Page 56 of Big Island Moonlight
He let out a huff of a laugh. “I suppose he will. And his last name?”
“Flores. Like his mom.”
“And his grandpa,” Jun added softly.
“And even his great-aunt Toni,” Emma put in. “Have you heard from her?”
“Yeah, she’s hoping to come out in a month or so. Right around the time I get back to work.”
“That’s early to be going back to the markets with a newborn.”
“Not if Toni’s here to help.” Jun shrugged. “We’ll see what happens. Could she stay in the tower room?”
“Of course.”
“Roland Wilder Flores,” Ethan said. “Welcome to the family, little man.”
“We’re getting married,” Juniper blurted.
For a moment, Emma was terrified that Ethan would drop the baby. It looked like he might. But he just put a second arm under his grandson and stood very still, looking down at Roland’s little face. A full minute passed before anyone spoke.
“Well,” Ethan said at last, looking up at the young couple. “I suppose you might as well.”
Juniper grinned in relief and slumped against Cody, who had an arm around her shoulders. They all crowded around the kitchen table and ate every single one of the waffles that Emma had frozen the week before.
“I’m going to need more ‘ulu,” she told Keith.
“Easily done,” he responded.
Ethan chatted easily with Keith, and he was cordial to Cody – but when the young couple finished their waffles and retreated to the cottage, he slumped back in his chair looking ten years older and deeply tired.
“It’s going to be okay.” Emma put a hand on his arm. “They’re solid. They have support.”
“It’s way too familiar, Em.”
“I know.”
“I don’t think I can hold it together and smile through all of this.”
“You can and you will.”
He sighed deeply and stood. “I need to get home. Fern’s got a class in an hour.”
“Okay. Dinner this week?”
“Sure. Sounds good.” He hugged her, shook Keith’s hand, and ruffled Kai’s hair on his way out. Kai was on the couch, lost in a library book.
“What did he mean?” Keith asked as he washed the breakfast dishes. “When he said this was familiar?”
“Laurel – that’s Juniper’s mom – was just eighteen when she married Ethan. They got married on her birthday, actually. Andher belly was out to here.” Emma put her hands out to indicate a third-trimester pregnancy.
“And that didn’t end well?”
She grimaced. “Laurel passed away last year. Overdose.”
Keith shut off the water and dried his hands. Then he put his arms around her.
“It was a long time coming, too. Not her first overdose, I mean. Or her first relapse. Juniper’s had a rough go of it.”
