Page 21 of Big Island Sunset
Just as the sound of Juniper’s footsteps faded up the stairs, Dio’s barking announced Ethan’s arrival. She opened the door and saw that Kai was already opening the gate for him.
He had his friend Prince over for the day, and they could play beautifully outside all day long, so she wasn’t worried about him barging in at the wrong time. The boys had just eaten lunch, and they would happily chase lizards and climb trees until she called them in for dinner.
It was her favorite thing about Hawai‘i, and the main reason she’d stayed. The little piece of land that she stewarded made it possible for her to give Kai an idyllic childhood. She didn’t have to work to pay rent, and the weather made it possible for him to play outside all day, every day.
She couldn’t bring Kai’s father back, but she would give him every other beautiful thing that she possibly could.
“Hey Em,” Ethan called as he climbed down from his truck.
Emma smiled and waved, refocusing her attention on her twin brother. At the top of the driveway, Kai closed the gate again and latched it shut.
“Just you today?” she asked when he didn’t go into the back of the truck for his son.
“Just me,” he confirmed. “It’s Theo’s naptime. Where’s Jun?”
“She went upstairs to lie down. She hasn’t been feeling well.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Will you come inside?” Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked into the cool shade of the house. Juniper had brewed one of her calming tea blends the night before, and Emma poured two glasses over ice.
“Emmaline?” Ethan stood in the kitchen now, watching her with a haunted look. “Is Juniper okay?”
“She will be,” Emma hedged. She carried both glasses to the table and sat down.
“Is she sick? Does she need a doctor?”
“I made her an appointment. They were booked out a ways, but we’re going in next week.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
“Is she sick?” he asked again.
“Not exactly.” Emma hated to frighten him like this. She was making an awful mess of it.
If only she’d had more time to think of what to say. She had been prepared to be there with Juniper for moral support; she hadn’t considered what she would say to break the news herself.
What could she do but rip the bandage off?
“She’s pregnant.”
The color drained from Ethan’s face, and he collapsed into the nearest chair.
“She wanted to tell you, but she wasn’t feeling strong enough. The nausea’s been really bad.”
“You’re sure?” he croaked.
“I’m sure.” Emma pressed her lips together before she could stay anything stupid like,She didn’t want to tell you, but we weren’t sure if we could trust the redheads next door to keep a secret, so she figured that she should get on with it… until she chickened out at the last second and begged me to do it instead.
Ethan just sat there, staring at the pitted surface of the old kitchen table. After a while he said, “I thought that you were going to tell me she had gotten into drugs or something.”
“No,” Emma said, surprised. “She’s a good kid, Ethan. She’s smart–”
“Notthatsmart, apparently.”
“Ethan.” She said her brother’s name in a tone of mild reproach.
