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Hazel’s gentle, quiet laugh bubbles up. “Can you keep that down?”
Hmm… she might be talking to the parrot. I can see the colorful bird now, perched up in a tree at the edge of the lagoon.
A sea turtle lazes on a rock not far from the shed.
The next thing I know, a leaf of lettuce flies through the air. It lands on the rock that the turtle is on. The thing bows its head to nibble.
Interesting.
Her voice is so quiet that it’s barely audible. “... never had that kind of confidence, and maybe that’s why it sort of intimidates me. And he’s too good-looking, so that’s intimidating too. But also sort of alluring. And I don’t know, he’s exciting. And…”
Another leaf of lettuce shoots out from behind the shed.
I step over the rope.
Gotta do it.
I have to see what’s happening here for myself.
When I step around the shed, her eyes fly open.
She pops up to her feet. “Will you quit sneaking up on me?!”
Unless she is wearing the tiniest earpiece in the history of all earpieces, she was not on the phone.
I look out toward the water.
I can’t help smiling. “Are you…” I gesture to the turtle sitting on the rock, then back at Hazel. “Is this… some kinda girl talk?”
“He is a male turtle. At least—the nice staff guy said ‘he.’ His name is Chester.”
“The staff guy’s name is Chester?”
“No, no, I mean the turtle. At least, that’s what I’m calling him.”
“Chester.” I nod. “Okaaay…”
She lifts her chin. “I thought I had some privacy here. This area is off-limits.”
“Except to you.”
“Akoni said I could be here. The nice staff guy.”
“Okaaaay…” I return my hands to my pockets. I step back and peer over my shoulder to check on my nieces. They’re still in lizard lala land.
I swivel back to Hazel.
Her eyes flash. She props her hand on her hip. “How much of that did you hear, exactly?”
The parrot chooses this moment to launch off the branch and swoop over our heads. From up in the air, he delivers one last line. “Duped! Duped… Rug gets pulled. Squawk! Jack is handsome!”
Hazel pulls her oversized black sunglasses out of her purse and slides them on. “This week needs to end.”
I chuckle. “Wait, so you think I’m handsome?”
“Oh, come on. You know you’re handsome.”
“No, this is news.”
