Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Dead Poets Society... I am just inspired by it.

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Todd and I hastily drop each other's hands as Mother comes out on deck and heads in our direction. For a brief and frightening moment, I wonder if she noticed, but she sits down across from us and starts talking about the Fourth of July clambake and fireworks. She seems to be trying to draw Todd out a bit, but he's in his tense and silent mode, as usual when there's an unfamiliar adult talking to him. Still, she's good at putting people at ease. He starts to loosen up a little when she starts talking about sending the two of us blackberry picking tomorrow or the next day, so she can make a cobbler for the clambake. He asks a few questions about what to expect, since he's never been on a clambake before. That sets Mother off and running, her stories lasting until we enter Oak Bluff Harbor.

I help Father get the Evelyn Rose moored at our dock, then Todd and I get his bags from the cabin. Mother and Father are already greeting AJ when we reach the dock. Todd staggers a bit and I chuckle. "It'll take a few minutes to get your land legs back," I tell him.

"I wish you'd warned me ahead of time," he laughs ruefully as he wobbles.

AJ comes over to meet him, giving him a grin and a hearty handshake. "Jeffrey Anderson's brother, hmm? Good to meet you, Todd, and I hope you're not the same kind of pompous peabrain your brother is. But I'm sure you're not, or Richard wouldn't have asked you out here. He's the pickiest guy I know when it comes to choosing friends."

Todd just blinks at that. "You do know Jeffery then?"

"Yeah, I know him," AJ replies. "He'd be a lot nicer if he wasn't so convinced that his sh... well, that he's too good to be true," he reddens a bit as Mother gives him a Look at what he almost said. "We're in the same frat, though, so I'm civil to him."

Todd appears to be mulling this over as we stow his bags in the trunk and arrange ourselves into the car for the short ride to the cottage. I help Todd with his bags, leading him to the room we'll be sharing for the next month. AJ was nice enough to bring the family's bags inside when he arrived earlier, so my things are waiting in the room for me to unpack.

By the time we're done putting everything away, Mother calls us to dinner. It smells wonderful, steak and jacket potatoes cooked on the charcoal grill, and a salad with lots of tomatoes. Afterwards, Father gives me a dollar and suggests that Todd and I walk down to the ice cream parlor for some dessert and says that he and Mother will be over at the neighbor's playing bridge. AJ has already vanished, saying something about meeting up with his friends.

I smile. "I'll be sure to bring back some change," I say.

"You'd better," Father chuckles. "Even at your age you shouldn't be able to eat fifty cents' worth of ice cream apiece coming on top of that dinner."

Todd hesitates, then asks diffidently, "Would you like some help cleaning up before we go, Mrs. Cameron?"

I can tell Mother is pleased by the offer. "Why, thank you, Todd, but you boys go along tonight. There's not much to clean since we cooked on the grill... the dishes won't take me long at all, with no pots and pans to worry about. Go on, go enjoy." She makes little shooing motions at us with her hands, as though we're a couple of puppies or something, so we head out.

We stroll down to the ice cream parlor, which is crowded with people around our age, both native Islanders and summer people like myself. I introduce Todd around to a few people that I recognize, then we decide on root beer floats. Todd is less talkative with so many strangers around, not that I blame him. We mostly just sit quietly, listening to the buzz of conversations around us, although I put in a word or two when the talk turns to the Fourth of July clambake. Most everyone is pleased to hear that Mother will be making a cobbler for it.

It's growing dark as we head back to the cottage. Here and there, families are gathered on porches, and the shadows are punctuated by the laughter of little kids chasing fireflies. Mother's left a light on for us in the living room, so we don't kill ourselves falling over any of the furniture when we come in. I let Todd wash up first, then join him in our room, closing the door.

He's in my arms almost before I can turn around. "Richard... I've missed you... missed this... God..." His voice is thick with emotion and unshed tears.

I hold him close, stroking his hair. "And I've missed you, Todd. What's wrong, hon, what happened since school ended?"

"Everything. Nothing. I don't know..." He shivers, pulling me closer. "I think... I had it shoved in my face once too often, that they could care less about me. We were all at dinner, celebrating Jeffrey's graduation and his acceptance at Yale med school, when Jeffrey asked Father what I would be doing this summer. Asked Father, even though I was sitting right there next to him. And Father said... 'One of his classmates apparently took pity on him and decided to befriend him. He'll be staying with that boy's family this summer, which spares me from having to hire a housekeeper. Your mother and I can relax and enjoy ourselves for once.' I wanted to crawl under the table and die, I really did..." He can't hold back the tears any longer, sobbing against my chest.

I wish I could kick Dr. Anderson into the middle of Massachusetts Bay. "Shh, Todd. I'm here... I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you." Not letting go of him, I nudge him gently in the direction of the closer bed, tugging him down into my lap once we shuffle over to it. I continue to hold him, stroking his hair and murmuring reassurances as his sobs slowly quiet. "Do me a favor, love, if it ever gets that bad again, telephone me. You can reverse the charges if you need to, I don't mind. But if you ever need to hear my voice, call me."

"You mean that, Richard? You really don't mind?" Todd lifts his head, looking hopefully into my eyes. "I kept thinking... maybe my father was right, maybe you were just taking pity on me..."

"Never, Todd, never," I interrupt him. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he breathes before pressing his lips to mine in a burning kiss.