"What is happening to my little girl?" she asked almost sadly.
Rina caught her mother's hand and kissed her open palm.
"Nothing, Mother," she said with the sureness and confidence that was to become an integral part of her. "Nothing but what you told me.
I’m growing up."
Geraldine looked down into her daughter's face. A sudden mist came into her eyes.
"Don't be in too much of a hurry, my baby," she said, pressing Rina's head closely to her bosom. "We have too few years for childhood."
But Rina scarcely heard her. And if she had, it was doubtful that the words would carry any meaning.
For they were only words and words were as futile against the strong forces awakening inside her as the waves breaking fruitlessly against the shore outside the window.
Laddie turned and swiftly threw the ball to first base.
The runner spun and slid back toward safety, his heels kicking up a fine spray of dust.
When the dust cleared, they could hear the umpire call,
"Yer out!" and the game was over.
The boys clustered about him, pounding his back happily.
"Swell game, Laddie!" "Good pitching!"
Then they dispersed and he and Tommy were alone, threading their way back to the beach.
"What yuh doin' this afternoon?" Tommy asked.
Laddie shrugged his shoulders. "Nothin'." He was still thinking about that wild pitch that Mahoney hit for a home run. He should never have let the ball get away from him like that. He had to do better if he wanted to make the varsity team at Barrington the next spring. He made up his mind to spend an hour every afternoon pitching into a barrel. They said that was how Walter Johnson had developed his control.
"The Bijou's got a new Hoot Gibson picture," Tommy said.
"I saw it back in Boston." Laddie looked at his friend. "When's Joan coming down again?"
"My cousin?" Tommy asked.
"Yuh know anyone else by that name?" Laddie asked sarcastically.
"Maybe this weekend," Tommy answered.
"Then maybe we'll take her to the movies." Laddie said.
"Big deal!" Tommy snorted. "It's O.K. for you but what about me?
It’s no fun sitting next to you and watching you cop feels.
Who'm I goin’ to take?"
"I don't know," Laddie answered.
Tommy walked along for a moment, then snapped his fingers.
"I got it!" he said excitedly.
"Who?"
"Your sister. Rina."
"Rina?" Laddie said. "She's just a kid."
Tommy laughed. "She ain't such a kid. They're really poppin' out on her. They look even bigger lately than when we seen 'em on the raft a couple weeks ago."
"But she's only thirteen," Laddie said.
"My cousin Joan's only fourteen now. She was thirteen last summer when you were nuzzlin' her on the back porch."
Laddie looked at him.
Maybe Tommy was right.
Rina was growing up.
He shrugged his shoulders. "O.K.," he said finally. "You ask her.
It won't do any good, though. I don't think my mother will let her go."
"She will if you ask her," Tommy said surely.
"I’m goin' in to shower an' put on my suit," Laddie said. "I’ll meet yuh on the beach."
"O.K.," Tommy answered. "See yuh."
The cottage was cool and silent after the heat and noise at the game.
Slowly Laddie walked through to the kitchen.
"Molly?" he called.
There was no answer and he remembered it was Thursday, Molly's day off.
He heard a noise upstairs and walked over to the staircase.
"Mother?"
Rina's voice came down to him.