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Kingston, Jamaica at twilight was beautiful and Dylan had the aforethought to put my name on the room so that I could check in before him. It was a nice hotel and there was a large, cushy looking king-sized bed in the center of it. I touched up my make-up because I’d ruined it when I was in Rory’s hospital room. My heart was still hurting over how hard she had cried.
There was a warm breeze coming in from the ocean as the sun set on the horizon. The hotel was right on the beach, and I was waiting for Dylan, my dad, and the rest of the team to arrive from the airport, so I decided to take a walk on the beach.
As excited as I was to be back in Dylan’s arms, my mind fell on Rory and how she had cried when I left her earlier in the day. Guilt settled over me like a lead blanket. I wanted to enjoy my time with Dylan, but the little girl wasn’t responding to treatment and my heart was heavy. She should have been in remission by now.
There was a bar set up on the sand beyond the hotel pool, complete with wait staff and a reggae band that included the copper Timpani that had that signature island sound. People were dancing to the music, and it was a happy, carefree atmosphere.
My hair and the skirt of my fuchsia, white, and blue sundress were gently blowing around my face and legs. I’d forgone shoes and my toes sank into the warmth of the sand. I took the Piña colada that I’d gotten at the bar as I walked toward a row of chaise lounges several yards from the water. The moon was rising, picture perfect, and the purple sky was edged with coral and orange where it met the water. It was gorgeous.
My phone, hiding in the pocket of my dress, started to ring. I recognized the ringtone as the one I’d assigned my mother.
“Hi, mom,” I answered.
“Hey! I hear you’re in Kingston waiting for our boys!”
I couldn’t help but smile at the enthusiasm in her voice.
‘Yes! I knew that once Dylan told Daddy I was coming down, the cat would be out of the bag.”
“Bliss predicted you and Dylan would end up together last year. It’s not a big surprise, Remi. We’ve all been hoping that you two will work things out.”
“Leave it to Bliss!” I huffed out a short laugh. “Can’t fool her.”
“Do you want some company while you wait?” My mother’s voice was no longer on the phone but behind the chaise lounge where I sat.
Startled, I turned and saw her standing there. She was wearing navy blue shorts and a filmy coral blouse; her hair was down and blowing around like mine. “Oh, my gosh!” I bounded out of the chair and ran into her arms. “What are you doing here?”
“When your dad said you’d be here, I couldn’t resist the chance to see you. I hope you don’t mind.” She hugged me back tight and kissed my cheek. “I promise we won’t intrude on your time with Dylan.”
“I’m so glad you did!” We broke apart, but hooked arms. “Do you want a drink?”
I glanced down at the table beside the chaise, hoping it didn’t spill when I jumped up to greet her. Thankfully, it was fine.
“That would be great! I haven’t heard from Chase, so I don’t think they’re on the ground yet. It will give us a chance to catch up.”
A few minutes later we were both waiting for the men, back on the chaise lounge and each of us with fresh drinks. I had already cried on her shoulder about Dylan and the situation surrounding my ranch visit and Christy, but I filled her in on his surprise trip to Memphis, and how when he arrived Alan was at my apartment.
“What happened to Alan?” she asked. “I thought you were seeing him again.”
“Oh,” I shrugged, thinking I’d told her, but maybe not. “After the trip to Dollywood Alan and I broke up, but when I came back from Wyoming, we started hanging out as friends. He was good support and I felt guilty because I know he wanted more. At the time, I thought I might be able to go back to the way things were before Dylan, but…” I stopped. “He was there when Dylan surprised me at my apartment, and then tension between them was off the charts. Then, in the days that followed I found myself avoiding Alan’s calls. I was a coward, but I wanted to enjoy my time with Dylan. I’d been hoping it would happen since I can remember.”
Mom nodded. “I get it Remi. When I was your age, Chase was my entire world and even Jensen, wonderful person that he is, couldn’t touch my heart. It wants what it wants, and you can’t control who you fall in love with. I put your father before everything, until you came along.”
“Even, then,” I suggested. I knew the story of why my parents broke up and how Jensen came in to rescue my mom and it was heartbreaking. Yet, if that had not happened, there was a distinct possibility that I’d never have met Dylan. I loved Jensey like my own father and I was lucky that they were both in my life; lucky Jensey married Missy and adopted Dylan. It was like a precise puzzle that God had laid out for me.
“Yes. I never stopped loving him, but your kids always come first,” she admitted. “Chase is my world, and the heartbreak over losing him never went away, but when you got sick, that was really all I could focus on. When you have a baby, that becomes the priority.”
I nodded. “I understand. I feel that way with Rory and she isn’t even my little girl. I can’t imagine why her mother abandoned her. It’s appalling.”
“That’s rough, Remi. I’m sorry. I think that she must have had a good reason. What is happening with Rory? The last time we talked she was getting treatment and still in the hospital. Has Health and Human Services been able to find her mother?”
I took a sip through my straw and shook my head. “Not yet. But her social worker is applying for a court ordered DNA test. I wanted to do it with one of those online DNA companies, but Dylan warned me off.”
“Probably wise. Do you have the results, yet?”
“No, but Rory isn’t doing well. The chemo isn’t working. She may need a marrow transplant like I had.”
“The ‘mean medicine’ isn’t working?” my mom asked.
