Page 49 of Big Island Weddings
By pickup time on Monday, ‘Olena’s head was fuzzy with exhaustion. Two small businesses and two small girls left little time to celebrate their engagement… and anyway, she wasn’t sure how to treat this engagement to the man she had divorced five years before.
The engagement had been announced quietly, without any ceremony or fuss.
She almost felt embarrassed about the whole thing, as if getting married a second time shone a spotlight on their flaws and failings as a couple. Yes, she was excited to get married again… but there was a shame clinging to that excitement that she couldn’t quite shake.
The weekend had passed in a blur of errands done with both girls in tow. Nate was busy in the orchard, where the lychee was ripening faster than he could pick it, and ‘Olena was reluctantto lean too heavily on her parents for childcare after her dad’s health scare.
“Remember to send Mateo with a raincoat tomorrow,” ‘Olena told his dad, “and a set of spare clothes.”
She wasn’t one to keep the kids indoors during sunshowers, but that sometimes resulted in sopping, chilled children if their families hadn’t kept their school bags well stocked. Mateo had wound up in a pair of sweatpants from the lost and found and a spare Pualena Playschool swim shirt.
While her girls played outside with friends and Nell cleaned up the chaos of the day, ‘Olena worked her way through some of the administrative tasks that kept Pualena Playschool running. She ordered more art supplies, transferred money to Nell’s bank account, and sent emails hounding parents who were late with that month’s fees.
By the time she finished, the shadow of the mauna had overtaken the playground. Dusk came early to Pualena, and ‘Olena’s to-do list only ever seemed to grow longer.
With her ever-hungry beast of a business sated, at least for the day, ‘Olena collected her girls and drove the short distance to her parents’ house for dinner. Nate was there already, stranded on the lanai with a bottle of beer in hand. ‘Olena was surprised to see it, both her fiance at rest and the beer, which was one of the many things that Mahina had banned from the house after Mano’s heart attack. The bottle must have come from her brother’s place, farther back on the property.
Nate set the drink aside and rose to greet the girls, who crashed into him with enthusiastic hugs before running through the backyard in search of ‘Iolani.
“You’re here early,” ‘Olena said. He greeted her with a kiss.
“We’ve got company.”
“What do you mean?”
Before he could answer, the screen door banged open and a woman appeared on the lanai. She had dye-black hair and a lime-green shirt. Darlene.
‘Olena hadn’t seen her in over five years, and the girls had only seen her on the occasional weekend or holiday when their dad was home from work.
“There you are,” Darlene shouted. “We were expecting you hours ago! Where are my grandbabies?”
“They ran to the backyard.” Nathan’s voice carried up to the lanai without shouting.
“Well what did you let them do that for?” She disappeared back into the house without waiting for an answer.
‘Olena realized that her mouth was hanging open, and she pressed her lips together. She would never understand how that woman had produced a man as solid and steady as Nate.
“She flew in today.” His voice carried an unspoken apology. “No warning, unless you count texting me her arrival time as she was boarding a plane.”
‘Olena took a step backwards, letting the door of her van hold her up. “Where’s she staying?”
“My place.” Nate had basically moved into the little rental with her and the girls, but he still had a place in town that he had signed a six-month lease on when he moved back to the island full time. It was bigger than ‘Olena’s house, but the location wasn’t great and there was a musty smell to the place that she didn’t like.
‘Olena tore her eyes away from her parents’ front door and looked up at Nate. “How long is she staying?”
“Until the wedding, apparently.”
A laugh bubbled up from her chest, amusement tinged with hysteria. “We haven’t even set a date yet.”
He started to answer, then looked up at the house when the door opened again. Kekoa came out carrying a plate of food inone hand and a beer in the other, apparently looking for a more peaceful place to eat.
“Come on,” ‘Olena said with a sigh. “Standing out here won’t make it any easier.”
They walked through Mahina’s front garden, which was bright with color and slightly overgrown after the chaos of the past few weeks.
“Careful, sis,” Kekoa said as they walked up the steps. “They’ve got a binder.”
Luana and Kiki were inside, apparently roped in by their paternal grandmother through the back door. They each had a plate piled high with fried chicken and mac salad; takeout containers littered the counters. Mahina stood guard in the kitchen, glaring daggers at her husband if he so much as looked at the forbidden food.
