Page 78 of Big Island Sunset
“Maybe it shouldn’t be,” she said gently. “Maybe it hasn’t left enough room for other important things.”
“It was a good life, Mom. A good childhood.”
Tara blinked hard and swallowed back tears. She could only nod.
“I’m sorry for overreacting to the news,” he continued. “It’s just been a crazy year.”
A few tears escaped her along with a strangled sort of laugh. “You can say that again.”
“It’s been a crazy year,” he said with a smile. “But it’s been a good one too.”
Tara lifted her arm up to let Ricky climb onto his favorite perch, and Lucy flew over to join him.
Cody just watched her, looking so young and so grown up both at the same time.
“I am so proud of you,” she said in a shaky voice.
“Thanks.” He opened his arms, and she stepped in for a hug. “I’m proud of you too.”
25
Emma
“Ishould head out,” Lani said when an alarm went off on her phone. “I have a meeting in Hilo.”
“What for?” Emma sat up, pushing the blankets off of them.
“You know that marine center by the bridge? The one with activities for kids and the model boat and stuff?”
“Yeah, Kai loves that place.”
“They want me to do a big mural upstairs, all local marine life.”
“Lani, that’s amazing!”
“I’m excited,” she said with a small smile. “I drew up a bunch of possibilities on my tablet, so I’m going in today to talk through some ideas.”
“Get going, then.” Her cousin gave her a friendly shove. “Do you want a snack for the road?”
She shook her head. “Tenn made me lunch.”
“Of course he did,” Emma pulled her into a tight hug and then released her.
Lani went to the doorway, then paused and looked back. “He’s a good guy, you know.”
Emma tilted her head to one side; her smile was confused. “Of course. Tenn’s the best.”
“Duh.” She grinned in amusement and shook her head. “But no. I meant Keith.”
Before Emma could formulate a response to that, Lani was down the hall and out of sight.
She shook her head and pushed any thought of Keith away. No doubt she’d scared him away for good this time, having an emotional breakdown over a tiny jaboticaba tree.
Oh well. It was probably for the best.
Emma clearly wasn’t ready for romance. She didn’t know if she ever would be. Keith was a good guy, and it wouldn’t be fair to expect — or even ask — him to wait around for a nebulous someday.
Being healed enough to parent and garden and make new friends and live a decent life… Emma had accomplished all of that sooner than she’d thought possible. She had a good life in Pualena. Good enough, anyway. Kai was thriving; that was the main thing.
