Page 13 of Big Island Horizons
“You can just put it at the end of the table there,” Linda told her neighbor.
“I’m headed home to bake some breadfruit brownies for my next round of meal deliveries. Lani said she would bring my bowl back for me.”
“Go on, then,” Linda said, focused on the bustling activity happening all around her. Then she paused and looked up. “Wait, Tara?”
She turned back. “Yeah?”
“Are you going to put mac nuts in the brownies again?”
Tara grinned. “I can.”
“Bake a few extra for me, would you?”
“I always do.” She paused on her way out and touched ‘Olena’s shoulder. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you if you have space in your co-op.”
“For your two girls? They’re, what, eight years old now?”
“They are. I’ve been so busy in the kitchen lately, I think they would really enjoy getting out with you a few times a week. They’re busy with riding lessons and an online art class, but we could commit to three days a week. If you have room for them, that is.”
“Of course. Luana would love it if your twins came. She’s the oldest kid right now, so having two more girls the same age as her would be wonderful. I’ve been meaning to hire some full-time help anyway.”
“Wonderful. I’ve got to run, but I can email you later about the details.”
“Sounds good.” She looked over to the playground, where Luana and the twins were orchestrating some complicated game, bossing around the younger kids.
More and more, her older daughter had been complaining about how all of the kids her age had been falling away from the group as their parents enrolled in more traditional classrooms. She would be thrilled to have Paige and Piper there a few days a week.
But goodness, ‘Olena needed some full-time backup.
Ideally another mom and not her ex-husband.
She had to admit that having Nate on deck the other day had worked out well. He had watched over the kids playing in the water while ‘Olena had led art activities with the other half, first watercolors with the older kids and then finger painting with the littles.
She wouldn’t turn him down if he wanted to help more often, particularly if he was with half the kids at the community center on the days that she was leading excursions with the other half. If he wanted to include the girls’ friends in his coparenting efforts, so much the better.
She would take the extra help while she could, because she had no doubt that sooner or later he would get restless and take a job off island again.
What she really needed was a co-teacher or two. People that she could rely on to show up day after day, not just volunteer here and there when it suited them.
As soon as she had their new space sorted out, she would start the process of interviewing potential employees.
“Okay, I think we’re ready,” said Linda. “‘Olena, would you serve up this chili? I’ll have them form two separate lines, meat eaters and vegetarians. We’ve got quite the crowd today.”
Lani moved into place beside ‘Olena to serve up the chicken katsu that another auntie had dropped off. The kids went for that one, skipping the chili in favor of breaded chicken and white rice.
“Where’s Kai?” asked one little boy with curly black hair.
“He’s still in California,” Lani told him.
“Isn’t heevercoming back?” the boy whined.
“A few more weeks, kiddo.”
He groaned and stomped off towards the picnic tables.
Once everyone was served, and with plenty of food left to spare, ‘Olena and Lani filled plates for themselves and their daughters. Getting them off of the playground took some doing, but finally they settled down at a table with the rest of the kids.
“Mind if we join you?” Lani asked a mom who had one of the tables to herself. She had a baby on her lap and a little girl perched on the bench next to her.
