Page 91 of Totally Shipped
I nod. “Listen Mom, Brooke, I need to go so someone else can use the phone. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible…but there’s one thing. Do people know about our switch? They are calling me Brooke here, not Daisy.”
There is a moment of silence, but then Brooke speaks. “Can you be Brooke just a little longer? I’m so sorry, Daze. Fuck, I really am so so sorry. Oh God, everything is my fault. I’ll explain what’s going on soon, just trust me? Please be Brooke?”
Oh boy, where have I heard that before?
REX
Leander is in charge because Leander’s family is the only one with money.
We decide that he’ll get his brother’s credit card and start paying for everything; it will be a while before we can get back into our own bank accounts.
Leander said his brother had totally freaked after learning that we’d all survived, and was completely chill about handing over his bank details.
I can’t imagine how Meemaw is going to react; I hope the shock isn’t too much for her.
Killian has taken Key off to get an ice cream. I wanted to speak to Nanda first. When we left Samoa, Nikau was really sick, possibly dying. I want to know the lay of the land before I let Keyara talk to her mom. I call the landline of the family house.
“Hello?”
“Nanda?”
“No, this is Talia.”
Talia, Nikau’s cousin.
“Don’t freak out, Talia, but it’s Rex. I’m alive and I have Keyara with me, she’s safe and well.”
At first there is no reaction, and then I just hear screaming and sobbing. Suddenly another voice comes on. “Ai kae lou alelo! Who the fuck is this? What the fuck did you say to my wife?”
Fuck, what was Talia’s husband called?
“You think this is funny, asshole. What’s your game?”
John! That’s right.
“John, it’s me, Rex—Nanda’s cousin. I’m alive, Keyara is alive, it’s not bullshit. We have just been rescued, we’ve been on an island all this time.”
“Rex?” His voice changes from a roar to a croak. “Really? It’s you? Key is OK?”
“Yes, I promise. Is Nanda there? Nikau?”
“Oh, Rex,” he says. His voice is heavy. My heart drops to the floor.
“John?”
“They moved back to the States.”
“WHAT?”
“Long story, but they are actually living with Nanda’s Auntie Malia.”
Nanda’s auntie? Meemaw?
“They are with my grandmother? Shit, I guess that means Nikau is doing OK?”
John is laughing. “He is! Completely in remission! Shit, Rex, this is just fucking amazing. You have no idea how devastated they’ve been. Do you want me to call them?”
I think about it for a moment, then decide against John breaking the news.
