Page 98 of For Eva

We both laughed at my weak attempt at an Australian accent.

“Well, he was right. If you can’t tell, I’m really glad to hear your voice.”

“Yeah?” I asked, running a hand through my hair as the breeze off the water picked up.

“Yeah. But hey, can you hang on a second?”

There was shuffling and a door opening. I couldn’t make out exactly what she was saying, but there was another voice, then a creaking sound as the door shut.

“Sorry. One of my kids wanted a snack. And he’s such a slick negotiator. Please note, he did not get that from me.” She laughed, differently this time, but I couldn’t put my finger on why. My brain was too busy processing one word.

Kids.

Tiny humans.

Eva is a…mom?

“Oh, wow. Kids, huh? That’s…wow…that’s great. How many?”

“Two boys. Ten and fifteen.”

I pressed my hand into my chest. I knew from the article she’d changed her last name, so chances were good she was married and settled into the normal life she’d said she wanted, but it still stung to find out for certain. “So you’re…married, I guess?”

She hesitated before answering. “Divorced. Kinda recently.”

I know I’m a dick for thinking this, but thank you, God. Thank you.

“Oh, I’m…sorry?” I wasn’t sure if she was happy or sad about the situation, so I gave her space to fill in the blanks.

“It’s okay. I’m fine. I mean, I’m not, but I am. If that makes any sense.”

“It makes perfect sense, actually.”

“So enough about that,” she insisted. “What aboutyou? Making multiplatinum albums, selling out stadiums, dating movie stars and supermodels. Do you actually know how famous you are?”

“Ha! I can’t win on this one. If I say yes, I sound like a pompous asshole. If I say no, it sounds like a humble brag.”

She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Okay, then. Tell me this. Where are you right now? Right this minute, where are you and what are you doing?”

I smiled, looking down at the beach as several couples strolled by. “You know, just…California.”

“Wherein California?”

“Malibu.”

“Wherein Malibu?”

“What do you meanwherein Malibu?”

“You know what I mean bywherein Malibu.”

“Fine. My house in Malibu.”

“And…”

I smiled and threw my head back. “And I’m sitting on the big deck of my big house looking out at the big ocean. Any more questions?”

Eva laughed. A laugh that sent me floating over the water in front of me. I’d always known I missed her. But I didn’t truly understand just how much until that moment.

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