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Despite my lack of photos and my big plans to keep it all to myself, I spill my sobbing guts to Autumn the minute she greets me.
My friend sits across from me on my couch. Her long, wavy hair pulled up into a bun. She’s in plaid and looks every bit the Christmas tree farmer that she is.
“Are you going back?” she asks.
I sniff, my tears all cried out. There is no moisture left inside my body. Any moment now I will shrivel up and die. “I start work tomorrow.”
“Why, Meg?”
I shake my head. “Why? Because it’s my job. Because I’ve been working on this new curriculum map for months. Because it’s what I said I’d do.”
She reaches for my hand. “It is. But I’ve never seen you like this before. Not even after you found out Kyle was cheating. You didn’t feel…this kind of sadness.”
“What kind? The completely miserable kind? Thanks, Kal!” I call out as if Hawaii is a hop away and the man could hear me.
She scoots over, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Sweetie, you wouldn’t be miserable if your feelings weren’t so strong.” She leans her head against mine. “Do you love him?”
“After two weeks? That’s crazy, Autumn.”
“Do you?” she says, ignoring my judgment. It’s not an answer, and she refuses to let it go.
A new sob falls from my chest. “I do.” I cram my eyes closed and snuggle into her side, not wanting to look her in the face. “Leave it to me, to fall in love with an island-bound Hawaiian after two measly weeks.”
“You have to go back.”
“Autumn, what part of work don’t you understand?” Sensible Meg is back and in full force. “Besides, there isn’t enough in my savings account for another plane ticket.” Yep…I already checked.
“I have some money saved up—”
I sit up, looking her in the eye—as serious as it gets. I know how long and hard Autumn has worked to help pay off her family’s medical bills. “Not an option,” I tell her. I swallow and lean my head back against the couch. “Besides, it would be another week. And then what? Another goodbye? Another heartbreak. I can’t do that again. It’s better to just leave it alone. Kal belongs in Hawaii. And I belong here.”
30
Kal
“Teal door, pink flamingos. Teal door, pink flamingos.”
“It doesn’t matter how many times you say it, dude, it’s not gonna conjure up her house,” my driver says.
“This is a small town,” I tell him. “It shouldn’t take long.”
“You paid for me to drive you from the Billings airport to some bar in Love, Wyoming. I’ve done that, so—”
“I’ll pay you more. I just, I’ve never been here before.” I’ve never been anywhere before. At least anywhere on the mainland. “It’s a small town. Surely we can find a teal—”
“Nope, small but spread out—”
“Wait,” a light bulb turns on inside my lolo head. “The school, the—the—elementary school. Do you know where that is?” It’s one o’clock in the afternoon and Meg was headed back to work this week. I’m banking on my gut, that is suddenly shouting at me, telling me she’s there. If not, I’ll walk the town to find a teal door and pink flamingos.
He groans, no actual words leaving his mouth. But he takes the next left—which makes me think he does know where he’s going. One minute later, we’re there.
I hop out, and Miguel doesn’t bother with goodbyes or his extra fee. He is simply glad to be rid of me, speeding away before I can ask for anything else.
I roll the small suitcase I borrowed from Leilani up to the glass doors—which are locked. Of course they’re locked. I pound on the glass, and a small gray-haired woman pushing a cleaning cart walks by. I pound again, this time she pulls a bud from her ear and peers over at me. She makes no movement, no sign that she’ll open up for me though.
I wave her over, knowing I’m good with the aunties. I can charm this gal.
Her back hunches as she slowly makes her way over.
