“Inga, since it’s our last night here, I’d like to do a special dinner on the beach at sunset. Would that be possible?”
“Of course. What would you like on the menu? I have some filets and some fresh mahi mahi.”
“That sounds yummy. Could we have a little of both?”
“Absolutely.” She glances around her kitchen and then grabs my palm. “May I have a closer look?”
“Um, sure.”
She looks at one palm and then studies the other, shaking her head. “I had a dream about you last night.”
“You did?”
“Well, about your palm. I dreamed that the line, here, moved. And now I look at it and see that it was not just a dream, but more of a prophecy.” She shakes her head. “I’ve never had something like that happen before.”
“What do you mean?”
She holds up my left hand. “This hand is what could be.” Then she holds up my right hand. “This hand is what is. This line. The one running through your life line on your right hand was not clear before.”
“Does that, like, mean something important?”
She nods solemnly. “This line breaks your life line. Remember this one, up here, where I said you had cheated death?”
I swallow hard. “Um, yes.”
“I believe death is coming back for you.”
“Oh,” I say.
She stares at me. “You’re not surprised by this. You are about to embark on a dangerous journey, yes?”
I can’t do anything but nod in agreement.
“And you know that you may not survive?”
I nod again. “Yes.”
She wipes her reading glasses off on her apron, puts them back on, and studies my palm some more. “Maybe you should consider canceling this journey?”
I shake my head. “I can’t. It’s something I have to do.”
“It is about getting your life back?”
I nod again.
“You love him, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Inga will cook you an amazing dinner.”
I nod and give her a grateful smile. “Thank you.”
I walk to the great room window and look out at the ocean, so many thoughts going through my head, when Aiden leans his chin on my shoulder.
“You ditched me.”
“I was coming back for you.”
“You better always come back for me.”
I reach down and grasp his hand, giving it a squeeze and praying that will even be an option.
“So what’s on tap for today? We haven’t done yoga in the sand yet. Or built a sand village.”
“We’re surfing and snorkeling today,” I hear Damian say.
“And going to get tattoos,” Peyton adds.
“Tattoos, really?” Aiden says excitedly. I want a tattoo.”
“Really? What do you want?”
He grins at me. “I want a four leaf clover, right here.” He flips my hand over and shows me a spot on his wrist.
“That’s cool. What about you, Damian?”
“I’m getting the tribal tattoo I’ve always wanted around my bicep. So grab some food and let’s get out there. Did you see the waves this morning, Keats? They’re the best since we’ve been here.”
“Awesome,” I say, happy for something to keep my mind off the inevitable.
We surf and build a sand village, but decided to skip yoga and go snorkeling instead.
“Be sure to put lots of sunblock on before we leave,” I tell everyone when we’re in the toy shed getting flippers and snorkel masks.
Aiden grabs a can of sunblock and sprays our backs.
We swim out a ways and enjoy all the cool marine life for a couple hours.
Then we head back in for lunch.
In the kitchen, I notice Aiden’s back. “Oh, your back is pretty sunburned.”
“Yeah, it feels hot. I sprayed everyone else’s but forgot to do my own.”
“I’m sorry,” I tell him, giving him gentle hug.
He wraps me up tighter. “It doesn’t hurt that bad.”
We all sit down, eat, and talk.
“The fish were so amazing!” Peyton says excitedly. “So many cool colors!”
“I loved the turtles we saw.”
“They were pretty cool, but I think those blue fish with the little yellow spots were my favorite,” Aiden says.
“I saw a shark,” Damian says coolly, “but I didn’t wanna freak you all out.”
We all laugh, knowing that Damian is teasing us.
“I’m thinking about getting shark tattoo, as a matter of fact.”
“No, you’re not,” I say. “You’ve never wanted a shark tattoo until just now. If you’re going to get a tattoo, it should mean something to you.”
“Yeah, like the band I’m getting means I’m a badass.”
“And my clover will bring me even more luck. You should get one too.”
“I already have a tattoo. What are you getting, Peyton?”
“I’m getting a butterfly. They symbolize transformation and this last week has sort of changed my life. You know, all that went on at school, what I’ve realized, and then coming here. I feel new and happy.”
“That’s amazing,” I tell her as Damian snuggles with her.
After lunch, Damian says, “Okay, everyone get cleaned up and then we’ll head into town for tattoos!”
“I’m gonna go take a shower,” Aiden tells me.