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The flight from the atoll to Nadi was less than two hours, but it felt like forever. The plane was so tiny, and there was some turbulence from time to time, enough that it felt like we were dropping and pins and needles kept swirling inside me. What a way to go, to survive being shipwrecked, then end up in a plane crash.
But the plane handled it just fine—if it was a passenger jet, we probably wouldn’t have felt a thing—and eventually we were touching down at the airport.
The first thing we did, before we hit up the bar, was to check into a hotel. We could have opted for any of the resorts on the beaches nearby, but we decided to go for a modest one, right downtown in the middle of action. Even a hostel would feel like a luxury resort to us, and the last thing we want to see is a beach.
Then, after we checked in, we went shopping for new clothes in the hotel gift shop. I’m currently wearing a pink dress that says Nadi on it. Tai and Richard are wearing matching shirts as a joke, a horrendous tie-dye with dolphins on it, and Lacey has on a tank top that says “Live, Laugh, Love, Fiji,” which makes me laugh every time I look at it, because she is the opposite of the people who usually buy that slogan.
Richard even managed to get a new pair of glasses. I don’t think the prescription is strong enough, but at least both eyes are evenly matched. Tomorrow he has a dentist’s appointment since it’s cheaper here than in New Zealand to get dental work, and then the day after that we’re flying back to New Zealand.
Or, at least they are.
I’m supposed to fly home to California. Because I missed my last flight, they gave me a credit for another one.
I just haven’t booked it yet.
That’s not where I want to go.
I look at Tai beside me, drinking his beer.
I want to go where he goes.
That’s my home.
“So, Daisy,” Lacey says. I look over at her. She’s been studying me as she smashes the mint leaves into her glass with her metal straw. “What’s next for you?”
“Lacey Loo,” Richard chides her. “We just got rescued hours ago. No one has to make any plans, let alone Daisy.”
I give Richard an appreciative smile and straighten up in my chair. “Actually, there’s something I wanted to tell you guys.”
“Oh?” Lacey says.
“Yeah,” I lick my lips and glance at Tai. He’s staring at me with approval. I clear my throat. “I, uh, have been thinking lately about life, as you do, and about the fight we had.”
“Daisy,” Lacey says softly, looking reprimanded.
“No, no, no,” I tell her. “It’s not like that. I mean, the things I admitted. That I wasn’t happy? That I didn’t know who I was? Well, it got me thinking, what would make me happy? It got me thinking about the kind of person I want to become. Someone to strive for. And I decided…I’m going back to school.”
“School?” Lacey repeats.
I’m totally prepared for her to get a bit patronizing with this, but I refuse to get defensive.
“Yes, college. I want to study marine biology.”
Silence.
Lacey looks at me, then looks at Richard.
“I know it seems silly,” I say quickly. Then I correct myself. “Or, maybe it seems silly to you. But it doesn’t seem silly to me. It really interests me, really excites me. I think I’d be good at it, and more importantly, I think I’d be really passionate about it. It’s what I used to dream of and after all that time on the island, I realize that dream never went away. It was just dormant for awhile.”
“Wow,” Richard says. He smiles. “That’s big news, Daisy. That’s great news.”
“Yeah,” Lacey says. “It is. I mean it. It’s just surprising, in a good way.”
I shrug and pop the cherry from the pina colada into my mouth. “I’m full of surprises.”
“That you are,” Tai says quietly. He’s watching me pull the stem out of the cherry.
I grin at him and chomp the fruit in half. Pervert.
“It’s not going to be easy,” Lacey says after a moment. “But that’s how you know it’s worth doing.”
“I think it’s a great choice,” Richard says. “The world can always use another scientist.”
“Not sure my parents agree with that,” I say with a laugh. “They’re going to wonder what the hell happened to have both their daughters turn this way.”
“They’ll be proud,” Tai assures me.
“I’m proud of you,” Lacey says. She reaches across the table and gives my hand an affectionate pat. It’s awkward, but I appreciate she’s trying.
“I haven’t done anything yet,” I remind her.
“But you’ve set your intentions. I’m proud of you for wanting that,” she clarifies. “For wanting more.”
“As am I,” Richard says, raising his fishbowl, the umbrella nearly poking his lens out. Wouldn’t that have been ironic? “Here’s to Daisy.”
