Page 43 of Big Island Summer
Rory’s biological dad was still in Pualena, spending as much time with Rory as Lani was willing to give him. She did her best to plan it so that Rory was with Lorenzo whenever Olivia was with her grandmother, but Sonya had an unfortunate habit of stopping by unannounced.
“Then can I see Babbo today?” she asked, sniffling.
“Your cousins are here today. We’ll do something fun with them.”
“Okay.” Rory sighed and wilted against Lani’s chest.
“Hey Mom?” Olivia tiptoed into the room, looking guilty.
“Yeah?” Lani smiled at her stepdaughter. It wasn’t Olivia’s fault that Sonya wanted nothing to do with her – or, by extension, Rory.
“I’m gonna go with my grandma. She said to tell you that I’ll be home at dinnertime.”
“Okay, Livie. Have fun.”
Olivia nodded somberly and went back outside.
“Auntie!” Luana marched into the room, hands on her hips. “Isn’t it ten minutes yet?”
“One more minute, Lulu.”
“You didn’t even look at your phone!’
“Tell Kiki she has one more minute.”
She huffed out a breath and stomped back down the hall.
“Do we have to do something with my cousins?” Rory grumbled.
Lani laughed and squeezed her tighter.
“You love your cousins!”
“Yeah, but I’m tired of having them in the house. It’s a lot of people.”
“Itisa lot of people,” Lani agreed. “But we’re going to take good care of them until Auntie ‘Olena gets back. Right?”
“Right,” Rory said with a sigh.
“Which beach should we go to today?”
Rory sat up straighter. “I get to pick?”
“You get to pick.”
“Let’s go to the river!”
“You want to go to Honoli‘i?”
“Yeah! The beach where you got your wedding!”
“Okay.” Lani grinned and kissed Rory’s forehead. “Let’s go.”
Rory sprang up off of her lap and sprinted down the hallway.
“Beach time!” she shouted.
“Time to put the markers away!” Lani added. “Everybody into their bathing suits!”
