The waterfall feels especially far away tonight. It’s dark, but the moon has come out and there’s a glow around the pool. Alight breeze sways the palm trees, and I’d really like to strip my clothes off and go for not a swim but a soak.
Haley places her package on the big rock near our feet. “Today has been... a perfect example of this island. We had so much fun: the beach games, the table?—”
“The decorations,” I add.
Haley smiles. “Everything and then the boar. It was scary. For all of us. Pepper, Penny. But we handled it. You guys handled it, but as a team. This place has become home, and I want to thank it.” She removes the cloth from a wreath with a bird of paradise flower in it. Dante lights the wick in the middle of it, and Haley gently places it in the water. She gives a clap as it floats to the middle of the pool. “I’d like it if we can each say something we’re grateful for.”
“Are we doing the no repeating rule?” Dante asks.
“The what?” Zane cocks his head.
“My family had a no repeating rule for things like this. You have to come up with something original.”
“Oh, I’d like that. It was just my mom, grandma, and me most Thanksgivings. But yes, let’s do that. I’m grateful for this land providing us with food.” Haley turns to Calvin.
“Me next?” Calvin says.
“Yes.”
“Right, I’m... grateful for all of you. I wouldn’t have made it this far without the rest of you...” He takes a step back and shakes his head, his eyes on the float in the water.
Sam’s next. “That the current brought me here. But I guess that’s not something on the island.” He blinks. “That Penny and Pepper get along. Well, I guess for Pepper too. I’ve never really had a cat. She’s a nice one.”
Zane’s standing next to Sam. “That the bloody rainy season has ended.”
“Amen,” Dante says. “I’ll go next. I’m grateful for the stove in the derelict, but also the treehouse. The rainy season would have been a lot worse without it. Zane, you were an ass while you were making it, but I’m damn glad we have it now. And the fish weir that Calvin made. Without it, we would have been a lot hungrier.”
“What you got, Rockwell?” Zane asks.
I’m the only one left. My brain whirls because they’ve said everything. Dante cleared the rest out.
And then it snaps in me. It’s wrong, but I’m going to say it, anyway.
“I’m grateful we wrecked. I’m grateful for the island being here. That my whole life was turned upside down. I’m sorry that I had to drag all of you with me. But this is the best damn thing that’s ever happened to me. Better than winning the gold or being born into a rich family. This circumstance, this place—it’s made me better. It’s given me a rich and unique family, one that I never want to give up. It’s made me realize who I am and what I want. And what needs are and aren’t.” I’m staring at the float. It has me in a trance. It’s spinning in the middle of the pool, deciding if it wants to take a ride on the current down the stream. And then it shoots off, flowing away.
“Should we go after it? I don’t want it to start a fire.” Haley takes a step behind the rock toward the entrance path.
“There’s not much fuel on it. It will burn out soon,” Calvin says, reaching for her.
“But... onlyyoucan prevent a jungle fire.” Dante laughs. “I’ll get it, Sassy. Be right back.”
Chapter 25
R & R
Calvin
Haley’s crying, and it’s because of what Rockwell said.
He’s grateful for us being here? It’s both sweet and a horrible thing to say. It makes me want to punch him. Because he’s not wrong. I’m glad I’m here. I wouldn’t have chosen it, but... I push out the thought of it. You can’t choose what you get served. Life isn’t a restaurant. You can’t pick from a menu. You eat what you’re served or you go fucking hungry.
The rest of them are circling around Haley. And I’m standing back, watching, listening to the fucking jungle. Waiting. For what, I don’t know. Enough time has passed that if the pirates were going to come after us, they would have already. I shut down my inner alarms and focus on the light around Haley’s hair.
The flashlights are wedged into the sides of the rocks. It’s where we normally put them. It gives enough light to see when we’re swimming. But now it gives a ghostly effect as it shines on the underside of everyone’s chins.
Easton wipes the tears from her cheek and kisses up the trail of tears.
“Do you really mean it?” Haley places her hand in the middle of Easton’s chest.
