“Mom! What are you doing home so early?”
“I wanted to see you before I left. I’m going away for a week.”
“Oh.” His slender body, padded in winter gear, brushed past her and his heavy book bag was momentarily trapped between the doorjamb and Liz. With a wiggle and a push against his mother both boy and bag were soon hurrying down the hall to his bedroom. “Hi, Aunt Dee.” Marc threw up his hand in greeting as he passed Liz’s bedroom where Dee was quietly reorganizing the suitcase.
The older woman picked up a thin nightgown that had definitely seen better days and shook her head in resignation.
Liz, following him down the hall paused at her bedroom. “He doesn’t seem the slightest bit fazed by the fact that I’m going away.”
“Why would he be?” Dee asked, tossing aside a pair of frayed leather sandals she deemed beyond embarrassing.
“I’ve never spent a night away from him.” Liz fought the sharp shooting pain in her chest that reflected her own fear of separation anxiety. “You’d think he would be a little nervous.”
“Why? Because you are?” Dee shook her head. “Liz, all his life you’ve worked double time to make sure he felt safe and secure. And guess what? It worked. He knows you’re coming back and he knows I’m here while you’re gone. He’s not nervous because he knows his world is stable.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“I know I am. Now, go say goodbye before the cab gets here.”
Liz came to Marc’s bedroom and leaned against the door frame watching as he played video games. How to say goodbye? She was about to leave her son for the first time ever to fly around the world. She shook her head at the audaciousness of the task before her. But she would succeed. She had to. “I know you better not have any homework since you’re playing video games.” She folded her arms across her chest.
He shook his head, never taking his eyes from the television screen.
“None at all?”
The head shook again.
“Hmm…that’s strange because it’s Tuesday, and you always have a spelling test on Wednesday, so shouldn’t you be studying for your test?”
He glanced over his shoulder with a frown. “That’s not homework, Mom.”
“No?”
“Uh-uh, that’s just something the teacher tells you to do.”
Liz frowned at his convoluted logic. “I have no idea why you think that makes a difference, so turn off that TV and get started studying.”
With a heavy sigh he turned off the TV and turned to face his mom. “You gonna quiz me?”
“No, Aunt Dee will. My cab will be here soon.” She came into the room and sat down beside him on the bed. “Marc, you know I love you, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“And I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“I know.”
“Do you want to know where I’m going?”
His young face became strangely sober. “I already know. Aunt Dee said you’re going to see if you can find a kidney for me.”
Liz’s eyes widened. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Dee sharing that with him, but it didn’t seem to trouble him.
“Something like that. I promise I’ll be back by Saturday.”
“Okay. Aunt Dee said we’re going to play hooky tomorrow and go to the zoo.”
“Sounds like fun, wish I could come along.”
“You can go with us next time.”
“Liz, your cab is here,” Dee called from the front of the small house.
“Be right there.” She leaned forward and hugged Marc close. “I’m going to miss you so much, but I’ll get back as soon as I can. I love you.”
“Love you too, Mommy.” He pecked her cheek and then, having done his duty, immediately began squirming to get free.
Liz slipped on her heavy winter coat and boots and, taking the small suitcase from her bedroom, headed for the living room where Dee was peeking out the window.
She placed a soft kiss on Dee’s shoulder. “Take care of my baby, Dee.”
Dee looked her directly in the eyes as if to convey the sincerity of her next words. “You know I will.”
Two and a half days later an exhausted Liz climbed the carpeted stairs leading to the welcome center of the Hawaiki Inn resort. Even in her bedraggled state Liz couldn’t help but be impressed by the elegant bungalow-style hotel.
She’d arrived on the courtesy van along with six other guests and all the others had already gone in to register. But she’d just stood on the porch taking in her new surroundings.
Liz wasn’t sure exactly what she expected but it certainly was not this warm and welcoming chocolate-colored wood-shingled village. Everything about the place said “Come inside my walls and rest.” And after her long trip she was more than ready to comply. The problem was that somewhere inside those walls awaited the confrontation of a lifetime.
It had only been two days since she’d left the snowy streets of Columbus, but she could’ve traveled to another world. Where Columbus was experiencing one of the worst winters on record, New Zealand was just entering its summer season. Where Columbus was all freezing winds and dirty snow, New Zealand was a lush green landscape sprinkled with flowers and trees of every color.
The welcome center sat back from a cliff top. Standing on the long, circular porch gave Liz a breathtaking view of a harbor with the clearest blue water she’d ever seen in her life. It sparkled like a pool of tiny crystals in the bright sunlight.
Colorful flowers were scattered in pots and growing wild throughout the complex. So many of them she was certain she’d never even heard of before.
Unable to put off the inevitable any longer she entered the lobby and found it just as colorful as its surroundings. The large open room was decorated in tangerine and royal purple. Large, plush sofas were spread around beside small wood tables beneath walls decorated with abstract artwork. Candles, lanterns and tiki torches adorned the room. As she crossed to the counter the last couple from the van were getting their room key.
“Welcome to Tairua, can I have your name please?” The young Maori man at the counter gave her a wide smile.
Liz felt her spine relax and only then did she realize she had expected to see Darius standing behind the counter. “Thank you. It’s Lisa Smith.” She gave the alias she’d registered under, fearing Darius would cancel her reservation if she used her real name.
“Yes, Ms. Smith, I have you right here.”
He punched something into the computer. “You will have the Nogomain bungalow.”
“Nogomain?”
The young man smiled. “All of our bungalows are named after Polynesian gods and goddesses. Nogomain was an aborigine god that gave spirit children to mortal parents.”
“Really?” Liz thought that maybe fate was sending her a positive sign given how desperately her mortal child needed some spiritual intervention. With impressive speed the attendant explained to her all the hotel’s amenities and gave her a small brochure to fill in the blanks.
A short while later, small suitcase in hand, she was wandering down the redbrick path that wound its way through the collection of small bungalows looking for Nogomain.
A couple passed her looking so completely in love that