Page 50 of Big Island Neighbors
Now he popped two orange ice cubes out of a tray and added them to her sparkling water.
“Lilikoi,” he explained with a grin. He set the glasses down and joined her at the table.
“How have things been at the restaurant?” Lani asked as she heaped her plate with tempura.
“A bit slow, but that’s fine. I’m getting a bit of a breather before things pick up again. Work was crazy last summer, and this summer will probably be even busier. It’s been nice to be able to take some days off to spend with Olivia. And you.” Tenn nudged her teasingly under the table, his bare foot caressing her ankle.
They chatted comfortably as they ate the meal that he had made, talking about the homeschool co-op that both of their daughters attended and the desserts that Tenn planned to add to the menu at his restaurant.
The perfectly cooked tempura crunched pleasantly, giving way to the tender vegetables inside. And the fresh fish that she dipped in chili pepper water melted in her mouth.
After Tenn had cleared away their dinner dishes, he turned to her and grinned.
“I have a surprise for you.”
Something in her froze up.
With the exception of Rory, life hadn’t prepared her for happy surprises. Her mother’s death and then her father’s. Zeke’s rapid degeneration after she married him. Even her pregnancy had been devastating; she had resisted motherhood right up until the moment that she first saw her daughter’s face.
She paused to remind herself that all of Tenn‘s surprises - sushi, swimming with dolphins, the bike he had fixed up so that he could teach her to ride - had been good ones, and she forced herself to smile.
“Come see.” He took her hand and led her down the hall - not to his room, but to Olivia’s.
He flipped on the light, revealing a brand new bunk bed that towered over his daughter’s dollhouse. Legos were scattered across the floor, and the wall was papered with Olivia’s artwork. A low roar sounded in Lani’s ears as she stared down at the flower-patterned rug in the center of the room.
“What do you think?” Tenn asked.
“You got her a bunk bed.” Her voice came out flat and hollow.
“Yeah, so that Rory has a place to sleep. There’s an empty drawer for her clothes, and one for you in my room. I cleared out space for you in my closet too.”
She backed out of the doorway, turned, and ran down the hall. Her heart raced, and her hands were damp with sweat as she fumbled to open the front door.
Tenn’s voice sounded behind her, but she didn’t catch what he said.
She burst outside into the cool of the night and took a gasping breath. Her chest was tight, on the cusp of a panic attack.
Tenn came out behind her. When he touched her, his hand was gentle – as light as a bird landing on her shoulder. Even so, it made her flinch.
“What’s wrong?” he asked softly.
Lani shook her head, no air in her lungs for words.
Dark shadows crowded the edges of her vision, and she sank to her knees. The rough surface of the front walk bit into her bare skin. She bent forward, trying to catch her breath.
“It’s okay.” Tenn sat on the ground next to her. He extended his hand, hesitated, and then placed it on her lower back. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”
Incrementally, her chest relaxed and allowed air into her lungs. Fear released its grip without spiraling into a full-blown panic attack. She sat up and turned her face into the wind.
“I’m sorry,” she said once she’d caught her breath.
“It’s okay,” he repeated.
She pushed herself up off of the ground, and Tenn put a hand under her arm to help her to her feet.
“What happened?” he asked.
“I…” She trailed off. She had no idea how to explain the sudden, suffocating fear that had overtaken her. Shame rose like bile in the back of her throat, and she turned away. “I should go.”
