Chapter 1
Kai
Therewasn'tasingledecent cup of coffee to be found in this town. If that wasn’t reason enough to move back to Australia after my transfer year, I didn’t know what was.
The coffee here didn't only come in cups as big as my head. No, they chucked half a gallon of liquid creamer and a shitload of syrups in there, followed by a flood of milk. Then, of course, they topped it all off with an optional mountainous dollop of whipped cream.
It was a tragedy. Blasphemy, really. I expected to have to lower my expectations. Australiawaswidely known for proper coffee culture after all, but fuck me, this was worse than I’d expected.
Didn’t stop me from getting my caffeine fix, but it just wasn’t the same.
“What’s that face for?” Tane gave me a sideways glance, lest he take his attention off the road. My uncle was responsibility personified.
I scoffed. “Do you even have to ask?”
“Not the coffee again.” He sighed with exasperation.
“In my twenty-one years on this planet, I never would have thought anyone would dare call this abomination coffee. It’s a disgrace. An insult againstrealcoffee,” I declared dramatically, slumping in my seat.
Tane rolled his eyes. “I promise your precious machine will get here any day.”
“Oh, please, like you’re not on fucking pins and needles to get all your boring shit.”
“Excuse me, my shit isn’t boring,” he shot back gruffly.
Turning my head his way, in my best impression of slow motion, I shot him an incredulous look.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure customs are working overtime to rush over your busted-ass recliner, your fifteen boxes of old game tape, and a hundred stubby holders, mate.”
“Don’t forget the lawn mower,” he muttered.
He talked about it as if it were a family heirloom.
I snorted. “Oh right, the sacred mower. Because God forbid you use an American one.”
“Exactly. Lawn isn’t going to mow itself, you know.”
“If you say so. I still can't believe you had this thing professionally cleaned just to ship it. Who does that?”
“Someone who values their possessions and knows they don't make them like this anymore,” remarked Tane as he pulled into our driveway.
We’d been in the US for a couple of weeks, staying in an Airbnb while we waited for the house purchase to be finalized and for our belongings to clear customs.
Well, mostlyhisbelongings. I was only staying for a year, but since he had extra space in the container, I slipped in a few of my favorite items. Just enough to make this new life feel less transient.
We’d just went to the store and picked up some shit to make the house my uncle had bought in a quaint neighborhood in eastern Tennessee feel a bit more cozy. Most of the homes were fairly new or recently renovated, but the one next to Tane’s new home had clearly been there for decades.
The house was neat and well taken care of, with a meticulously designed front garden and a slightly rusty car, which had yet to move even once, sitting in the driveway. It certainly wasn't one of the modern builds making up the rest of the area.
Tane's enormous SUV rocked from side to side as we climbed out. Perhaps its size wasn't actuallythatridiculous, given how big we both were. It was nice to have some legroom.
“Ah! Finally!”
Our heads whipped around to the source of the exclamation. Staring back at us was a short, plump woman who was definitely my Kuia’s age but who didn't look like a grandmother at all. Or at least, not likemine.
Her dark hair was cut just below her chin and perfectly styled with blonde highlights. She wore bright red lipstick, high heels and a blazer. Although she had to be at least seventy, clearly no one had made her aware of that fact.
Tane’s eyes darted my way as if to check I was equally caught off guard.
