Page 81 of Big Island Horizons
“You told my parents to meet us here?”
“They’re early.” He waved at them and put an arm around her.
An old fear told her to pull away, to pretend indifference in front of her parents and the girls. Instead, she leaned into him. And deep in her soul, she felt nothing but a warm relief – the comfort of finally being where she was meant to be.
“Is this all ours?” Luana shouted as she tumbled out of the truck.
“It’s all ours, baby girl!” Nate shouted back.
She and Kiki raced up the hill. Without letting go of ‘Olena, Nate scooped them both up into a hug. Luana looped an arm around ‘Olena’s shoulders and the four of them stood there for a moment, holding each other. A family.
“So, this is where the house will go?” Mano boomed as he walked up the hill.
Nate released his girls and went to shake Mano’s hand. The older man swatted his hand aside and pulled him into a hug.
Mahina walked up to stand beside ‘Olena. She put an arm around her daughter as they watched Luana and Kiki roll giggling down the grassy hill to the orchard.
“He’s here to stay,” Mahina said, looking over to where Nate and Mano were talking animatedly about his plans for the house.
“Yeah,” ‘Olena said, finally releasing the pessimistic certainty that, sooner or later, he would disappear again. “I think he is.”
From the top of the hill, Nate caught her eye and grinned. She felt a familiar pull in her chest – and for once, she didn’t try to fight it. She walked up the hill and into his arms.
He kissed her temple and held her close as Mano talked about leveling the top of the hill and what sort of footprint they would want for their house.
‘Olena leaned into him, absorbing the warmth of his body along with her parents’ voices and her daughters’ laughter.
In that moment, she was exactly where she needed to be. No missing pieces.
It felt like coming home.
30
Tara
“Let’s go!” Piper sprinted down the trail, which was all steep incline and chunks of lava rock.
“Don’t run!” Tara shouted after her. “It’s a four-mile hike, not a race!”
Piper stumbled to a stop and looked up at her. “I’m just so excited!”
“And I love that you’re excited, but snorkeling won’t be any fun with a sprained ankle. Not to mention the hike back up.”
“Cody could carry me!”
“Absolutely not,” he said as he passed.
“Why not?” she demanded.
“I’m already carrying all your food and your snorkeling gear!”
“Well yeah. You’re twice as old as me and twice as big.”
“That doesn’t mean it would be easy to carry you up a mountain.”
“You would though!” Piper ran to keep up with his absurdly long legs, windmilling her arms to keep her balance. “You would carry me if I broke my ankle.”
“How about you don’t break your ankle?”
