by Liwen Y. Ho
“Only if you promise not to take the easy way out again. All marriages go through rough patches. You can’t leave just because things get hard.”
“I know. Trust me, I’m sticking around for good this time.”
“All right.” Brian relayed the directions to his house and left Matt with a word of encouragement before hanging up. “I’m pretty sure she’ll give you another chance. I’ll be praying for you two.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it. Let’s talk more later. It’ll be good to catch up.”
Matt pulled up the GPS directions, then shifted the jeep into drive and exited the airport parking lot. He turned onto the main road and headed south on Highway 72. Based on the current traffic conditions, he would arrive at Brian’s house at a quarter after one. That would leave plenty of daylight for him and Olive to explore the island … assuming she would go with him.
He’d taken a leap of faith in coming after her and it was all based on a conversation they had had years ago. He promised her they would come to Oahu one day and visit all the locations where her favorite TV show had been filmed. The trip they intended to take after college got postponed with the pregnancy and eventually it made its way to a bucket list of things to do once Micah got older. But Olive ended up taking the trip without him. It hurt when he found out about her plans, but he understood that he had broken the ultimate promise when he packed his bags a year ago.
He switched on the radio, hoping to fill the silence that even the pouring rain couldn’t drown out. Ever since the separation he realized how much he disliked being alone, despite the fact that solitary life had been his M.O. as an only child. And work, no matter how much time he devoted to it, was a poor substitute for companionship.
He turned the dial to sample the different stations until his ears picked up on a familiar tune, King and Country’s upbeat song, “It’s Not Over Yet”. He smiled as he listened to the lyrics that seemed so appropriate for his situation. Leaving the past behind. New beginnings. A season for redemption. It could be the anthem for his and Olive’s relationship. They had struggled so much over the years, and unfortunately, they had let the hard times tear them apart. But no more. He was ready to commit through the good and the bad.
He couldn’t wait to see her, but first, he needed some supplies for their trip. Spotting a shopping center on the right, he pulled into the Kahala Mall and found a grocery store much like the one they frequented back home. He picked up some sandwiches and drinks, making sure to grab a bag of taro chips before heading back onto the road.
Soon after, the scenery changed as he drove out of the city. The highway wound around the island, surrounding him with brown and green mountainous terrain on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. Matt’s breath caught in his throat when he glimpsed the water. Despite the dark clouds overhead, the sea reflected vibrant hues of blue, culminating in white waves that crashed along the shore.
Some parts of the ocean reminded him of Polar Blast-flavored Hawaiian Punch, the fun gift Olive had given him after her twenty-week ultrasound appointment. She’d been right all along about having a boy. Maybe it was mother’s intuition, but Olive’s accurate prediction proved she’d be a natural at parenting. He, on the other hand, had never even held a baby until that day in the delivery room. As a dad, he tried his best to help out at home, but it became easier to focus on what he was good at: his job. And once he dove into work, it sucked him in. Away from what was important, his family and friends, even God. But he was finding his way back.
The GPS indicated he was approaching his destination. At the next exit, he turned off the highway and made his way down a residential road toward a white one-story house. He parked and opened the car door, bracing himself for the balmy gusts of wind blowing the palm trees along the street. He jogged up the long driveway and said a quick prayer as he rang the doorbell.
After the longest minute of his life, the door opened. “Matt? What are you doing here?”
Those wide brown eyes peeking around the door immediately set his heart and mind at ease. This reunion with Olive was where he was supposed to be. “Surprise!”
The door opened wide and she pulled him inside. “Come in! You’re soaked.”
He looked down at himself, only realizing then how wet he’d gotten running up to the house. His white short-sleeve polo shirt stuck to his chest and drops of water fell from his head onto the tile floor. “Looks like I’m the drowned rat this time,” he laughed while running his hands through his hair.
She yelped and stepped back. “Hey, you’re splashing water all over the place. I’ll get you a towel.” Gesturing to the adjacent living room, she added, “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”
He thought he heard her chuckle as she left the foyer. He took off his sneakers and walked over to a sofa littered with toys and books. By the time he sat down, Olivia was back with a large towel and a navy blue T-shirt. He took them from her with a smile. “Thanks.”
“Sure. Uh, that’s actually your shirt. The one you left when you—” she paused to chew on her lower lip “—stayed over that night. I’ve been meaning to return it to you.”
He held up his old college memento to reveal three gold letters that read UCB on the front. “That’s where it went. How did—I mean, why did you bring it here? You couldn’t have known I was coming.”
Her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink that matched her sleeveless top. She crossed her arms and shrugged nonchalantly. “I like to sleep in it. It’s comfortable.”
He nodded, trying not to make a big deal out of Olive’s admission. He focused on changing his shirt and toweling himself off, but he couldn’t help but grin. At least she was being honest. He may not have remembered leaving it with her, but he did recall being very distracted that night. It was the main reason why he thought they still had a chance of getting back together.
She spoke again, breaking the silence. “You didn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?”
Lowering the towel from his head, he met her curious gaze. “I’m here to make good on my promise.”
“What promise?”
“Remember how we said we’d go to all the places where Lost was filmed? This is our chance. I have all the sites mapped out and I even brought lunch. Have you eaten yet?”
“I only had some crackers ‘cause my stomach’s been—wait, you flew all the way here to be my tour guide?”
“Yep.”
She shook her head slowly in disbelief. “You’re crazy.”
She was right. He was crazy, about her. And it’d been too long since he told her so. “Maybe I am.”
“You do realize there’s a tropical storm going on right now.”
“It’s just some water and wind. This is nothing compared to east coast weather.” He laid the towel across the back of the couch. “So, are you game?”
She was quiet for a moment. “Micah will be back soon. Lani took them—”
“To the aquarium, I know. I talked to Brian already and I told Micah my plans this morning. They said we can take as long as we want.”
“Micah knew you were coming?”
He nodded. “We chatted before I boarded my flight. He promised not to say anything to you.”
“That’s why he was so happy when he left. I thought he was excited about seeing the fish.”
“I’d like to think I’m more exciting than fish.”
She pretended to consider his statement. “Maybe a little bit more.” She sat down on the square ottoman across from him. “I’m impressed. You thought of everything. And you really surprised me.”
“Of course. Have you ever known me to do things half way?”
“You do always go all out to find a story.”
He rubbed his hands together, his enthusiasm growing. She knew him so well. “Yep. This’ll be just as fun as chasing down a lead. Except that we already know where to go. So, are you ready to see the sights?”
She studied him with narrowed eyes. “I don’t t
hink I’ve ever seen you so excited about something besides work. Who are you and what have you done with my husband?”
The way she said husband—almost like a term of endearment—made his throat tighten. He gave her a grateful smile. “He’s still here. He’s just trying to be the man you married.”
Her expression softened. She brought one hand to her mouth and nodded. “Okay.”
For a moment, Matt didn’t know if he had heard her right. “Did you say yes?”
“Yes. Let’s go.”
Matt grinned and stood up. “All right! It’ll take us an hour to get to the north side, so we better get started.”
“Where are we going first?”
“The beach camp.”
She sprang to her feet. “The beach camp where they lived? What are we waiting for? Come on!”
This was the Olive he fell in love with. Spunky. Optimistic. His best friend. And he was on his way back to being a guy worthy of her love.
Connection
One month ago
Olivia
“Ba, can you stay tonight?”
Olivia spun around in the doorway of Micah’s bedroom in time to see Matt take a step back toward the bed. She opened her mouth to answer, but stopped herself.
Matt paused for a beat, rubbing the back of his neck, then bent over to kiss the top of Micah’s head. “I can’t, buddy. But I’ll pick you up from school tomorrow.”
As Matt pulled away, Micah grabbed onto his sleeve. “What if I have it again? The bad dream.”
“Hey, you haven’t had one for weeks now. You’ll be okay. And Mom’s down the hall if you need her.”
“Please, Ba?”
Olivia couldn’t bear to see the panic taking over Micah’s small frame. He’d been recovering so well lately, but setbacks were to be expected, especially when his life was still turned upside down by the separation. What he needed was a sense of stability and predictability, something she as his parent—not to mention, a therapist—was supposed to provide. What was one night? It was the least she could do. “Matt, if you want to you can stay—” she nodded toward the guest room “—across the hall.” Her invitation produced the biggest identical grins on Matt’s and Micah’s faces and she couldn’t help but smile herself. “Is that a yes?”
“Yeah!” Micah responded for his dad. “Can you make French toast for breakfast tomorrow?”
“Sure thing.” Turning to Olivia, Matt asked, “Do we have—do you have eggs?”
The hurt in Matt’s eyes was hard to miss, probably because they no longer avoided eye contact when they talked. Not only that, but she felt like she was seeing him through a new lens. The slight gray at his temples, the laugh lines around the corner of his eyes—all the things she only recently discovered made her look at him a little longer. Why had she not noticed them before? She blinked quickly, realizing Matt and Micah were still waiting for her answer. “Yeah, we have eggs.”
“Great.” Matt smiled and tucked the Superman covers around Micah’s shoulders. He rose from the bed and joined Olivia at the door. “Now get some sleep. If you need anything, just call me and I’ll come.”
Micah nodded, giving them a toothy grin before he closed his eyes. “Good night, Ba. Good night, Mom.”
“Good night, sweetie.” Olivia turned off the light and pulled the door closed.
She prayed she had made the right decision in letting Matt stay. She didn’t want to give Micah a false sense of hope that they were getting back together. But maybe there was a chance they could salvage their relationship. The last two months after the accident had been surprisingly positive. Matt had been coming over for dinner several nights a week and even attending church with them on Sundays. He seemed like a different man, one who paid more attention to her and Micah than to his work emails. They were getting along so well—talking and laughing and planning their time together—that sometimes she wondered how they had ever grown apart.
She turned to face him, surprised to find her heart rate picking up speed. “Um, do you need anything? A toothbrush? Towel?”
“No, I’m good. I’ve got stuff in my gym bag in the car.” He gestured to the hall closet and added, “If I do need anything, I know where to find it.”
“Of course. Nothing’s changed, so help yourself.” Even as the words left her mouth, she realized how foolish they sounded. So much in fact had changed. The framed photos of the three of them hanging on the wall behind Matt proved it. He was part of the family, yet here she was treating him like a guest. “I’m glad you’re staying tonight. It means a lot to Micah.”
“Well, I appreciate you letting me stay.”
She nodded with a tight smile. “I’m going to sleep now. Good night.”
“I’m going to watch some TV before I turn in. You wanna join me?” he called softly down the hall after her.
Olivia slowed her steps upon hearing those familiar words. Once upon a time, she would have jumped at Matt’s invitation. Cuddling with him used to be the highlight of her day and she so missed the intimacy they once shared. Something in his voice—the hopeful, nostalgic sound of it—caused her to turn around.
That’s how she found herself a few hours later sitting on the couch with her estranged husband and a bag of taro chips between them. Despite not having been alone together since the separation, everything felt natural. Seeing Matt lounging on the couch and hearing his occasional chuckles filled a void in the room and in her heart. For the first time in a long time, she found herself enjoying the show and not just watching images flash by on the screen.
Halfway through an episode, Olivia reached for the bag and bumped into Matt’s hand as he did the same. The brush of his skin against hers sent a rush of heat up her arm. “Sorry, I didn’t see you. You go first.”
“Don’t be sorry.”
The intense longing in his eyes surprised her, but not as much as his next move. He moved the chips to the floor and bridged the distance between them so that they were face to face. He reached for her hand and ran his thumb across her knuckles, sending long-forgotten flutters through her body. “Matt, what are you doing?”
“Doesn’t this remind you of us back in college? Sitting on the couch watching a show. Sharing a bag of chips.”
Yes … and no. It was a different time and a different place, but the same spark was there; Olivia couldn’t deny that. It was just her and Matt again, a little more weary and broken, but their connection was just as strong and true as the first time he held her hand. She closed her palm around his fingers, grateful for the chance to touch him. “I remember how surprised I was to find out you liked me. I thought you saw me as Brian’s annoying little sister who hogged the TV.”
“Maybe I did in the beginning, but you grew on me. I couldn’t get you off my mind any more than I could get you off the couch. So I had to join you. That was the best decision I ever made.”
Olivia wondered if her decision to join Matt tonight was equally as good. If the way he was looking at her was any indication, she had no regrets. “I’d have to agree. We were pretty good together.”
Matt tilted her chin up. “We still are. We still can be, Olive.”
Olivia swallowed hard. With one word, she was transported back to happier times, before the struggles and the heartbreak. With one word, she also saw a glimpse of their future. “You called me Olive.”
Matt’s mouth twisted in a wry smile. “You never did like that nickname—”
“No, no, I like it.” She squeezed his hand in affirmation. “I might even love it.”
“You do?”
She nodded, encouraged by the hopefulness in his tone. “I love how you’re the only one who calls me that.”
“It’s been a while since I have though. I can’t remember when I stopped …”
“It doesn’t matter.” After everything they’d been through together, she was grateful for a chance to go back to where they started. “Just don’t stop again.”
“I won’t,” he promised, his voi
ce firm and sincere. He brought one hand to her face, gently caressing her cheek. “Olive, can I ask you something?”
His touch opened up her heart like a flower basking in the warmth of a new day. She could no longer deny what she knew to be true: she had never stopped loving him. “Yes, anything.”
“Is it okay if I kiss you?”
“More than okay.”
And with the first of many kisses, Olivia lost track of everything—other than the feeling of Matt’s lips on hers and his skin against her skin—and woke up to find herself wearing his T-shirt the next morning.
----
Present day
“It’s amazing to see the island in person. Is it what you expected?”
Olivia looked over to her left to find Matt grinning. They had been driving for an hour, going slower than the speed limit at times due to the storm. But the scenery, not to mention, the company, made the trip more than worthwhile. They were mostly making small talk, but it felt good to get along. “It looks just like what we saw on TV, but better. Everything’s so green and peaceful. I can’t wait to get to the beach. Are we almost there?”
“We just passed the town of Haleiwa. There should be a path coming up on the right that’ll take us to Moku …—” he squinted at the GPS “—Mokuleia Army Beach.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for it.” Even though her eyes were supposed to be on the road, she couldn’t help but steal glances at Matt. She had a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that he had flown to Oahu to surprise her. When he could’ve been chasing after a story, he was here chasing after her. “I can’t believe you’re here and we’re actually doing this.”
“You better believe it.” He took her hand that had been resting on the center console and squeezed it. “There’s no place I’d rather be.”
The back and forth motion of the windshield wipers resembled the state of her heart. She felt torn—torn between trusting this man she loved and protecting herself. But if they were going to have a shot at mending their marriage, she had to put it all on the line. She took a deep breath and forced herself to say the words weighing on her heart. “Do you mean that?”
