“Well, we’re almost there. We should be there in about two and half hours.” Bob grabbed the cockpit door to close it.

“Where are we going?” Laurie took her seat. Bob smiled.

“Nowhere. You’re going to the middle of nowhere. Which is the way Albert has always wanted it.” He disappeared into the cockpit.

***

Laurie

Laurie turned to Dante, who shook his head, shrugging. Then he put his arm around her as they began to taxi down the runway.

Dante fell asleep on the last leg, while Laurie read. This was her last book. She wished she had access to her class syllabus now. She left it at the resort in all of the commotion leading up to her departure. She mused at how far away that life felt now, even though it had only a been a couple of short weeks. She wondered what her friends were doing now, if they were working, cooking, or surfing. She wished she could just talk to some of them, tell them she met a man. If she were at the hotel, they would have questioned her relentlessly, so they could giggle about it as they cleaned. It made the workday go faster. Laurie sighed, checking her watch.

She peered out the window. Below her was a world of neat squares and circles carving up the landscape. She never saw such a peculiar site. The volcanos and shorelines she had always known were half a world away, replaced with uniform farmland. Homesickness hit her hard. She hugged the book in her lap, a book from her home, to her chest.

Dante awoke. He turned in his seat, about to get up when he noticed Laurie clutching her book to her chest, stroking it. He frowned, until he heard a sniffle.

“Laurie? What’s wrong?”

“Huh? Oh—” She tried to suppress a sniffle, but she didn’t succeed. “Nothing.”

“What’s wrong?”

She let out a heavy sigh, wiping her watery eyes.

“I think I just got a little bit homesick.”

He nodded, rubbing her shoulders while stretching his legs.

“You’ll make a new home after the trial. In a safe place. I promise.”

But where? Laurie wondered. Would Dante visit her there? Why couldn’t she just move to another island? Her stomach tied itself in knots. She had already started over once in her life. She didn’t want to have to do it again. But she had to. She had to testify. She had to put Kaimi away. She took a deep breath. Somehow, she knew she would find a way to start from scratch again. She just wished Dante would be a part of it.

Dante stretched out his arms, then wrapped one around her.

Laurie sank back into his shoulder, resting there as she laid her hand on his thigh.

Dante started tapping his foot on the floor. They felt a slight pressure change as the plane began its descent.

Bob’s voice, muffled but audible, came over the announcement system for the last time.

“Good evening. This is your uncle speaking. We are beginning our final descent. Please take your seats and buckle your seat belts. Thank you for flying with Family Airlines.”

Laurie smiled up at Dante, who just shook his head, rolling his eyes.

The descent was smooth and graceful. They pulled up toward the main building at the airport. The airport resembled concrete World War II bunkers. Laurie felt she had gone back in time.

Bob exited the cockpit, smiling at them as he opened the door. The ground crew wheeled a set of stairs up to the door. Weary from the long hours on board, they disembarked.

As a group, they moved toward the square concrete buildings with peeling cream paint. The heavy, metal door was propped open with a large rock. The room beyond the door was clean and desolate. It had bland, short blue carpeting with white concrete walls. There were two people in the building, an older man and woman. The woman, with salt and pepper hair, cried out when she saw them. She ran to Dante with open arms, her bright, hazel eyes shining with tears.

“Mom!” Dante dropped his bag and opened his arms.

“My son, my son! Oh God, I had thought I would never see you again.” Tears flowed freely down her bronze cheeks as she smiled.

Dante’s mother cupped his face.

Dante hugged her tightly. He rested his chin on her head.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sorry it’s been this long,” Laurie heard him whisper into her ear, his voice husky with emotion. “It’s really good to see you.”

Laurie unconsciously laid her hand over her heart. Their emotion touched her, and she was still a bit homesick herself. She was on the verge of tears. She looked down to clear her throat, taking a deep breath before she made a fool of herself. Then a heavy arm wrapped around her shoulders. She looked up to find Bob leaning against her.

“Well, gorgeous, I guess this is goodbye.” His eyes twinkled.

“Not staying for dinner, Bob?” asked Dante’s father.

Laurie had overlooked him in the ecstatic exchange between mother and son.

Dante’s father ambled over toward her and Bob. He was tall, lean, with long, muscled limbs. His face was sharp, angular, and tanned from ample time outdoors. He wore a red flannel shirt with a faded leather vest. He had a non-descript belt over faded jeans. With his work boots on as well, he looked like every farmer Laurie had ever seen on TV or in pictures. Unassuming, unnoticeable. Laurie guessed that was very deliberate.

“No, no. Gabriella will want me home for dinner. I’ve had some fun with these kids, but it’s time to get on home to my family.” Bob gave Laurie’s shoulder a squeeze.

“Bob, I can’t begin to thank you,” Dante’s mom said. Her emotions now spent, she was content to stand beside her son with an arm wrapped around his waist, while he rubbed her shoulders.

“No thanks necessary, Emma. It was a lot of fun to get in the air again.” Bob sounded a bit wistful. “Gabriella and the kids and I will come for a visit real soon. I imagine these two will need some entertainment after they settle in.”

Bob winked at Laurie.

“Behave yourself now. No more getting in the way of mobsters.” He gave her a gruff hug. Laurie laughed.

“I’ll try really hard this time.” Laurie squeezed him right back.

Then he released her and went to Dante.

“You—take care of her and your mom. I want a good report when I come back for a visit.” He pulled Dante into a bear hug.

“Yes, sir, Lt. General Stark.” Dante smirked. Bob shook his head.

“Don’t. Don’t even get me started.” He laughed as he walked back toward the door to the airstrip. “I’ll see you all soon.”

He gave a short salute and disappeared out of the airport door. When Laurie looked back at the room, both of Dante’s parents were now staring at her. Laurie smiled, blushing while her stomach fluttered.

“Mom, Dad—this is Laurie. She’s a witness I’ve been protecting.” Dante put his hand on her shoulder.

“Hello, Laurie. I’m Emma.” She clasped both of Laurie’s hands in hers.

“It’s nice to meet you. Thank you so much for taking me in.” Laurie looked from Dante’s mother to his father.

“Oh, of course. We wouldn’t have thought twice about saying yes. I hope you’ll feel right at home.” Emma gave Laurie a hug, which caught Laurie off guard, but she was extremely grateful. Some of the tension in her shoulders eased. After a slight pause, she hugged Emma back.

“This is Albert.” Emma gestured to her husband. Albert gave a polite nod, extending his hand to her.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Laurie shook his hand with all the warmth she could muster.

Dante’s father didn’t intimidate Laurie at all. He was nothing like what she had imagined after listening to Dante and Bob. She could see an underlying sternness, a hard edge in his features. Yet, his brown eyes softened when he looked at Dante. Laurie wondered if he wanted to hug his son as his wife had.

“Dad.” Dante extended his hand.

Dante shifted on his feet. His father’s gaze was guarded. Dante and Albert tensed, as Albert’s eyes flickered to Dante’s hand with a frown.