~ Andrea

So far, everything has been perfect.

We went snorkeling and surfing. We rode the glass-bottomed submarine and saw more fishes, although I felt like Clay and I were the fishes in an aquarium. We chased each other across the beach and took a stroll when we got tired then we sat and watched the most breathtaking sunset together. And right now, we’re on our very own boat, sharing a beanbag loveseat on the deck after a scrumptious dinner and sipping champagne while enjoying the breeze and staring at the stars.

It’s a perfect evening and a perfect date.

Date? I smile.

“What’s funny?” Clay asks, turning his head to give me a puzzled look.

“Nothing.” I lean on his shoulder. “I was just thinking that this is our first real date.”

He scratches his forehead. “What do you mean? Didn’t we go on dates in high school.”

“I think those could hardly be called dates. We were mostly just hanging around at each other’s houses or at the park.”

“What about that Valentine’s Day when we went to the diner?” he reminds.

I remember it well. “The one where you gave me a rose that you painted red because there were no more red roses at the florist’s?”

Clay chuckles. “I didn’t think they would run out of red roses.”

“And you didn’t know Brad’s grandmother grew a bunch of them.”

He grins. “So, wasn’t that our first date?”

“It was until Gina and Chris showed up,” I answer.

He frowns. “Oh, right. I wanted to punch Chris then.”

I laugh. “I wouldn’t have minded if you did.”

Chris was the captain of the basketball team and he was a jerk. Back then, I couldn’t understand why Gina, such a sweet girl who I liked so much, would go out with him. Only after Clay left and Gina dumped Chris did she tell me she was only going out with Chris because she was envious of me and she didn’t want to be left behind. We became best friends during senior year.

“That was our only Valentine’s Day date, wasn’t it?” Clay asks.

I nod. “The next year, I got sick.”

“I remember.”

And in August of that year, he left. And I didn’t see him again for thirteen years. And since we saw each other again, we haven’t been really alone.

Clay sighs, placing his arm around me. “So, after thirteen years, we finally had our first date, huh?”

“We’re probably the only couple who didn’t get to enjoy a romantic dinner before we got married,” I tell him. “But I have to say, this one is probably better than most dinners couples ever had before they got married.”

“So, you’re saying it’s worth the wait?” He looks into my eyes.

I touch his hand. “Everything’s worth the wait.”

He smiles then moves his face closer to mine. I close my eyes, receiving his tender kiss and returning it before giving him a smile of my own.

Indeed, everything has been amazing and the joy I feel right now, warming my heart all the way down to my toes, is making up for all the pain and longing of the past thirteen years, which have already been forgotten. It’s almost as if my heart was never broken, in fact, the cracks slowly but steadily fading. It makes me feel silly having put this off for so long. Why didn’t I give Clay and I a chance sooner? What was I thinking? What was I so scared of?

“I’m sorry I made you wait,” I tell Clay, squeezing his hand.

He shakes his head. “I was the one who made you wait.”

And to think before we were pointing fingers and passing blame.

I snuggle into his shoulder. “Let’s not talk about the past anymore. It no longer matters. What we have now is all that matters.”

Indeed, the more we spend time enjoying the present, the more the past becomes a memory. Its lesson has already been learned.

“To the present.” Clay raises his glass. “And the future.”

“To us.” I raise my glass in turn. “And to this unforgettable evening.”

Our glasses clink and then we take sips before setting our glass down.

“One more thing,” Clay says, taking something out of his pocket and gives it to me. “For you.”

I stare at the satin box, eyebrows creased. “Aren’t we already married? Well, I know, you didn’t exactly propose…”

“No. Gavin did that for me.”

“And very unromantically, I might add. Still, we are already married so…”

“Just open it,” Clay urges.

I obey, opening the box. What’s inside isn’t a ring. Why would Clay give me one when I already have one on my finger? Instead, it’s a pair of earrings.

“Are these…pearls?” I ask as I take one out of the box.

“Blue Akoya pearls,” Clay informs. “They’re harvested right here, off the coast of Hawaii. I’m told they’re rarer than the white ones.”

Beautiful. They almost look like beads of moonlight.

“Help me put them on,” I tell Clay, removing my gold hoop earrings.

I then put on one of the pearls while Clay puts the other.

“Well?” I pull my hair back so he can see the earrings.

He nods. “They look great on you.”

I smile, letting my hair go. “So, I guess that’s one thing you were doing when you weren’t around. I thought you said you were just walking.”

“Well, I walked into that jewelry shop and I just knew you had to have those.”

“Hmm.” I take another sip of champagne. “We have to go shopping before we leave tomorrow, you know, get some presents for Rose, some souvenirs.”

“Sure.” Clay reaches for his own glass. “Feel free to shop all you want.”

---

“I think I bought too much,” I say as I pull the strap of the bag filled with boxes of kukui nut jewelry and pouches of macadamia nuts and dried tropical fruit snacks up my shoulder, at the same time trying not to drop the ukulele I bought for Rose.

“You think?” Clay asks.

He, on the other hand, has the bag filled with Hawaiian shirts and hula skirt sets as well as the heavy bag of tiki statues and other wood carved ornaments.

“I guess I should be glad you didn’t buy that surfboard.”

“Sorry,” I mumble, regretting going overboard now. “I don’t even know how I’m going to pack all these into my suitcase.”

“I think you’ll need another suitcase,” Clay says.

“Yeah. I think so, too.” I put the bag down, giving up. “And I think I need to rest and maybe grab a bite to eat. All this shopping is…”

“Andrea Simmons?”

I straighten up, looking at the person who’s just called my name – a tall redhead wearing a white tank top and denim shorts.

The wheels in my head turn. Do I know this woman?

“Caitlin Donovan,” she reminds as she takes off her sunglasses and offers me her hand. “Rachel and I were great friends in college. I’ve been to your house a few times. I was a bridesmaid at her wedding.”

“Ah.” I shake her hand.

My sister’s friend. Now, I remember. I have to say she looks different now, though, her hair shorter and her nose…new? I definitely remember it wasn’t so sharp last time.

“Looks like you’ve bought everything on the island.” She looks at my overflowing shopping bag.

“Oh, don’t worry.” I wave my hand in a dismissive gesture. “There is plenty more left for you.”

She laughs. Ah, yes. I remember that laugh. Her nose may be different but her laugh still sounds terrible, not to mention too loud.

“I haven’t seen Rachel since her wedding,” Caitlin says, placing a hand on her hip. “I’ve been following her on social media, though. It seems like she and Dan aren’t getting along as well as they thought they would.”

I raise an eyebrow. The last time I spoke to Rachel she did mention that she and Dan had an argument but I thought it was just a petty one or just one. Caitlin makes it sound like they argue everyday.

“I haven’t seen her since last year’s Thanksgiving,” I say.

“Then I guess you’ll see her again this Thanksgiving.”

Shit. I’d forgotten Thanksgiving was just a week away. Or that I went home for Thanksgiving every year.

“I’m sure she’d love to meet your boyfriend,” Caitlin adds, eyeing Clay before giving me a nudge on the shoulder and a wink.

Uh-oh.

Clay steps forward. “Actually, I’m Andrea’s…”

Quickly, I interrupt him with a pleading glance.

Please don’t tell her we’re married. My family doesn’t know. I haven’t had the chance to tell them. If they find out…

“Oh my god.” Caitlin gasps. “Are the two of you married?”

Shit.

“Oh my god, you are.” She takes my hand and looks at my ring. “Why didn’t I know of this? Why didn’t you invite me?”

“I…”

“We decided to keep it simple and intimate,” Clay answers, placing his arm around me. “Didn’t we, darling?”

Darling?

“Oh.” Caitlin looks disappointed.

“Sorry but we have to go back to the hotel and pack,” I tell Caitlin, picking up my shopping bag.

Before she can say more, I start walking off.

“It was nice meeting you,” I hear Clay say before following me.

“No, it was not,” I tell him.

Now that Caitlin knows, Rachel is bound to know, which means my whole family is on the verge of finding out I got married without informing or inviting them – my Mom, Dad. And Tom.

They’re not going to like it.

---

“Why would you do something like this, Andrea? How could you?” my mother scolds on the phone the very next day.

News sure travels fast.

I sigh as I sit on the edge of my bed. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to keep you out of it or make anyone feel bad. Everything just –” I shrug. “–happened so fast.”

I can imagine my Mom frowning on the other end of the line.

“That doesn’t sound good. Did he force you to marry him?”

What?

“No. Of course, not.”

Well, he did but…

“It just sounds so suspicious. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend. Have you been with anyone besides Paul?”

“I was never with Paul, Mom. We went out but it didn’t really work out, remember?”

“Still, he was the closest thing you had to a boyfriend since that jerk you were with in high school.”

I swallow. I already know this conversation isn’t going anywhere.

“What was his name again?”

I take a deep breath. “Clay Maxwell.”

“Yup, that one. Wasn’t he the only guy you were with? Where did your…husband come from? We don’t even know his name.”

I take another deep breath. Here goes nothing.

“Clay Maxwell.”

“Clay…? What? Are you saying the man you married is the same man who almost ruined your life? Are you insane, Andrea?”

I stand up and begin pacing the room.

“I know it sounds crazy, Mom, but he left me only because his mother was dying and he had to take care of her.”

“And you believe that?”

“Yes, I do. And I’ve forgiven him. I still love him, Mom.”

My Mom makes a disapproving noise with her tongue. “Oh, Andrea. You always were a fool when it came to that guy.”

I sit on my bed again. “So, you understand now?”

“A little. But that still does not explain why you didn’t care to tell your family. Do you realize how upset your Dad is, knowing he wasn’t there to walk you down the aisle like he did your sister? You know how much you mean to him.”

“I’ll apologize to him.”

“You do that,” she says. “In person.”

I clasp my forehead. “What?”

“Come home this Thanksgiving like always. If you don’t, you’ll never be able to come home.”

I sigh. “Is that a threat?”

“It’s the least you could do.”

I guess she’s right. Now that my family knows I married Clay, they have a right to meet him. They had a right to meet him before the wedding. The least I can do is arrange for them to meet him now that we’re married.

“Fine. I’ll talk to Clay.”

“Tell him we won’t forgive him if you don’t come home this Thanksgiving,” my Mom says. “And we’re already mad at him for marrying you without asking permission. And for leaving you all those years ago.”

“If I go home, promise me one thing, Mom – that you won’t bring up the past.”

“I make no promises. If you come home, I will tell you everything you and Clay need to hear but if you don’t, you won’t hear from me again.”

I frown. “You are threatening me.”

“I’ll see you in a week. I love you.”

And the phone line goes dead. I put my phone aside and lie down, staring at the ceiling.

Oh, this is such a mess.

“What did your Mom say?” Clay asks.

I’ve forgotten he’s been standing by the window, listening, waiting.

“She wants us to come home for Thanksgiving,” I inform, looking at him. “She said it’s the least we could do and if we don’t do it, she’ll practically disown me.”

He touches his chin. “I see.”

“I guess I should just be glad they didn’t disown me yet.”

“Well, if that’s the case, we should go. All of us – you, me and Rose.”

Rose. Right. I didn’t even get the chance to tell my Mom about Rose.

“Sure?” I ask, getting off the bed and walking over to him. “They might be a little mean given the circumstances.”

“I can take it.” He holds my hand and kisses it. “I would do anything for you.”

And I believe it.

I rest my head on his shoulder. “I guess we’re going back to Coldwater.”