Once Upon an Island

“Indeed.”

When I look up from the sculpture I’m surprised to find that Michael is looking at me, not the turtle.

I can’t help it, I blush. Luckily my skin is dark enough to cover any pink in my cheeks, plus the light is dim. Michael will never know that his cheesy lines affect me.

We start to move toward the bar again, and soon Michael has gotten us both a glass of sauvignon blanc.

He tips his glass to mine and it clinks. “To new friends and long, slow walks on the beach.”

“To new friends,” I say.

I take a sip of the wine and let the passion fruit and green apple flavor spread over my tongue.

We both turn and look at the ocean, the flickering flames of the tiki torches and the couples dancing.

To the west of the dance floor I spot Arya and Percy. She’s pointing up at the stars. I smile when I see him slowly move his arm and place it around her back.

Michael clears his throat. “I’m sorry for any discomfort earlier, during my interaction with Dec.”

I turn to him and note the chagrinned look on his face.

“What are you talking about? You don’t have anything to apologize for. He was rude. He was intolerable.” Then I feel a pinch of disloyalty because he’s not always intolerable.

Michael grimaces. “Still.”

Ugh. Apparently Michael isn’t as immune to Declan’s boorishness as I thought. He’s apologizing for the discomfort Declan caused. Terrible.

“Don’t worry about it,” I say. “He’s awful to everyone. It’s not your fault.”

Michael makes a sharp noise of surprise. “I’ve never known anyone to say that. Usually people are too much in awe of him to notice his faults. They only sing his praises.”

“You won’t hear me singing.”

Michael laughs, and it sounds just like the wine tastes, light and zesty and happy.

“Are you staying long on the island?” I ask, suddenly wanting to continue our newly budding friendship. Michael is friendly, considerate and easy to talk to.

He stares toward the dance floor for a moment and I notice that he’s looking toward Kate and Declan.

“I may, it depends…” He trails off.

“Because of Declan?” I shake my head. “Never mind, don’t answer that. I didn’t mean to pry.”

Michael gives me that humor-filled smile that I think may be his signature look. “Yes. Because of Declan.”

“Oh,” I say, feeling crestfallen, and I’m not sure whether I feel that way because Michael might leave, or because it shows that Declan is a bully.

On impulse I say, “You shouldn’t leave just because he’s a stiff, pompous, pride-filled jerk. You have as much right to be here as him.”

Then I feel silly, because actually, I don’t know either of them. They both could be jerks for all I know.

Michael sets his glass down on a nearby table. He stares out at the ocean and puts his hands in his pockets.

“Do you know, I think you’re right.”

“Of course I am,” I agree.

He rocks back on his heels, then turns back to me. “Dec and I go way back.”

“Oh.”

He nods. “We grew up together. Our fathers were best friends from their youth forward, so naturally Dec and I played together as children. Dec was always sulking, demanding, being catered to, you can imagine, I’m sure. His parents gave him everything he wanted. His family was quite wealthy, while mine was…not. Dec’s father went into finance, while my father went into teaching. They were very different, but both good men. Dec’s father was the best sort. Jovial, generous, warm. Unfortunately, the apple fell far from the tree.”

I grip the warm handle of my wine glass. For some reason, the recitation of Declan as a child makes me sad. I remember him saying his parents supported him in every way, I didn’t realize that was code for him being spoiled and bratty.

“So, you were friends? What happened?” I take another sip of wine to push down the lump in my throat.

Michael shrugs. “Dec had a business idea after university. His father wouldn’t fund him, so he went to my father. My father gave Dec his entire life savings and all he had saved for retirement. Everything. With the understanding that they were partners in Dec’s venture. Dec agreed. They signed a contract. Shortly after, Dec became successful, he reneged on the agreement and took everything.”

It takes a moment for what Michael’s saying to sink in. Declan stole?

“He…what? That’s…but didn’t you take him to court? Or see a lawyer, or…?”

“Dec had better lawyers.” Michael smiles, and there’s less humor there than the last time.

I set my glass down. I don’t think I can drink any more wine. I feel slightly ill.

“It didn’t matter much. My father died less than a year later. Dec’s father demanded that he repay me for my father’s investment. He demanded Dec make me partner in my father’s place. Instead Dec gave me a pittance and told me to let it alone unless I wanted to spend years in court.”

“That’s horrible,” I say. “All his success is due to your father? And he treats you like this?”

I glare across the dance floor. Declan and Kate are with Percy and Arya now. Declan stands a way off from the other three. While they chat and laugh he stands aloof and stiff, his head turned away, his shoulders tight.

Even my first impression was wrong. He’s more awful than I thought.

“There’s more,” Michael says.

I quickly look back at him, “How can there be more?”

“I found a woman that I love and wanted to marry. Declan convinced her I was only after her money. He drove her away.”

My eyes go wide. That rings with a horrible sort of truth. Isn’t that exactly what Declan said to me? What he was trying to say to Percy about Arya?

Wow.

The earlier interaction with Declan and Michael makes so much more sense now. Declan really didn’t want to be reminded of what he did to Michael or Michael’s father.

“How can you be nice to him, after all that?”

Michael gives me a small smile. “I can be nice, because I realize he can’t help being who he is. He was miserable when we were boys and he’s miserable now. But, for the respect and admiration I have for his father, I’ll always treat Dec with friendship.”

Declan doesn’t deserve Michael.

“What does his father think now?” I ask.

Michael shakes his head. “He passed shortly after my father.”

I wrap my arms around myself against the sudden evening chill.

“I’m sorry,” I say.

We stand silently. Michael stares at the ocean and I look toward Declan. Even though he’s with Kate, Arya and Percy, he looks alone. And I suppose he is. I’d feel sorry for him, except he’s too prideful and stand-offish for it to be any other way.

I’ll have to tell Kate that she should forget about pursuing Declan. Although she said she’d marry him even if he sprinkled his toenail clippings on her pasta, I don’t think she’d go so far as to marry an immoral, unscrupulous thief who purposely ruins people’s relationships.

Finally, I turn back to Michael, one thought at the top of my mind.

“I think you should stay. Don’t let the past ruin your present. I, for one, am happy you’re here.”

No matter what Declan has done, Michael is a nice, good person. He deserves to be happy.

Michael gives me a crinkly, cheery smile, and I notice again how handsome he is. In that perfectly normal, average sort of way.

“Thank you,” he says. “Perhaps you might show me some of your favorite spots on the island…”

He trails off and I notice a slight reddening in his cheeks.

“I didn’t mean to imply,” he says. “You don’t have to—”

“Of course I will. I’d love to.”

We smile at each other. And I decide that yes, this is the beginning of a nice, slow trip that may or may not come to a surprising end destination.

Like friendship.

Or—

Like love.