Whatever else life might throw at them, they would always have each other.
28
Laurie
Opening Day at Paradise Books seemed to come all in a rush.
For a while, the work of acquiring and organizing books felt interminable. And it was, in a way; she would never stop buying books.
But one day, all of a sudden, the shelves were full.
It felt strange to open the doors of her little sanctuary to the public. Her family alone was enough to make the small, book-stuffed space feel uncomfortably full, so they spilled out into the open space behind the store. Zoe had cut the plants back and trimmed the lawn, giving them a spacious area that still felt like a secret garden.
There was a sign above the door and a finished mural behind the register. The shelves were fully stocked. Laurie felt a thrill as she turned the sign on the front door toOpenfor the first time.
Mostly, Laurie spent that first day behind the front desk.
It was intimidating, running a crowded shop. As a lifelong introvert, this was the part that had frightened her the most – dealing with multiple customers competing for her attention.
More than once, she had to tell people, “I’m hard of hearing. I need you to look at me when you speak so that I can read your lips.”
After an initial flicker of surprise, they took it in stride. They slowed down and asked again, and she helped them find what they were looking for. And with each customer, her confidence grew.
She attended to a steady flow of faces both familiar and new, and it was heartening to sell so many books her first day. The shop was busy – not just with people who came to look and wandered out again, but with locals who were genuinely excited to get a bookshop in town and wanted to support her.
There were plenty of parents and grandparents buying picture books, and a steady flow of tourists purchased guidebooks and books on Hawaiian history.
Her favorites were the kids who wandered in on their own to spend their pocket money on fresh stories.
Kekoa came in with his son, and they left with a tall stack of graphic novels.
Eventually, she let Zoe take over manning the counter.
Her niece was looking better these days, much to Laurie’s relief. The circles beneath her eyes had faded, and that day she looked bright and happy in her new pixie cut. She wore a loose linen dress that looked familiar, and eventually Laurie realized that it was one of Dawn’s. The Kalama family matriarch must have insisted that her eldest granddaughter wear something presentable to the grand opening.
Laurie watched surreptitiously for a while, tidying the shelves, and was pleasantly surprised to watch her niece lightup with each interaction. Zoe seemed to love helpingkeikiandkupunafind books, and she was even polite to the tourists.
Satisfied that the front desk was in good hands, Laurie went to see what was happening out back. It seemed that most of the town was gathered around the long folding tables that Dawn and Halia had set up that morning.
“What are those for?” Laurie had asked when Halia carried them through the shop. Her eldest sister had given her a strange look.
“For the food.”
“What food?”
“The food everyone is gonna bring.”
“It’s a book store,” Laurie had said, bemused. “Do we really need food?”
“Sis, this is Hawaii. They’re not gonna show up empty handed.”
Halia had been right, as usual. Nearly every guest brought something.
Lani brought two big boxes of pastries from her husband’s cafe down the street. Mahina brought a massive bowl of salad, all from her garden. Auntie Kua arrived with a big container of homemade mochi.
Laurie had been too intent on books and customers to see all the rest, but now the tables were loaded with all of the usual island staples – and thank goodness for that, because she was starving.
She grabbed a plate and loaded up on white rice, huli huli chicken, poi, and veggies. She settled onto a picnic bench that Kekoa had built in the shade – contrary to his claims that she wouldn’t see much of him now that the bookstore was complete, he kept finding more work to do.
