Her no echoed in her ear before Rick continued. “We got in this little boat, kind of a cross between a rowboat and a gondola. The guy paddled us into this place like a cave, and we had to scrunch down on the bottom of the boat because the opening was so low. Inside, the water is the most unusual color of blue. The sun reflects into the cave somehow. I don’t remember what does it, but the whole inside looks blue from the sunlight and the reflection off the water onto the rocks.”

“Sounds pretty,” Christy said.

“Not just pretty. Incredible. Awesome. Outrageous. It was killer, Christy. Just like your eyes. I felt like the whole cave was filled with Christy.”

Christy let the romance of his words sink in.

“That’s where I would’ve taken you for your birthday if I could’ve picked anywhere in the whole world, Christina. I would’ve taken you to the Blue Grotto on the island of Capri.”

There was a pause, during which Christy felt certain the sound of her heart pounding in her ears had exploded through the phone and burst in on Rick on the other side of the world.

His voice switched back to teasing. “We’ll have to check out all the Italian restaurants in Southern California and see if there’s a Blue Grotto restaurant somewhere. If there is, that’s where we’ll go in August.”

Christy laughed. “Okay. Sounds like fun.”

“It will be,” Rick said confidently. “You try to have a happy birthday there without me, okay? I know it’ll be hard, but try.”

“Okay. Thanks for calling.”

“Did you think for one minute I wouldn’t call? That shows how little you know me, Christy. We’ll work on improving that in a few weeks. Until then, ciao!”

“Bye, Rick.”

She stood perfectly still for a moment before hanging up the phone.

How bizarre! Why would he call me and say all those sweet, sweet things? I never would have expected that from Rick. Never. Maybe I don’t really know him, like he said.

Christy started toward the lanai, not sure of how to answer when they all asked who was on the phone. What an unexpected birthday evening! First the car from Bob and Marti, then Rick’s call.

Fortunately, no one asked about her call right away. They were involved in an argument, and when Christy entered, Marti appeared to have won.

“Do like I said, Paula. Take a lukewarm bath, and put the aloe vera gel all over your sunburn. Do it now, or you’re going to be much worse in the morning. Go on!”

Paula slowly stood, showing clearly that every movement caused her pain.

“You want some help?” Christy offered.

“Doing what?” Paula snapped. “Running my bath water? I think I can handle that myself.”

“I just thought—”

Bob cut Christy off. “You holler if you need anything, Paula.”

Mom rose. “I was going back to our condo anyway. I’ll go with you, Paula.”

“Whatever you do, don’t touch me anywhere!” Paula warned as the two of them exited, followed by Marti.

“I’ll get her some extra aloe gel in case the tube in her bathroom is low.” Marti set off, Christy thought, to make sure her instructions were followed thoroughly.

“Well,” Bob pushed himself up from the chair, “I’m ready to call it a day. Can I get you two anything? Something to drink?”

“No thanks.”

Just that fast, Christy and Todd were alone on the lanai. Bob had turned on the news on the TV behind the sliding glass door and stood in front of it rather than sitting down.

Todd stood and moved his chair over so he would be next to Christy.

They sat silently for a few minutes, gazing at the ocean and the sky full of stars. The moon sprinkled light on the wave crests. Christy thought it looked like a giant bottle of silver glitter had spilled from the deep heavens and all the tiny flecks were now stuck to the waves with frothy, white Elmer’s glue.

Thoughts of Rick evaporated; dreams of Todd soared.

This is so beautiful! What a perfect night, and how romantic to be here with Todd. I love the way he moved his chair over to be next to me. This is exactly what I wished for! I wonder what he’s thinking?

“How’s Rick?”

“Rick?” Christy echoed.

Todd kept looking straight ahead into the night. “That was Rick, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, but how did you know?”

Todd turned and gave her a look that said, We guys know these things, okay?

“He’s fine, I guess. He’s in Italy.”

“Italy?”

“His family is on vacation there.” Is Todd jealous of Rick the way I’m jealous of Paula?

Todd kept looking out at the ocean, his jaw pressed forward as it did when he was deep in thought or about to say something profound.

Christy waited.

Todd remained silent.

Then Christy did something rather bold for her. She knew Bob was still in the living room, watching TV behind them, but this was her birthday—her sweet sixteen—and this was her wish, to be alone with Todd. She slipped her hand through Todd’s arm, which rested on the chair.

Todd immediately responded by reaching for her hand and meshing their fingers together. Christy felt relieved. Calmed. Full of birthday wishes. She hoped that her reaching out to him like this would assure him there was really nothing going on between her and Rick. At least, she didn’t think anything was going on between her and Rick.

Todd stroked Christy’s Forever bracelet with his thumb, watching the ocean and studying the darkness without saying anything. Christy thought of about fifty different things to say but kept silent too. She knew she didn’t have to apologize for Rick calling, and she didn’t have to define her feelings for anybody.

She wished she could find words from her heart that would tell Todd how she felt about him. Every time she had tried to explain it in the past, she had gotten all goofed up and felt silly. She could write her feelings for him accurately and had many times in her diary. But she didn’t know how to say what she felt. Maybe Todd didn’t either.

“See Molokai over there?” Todd broke the silence with a quiet yet direct voice.

Christy knew two islands were visible from the condo, Lanai and Molokai. If she remembered correctly, Molokai was to their right.

“Yes.” She followed Todd’s gaze to the right.

“It’s less than nine miles away. See those two lights?”

Christy noticed for the first time that on the dark, sparsely populated island two lights twinkled like stars, right next to each other on the shoreline. “Yes?”

“From here we can’t tell what they are,” Todd said. “Just two lights that look about the same.” He sighed deeply. “I guess the only way to tell which one you want to end up at is to get close enough to see clearly what each of them is. Then you can make a wise decision between the two. It’s hard to decide this far away.”

Like a secret decoder wheel, Christy’s thoughts spun furiously, trying to figure out Todd’s message.

This has to do with Rick. Todd must think he and Rick are like the two lights. What did he say? I have to get close enough to make a wise decision.

Christy moved a little closer to Todd, and he responded by holding her hand a little tighter. Her thoughts came tumbling together, and she quickly lined them up to give Todd a clear response.

She’d tell him she agreed and thought this time in Maui would be perfect for them to get to know each other better than ever and to get closer and closer to each other. If he would make some kind of gesture or some kind of statement to Paula, then she would know he wasn’t interested in her games and he only wanted to spend time with Christy. Then all their difficulties would be cleared up.

Before she could tell him all that, he let go of her hand, sprang from his seat, and with a look of little-boy excitement he said, “That’s what I’ll do! I’ll just keep going, and I’ll ask God to show me which one to choose. It’ll get clearer the closer I get!”

He looked pleased, but Christy felt confused. She had thought the hidden message of the island lights was directed at her, when Todd really must have been thinking about a decision he was trying to make. But what decision?

“I’m turning in for the night,” Bob called out to them, switching off the TV.

“I’m right behind you,” Todd said.

He took one more glance over his shoulder at the lights and then offered a hand to Christy. She took it and wanted to pull him back to the chair so they could keep talking and living out her birthday wish. But Todd pulled her up to a standing position, and she could see more clearly in the soft light how pleased he was with his “lights on the island” analogy.

“Man, I’m glad we saw those two lights. It really clears things up for me. Hey! Don’t forget your presents.” Todd picked up the straw beach bag Mom had given her so she could fill it with the other gifts. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

After Christy gathered her things, Todd disappeared into the room he shared with David. She walked back to the next door condo with a sunken heart.

Why was our magical time cut off so suddenly? It was like my birthday wish only came half true.

Paula and Mom were already asleep, so she quietly got ready for bed. While brushing her teeth, she remembered the conversation she’d had with herself in the mirror that morning.

What’s my problem? This has been an incredible birthday! The best I’ve ever had. How come I’m never happy with what I get? I got my wish, to be with Todd. I got a promise of a car and a surprise call from Rick. I just spent my sixteenth birthday in Hawaii, so why am I feeling so discontented?

She lay awake a long time that night, sorting out everything. What was Todd deciding? Were the two lights her and another girl? It couldn’t be Paula, could it? And why did he ask her about Rick? Would Todd object if she told him she was going out with Rick in August?

As far as Christy could see, all along she and Todd were free to go out with other people. Todd had taken another girl named Jasmine to dinner the night of his senior prom. Christy hadn’t ever really gone on a formal date with Todd, like out to dinner, since her parents didn’t allow her to date. Now that she was sixteen, finally she could date.

But what if Todd wanted to date only her? Then she couldn’t go out with Rick—or could she?

Todd would never ask her to go out with only him.

What if Rick wanted her to date only him? Then she couldn’t go out with Todd anymore.

The more she thought, the more complicated it all became. She decided her life was actually easier when she was younger, because she didn’t have to make all these decisions. She never did like making decisions!

In the darkness of her room, Christy felt her Forever bracelet and remembered the warm feeling she felt when Todd had held her hand and stroked the bracelet. That opened another string of questions.

Did that bracelet already mean they were going together?

Christy turned on her side and pulled the sheet up to her chin. What if her mom was right and some other guy was out there for her that she hadn’t even met yet?

An idea came to Christy, and she responded to it immediately. She jumped out of bed and tiptoed into the bathroom with her purse. Closing the door softly, she turned on the light. She scrounged through her purse, looking for a piece of paper.

The first thing she found was the mysterious letter she’d never asked Paula about. Could it have been from Rick? No, he would have said something when he called her tonight. Besides, it looked like a girl’s handwriting. Christy left it on the bathroom counter so she would remember to ask Paula in the morning.

Then she pulled out her notepad. Christy had intended to write out her feelings, the way she often did in her diary. But now, sitting on the floor with her back against the bathroom wall, listening to the never-ending surf outside the bathroom window, she had a different idea.

She hesitated, chewing on the eraser and curling and uncurling her toes. Then she released her insecurities and let what she felt deep in her heart appear on paper.

Dear Future Husband,

I turned sixteen today, and I know it may seem weird writing this to you now, but this letter is sort of my way of making a promise to you in writing.

Maybe I already know you, or maybe we haven’t met yet. Either way, I want to save myself for you. I want my whole self, my heart and body and everything, to be a present I’ll give you on our wedding day.

I don’t care how long it takes or how hard it gets, but I promise you I won’t let anybody else “unwrap” me so that on our wedding night I’ll be the kind of gift you’ll be happy to receive.

I know I have a lot of years ahead of me before we get married, whoever you are. That’s why I want to make this promise now, so that no matter who I go out with, I’ll always think of myself as a present I want to give to you alone one day.

I also promise to start praying for you, wherever you are, whoever you are, that God will be preparing you for me and that you’ll save all of yourself for me too.

I already love you.

Your future wife,

Christina Juliet Miller