Someone Else’s Life(10)

“Must be nice to have someone care about you so much.” There was a wistful look on Serena’s face.

“Yeah, I guess.” Annie shrugged, not wanting to explain how complicated her relationship with Brody was right now. “You mentioned you don’t have any family here. But you live here? By yourself?” She was still pondering Serena’s response that she wasn’t really a tourist. She checked the tea and, deciding it was steeped enough, poured it into one of the cups, which she held out to Serena. Then she poured a cup for herself, looking at the glass of wine longingly. She’d feel funny drinking wine when her guest was having tea.

“Um, yes. I live here.” Serena wrapped both hands around her cup and brought it to her face. She closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of the Taiwanese mountain tea that Annie’s family always stocked up on whenever they visited Taiwan. “This smells amazing. I knew you’d have good tea.”

“Thanks.” Annie was about to ask her how long she’d been on Kauai, but then she paused. “What do you mean, you knew I’d have good tea?”

“Oh.” Serena’s eyes popped open, and red spots appeared on her cheeks. “I meant, um . . . not being racial at all. Just that you’re Chinese, so you’d know good tea. Sorry.” She cleared her throat and took a quick sip, almost blanching as the hot tea burned down her throat. “Not being stereotypical or anything.”

“It’s okay.” Annie frowned as she regarded Serena, wondering whether she was being genuine. And how did she know Annie was Chinese (actually half-Chinese/Hawaiian and half-Taiwanese)? Most people just said “Asian” because they couldn’t tell if Annie was Chinese, Japanese, or what. Annie had always thought she had a universal Asian face. Serena returned her look with a steady gaze until Annie looked away first.

There was a pause as they both sipped their tea. This was getting really awkward. She’d looked forward to having time to herself, maybe reading a good book. And now her peaceful afternoon of solitude and wine was ruined. But she would have felt bad not inviting Serena in when the weather was so bad outside. That would have been uncharitable of her. She’d probably be hit by lightning or something for thinking this, but she hoped the storm didn’t last too long and that Serena would soon be on her way.

As if to undermine her wishes, the wind suddenly howled, whipping branches against the house and making the loud pounding of the rain even more ominous. Annie was glad to be inside, safe and sound. She hoped Brody was staying dry at the airport.

Serena spoke up, breaking into Annie’s thoughts. “How long have you been here?”

“You mean Kauai? What makes you think I haven’t lived here all my life?”

“Oh, I mean . . . I don’t know.” Serena blushed again.

“Sorry.” Annie caught herself and realized she was being rude. Seriously. She really had lost all her social filters. But something about Serena was making her nerve endings stand up, like someone had sent a shock of electricity through her body. “You’re right—we moved here over a month ago. So we’re pretty new to the area.”

Serena smiled and Annie was surprised at how it transformed her face. She went from an ordinary-looking woman to one with a luminous face, her eyes lighting up. Serena opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, a loud crack of thunder shook the room and she let out a scream instead.

Annie placed a hand at her heart and walked to the window next to the front door. Wow, that was loud. It rarely thundered in Kauai, so to hear it now, so loud and near, sent her heart racing. She peered out the window. This storm was bad. She could see the way the palm trees were whipping in the wind, leaning to one side as if fighting off the storm. Her father had been right to worry. How was Brody going to get home from work?

Annie’s phone dinged in her pocket, and she took it out to read a text from Brody.

B: Everything okay?

A: Yes. You?

B: I’m good. People are saying they think the storm is going to be really bad.

A: It already is really bad. Maybe you should come home early.

B: I’ll try. I’ll let you know.

Annie’s head snapped up when something crashed outside. She looked out the window again. The rain was coming down so hard that she could barely see anything. But she squinted and saw a large branch had fallen in the backyard. Her heart sank. As much as she wanted to be alone, there was no way she could let Serena go back outside in this. It looked like she was stuck with company for the time being.





6


Annie walked back to the kitchen counter and picked up the open bottle of wine. With a storm so bad out, who could blame her for needing a drink? “You want a glass?” She gestured to Serena with the bottle.

“I’m okay with tea. Maybe later.” Serena still had her hands wrapped around her teacup.

“I guess you’re stuck here for the time being.” Annie looked longingly at the bottle. She needed a drink, bad. Screw it. It was her house, after all. If she wanted to drink in the afternoon, she was going to drink, invited intruder and all. She put the bottle back down and reached for her wineglass. Taking a healthy swallow, she dared Serena to comment.

But Serena wasn’t even looking at her. She was staring out at the storm, as if mesmerized by the sheets of rain falling outside.

Annie’s phone dinged, and she put the wineglass down to look at it.