Zara

The rain pelted the flagstones around the pool, causing steam to rise. As the huge raindrops splashed into the water, in my mind I heard actual explosions, like each hit was a tiny grenade. The cloud cover made it look more like evening than afternoon. My sister and I sat on the couch with candles flickering throughout the room, watching the storm as it raged by. We’d lost power a few hours earlier. It was the perfect day to just get drunk.

Marshmallow lay on the couch beside me, snoring softly. I reached for the pitcher of sangria that Kai had made for us, adding more to each of our glasses until it was emptied.

“You’re on a mission, I see,” Annia said after I took a healthy gulp and hiccuped.

“If you mean passing out, yes.”

“No, I mean feeling sorry for yourself. There will be other jobs, Zara.”

“Whatever. I thought I had that job in the bag.” I hiccuped again and made a stern face. “ ‘Miss Jobert, we feel you are overqualified for the position, and if anything should become available we will keep you in mind,’ ” I mimicked in my best manly asshole voice. “Bullshit.”

“You don’t believe them?”

“Nope. I think the fact that my face has been all over the TV and the Internet this past week is the reason. But I guess I’ll never know.” I might have slurred the words “face,” “this,” and “guess.” Annia raised a brow and shook her head. “What?”

“I’ll give you this weekend to continue your pity party, then I’m kicking your ass.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get a job, even if I have to mow lawns. You won’t have to support me forever. I know sangria is expensive.” With that, I drained my glass and fished out an orange slice to snack on.

“I’m not concerned with you getting a job. You know you’re welcome to stay here as long as you need to.”

“Good, because Papa did tell me not to come back,” I said wistfully, staring at her ruby red–filled glass and wishing I had more. I rarely drank, but maybe I should have more often. If I had called my father while inebriated, it might have gone better. Each time I did call I ended up speaking to my mother, since my father refused to talk to me…that was, until the last call when he’d told me not to come back. Remembering it caused tears to blur my vision, forcing me to blink rapidly.

“Hey. Stop.” She took my empty glass from my hands and placed it on the coffee table. “You know Papa as well as I do. Once he settles down, he’ll realize he was wrong. Don’t you remember how he reacted when Kai and I announced we were moving to Oahu? Poor Kai got the brunt of it. With just months to go before the wedding, I cried my eyes out. It took Mama threatening to leave him for him to snap out of it.”

“But she didn’t leave him then. I fear they won’t survive it this time. I’ve never seen her this way. She’s so angry, and I worry they’ll never be the same. I’m still not so sure he’s going to get over it, Annia. How do I live with that? I am disappointing everyone around me, and letting them down.” My father was so focused on Lance and the lies he had told that he was in complete denial over his irrational behavior.

“You’re not disappointing everyone. If Lance wasn’t in the picture, Papa would be freaking out over the fact you’re about to embark on your new career here and not in Lanai. He would want you to stay there, working for Palu forever.”

My head began pounding at my temples. “Can Kai make more sangria?”

“Later,” she said dismissively.

The doorbell rang, startling us. From the family room we heard Kai answer the door and thank whoever was there.

“Who would be out on a day like today?” Annia said, standing to go investigate. Just as she did, Kai appeared with a large package.

“It’s for you, Zara.” He placed it on the floor before saying, “It’s a California return address.”

I tore into the plain brown paper and lifted the lid. Inside were a bunch of boxes all labeled “Nikon.”

Lance.

There were seven in total including a state-of-the-art camera, three different lenses, a carrying case, and he’d even included batteries and something labeled “SM cards.”

I traced the smooth, glossy packaging with fresh tears building from the gesture.

Annia looked over my shoulder and sighed. “He is so sweet.”

“I can’t believe he sent this.”

With lightning speed, she plucked two envelopes from inside the box that were each addressed to me. “Read them! Read them!”

“Oh my God, stop screaming in my ear. And I’m not reading them out loud.” I snatched the envelopes from her hand. “Go away.”

“Fine. You’re no fun.”

“He’s a good guy. He didn’t mention he was sending—” Kai stopped abruptly and met his wife’s eyes. As quickly as Kai stopped speaking, he stalked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. “Who wants a snack? You ladies should have something to eat if you’re planning to drink all day.”

“What were you going to say, Kai?”

Annia rolled her eyes at her husband. “Good job.”

“What?” I asked, looking from husband to wife and back again, making myself dizzy in the process.

“I reached out to him and we’ve been in touch.”

“How much in touch?”

“A lot in touch,” Annia said, giving him up quickly.

I really couldn’t be upset with my brother-in-law, but I also didn’t want him distressing Lance with details of the situation with my father. “I don’t want him worrying about me. Please, it will interfere with his job and all that he has to do now that he’s back in California.”

“He loves you, Zara. He would worry whether he knew what was happening or not.”

That was true. A single tear slid over my cheeks, and I swiped it away. This sucked. I hated him being there and me being here. I missed him so much. I needed his arms wrapped around me as he whispered that everything was going to be okay. For the time being, I needed to hear his voice.

“I’m going to go call him,” I blurted out.

They both nodded, and my sister gave me a warm smile. I grabbed the large box, and with my envelopes in hand ran upstairs to my room to read my letters in private. Once I had the door closed, I opened the blinds to allow some light into the dimly lit room. The gray sky flashed from lightning, and a crack of thunder caused me to jump.

Lifting the first envelope, I moved to the window for some light. When I saw my name written in script across the front in a handwriting I didn’t recognize, I wondered whom it was from.

Zara,

First I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Caroline Price, and I’m Landon’s mother.

I have heard so much about you, and look forward to meeting you one day very soon. I volunteered to mail this present to you so I could include this note without Landon’s knowledge.

I know you don’t know me, but if you ever need to talk to someone who is close to Landon and understands what you’re going through, please call me without hesitation. I’ve seen it all when it comes to my son, and can offer you some very sound advice on how to cope with his crazy life. I am also a great listener.

Since I arrived in California just a few days ago, I have witnessed how much my son misses you firsthand. He told me everything, and he did so because he truly was lost as to what he should be doing. I’ll tell you what I told him. If you keep focused on what is important, everything will work out.

Below is my cellphone number. Again, if there is absolutely anything you need, please call.

Fondly,

Caroline

With just a few short paragraphs, I instantly liked this woman whom I’d never met. I could see where Lance had gotten his compassion from, and I had no doubt I would be reaching out to Caroline.

The second envelope displayed my name in his sloppy handwriting. I traced the letters with my fingertip before opening the flap to pull out his letter. In the same messy script, my eyes welled at just the first line.

Zara,

I love you. I miss you. I love you.

I could pretty much end this here, and you’d know everything you need to know. But, I’ll include one more thing. Please, please, please follow your dream. You are so very talented. Consider this box my gentle shove in that direction.

I love you. I miss you. I love you.

L

The desire to have him right there with me overwhelmed my senses more than the wine had.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand and immediately punched his name in my short list of contacts. I had no idea where he’d be on a Saturday afternoon. I often found myself wondering what he was doing, trying to imagine his life in a place that was so different from where we’d met.

With his handsome face in my mind, I smiled when on the third ring he answered breathlessly.