Page 32 of Big Island Summer
Any chance Cassie could hang with you while I go buy that car I found?
She set her phone aside and scrubbed the carrots. They were from the back garden, dark purple on the outside with sunshine-yellow centers. A bit bitter to eat on their own, but good with dip.
A jolt of shock went through her when a man walked past her kitchen window. A second glance, and she realized that the man was Hugh, but her heart still sped and stuttered from the initial fright.
Someday, her nervous system would heal enough that fear wasn’t her first reaction to any strange man she saw.
She wasn’t there yet.
Nell dried her hands and took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. A moment later, Hugh knocked on the front door. She went to open it, stepping carefully around Everett and his makeshift drum set.
“Hi! You’re early. How did you get past Dio?”
“Who, this guy?” The Belgian Malinois nosed at his side, and Hugh scratched the golden fur between his dark ears. “He’s a sweetheart.”
“You say that, but you should see him snap and snarl any time a jogger goes by.”
“That’s because he’s a good guard dog, aren’t you, boy?”
“Come on in.”
Hugh greeted her with a kiss and closed the door behind him, leaving the muddy dog outside. Zuko – technically Emma’s cat, but more often found in the ‘ohana unit than the big house – wound around his ankles. From the kitchen, Everett shrieked a happy greeting.
“You know what they say about animals and babies,” he said with a wink.
“What’s that?”
“They have a sixth sense about people. Isn’t that right, Everett?”
The baby shrieked again and crawled into the living room at full speed.
“Where’s your sister?” he asked, picking Everett up off of the ground.
Nell pointed to the lump on the sofa and said, “She’s not overly excited about going back to the used car dealership.”
“Oh, that’s too bad.” He walked over and set Everett down on top of the quilt, keeping both hands on him to make sure he didn’t fall. “I had a joke to tell her.”
“I’m here!” Cassie shouted. “I’m under here!”
“What?” Hugh scooped a laughing Everett up with one arm and pulled back the quilt with the other. “How did you get under there?”
“I was always here!” Cassie laughed.
“Very tricky.”
“What’s the joke?”
“How does the ocean say ‘Aloha’ to the island?”
“Tell me!”
“It waves!”
Cassie giggled, putting two hands up to hide her loose tooth. “That’s silly!”
“Yeah, it is.”
Nell shook her head and smiled. She was back in the kitchen, slicing carrots.
