Page 42 of Big Island Summer
Lani just smiled and shook her head, leaning back against the couch. It was chaotic, having two extra kids for a week. But it was a happy kind of chaos.
“Mommy, can we get the beads out?” Rory stood in the doorway, her hands pressed together in aplease.
“Did you wash your hands?”
“Yes!” She held them both out, demonstrating the absence of mango syrup.
“Go ahead. You can make something while I clean up, and then we can all go to the beach.”
“Best day ever!” Rory shouted, running down the hall.
“Hey Mom?” Olivia stood by the front window, lines of sunlight striping her face through the blinds.
“What’s up, Livie?”
“My grandma’s here.”
Lani’s stomach dropped. “She is?”
“Yeah, she’s getting out of her car. Can I open the door?”
“Of course. Go say hello.”
Olivia ran out the front door and shouted from the porch, “Hi, Grandma! Daddy’s not here!”
“Well that’s okay,” Sonya called back. “I’m here to see you!”
“I’ve got the beads!” Rory shouted, running back into the living room. She stumbled to a stop and looked around in confusion. “Where’s Livie?”
Olivia’s voice came through the open door: “But I was about to make necklaces with Rory.”
“You can do that any day,” Sonya told her in a syrup-sweet voice. “It’s not every day that Grandma gets a day off of work. Don’t you want to come to the movies?”
“I guess,” Olivia said.
“Movies?” Rory gasped. She dropped the box of beads and ran to the door. “Can I come?”
“Hello, Rory.” Sonya’s voice took on a sharper edge.
“Can I come to the movies?”
“Not today.”
“Why can’t she come?” Olivia asked.
“Well, I only have two tickets. Today’s some special Grandma and Olivia time. And Rory, you can have special time with your mom. Sound good?”
Rory ran back into the house with tears in her eyes. Lani opened her arms, and her daughter crawled into her lap. Every time that Tenn’s mother picked up Olivia and left Rory behind, it hit her a little bit harder.
“Why can’t I go?” she asked.
“You weren’t invited,” Lani said as gently as she could. “It’s just Livie and Sonya today.”
“Why don’tIget a grandma?” Rory demanded.
Grief stabbed Lani in the solar plexus, and she took a breath.
“Every family looks different, baby. Livie’s grandma wants time with her, just like your Babbo wants time with you.”
