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"No, we do. Cooper, the roof could be ripped off this place at any second, and I need you to hear this. I'm sorry I got so upset with you about Marcus. I've spent way too long doing what others think is right for me. And after I lost you, nothing seemed to matter anymore. So I didn’t think it made a difference if I was in a passionless marriage. I figured I’d my chance and screwed it up, so I’d have to live with it. But I'm realizing now that my instincts were pretty good, even though I listened to others instead of myself. They led me to you—more than once," I smiled a watery smile at him.
He smiled back. "They sure did."
"This isn't going to be easy, Cooper."
He laughed, "I wouldn’t have it any other way, Hales."
"No, I mean, I will not live in indecision and I’m not going to hide anymore. I love you and I'm proud of that... but that means I have to fess up to your sister."
He groaned and looked at me reluctantly. "That won’t be easy, you're right, but it is necessary... especially if we're going to be together. I'm hoping that's what you want."
I grinned at him. "Of course, that's what I want, you big oaf," I said, mimicking Marcus.
Cooper laughed. "But we’ve been hiding this secret for ten years, so Tess may be mad at us for quite a while, and rightfully so. I need to know that you're in this with me and prepared for whatever her reaction is. I hate that our secret may cause a rift between you and your sister, but it’s time she knows the truth."
He nodded solemnly. "Tess will be salty for a while, but she loves both of us, so I hope that love will bring her back to us."
We were silent for a moment, and then he looked at me hopefully. "You really mean it? You want to be with me?"
I laughed. "Cooper, I am in the middle of a hurricane and fearing for my life. There ain't nothing but truth coming out of this mouth right now," I laughed.
He pulled me to him and kissed me passionately just as the rest of the roof got snatched up. Cooper held me to him, murmuring soothing words in my ear, "It's okay, we're going to be okay. Let’s move over here to the closet and try our best to stay out of the way."
"Cooper? Have you been in a storm this bad before?"
"Well, no," he admitted. "But we have to hold on a little while longer, Hales. Then you and I can get started all over again."
Cooper
By some miracle, Haley and I made it through that storm... together. The town physician who was working his way building by building to check on residents found us in each other's arms.
After the roof was ripped off, there was no way I was going to let my girl go. I made sure she stuck to my side like glue. I already lost her once—I was never letting her go ever again.
Dr. Hammerstein had come to the island a few years before. He intended to retire here, but old habits die hard, and before we all knew it, he was opening up his own practice on Main Street. We were grateful he’d worked his way out to the community center to check on everybody along the way. The wind had died down, and it was eerily quiet when Dr. Hammerstein appeared where the door used to be and said, "Knock, knock."
We smiled cautiously. "Okay, let me look at you two and make sure you're okay. That was a hell of a spring shower we had, wasn't it?" He joked, but I could tell he was just saying that to cover his nerves. God knows what he’d already seen as he worked his way around town. That storm was the worst one we've had in a very long time, and I dreaded to know what would meet our eyes once we left our safe little space.
Dr. Hammerstein looked both of us over and announced we were in the clear. "All things considered, you two are quite lucky."
"I wish I could say the same for the community center," Haley grieved.
Dr. Hammerstein nodded. "Yeah, it's a shame. But buildings can be rebuilt—it's a little harder to do that with people, so I am very glad you two found shelter here. Although Cooper," he said, pointing to the back of my hand, where there was a deep cut, "Clean that up as soon as you can to keep from getting infected. Stop by my office in a few days so I can check on it, okay?"
I nodded as he continued. "I can give you a steroid shot for that knee, too. I'm sure this weather hasn’t been good for it."
I shook my head. "To tell you the truth, I hardly notice it."
Dr. Hammerstein smiled. "You will soon," he warned. "You two be safe out there. Come see me if you need anything," he made us promise, and we did.
That's when I looked at Haley, afraid to ask, "Well, you ready to go out there and see what's what?"
She shook her head. "No, this place is a disaster—the kid's mural is wrecked. What am I saying? The money from the festival was supposed to put a new roof on this place and now there's hardly a building to put a roof on," she cried.
I nodded, trying to calm her down. "I'm sorry, Hales. I know how fond you are of this place, but we both know that's the downside to living somewhere like Hanalei. For all its beauty,Mother Nature has her fits and we have to muddle through as best as we can. We'll figure it out, though, and find a way for you to still have your classes."
She nodded, but I could tell she wasn't convinced. I took her hand, and we stepped out of our devastated community center.
Dr. Hammerstein was right. My knee was killing me, but I couldn't worry about that right now. There was too much to be done, and as we made our way up to the town square, it was pure destruction.
