7
Oakley
The next few days passed in a blur of busy routine. Somehow the pristine blue skies and perfect summer air had become a backdrop to their busy days, as opposed to something that they could fully soak in and enjoy.
Oakley was constantly juggling the Pilates classes that she taught with all of her girls’ activities – and with Trent off on a business trip to the mainland that week, she was juggling it all alone.
She knew that they were overscheduled, but what was she supposed to do? Harper and Hayden loved their martial arts classes. They loved soccer and theater. They were less crazy about their swimming lessons and piano practice, but both of those felt necessary to Oakley.
Probably she should have dialed back at work with the girls out of school for the summer, but the family needed that income to pay for all of their extracurriculars.
She’d manage it all somehow. She always did.
And even with all of that busyness, she had managed to carve out an entire day for a waterfall hike with Anne and the kids. She’d packed food the night before and herded two sleepy girls into the van before sunrise to make the trek down to Pualena.
“Hey you!” Oakley shouted out the window at Pete as she pulled up the long driveway. “Ready for an adventure?”
“Yeah!” he shouted back. He was dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of trunks, with nothing on his feet.
“Go get your shoes on!”
He bolted into the house, shouting, “They’re here!”
“Can we get out?” Harper whined.
“Stay buckled,” Oakley responded. “We’re leaving in one minute. If we’re late, there won’t be anywhere to park.”
She groaned and slouched in her seat.
Oakley clicked their audiobook back on and stepped out of the car. She was wearing her swimsuit too, a sporty bikini underneath her hiking dress. It was practically a crime to let a full week go by in Hawaii without diving into the ocean waves or swimming in the river, but life got so busy that sometimes they went a whole month without making it to the beach or getting out for a hike.
“Summer goals,” she muttered as she jogged towards the house. “Get out in nature for a swim twice a week.”
Anne was inside, her face white with sunscreen. She wore a loose pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt. When she saw her sister, her face went into a pout.
“What?” Oakley laughed at Anne’s expression.
“Do you ever age?” she asked with disgust.
“What are you talking about?” Oakley demanded.
“Look at you.” She moved her hand vaguely up and down, gesturing to the body that Oakley kept strong with Pilates anda face that required a ten-step skincare routine. “Am I the only Aloha sister who actually looks my age?”
Oakley’s smile turned nostalgic. “No one’s called us that in ages”
“Aloha forever,” Anne said staunchly.
Sometime in early elementary school, Anne had realized that the initials of the five girls in the house – from tiny Akemi up to teenaged Halia – formed the word ALOHA.
They weren’t exactly sisters at the start – Halia and Laurie weren’t officially adopted until they were teenagers – but it was something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Somehow, Anne had known from the beginning that those two were part of their family, distinct from the dozens of other foster kids who passed through each year.
She had told everyone in town about their acronym, and for the rest of her years on the island, that was how all of the aunties referred to them.
Then they had scattered, with only Halia remaining in Pualena.
And now they were back.
“We’ve gotta get going,” Oakley said. “Is Akemi coming?”
