Later that day, we had sushi for dinner again. It was Dad's favorite—probably because we used to eat it every week during my early childhood in O'ahu.

Ten minutes in, and Greta popped the question of the month: "Romy, would you like to come back to work?"

The piece of sushi I was about to stuff in my mouth fell from between my chopsticks. I stared at Greta in disbelief.

"Grace... resigned from her position," she continued. "She wasn't handling the responsibility well."

"I guess Christmas is coming early!" I laughed, happily picking up my sushi again and doing a cheers motion with it in the air. "December really is my month. Flowers arrangements are harder to make than it looks, huh?" 

At least I'd beat my mother in something. I wasn't about to spend ten years in prison just so I'd outlast her. Once I proceeded to conquer the world of law or finance or entrepreneurship or whatever I ended up doing, I'm sure I could start earning a salary to rival the 130k a year she used to make at her corporate job—not counting the fraud.

Greta frowned and tucked one of her curls behind her ear. "I'm sorry for not valuing your contributions. We almost lost everything without you and Talia."

"Are you just saying that so I'll work again?" I asked. "And why is Grace backing down now?"

"We talked about it," Dad, who'd been very quiet, said. "She that felt she was being too controlling of the situation. She was trying to become a bigger part of your life—"

Greta finished for him: "But she did it in the wrong way."

I took one of the sushi pieces from Dad's plate and dipped it in his soy sauce. "She's actually recognizing that now? Shocker. I hope she regrets firing me."

"She didn't fire you," Dad said. "She grounded you for two weeks. But it was you who didn't want to return to work."

Okay, technically true. I needed to come up with an argument quick. "I um... needed to make a statement."

"It's alright, Romy," Greta reassured. "It's all over now. Besides, Grace and I weren't working very well together."

"I really wish I'd been there to see that shitshow," I mumbled.

"Romy," Dad said, giving me a stern look.

I chewed slowly. Maybe being sassy wasn't helping, but some parts of me would never change...

Greta helped herself to another serving. "Talia is returning too."

I had to give it to Talia. Her and Jack had successfully protested against Grace's rule—quitting their jobs as the ultimate statement. Running on pride, Grace lasted a decent while, but she finally had to accept defeat. Beautiful.

I'd return to Greta's Flores with a vengeance.

"Alright," I said. "When do I start?"

❀ ❀ ❀

Greta's Flores. The Romy who stepped out of here last time, nearly crying before Jack came after her, and the Romy standing here now... felt worlds away from each other.

I helped Talia unload a fresh shipment from the back of her car. The police tracked it down and returned it this morning, and they confirmed Penelope's arrest. She was now locked up in jail—maybe in the same cell we'd spent the night at.

Another battle I'd won, though the idea of Penelope going to prison just like my mother unnerved me. But surely Penelope would find a way to raise a new cult from the fresh population of delinquent women.

"What do you think of all this?" I asked Talia.

"I think it's about time we came back," she said, holding the door open for me so I could carry a crate of flowers inside. "I'll be spending as much time as I can here now. Job interviews are rough. I thought graduating was supposed to mean you made it."

"Not in this economy, I guess," I said, setting down the crate. "But does that mean Jack won't be back?"

Talia gave me a look as she let the door close behind her. "I thought you didn't want him here."

Definitely old news. I looked away.

Talia stepped forward. "What's going on between you two?"

"Well, we did kind of kiss in the woods when we were lost together."

She gasped. "¿En serio?"

I refused to meet her gaze. "It was kind of like a this might be the last night of our lives, so might as well do it while we can sort of thing?"

"Gosh. We were so worried about you that night, and you and Jack were just... never mind. Do you like him? Since when?"

"Yeah," I said. "Since... maybe... the moment he said his first words to me. Go to hell."

Talia laughed. "Does he like you back?"

"I think so."

"Then what are you waiting for? Ask him out!"

"I don't even know where his head is at."

"This is very exciting," she said with a smirk. "I can't believe you have a crush. The sociopath has—"

"Don't even say the sociopath has feeeeelings right now."

"I can't resist! La sociopata tiene sentimieeeentoos."

"It's unnatural."

"It's adorable! I'm envious. I'm so tired of being single."

"Hey, I'm still single, too."

"For now."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on. Let's go finish unpacking before the flowers wilt."

❀ ❀ ❀

Thoughts of Jack looped in my head. His words, his arms around my waist, the way his voice had gone from soft to assertive the longer we argued.

He still hadn't texted me, and I needed a distraction. So, despite it already being dark by 5 pm, I went for a walk around my neighborhood. I was wearing the same jacket I wore during my lost-in-the-wilderness birthday.

My phone rang. An 808 number, which meant Hawai'i. Who was this? Tetsuo's ghost finally coming to reveal that he left me his fortune?

But it was Grace's voice from the other line.

"Hi. I didn't want to upset you by showing up unannounced... so I thought I'd call you."

I put up my hood to protect from the light rain. "And talk about what?"

"How's your winter break?"

"Um, it's fine. I went back to work. I appreciate you giving up on the shop. It really was the least you could do."

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"Do your sorries come in cash or credit? Because I'm needing the extra help."

Grace laughed. "You're funny, Romy."

"I definitely don't get it from you. Or Dad. I'm honestly an anomaly."

"Your grandpa had a great sense of humor."

Yeah, I remembered. And now I found myself actually sad he was gone. I stared at the evergreens lining the road and thought of the park Jack showed me. Any unfamiliar emotion had seemed minor compared to the towering trees.

"I would like to talk to you," Grace said. "There's a lot I haven't apologized for."

"And?"

"I'm moving to Las Vegas."

The relatives on the Filipino side of her family had all moved there. Maybe once I turned 21 I'd go party it up with them. Hawaiians often moved to Vegas as the rising cost of living in the islands pushed more and more people out. Though money wouldn't be an issue for Grace unless she royally screwed up her life again.

"I tried Seattle for you, but it obviously hasn't worked out," she said. "Before I move, I want to spend this Christmas back home. I was thinking of going to a resort. Would you like to come with me?"

Did I want to spend the holidays with Grace? Definitely not. But if her apology came in the form of a luxury resort stay in O'ahu... count me in.

❀ ❀ ❀

"We're thinking of staying here for the holidays," Greta said at the flower shop the following morning. "It'll be sad if you don't come, but it's important for you to spend time with your mother."

"I think you mean spend time living it up on the beach," I said, leaning against the counter. "Time to catch up on my vitamin D. I don't want to be getting seasonal depression like Dad."

Talia wiped down one of the empty shelves with a rag. "If we're not going to Chile this year, I'd rather be on the beach, too."

"What, you don't want to spend time with Dad's family?" I asked.

"It's not that. I just miss my dad."

Right. Things got complicated when our extended families lived at different points all over the continent.

"What if I convince Grace to get you a ticket?" I suggested.

"Wouldn't it be awkward being around your family there?"

"Hey, I've spent several Christmases around your family all the way in South America. It's time for you to see what it's like to be the outsider."

"You weren't an outsider, Romy," Greta murmured.

"Um, yeah I was. Language barrier, hello... and just my appearance is a reminder of Dad's first marriage. I stand out among you guys, and not just because of my attitude. Talia's cousins always made jokes about me."

Greta placed her hand on my arm. "I remember. I'm sorry about that. I did have a talk with their parents. They should know better, but you're still our family."

"Yeah, thanks." I turned to Talia. "I'm not expecting a huge family gathering or anything. I honestly just think Grace wants to live the lux life on the beach for a week."

Talia went to wipe down the counter. "And she would be okay with me coming?"

"She better be. I'll lie to her and say I forgive her for being a bad mom if she buys you a ticket."

Greta made a face. "Romy! Thats..."

I smirked. "Sociopathic?"

"Devious," Talia laughed, and she gave me a one-armed hug.

Later, as I brainstormed ways to make the Forget Me Nots in this arrangement pop, I thought...

Where could I say I was even from?

I'd moved from Honolulu to Seattle, but I hadn't been back "home" in years. Would it still feel the same? Did any of my family—who'd been moving around for generations and never seemed to stay in one place—end up calling anywhere their true home?

After finishing the arrangements, Talia and I went to deliver a few orders. We returned to clean the shop and get it ready for business to pick up over the holidays. I found myself smiling the whole time—and not only because I was finally making money.

How long it'd last, I had no idea, but maybe I was okay with calling this my home: our little flower shop in the emerald city.

❀ ❀ ❀

A/N: This chapter is oddly wholesome. I'm glad some of the family dysfunction is finally clearing up. Romy deserves it! But prepare for other types of drama in the coming chapters... 😏 For now, I leave you readers with the question:

Where (or what) is home to you?

For me, I still don't have that answer. Like Romy's family, I've been moving around quite a bit. Some say that home is not about where you are, but who you're with. Is that true?

✿ flowers mentioned in this chapter ✿

✿ forget me not ✿