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“Don’t you think it’s hypocritical to be fronting a real estate business as eco-friendly then drive a Range Rover?”
“Mmm. Yeah. That’s another reason I’m not driving it. I’m mostly just running my lease down now.” Tyran paused. “Thank God hybrids have come a long way in design.”
I caught his eye in the rearview again. “Hey. You better not be knocking my Prius. She’s old faithful.”
“She’s old all right.”
I liked my car. My dad had bought it for me. I’d keep her until she told me it was time to go. Not the other way around.
Drake focused on the satnav. “Says take the next right. The place should be easy to find.”
We turned the corner, and it was easy to find all right. A veritable estate on the lake was what it was. The building imposed upon us with majesty. A double-height porch was hugged on either side by balconies spanning the entire length of the property and appeared to wrap around the sides. Every room would have a view. It was stunning and far beyond anything I would have expected. Beyond being A list celebrity X factor, it was far more space than the five of us needed.
When Drake had said he’d got a place in Big Bear, I’d imagined a rustic cabin. The only other time I’d been here, I’d come skiing and stayed in mountain lodges. The luxury of this home took my breath away. “My Lord, babe. Is this the place? It’s gorgeous.” I parked the car.
“Yeah.” He bent to look out the front windshield before opening his car door. “Looks even nicer now that we’re here.”
My mom and Nora had parked up next to us.
I noticed there were already two other cars in the driveway. “Drake. Are we early or something?” I pointed to the cars. “What time did they say check-in was?”
Suddenly, the front doors of the house flung open, and something more beautiful than the landscape itself poured out of them. Koa, Jasmine, El, Flick, Helena, Pika, and Joe tumbled down the stairs, beaming. My heart fluttered. I jumped up and ran toward our people.
Jasmine ran to me hard and fast and picked me up like she always did. “Girl! We got the family together!”
I hugged her tightly. Though filled with joy, a part of me wanted to unleash tears as well.
Being around our Uyu crew, people who knew Drake on another level, people who’d shared his and my deepest moments, it filled me up. When all the hugs and introductions were finished, I grabbed Drake’s hand. “How long have you had this planned? I’m so glad you got the whole family together.”
“Honestly, it kind of came together pretty last minute.”
Last minute. Of course it was. Everything was spontaneous now. I looked around at Flick and Helena chatting with Nora and my mom. The others walked back up the stairs, Koa with three of our bags somehow making them seem as if they were only filled with feathers. The others grabbed stuff out of our trunks to take into the house.
I stood back and, grateful as I was, I had to push back the reason why we were all here. It was a reunion. Maybe a last. A final dance perhaps. Drake orchestrated a symphony having included every instrument in his life. He was right to do this before he got too sick. Before it was too late. After all, there probably wouldn’t be another Uyu.
The evening went beautifully.One of the highlights being the re-creation of my dad’s send-off ceremony. To keep things light, Pika and Joe pretended to be the drag queens, Flick pretended to be me with a bag of flour, and Koa, Drake, and Jas performed. My mom warmed to each and every one of them, and bringing us together in this moment created new bonds. A new family. It was the happiest I’d been in so, so long. And judging by the wide smile and crinkly corners of Drake’s eyes, I’d say the same for him.
After a candlelit dinner, cooked by a private chef Drake had flown in from New Orleans and who’d absolutely smashed it, Koa lit a fire outside for us under a night sky of stars. There wasn’t a sound in the universe but ours. Not a light but those from a million miles away, and the warm embers from the house windows echoed the flames before us.
Though the earth was calm around us, there was an excitement, even mystery in the air as our group went from a bubbling mass of conversation to a silent contemplative collection of faces, mesmerized by the campfire. The peace in the area felt complete.
I sat next to Drake in a loveseat, my head resting on his shoulder.
He took my hand in his and placed in on his chest. “Are you having a nice time, Fairy?”
“How could I not? Are you?”
“Only one thing could make it better.”
“And what’s that?”
He leaned forward, and I lifted my head off his chest. He turned his body to face me. “Do you think I put this trip together for me?”
Of course I had. But also, why would he ask that? I hardly wanted to talk about any of that right now…
“I didn’t. I put it together for you.”
I shook my head. “What? I don’t understand.” Suddenly, I became aware of a thousand eyes on me. I glanced around the fire pit. Everyone stared in our direction.
