Page 60 of Big Island Neighbors
“Thank you.” There was relief in ‘Io’s voice now. He stepped away, ready to run back to his friends.
“And?” Kekoa prompted. ‘Io gave him a quick look of exasperation before turning back to Kai.
“I love you,” ‘Io said flatly. He gave Kai a glancing hug before sprinting back to his friends.
Kekoa looked at Emma. “I’m sorry about that.”
“It happens.”
“Need help with that fire?”
“I’ve got it. Thanks.”
By the time Lani came back from the beach with Rory all wrapped up in a towel, the fire was crackling happily and Kai was on his second bowl ofpoke. Lani settled Rory in the warmth that radiated from the campfire and went to get them each a plate of food.
When Lani finally came and sat down, Emma noticed Kai watching her. He seemed to be working up the courage to ask something, or figuring out what he wanted to say.
“Auntie Lani?” he said at last.
“Yeah?” She looked over at him with a smile.
“Doyouthink I’m Hawaiian?”
She blinked in surprise. “Well, sure. What do you mean?”
“Elijah said I can’t be Hawaiian ‘cause my mom’s white. And ‘Io said I’m not even local, ‘cause I wasn’t born here. And Maddox said I should just go home to the mainland.”
“That’s rough, kiddo.”
“So?” he demanded. “Am I Hawaiian or not?”
“Your dad was. But even he washapa haole.”
“What’s that?”
“It means his mom was from the mainland too.”
“So I’m not Hawaiian?” he pressed, looking for a solid answer.
“You are and you aren’t, I guess.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
“We’re all a lot of things,” she explained, setting her plate down.
“What are you?”
“Hawaiian, Portuguese, Japanese, Filipino, Chinese… lots of things.”
“And Italian,” Rory put in.
“Yep, Rory’s dad was Italian.”
“Is your dad dead too?” Kai asked, distracted by Lani’s use of the past tense. “Didn’t you talk to him on the computer?”
“That’s Daddy,” Rory said offhandedly. “He’s not my real dad. My real dad is in Italy, but he’s lost.”
“What do you mean, lost?”
