Page 11 of Big Island Moonlight
Emma jumped in surprise.
Keith’s laughter rolled out low and pleasant as he raised his hands in apology.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“What are you doing here?”
“You had a mulch problem?” He gestured to his truck, parked as close as he could get it without driving up over the curb. “I brought mulch.”
“You what?” She rose to her feet and stared across the lawn.
His truck bed was piled with clippings of all of the nitrogen-fixing plants that they grew for mulch at the Pualena Permaculture demonstration farm. Most of it was tithonia, dotted all over with bright yellow Mexican sunflowers.
“You brought me a whole truckload of flowers,” she breathed.
“Yeah.” His expression softened when she met his eyes. “I guess I did.”
She stood frozen for a moment. The blue of his eyes was brighter than the sky.
“Is there a wheelbarrow hereabouts?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she answered, snapping out of her daze. “There’s one in the shed. I’ll unlock it.”
Keith brought the green mulch across the lawn one wheelbarrow-full at a time while Emma distributed it around the garden, tucking it in around the young pineapples and recently transplanted tomatoes.
“It’s not enough to cover every bed,” he said as he dumped the last load, “but it’s a start.”
“This is amazing. Thank you.”
“What else needs doing?” He seemed to be asking himself more than her, eyes scanning the space as he spoke. “I’ve got my weed eater in the truck. I can cut back that cactus grass that’s creeping in at the northern edge of the garden. Maybe next timewe should plant a line of lemongrass there. It makes a great barrier.”
Something in Emma’s chest warmed at the words ‘next time’. Before she could think of a response, he was halfway back to the shed with the empty wheelbarrow.
As they worked at opposite ends of the garden, her attention kept drifting his way.
At first, she blamed it on the noisy weed whacker breaking her peace. But she found herself looking at his shaggy sun-blond hair or the muscles of his arms as he cut back the grass… and as she caught herself watching him, she began to wonder if she was in trouble.
Her friendship with Keith had become a steady, reliable part of her life in Pualena… but it seemed to be tipping towards something more.
5
Juniper
Juniper sat knitting, half swallowed by the deep armchair that occupied one corner of the living room. It had become her spot lately, complete with a basketful of half-finished baby clothes. She had her feet up on a cushy ottoman and a tall glass of tea close at hand.
This far into the third trimester, she only climbed the stairs to her room when she was ready to retire for the night. Having a restful activity to do on the first floor helped to calm her mind when her body was too tired to keep up with her restless thoughts.
That day, she had set the baby clothes aside in favor of the sweaters that she had made for Piper and Paige. They were nearly done; she was just weaving in the ends.
“Hey Jun!” Kai ran across the room and held a folded piece of paper in front of her face. “Do you think Piper will like this?”
He had carefully printed the words HAPPY BIRTHDAY at the top. Below the blocky letters was a drawing of a rainbow-bright bird surrounded by leaves.
“She’ll love it,” Jun said. “Does Paige get one too?”
“Yeah.” Kai’s face was serious. “They already have to share a birthday. They shouldn’t have to share birthdaycards.”
“Agreed.” She held up the cable-knit sweater she had made, pale green with wooden buttons. “Do you think Paige will like this?”
