Everyone breaks apart and starts laughing, even though Richard was earnest in his question.
“You’ve seen the size of the dirt runway,” Fred points out. “Supply planes are large, but the passenger ones are itty bitty. Daisy, I’m afraid with so many passengers, your luggage might not make it.”
Everyone looks at me, expecting me to freak out.
I only feel relief.
“Are you kidding me? I hope I never see those suitcases again. Not my clothes, not my souvenirs, not my bag. I’m starting fresh, buying just what I need. Only things I’m leaving this island with are you guys, my phone, and my wallet.”
“I’m impressed,” Tai says. “Took you getting stranded on a deserted island to stop overpacking.”
“Hey, I’m a changed woman, what can I say?”
“Okay well, if that’s the case, grab what you need to and I’ll come back for you two,” Fred says, pushing the dinghy back out. “Your sister wanted to make sure we could all tell you the good news together.”
At that, Lacey and Richard get back in the boat with Fred, and off they go.
I turn to look at Tai, totally dumfounded, shaking my head. “I can’t believe it.”
He grins at me. “I can. It’s happening. We’re getting out of here.” He grabs me, one hand going to the small of my back, the other going to the side of my face, holding me. “Daisy,” he whispers, his lips just grazing mine.
My heart flip flops.
“Yes?”
He swallows hard, his lips moving, wanting to say something.
Please say something.
Say what else I want to hear.
“This is it,” he finally says.
I give him a small smile, ignoring the pinch in my heart. “This is it.”
“Come on, let’s at least clean up if you’re not taking your shit with you,” he says.
He kisses me and then walks off to the barracks.
I sigh and pick up the book from the beach. This is definitely coming with me.
* * *
Two hours later, and we’re all gathered at the dirt runway that runs behind Fred’s camp, facing the outer reef.
Except for Fred, who stands stoically with Wilson by his side, we all have our luggage ready to go. In the end I decided my beat-up LV Speedy was still worth taking. Not because it’s worth anything on the resale market anymore, but because it went through a lot and it still works. It’s not as pretty as it once was, but it’s become more useful. In some ways I feel like I have become the bag and the bag has become me.
In other words, it’s about time I get off this island. If I’m talking this way about a bag, talking to goats is the next step. It’s a slippery slope.
“There she is!” Fred yells, looking through binoculars.
It’s hard to see anything in the blindingly blue sky, so I wait until the binoculars are passed to me. I eagerly peer through them.
The plane is coming. A prop plane, which makes me just a little uneasy considering we have to cross a lot of water in that thing, but a plane nonetheless.
I can’t believe this is happening.
We all look at each and burst out laughing.
It’s real!
The plane starts to make its descent, getting closer and closer, and then its wheels are hitting the runway, kicking up red dust, and bouncing along past us, the pilot saluting us.
“Yaaaaaay!” I scream.
Tai whoops and hollers.
Lacey is jumping up and down, clapping.
Richard is doing some kind of dance?
It made it. It’s here.
Tai puts his arm around me and squeezes me tight, kissing the top of my head.
“Time to fly, Gingersnap.”
I look up at him. I can’t stop smiling.
Eventually the plane turns around, and then taxis closer to us before the propeller is turned off.
The pilot’s door opens and the pilot steps out, coming around the side of the plane.
“You must be the castaways,” he says to us as he passes by, going to the passenger door. “I heard Fred has been taking very good care of you.”
“Aw shucks, Maurice,” Fred says. “They’ve been taking good care of me.”
Maurice laughs and opens the back door.
We all wait eagerly, expecting Owen, the new researcher and Fred’s new roommate.
To our surprise, Owen is a woman. A very stately, pretty woman in her 50s with long grey-blonde hair.
“Everyone, this is Dr. Owen Stapleton,” the pilot says.
I steal a look at Fred.
He is absolutely smitten with her.
He suddenly stands up straighter, taking his hat off and smoothing back his hair, he’s blinking hard. “Dr. Stapleton. I’m Fred. Dr. Fred Ferguson.”
He holds out his hand, then takes it back and wipes it on his shorts, then holds it out again.
It’s so cute and awkward it’s painful.
“Nice to meet you, Fred,” Owen says, shaking his hand firmly. She gives him a coy smile. “You can call me Owen. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Oh is that so?” Fred says, wiggling his mustache impishly.