“Did you see the newsletter?” Lie asks as we walk toward the ferry. “Poor Taylor is being persecuted.”
“Poor Taylor.” I pfft. “He brought it on himself. He’s a micromanager of the worst kind. No thanks.”
“You started a whole movement. Old man Winter is going to take over the next meeting.”
Winter Calloway is the current oldest generation of the Calloway family. It was his parents who built Kala. He’s a good man. I love when he stops in at the bar and shoots the shit with us. He’s been seen taking shots with patrons and dancing all dirty on the dance floor.
He’s almost seventy. The man is a living legend.
“Good. But also not good. He shouldn’t have to do that.”
“Meh,” Lie says. “Taylor’s grown too arrogant and nitpicky.”
We lock our phones in a single bio-scan phone locker and head for the docks, scanning our bracelets as we step on. We find our normal position on the top deck.
“I kind of feel bad. I don’t think he’s a bad person or that he means to be a pain in the ass. I think he wants Kala to be perfect. Every tiny, minute, insignificant detail. He just takes it too far.”
“Then it’s time for a reality check. It’s not all about Kala as an island chain. It needs to be at least equally about the people who live here. Spending so much damn energy on how tall our grass is or what kinds of bushes we’re allowed in our front yards and trying to convince everyone that the color of our front doors should be the same isnotnecessary for making Kala a desirable place to live nor is it taking the residents needs and wants into consideration.”
Lie has a lot of passion inside him. He just doesn’t realize it. I bet he’d be really good at becoming the new Taylor, though I’m not sure if he’s ready for that level of being needed and responsibility.
The ferry stops at Etsumi. Lie pushes off the railing, but I grab his arm and keep him beside me. He waits without question, glancing around at the people getting off. It isn’t until the bridge is pulled up and we’re still on the ferry that he looks at me with a frown.
“Are we covering at another bar?”
“Nope.”
“Then where are we going?”
“Stop asking so many questions, Lie.”
He rolls his eyes but settles into my side. His shoulder presses lightly against mine. Closer than necessary, but not so close that it would raise questions. We wait through the Makara stop, and I finally lead him to the bridge when we approach Anapos.
I know he’s curious as we walk through the belly of the resort. If it were dark out, I’d take his hand. But in the daylight, when we’re more likely to be spotted by someone with a penchant for gossip, it’s best not to give anyone a reason to talk.
There are only a very specific number of places on all six islands where you can dock—whether that be the public docks of the ferries that connect the islands like a subway would connect locations in a city.
While it’s not obvious, there’s security everywhere. People dressed like tourists so as not to take away from the aesthetic. Our shores are protected. We’re a truly safe place. I’ve even heard rumors that Kala has its own small army that remains stationed on boats around the distant perimeter of the islands, keeping any unwanted, uninvited company from our shores.
Like most islands, there are old fort ruins on the island. Kala hasn’t seen war, but a couple hundred years ago, it was a stop between the eastern Asian continents and the Americas. At one point, it was a pivotal location for armies.
I’m sure it still would be if a world war were to break out. I’m not convinced there are enough defenses to keep the private island chain from being taken over.
However, that’s not something to think about. I won’t go so far as to say that there’s peace in the world. Someone always wants more territory or needs to exterminate one religious sect because theirs is best. But right now, there’s relative peace. At least between the continents that have the Pacific Ocean separating them.
On the northeastern end of the island, you can rent water toys, like jet skis, pontoon boats, party floats, and so many other things. There are bright red buoys all over the place, denoting where guests are allowed to take such rented toys.
I lead Lie here and check in with my bracelet. We’re handed life vests and waved back. I think if we weren’t residents, the protocol is to either bring your rented item to you or escort you to it.
Perks to being a resident, I suppose.
“What did you do? Did you at least cover our shifts?”
“I didn’t actually schedule us today,” I say.
“I looked at the schedule.”
“You look at it once and then don’t look at it again. I changed it as soon as you looked at it.”
