Which is why I’m leaving my home, and my guest home, to you, Shiloh, Isa, and Charlotte.
I know it’s a lot. But I don’t have a relative who deserves it—or even wants it, unless it’s to sell to a developer, ay. And Hector already has two homes, not including Flor’s! He doesn’t need or want it. I didn’t tell you I was going to do this when you were in Vieques because I didn’t want you to spend your whole trip thinking about it—or feeling guilty because you felt you didn’t deserve it. You do.
I’m sure you’re wondering how you’re going to manage to take care of a place that’s far from your own home. I don’t have that answer. But I’ve read your palm and seen your lifeline—remember that time when you first arrived in Vieques?—so I know you have time to figure it out. And isn’t that the best gift of all?
I know you miss me, and believe me when I say I miss you, too. But remember—once you love someone, they’re with you. Always.
Te quiero siempre,
Milagros
“Libby?” said Shiloh, opening the sliding door. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I said, wiping the tears from my eyes. I stood and handed him the letter and waited for him to read it.
“Wow,” he said when he finished. “I . . . I don’t even know what to say.”
“Right?” I said. “Even after she’s gone, Milagros manages to surprise us.”
“What do you think?”
“I think we have a retirement plan,” I said, breaking into a smile. “I think it’s generous and amazing and completely crazy. What about you?”
“I have to admit, I love the idea of living there, at least part-time.” He wrinkled his nose. “But what if it’s back?”
He meant his cancer; we still had a few more days until he went in for his follow-up tests.
“Then we’ll work around that,” I said. “This isn’t our first rodeo—we know how to handle it.”
He wrapped his arms around me. “You’re absolutely right.”
“Say it again,” I said, and he laughed and put his lips to mine.
As I closed my lids and kissed him, I could see my favorite beach, where tiny shells dotted the sand and calm waters stretched for miles. I saw a patio, too, where a hammock hung between a pair of palm trees and orchids grew wild. And I saw a home filled with love, where a family—and yes, their small, one-eyed dog—was ready for whatever came next.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Dear reader,
The storm that Libby and her family experience is fictional, though loosely based on a storm I experienced while in Vieques in the summer of 2019. But as you may know, Hurricane Maria was all too real. It struck Puerto Rico in September 2017, and as I write this, the island is still recovering from the devastation that impacted its residents, infrastructure, and economy.
One way to support Puerto Rico’s recovery is to visit the mainland or one of its smaller islands, such as Vieques, if you have the chance. I’ve been traveling to Puerto Rico regularly with my husband, who is Puerto Rican, for the past twenty years; now we spend part of each summer there—not just to give our kids a chance to know their heritage, but also because it’s my favorite place in the whole world. If you do go, I’d love to hear what you think. My contact information is on my website, www.camillepagan.com, and I read every email.
All my best,
Camille
P.S. If you enjoyed Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around, please take a second to write a brief review; reviews make a world of difference for a novel’s visibility and success. If you already did, thank you! Either way, I appreciate you taking the time to read my latest. You, dear reader, are why I write.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Writing and editing a novel in the middle of a global pandemic was a challenge I hope I’ll never have to accept again, and it’s no exaggeration when I say I couldn’t have managed it without the support of my family and friends. Thank you to my husband, JP, and to our children, Indira and Xavi, for giving me the time and space to craft this book. Lauren Bauser, Shannon Callahan, Ann Garvin, Stefanie and Craig Galban, Kelly Harms, Laurel and Joe Lambert, Stevany and Tim Peters, Katie Rose Guest Pryal, Alex Ralph, Sara Reistad-Long, Pam Sullivan, Mike and Michelle Stone, and Darci Swisher: I am so lucky to have you in my corner.
Likewise, my deep gratitude to my editor, Jodi Warshaw, for helping me shape this story as well as my writing career; Tiffany Yates Martin for her wise and witty editorial guidance; my agent, Elisabeth Weed, for being—well, the absolute best; Danielle Marshall, Mikyla Bruder, Gabriella Dumpit, and the entire Lake Union team for their continued support; Michelle Weiner at CAA for championing my work; and Kathleen Carter and Ashley Vanicek for helping my books find their way to readers.
I’d especially like to thank my youngest sister, Janette Noe Sunadhar, for being gracious enough to answer my endless questions about what it’s really like to live with type 1 diabetes.
And thank you to the Lizarribars, Pagáns, and Rodriguezes for making Puerto Rico my home away from home for the past two decades.
Read more about Libby and her family in Life and Other Near Death Experiences by Camille Pagán.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2017 Myra Klarman
Camille Pagán is the #1 Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of seven novels, including This Won’t End Well, I’m Fine and Neither Are You, and Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, which has been optioned for film. Her books have been translated into nearly two dozen languages. Pagán has written for the New York Times; O, The Oprah Magazine; Parade; Real Simple; Time; and many other publications. She lives with her family in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
