Page 39 of Big Island Sunset
“Orcas are dolphins,” Olivia told her with exaggerated patience.
“The book is calledWhale of the Wild,” Rory shouted.
“Dolphins are toothed whales,” Lani said with a sigh, setting her tablet aside. “They’re all cetaceans.”
Rory stuck her tongue out at Olivia.
“None of that,” Lani scolded. “Do you both want to read more of this book?”
“Yes!” Rory said, bouncing on her knees.
Olivia nodded.
“Okay. One chapter, and then I need to get some more work done. Deal?”
“Deal!” Rory said.
Lani’s phone pinged, and she checked the screen.
“Mom,” Rory groaned. “You promised.”
“Sorry, it’s from Alohi. She sent the pictures.”
Rory gasped. “Our family photos?”
“Right, those pictures.”
“Let me see! Let me see!”
“Okay, okay,” Lani laughed. She followed the link to the website where Alohi had uploaded the photos, and she was unprepared for the magnitude of the emotion that hit her when she saw them.
The first picture was a more traditional shot, the four of them all together in the golden light of morning, and it made Lani’s eyes burn with a fierce and almost fearful sort of gratitude. This was something that she never thought she would have, their perfect little family of four. Sometimes, amid the kids’ squabbling and the endless piles of laundry, she lost sight of just how precious those everyday moments were.
“There we are,” she said, tapping on another one of the pictures to zoom in. It was a great shot, striking in its simplicity. Tenn stood with one arm around her and the two girls stood in front of them. All of them except for Rory were smiling at the camera; she stood with her chin lifted and her head back, grinning up at her mom.
“I love it!” Rory reached out and swiped to the next one. “Look, Livie! Your hair is like gold!”
“That’s why they call it golden hour,” said Lani. “When the sun is low in the sky, the light is warmer. Look how our skin is glowing golden too.”
Alohi had done a beautiful job with the edits, making their faces glow without it looking overwrought or artificial. Rory was beaming, but when Lani glanced over at Olivia, the girl looked stricken.
“Livie? Are you okay?”
“I don’t look like any of you,” she said in a tiny voice.
Lani looked at the photos again. It was true; the contrast was strong. Rory, Lani, and Tenn all had black hair and dark brown eyes. Olivia, with her golden hair and bright blue eyes, looked nothing like them.
“It’s okay, Livie.” Rory leaned over Lani’s lap to pat Olivia’s arm. “You’re so pretty.”
“I don’t care about pretty!” Olivia exclaimed.
Rory doubled down. “I wish my hair was gold too.”
“You don’t get it!” She turned and ran down the hall.
Rory looked to Lani with wide eyes. “Why’s she mad, Mama?”
Lani was quiet as a number of things clicked into place in her mind. She thought of how often aunties and uncles and even other kids assumed that Rory was her and Tenn’s daughter while assuming that Olivia must be a friend of theirs.
