Page 124 of Poseidon's Island Flower

Naia?

The large fire pits crackled as the older woman, her hands on her hips, leaned over them. We’d been told to stay away from the restaurant, because it wasn’t safe. Not when Cory’s father owned that piece of land. If Cory didn’t likeCybeing there, it could be taken away.

When we got nearer, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming what I was seeing. The shack was no longer a shack. Boards weren’t loose, the roof was fixed, hell, the front porch looked like it could support the weight of twenty people. There were piles of lumber sitting in the parking lot and a construction trailer sitting under a group of massive palm trees.

The construction crew were inside. They weren’t working currently, but they were eating large portions of food piled high on their paper plates.

The prized possession of the locals was being turned into a beautiful restaurant. New tables, chairs, furniture, sinks, fridges, and freezers were being unloaded from another truck that had just pulled in.

What was going on?

“Cy?” I pulled on his arm to get his attention. All he did was smile and waved for Naia to come over.

She charged across the sand, her voluptuous figure seeming to fly, and tightly embraced Cy, as if they had been friends for years.

“My boy, look what you have done!” She squeezed him like she was going to pop him like a pimple. If he wasn’t a god, I might fear for his back.

“It was nothing, Naia,” he whispered.

“No, no, no, you call me Aunty.” She wagged her finger at him. “No wait, you call me Mama, yes you will call me Mama. Now come see, come see.” Naia pulled on Poseidon’s cheek while he pulled my hand.

Koma whistled in the background, taking in the site of our favorite Saturday night hang out. “This place has the best pork,” he told Fay. She sniffed wildly, playfully growled, and pulled him along to keep up with us.

Instantly, we were sitting down at an outside table. A table filled with leis awaited us, and Naia laid a beautiful lei of flowers around Poseidon’s neck. Cooks inside the once broken shack appeared, bringing in a large cake that was certainly not made by them, but it was covered in pineapple and coconut shavings.

“Naia,” Poseidon whispered. “What are you doing? We are here to eat some of your pork!” Naia shoved him down on the bench, and his hand looked for mine. As I stood, still wondering what the hell was going on, they all sang, “For he’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”

“What’s going on?” I asked my brother. He watched the sight before him, the breeze gently ruffling his hair, and shrugged.

As they sat the cake down, the blinding light of the candles was blown away by the ocean breeze and a message written in beautiful sea blue appeared:Poseidon’s Island Flower, officially established 2022.

“Lani come here.” Naia beckoned me over. “Your boyfriend talked to Cory’s father. The rich prick supposedly gifted us the property. Gave me the deed and everything.” Naia side-eyed Poseidon.

I opened my mouth in shock, gaping at Poseidon, who looked like a lost lamb in front of a pack of wolves. I put my hands on either side of his shoulders and felt the strength of them beneath my palms.

“H-he did?”

Poseidon’s face flushed to a pretty pink.

“What do you mean, supposedly? That is what happened,” Poseidon sputtered.

Poseidon tried to stand, but Naia pushed his shoulder back down. His body thumped back on the bench as the song ended. The older men in their aprons beckoned him to blow out the rest of the candles.

“Best do what they say, or you won’t get your pork,” Koma nudged him, and Poseidon obeyed, albeit reluctantly.

“Well, your friend Zeus came to me the other night. He handed over the deed and a deposit slip receipt that went into the restaurant’s account. He said Cyboughtthe place from the prick because he wouldn’t give it up for free. Then Cy put it in my name and put in enough money from ananonymousbenefactor to fix up the place. There is enough money in there to get us the right equipment, so we don’t have to cook in a rundown kitchen anymore.” Naia began to cry, and I grabbed her by the shoulders to hug her.

“This place means so much to us, and you did all that after meeting me one time? After I shoved you all away?” she sobbed.

“You didn’t have a choice, Naia, Cory was being a douche,” I soothed, rubbing her back.

Poseidon smirked, taking his finger and dipping it into the icing.

“And then Zeus comes to us, telling us it was really you all along and that naming the restaurant Poseidon’s Island Flower would mean so much to you.” Naia grabbed her apron and blew her nose into it. “Shame on you for hiding it. I swear all the good people want to hide themselves and not take credit.”

Poseidon dipped his head low but stuck another finger into the icing of the cake.

“What did you do?”I forced a message through to him, and he perked up his head, surprised.

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