I put on a smile I didn’t feel and opened the bathroom door. I was greeted by Maui, flippers out and ready for a hug. I burst out laughing.

Josh’s head appeared above Maui’s, a shy smile on his lips. “You dork,” I teased.

“Maui said it was getting far too heavy in here and he hates it when we fight.”

“Oh, yeah? He’s very articulate for a turtle.”

“Turtles are wise beings.”

“Indeed. Come here, Maui,” I said, taking him from Josh and hugging him to me. It did feel rather nice.

“Ready?”

“No, but let’s go.”

We left the room with Josh walking ahead and rolling my suitcase behind him. I carried Maui in one arm with my carry-on bag slung over the other shoulder. My nose was still running from all the crying, and I reached up to wipe it with the back of my hand.

I’m going to miss you so much.

I tried not to think it, but it became a destructive mantra playing over and over in my head. Josh, my bestie, my gorgeous, goofy, funny, sweet Josh.

Once the taxi pulled up and my bags were loaded into the boot, we sped through the goodbye. Even though there was still so much to say, there was no use making our parting any more excruciating than it already was.

“Thank you again, for everything. I really did have a wonderful time,” I said, hugging Maui to me.

“Me too.” He pulled me into a final hug, Maui caught between us.

“Love you,” I said, just like I would to any of my closest friends.

“Me too,” he said. And before it hit me that he’d said he loved me—well, sort of—he bundled me into the taxi, closed the door, and waved me off as the car drove away. Just like he had in Athens. I lifted a hand in a benign final goodbye.

It may have been the saddest, most amicable break-up ever.

And then I realised we hadn’t settled the room charges. Crap. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and shot him a text.

The room charges! Sorry. Will fix you up when I get home. S

The reply came a couple of minutes later.

No need. Had always intended to cover that. Love, Josh x

Love! Oh, fuck. What have I done? How had I screwed things up so mammothly? I let loose the biggest boo-hooey cry I’d had in ages—the poor driver. By the time he dropped me off in front of the airport terminal, it had simmered down to a whimpering sniffle. I hoisted my carry-on onto my left shoulder, tucked Maui under my left arm, and grabbed my suitcase handle with my right hand. It was a little awkward, but I only had to make it to check-in.

Once I’d checked my suitcase and was walking to my gate, an older Hawaiian woman stopped me. “You have a honu,” she said, a warm smile on her face.