Juliet

“Mom?”

My phone is shaking in my hand, just like my voice.

“Honey? Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“No …” Tears are already rolling across my cheek.

“Tell me what happened. Where are you?”

“A h-hotel. I j-just said g-goodbye t-to Lock,” I stutter, almost unable to pronounce the words.

“What?”

“He’s back on the island.” I sink down to the floor in front of the window.

“Why? I thought you two were happy?”

“I was … We were …” I mutter, wiping away the tears. “But he belonged there.”

“No … No!” she yells. “What kind of nonsense is that? You two loved each other!”

My lips part, but I don’t know how to respond.

“How …?”

“Honey, I’ve seen how you two look at each other. You’re crazy mad for each other. A mama knows those things. She can feel it.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I interject, not wanting to hear how badly I loved him.

I know exactly how I feel about him.

How I felt.

None of it matters anymore.

He’s gone.

“Love always matters,” Mom says with her stern voice. “Honey, why didn’t you go with him?”

“What? No …” I sigh. “He said … I don’t know. I … this is my home.”

“So? You can make a new home. You like him, don’t you?”

I start to fumble with the carpet, but then my hands still find their way to the pregnancy test lying right beside me on the floor. I pick it up and stare at it.

“Mom, I’m pregnant.” It’s quiet for so long, I’m not even sure she’s still here. “Mom?”

“Oh, god. Pregnant?” she mutters after a while. “I’m going to be a grandma?”

I chuckle and rub my forehead. “Mom …” I sigh.

“Sorry, I get excited when I think about it.”

“So you think I should keep it?”

Now, she sighs. “Honey, you should do what you want the most.”

“I don’t know what I want.” That’s why I called her.

“Follow your heart. What does your heart tell you?” she asks. “Does it say stay and go back to your work? Live your life? Or does it say be with him?”

I bite my lip and mumble, “I …”

“Listen,” she says. “Don’t think. Close your eyes and listen.”

I do what she says while holding the test tight and let the energy from my body decide my voice.

When I was on the island, I wanted to go home so badly.

But now that I’ve been there, it’s not what I remember it to be.

It’s not the same anymore.

Not since I met him.

Maybe that’s why I was so reluctant to fall.

He changed me in more ways that I can possibly imagine.

Because of him, I’m not even remotely interested in my own job anymore. In the science behind life. All I want is to live it … to experience it in real life. To finally live after feeling like I’ve been standing still, frozen, my entire life.

And the thought of doing it with him brings a smile to my face.

“I think you’ve already decided.”

I smile to myself. “Thanks, Mom …”

“Don’t worry about it. But what are you going to do now?”

“I …” I don’t even know.

“I’ll take care of all your business. Just ask and tell me your info, and I’ll do the rest.”

I laugh. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

“Anything for my baby girl and my soon-to-be grandbaby.” She giggles.

“Right, but … I can’t.” I shake my head. “It’s dangerous. If I’m pregnant, I can’t birth a baby out there.”

“Why not? Women have been having children since god knows how long. They didn’t have hospitals back then. You can do it.”

“But what about medicine? Food? Proper diet?” I get up from the floor. “There’s no internet, no running water, no electricity. There are not even books.”

“You don’t need that.” She scoffs. “Your dad and I went hiking up the mountains for weeks on end when we were young. We never missed any of that. We managed using our tools.”

Oh no, here she goes again with those stories. “Yeah, Mom, I know. You’ve told me more than once.”

“My point is, if you go there prepared, you shouldn’t miss anything. Just bring a generator, one you can power yourself. And get some dry shampoo and some books. A small water filter for drinkable water. Maybe a porta potty.”

“Mom!”

“I know, I know. The point is … you’re making up reasons now.”

“I know I can buy all that stuff and bring it with me. But what if it’s still not enough?”

She mumbles to herself for a few seconds. “Well, then we can always get someone to fly to your island or go there with a boat. Maybe like once a month.”

“But who would do that? With an isolated island?”

“Who wouldn’t if you pay them?”

I open my mouth, but I can’t think of a good answer.

She’s right.

I am making shit up not to go.

Why? Because I’ve been so attached to the easiness of my life living in the city that I’ve grown attached to the simple things.

But do they really matter if it means giving up the only person in this world who could make my heart stop?

No.

“But my job—”

“You can quit,” she interrupts.

“But—”

“Juliet.” Her voice is stern now. Just like I remember it being when she was scolding me for not doing my best. “Stop making excuses for yourself. He makes you happier than anything else. I’ve never seen you as happy as when you were with him. As much as I’d like to say he’s bad for you, you two belong together.”

I smile, wiping away the tear rolling down my cheek. “Thanks, Mom. It means a lot to me.”

She’s right.

Why do I let all these things hold me down?

We can create a solution for everything.

“Oh shush, don’t make me cry too,” Mom says. She chuckles and so do I as I sit down on the bed and look at myself in the mirror.

And for the first time in a long time, I’m happy with the person I see.

* * *

Lock

Weeks later

I reel in the fish with the net I wove, but only one flounders at the bottom. It’s enough for one person, I guess.

Sighing, I pull it up and throw it into the box, ready to cast out my net again.

I hope there’s more fish coming soon because otherwise I’m going to need to hunt too. I was really looking forward to just relaxing in my hut, but I guess that’s not going to happen now.

Although I guess I should be happy my hut survived.

The men who came to the island to clean up the bodies and the helicopter made it seem like nothing ever happened. I’m surprised they left my hut alone.

I clear my throat and focus on the task at hand.

In the distance, I notice something approaching.

I shade my eyes with my hands and look beyond. That’s strange. I’ve never seen a boat come this close. Not since …

I swallow away the lump in my throat when the memory of her resurfaces. I can’t think about her. She’s happy where she is, where she belongs. Even though I would’ve died to keep her with me, she was never at home here. We’re two different people with different needs, and when those don’t align … nothing can be done.

I have to move on. Forget about her.

It’s the best thing to do right now.

After all, she’d want me to be happy.

Like I want her to be.

However, even as I’m fishing, I can’t stop staring at the approaching boat. What is it doing here, so close to the shore? Are they here to collect something she left on the island? Or are they here to come and get me?

A shiver runs up and down my spine, but I ignore it and focus on the task at hand. The fish don’t want to come into my net, and it’s pissing me off. I’m about to go grab my newly made spear again when I notice the boat has stopped somewhere near the shore … but a smaller boat is approaching now.

Inside it are two people. One is steering while the other one holds a bag.

I can’t tell who they are, but I still don’t trust it.

Not one bit…

Until the one with the bag stands up.

Her short hair floats in the wind, a breeze picking up underneath her dress, making it flow beautifully. And the smile that follows when we stare into each other’s eyes is one that makes my heart stop.

I’d never forget that smile.

Not in a million years.

I drop my net into the water, not giving a shit about the fish anymore.

She jumps out of the boat, leaving her bag behind with the man steering the boat.

I run into the water, just like her.

I don’t feel the cold, or the stinging underneath my feet, or the sun burning on the top of my head. All I feel is the adrenaline rushing through my body as I rush into the water, deeper and deeper.

Nothing can stop me from reaching her.

Not even the waves crashing into me.

She wades toward me in her dress, which clings to her skin as her body gets wetter and wetter. But none of it will beat the smile on her face.

That face … I thought I’d never see it again.

I can’t go fast enough, and once I’m close enough, my hands can’t help but grasp for her and pull her into my embrace.

Hold.

On.

Tight.

I smother her with my love, running my hands all over her body in a desperate attempt to get closer. Her hands touch my face and wriggle through my hair. She jumps into my arms and wraps her legs around my waist, locking them in place.

And I kiss her so fucking hard that it feels like I’m pouring all my love into her mouth.

Our mouths lock in a furious battle, not wanting to stop, despite the fact we both need air.

God, I fucking missed this mouth.

“Are you real?” I mutter, out of breath, almost unable to believe it’s true.

“Yes, I’m here,” she says, chuckling.

“But why …?”

“Shh …” she whispers in my ear. “You already know.”

She’s right.

I do.

I’ve known for a long time, yet it never sunk in.

I didn’t want to believe it because a part of me still believed being home would make her happy.

But neither of us stopped to realize … she made me her home now.

Just like I made her heart my home.

It’s not the place you live that decides your happiness. It’s the people you share it with.

And I want nothing more than to share this island with her … forever.

With her in my arms, I wade back to the shore, ignoring the guy setting foot on my land. He’s probably bringing in her stuff anyway, and it doesn’t matter where he puts it; it’s not going anywhere.

It’s just her and me right now, and I know exactly what to do.

“Thank you!” Jules says to the man as he drops off her stuff and goes back to his boat again.

“Good luck and see ya soon!” he says.

“He’s agreed to drop off stuff every now and then,” she says, but I don’t care about any of that.

How she made up her mind and goes about her business is her thing. I want her here with me. And now it’s finally happened, like a dream come true.

Together with her, I topple down onto the sand and fall on top of her, immediately covering her mouth with mine.

She giggles and tries to talk, but I keep kissing her. I can’t stop.

And even though she kisses me back just as eagerly, our lips still unlatch. Breathing hot air against my lips, she murmurs, “I have to tell you something.”

“What?” I plant my hand down in the sand just beside her face.

Her face starts to glow. “I’m pregnant.”

Pregnant.

A baby? My baby?

A fire burns inside my heart as the word repeats over and over again in my mind.

“I want to keep it,” she says, rubbing her lips together. “That’s why I came back.”

“It’s mine?” I ask, cocking my head.

When she nods, I grin, and I immediately dive back in for more licks and kisses, my tongue darting out to lick her skin. I want to taste her … everywhere.

I don’t ever wanna stop.

I give her all the kisses that I always wanted to give her.

All the kisses she deserves.

I don’t let go.

Not in a million years will I ever let go again.