Come on. Hurry the hell up.
The link crackled before Mr. Taito returned. “Although your request is highly unusual, I have some good news for you, Mr. Oak.”
I bit my lip as I air-punched the sky. Joy I never knew rushed through me. I’d finally grown up. Finally understood what I wanted in life, where I wanted to live, and who I wanted to share it with.
And now, I’d been given the permission to make it all come true.
Taking a deep breath, so I didn’t yell with happiness down the phone, I said calmly, “That’s great news. Thank you.”
Mr. Taito said, “We accept your proposed terms. $250,000 US for the right to reside on the island located at the coordinates you emailed last week. The agreement will include leasehold on the land for eighty years with the option to extend if it suits both parties at that time. The contract will be drawn up and will await your signature upon your arrival into Nadi.”
Mr Taito cleared his throat. “When will that be again?”
I smiled as the front door opened and Coco barrelled toward me. My little urchin. My island ragamuffin. My castaway princess.
She was going home.
We all were.
“We’ll be there on Friday at eleven a.m.”
Estelle raised her eyebrow as I stepped through the balcony door and scooped Coco into one arm. Her nose nuzzled my neck. “Hi, Daddy.”
“Hi, Coconut.”
“Pleasant flight then, Mr. Oak. Look forward to confirming and welcoming you to our country officially.”
“Likewise, Mr. Taito. Thanks again.”
I hung up.
Estelle dropped the plastic bag full of seashells on the table, making her way to me. “Who was that?”
My cheeks hurt from smiling. “Just a man.”
“A man?”
“A man with a contract.”
“A contract?”
I nodded, biting the inside of my cheek to stop from blurting.
Estelle put her hands on her hips. It reminded me so much of her bossy caring attitude when we first crashed that I tripped deeper into love. “What contract?”
“A very important contract.” Grabbing her, I pulled her into my other arm. Coco squirmed, laughing as I blew raspberries on her throat and kissed Estelle with wet kisses. “A contract that’s possible all thanks to you.”
“To me?” Her eyes widened with suspicion. “What did you do, G?”
“I spent a quarter of a million dollars.”
“You what?”
“Of your money.”
“Our money. I willingly gave you the right to use it as you saw fit.”
“I’m so glad you trust me.” I kissed her again, radiating happiness.
She squirmed in my hold. “I trust you, but I might revoke that trust if you don’t start telling me what the hell is going on.”
I glanced at my daughter. “Want to tell her or shall I?”
Coco’s green-blue eyes popped wide as she bounced in my arms. “Tell me. Me. Secret. Me.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you and then you tell Mummy, got it?”
Coco nodded with utmost seriousness. “Uh-huh.”
Smiling at Estelle, I whispered low in Coco’s ear. “Tell her exactly what I tell you. Mummy...”
Coco paused then repeated. “Mummy...”
“You know the island where we crashed and thought we’d die?”
Coco repeated in her childish voice (minus a few stumbles and age-related discrepancies).
Once done, I whispered, “The island where we fell in love and learned what was truly important?”
That line she didn’t deliver too well. But Estelle laughed and nodded anyway, my message slowly filtering into comprehension. Her mouth parted, a feral hope igniting in her gaze.
“Well...” I murmured.
“Well...” Coco mimicked.
Brushing aside her blonde curls, I whispered, “I bought it. We’re going home.”
Coco froze. Her eyes popped and wisdom far older than her age shone through. “Home?”
I nodded. “Home.”
“Turtles and fishies and and and...”
Estelle clamped a hand over her mouth. “What—what do you mean?”
Pinching Coco, I ordered, “You didn’t tell Mummy the last part.”
Coco beamed. “Island. Home. Going home. Home!”
Estelle wobbled.
I caught her.
Just like all those years she caught me and cared for me. It was my turn. Once again, she’d made it possible for us to survive. Without the money, we would be forever homesick and lost. Now...we could do whatever we wanted.
All because of her.
“Ho—how? When?” Her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t understand.”
“How—I called the Fijian government and explained that considering we’d lived in their country for almost four years, that technically makes us a citizen, or at least a sure bet to give a residency visa, if they felt so inclined. After all, our daughter is legally Fijian being born in their waters and all.”
“And they agreed to that?”
“It’s amazing what a promise of good PR will do.”
Estelle blinked. “Okay, so you managed to get approval to live there...how does that give you permission to just buy an island?”
“Technically, I haven’t bought it.”
“Then...”
“I’ve rented it for the next eighty years. They’ll retain ownership, but it will be in our name and no one else can touch it.”