Page 150 of Key West Homecoming

“Understood.”

“Good.”

Emma looked out at the palms beyond the patio.

“Priya?”

“Yeah?”

“I don't think I'm coming back.”

Another silence.

“You mean to Chicago?”

“I mean to my life there. The way I've been living it.”

“Emma.”

“Yeah?”

“I've been waiting to hear you say that for years.”

“You have?”

“I have. I'm going to cry for two minutes and then say something practical. Can I have the two minutes?”

Emma smiled. “You can have the two minutes, but only two minutes.”

Priya didn't make it two minutes before the practical questions started, although she cried through most of them. She wanted dates for a visit next month. She wanted to see the cottage and Margarita Max's, and she definitely wanted to meet the man Emma kept mentioning in a certain tone of voice.

Emma promised to look at the calendar and send her some dates.

After they hung up, she stayed on the patio until almost nine. Nothing was planned for the day, and for once, doing nothing sounded wonderful.

The phone rang at four minutes past nine.

“How long have you been in Key West?” Jake asked.

“Good morning to you too.”

“How long?”

Emma counted. “I don’t know almost three weeks.”

“And in all that time, what have you actually seen?”

“I've seen a great deal.”

“Name it.”

“A cottage. A bar. A bank in Miami, which doesn't count. Rachel's office. The courthouse.” Emma paused when the list ended sooner than expected. “A bookstore.”

“That's what I thought. Be ready in forty minutes. Wear your hat and shoes you can walk in. Bring a swimsuit and towel too.”

“In case of what?”

“You'll find out. And you're not paying for anything today, so don't start arguing.”