by Aubree Lane
A grudging smile formed on Erika’s lips. She nudged Annie’s ribs with her elbow and crooned, “He is, too.”
Annie sang in reply, “Tell me why you think that’s true.”
Erika sat back and sighed. Her eyes began to glisten. They closed tight and a tear squeezed out.
“Oh baby,” Annie comforted softly. “I’m sorry. I wish the circumstances could be different, but they’re not. You are only thirteen, but unfortunately, you still have to live in the real world. Grady might not always be too old for you, but that time is a long way off. Neither of you should put your lives on hold until then.”
“I heard him say he really likes Brittany.” Tears flowed freely down Erika’s face, but her demeanor was calm.
Annie thought she heard a touch of resignation in her voice, and a tentative amount of relief began to inch through her veins. As soon as the Coffee Cart deal was formalized, Grady would be at their house even more than he was now. If Erika could somehow accept
“How do I stop caring about him?” the girl asked, interrupting Annie’s thoughts.
“I don’t want you to stop caring,” Annie explained. “I’m asking you to care about him enough not to make him feel like he shouldn’t find someone special because it might hurt you. I want you to care so much that you’ll try really hard to let go of your romantic feelings and allow Grady to be your friend again.”
Erika curled up on the swing and placed her head in Annie’s lap. “How?”
Annie didn’t like what she was about to say. It went against everything she and Terence ever tried to teach her. “Prepare yourself,” she warned. “I’m about to sound like a hypocrite.”
“You want me to pretend I’m okay with Grady and Brittany hooking up.”
Her daughter was wise beyond her years. “Basically, but it’s more than that. You might start out pretending, but I want you to get to a point where you’re really okay with Grady finding love with someone else.” The conversation was getting too heavy, so Annie tried to lighten it up. “Brittany might just be a flash in the pan. You’ve seen the ladies traipsing in and out of Grady’s house. Do you honestly believe he would treat Brittany any differently?”
Erika giggled. “He’s not good boyfriend material.”
Annie nodded in agreement. “Not at all.”
“Should we warn Brittany?” Erika asked.
“Do you want to?”
Erika’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “No.”
Annie bent down and kissed her forehead. She whispered in her daughter’s ear, “Then we won’t.”
6
“Lena,” Annie yelled. “I’m going to hang around while Erika finishes her work. I’m grabbing a cup of coffee and heading outside.” She poured a cup from Lena’s fancy professional coffee maker. “Do you want to join me?”
From somewhere upstairs, Lena’s voice rang out, “I’ll meet you in just a few. Go on without me.”
Annie poured a bit of half and half into her mug and walked out onto the lanai. She settled herself at the glass top table. The fringed edges of the dark blue market umbrella, planted in the middle, swayed gently in the breeze. White fluffy clouds dotted the bright blue sky. She looked out across the yard and saw a kid she didn’t recognize working in Lena’s garden. The boy was probably around sixteen and wore a pair of wired-rimmed glasses on his face. His hair was jet black and he reminded Annie of Harry Potter. All he needed was a backward z on his forehead and a wand in his hand.
Lena opened the back door and joined Annie with a tall glass of iced tea.
Annie nodded towards the new employee. “Who’s your new landscaper?”
Lena scowled. “I’m not really sure. He showed up this morning and said Larry hired him to help me out. His name is Warden Johnson.”
Larry was meddling. He knew Erika was working today and sent someone to spark her interest. Annie doubted it would work. The boy was a little on the nerdy side. Not Erika’s usual type.
The ladies watched in silence for a few minutes before all hell broke loose.
Brittany stormed across the yard. “What do you think you’re doing? You can’t just arbitrarily hack anywhere. You’re going to kill that plant!”
Lena looked at her sister-in-law. “Why is your baby sister abusing my new yard boy?”
“She used to work for her dad. He’s a landscaper. He’s actually pretty good at what he does. It’s his only redeeming quality. She learned from the best.”
Brittany grabbed the boy’s arm and shook it.
Annie winced. “And it looks as though she acquired Carl’s teaching methods.”
Her sister grabbed the shears from the young man’s hand and proceeded to give him a lesson in the fine art of pruning. “The way you’re attacking the thing, I doubt you know the name of this plant or how delicate it actually is.”
Annie giggled. “Didn’t I see you chopping the crap out of that same bush a couple of weeks ago?”
“Yes, but don’t tell Brittany. I don’t want to get in trouble, too.”
Warden blubbered and pointed in Lena’s direction, but Brittany was having none of it.
A sense of understanding washed over her. Annie placed her hands on her hips and glared at Lena accusingly. “You instructed that boy to cut down that bush, didn’t you? And now you’re sitting here while he gets browbeaten for doing exactly what you told him to do.”
Lena cowered. “Shh, don’t let your sister hear you. She’s scary when she gets mad.”
One of Lena’s guests came up from the beach and joined in on the bush discussion between Warden and Brittany. The older gentleman clapped the boy on his shoulders and spoke gently to him. The tension flowed out of the kid’s body. The gray haired guest smiled brightly in Brittany’s direction, shot her a thumbs-up, and made his way up the hill where Annie and Lena were watching.
“Any more iced tea in the refrigerator, Ms. Javier?” he asked kindly.
“For the hundredth time, Mr. Kaplinger, please call me Lena.” She stood to get her guest some refreshments.
Mr. Kaplinger held up a halting hand. “Stay where you are. I can find my way around a kitchen.” Looking back out to the yard, he offered a bit of advice. “If I were you, I’d keep the girl and fire the boy. He doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing. Better yet, keep them both and let the girl teach him.”
“Are you a gardener, Mr. Kaplinger?” Lena inquired.
“Not professionally. I’m more of a hobbyist.”
Mr. Kaplinger walked into the B&B and left the women to themselves.
Brittany handed the shears back to the boy and jogged over.
“Lena,” she called out harshly, “why is my cab driver staying here?”
A deep scowl formed on Lena’s brow. Thoughtfully, she took another sip of tea. “I’m pretty sure he flew in from the mainland. A cab dropped him off the same day you arrived. Did you two possibly share it?”
“No, I was all alone. I was super nervous about showing up unannounced.” She pointed a finger towards Mr. Kaplinger’s departure. “That man helped calm me down. He even appreciated the chintzy tip I gave him.” Brittany plopped down in the chair beside her. “You don’t forget something like that.”
Lena rubbed her chin and studied the boy who was now cautiously lopping little bits off the branches. “This may sound strange, but the cabbie that dropped off Mr. Kaplinger looked an awful lot like that kid.”
Annie felt the need to put an end to the speculation. “I doubt that kid is old enough to drive, let alone be employed by a cab service. And if he had a job, why is he here? I can’t imagine Larry would be paying him very much.”
“Oh my goodness!” Lena’s hands flew to her face. “You and Grady had an experience with the dolphins.” She grabbed Brittany’s hand and shook them excitedly. “My mom used to tell stories about them. She said they guarded over our family and kept us safe. According to the bedtime tale, after a dolphin encounter, two strangers would appear and bless us with luck and love.”
Brittan
y dismissed that idea. “But I met the cab driver before I saw the dolphins.”
“Pish posh, the story changed frequently throughout our childhood.” Lena eased back in her chair and crossed one leg over the other. “You can’t be too literal with these things. It’s the essence of the story which is important.”
Brittany narrowed her eyes. “So,” she began, “you believe in magic.”
Crimson blotches formed on Lena’s cheeks. “I don’t disbelieve. Strange things happen all the time. Why can’t we have a guardian angel sitting on our shoulder?” She squeezed Brittany’s hand tight. “The kid out there is named Warden. A warden is like a guardian. If you look at this thing close, you’ll see the pieces are all falling into place.”
“And the old guy’s name?” Brittany asked.
Lena scrunched her nose. “Kaplinger. I wonder if that has some hidden meaning.”
Brittany grabbed Lena’s hand excitedly. “The cabbie drove a Chevy Caprice.”
Lena scratched her ear. “I don’t get the connection.”
“This is a stretch, but think about this for a moment.” Brittany placed both hands on the table and drew in a breath. “You know in the movies when a character is trying to come up with a fake name on the spot? They look around and use something they see as a jumping off point. Cap, Caprice. Cap, Caplinger. And then, so it’s not too obvious, he switches the C for a K. Kaplinger...get it?”
Annie’s hands flew up in the air. “Well, of course, now it makes total sense,” she huffed.
Lena ignored her outburst. “I think we should have a little talk with the kid.” She hollered at the boy. “Warden! Come on up and have a soda.”
The theme from the Twilight Zone hummed through Annie’s head. She sat back and took a sip of coffee. Warden was about to get drilled by the boss. “Do you think it’s wise to interrogate someone who is supposed to bring you luck and love?” she asked, hoping to save them from being sent to the loony bin.
Lena eased back down. “Brittany was the one who swam with the dolphins. She’s the one who will be lucky in love. Ooh! Grady was with you. That means the two of you were doubly blessed. A match made in heaven.”
Brittany brushed that idea off. “He’s cute and all, but it’s not in the cards.”
“You just arrived in Hawaii and are unfamiliar with our ways, but I’m telling you right now,” Lena tapped the table fiercely with the tip of her finger, “it’s not wise to argue with the dolphins.” She looked up and smiled at Warden. “Go on inside, dear, and get whatever you like.”
A goofy grin appeared on his face. He gave the ladies a quick bow and hurried into the kitchen.
When Warden was safely out of earshot, Lena turned towards Brittany. “Annie says you know a thing or two about landscaping. What do you think of all my overgrown plant life?”
Brittany bit her lip. “I think it could use a lot of help. When I saw it yesterday, I could tell someone put a lot of thought into its design, but that it hadn’t received the tender loving care it deserves for quite a while.”
“Want a job?” Lena asked.
“Yes.”
Lena rocked the house with her famous laugh. “You’re easy. Don’t you care how much I can pay you?”
“I would do it for free. I can’t wait to get my hands on it.”
“I have one condition,” Lena said seriously, “the kid stays and you teach him. You have to be nice and become the horse whisperer of plant care. Gentle and caring. Warden doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing, but that doesn’t mean he can’t learn. No more screaming at the poor boy.”
• • •
Annie left the two women to hammer out the details of Brittany’s employment. She walked into the kitchen to see how Warden was making out. When what to her wondering eyes should appear, but a new beau and Erika, looking so dear. They had sodas in their hands and stars in their eyes. Annie was grateful Erika and Warden weren’t standing under the ball of mistletoe hanging in the doorway. Terence would want her to break up the tête-à-tête, but it was nice to see Erika smile again.
She honestly thought it was going to take much more than simply introducing Erika to a more appropriate suitor to get her mind off Grady. She’d been pining away for so long. Annie forgot that Erika was still thirteen and the heart of a young teen could change with the wind. If, as she suspected, Warden was a real live person and not some magical being sent by the dolphins to infuse luck and love on them, then Larry’s experience in fatherhood was proving more valuable than she expected.
Annie tried to recall if she and Larry’s daughter, Marissa, had been that flighty with the boys back at La Jolla High, but she honestly didn’t think so. They went to all the dances, dated football players, planned and participated in both the junior and senior proms, but the boys hadn’t been anything special. No one stood out in her memory as a first love. Neither she nor Marissa had a steady boyfriend back then. The only boy who made an impression was the dark haired deity with the salacious smile, the boy from the yearbook Summer Sutton passed around the choir class as she spoke about her old school here on Oahu. The man Annie eventually married.
Annie smiled to herself. Maybe there was such a thing as magic.
She hadn’t enjoyed an experience with the dolphins, but she made a mental note to ask Terence if he had.
Warden stepped in a little closer. His bright eyes bored deep into Erika’s. Annie thought Warden the nerd and Erika the blossoming beauty made a cute couple. The young man stood about six inches taller than the young lady he was moving in to kiss. Obviously the pull of the mistletoe was much stronger than Annie believed.
Forgetting they hadn’t been properly introduced, Annie walked around the corner and sang out lightly, “I see you met Warden.” She ignored the pink blush rising up on both their faces, and continued, “You better get out there, Warden. Lena and Brittany are mapping out your future. I’d get a move on if you want a say in how you’re going to be spending the next few months of your life.”
Warden shot Erika a confused look and turned graciously back to Annie. “I’m sorry, you are?” He held out a polite hand and grinned.
Annie gripped it firmly and leveled a warning glare directly into his eyes. “Annie Javier, Erika’s mother.”
Warden reared back, but recovered quickly. “Mrs. Javier, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He gave Erika an apologetic grin. “I guess I better go.”
Erika bit back a snicker. As soon as the door closed behind him, she covered her mouth and spun around, giggling. “You’ve been taking dad lessons.” She deepened her voice and mimicked her father. “You better get out there, kid, and away from my daughter before I cut the circulation off your fingers with my death grip of a handshake.”
The girl was full of it today, but she was dead wrong if she thought her behavior was acceptable. “I hung back as long as I could, but when it looked like he was about to kiss you, I had to step in. What were you thinking?”
Erika’s laughing eyes sparkled. “I was thinking that I would like to be kissed. You told me to open myself up to other boys. Well, I found one.”
Annie rubbed her chin and prayed for patience. Just as she was about to give Erika the lecture of her short life, she caught the mischievous glint in her eye. “You knew I was there the whole time, didn’t you?”
Erika’s shoulders began to shake. When she couldn’t hold the laughter in any longer, the sound of pure joy poured out. “You should have seen your face.”
Annie wrapped her arm across her daughter’s shoulders. “Unless Warden is in on the joke, I think you are playing with fire, young lady. Don’t lead him on if you aren’t interested.”
“He actually seems pretty nice. Don’t worry, the next time we talk, I’ll explain everything and make sure he knows he was moving way too fast.” She grabbed Annie’s hand and pulled her towards the staircase. “Can you help me a minute? I’m supposed to flip the mattress in the small room at the end of the hall, but I’m afraid I’m going to break som
ething.”
Annie groaned and shook her head. “That’s your job, not mine.”
Erika dropped Annie’s hand and headed for the lanai. “That’s okay. I’ll ask Warden if he wants to come upstairs with me.”
Seeing the error of her ways, Annie headed for the stairway. “Point taken. I’ll be happy to help.”
When they had the mattress standing on its axis, Annie imagined the argument that was going to erupt when Terence found out Larry was playing matchmaker. Trouble was brewing on the home front, and Annie thought she might have to give the spinner dolphins a piece of her mind. This couldn’t possibly be what they intended.
• • •
It had taken Larry Wright years to get to a place where he could let Terence storm about without engaging. The two men had very different views on how Erika should be raised. All his blustering was for nothing. In the end, neither of their opinions mattered. Eleanor and Annie typically had the final say. Terence hadn’t caught on to that one simple fact. The younger man was still running on the false assumption that he had some control. The ladies were sly about their persuasion. They would gently plant a seed and let the idea grow. Before you knew it...presto, he and Terence would be on the same page.
Terence didn’t like that Larry hired a lawn boy to help Lena on the same days Erika was scheduled to work. Larry didn’t have any idea what Terence was going on about. He was teasing Annie when he suggested they introduce her to another boy. Larry wasn’t even acquainted with any teenage boys on the island.
If Larry had his way, which he didn’t, Grady would be kept as far away from Erika as possible. With the new business venture going forward, Grady was about to become even more entrenched in their household. Terence couldn’t see that his baby girl was growing up, and he certainly wasn’t willing to accept that there wasn’t a thing he could do to stop it.
Larry sympathized with Terence. He went through similar issues with his older daughter Marissa, and in some ways, with Annie. He could honestly say it was easier this time around. Not because he cared any less about Erika, but because his grip was a lot looser. It was torturous trying to hang on to something which would inevitably slip through your fingers as easily as the beautiful Hawaiian sand.
