"Hi, Daddy," she would say, her voice almost inaudible.
"Hi, sweetheart," he would answer, and Claire would go into his arms. As he lifted her and leaned back, she would relax against him, head on his shoulder, her small arms twined around his neck.
"I love you so much," Jeremy would say, feeling the shallow movement of her chest as she breathed.
"I love you, too, Daddy."
At moments like those, he ached that she never knew her mother.
It was time. Jeremy slipped on his jacket and zipped it up. Then, heading down the hall with her jacket, hat, and mittens, he went into Claire's bedroom. He placed his hand on her back and felt the quick rhythm of her heartbeat.
"Claire, sweetie?" he whispered. "I need you to wake up."
He shook her slightly, and she rolled her head from one side to the other.
"C'mon, sweetie," he said, reaching for her. He slowly scooped her into his arms, thinking how light she seemed. In just a few years, he would no longer be able to do this.
She moaned slightly. "Daddy?" she whispered.
He smiled, thinking she was the most beautiful child in the world.
"It's time to go."
Her eyes were still closed as she answered, "Okay, Daddy."
He sat her on the bed, slipped her rubber boots over the thick pajamas she'd worn to bed, and draped her jacket around her shoulders, watching as she slipped her arms into the sleeves. He slid on her mittens, then her hat, and picked her up again.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
She yawned. "Where are we going?"
"We're going to take a ride," Jeremy said, carrying her through the living room. As he adjusted her in his arms, he patted his pocket, making sure he had the keys.
"In the car?"
"Yes," he said, "in the car."
She looked around, her face showing the youthful confusion that he'd come to adore. She turned toward the window.
"But it's dark," she said.
"Yes," Jeremy said again. "And it's foggy, too."
Outside, the air was crisp and moist, and the lonely stretch of road that passed by his house looked as if a cloud had been dropped upon it. In the sky, neither the moon nor the stars were evident, as if the universe itself had been erased. He shifted Claire in his arms so that he could reach for his keys, then placed her in the booster seat.
"It's scary out here," she said. "Like on Scooby-Doo."
"Kind of," he admitted, buckling her in. "But we'll be safe."
"I know," she said.
"I love you," he added. "Do you know how much?"
She rolled her eyes as if she were an actress. "More than there are fishes in the sea and higher than the moon. I know."
"Ah," Jeremy said.
"It's cold," she added.
"I'll turn the heater on just as soon as I start the car."
"Are we going to Grandma's?"
"No," he said. "She's sleeping. We're going to a special place."
Beyond the window of the car, the streets of Boone Creek were quiet, and the town seemed to be asleep. With the exception of porch lights, most of the homes were dark. Jeremy drove slowly, navigating carefully through the fog-covered country hills.
After pulling to a stop in front of Cedar Creek Cemetery, he removed a flashlight from the glove compartment. He unbuckled Claire from her car seat and headed into the cemetery, Claire's hand wrapped in his own.
Checking his watch, Jeremy noted that it was past midnight, but he knew he still had a few minutes. Claire was holding the flashlight, and as he walked beside her, he could hear the rustle of leaves underfoot. The fog made it impossible to see more than a few steps in any direction, but it had taken Claire only an instant to realize where they were.
"Are we going to see Mommy?" she asked. "Because you forgot to bring flowers."
In the past, when he brought her here they always brought flowers. More than four years ago, Lexie had been buried next to her parents. It had required a special dispensation from the county commissioners to have her buried here, but Mayor Gherkin had forced it through at the request of Doris and Jeremy.
Jeremy paused. "You'll see," he promised.
"Then what are we doing here?"
He squeezed her hand. "You'll see," he repeated.
They walked a few steps in silence. "Can we see if the flowers are still there?"
He smiled, pleased that she cared and also that coming here in the middle of the night didn't frighten her. "Of course we can, sweetheart."
Ever since the funeral, Jeremy visited the cemetery at least once every couple of weeks, usually bringing Claire with him. It was here she learned about her mother; he told her of their visits to the top of Riker's Hill, told her that it was here he'd first known he loved Lexie, told her that he'd moved here because he couldn't imagine a life without her. He talked mainly as a way of keeping Lexie alive in his memory, doubting whether Claire was even listening. Yet even though she was not yet five, she could now recite his stories as if she'd lived them. The last time he'd brought her here, she'd listened quietly and seemed almost withdrawn by the time they'd left. "I wish she didn't die," she'd said on their way back to the car. That had happened a little after Thanksgiving, and he wondered whether it had anything to do with her nightmares. They hadn't started until a month later, but he couldn't be sure.
Trudging through the moist and chilly night, they finally reached the graves. Claire aimed the flashlight toward them. He could see the names James and Claire; beside them was the name Lexie Marsh and the flowers they'd placed in front of the grave on the day before Christmas.
After leading Claire to the spot where he and Lexie had first seen the lights, he sat down and pulled his daughter onto his lap. Jeremy remembered the story Lexie had told about her parents and the nightmares she'd had as a child, and Claire, sensing something special was about to happen, barely moved.
Claire was Lexie's daughter in more ways than he realized, for when the lights began their dance across the sky, he felt Claire leaning against him. Claire, whose great-grandmother assured her that ghosts were real, stared transfixed at the show taking place before her. It was only a feeling, but as he held her, he knew that Claire would have no more nightmares. Tonight they would end, and Claire would sleep peacefully. No, he couldn't explain it--and later he would be proven correct--but in the last few years, he'd learned that science didn't have all the answers.
The lights, as always, were a celestial wonder, rising and falling in spectacular fashion, and Jeremy found himself mesmerized along with his daughter. Tonight the lights seemed to last a few seconds longer than normal, and in the brightness, he could see the expression of awe on his daughter's face.
"Is it Mama?" she finally asked. Her voice was no louder than the wind in the leaves above them.
He smiled, his throat tight. In the quiet of the night, it seemed as if they were the only two people in the world. Jeremy took a long breath, remembering Lexie, believing that she was here with them, and knowing that if he could see her now, she would be smiling with joy, content in the knowledge that her daughter and husband were going to be okay.
Yes," he said, holding her tight. "I think she wanted to meet you."
Also by Nicholas Sparks
The Notebook Message in a Bottle A Walk to Remember The Rescue
A Bend in the Road Nights in Rodanthe The Guardian The Wedding Three Weeks with My Brother (with Micah Sparks) True Believer At First Sight Dear John
The Choice
The Lucky One The Last Song Safe Haven
The Best of Me The Longest Ride
Praise for the Novels of
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Nicholas Sparks
AT FIRST SIGHT
"Highly recommended. Nicholas Sparks can take a simple plot and turn it into a masterwork of art... The author does an excellent job of making the characters appear so real... and will keep you guessing what is going to happen. Be prepared for a sur
prise ending."
--BestsellersWorld.com
"Sheds light on the quirks couples discover in each other, and the frustration that can ensue... AT FIRST SIGHT delves deeper still--into the more serious realities of life and love."
--New Bern Sun-Journal (NC) "A tender, poignant tale... Never expect the expected when you pick up a Nicholas Sparks novel. You have no idea of the journey you are about to experience... Prepare to laugh, cry, and fall in love all over again!"
--RoundTableReviews.com
"Entertaining... sweet and natural."
--Charlotte Observer (NC)
"An ending that surprises."
--New York Times Book Review
"A deeply romantic novel about real people... I found it absorbing and used up a fair number of tissues getting through it."
--BookLoons.com
"A continuing saga of extraordinary love."
--BookPage
"The book is character-driven, with the emotional impact that protagonists in The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, The Guardian, and The Wedding have left on readers... should join Sparks's earlier novels in stature."
--BookReporter.com
TRUE BELIEVER
"Time for a date with Sparks... The slow dance to the couple's first kiss is a two-chapter guilty pleasure."
--People
"For romance fans, True Believer is a gem."
--EDGEBoston.com
"Another winner... a page-turner... has all the things we have come to expect from him: sweet romance and a strong sense of place."
--Charlotte Observer
"A story about taking chances and following your heart. In the end, it will make you, too, believe in the miracle of love."
--BusinessKnowHow.com
"As always in a Sparks novel, True Believer tugs at the heartstrings."
--BookLoons.com
"Sparks does not disappoint his readers. He tells a fine story that entertains us."
--Oklahoman
THE WEDDING
"Sweet but packs a punch... There is a twist that pulls everything together and makes you glad you read this."
--Charlotte Observer
"A slice of life readers will take to their hearts."
--Tulsa World
"Sparks tells his sweet story... [with] a gasp-inducing twist at the very end. Satisfied female readers will close the covers with a sigh."
--Publishers Weekly
THE GUARDIAN
"An involving love story... an edge-of-your-seat, unpredictable thriller."
--Booklist
"Nicholas Sparks is a top-notch writer. He has created a truly spine-tingling thriller exploring love and obsession with a kind of suspense never before experienced in his novels."
--RedBank.com
"Fans of Sparks won't be disappointed."
--Southern Pines Pilot (NC) NIGHTS IN RODANTHE
"Bittersweet... romance blooms... You'll cry in spite of yourself."
--People
"Passionate and memorable... smooth, sensitive writing... This is a novel that can hold its own."
--Associated Press
"Extremely hard to put down... a love story, and a good love story at that."
--Boston Herald
A BEND IN THE ROAD
"Sweet, accessible, uplifting."
--Publishers Weekly
"A powerful tale of true love."
--Booklist
"Don't miss it; this is a book that's light on the surface but with subtle depths."
--BookLoons.com
THE RESCUE
"A romantic page-turner... Sparks's fans won't be disappointed."
--Glamour
"All of Sparks's trademark elements--love, loss, and small-town life--are present in this terrific read."
--Booklist
A WALK TO REMEMBER
"An extraordinary book... touching, at times riveting... a book you won't soon forget."
--New York Post
"A sweet tale of young but everlasting love."
--Chicago Sun-Times
"Bittersweet... a tragic yet spiritual love story."
--Variety
MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
"The novel's unabashed emotion--and an unexpected turn--will put tears in your eyes."
--People
"Glows with moments of tenderness... delve[s] deeply into the mysteries of eternal love."
--Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Deeply moving, beautifully written, and extremely romantic."
--Booklist
THE NOTEBOOK
"Nicholas Sparks... will not let you go. His novel shines."
--Dallas Morning News
"Proves that good things come in small packages... a classic tale of love."
--Christian Science Monitor
"The lyrical beauty of this touching love story... will captivate the heart of every reader and establish Nicholas Sparks as a gifted novelist."
--Denver Rocky Mountain News
Reading Group Guide
Discussion Questions
This novel picks up a few weeks later than True Believer left off, when we learn that Jeremy and Lexie are engaged. By this point, Jeremy and Lexie have known each other less than a month. What role, if any, did her pregnancy play into the decision? Do you personally know any couples who got engaged so quickly?
Alvin thinks Jeremy is making a mistake and feels free to tell him so. If you were Jeremy's friend, what would you have said?
Lexie is nervous about meeting Jeremy's family, and though they were referenced quite a bit in both True Believer and At First Sight, they are minor characters in that the reader never learns the names of Jeremy's parents. Why do you think the author did this? Should the characters have been developed further? Why or why not?
The story largely takes place during the forty-week period while Lexie is pregnant. Yet, during this time, Jeremy and Lexie are still getting to know each other. How does the pregnancy affect the development of the relationship?
At the same time Lexie is pregnant, Jeremy and Lexie are remodeling a house, and Jeremy struggles with writer's block. It seems, to Jeremy anyway, that when it rains it pours. Describe how these challenges affect Jeremy. How do they affect Lexie?
Mayor Gherkin plays a lesser role in this novel than in True Believer. The town, too, plays a lesser role. Doris, Jed, Rachel, and Alvin, on the other hand, play more prominent roles in At First Sight. Who was the most important of the minor characters? Who was the least important? Why did the author choose to "switch" the prominence of the characters in the sequel?
Describe the symbolism of the mysterious lights in the cemetery. In what ways is this symbolism portrayed in the relationship between Lexie and Jeremy?
Working late one night, Jeremy receives an e-mail that calls into question whether the child is actually his. At first he dismisses it; later, however, he begins to wonder how well he really knows Lexie. Should Jeremy have told Lexie about the e-mail right away? Would he have believed her? How might the relationship have played out differently if Jeremy had been less secretive?
After Jeremy and Lexie are married, Jeremy takes a walk on the beach, where he spies some wild horses grazing on the dunes. This paragraph is one of the author's favorite passages in the novel. Were there any passages that you found particularly insightful, well written, or interesting?
Doris tells Lexie that a happy marriage means meeting your spouse's needs while he does the same for you. If your spouse could meet only one of your needs, what would it be? What would your spouse's one need be?
Toward the end of the novel, just as Lexie and Jeremy are settling into life as a married couple, new tension is suddenly added to the relationship. How do Lexie and Jeremy react? How would you react if this happened in your marriage?
This is one of the only Nicholas Sparks novels in which life after the characters fall in love is described in detail. It's also the first novel in which the characters are in love when the book
begins. In what other ways is this novel different than the author's other work? Can this novel still be described as a love story? Why or why not?
Read on for a preview of
Nicholas Sparks's unforgettable novel....
Safe Haven.
As Katie wound her way among the tables, a breeze from the Atlantic rippled through her hair. Carrying three plates in her left hand and another in her right, she wore jeans and a T-shirt that read Ivan's: Try Our Fish Just for the Halibut. She brought the plates to four men wearing polo shirts; the one closest to her caught her eye and smiled. Though he tried to act as though he was just a friendly guy, she knew he was watching her as she walked away. Melody had mentioned the men had come from Wilmington and were scouting locations for a movie.
After retrieving a pitcher of sweet tea, she refilled their glasses before returning to the waitress station. She stole a glance at the view. It was late April, the temperature hovering just around perfect, and blue skies stretched to the horizon. Beyond her, the Intracoastal was calm despite the breeze and seemed to mirror the color of the sky. A dozen seagulls perched on the railing, waiting to dart beneath the tables if someone dropped a scrap of food.
Ivan Smith, the owner, hated them. He called them rats-with-wings, and he'd already patrolled the railing twice wielding a wooden plunger, trying to scare them off. Melody had leaned toward Katie and confessed that she was more worried about where the plunger had been than she was about the seagulls. Katie said nothing.
She started another pot of sweet tea, wiping down the station. A moment later, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned to see Ivan's daughter, Eileen. A pretty, ponytailed nineteen-year-old, she was working part-time as the restaurant hostess.
"Katie--can you take another table?"
Katie scanned her tables, running the rhythm in her head. "Sure." She nodded.
Eileen walked down the stairs. From nearby tables Katie could hear snippets of conversations--people talking about friends or family, the weather or fishing. At a table in the corner, she saw two people close their menus. She hustled over and took the order, but didn't linger at the table trying to make small talk, like Melody did. She wasn't good at small talk, but she was efficient and polite and none of the customers seemed to mind.
She'd been working at the restaurant since early March. Ivan had hired her on a cold, sunny afternoon when the sky was the color of robins' eggs. When he'd said she could start work the following Monday, it took everything she had not to cry in front of him. She'd waited until she was walking home before breaking down. At the time, she was broke and hadn't eaten in two days.