Page 69 of Big Island Summer
“Good. That’s good.”
“But I could hear Livie crying.” His voice broke on the last word. “They think she broke her arm.”
“She’ll be okay. I’ll call you as soon as I see her. Just… drive safe.”
“You too.”
Lani shoved the phone into the pocket of her paint-splattered overalls and pulled the door to New Horizons shut behind her. She fumbled the keys twice before locking it. When she got to her truck, she made herself breathe slowly – in through the nose, out through the mouth – until her hands stopped shaking.
At the hospital, she ran straight to the front desk.
“I’m looking for Olivia Nakamura.”
“Are you a relative?”
“She’s my daughter.”
Sympathy flashed across the woman’s face as she turned to type something into her keyboard.
“Room three-oh-six.”
“Thank you.” Lani raced up the stairs to the third floor. She found the right door and threw it open without knocking.
“Mom!”
Lani put a hand over her mouth, holding back a sob of relief.
She was okay.
Her blue eyes were bright, and there was a long bandage taped to the side of her face. Strands of yellow hair near the bandage were matted with blood. Her right arm was in a sling. But she was okay.
Tears ran down Lani’s face as she put her arms around her stepdaughter. She barely touched her, wary of putting pressure on any other places that might be hurt, but she needed to hold her, to convince herself that she was really okay.
“Where’s Dad?” Olivia asked. Lani kissed the top of her head before pulling back.
“He’s on his way.”
“Where’s Rory?”
“She’s in Waimea with her babbo today, remember?”
“Oh yeah.” She smiled and held up her injured arm. “I got a cast.”
“I see that.” Lani’s voice hitched as she brushed a piece of hair away from Livie’s face.
“They had lots of colors, but only one at a time. I got white so you can draw on it. Will you?”
“Of course I will.” Her voice was thick with unshed tears, and she had to clear her throat before she could continue. “I’ll draw anything you like. We’ll get a whole box of markers and use every single color.”
“Thank you.” Olivia smiled and blinked sleepily, leaning her head back against the pillows.
“Mrs. Nakamura?”
At the sound of a man’s voice, Lani turned and took in the rest of the room for the first time. Sonya and Ken stood by the window, staring at her. With her by the bedside was a young man in scrubs. He was looking at her, even though (technically speaking) Sonya was the only ‘Mrs. Nakamura’ in the room.
Lani nodded and waited for him to continue.
“Your daughter has a buckle fracture in her right arm. One of the bones in her forearm is damaged, but not completely broken. She won’t need surgery, but she’ll need to keep the cast on for at least a couple of months.”
