Page 22 of Big Island Sunrise
They visited a cute farm shack, and the setting was idyllic… then Lani realized that the shack was attached to the farm’s mac nut processor, which would make an unbearable racket on the regular.
“Can we go home now?” Rory whined as they drove away from the mac nut farm.
Where’s home?Lani wondered.
“Just one more stop,” she said aloud. “Do you want some more of that dried mango?”
The last place on her list was a reasonably priced rental south of Pualena. The satellite navigation led her off of the pavement and onto a dirt road that became gradually more pitted the farther she drove, until it could hardly be called a road anymore. It became a series of steep hills and valleys that threatened to strand them. She could just see them out there, miles from the highway, no cell service, tires spinning in the air.
She drove so slowly that the appointment time came and went with her still a few miles away, staring down a pond-sized puddle that took up the entire road.
She called the contact number for the rental and waited.
“Hello?” said a gruff voice.
“Hi, this is Lani, I was supposed to come see your rental at two. I’m almost there, but the road is flooded. Is there another way around?”
“No way around, it’s a dead end.”
“I’m scared I’m gonna wreck my cousin’s car.”
“It’s not as bad as it looks. Just stay to the right.”
She eyed the puddle for another moment, but she couldn’t do it. Not in ‘Olena’s minivan. Anyway, how would she even get out here? She needed her own car. She was going about this whole thing backwards.
“Could I come back next week?”
“It’ll be rented by then.” The guy hung up.
“Can we go home now?” Rory asked again, drawing the words out into a whine.
“Yeah, baby.” Lani made a ten-point turn on the narrow dirt road and went back the way they had come, driving carefully around the ridges and valleys. “Let’s go home.”
She drove the short distance to Pualena and pulled up to her aunt’s house, feeling exhausted.
“Any luck?” ‘Olena asked as they walked in.
“Nope.” Lani handed her keys back and joined her at the kitchen table as Rory ran off in search of her cousins. “Thanks for letting me use your van.”
“Finding a place to live here is no joke. Why you think I still live with my parents?”
“I would love to live with my parents,” she said, her voice barely audible.
“Leilani.” ‘Olena reached out and took her hand. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t–”
“No, it’s okay.” She stood and went to fill the kettle. “Do you want some tea?”
“There’s no rush. My mom loves having you here.”
“I know.” She set the kettle over a flame and put a few red-veinedmamakileaves in her aunt’s old teapot. “And I’m grateful, I am. I just… you know I’ve never had a place of my own?”
“Never?”
She shook her head and crossed her arms, leaning back against the kitchen counter. “I went from my parent’s house to the dorms to cruise ships to Zeke’s place.”
“And now you’re sleeping in the office, with my dad knocking at six in the morning because he wants to print something.”
She chuckled ruefully. “Yep.”
