It's 1999 when 30-year-old Fernanda makes the decision to abandon the quaint city of Mindelo, leaving behind her live-in partner Alvaro and their 5-year-old daughter, Carolina, to follow her dream of becoming a famed musician in Paris.  

Heartbroken and yet strangely optimistic, Carolina and her dad - a high school teacher, continue to lead a modest and pretty uneventful life in the city of Mindelo, where they spend many Sunday afternoons in the city square, sharing ice cream and watching old films at Eden Park.  

Five years later, just as Fernanda prepares to go on a worldwide tour in support of her first record, Alvaro becomes romantically involved with Joanna, an entrepreneur who is vacationing from New York.  Wanting only the best of education for her young daughter, when the opportunity to move to North America with little Carolina in tow arises, Jorge doesn't hesitate to uproot her daughter from the only place she has ever known.  Despite struggling to maintain a positive and stable relationship with her mother, Carolina excels academically.

Now, nearly 20 years later, Carolina is a newly college graduate armed with an English degree from New York University; as a token of her father's pride over her academic accomplishments, she is surprised with plane tickets to their native Cabo Verde - a place Carolina has dreamed of visiting for what now seemed like a lifetime.  She happily embarks on an unexpected trip through the islands, where between rediscovering her roots and reconnecting with her family, she learns about her mother's very complicated upbringing, rekindles a cherished complicity with grandmother Maria Cecilia who is full of plans for Carolina, and becomes deeply involved with João Carlos - a man, 10 years her senior, who has just returned to the islands from France.  

Last time João Carlos, 29, was in Cabo Verde he practically was chased out of Porto-Novo, Santo Antão, and vowed to never return to the island.  Now he's back a decade later and he's set his heart on proving to everyone how much he has changed since, working hard to mend relationships and revive the family baking business while caring for his ill grandmother and looking after a neglected household filled with nephews and nieces whose parents have long left the islands.  

Still, he can't help but feel butterflies when he sees intelligent and independent Carolina, one of Nhe Cecilia's grand-daughters visiting from the U.S.  It takes a lot of perseverance, but Carolina finally agrees to meet with him and sparks between them fly immediately.  Though he only plans to stay one month and knows fully well that he shouldn't date and can't possibly commit to a relationship, he inevitably falls in love with her, deeply.  

Carolina and João Carlos spend much of their time picnicking on the beach, swimming under the moonlight and talking about a future together.  But when Carolina learns that João Carlos has been keeping an important secret from her, she struggles between wanting to cut ties with him and staying in the relationship.  In an island so small and in a city where everyone knows everyone, she realizes their secret is not a secret after all.  Though she is hurt and disappointed, she can't help what she feels for João Carlos.  Her family insists that he is bad news, which confuses her more since his family remains completely supportive of their relationship.  Carolina may not be ready to take the plunge yet, but how far will she go to figure out what her heart truly wants?  The two become the talk of the town and just when João Carlos thinks he is finally ready to take their relationship to the next level, he feels Carolina begin to slip away.    

Between late night serenades, picnics by the sea and fishing a deux, Carolina and João Carlos are truly living a whirlwind romance.  But an uncertain future looms ahead as their relationship is threatened by a life-long family feud and an unimaginable betrayal.  Will the end of summer also mean the end of their love story?  

Summer in the two-story home of 67-year-old Nhe Cecilia is like high season at Hotel Odju D'Agua in Santa Maria. Every single one of her offspring (along with their new families) makes it back to Porto Novo between the months of  May and October.  And while she certainly  loves having her family back, the matriarch could definitely do without her grown children monitoring her every move and trying to tell her how to live.  After all, since losing her husband to a medical error decades ago, she has done an impressive job at raising 15 children, putting every single one of them through school, and to this day still leads the successful family business that's been in existence since the 1930s - Lojas Santos.  Now, as she impatiently awaits the arrival of her dear Carolina, Nhe Cecilia has her sights on a new venture - opening a kids center - and she is counting on her second eldest grand-daughter, Carolina, who is back home from the U.S. to help her get the project off the ground.  Together, Nhe Cecilia is certain that the two will garner support from the city and work to educate kids across the island, but will she be blindsided by Carolina's new budding friendship with João Carlos?

Seventy-nine year old Dona Chiquinha never thought her grandson João Carlos would return to Porto-Novo in her lifetime.  He didn’t exactly make friends in the small town when he decided to leave the island 10 years ago, and in fact he vowed to never again return to Cabo Verde.  Though she is happily surprised by his change of heart, Dona Chiquinha worries that her grandson's return will inadvertently refuel a family feud and cause more trouble than the family reunion is worth, even if it is for the sake of their legacy.  The truth is that after many years caring for her youngest grandchildren long left behind by parents who dared to chase the dream of better life opportunities overseas, Dona Chiquinha is completely worn out as her health isn't what it used to be and she realizes she could use some help around the house, where ceilings have begun to crack and the kids are spiraling out of control.  But can João Carlos stay out of trouble long enough to make a difference and change the course of all their lives?  Or will he ruin his chances at making things right, yet again?

“High school diploma.  College diploma.  Naturalization certificate.  Award certificates.  Seriously, it makes me sad to even say this, but no one cares how any of this is organized on your shelf.  You are going away.  You are leaving this cold and empty dark place headed straight to the tropical islands filled with “Morabeza.”  Her best friend was practically yelling with excitement, pointing out the cloudy skies and the lone duck swimming in the lake inside Central Park.   Carolina was just telling her about all the paper organizing she still had to take care of before her flight on Tuesday.  

How did I end up with someone so dramatic as my best friend, she wondered for the millionth time since the morning they met during freshmen orientation week at NYU, four years ago.

“By this time next week you’ll be swimming in pristine blue green waters, sipping on fresh coconuts and hanging with your grandma,” Gabriela was saying, as she held up the little book about traveling to the Cabo Verde Islands she’d been skimming through since graduation night.  The book had been part of her dad’s generous surprise gift.

This made Carolina smile.  “Finally, I get to see grams again.”  She retorted grabbing the book back from her friend.  “Please, remind me, what else awaits me in this summer paradise.”  She shouldn’t need to be reminded, Carolina thought just as she said it.  But she had to admit that she felt conflicted about going back to the place where her mom once abandoned her.

“No matter what happened in the past or what’s to come, I am certain that you will have an incredible experience back home, Carol.”  Gabriela assured her.  “Just promise me that if it’s as good as I expect it will be, you’ll immediately message me the hashtag #bookticketsnow.”

“Of course I will,” she replied in her most serious tone, fishing out an iphone from her handbag.  “Hey, I think your phone just buzzed.”  Gabriela looked puzzled, and then checked her own iPhone only to find a new message from her friend urging her to #bookticketsnow.  “Ha Ha Ha.  I totally would, but unfortunately I actually do want this job with Senator Lisa Sanchez because, let’s face it, she is a rock star!”  

“Afff, I know, I know.  You will have a truly amazing time working with her, that I’m sure of.”  She said almost fondly.  Prior to the huge graduation surprise from Carolina’s dad, they had planned to spend their first summer out of college working together in the New York State House.  Gabriela as Senator Sanchez’ assistant, and Carol as the Senator’s policy team aide.  Neither women planned to work in politics until they took Professor Paulie’s Strategies class in the fall semester of their senior year.  They’d both wanted to try something new and Strategies, dubbed as a course “guaranteed to challenge everything you have ever learned about intellectuality and how to  succeed in the real world” seemed like the perfect elective to share New York’s best donuts over.  Thirty seconds into their first session and they knew they’d made the right choice.  

Professor Paulie was nothing if not clear and rigorous.  “If you are here because you think this course will be another easy A, let me warn you right now: don’t waste my time or yours.  Pack up your junk and go on to find another elective.  Preferably one that doesn’t challenge your intellect by requiring you to think for yourself or that you learn, evolve and become a new and improved person in the next 12 weeks.  We are all adults here so let me be clear.  I will tell you what this classroom is not. This is not a physical education space and this is not a cooking or eating class.  If you are perfectly happy in your little bubble of a comfort zone, living out of sweatpants, pigging out on potato chips and pretending like pulling an all-nighter is all you need to graduate, then this class my friend is not for you.”  She said, making eye contact with all 20 students.  No one said a word.  Two students happened to be in sweats, one immediately sat up straight and the other left the room never to bee seen again.  Gabriela threw her still unopened bag of lays potato chips into a trash can and Carol made a mental note to study every night.  She didn’t particularly enjoy all-nighters anyway, she might as well do away with them, she decided.

Professor Paulie hadn’t been kidding.  Thanks to high expectations of her students (only 10 made it through the end of the class that fall), now both Gabriela and Carolina expected to earn permanent gigs in state politics that fall, especially since it was rumored that Senator Sanchez would be announcing a run for Governor.  Together they were going to help her win that seat and cement their careers in the New York political scene.  

Gabriela must have sensed her friend’s thoughts because she gave her a concerned look.  “Smile, Carol,” she said.  “The summer of both of our lives is just beginning.  I promise.” 

As much as she didn’t like to admit it, perhaps Gabriela had been right, Carolina thought, a few minutes later as she perused through the organizing items for sale at her favorite retail shop.  Right at that precise moment, it hardly mattered that she was now a proud American citizen with a brand new Bachelor’s degree in Language Arts.  Or that she was fluent in Mandarin, French, Portuguese and Spanish. 

Carolina was headed to the one place she thought could also be home.  The last place where she’d seen her mother since she left to chase her dreams.  Anything could happen and who knows, the stars might all align and her mother could just as well make an appearance in the islands.  Either way, Carolina was determined to leave all of her belongings neatly organized in the library she’d built at home.  Just in case her plane crashed or anyone came looking for her, they would get a real glimpse into her life.  The classes she’d taken.  The journals she’d kept.  The places she’d seen.  The playlists that had filled her days and nights as she wondered whether she’d ever hear her mother sing.

Home.  

The word itself still bewildered her.  So much.   She had always believed that she had a home.  But long lost memories that made her think of “home” had been following her since graduation day when her dad surprised her with her first US passport along with plane tickets booked for July 1st.  She’d read the itinerary carefully during her celebration dinner, searching for the line that indicated a hint of a return date when her eyes practically jumped out of her face. 

Return Date: OPEN.   

“I get to pick my return date!!!,” she screamed.  Her dad smiled, signaling with his eyes for her to read the ticket again.  That’s when she saw it.  

Ticket Validation: 07/01/2017.

“Dad.”  She couldn’t help it.  Her eyes had welled up and her voice had cracked before she finished reading aloud.  

“After all these years you’ve dedicated to your academic studies, you absolutely deserve some time off to just be.”  

“Oh dad.  You did this.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I love you!”

“I love you too, honey.  But to be fair, your grandma Cecilia advocated heavily in favor of this trip.  She really wants to see you, my love.”

“Grandma!  I love grandma.”

“Ok, not that I don’t love grandma too, but, you’re leaving me all alone the entire summer?”  

Carolina had completely forgotten that they had company that evening, but hearing her distinct’s friend voice brought her right back to reality.   

“Oooh Gabriela.  I so love you.  But…it’s Cabo-Verde!”

“I know, Carol!  And believe me, I’m so incredibly happy for you.”

I’m going.  Home.

Home.  And that’s when the memories started to flood in.

Blowing out 5 candles on the cake with a sketch of a girl’s round happy face and long brown curls.  The day her then best friend Walter who lived upstairs explained to her why every number times one equaled itself.  Or sitting in high school trigonometry as she waited for her father’s class to end.  Bumping into a tree as she ran away from a barking stray dog, which then left a permanent scar on her forehead. Hopping into an eighteen wheeler with uncle Jack, carrying nothing but sand.  

Nodding, “yes, mom,” the day that her life changed forever.  Like in a perfectly messy puzzle, this last bit always came up last in her memory book.  She didn’t remember every little detail of her past.  She wasn’t sure whether it had been because she was so young or whether she’d intentionally blocked out pieces in her story.  The story of a kid abandoned by her mother in search of…fame?  She never knew exactly how to tell that story….how to tell her story!  As far as she knew, everything had been perfectly normal and happy in their home until the day her mom arrived from Praia, the capital city of Cape-Verde, with her passport, screaming excitedly:  “I got it, I got it,” she’d yelled as she ran into the kitchen where Carolina and her dad had been having “lanche.”  “I got the visa!” 

Alvaro managed a grin, but as much as he’d wanted his wife to follow her dream of becoming a professional musician, sodade had already set in and no matter how much he pretended to be ok with his wife leaving for Europe that summer, he just wouldn’t be 100 percent happy again.  At least not until she came back.  

“See, I told you, you didn’t have to worry.”  He said cautiously, giving his wife a congratulatory hug and a quick peck on the cheek.  “We’ve got to celebrate!”   

“Mom, you’re going to be a star now, just like you’ve always wanted?!”  Little Carolina interrupted excitedly, but even as she uttered those words, the five-year old hadn’t yet grasped the full meaning behind them.  Until the day she had to say goodbye.  They’d taken a taxi to the airport and waited for Fernanda to go to her gate.  

“Honey, you and dad will have to take care of each other from now on, until I come back ok. “ 

Silence.

“Fofita, do you hear me?”

“Yes mommy!  I take care of dad, and dad takes good care of me and you will you come back soon.”

Silence.

“Mom?”

“Yes, honey, that’s it.”  Fernanda replied in a cracked voice, pausing to clear her throat.  “Fofita, I’ll be back before summer’s end.  And we’ll go together to Sintonton to see nana before school even starts just like I promised.”  

“And then we’ll go pick almonds and mangoes!”  

Her mother smiled.  “We will.”

“Don’t worry about us mommy.  Dad and I will take care of each other.   And now I can help make coffee and jam.”  She said proudly, finally remembering to look up at her dad’s face, which was now covered in tears. 

“Is that so?  In that case you’ll make my breakfast tomorrow?,” He managed.

“Yes, dad.  So don’t be sad.”

“I won’t be sad.  Not unless breakfast doesn’t taste good at all,” he said eyeing Fernanda.  “The truth honey, is that I can’t live without either of you so I’ll be back before you know it.”  She was saying while her husband picked up little Carolina with his right arm and then hugged the love of his life with the other arm, bringing the family of three together in a long, steady and warm embrace - an intimate moment they would hold on to for the next two decades. 

Seventeen years went by and Alvaro could still smell the soft scent Fernanda wore the day she left.  It wasn’t hard to remember.  His wife loathed commercial perfumes and always made her own fragrances at home, mixing wild flowers grown in the mountains with her favorite essential oils.  She would make enough to pack dozens of tiny bottles which she would sometimes make herself, and she would distribute them among her closest friends and relatives spread across the two islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão.  They always encouraged her to start a business.  But Fernanda had other plans.  She knew exactly what she wanted out of life and sales just wasn’t a part of it.  “The minute I start selling this stuff, they stop being special.  So no, not in a million years,” she would say every time.  Fernanda had that quality about her, of perseverance and attitude that fascinated Alvaro.  When they’d first met many summers ago that scalding hot August Saturday morning during a beach getaway in Porto Novo, Santo Antão, the first words she said to him were:  “I’ve seen you before and I must say, you look better in red.”  She was picking up a made up sock ball that had landed at his feet.  He’d been sipping a Heineken Malt and eating a large plate of the spicy arroz com atum that his grandmother had packed for the weekend in Curraletes.  Alvaro was both taken aback and impressed by her spunk and her nonchalant small talk.   He was almost certain he had never seen her before that day and should have known then that she would eventually disappear from his life just as suddenly as she had walked into it.  But how could he have known?  

Alvaro was never the kind of guy who could come up with a wise response right away, but he’d managed to say:  “I’ll keep that in mind next time you’re around. Morena.”, as she ran back to her dodgeball game.  Later that day after she’d finished her game and he’d finished re-reading Chiquinho under the tent he shared with his friends, they found each other under water.  The sun had just set and the full moon was making its way to light up the small beach.  A group of  kids in a circle tossed a beach ball around.  Alvaro was about to dive in when he spotted her.  Right away he could tell that she swam gracefully, as if she belonged in those waters.  She looked like she was home, simply.  He dove in, yearning to cool off under the sea.

Keep watching, Red.  Fernanda thought as she came up for air in between cartwheels.  She didn’t have to turn around to know that Alvaro was fixated on her.   It was exactly what she intended when she’d teased him earlier.   She’d noticed him for the first time two days before sitting underneath the tamarind tree in front of her mother’s house as he hung out with his soccer teammates.  “Who is that guy in the red t-shirt?,” she’d asked Adélia as they made their way to the bakery.  He wasn’t the kind of guy that went unnoticed easily.  Besides, he was the only one in his group drinking a malt instead of the standard grog.  “That’s Alvaro de Nha Felizmina d’Anton.  He rides his bicycle to go teach some kids in Lagedos everyday, who can’t make it to school.   All the guys in his family have played for Académica de Porto Novo but he refused to do it until this year when Nho Anton died.  You don’t remember him?  Your parents and his family are great friends.”

“I guess I don’t remember.”  Fernanda didn’t spend much time mingling in small town Porto Novo during her free time.  At 23 years old, she’d been living on her own now for nearly five years and fully supported herself by working as a secondary school teacher.  Most of her days were spent in her garden, either painting or tending to the flower pots and fresh herbs, arranging bunches at a time that she would use to as part of her home décor and distribute among her friends.  Sometimes you could find her spread across a cornfield imagining what life might have been like to iconic global figures like Marilyn Monroe.   She may have been living in Porto Novo, but Fernanda's heart was very much like the wind, often traveling across the globe to find its bliss.  It was under the sea where she felt the happiest and that was where she decided her story with Alvaro would begin.