One Drop of Golden Sun

Ch. 41 Frayed Ends of Truth

*Ray

She was smart, resourceful, and plucky. When she hit a wall, she found a way to get past it. Right? Right.

Ray repeated the smart, resourceful, and plucky part again, as she hung up, hoping for an idea. Lokela hadn't answered.

But she wasn't about to give up—there was still one person who could help her.

Doug. Her best roommate. Hurrying out to the parking lot so she wouldn't disturb anyone trying to sleep, she found his number and dialed. No answer. She swiped and called again. And again.

"Come on," she muttered.

"Yeah?" Doug mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep.

"Doug! Oh, thank goodness."

"Ray? Is there a problem?" he asked. "I'm coming, I'm—"

His voice cut off at the sound of something heavy falling. It was probably Doug. She winced in sympathy, because the thump sounded like it hurt.

"I'm coming as soon as I can," he said in a breathless rush.

"It's all right," she said. "There's no emergency. Everything is fine, the baby is gorgeous, and my sister is a champ—squeezed the whole little darling out of her Mary Jane without the least complication. But, very important, where are you guys?"

"That's great. The baby is here. That's...yeah. I'm glad. We're...at the hotel." His voice had gone fuzzy with confusion.

"Which hotel? I have to come."

"Do you need a ride?" he asked, yawning. "I can't remember the name of the place, but I could come."

"I don't want to bother you." She smacked her forehead. "I'm already bothering you, of course, but it's not you I need to see."

"My brain isn't working well enough for you to play coy, Ray," Doug said. "What do you need, really?"

"I don't know if I can say." She tried to chew her nails, but they were down to the stubs already. She tapped her sandals in the sand piles at the curb. The thrumming noise of the distant surf tugged at her heart, as images of Lokela spun in her head.

"Do you remember what you said to me about ohana and all the roommates at the house?" he asked gently.

"I said a lot of things," she replied.

"No, you said one thing to me. I hope I'm not mistaken, but the person you're looking for isn't here at the hotel."

"He's not?" she breathed. "Did he already go home? And what does that have to do with ohana?"

Doug fell silent for a moment. "You told me that ohana meant a safe haven where you could be yourself. It's a scary thing, though, to be your true self when you've been hiding from the world for so long."

"I've been such an idiot, Doug. I came here thinking it was what I needed, and that my sister needed me, too. I was so caught up in the confusion with Zach that I wasn't listening to myself."

"I'm glad you see all that, but I wasn't talking about you. Not that you haven't done your fair share of sticking your head in the sand, or under the waves," he continued, "but I was talking about him."

"Lokela?"

"Yeah. Lokela. He asked me to give you the letter at the hospital. You were sleeping, and I didn't want to wake you. It's a brave thing to finally admit who you are to your ohana. None of this has been easy on him, but whatever you decide is right for you, I'll be there."