Under the Bali Moon

“She didn’t almost die. She just slipped and got pulled in by the undercurrent. Scary, but not uncommon.”

“You don’t understand. If something happens to Zola, I’m the one who’s responsible!” Zena cried, now hysterical. “I’m the one who’s supposed to be watching her! I’m always the one watching!” Zena began to cry fresh, new tears that let on that this was about more than the sister sitting up doing just fine in the other room.

Adan pulled Zena into his arms and pressed her head to his chest. “It’s all going to be fine,” he said tenderly. “Don’t worry. I’m here for you, baby.”

Zena snapped back and pushed Adan away.

“Baby? I’m not your baby!” she hollered. “And you know what? Really, this is all on you! You!”

“Me?”

“Yes! You were the one who made this whole thing happen! We shouldn’t even be here! Zola should be home in Atlanta studying for the Bar!”

“I thought you moved on from that, Zena.”

“Moved on? From what? You clearly haven’t moved on,” Zena said. “And that’s what this is all about.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Adan answered, walking away from Zena then, but she was right on his heels.

“How about I do. I know you’re just doing this whole wedding thing because you’re jealous!” Zena said.

“Jealous? Jealous of what?”

“Of me! And of Zola. That I was the one who made it, and now she was about to do the same. She was about to do what you couldn’t do for Alton!”

“That’s crazy. Look I’m excited about anything Zola does. She’s like my little sister. She’s like family.”

“But she’s not your family. We’re not a couple. You blew that!”

“I know I did, and I’m so sorry. Don’t you think that’s haunted me every day since we broke up?”

The door cracked open again, and all words stopped as Adan and Zena rushed over for news.

“Is she okay?” Adan asked as Alton walked out.

“She’s fine,” Alton confirmed. He looked at Zena. “She wants to see you now.”

Zena wiped her tears and walked into the room as if she expected to see Zola hooked up on life support and completely covered in a full-body cast.

Reality was the opposite.

The sun was shining through the window of what looked like a dorm room, and Zola was sitting up smiling as if she was just waking up and had never set foot on the beach.

“You have to be kidding me!” Zola joked, getting an eyeful of her sister’s countenance. “You’re crying? I thought I heard you out there hollering.”

She reached for Zena and hugged her before moving over so Zena could sit on the bed.

“How are you feeling?” Zena asked.

“I’m fine. I just lost my step, and then I felt the water pulling me back. I panicked,” Zola explained. “I probably shouldn’t have been in that water anyway.”

“You were fine. I saw you on the board. I was watching you. I really was,” Zena pleaded.

“You didn’t need to watch me, Z. What happened wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was a freak accident.”

“No, it wasn’t a freak accident. We shouldn’t be here. Look, I’ve been trying to accept this wedding and support you, but I shouldn’t have let you come here,” Zena said. “And I don’t know why Adan is supporting this, but it’s a mistake. It’s clearly a mistake. You shouldn’t be getting married. And maybe this is just a sign.”

Zola pursed her lips, and then her own tears began to fall.