Page 75 of Big Island Sunrise
She slumped down on the porch steps. “I don’t know how to live through this.”
“And I don’t know how to live without Adam,” she said quietly, sitting next to her. “But I keep trying. I keep moving. You can too. Honestly, Lani, you haven’t even lost anything. You have everything. You just need to keep fighting. Keep living your best life.”
Lani curled in on herself, resting her forehead on her knees. Emma rubbed her back.
“If today your best life looks like a long nap, that’s okay too.”
“No.” She thought of Tenn standing by the front gate, all sunny expectation. “I’ll go.”
“Atta girl.”
Tenn had anotherliliko’icane juice waiting for her in the truck. As soon as she climbed in and twisted the top off of the sweet, nourishing drink, she felt better. The forward motion helped, moving steadily towards the water.
He drove to a section of sea cliffs where the lava rock was broad and smooth.
An established trail wound along the cliffs and through the ironwood trees that grew in clusters. They rode slowly. Lani took deep breaths, relishing the salt tang that filled the air and mixed with the forest scent of the ironwood trees.
The Respondent has a history of emotional problems.
The line from Zeke’s declaration came out of nowhere, hitting her like a fist to the stomach. She took in a gulp of air and fought to keep her bike steady.
Respondent should be required to return to Alaska to establish a realistic care pattern for Aurora.
She shook her head, trying to focus on the beautiful day.
The colors were intense, like someone had turned the saturation up on the whole world. Black cliffs, blue sky, green leaves.
Rory is suffering psychological damage, including perhaps permanent abandonment issues, by not seeing her father regularly.
Lani blinked and refocused. The ocean was a deep blue today, closer in color to the dark cliffs than the brilliance of the sky.
The idea that removing a child from the care of one parent can establish a pattern of care by the abducting parent is nonsense.
She focused on Tenn’s back as the trail turned into a small copse of trees. Her tires slowed as they moved from smooth stone to a brown blanket of fallen needles.
This game of “Keep Away” is not a basis for maintaining the established care pattern.
The spongy forest floor pulled at her tires and she peddled harder, going just fast enough to keep the bike from toppling to one side.
I have provided and cared for Aurora since before she was born, up until the day she was removed from the state without my permission.
She pushed through the forest, following Tenn through to the sunshine. The day was heating up already, and sweat dripped down from beneath her borrowed helmet. Tenn’s dark hair shone in the sunlight.
Respondent has only spent more time with Aurora because she refused to work outside of the home while I provided for our family financially.
She had tried to get a job, had even worked for a few nights as a waitress, but he had gone into a rage and accused her of flirting with a customer.
The Respondent has taken advantage of the finances of me and of others. When she did work it was for less than one month because she had difficulties with her coworkers, which caused her to quit.
Try as she might to focus on the glint of sunshine on water, the blue of the sky, the strong back in front of her, she couldn’t stop the litany of lies running on repeat through her mind.
Respondent should not be allowed to decide that I am banned from raising our daughter, which she has effectively done by abducting her to an undisclosed location in Hawai’i.
Her breathing was ragged. From exertion or from stress, she couldn’t tell.
Aurora had always been small for her age. When I urged Respondent to supplement with formula when our daughter was an infant, she refused. I fear that Aurora will become further malnourished without proper care.
She turned quickly to avoid a rock, and her front tire skidded out from underneath her. The whole bike went with it, dumping Lani onto a rough patch of ground. She landed on her left arm, and rough lava rock bit through her skin.
