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Samantha nodded. The champagne had already given her a headache. ‘We’re going to hang out later tonight.’
‘I like the sound of that!’ She counted on her fingers. ‘Let’s see … Jen asked Chris out to dinner. Our newly engaged couple might want some quiet time. Maybe tonight we can all spread out and do our own thing.’
Samantha could only imagine how stressful this week was for Naomi. She felt responsible for everyone’s wellbeing. She and Anthony must want some quiet time, too.
‘Are you stressed?’ she asked.
‘To the core,’ Naomi replied. ‘Amelia isn’t making it any easier. But it’ll go by fast and at the end of the day I’ll always remember the time when all my friends flew down to this tiny island in the Caribbean to support us. You’ve made our dream come true.’
Samantha’s core turned into mush. She joined Naomi on the banquette. ‘I have to say this. For a while I worried you two were making a mistake. Rushing it. I don’t anymore.’
‘Oh, Sam! Where’s my little friend who used to run toward adventure. You’re so cautious now.’
Samantha shrugged. ‘It’s different now. I’m adulting.’
Naomi rolled her eyes at that. ‘We’re allowed to make some mistakes. What’s the worst that can happen?’
She could think of a million things, not least of which was heartache. ‘We can get our hearts broken.’
‘That is what Tobago is for! Come back anytime, rest, have some cocoa tea. You’ll be ready to get back out there and break some hearts of your own.’
It was raining when they left the shop a half hour later. The Chinese restaurant across the street was the only practical option. They were offered a large round table by the window. Samantha drizzled pickled Scotch Bonnet pepper sauce on a chicken wing drenched in a soy and ginger sauce. She watched a group of school-aged kids race from one storefront awning to the next, trying to stay dry. They were laughing, making a game of it. Their brown faces were glossy with raindrops and sweat. The rain let up just as fast as it had started and the kids took off, running toward adventure.
