18
Akemi
“Check this out,” Akemi said, turning her computer towards Oakley. “Someone’s giving away a whole playset for free. We just need to go and dismantle it.”
They were sitting in the café on brand-new chairs, ordering the rest of everything that they would need before they opened. Kaleo was running circles around the play room. It was still mostly empty, but Noah had installed a baby gate to keep him contained.
Oakley peered at the screen and pursed her lips. “I don’t think there’s enough room out back.”
“It’ll fit,” Akemi said confidently. “We just need to take out a couple of the bigger bushes.”
“Take out the bushes?” Oakley exclaimed.
“Yeah.” Akemi cocked an eyebrow, bemused by her sister’s reaction.
“But they’re so pretty.”
“There isn’t exactly a lack of pretty bushes in Pualena.”
“It’ll throw the whole aesthetic off.”
“The aesthetic?” Akemi repeated. “Of thebackyard?”
“It’s a lovely, quiet, secluded space. If you start ripping out bushes, the whole vibe changes.”
“We need room for kids to play. That’s the whole point! Functionality matters more than vibes.”
“Design matters too. That’s what creates the feel of a space. It’s what makes people want to come, and it’s what keeps them coming back. If you sacrifice looks for functionality, people won’t want to linger here.”
“I’m not trying to pave paradise, Oakley. You can still have your flowers and fairy lights. I just want enough room for a play set. It will double our functional capacity on sunny days.”
“Well, when you put it that way…”
“There we go.” Akemi grinned. “Boardroom talk cuts straight to your heart.”
Oakley rolled her eyes. “Come on. Let’s see exactly how much space we’ll need. You bring Kaleo, I’ll grab the measuring tape.”
They went out and measured the space, and it turned out they wouldn’t have to sacrifice more than a scraggly Hibiscus bush and some overgrown weeds.
“We should ask Zoe to help,” Oakley said, rolling up the measuring tape. “She could make quick work of all this. Maybe trim back this podocarpus hedge too, give us some more space.”
“Now you want to get rid of more greenery?” Akemi teased.
“I’ll use it to hang my fairy lights,” Oakley shot back. She stretched and yawned. “I’m going to make myself a cappuccino. You want one?”
“Always.”
Kaleo was chasing chickens again, and Akemi followed him through the yard. She called Lorenzo and flipped the camera outward to show him their baby running through the grass.
“Ma che bello,” he crooned.
“How are things over there?” she asked, flipping the camera back around.
“Ciao, bella.Things are okay. My father will come home from the hospital tomorrow.”
“That’s wonderful. I’m glad he’s well enough.”
Lorenzo nodded. He looked exhausted. There were dark circles under his eyes.
