Chapter 10
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The lady who runs the guesthouse looks to be in her early 40s, so I was surprised to learn her son is only two years younger than I am.
Her son, Gary Miller, works as a freelance musician. After wrapping up some gigs, he came back to Hawaii to relax for a bit.
We got along quickly, and soon we were spending a lot of time talking over tea in the greenhouse.
Sometimes, in the middle of our conversations, we’d both reach for the teapot at once, our fingers brushing. Then we’d pull back and laugh like we both understood something unspoken.
We’d chat so long we’d forget to eat until our stomachs reminded us.
Eventually, we started grabbing meals together. The night air smelled like blooming flowers, and we’d wander the streets, snacking and talking about everything and nothing.
It was obvious we liked each other, but neither of us brought it up.
Maybe because we all liked our freedom and didn’t want to be tied down.
I thought those calm, gentle days would keep going.
But out of nowhere, Fred showed up at the guesthouse, looking worn out.
I wasn’t shocked that he found me–he’s always been capable of things like that.
What did catch me off guard was that he actually came all this way just to see me.
He was finally free of me, wasn’t he? Shouldn’t he be enjoying life with someone new by now?
Under the light, I saw his face clearly–he looked tired.
I was used to seeing him full of pride and confidence, surrounded by admiration. But now, the loneliness on his face showed a kind of helplessness I’d never noticed before.
“Tania, why did you end the pregnancy?” he asked.
I gave him a bitter smile. “You’re just now wondering that? You were at the hospital that day too–waiting with your new girlfriend for her prenatal checkup. Don’t tell me you forgot.”
At first, I thought he was here to pick a fight. But after a pause, he hesitated, then said something I didn’t expect.
“I want to give this back to you.”
He held out his hand, showing me a beaded bracelet–the one I had ripped apart when I moved out.
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Chapter 10
He had found the pieces, fixed it, and restrung it.
“Two beads rolled away. I couldn’t find them,” he added.
I stared at it without moving. Then I laughed, more to myself than to him.
“I can’t take that back. I don’t deserve it anymore.”
Fred didn’t try to push it on me. He quietly put it away.
He reached out like he wanted to touch my wrist, but I stepped back.
With a voice full of regret, he said, “Tania, please come home. Let’s try again. We can fix this.”
I remembered the look on his face when he saw me and Gary together earlier–jealous and angry.
I stared at him coldly. “What’s wrong, Fred? Mad that someone else touched what you think is still yours?”
“I didn’t-” he began, but I interrupted him.
288 Vouchers
“Yeah, someone like you–talented, successful–what can’t you have? You easily get everything others spend their whole lives chasing, and then you toss it aside like it’s nothing.
“Start over? It’s not that simple! You cheated on me over and over, and never gave me a straight answer. I kept telling myself it didn’t mean anything. Every time I cried and said I was done, you brushed it off like I was being dramatic. Now that I’ve moved on, you show up again, putting on this emotional facade. I can’t stand it–It disgusts me.”
He didn’t say anything–just stood there, frozen.
I turned away, went up the stairs, and locked my door behind me.
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