Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
He tipped the map to one side and glanced at me as he asked, “Any news from home?”
“Let’s see.” I opened the first email and reported, “Julia and Ivan are continuing to crush it at work. Between the two of them, they’ve brought in five new clients this month. That more than makes up for the handful that jumped ship when I announced I was stepping into an advisory role at the company.”
“Do you miss it?”
“Miss what?”
“Your old routine,” he said. “Going into the office every day. The job itself.”
“No. I miss Maureen and my staff, but that’s it. Speaking of Mo, she sent an email with a photo of her and Lourdes and the girls on vacation in Hawaii. They look happy.” I typed a reply and enclosed a photo of Tima and me in full scuba gear before saying, “She made me promise we’re coming for dinner when we’re back in town.”
“Of course we are. Like we’d pass up an opportunity to see your bestie.”
I scrolled down in my in-box and told him, “There’s an email from Lee.”
“What does it say?”
“It’s short. ‘Wanted to let you know I landed a commercial. It’s for athlete’s foot cream, so my career is obviously taking off in a big way.’ I’m happy for him. Even though he’s downplaying it, a commercial is a big deal.”
It had taken a solid three months of sending him daily emails before I finally got a reply from my son. Since then, he’d been slowly coming around. Even though we still had a long way to go in rebuilding our relationship, I was feeling very optimistic.
After I sent him a reply, I closed my laptop and told my boyfriend, “I’ll be right back.” Then I retrieved something from my luggage and returned to the living room.
In the minute I was gone, he’d set aside the map and wrapped himself in a throw blanket. “Let’s go out on the balcony,” he said. “I want to soak in that amazing view while we still can.”
“I was going to suggest the same thing.”
We went outside and settled in on a lounge chair, and he murmured, “Even after looking at this for the past few days, it barely feels real.” It really was an incredible view, which included the harbor, the iconic opera house, and a panorama of city lights. “What do you think we’ll be able to see from our vacation rental in New Zealand?”
“Sheep, mostly.”
He chuckled at that. “You’re probably right.”
After a minute, I said, “I know you’ve been doing a lot of soul searching on this trip. Any big revelations?”
“You know, before I turned thirty, I felt like I was on some sort of deadline to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up, or whatever. I always thought that meant pinpointing a career, and I think I got that from my grandmother. She loved teaching at NYU. It was how she defined herself, and it gave her a sense of purpose. But I’ve realized she was an exception, and that most people really shouldn’t be defined by what they do for a living. So, maybe it’s okay that I never found my calling.”
“Or maybe your calling isn’t a job,” I said. “Maybe it’s to travel, and learn, and explore, and to use your resources to help others whenever you can.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
Throughout our travels, Tima had quietly and anonymously been making donations to people and organizations that needed some help. Most recently, he’d given a big manila envelope of cash (which I obviously recognized) to a community center serving families living in poverty. He didn’t want credit, and he didn’t really want to talk about it, beyond saying he was happy to help.
“You’ve inspired me, you know,” I told him. “So did your friend Nana Dombruso. I decided to set up a scholarship fund for her kids at the shelter, so they have the option of going to college if that’s what they want. My lawyer should have it all set up by the time we return to San Francisco.”
Tima sat up and turned to look at me. “That’s so wonderful.”
I tried to shrug it off by saying, “It’s the right thing to do, and I’m grateful to have the means to do it.”
“I want to tattoo the word ‘gratitude’ over my heart,” he said, as he rested a hand on his chest. “I have so much to be grateful for, and I never want to take any of it for granted.”
“I feel the same way, and you’re at the very top of my list. I’m so grateful for you, Tima. I don’t have the words to express all you mean to me, or how much better my life is now that you’re a part of it. Before, I was like the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz—just stuck in place, until you found me.”