Page 30 of Big Island Sunset
Tenn was in the kitchen, as usual, making a healthy dinner for their family. She claimed a spare bit of counter and started processing lilikoi, cutting open the hollow globes so that she could scoop the pulp out into the blender.
“Smells like you brought the summer sunshine inside,” Tenn said.
“The vines are pumping out fruit so fast I can hardly keep up.”
“I can always bring a box to the restaurant if it’s too much.”
“No, I want the juice. We can freeze it. I just need to stay on top of it.”
“Leave some out of the freezer and I’ll make lilikoi limeade to go with dinner.”
“That sounds amazing. With that local honey again?”
“Of course.”
Lani pulsed the blender twice, separating the lilikoi seeds from the pulp to extract the bright orange juice. Then she pouredit through a fine mesh strainer, poking at the pulp with a silicone spatula to get as much juice as she could.
At the kitchen island, Tenn was prepping ingredients for sushi rolls. It was a common weeknight meal for them, something that he had made so many times that he could put them together without much effort.
The first time that Tenn had made sushi for her, they’d had the whole ocean-view restaurant to themselves. And as smooth as that was, eating together as a family was even better. She thought back to their first date – not so long ago, really – and marveled at how far they had come.
He’d gotten a haircut earlier that week, chopping off the sun-light tips and leaving the rest true black. The clean cut accentuated the strong lines of his jaw and his sun-bronzed neck.
Her husband. The thought still took her breath away sometimes. He washers.
How did she ever get so lucky?
“What?” Tenn asked, smiling at her.
“What what?” she volleyed.
“You were staring at me.”
She grinned. “Was I?”
“Yes.”
“Can you blame me?”
“Nah.” He flipped one hand like he was tossing long hair over his shoulder, making her laugh.
“Hey Mom?” Olivia appeared in the doorway, blue eyes wide.
Lani smiled at her. “What’s up, Livie?”
“Can you help me with my poster now?” All the big kids at Pualena playschool were working on presentations to share for a unit on local flora and fauna. Rory had pulled together a halfhearted sea turtle display, but Olivia was all in on her dolphin project. She’d had the idea of adding moving pieces, likea dolphin jumping over the top edge of the poster, and Lani had promised to help her.
“Yeah, we can do that. Do you want to go get your poster? I just need to clean up this lilikoi mess.”
“I can help!” Olivia grabbed the small kitchen trash can that Tenn emptied every night and brought it over to the passionfruit husks. “It’s the best-smelling trash in the world!”
Lani laughed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
Olivia transferred the piles of husks over to the trash can while Lani poured the juice into freezer containers – leaving enough out for Tenn to make a pitcher of delicious lilikoi limeade – and then they wiped down the counter together and washed their hands.
“Okay, are you ready to make that dolphin jump?” Lani asked.
“Yeah!” Olivia raced to get her huge folding poster board, and Lani helped her to carry it to the kitchen table.
