The Summer of Lost Wishes
Page 16
Feathers sprout from the wall, covering the body of the faux flamingo. Her neck stretches upward, soft and pink, like crushed velvet. She has a necklace sewn onto her long neck. The charm is a message in a bottle. A cute little tiara sits atop her head. She’s Florida royalty.
“I love her,” I whisper, unable to form solid sentences.
“You have no idea how hard it was to find a flamingo,” Mom says, standing next to me. “But Rooks was determined. I told him if he could find it, I’d pay any price for it.”
“She’s perfect,” I say. I hug my mom and then tackle-hug my boyfriend.
Mom goes downstairs to grab her ringing cell phone, but Rooks stays with me and the flamingo. I run my fingers over the bottle charm. Mom will never understand how important and symbolic that little bottle is, but it represents what we found in that wall. It was like discovering a message in a bottle, from another era, and seeing a glimpse into the past.
“Now the real question is, what are you going to name her?” he asks.
I don’t even hesitate. “Hanna,” I say. “This was her house. She’s earned that.”
“Hanna,” Rooks repeats. “I should have expected that.”
Mom taps on my door, even though it’s open. “I know you’re in flamingo heaven, but that was Mr. Carter,” she says. “You guys can follow me to the restaurant if you want. He and Mac are already there.”
When Mom said she wanted to take the Carters and Mac out for a celebratory dinner to thank them for all of their hard work, I knew in my gut that we’d end up here. Mom promised not to say anything negative about the decorations. I warned her that Casa Garcia wasn’t exactly the style Mom is aiming for with her designs.
My heart thumps with nervous anticipation of Mac’s first visit to Rosa’s restaurant. He stands in the parking lot with Mr. Carter when we arrive. Rooks parks next to Mom’s car and exchanges an anxious smile with me. He can probably feel the nerves radiating off of me.
“Oh, this is nice,” Mom says, as if she’s shocked. “Piper had me scared with all the warnings. The cacti are cute. It’s a nice touch. Very western.”
She slips inside with Mr. Carter to confirm our reservation, but Mac hangs back with Rooks and me. I was hoping he’d have that county fair feeling. The lights, the music, the smell of the food. But I have to get him in the door before he can have that moment. Part of me wonders if Rosa remodeled her family’s business after that night. The twinkle lights really don’t seem fitting with the rest of the scheme now that I think about it.
“You coming?” Rooks asks, looking at Mac.
Mac nods, but he seems hesitant. Rooks waits a moment and then decides to go inside and leave me to speak with Mr. McIntosh on my own.
“You don’t have to tell her,” I say, hoping he knows that his secret can remain among us. “She doesn’t have to know who you really are unless you want her to. But that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t meet Mac. This is your chance to fix those lost wishes. You can give her all of those stars she never caught.”
He laughs. “It’s amazing how I haven’t seen those words in five decades, yet I know exactly what you’re referring to,” he says. “She did end up having her summer of lost wishes. She lost me completely.”
“Well, not to be completely morbid, but her husband is dead and you’re magically alive, so there’s no harm in meeting her, even if it’s not today,” I tell him.
“Morbid is fair. I broke your window. We’re even now,” he says.
We both inhale like we’re about to walk into a war and may not see each other on the other side, but if there’s anyone who can survive this battle, it’s Mac. I believe in him.
Mom waves us toward her when we walk inside. Music plays softly in the background, and the colors of the restaurant burst around us. If a building could ever radiate happiness, it’s this one. We join Mom and the Carters at a rounded booth. I slide in next to Rooks, and Mac sits on my other side.
After ordering our celebratory dinner, Mom raises her Dr. Pepper glass. “I’d like to make a toast,” she says. “To new beginnings and new friends.”
I could add to that list for a while. To our new home. To my new boyfriend. To love letters hidden in walls. To Coral Sands. To Shark Island. To the ones who were lost in the tragedy. To the ones who were left behind. To Frank. To Rosa. To Seth.
“Cheers,” Mac says, clinking his glass against mine. “I can’t believe I’ve never been here. Rooks is right. I might have to make a habit of it. The atmosphere is better than any seafood spot we have in this town.”
Rooks clears his throat. “You know, you should really meet Ms. Rosa,” he says. “She’s the best cook in town, hands down. I also hear she’s a pretty good dancer, and she’s single.”
Mr. Carter elbows his son, but Mac simply laughs. I glance over at the register, where Rosa talks to a customer as she handles their payment.
“Thank you for that knowledge,” Mac says. “You’re right, though. I should meet her. It’s long overdue.”
Rooks shrugs. “Well, now’s as good a time as any,” he suggests, nodding toward the checkout register.
Mac thinks about it for a long minute before he stands. He nods to us to excuse himself. Mom whispers for us not to stare because it’s rude, and Mr. Carter shakes his head at his son’s blatant attempt to hook up two senior citizens.
Rooks turns toward me and smiles. I stop him before he can even ask.
“You’re good,” I whisper. “You’re really good.”
Thank you!
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About The Author
Jessa Gabrielle is a young adult author who lives in the land of salt water, palm trees, and sandy shorelines. She believes that summer love is pure bliss and that she was a mermaid in a past life. The Summer of Lost Wishes is her debut.
For more information, visit www.jessagabrielle.net