Dawn Of The Day - ONC 2022

Chapter 9. Meg

Not waiting for Vince's response, I reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. I pressed my dad's number. Again, voicemail. I groaned and gave the phone back.

We dragged our feet off the train. The air was humid but refreshing compared to the inland. The only bad thing was the drizzle that came and went without warning. We sat down waiting for our ride, exhausted and shivering miserably.

After a few minutes, from the corner of my eye, a woman approached us. She appeared to be in her late 40s, beautiful, tall, and lean with fiery red hair put up in a neat bun. The light blue dress that she wore complimented her eyes perfectly. She had a smile that could brighten up anyone's day.

"Hello, I'm Meg! Jon has told me so much about you two."

"I hope it's all good things, " my brother grinned while reaching out to shake her hand.

"Haha, of course. You must be Vince, and you, Louise!"

Her eyes met my bruised and swollen face, but Meg didn't make any comment. My mind clicked. The colleague. This was the one my dad had referred to. My dad, a four-star general, didn't have the nerve to introduce his girlfriend to his kids properly. I laughed inwardly and took her hand. It was warm.

"Guilty as charged!" I smiled at Meg. "Thank you for taking the time to pick us up. I hope it's not too much trouble."

"Oh, come on! What are you talking about?" The woman chirped.

***

The trip to Meg's house was uneventful. We got to see part of the island and learn more about her. Meg used to be a judge advocate before switching careers to become a realtor. She and our dad had first met a long time ago, then reunited when my dad had been here, looking to buy a house on Miramar. Apparently, he had saved her.

"... The road was so dark and empty. I was so scared! It was up the hill so there was no car at that late hour. My phone was dead too! I didn't know what to do so I just sat there and cried like an idiot. It was so embarrassing! When Jon found me, my mascara had run all over my face. I looked like a freaking raccoon! Thank God that he drove back to check on me. I never thought he would do that. He's truly a knight in shining armor!"

Meg sighed to conclude her story. Her big eyes glistened. The woman still looked at the road ahead but I believed her mind had been a thousand miles away. I gave my brother, who seemed to struggle not to bust out laughing or give some smart-ass comment, a stern warning glare. He resorted to fake coughing, which I found even more ridiculous, but, at least, it was not rude.

Meg was clearly smitten with our dad and I found it cute, but strange at the same time. It was the part of his life that neither Vince nor I had any idea about. Once again, it reminded me of the distant relationship we had and the bubbles that the three of us so comfortably and separately lived in.

"...Then after that, he took me around the bay. Living on the island for that long, I have never been on a speed boat. Can you believe that?" Meg looked back at Vince, who was coughing violently, and raised her left eyebrow. "Are you ok back there, Vince?"

"Oh, yes! My throat is just a little dry..."

I rolled my eyes but Meg took it very seriously.

"Look at me! I totally forgot! There are some bottles of water behind my seat. Lou, do you want some chocolate?"

Meg opened the center console and pulled out one chocolate bar. It was my favorite brand. Even when I was not in the mood, I would never say no.

***

The journey uphill gave us a sense of being elevated to the sky. We literally drove through clouds to get to the white wrought iron gate of the community.

"Welcome to Honeyland," Meg said while watching the gigantic golden 'H' split in the middle as the gate opened.

Even when I had known and heard about it, nothing could prepare me to see this place in person.

Honeyland was the definition of extravagance. Everywhere I looked was perfectly landscaped. Topiaries of different shapes and sizes were placed randomly but artistically on the endless pristine lawn. The driveway was made with irregularly cut stones pieced together like a puzzle, forming unique patterns. Tall cypresses and tropical plants thrived unseasonably.

Meg stepped on the pedal. The view from one side of the hill was unbeatable.

After a while, a cherry wood gate appeared. It opened smoothly when Meg pushed the button on her remote control, then closed behind us when we drove into a spacious cement and pebbles driveway.

The house was enormous. It was one of those modern glass boxes that we usually saw in magazines.

"This house was a steal! You wouldn't believe it! It stayed on the market for an unusually long time so I was able to get it at a record low price..."

Meg ranted while leaving her hand on the biometric keypad. It chimed a welcoming tune before the door clicked open.

"Feel free to choose any room. I left all the doors open. Mine is downstairs, next to the kitchen, for the obvious reason." Meg winked.

I smiled while thinking about my dad. How a guy like him ended up with a woman like Meg was some sort of a mystery. I couldn't wait to see how they interacted. I guessed 'Opposite attraction' sometimes worked.

My hand went to my forehead. The bandage was not there anymore.

"Have you been to the 'Island Genie', Meg?" I covered my mouth and yawned. It distracted me from the thoughts I was having, but the truth was I could use some sleep. My eyelids felt like stones. "We used to go there a lot when we came to the island. They have locations in Nova Aria too. Huge chocolate fountain and, like, hundreds of different kinds of truffles. You're gonna love it..."

My words slurred. The metallic specks on the massive kitchen island became as big as my fist. They danced to a weird rhythm that I struggled to follow. My nose pressed against the cold surface, making it hard for me to breathe. I turned my face to the side.

Meg's light blue dress appeared in my vision. I couldn't see her face. She just stood there, still as a statue.

"Damn," I heard Vince mumbling somewhere." The island's weather. I think I might be sick..."