Lost and Found: A Stranded in Paradise Romance

Feeling Conflicted

After my awkward text conversation with Dylan, I decided to call my sister in Australia by video chat to get caught up. It had been over a year since she and Josh had pulled up stakes and moved Down Under to start a new life, and my aborted flight overseas had been intended to be a much-needed catch-up. After making dinner for my family and having a quiet meal around the table, I escaped to my upstairs study, closing the door softly behind me.

Grace picked up the call on the third ring, and I smiled, seeing her happy face. In spite of her husband's previous trials with some legal troubles back in America, their resettlement to the Gold Coast of Australia seemed to be agreeing with them.

"Hey, beautiful," I said, waving at her excitedly through the screen. "How's life in sunny Australia?"

"We love it down here," Grace said. "Things move a lot slower than the insane pace of Silicon Valley, and Josh made a seamless transition to managing his internet company from our new location."

"Glad to hear things quieted down for the two of you. Lord knows you both needed a break."

"How about you?" Grace said, suddenly looking more serious. "Have you recovered from your terrifying ordeal in the Pacific?"

"Mostly," I said. "But that was part of the reason for my call. I wanted to talk about something that's been troubling me."

"That's what I'm here for," Grace smiled. "You know you can tell me anything."

"Thanks. It's about what happened after the crash. My seat mate and I shared more than just a few lonely weeks on that island. It didn't take long for the two of us to become embroiled in a passionate affair."

"I wondered as much," Grace nodded. "I saw pictures of him in the newspaper. He's crazy hot."

"I guess so," I said. "But there's more to it than that. He's been reaching out to me since we returned to San Francisco. I think he wants us to continue on like we were before..."

"Are you in love with him?"

"As much as I'm trying to convince myself that I'm not, I can't seem to get him out of my mind."

"Your mind, or your pants?"

"Both. We had something really special on that island. He's not just sexy and a great lover. He's kind, talented, and thoughtful. Kind of the exact opposite of John."

"I see," Grace said. "And how has it been with you and John since you returned?"

"I'm trying to make it work, but I cringe whenever he tries to touch me."

"That's not a good sign."

"That's what I was thinking. But I'm reluctant to leave him after everything we've put into our relationship. Besides, the kids would never forgive me."

Grace paused for a moment while she nodded at me slowly from the other side of the screen.

"I suspect they're old enough now to manage a break-up. Hell, half of their friends probably come from broken families. Bree's already out of the house, and Ben's only got a couple more years before he's off to college. I think they'll understand if you decide you need a change."

"It just seems so unfair to John. He doesn't deserve to have me break our vows just because I met some hot guy on an unplanned vacation..."

"It sounds like it's a lot more than that," Grace said. "You wouldn't be pulling away from John if there wasn't already some underlying issues in the relationship. You both deserve to be happy. If you stay together and keep pining for your lost love, you'll both be miserable."

"But what about Dylan's home life?" I said. "I'd be wrecking two marriages if I leave John for him."

"Is he happy in his current relationship?"

"He said they're undergoing a trial separation, but I fear it's only because he's hoping I'll come back to him."

"What are you waiting for?" Grace said. "It sounds like you both know what you want. If you love each other and think you'll be good together, you should make the leap. I know from my own experience that if you don't reach for what you want, you'll never be happy."

"Maybe you're right," I said. "But I don't want to rush into this too fast and make a decision I'll regret later. Maybe I should talk to my kids before I do anything drastic."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Grace said. "You know how children can be. They grow up with the expectation of a unified family. If you drop the bombshell before informing John, it could backfire and make things even worse."

"Okay," I said, frowning back at her. "Thanks for your advice. It looks like I've got a lot of thinking to do. I'll get back to you soon with more details."

"Don't make it too long," Grace said. "When do you think you'll be able to make another trip out here? I miss going on shopping trips together and hanging out with my little sister. I could even teach you how to surf. The waves are incredible on the Gold Coast."

"Way ahead of you. Dylan already taught me how to do that when we were stranded on the island."

"Wow, that guy sounds like the complete package. You better chase after him before he gets scooped up by another pretty girl."

"I'm working on it," I smiled. "Talk soon, love you."

"Love you too."

After ending the call, I stared at the computer screen for a few minutes. I knew Grace was right that I should follow my heart and not let my sense of honor hold me back from living my dreams. But I was still worried about how Ben and Bree would take the news that I'd decided to split up the family. I decided to wait until I saw Dylan next week before making a decision. I'd know once I saw him again if this was truly real or just some crazy fling precipitated by unusual circumstances. If he was already starting to pull away from his wife, there'd be plenty of time for us to figure out what we wanted to do with the rest of our lives.

In the meantime, I'd just have to satisfy myself with memories of our tender moments in our makeshift treehouse and under the waterfall...