“To have your daughter.”
“No. To have my family. I love you, Daddy. I have missed you severely. Not just in the last year, but for years now.”
He smiled faintly. “I’ve missed you too.”
“I would love to be able to bring Emma here to visit her grandparents. I would love it if you and I could teach her to surf together.”
“I would love that too.”
“Because Emma will need a grandfather.”
He nodded. “I’d like to be a grandfather.”
“More than a father?”
He ran his fingers through his graying hair. “To be honest, yes. I had never dreamed that at this stage of life, your mother and I would be parenting a young child. It wasn’t anything I wanted, Lelani. I’m too old to go through this again. Once was enough for me. But for Emma to come visit, well, that’s different.”
“So, do we agree?”
He shrugged. “Not that it matters.”
“Because of my mother.”
“You know how she can be.”
“But what if we both stood up to her—together—and we convinced her that this is not only in Emma’s best interest, but everyone’s. Wouldn’t she get that?”
He sighed. “You know your mother as well as I do.”
“Yes. But does that mean that she must always get her way? I know you love her, Daddy. And I’m sure you’d do anything for her. Right?”
“Of course.”
“How about me? Do you love me too?”
“You know I do.”
“And Emma?”
“Yes, of course.”
“But you’re willing to hurt me—and Emma—just to placate your wife.”
He didn’t say anything, but he slowly stood and Lelani wondered if she had crossed the line. What she said was true—there were certain truths that her dad refused to face. Especially those related to his wife.
Lelani continued to sit on the beach, watching as her father walked away. For the first time since coming back, she noticed how old he looked. Not only was his hair thinning and gray, but his shoulders were slumped and his step was slower. He was aging fast. Perhaps that was just one more reason he didn’t have much fight in him. Or maybe it was just that old habits were hard to break.
Lelani sat there until her dad was out of sight. He had probably sneaked back into the house, slumped into his favorite recliner, and turned on his big-screen TV, which was always tuned to ESPN. Really, why had she expected anything more? At least she had tried. And she had warned him. He knew what to expect, and that she wouldn’t back down.
As Lelani walked back to the house, the image of her dad slowly moving down the beach still played in her mind. She was glad she had witnessed that—it only fanned her desire to get Emma away. Her dad had enough stress with his demanding wife. Why add a child to the mix? And how about when Emma became a teenager and decided to rebel? What if her father—like his father—died young, maybe as a result from the stress, and Emma was left alone with her grandmother? It was a formula for dysfunction.
“Lelani,” called Gil as he ran toward her. “Hurry!”
“What’s wrong?” Lelani began to run. “Is it Emma?”
“No,” he huffed. “It’s your parents.”
“My parents?”
“They’re having a huge fight.”
Lelani was barely on the grounds when she heard their voices coming from the pool area.
“Shut up, you old fool!” screamed her mother.
“No, I will not shut up,” he yelled back. “You will listen to me!”
“I knew this would happen. My own daughter has turned you against me!”
“No!” Lelani yelled as she stepped onto the pool deck opposite their face-off. “Daddy loves you more than anyone, Mother. He would do anything for you. No one could turn him against you. It’s impossible.”
Her dad turned and looked at Lelani with a sad expression. “But it is possible to love my wife and my daughter and my granddaughter. That is possible.”
“What are you saying?” demanded Lelani’s mother.
“I’m saying that Lelani is Kala’s—I mean Emma’s mother, and a daughter should be with her mother. And a mother should love her daughter. Daughters need their mother’s love.”
“Meaning I don’t love Lelani?”
Now everyone got silent. Even the birds seemed to be holding their breaths. Lelani wondered if Gil had gone into the guesthouse to avoid all this. Who could blame him?
“That’s what you think, isn’t it, Lelani?” she persisted. “You think I don’t love you. And that’s what you told your father.”
“No.” Lelani held out her hands. “I do think you love me, Mother, in your own way. Because I don’t understand how any mother could possibly not feel a slight bit of affection for her own child. But I also think, if you do love me, you’ll let me have my daughter. So that I can love her the way only a mother can.”
Lelani’s mother’s hands were clenched into tight fists as she stood there glaring across the pool.
“I’m too old to be a father to a little girl,” said her dad sadly. “Emma deserves better.”
“Define better,” snapped Lelani’s mother. “Having an unemployed single mother who lives in a rented room and doesn’t even have a car—is that better? And don’t you think an old father is better than no father? Really, Lelani, if you love your child, why would you put her in—”
“Emma could have a father.” Gil emerged from the shadows. “If your daughter would marry me, I would gladly be Emma’s father. If you’re worried about money, don’t. I am perfectly capable of supporting a wife and child. I’ve been in love with your daughter since the moment I met her eight months ago. And I’ve watched her be tortured by what this has done to her, being denied her own child. Not only that, but denied your love as well. I am usually a patient man, but I am just about fed up!”
Lelani’s dad actually smiled now. He walked over to where Gil was standing and extended his hand. Gil greeted him. But Lelani was speechless. Had Gil just proposed to her, right there in front of her parents? Or was he simply trying to help her?
“Now, hear this!” her father boomed across the pool. “As the man of this house—which I am—I officially declare that this thing is over. Lelani is Emma’s mother. And she has my blessing to take her child.” He pointed over to where Ginger was lurking in the shadows by the back door. Lelani was relieved that Emma wasn’t with her to witness the fireworks. “Ginger, as your boss—and don’t forget who pays the bills around here—you are to help Lelani gather up whatever it is she needs for Emma, enough for the time being. The rest will be sent to her later.” He turned to his wife. “Is that understood?”
She glared at him, spun around, and marched back into the house.
“She’ll get over it,” her dad assured them. “A little jewelry, trip to Europe, whatever it takes, she will get over it.”
Lelani ran over and threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Daddy! Thank you! Thank you!”
“And before you go, I want to talk to you—about your unfinished education.”
Lelani felt her hopes surge.
“I always wanted a doctor in the family, Lelani. Please, don’t give up that dream.”
“I haven’t, Daddy. I just got derailed. That’s all.”
Now he shook Gil’s hand again. “I won’t hold either of you to what you said out here, son, but I will admit that it gave Alana one less argument.”
Gil glanced nervously at Lelani.
“We can sort that out later,” she said quietly.
“In the meantime, what are you waiting for?” asked her dad. “Go and get your daughter.”
“I will.” Lelani was already on her way.
“And
tell Ginger that she has two weeks of severance pay, but she better start looking for another job.”
Lelani found Ginger in the nursery, quietly packing a diaper bag. Emma was sweetly sleeping in her crib.
“Ginger?” Lelani went over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I want you to know how much I appreciate you taking care of my daughter. You’ve done a good job.”
Ginger stood and looked at Lelani with tears in her eyes. “I did my best.”
“I know you did. And you will never know how much I appreciate it.”
She nodded as she stuffed another diaper into the bag. “You know the truth?”
“What’s that?”
“I’m glad she’s going to be with you.”
“Thank you.” Lelani hugged her now. “My dad is going to give you two weeks’ severance pay. And I’m sure he’ll write you a letter of recommendation too.”
“Thank you.”
Emma woke up and Lelani lifted her out of the crib, holding her warm sweet body close to her. “You’re going home with Mommy,” she said quietly. Then she kissed the top of Emma’s head.
Ginger helped Lelani gather up a few more things that she thought Emma might need and even offered to carry them over to the guesthouse. As they walked over, Ginger quietly confessed that Mrs. Porter wasn’t the easiest woman in the world to work for. Lelani thought that was an understatement, but she simply smiled, then thanked Ginger again.
“Good luck.” Ginger reached over and patted Emma’s head.
Gil and Emma and Lelani stood together in the front room of the guesthouse. “Can you believe it?” she asked him.
“I’m still pretty stunned.”
“I’ve never loved my dad more than I do today.”
“That took some nerve.”
Lelani looked at Gil and shook her head. “And that took some nerve for you to leap out and say what you did.”
“I mean it, Lelani, every word. I can’t imagine you’d be surprised. You know I love you. You know I’d marry you in a minute if you’d just say yes.”
With Emma between them, they kissed. And Lelani said, “Yes.”
Thirty-one
Megan
Although they were on two different flights, they all agreed to meet at the Maui airport terminal around eleven. Marcus and Edmond had already dropped off Megan and Anna plus luggage so that they could check in while the guys returned the Jeep. Killiki dropped off Kendall, Gil, Lelani, and Emma. Megan and Anna watched as Killiki and Kendall said what looked like a very romantic good-bye before Killiki drove away.
“Want me to hold Emma while you check in?” Megan offered to Lelani.
“No way,” said Kendall as she reached for the baby. “You’ll get to hold her on the way home. But I’m on a different flight.”
“But you have a broken arm,” Megan reminded her.
“I don’t.” Anna reached for Emma, saying, “Come to Auntie Anna.”
“You need to check in anyway,” Lelani reminded Kendall.
“Auntie Anna,” said Megan. “That has a ring to it.”
“My mother already called me Tia Anna. Tia is aunt, you know.”
“And how did your mother take the news?”
“She wasn’t a bit surprised.”
“Seriously?”
“No. I called her a couple of times already, kind of giving her a heads up so that she wouldn’t have a coronary if it really happened.”
“You knew Gil was going to ask her?”
“I’m his sister. I could see it in his eyes.”
“I’m just so happy for them, and for Emma. It’s like a fairy-tale ending.”
“Well, except that the happy couple doesn’t usually drive off with a baby seat in the back of their horse-drawn carriage.”
Megan chuckled, then glanced at Gil, who was actually carrying Emma’s baby seat over to the checked-bag security area now. She just shook her head in wonder. “How many people go to Maui for a vacation and come back with a baby?”
Soon they were all making their way through the open-air terminal, taking turns holding Emma as they passed through security, then finally settling themselves into the restaurant. They ordered a quick lunch before Megan, Marcus, Lelani, Emma, and Gil’s flight boarded.
“I can’t believe what a natural Gil is with the baby,” said Kendall as she watched him adjusting Emma in the highchair.
“Oh, I learned this little trick at the restaurant,” he told them as he tied a bib around Emma’s chubby neck.
“And Emma seems fine with everything,” said Megan in amazement. “She acts like she’s been hanging with this crowd all her life.”
“She’s a good baby,” said Lelani fondly. “I just hope she stays good for the whole flight.”
“You’ll have us to help with her,” Megan reminded her.
“Okay, okay, enough about Emma,” said Kendall. “Sorry, but I have to hog some of the limelight before you guys run off to catch your flight.”
“So you want us to talk about you now?” asked Anna.
“Yes, and I’m just dying to know what you think of Killiki.” Kendall smiled happily.
“Isn’t it more important what you think?” asked Megan.
“I think he’s wonderful.”
“I’m surprised you’re even getting on the plane to go home,” teased Anna.
“To be honest, it’s not easy.” Kendall smiled. “But I told him I need to go home and attend to some of my messes.”
“You told him about your messes?” asked Megan. “Which ones?”
“All of them. I told him everything—including that I’m pregnant.”
The table got quiet and Megan looked at Marcus. Like the other guys, he looked pretty surprised.
“You mean you guys didn’t know?” Kendall’s eyes grew big. “Oh, you are such good girlfriends. I can’t believe you didn’t spill the beans.”
“You told us not to tell anyone.”
“Well, I don’t care who knows now. Killiki knows and, guess what, he loves me anyway.”
“Sounds like quite a guy,” said Marcus with a twinkle in his eye.
“And you know he’s a plumber, right?” asked Anna.
“Yes.” Kendall nodded. “And I’m proud of it. Plumbers have it made in Maui. They can work when they want and surf when they want.”
“This sounds serious,” said Gil.
“It is. We’re going to e-mail each other every day and see where it goes.” She smiled. “Now, enough about me. Have you guys set a date?”
Gil looked happily at Lelani. “It’s up to her.”
“I’ve always dreamed of a June wedding.”
“Ooh,” said Kendall. “Me too! And with all the works!”
“But I don’t want a big wedding,” Lelani said quickly.
Anna burst out laughing. “Don’t forget who you’re marrying.”
“We can have a small wedding if Lelani wants,” Gil assured them.
“I can’t wait to hear Mama’s opinion on that.” She turned to Lelani now. “Oh, yeah, speaking of our mother, she has offered to babysit Emma for you.”
“But I thought I could do that,” said Kendall.
“You keep forgetting you have a broken wrist,” Megan reminded her.
“Oh.” She frowned.
“I know,” said Anna. “Maybe you could help my mom babysit, and that way you’d learn how to do it at the same time.”
“You think I don’t know how to care for a baby?”
“Do you?”
“Well, not really. But I’ve been practicing on Tinkerbell.”
“Oh yeah, I just talked to my mom,” Anna told her, “and Tinker sends her best.”
Now Emma began cl
anging her spoon loudly on the metal tray of the highchair, and everyone turned to look at her.
“It looks like she wants to make an announcement,” teased Gil. “She’s trying to get our attention.”
“Yes, I think you’re right,” said Lelani. “I think Emma wants to thank everyone for coming to Maui, and she wants to thank everyone for the role they played in helping to get her back with her mommy. Right, Emma?”
Emma just grinned and cooed and pounded the spoon a few more times as if to show that she agreed.
“And,” Megan raised her iced tea as if to make a toast. “We want to officially welcome you, little Emma, to our big happy family. Aloha!”
They all lifted their drink glasses and cheered, “Aloha!”
And, really, Megan thought they were like a family—a family of friends that was growing closer all the time.
… a little more …
When a delightful concert comes to an end,
the orchestra might offer an encore.
When a fine meal comes to an end,
it’s always nice to savor a bit of dessert.
When a great story comes to an end,
we think you may want to linger.
And so, we offer ...
AfterWords—just a little something more after you
have finished a David C. Cook novel.
We invite you to stay awhile in the story.
Thanks for reading!
Turn the page for ...
• Discussion Questions
• A Conversation with Melody Carlson
• An Excerpt from three weddings and a bar mitzvah
Discussion Questions
1.How does Kendall’s pregnancy pull the women of Bloomberg Place together? What do the roommates discover about each other that they might not have fully appreciated before this event?
2.Describe a crisis you faced that had some positive effects on a relationship that was important to you.
3.If you were Kendall’s roommate, what advice would you have given her about the decisions she must make regarding her baby? Why?
4.Kendall places a high value on keeping up appearances. What made her finally be so honest about her “messes” with Killiki—and herself? What does it take for you to tell yourself the truth about mistakes you’ve made?
Spring Broke Page 26
