Page 119 of Wayward

I laugh.

“Right. We have a decision to make. The museum has offered to buy the collection outright from us.” Calvin passes his phone around with the letter from the museum director.

“Damn, that’s twice what we paid for the island.” Zane holds the phone in his hand. I’ve got to admit, I love that he’s finally using terms like "we paid." The majority of the time we were in school, he had an aura of guilt for not having a job while he was taking classes.

“It is.” Easton hands the phone back to Calvin.

I rest my head on Calvin’s shoulder. “We should start a foundation. Help people like Rodel get back on their feet. Help people recover from being trafficked.” We’ve been through storms, both on the water and in our lives. If we can use this gold to help someone else find their way through a tough time? I’m all for it. Without Rodel our time aboard the pirate vessel could have ended a very different way.

“That’s an amazing idea, Sassy.” Dante cuddles up to my side.

Easton turns up the lights and opens the blinds. The room fills with the light from the night sky.

“We should take a night stroll.” I squeeze Dante’s hand.

Dante jumps up, but Sam beats him to my side. He grabs a flashlight, and we head down the path to the beach. It’s so bright we don’t really need it.

The big log is still there, shining in the starlight. I’m about to sit when Easton takes my hand. “Or we could take a swim?”

I’m the first to rip off my clothes and race for the surf. It’s quiet tonight, but soon with the rainy season coming, it willchange. Our island changes constantly, just like we do. But we adapt.

I never thought I’d survive that shipwreck—let alone build a life from the wreckage. But here we are. Whole. Loved. Free. I didn’t think I could give my heart to one man again, let alone five. But I did. And they gave me theirs in return—fully, fiercely, without fear.

There’s splashing behind me. Easton’s the first to catch up, rolling onto his back and pulling me into his arms. “Got you.”

Sam’s next. Then the others. Soon, we’re our own floating island, bobbing in the dark water, tethered to each other.

We’re going back to the States soon. But part of my heart will always be right here.

This beach is where we landed, broken.

It’s where we healed.

And where we learned how to love.