mother. Now she was back. The reason? To justify her mother’s action and to find answers about what happened that horrible night.
She focused her mind on what she needed to do and what she expected to happen, but her mind was so tired from too much thinking.
Alex slipped her feet off her shoes, then pushed them underneath her seat. Oh, it felt so good to wiggle her toes and feel the cold floor. She’d never been a fan of shoes. On the island, she walked barefoot all the time.
A middle-aged man walked by her. He smiled and she waved.
It seemed everyone had cell phones in hand. She wished she had one, too. An officer with a dog on a leash came close to where she sat.
“Hey, puppy.”
The black and tan dog with ears sticking out looked at her and sniffed her bag. She was about to pet it when the officer pulled him away quickly.
“Sorry.” The officer smiled. “Are you waiting for someone?”
“Yes.”
The officer looked around. “I’ll be here for another hour. If your ride doesn’t show up, let me know. I’m Connor Buchanan.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a business card.
“Thank you for your offer, Officer Buchanan.”
Officer Buchanan nodded, but he didn’t make a move to leave. He kept on staring until his dog pulled on the leash. Still, while the dog walked ahead of him, he kept looking back. Alex almost laughed aloud when he bumped into a loaded cart.
She thought of her dog, Keeko. He was a mixed breed that Ema had found left alone on one of the islands, skin and bones, weak and not trusting anyone. Alex kept Keeko until the dog learned to trust her and friendship bloomed. Now, he was a healthy and rambunctious dog that would eat anything they put in his coconut bowl. He slept beneath her bed every night and would stay there until she woke up. Keeko, however, wouldn’t go in her room unless she was there. He followed her everywhere like a protector. She would never forget how Keeko jumped into the water to follow the boat she was in when she left the island. Ema had to swim after him. Sweet banana, she missed him.
Alex rubbed her forehead. When she and her mom found out her Dad had died in a plane crash, sadness that she thought would never go away settled in her chest. Then, she lost her mother, too. It took a long time before she could finally wake up in the morning without feeling the pain of losing her. Now, being here felt like she had lost Nanni and Ema, too. And yes, her dog. She didn’t like the feeling. And she didn’t like waiting!
Come on Baskerville. Where are you?
The sooner she talked to Baskerville, the faster she’d be able tie all the loose ends she had left behind. Which meant, the quicker she could go back to the Philippines. Now, if only Baskerville would show up now.
Another announcement that a plane had landed made her sigh heavily.
She would be staying with her godfather, Ben Baskerville. She remembered Baskerville vividly. He looked like Santa Claus with thick white beard and a belly that shook whenever he laughed. His shiny bright eyes seemed able to see if she had been good or bad. As her godfather, he never missed her birthdays. In addition, if she remembered it right, he was also friends with Judge Arthur Knight, who was Gawain’s father.
Nanni had contacted Baskerville a month before she came here. When he replied, surprise was evident in his letter. He asked so many questions in his thick letter, but Nanni gave him just enough information to appease his curiosity. She also told Baskerville to keep Alex’s presence unknown to anyone.
When Mom was alive, she had told Nanni that she could trust Baskerville. He’d been a friend for years and could be trusted with the information about what happened in the years that she was gone. He must wait, however, until Alex arrived in the US. That part must come from her.
Baskerville understood. He instructed her to be careful and never share any information with anyone. No worries there. She had no friends
She focused her mind on what she needed to do and what she expected to happen, but her mind was so tired from too much thinking.
Alex slipped her feet off her shoes, then pushed them underneath her seat. Oh, it felt so good to wiggle her toes and feel the cold floor. She’d never been a fan of shoes. On the island, she walked barefoot all the time.
A middle-aged man walked by her. He smiled and she waved.
It seemed everyone had cell phones in hand. She wished she had one, too. An officer with a dog on a leash came close to where she sat.
“Hey, puppy.”
The black and tan dog with ears sticking out looked at her and sniffed her bag. She was about to pet it when the officer pulled him away quickly.
“Sorry.” The officer smiled. “Are you waiting for someone?”
“Yes.”
The officer looked around. “I’ll be here for another hour. If your ride doesn’t show up, let me know. I’m Connor Buchanan.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a business card.
“Thank you for your offer, Officer Buchanan.”
Officer Buchanan nodded, but he didn’t make a move to leave. He kept on staring until his dog pulled on the leash. Still, while the dog walked ahead of him, he kept looking back. Alex almost laughed aloud when he bumped into a loaded cart.
She thought of her dog, Keeko. He was a mixed breed that Ema had found left alone on one of the islands, skin and bones, weak and not trusting anyone. Alex kept Keeko until the dog learned to trust her and friendship bloomed. Now, he was a healthy and rambunctious dog that would eat anything they put in his coconut bowl. He slept beneath her bed every night and would stay there until she woke up. Keeko, however, wouldn’t go in her room unless she was there. He followed her everywhere like a protector. She would never forget how Keeko jumped into the water to follow the boat she was in when she left the island. Ema had to swim after him. Sweet banana, she missed him.
Alex rubbed her forehead. When she and her mom found out her Dad had died in a plane crash, sadness that she thought would never go away settled in her chest. Then, she lost her mother, too. It took a long time before she could finally wake up in the morning without feeling the pain of losing her. Now, being here felt like she had lost Nanni and Ema, too. And yes, her dog. She didn’t like the feeling. And she didn’t like waiting!
Come on Baskerville. Where are you?
The sooner she talked to Baskerville, the faster she’d be able tie all the loose ends she had left behind. Which meant, the quicker she could go back to the Philippines. Now, if only Baskerville would show up now.
Another announcement that a plane had landed made her sigh heavily.
She would be staying with her godfather, Ben Baskerville. She remembered Baskerville vividly. He looked like Santa Claus with thick white beard and a belly that shook whenever he laughed. His shiny bright eyes seemed able to see if she had been good or bad. As her godfather, he never missed her birthdays. In addition, if she remembered it right, he was also friends with Judge Arthur Knight, who was Gawain’s father.
Nanni had contacted Baskerville a month before she came here. When he replied, surprise was evident in his letter. He asked so many questions in his thick letter, but Nanni gave him just enough information to appease his curiosity. She also told Baskerville to keep Alex’s presence unknown to anyone.
When Mom was alive, she had told Nanni that she could trust Baskerville. He’d been a friend for years and could be trusted with the information about what happened in the years that she was gone. He must wait, however, until Alex arrived in the US. That part must come from her.
Baskerville understood. He instructed her to be careful and never share any information with anyone. No worries there. She had no friends
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