Page 26 of Big Island Weddings
Walls of green leaves and shadow rose up all around them, splattered with bright color. The dappled sunlight shone on fiery flowers and intricate orchids, holding even the children’s attention.
Even the kids who weren’t impressed by flowers loved to see the rainbow-colored day geckos and bright green anole lizards that sunned themselves on huge leaves and darted across the black lava rocks.
Nell and Hugh trailed along at the back of the group, and he threaded his fingers through hers. Everett dozed in his carrier on her back, sound asleep.
They veered out towards the ocean, where the fresh salt air blew away some of the tropical humidity. The kids crowded along the edge of the rocks, watching the waves crash against the shore.
One of the boys climbed up on the railing and leaned towards the ocean. Nell started towards him, but she was too slow – his feet slipped on the wet metal and he nearly went headfirst onto the rocks below.
Hugh grabbed the boy by the back of the shirt and pulled him back onto dry land. Nell gave him a grateful look, pressing one hand over her speeding heart.
The kids had their snack there, in the shade of the forest and the fresh ocean breeze.
Hugh watched them with a smile on his face but something like grief in his eyes.
“It must be hard,” Nell said softly, “being here with the playschool while Daisy’s on O‘ahu.”
He nodded and sighed deeply, a nearly silent breath that made his shoulders rise and fall. “It would be easier if she was happy there. I wouldn’t mind so much. But she’s not.”
“She doesn’t like her school?” Nell guessed.
“The school, the apartment, any of it. She lives in Hawaii, but she’s inside nearly all the time. It drives me crazy. And she’s so happy when she’s here. This is such a healthy place for her. She would have loved this.”
“We can take her this summer,” she said, and then her cheeks blazed at her presumption. “Or, I mean, you can.”
He nodded, seemingly oblivious to her awkwardness. His mind was still in Honolulu with his daughter.
“I think she’s being bullied,” he said after a while. “Her mother won’t talk to me about it, but she keeps coming home from school with these stories…” He shook his head and sighed. “I wish there was something I could do.”
“It’ll be summer soon. She’ll be with you her whole break, right?”
He brightened at that. “Yeah.”
“And maybe next year will be better for her.”
He sighed again, slumping back against the guard rail. “I just wish she could stay.”
“Yeah. Me too.” Selfishly, she wondered if he would eventually move to Honolulu to be closer to his daughter. She almost asked him as much, but an argument between two of the kids pulled her attention away.
It was just as well, she thought as she mediated a debate between seven year olds. It wasn’t the time or the place for serious conversations.
The kids were excited to see the waterfalls, and their energy was high until they finally looped back to the van. While they were waiting in the shade for the kids to rotate through the restroom, Nell squeezed Hugh’s hand in thanks.
“It was so thoughtful of you to come today.”
“You didn’t really need me.”
“Maybe not, but it made everything easier. Especially when you stopped Derek from tumbling headfirst into the ocean.”
His chest rumbled with a low chuckle. “He would have been fine.”
“Probably. But navigating the rest of the day while he was soaked and scraped up and miserable would not have been fun. You made the whole day… peaceful. Easy.”
“Glad to be of service.” He leaned in like he wanted to kiss her, but the kids were just a few feet away. He settled for a friendly pat on the arm, and then he turned and walked towards his car.
“Dinner Friday?” she called after him.
He turned and grinned at her. “It’s a date!”
