Page 37 of Big Island Weddings
“I’ll come see you again soon.”
For once, the truck started up without protest.
She drove back over the bridge and turned right, then parked in the lot next to the library. Cradling the two-foot stack of books in both arms, she staggered to the main entrance and tipped them bit by bit into the collection slot. Then she went up to the desk and collected the books that she had ordered online.
She loved modern children’s books, often even more than Rory did. The art was extraordinary. Some were so beautiful that flipping through the pages felt like visiting a gallery.
With yet another precarious stack of books in her arms, she made her way back to the truck. Her mind was full, but for once it wasn’t with worries. She was thinking of all of the concepts she had for children’s books, wondering if any of them had legs.
On her way back through town, she made a detour and parked by the Matheson gallery, where her mural of Ohia and Lehua stretched nearly two stories high. She sat staring up at it for a long time, picturing how the old Hawaiian love story could be made into a picture book.
Would anyone go for that? Or was it too sad?
The oldest stories all were, it seemed.
Finally, she got the truck going – after a few false starts – and got back on the main road. She would get gas at the grocery store, and she had just enough time to stop in for toilet paperand peanut butter before driving back to Pualena to pick Rory up from school.
Or she would have, if her engine hadn’t sputtered to a stop on the highway.
The truck slowed to a crawl as she coasted on pure inertia and pulled over to the side. Cars and trucks swerved around her and raced past, creating a wind that shook the broad tropical leaves growing alongside the road.
She sat there for a minute, just staring out the windshield.
A chicken popped out of the jungle, followed by nearly a dozen chicks and then – miracle of miracles – a rooster. Mother hens were mostly on their own, but occasionally the dad would stick around to help out.
Maybe it wasn’t even the dad. Maybe it was a brother or a son who had grown up and never left. Or a hopeful hanger-on, like the bachelor whales that hung around the young mothers in hope of a chance the next mating season.
She scrubbed the heels of her hands over her eyes like that might help scrub the tangled thoughts from her brain. She needed to call someone… and she didn’t want to call Tenn.
The moment she realized that, she started to cry. Just put her forehead to the steering wheel and sobbed.
He was working. His mother was picking Olivia up again.
And Lani had no idea where they stood.
Still crying, she texted ‘Olena to say that she would be late.
And then she called a tow truck.
14
‘Olena
“But I want to go with you,” Kiki whined.
“Not tonight,” ‘Olena told her. “You’re staying with your aunties and cousins.”
“Why can’t I come too?”
“Come on,” Luana coaxed. “We can color with Rory.”
Kiki hugged ‘Olena’s leg tighter and glared at her sister.
“Do you want to go see the goats?” Nate tried.
“I hate the goats! I want my tutu!”
“Tutu and Grandpa are resting.”
