ANNA BLEW OUT a breath. Of course nothing could be easy or actually work as it was supposed to.
Nico smiled. “Ethan, how is it that your aunt Anna can fix people, yet she can’t figure out that you have to turn the piece to make it fit?” Giggling, Ethan took the T-shaped Lego block and attached it to the replica of the White House they were building.
Ethan had taken to Nico right away, latching on to him with a fierceness that made Caro cry at night, wondering whether Ethan was starving for a male role model. For his part, Nico showered Ethan with love and attention. Anna didn’t have to imagine how good a father he’d be. When they’d had Lucas, Nico had changed just as many diapers as she had and had given him just as many baths.
“Uncle Nico, pass me the piece for the outside balcony—I think it’s supposed to face the Washington Monument.” Anna marveled at the architectural complexity of the project. Caro had explained that Ethan’s psychologist had recommended building with Lego as a way to build both his cognitive and fine motor skills. The box that the Lego came in said it was designed for children five years older than Ethan, and yet he could do it with more ease than Anna. The extra play therapy that Caro had invested in was really paying off.
Anna remembered when Ethan was first diagnosed two years ago. One of Caro’s biggest problems had been which specialist to choose; there were hundreds of them in the Washington area. There were none on Guam. Ethan had a good chance of growing up to be a successful adult. His autism was not going to hold him back. But if Anna had had a child with Ethan’s needs while living on Guam, she’d have nowhere to turn. The schools on the island were marginal at best. Every governor promised to invest in the education system, health care, roads, housing… The list went on but hardly any of it ever got done.
Nico had been in DC for three months now, and they still hadn’t decided what to do. With her usual graciousness, Caro had given them her bedroom and was sleeping on Ethan’s bottom bunk so Anna and Nico could have some privacy. Yet they avoided the elephant in the bed between them, both content to enjoy being with each other, pretending they were like any other happily married couple. Maria was handling things with the hospital, and Nana was doing well. Nico had no urgent need to return.
Watching Nico play with Ethan, Anna realized that this is what she’d always wanted. To have Nico be a part of her life, just as much as she’d become a part of his. But that wouldn’t be possible if they lived on Guam. Caro couldn’t journey with Ethan that often. He was afraid of small spaces; the plane ride alone would be torture. Not to mention the cost of airfare. Then there were all his appointments with the therapist. Now that she’d been living with them for more than half a year, Anna couldn’t imagine a life without them.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Caro was out taking a night to herself thanks to her free babysitters, so Anna opened the door.
A gray-haired lady stood on the stoop.
“I’m sorry, I was looking for Caroline. You must be her sister, Anna. I see the family resemblance.”
Anna nodded as the woman extended her hand. “I’m Edna, I live next door. Caroline mentioned you might be interested in buying my townhome.”
With a glance at Nico, Anna nodded again but stepped outside, closing the door behind her. “Ethan is really engrossed in a game,” she said to explain her rudeness in not inviting Edna inside.
Edna nodded. “Yes, best not to disturb him. I spoke to Caroline a while ago when my son first asked if I’d like to move close to him. He just found me this nice condo in Phoenix, right by him, so I really need to sell my house in order to buy it. She mentioned you might be interested. Do you have a minute to come see it now?”
Anna looked back at the door.
“If this is a bad time, it’s not a problem. It’s just that one of the other neighbors also wants to buy it. I guess word spreads around, but I know it would mean so much to Caroline to have you right next to her. She could use the help with Ethan. Poor girl never gets out. I tried to watch him once, but he’s a handful for me. I see you and your husband know just how to get along with him.”
Caro hadn’t dated since Ethan’s diagnosis. The list of babysitters who were willing to take care of Ethan was small, and expensive. It would be nice if she could be here for Caro.
She opened the door and stuck her head in. “Nico, I’m going to the neighbor’s for a second. Will you two be okay?”
“It’s okay, Aunt Anna, he’s much better at this than you are. Take your time.”
Smiling, Anna closed the door and followed Edna into her home. It was a mirror image of Caro’s house and Anna could definitely afford Edna’s price. She even found the closet where they could make a gateway to Caro’s house for Ethan.
“I don’t mean to rush you, dear, but the other folks have already made me an offer. If you can match their price, we have a deal.”
Washington, DC, was almost eight thousand miles away from Guam; a third of the way around the earth. She and Nico had briefly talked about the idea of living in Hawaii, where they could catch direct flights to the island. From DC, they’d be lucky if they could make it with just two connections. Most of the flight paths required at least three connections and well over twenty hours in transit. They’d never be able to split their time. But what was the point of living in Hawaii? Nico wouldn’t have Nana and she wouldn’t have Caro and Ethan.
“I’ll buy it,” Anna said.
* * *
ANNA HADN’T BEEN gone for more than ten minutes when Nico’s cell phone rang. He made sure Ethan was busy with his blocks and went to the kitchen to answer it.
“Maria, Hafa Adai.”
“Hafa Adai, Nico. I’m sorry to call you like this, but you must return home.”
Nico’s heart stopped. Had something happened to Nana? To the hospital? Last he’d checked, there were no storms expected anytime soon, but he knew that could’ve changed overnight.
“Maria, please—”
“Nana collapsed. She’s okay now, but she said she got dizzy and fell. The phone was too far away for her to reach. Lucky that Tito came home and found her. He brought her to the hospital.”
Nico’s stomach hardened. He never should’ve left Nana alone, especially not for this long.
“What does Dr. Balachandra say?”
While they had a whole new team of physicians at the hospital, Nico trusted Dr. Balachandra the most and Maria knew that. She would’ve made sure he was the one to see Nana.
“He said it’s hard to tell what’s going on with her cancer, but that’s the likely cause. He wants you to talk to your mother about having the tests that oncologist recommended on the mainland.”
Nico rubbed his neck. The oncologist they’d hired could only do so much over video chat. He’d recommended Nana come to his hospital in Los Angeles for further testing and possibly surgery. He wouldn’t even prescribe any medication without the tests. One of the disadvantages of the mainland was that the doctors were all worried about people suing them. Nana wouldn’t hear of going to California. Not even for tests.
“I’ll get on a flight as soon as I can.”
“She’s asking for you, Nico.”
Maria transferred the phone to Nana and Nico chatted with her. Nana was putting on a good show, but Nico heard the fear in her voice. She didn’t want to die alone.
“I’ll be there, Nana, you hang in.”
As soon as he hung up, he powered up Caro’s computer to look for flights, frantically searching the websites for the combination of legs that would get him home as quickly as possible.
“Nico?”
He turned to find Anna standing behind him. “Ethan was all alone in the family room. What’s going on?”
He closed his eyes. Ethan seemed so independent, he’d forgotten that the boy needed to be supervised at all times. “Is he okay?”
Anna nodded. “Why did you leave him alone?”
Nico filled her in on everything that had happened with Nana. Anna braced herself against the desk. “I’ll come with you,” she said softly.
He wanted more than anything for her to be with him, but what could she do there? He’d seen the price of flights. They cost more than the monthly salary he drew from his work at the hospital. And that was just one way. Besides, Anna had tried to convince Nana to go to California and she’d refused.
“It’s going to take twenty-six hours to get home,” he said dejectedly as he clicked through to buy his ticket.
“I know,” Anna whispered softly.
“That’s the point you’ve been making, isn’t it? That my home is too far away.”
She nodded. “See how you feel now, trying to get to Nana? That’ll be what our lives are like. You can’t go back every month. It’s not practical. And if something happens to Nana like it just did, you’ll never forgive yourself if you can’t make it home in time.”
He knew she was right. There was no real choice. Anna circled her arms around his neck and sat in his lap. Burying his head in her shoulder, he took a deep breath, memorizing the feel of her body against his, her scent, the softness of her skin. The flight he selected was leaving in three hours.