Page 2 of Big Island Moonlight
“I can’t believe how fast he is already!” Emma exclaimed, hugging Fern around the baby.
She laughed. “He keeps us on our toes.”
“This looks beautiful,” Emma said, looking around at the party decorations. Yoga mats carpeted the lanai, giving the other toddlers at the party a safe place to tumble and crawl. The beams were festooned with flowers and vines, and a massive hand-painted banner readHappy Birthday Theodore!
“Thank you. Jun’s teas are the real showstopper.” Fern gestured to the table that held Juniper’s big glass dispensers filled with herbal teas. Backlit by the morning sun, the rainbow array of liquids shone like jewels.
“Gorgeous,” she agreed. “Where is Jun?”
“Over here, Auntie Em!” Juniper waved at her from a huge beanbag chair that stood against the wall. “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.”
Weaving carefully past the toddlers that milled around the lanai, Emma took Juniper’s hands in hers and hauled her up out of the soft chair.
“Thank you,” Jun panted, grinning. She rested her arms on the shelf of her belly and smiled down at the babies. “Hard to navigate around here when I can’t see my own feet, but that chair is a death trap.”
Well into her third trimester, Juniper still hadn’t slowed down much. She worked five farmers markets each week and spent a lot of time with her little brother as well. The easy relationship that had grown up between Jun and her father was a balm to Emma’s heart after the stress of the previous summer.
“Let’s find you a more solid chair,” Emma suggested.
“Sounds good,” Jun agreed.
“Come on. I’ll be your eyes.”
Emma led her over to the folding tables and chairs that had been set up around the corner, and Fern tossed a cushion onto the chair in passing.
“Thanks,” Jun said.
Fern winked. “Let me grab you a plate.”
“The second trimester was easy,” Jun said, “and even the start of the third. But I’m so tired lately.”
“No wonder,” Emma said, sitting down next to her. “You’re growing a person. And that person’s getting big.”
“It’s a lot,” Jun admitted.
“Yeah. It is.” She smiled up at Kai, who was climbing trees with Luana and Kiki. “But it’s worth it. They get bigger, we get stronger. And on and on it goes.”
Fern came back with a plate full of food: white rice, lau lau, salad, and huli huli chicken.
Jun thanked her and dug in immediately.
“Can I get you anything?” she asked Emma.
“I’m fine, thanks.” She squeezed Jun’s shoulder and stood. “I’m going to go say hi to everybody.”
Juniper just nodded, her mouth full of chicken and rice.
Emma went to hug ‘Olena and the rest of the Pualena Playschool crew, and they stood chatting for a while in the midst of the kids and chaos. Then Fern came around the corner bearing a huge cake frosted in fluffy white whipped cream, and the whole crowd sang the Hawaiian Happy Birthday song.
When Fern cut into the tower to reveal bright pink watermelon in place of cake, the reactions from the kids crowded around the table ranged from delight to betrayal. The birthday boy, at least, tore into his slice of whipped cream and watermelon with enthusiasm.
Ethan stood watching with one arm around Juniper, and tears of fierce happiness pricked at Emma’s eyes. There had been moments last year when she wasn’t sure if the growing riftsin their family would ever heal. Seeing them together now, she felt so grateful that she wanted to weep.
“Are you okay?” Lani asked, moving to stand next to her.
Emma nodded and moved away from the crowd. Lani followed.
“I’m just happy,” Emma explained, and Lani looked at her doubtfully. “I’m relieved that Jun and her dad are okay again, that’s all. I’m happy to have my brother here. I’m just… happy.”
