One
“Ican’t do this anymore, Phoebe. I’m so sorry. Let these rose petals be a symbol of my eternal love and devotion to you.”
Luna scattered the rose petals across the water, the only place her sister Phoebe ever really loved. “I miss you so much. There will never be a moment when I forget you.”
Luna clasped her son Jonah’s hand as he also scattered some flowers across the water. “I wish I’d known Aunt Phoebe.”
Fighting the urge to cry, Luna tried to think of the wonderful memories she had of her sister. “So many years have passed. I’ve looked for you on those godforsaken waters you called home. I will search no more. It’s time to go home.”
Luna had all the reasons in the world to stay. She’d made a life in the Caribbean many years prior, chasing dreams and her sister after she’d been lost at sea. However, Jonah was almost ready for college.
“Come on, sport. Let’s get out of here. We have a plane to catch, and you have some beautiful sights to see in Connecticut. You are going to love Enchanted Cove. It is my favorite place in the world.”
“Then why did Aunt Phoebe leave?”
“She loved the water, and that included the water that butted up against its inlet. As long as I could remember, your Aunt Phoebe loved being on the water. She could navigate waters better than any man I’d known, except maybe our father. He’d taught her well, or so I’d thought.”
So many times she’d told the tale of her sister’s disappearance after deciding to journey to the Caribbean. When she’d gone, a piece of Luna’s soul had died. “So, what colleges are you thinking of applying to?”
She couldn't believe her son was almost completely grown. For so many years, it had just been the two of them, two peas in a pod. Yet more changes would soon affect her life when she had to let him go.
“I don’t know. I just want to get to Connecticut and figure it out later.”
“Alright.” Luna loved being a mother. Family meant everything to her.
“Are you glad to be going back home?”
“I don’t know. I have mixed emotions about it, but I want to be close to you. That is more important than continuing a search that probably should have ended years ago.”
“I can assure you I’m not that much fun, Mom. There will be tons of homework, lots of studying, a zillion tests, and not enough sleep or coffee to survive.”
“You're such a smart kid. I have faith you're going to do something wonderful with your life.”
“I hope so.”
The car ride to the airport was fast because they had little to carry with them. “I’m sorry you didn't get to pack your game system, but I will get you another one when we get to Connecticut.”
“Promise? The latest version?”
“I promise if you promise to focus on school and think about where you want to go to college when the time comes. I don’t mind you playing video games, but school comes first.”
“Got it. I wish we could’ve brought more than one suitcase. I couldn’t even carry all those baseball cards I collected.”
“It’s always a good idea to travel light. That was the one thing your Aunt Phoebe always said. She traveled light wherever she went. It didn’t matter by which means she traveled.”
“She seemed kind of fun because she traveled a lot. Captain of a boat, chartering boats like most guys do, and traveling light.”
“I swear she was born with an oar and boat wheel in her hands. Dad was never blessed with a son, so he taught her what he knew. I wasn’t as interested in boating as she was back then. I could steer a boat and move around the water, but I got bored fast. She could be out on those waters for hours. It was wonderful to witness and a rare gift.”
The flight was easy. Jonah nodded off while Luna watched a movie, and the pain of her loss still gripped her heart. “I’ll always love you, Phoebe.” Her whisper was a little louder than she’d intended.
The man sitting next to them in the aisle seat glanced over and frowned.
“Sorry. I’m just thinking about my sister.”
When he said nothing, nodded his head, and leaned back to close his eyes, Luna’s tears began. She felt like a failure, and in all honesty, she had been for a long time. Sure, in the game of life, raising a son as a single mother, holding down a good job, and being financially stable had been easy. Not finding her sister after her disappearance was another matter.
Nicky was at the airport waiting for them when they arrived in Connecticut. Over the years, Luna had stayed in touch withher high school friend, keeping up on the Enchanted Cove happenings. “I can’t believe it’s really you!”
