My dad believed the island to be the end of a search for a cure for mom.

The promise of a healer that would finally reverse the soul destroying illness that was taking mom away from us.

Dad didn't care anymore what it would take, money, hope, nervous exhaustion from the endless searching, trying, failing, crying. He had to give it one more go.

Mom wanted to go home as soon as we got into the hotel room. She always wanted to go home even when she was in our house. She could only remember her childhood house and her parents. Not us. We were like interfering strangers most of the time.

The healer looked at mom. Deeply. Into her eyes.
Gave her a bright orange rose. Mom flirted back at him and blew him a kiss.

We stood in shock wondering what was going on.

Mom turned to dad and said 'honey, it's time we went back to the hotel.'.

Dad cried.

The healer later turned out to be fake.

We didn't care.

Mom was back.