Inspired by the song Soldier by James TW
Sierra couldn’t remember the last time her mother took the family overseas for a holiday. It was either camping in a cabin up north or visiting her aunt, uncle and cousin down south. Otherwise, holidays remained at home. However, as Sierra opened the balcony doors of their over-water bungalow, she knew this island holiday would be unforgettable. The crystal-blue waters were as clear as the late-afternoon sky above; the horizon, dotted with other islands.
“Mum! Can we go exploring?” Her younger brother, Oliver, was tugging at their mother’s sleeve. Sierra knew what was coming next as she met her eyes.
“Come on, Ollie. We can go exploring and give Mum some space.” She smiled back and whispered a thank you.
The resort was filled with tropical gardens. Bright red and yellow flowers added a splash of colour among the rich greens. They passed other bungalows and villas, a restaurant and a poolside bar. I’ll definitely have to jump in for a sunset swim, Sierra thought. But for now, they passed the large rim-flow pool and went down to the beach. Her feet sank into the soft, white sand. Ollie ran ahead toward the water, where the shore became dead coral littered with shells.
“Ollie!” Sierra turned around to see another young boy racing down to the beach.
“Hey Marty,” she grinned, ruffling her cousin’s hair as he dashed past. Looking up, she saw her mother, aunt, and uncle close behind.
“Isn’t this just paradise?” Sierra’s aunt exclaimed, her arms stretched out to soak it all in. “Your mum couldn’t have suggested a better location.” Sierra nodded in agreement but noticed less enthusiasm from her mother. A melancholy expression seemed to play across her face.
“The boys look like they’re having a great time,” her uncle added, gesturing to the cousins mucking around in the water. “I wouldn’t mind going for a swim myself.”
The sea did look inviting, but Sierra hesitated. “I might start with the pool,” she said. “Can I, Mum?” It was still a habit to ask for permission, even though she was eighteen.
“Of course, darling. I’ll keep an eye on the boys.” Her mum glanced at her sister and brother-in-law and nodded, a silent signal that they were free to enjoy themselves, too.
The pool was less crowded than Sierra expected for such a busy resort. Most guests were soaking up the last rays of golden-hour sun or drinking at the bar. The coconut palms, ocean view and tropical gardens made everywhere she looked photoworthy. Sierra dipped her feet into the pool, surprised by how delightfully warm it was. Sinking into the water, she let it consume her, washing over her head and flowing through her long hair. She came up for a breath on the other side, resting her arms on the edge of the overflow while watching the sun set brilliantly over the deep golden-blue horizon.
“Would you like a drink?” Sierra’s eyes snapped up to see a young waiter crouch to her right, a tray of drinks balanced perfectly on one hand.
“Oh, sorry, you surprised me,” she laughed nervously. “What is it?”
“Fresh lime juice, an island specialty,” he said, smiling.
“Thank you, I’ll try one.” Sierra took a glass, the ice clinking against the side. She took a sip and found the juice sweet on her tongue and more refreshing than she expected. “Wow! It’s really good.”
The waiter looked pleased. “Are you here on holiday?”
“I am,” Sierra replied, a bit surprised by the continued small talk. “I’m here with my family, although I’m not sure where they are now.”
The waiter stood up. “Well, I hope you enjoy your stay.” He smiled at her, then turned away and wandered off to offer other guests a drink. Sierra watched after him, twirling the ends of her hair around her finger. I hope I’ll see him again.
Dinner was like herding cats. Sierra offered to take charge of Oliver and Marty at the buffet so the adults could relax a bit.
“I want fried chicken!” Oliver pointed, pulling on his sister’s arm.
“And chocolate cake!” Marty added, tugging on her other.
“Boys! Your plates are already full. I can’t carry any more, and no, Marty, you can’t have dessert first.” Eventually, Sierra got both boys back at the table and eating, which quickly stopped the chatter with their mouths being full.
The evening was peaceful once the young ones were in bed. Sierra sat on the balcony when she heard her mother come out to join her.
“How are you going, darling?” she asked, taking a seat next to her daughter on the daybed.
“Really good,” Sierra smiled back, but it quickly faded when she saw her mother’s earlier expression still lingering. “What about you, Mum? You’ve been wanting us to go on a family holiday for ages, and then when you said we were coming to an island resort, I was blown away! But now… are you actually enjoying it yourself?” She was surprised when her mother pulled her into an embrace.
“There are some things you don’t know about this island, Sierra. It holds a special place in my heart… both love and heartache. I thought this trip would be good for not only the family, but for myself, too… but…” Sierra felt a strange tenseness as her mother squeezed her tighter. Then she let go and sighed. “It’s getting late, darling. We have a big day planned tomorrow, so better get some sleep.”
Sierra watched her mother get up and go inside, but she left a strange heaviness hanging in the air.
At breakfast, she saw him again.
“Hey, morning,” Sierra greeted. “Are you on breakfast duty today?”
The waiter chuckled from behind the buffet cabinets. “Still debating whether it’s an upgrade or a downgrade from waiting by the poolside, but indeed.” He pointed at the tray in front of him with a spatula. “Eggs?”
“I’ll have some of the scrambled.”
“Excellent choice. The chef here makes the best scrambled eggs.”
Sierra watched him serve her a generous portion, debating whether to say something more. She gave in.
“What’s your name?” she blabbered, instantly feeling flustered.
“Aren’t I—” he looked down at his shirt, confused, then chuckled. “Oh, I forgot my name badge again.” He met her eyes and grinned. “It’s Thomas, but you can just call me Tom.”
“Sierra,” she replied, forcing herself to sound natural.
“I hope you enjoy breakfast and the rest of your day, Sierra,” Tom said, smiling. She left the buffet with butterflies in her chest.
The day was beautiful for exploring the island. The family toured local villages and swam in a river with waterfalls. Sierra loved seeing all the places, but her thoughts kept drifting back to her interactions with Tom… and to whatever her mother was hiding. She looked more relaxed and seemed to be enjoying herself more out here. Being away from the resort seemed to help. Sierra didn’t ask any questions. After last night, she decided to wait for her mother to tell her in her own time.
In the evening, Sierra went to the pool again, and Tom was back to being a waiter.
“What other resort jobs do you have?” she asked as she sipped on a glass of fresh lime juice.
“I go wherever they need me,” he replied. “Besides being at the bar or restaurant, I’m sometimes at reception, or organising external tours, or guiding guests snorkelling on the reef.”
“So, a man of many talents,” Sierra smiled, although she was kicking herself inside. Why would you say such fluffy nonsense!
Tom laughed nervously. “I appreciate you saying that, but that’s what kinda happens when you work at a resort for a long time.”
“How long have you been working here? You don’t seem much older than me.”
“Ah, that…” He hesitated, seemingly debating his next words. “Well… I’ve grown up here, and so has my dad.”
“So, it’s a family thing?”
“Actually… my grandparents own the resort, and my dad manages it for them.”
“Oh?!” Sierra raised her eyebrows. “That tracks.”
Tom stood up from his crouched position. “Yeah. I wasn’t sure whether to tell you. I don’t usually interact with guests as much as this and… like this.” She noticed the tips of his ears turning red as he looked away.
“It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone else or let it change anything,” Sierra tried to recover for him. “But it’s cool to see you so involved with the family business. I admire it.”
“Thanks,” he smiled back. He turned, ready to wait on other guests, but stopped and looked back. “It’s actually my day off tomorrow. Did you want a private tour?”
Sierra’s heart raced as her eyes lit up. “I’d be honoured.”
“Great. Meet me at the reception tomorrow at nine.”
Sierra couldn’t focus on any of the conversations happening around her at dinner. Even with her aunt teasing her for abandoning their family plans for a date tomorrow, they were happy for her.
“Maybe we could go on a snorkel tour, too,” her aunt said.
“Marilyn! Let our niece have some fun without us old people interfering,” her husband interjected.
“And no one said anything about snorkelling,” Sierra added nervously.
Her mother squeezed her hand. “You’ll have to tell us all about it,” she said gently.
Sierra was up with the sun. Tom wasn’t at the breakfast buffet, but of course, it was his day off. She wasn’t sure what to expect when she walked into the reception, but it wasn’t just how casual he looked out of uniform as he chatted with the ladies behind the desk.
He turned when he saw her. “Morning, Sierra,” he greeted her warmly.
“Hey, I would have mistaken you for a guest if I didn’t know any better,” she grinned back.
He laughed. “You ready?”
Sierra nodded. She half expected him to take her hand as he walked up to her, but he passed by to open the door instead. Who am I kidding? She laughed and shook the foolish thoughts out of her head.
Tom took her around the resort, talking about the different buildings and amenities, horror guest stories and what it’s been like growing up on the island. She was captivated by his voice and everything he had to tell. Tom also asked about her life.
“I live with my mum and younger brother, Ollie,” Sierra began. “Our dad left us when I was six, and Ollie was barely two. It broke our mum, but she kept going for us. She used to live overseas but never told us much about that past.”
“Where do you all live now?” Tom asked.
“Australia. Never been anywhere else.”
Tom nodded slowly, then told Sierra to continue.
“Mum kept convincing us she loves this life we have and cherishes us dearly. I enjoy the conveniences of city life. I have my friends, church and went to a great school. I’ve finished now. This trip is basically a graduation celebration before I start uni next year.”
“What are you going to study?”
“I want to do nursing or something health-related.”
“That’s a great profession. My mum was a nurse. It was perfect for her here since there is so much need for medical professionals.”
“She was a nurse?” Sierra’s curiosity was piqued at the past tense. “Has she stopped practising?” Tom slowed down, his head dipped low. “Oh, was that a sensitive question?”
He looked up with a faint smile, but sorrow was in his eyes. “It’s okay. It’s been five years since she passed.”
“Oh…” Sierra’s heart sank. “I’m so sorry.”
The two walked in silence until they reached the beach.
“Do you want to go down here?” he asked. “There’s a nice spot to sit under the trees.” Sierra nodded and followed him onto the soft sand to a shaded grassy patch. She sat down, Tom close next to her, but just out of reach.
“I guess we both know what it’s like only to have one parent,” Sierra said out of the blue.
“Life’s unpredictable like that.”
The gentle rolling of the waves lapping the shore was soothing as they spoke no words. Sierra twirled the ends of her hair, gazing out over the turquoise sea.
“It’s so beautiful here,” she sighed. “Thank you for showing me around.”
She heard Tom swallow before speaking again. “Do you think you’d come here again?”
“Here? To the island?”
Tom nodded.
“I’d love to visit again, but my family’s not well off to have holidays like this often.”
“Yeah, that’s fair.”
“I’d love to keep in contact, though. And I'm still here for three more days.”
“I’d like that too, but…” Tom hesitated. “I wouldn’t want something like what happened with Dad.”
“What do you mean?”
Sierra noticed a bittersweet look on his face, similar to her mother’s.
“I know my dad loved Mum dearly. He loved her and was faithful to her until the day she died. However, I also knew there was a woman before her that he held close to his heart, but they couldn’t stay together. She used to live here, on the island. Then she moved away and never came back. They tried long distance, but it eventually fell apart.”
Sierra’s heart ached for his parents’ story. “That must have been so hard,” she whispered.
“Yeah… Of course, it was before my time, but when Dad told me, it stuck with me. Now I kinda wonder where she is, what she’s doing. Did she get over Dad, get married and have kids, too?”
That evening, Sierra didn’t go to the pool but stayed by her mother on the restaurant deck.
“How was your date, darling?” she asked.
“It wasn’t a date,” Sierra protested, although mixed feelings lingered after her conversations with Tom.
“Did you try snorkelling?”
“Tom offered, but I was still too scared.”
Her mother nodded and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “That’s okay. You’ve been pretty brave talking with him.” She winked.
“Mum!”
Her mother chuckled. “Well, tell me more about this Tom.”
Sierra blushed and hugged her arms. “He’s a really nice guy. Sweet, funny, cute and handy around the resort. He grew up here; so did his dad. His mother passed away five years ago, though, and his father had another lost relationship before that, too.” She looked over at her mother, who was listening intently. “And also… his grandparents actually own this resort, his dad manages and—”
“What did you say, Sierra?” her mother cut her off, causing her to jump in surprise.
“Uh… which part?” Sierra asked nervously.
“About his grandparents and father.”
“Oh, they own and manage this resort. I wasn’t sure whether to tell you that part, but you’re my mum. You should know—” Sierra cut herself off, colour draining from her face. “Mum? Are you okay?”
Tears were ready to burst from her mother’s eyes, her lips quivering. “I was wondering how he was going,” she whispered. "He's still here."
“Who, Mum? You’re scaring me.”
“Rebecca?” The two women turned to see a middle-aged man, worn by hard work and grief. Although Sierra was sure she’d never met him before, something about him felt familiar.
And he knew her mother’s name.
“Mum, do you know this man?” she whispered. All her mother could do was nod as she stood up, tears freely flowing down her face as she walked up to him and fell into his arms. Confusion consumed her as she watched her mother in the embrace of this stranger until she saw Tom standing a little way off. That’s when the familiar features clicked. That was Tom’s father. Which meant her mother was…
“I’d seen your mum's photo,” Tom said as he approached Sierra. “Dad only kept one of them. You look just like her when she was younger. I wasn’t completely sure when I first saw or talked to you, but after what you shared today, about her growing up overseas then moving to Australia, I asked Dad about her again, and I was right.”
He looked over at his father and Rebecca, who were talking too quietly for them to hear. Sierra lowered her head, the words she’d heard and the feelings she’d read on her mother’s face finally making sense.
“I think Mum brought us here to see, to see whether your dad was still here,” she said. “This is where she used to live, the life she left behind when she moved. They look like they really loved each other, but had to continue their lives… separately.”
“And how they re-meet,” Tom continued for her, “Is through their kids.” He took Sierra’s hand and squeezed it, a gentle but sad look on his face.
“The odds were against us,” Rebecca later told her daughter. “But don’t let them stop you.”
The week seemed to pass too fast as Sierra hugged Tom goodbye. But unlike their parents, they promised to not let it be their last.
