Chapter 73

After hours of driving, the coastal breeze, thick with the tang of salt, greeted them as they arrived at their destination. A jolt passed through Mr. Kendrick's aging body as the car came to a halt, signaling the end of their journey. He turned towards his son, whose youthful face was still partially hidden beneath a shroud of exhaustion-induced slumber. "D'Andre," he called softly, hoping to rouse the young man from his rest.

D'Andre stirred, his long lashes fluttering as he blinked away the remnants of sleep. The rhythmic sound of the waves lapping against the shore reached his ears, bringing with it a flood of memories. He looked around, disoriented for a moment, before realizing where they were.

It was an island, one that held a special place in his heart, a place where the sands whispered tales of summer love and the sea held secrets of stolen kisses. The island where he had first met Maiari, half a decade ago during that last idyllic summer they had spent together.

As D'Andre st