“Did you have something to do with this?” I ask.
She pinches her fingers against my cheek. “Well, let’s see here. A beach fire, some music pumping out of our car speakers, and a little luau with your favorite foods.”
“For me? You did this all for me?”
“We all did,” Audrey says. “We all love you.”
Dad, James, and Lewis make their way over to me and squeeze me into a family bear hug that leaves me coughing for air. “I don’t know how my little girl is this old, but you better make it stop right now, you hear me?” Dad is in a hula shirt for the second time in years, and he looks relaxed, not as uptight as he’s been.
I spot Audrey’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Evens, and a couple of Everett’s friends who I have become fond of over the past few months. They’re chatting away with a couple of my girlfriends from nursing school. Then I notice a face I don’t recognize. She appears to be native to the island, unlike the rest of us. She’s a beautiful woman with waist length shimmering midnight black hair, a tan I would do anything for, and a small narrow frame. I have no clue who she is.
“Who is that woman?” I ask, speaking over Dad and Everett.
They both look over in the direction I’m staring and furrow their brows. “I do not know. Did she just get here?” Dad asks.
“Oh, that’s uh—that there is, Lokelani.”
“That’s swell, James, but who is Lokelani?” Lewis presses.
“Easy, easy, don’t flip your wig, okay?” James says, taking a step in toward us.
“Aw, look how slack happy he is. That’s the girl,” I say, maybe a touch louder than intended.
“Lay off. Look. I don’t want to scare her away, okay. She’s a good girl and already overwhelmed. So, can you just try to be nice and not ask her a million questions tonight, maybe?”
I throw my hands on top of James’s shoulders. “My big brother, why would I do something silly like ask the poor girl a million questions tonight? It’s not like I’m leaving and might come home to a new sister-in-law or something. Oh wait, I am leaving, and you have been hiding a woman from us, which can only mean one thing.”
Lewis falls into a fit of laughter. “You are head over heels in love with this broad, aren’t you?”
“This is the first we’re hearing about this girl, James? What’s in the world is the meaning of this?” Dad asks.
It’s nice not to be the one everyone is darting their eyes at for a change, and it might be the perfect opportunity to go meet this poor girl. I wonder if anyone has warned her about James needing a human alarm buzzer to wake up in the morning, or that he can’t avoid burning toast if his life were to depend on it. Heck, I’m not sure he even knows how to plug a vacuum cleaner in, but maybe she’s okay with that. I’ll ease her in gently.
“Elizabeth, take it easy on her please,” Dad says. “You are leaving, and it would be nice for James to find someone else to wake him up in the mornings.”
“This is great. Thanks,” James says, grumbling on his way back over to Lokelani.
“I’ll go over first. I’m more subtle than you two,” Lewis says to Dad and me.
“This conversation has just made me realize how hard I should think before I consider joining this family someday,” Everett says with a sigh.
“It’s too late, son. You’re already one of us. Once you break down the barrier, there’s no going back and I hate to say it, but I like you too much, kid. You aren’t going anywhere. You understand?”
“Yes, Sir,” Everett responds, saluting Dad out of habit after speaking the word “sir.”
Dad slaps Everett’s arm down. “I warned you about that, son. You do not need to salute me when we’re off duty.”
“Yes, Sir.”
I elbow him in the gut. “Stop it,” I mumble.
“I’m going to change out of my uniform at the bathroom up the hill. I’ll be back in a few minutes, doll. Please don’t get yourself in any trouble while I’m gone.”
“And that is why I like this man,” Dad says.
Go figure I find a man Dad wants to call his son and I sign my life away for God knows how long.
32
