Chapter 21 | Wade
Every hour, every mile took them further from the island and toward a place that Wade didn't want to return to.
Wade’s stomach clenched the moment their wheels screeched on the runway at Miami International. The taxi journey to the terminal was interminably long, and with every minut, his anxiety reached levels he hadn’t experienced in months.
Predictably calm, steady, and silent through it all, Adam held Wade’s hand as if it were a lifeline.
It was exactly that to Wade.
A lifeline he needed to sever.
The look in Adam’s eyes told Wade everything he needed to know. Adam also knew their island life was over. The glassy-eyed smile Adam summoned for Wade broke his heart, but that life was behind them now. They couldn't take their relationship to the mainland. They couldn't go back.
Yet, Wade found a small part of himself wanting to go back.
Well, not so small. A big part.
Back to their island paradise.
A life he loved.
With the man…
The plane pulled up at a terminal. Before Adam could stand up, Wade kissed his cheek. He couldn’t make the words work past his throat. Emotion locked it up tight.
Adam cupped his cheek and nodded with silent understanding.
Wade was such a jerk.
An overwhelming sight met them at the end of the jetway. Signs, flowers, cheering, and photographers. Hundreds of people had gathered in the waiting area.
The number of photographers was astounding. Staggering. All with their strobe lights flashing and popping. The click of shutters as the cameras didn’t waste one moment of their appearance, categorizing and cataloging every motion, every glance, every movement in an effort to capture this emotional moment.
The force of the crowd’s presence was enough to rock Wade back. He collided against Adam and the warmth of the man just off his shoulder was the one anchor of comfort he wanted to cling to… and couldn’t.
Their hands brushed. Wade forcefully over rode his desire to grab Adam’s hand and clutch it tightly. It was no longer an option.
From here on out, Wade's survival in the world was dependent on one person. As it used to be.
Himself.
Already he felt lonely and adrift.
Worst of all was the look on Adam’s face when he managed to capture a glimpse amid the clamor. He recognized the tightness around Adam’s mouth as he fought to keep his emotions in check.
The times their eyes met, Adam quickly looked away. He did that when they were first on the island, when they were more distant and guarded around each other.
God, could this whole damn thing get any worse?
Wade knew he was letting Adam down. They’d grown so close on the island that it felt like they’d be together forever.
He'd believed they would.
Now it wasn’t an option.
He couldn't admit that he’d gone gay on the island. He couldn't afford for that to come out. Wade’s already difficult life would grow exponentially more complicated if he allowed that detail to be known.
Airport security motioned for them to follow, and a path opened for Wade and Adam to move through the crowds. Questions were shouted from the press of people.
“How does it feel to be home?”
“How long were you missing?”
“Were there others stranded on the island with you?”
“What is the first thing you’re going to do now that you’re home?”
They answered no questions and kept walking. Wade tried to smile and not be completely rude to those who had turned out to welcome them home.
The pressure of Adam at his back helped to propel him forward. He needed to get away from the press of the crowd before he completely fell apart.
As the noise of the crowd receded behind them, held back by security, Wade saw his family near the security offices.
His mother burst into tears. She broke from their family grouping and rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck, sobbing. Wade pulled her close to him, clinging to the comfort only a mother could offer.
Just over her shoulder, he saw Adam glance back one final time before joining his family.
Security escorted Wade and his family to a small reception room to give them privacy while the officials worked out the last-minute details for the final flight home. Presumably the same thing happened to Adam, in a separate room.
When the door shut and Wade finally released a long breath, he sagged into a chair positioned against one wall. His mother joined him, grasping his hand.
“Oh, Wade,” she said between hiccups, “we’ve been so worried about you. When we heard the plane went down—”
“We’ve all been sick with worry,” Wade’s father said, his arm draped awkwardly over Wade’s shoulders.
His father had never been outwardly demonstrative, so touching Wade was a momentous event. It only took getting stranded on a deserted island for months to bring it out.
“I couldn't stand to lose you,” his mother said.
Lose another son, thought Wade miserably. “How are Landon and Asher?”
“They've kept in touch, but they couldn't come today. It was all so sudden, after we’d heard you'd been found,” Mom replied.
His father added, “We spoke to them, and they’re both relieved and send their love. I think they'll both come home, back to Dreamer's Folly, to see you soon.”
“Irene’s here. She stepped into the ladies room to touch up her makeup. She cried for days since we heard they found you,” his mother broke in. She clutched at his arm and gave it a gentle shake. “All this time, she’s just been a rock for us. Steadfast and true and so loyal to you, Wade. Not once did she give up. None of us did.”
He wasn't surprised Irene had come to meet him with his parents, nor was he surprised at the familiar hint in his mother's voice that he and Irene should be a couple. His parents were always trying to pair him off with suitable women. He used to shrug it off but now it grated.
Trying to listen but finding it difficult to focus, Wade’s eyes flicked to the door and focused on it. On the other side of the hall, Adam was being welcomed home by his family as well. A group of men, Adam's brothers perhaps? Or an ex-boyfriend?
Wade felt a pang of jealousy. Envious of Adam's freedom to live as he chose.
“I’m sure she’ll be right back,” Wade’s mother assured him.
The door opened, and Wade rose to his feet, his heart thumping in his chest. Had Adam come to say one final goodbye?
Dashing his hopes, Irene stepped in and closed the door behind her. Her eyes were red and swollen from her crying. “Wade?” she said timidly. “Oh my God, Wade!”
Rushing across the room, she threw herself into his arms. Irene was crying, which made his mother cry. His father stood by helplessly as Wade consoled the two women.
Wade was supposed to be glad to be home. The island had been a special moment in his life but it had been hard. Living, existing, on an island with no amenities was not an easy task. He hadn’t trained for it. So why was it he wanted to be back there with Adam and not here with his family? Perhaps it was because he was so overwhelmed that he had these conflicting emotions. Everything was up in the air, crazy, confused.
His life was head-over-heels in upheaval again.
He'd been plucked from a life he loved—from paradise—and plonked back into the heart of his family. He was facing a future as grim and miserable as the past he'd escaped from.
Irene cupped his face. “Wade? Are you okay?”
“Oh, honey, of course he is. He’s not trapped on that horrible island anymore,” his mother interjected.
“I’m sure Wade’s feeling out-of-sorts,” his father said astutely. “He'll probably need some time to acclimatize to being home again.”
Out-of-sorts was an understatement. “And a bit hungry.” Wade grinned in embarrassment. “Isn’t that a weird thing to feel right now?”
“I’m sure it’s perfectly normal.” His mother kissed his cheek, then Irene’s. “You two sit. Maybe you can find some water. I’ll see what I can get from the airline. After all, their plane caused this entire travesty. Surely they’ll see fit to feed you.”
“They’ve taken good care of us, Mom,” Wade said.
“Us?” Irene looked at Wade in puzzlement. She guided him over to the chairs again to sit. “Oh. You mean that other man you were stranded with?”
“Adam, yes.” Even saying his name lanced Wade deep in his soul. “They gave us check-ups and let us have showers.” Wade scrubbed at his chin. “Even let me shave.”
Irene’s nose wrinkled. “I’m glad you did. I can’t imagine you with a beard. You look so much better without one.”
Adam liked Wade’s beard.
“You’ll still need a decent haircut,” Irene continued. She ruffled her fingers through his hair. “I’ll call Pinky’s Salon when we get back. I’m sure Ramone will squeeze you in.”
Wade smoothed his hair back down. “That’s fine.”
It wasn’t fine. Wade didn’t want to think about his life returning to normal.
“Are you okay, son?” His father pulled a chair from the conference table to sit in front of Wade. He was, essentially, trapped between Irene and his father, which fed his building anxiety.
“Not really, Dad. I think it’ll just take time to get used to civilization. After being alone on the island for so long, the noise and activity are getting to me.” Wade’s body ached to get up and move, to get out of the corner he felt pressed into. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep in a bed for a while.”
“Oh, Wade.” Irene fanned her hands at her eyes. “I’m so glad you’re home. You won’t have to eat slugs and leaves and worms now.”
Wade chuckled and took her hands. “It wasn’t that bad. We got very good at fishing. Ate a lot of fish.”
“So no fish restaurants for you,” Irene said.
Wade wouldn’t do or have a lot of things anymore. That thought was more depressing than he was ready for.