Bamboo and Lace (17 page)

Lily nodded in a way that was becoming familiar to them all. Her head would nod a little, and her mouth would make an “oh,” but no sound would come out.

“I take it you didn't notice?”

Lily's eyes dropped, and she admitted, “I don't care to look in the mirror much right now.”

“You don't look bad, Lily—just a little toasty.”

His wording and the tone of his voice made her smile before she went back to eating, but he had not understood. It wasn't her looks. It was the reminder of what had happened to her skin. When she caught sight of herself in a mirror, she felt something akin to horror, and even though it might be in her head, the pain would return.

“Tell me, Lily. If I left you here, could you find your way back?”

“I think so,” she answered, even as she thought fast about the direction from which they had come.

“Well, I don't really want to do that, but I just remembered a phone call I need to make.”

“I can finish quickly,” she said, setting her spoon aside.

“No, don't do that. Wang would love to show you the workings of the kitchen. Stay as long as you like.”

The offer was too tempting by half. Lily glanced around. The room was full of gadgets and appliances she had never seen before.

“Thank you, Ashton.”

“You're welcome. Are you sure you can get back?”

“Why don't you just tell me the way, and then I'll find it.”

The youngest Kapaia gave her clear directions, thanked Wang as well as told him that Lily wanted a tour, and went on his way.

It took some time for Lily to feel comfortable alone with Wang and his staff, but in a very short time she was gaining knowledge about the kitchen such as she never had before.

“Where's Lily?”

Having tracked some of his family down at the pool a few hours before dinner, Gabe asked the question. He wanted to check with Lily about some ideas he had to further her education.

“Last I knew she was with Ash,” Bailey told him.

“They went to see the cottages,” Peter added.

“That was right after breakfast this morning,” Evan said, just as Ashton made an appearance.

The younger brother had some business to talk over with both Evan and Gabe, but eventually Gabe was able to ask his question.

“I left her with Wang. Isn't she back yet?”

“I don't think so. How was she getting here?”

“I gave her directions, and she was going to walk.”

“You should check her room before you go looking, Gabe,” his sister suggested. “She might have come in when no one noticed.”

Gabe did just that, but not five minutes passed before he was in his own golf cart and headed to the restaurant. He slipped in the back, much as Lily and Ashton had done earlier, but was met with an entirely different scene.

Lily Walsh, flour covering her hands as she rolled out piecrust, was conversing with Wang and the day manager, Rick Wong, in Chinese. Gabe, who had a fairly good command of the language, approached.

“Gabriel,” Wang said softly, turning to face him and switching to English, “you have come for Lily.”

“Not exactly. We just wanted to make sure she was all right.”

Lily was still speaking to Rick. She was asking the man about shipments of produce and vegetables, which were locally grown, and how they worked their delivery schedule, so it took a few seconds for her to notice Gabe. She was so focused on Rick's answers that she didn't realize at first who it was.

“Hello.” Gabe smiled when her eyes came up, and Lily beamed at him.

“I'm learning to run a restaurant.”

Gabe chuckled.

“Let me know when you go on the payroll. How are you, Rick?” Gabe now said, extending his hand to shake the other man's.

“I'm doing well, Gabe. How are you?”

“Enjoying my time off.”

Rick nodded. “It's the same here. We get plenty of outside business in the evenings, but I can tell that the cottages are empty when I can shoot a cannonball through here during breakfast and lunch.”

“May I ask a question?” Lily put in, surprising even herself.

“Yes.”

“People have kitchens in their cottages, but they still eat breakfast and lunch here?”

Rick explained the preferences of different people, and Lily listened intently. There wasn't a single aspect of this business that was new to Gabe, but he still enjoyed Lily's fascination.

“Gabriel has come for you, Lily,” Wang said as soon as Rick was done.

“Oh, I'll wash my hands and come right now.”

Gabe was opening his mouth to tell Lily she didn't have to leave but then caught Wang's eye on him. After Rick had gone his way, the older man spoke.

“You did come for Lily, did you not, Gabriel?”

“I just wanted to talk to her about something, not interrupt.”

“But she is easy to talk to, do you not find?”

Gabe smiled before saying, “In truth, Wang, I don't know her well enough to answer that.”

It was Wang's turn to smile.

“We shall have to see that this situation changes.”

Before Gabe could frame a reply, Lily was back. “Thank you for everything,” she said to Wang.

He bowed his head to her.

“The pleasure is all mine. We will do it again.”

Lily smiled before dropping her eyes, glad that Gabe was waiting and she could exit. Wang was too like the men from home, and finding him here, Lily felt utterly out of her element on the issue of looking men in the eye.

At the door Lily slipped back into her bamboo hat, tying the strings below her chin.

“That hat must be from home,” Gabe commented.

“Yes, it is. How did you know?”

“I've never seen one like it here.”

“I made it,” Lily admitted quietly.

“I'm impressed.”

Lily could have told him it was not a great effort, but she was quiet as she climbed into Gabe's cart. The silence didn't last too long.

“May I ask you a question?” Lily asked just after Gabe shifted into gear and set them in motion.

“Certainly.”

“Do you know the etymology of the word
payroll
?”

“Offhand I don't, but we can check out the dictionary when we get back.”

“Will the history be in there?”

“Not necessarily all the particulars, but the date and origin of the word will be.”

Lily's dictionary at home in Kashien could not boast these features, and she wondered if Jeff would be willing to help her to find one like Gabe's before she flew home.

“How's the burn?”

“As long as I stay out of the sun and away from the oven, it's fine.”

“You don't look burned anymore.” He glanced sideways as he spoke. “You're tan enough to be a native.”

Lily laughed because she knew how far that was from the truth. Her skin was tight and already starting to peel in places.

Lily wondered why Gabe needed her. She wanted to ask him but kept quiet, hoping he would volunteer. Gabe, on the other hand, thought she knew. He forgot that he had told Wang he didn't mean to interrupt before Lily returned.

He swung the cart into the wide garage and then asked to talk to Lily on the shady veranda. Lily hoped that nothing was wrong and tried to ignore the tenseness she suddenly felt, but of course nothing showed on her face.

Not at all aware of her thoughts, Gabe started right in.

“Lily, would you say you're up to doing some things, or would you rather wait awhile longer?”

“No, I can do anything you want me to.”

Warning bells went off in Gabe's mind even as he nodded. Lily volunteering to do anything he wanted wasn't quite what he had in mind. He continued, but his eyes were watchful.

“The whole plan was to teach you the things Jeff had on his list, but I don't want to rush you.”

Lily didn't know if there was an actual list but still said, “We can start on the list anytime you like.”

Again Gabe nodded, choosing to take her at her word.

“If you think you can move your arms without pain, we'll head to the tennis courts tomorrow. How does that sound?”

“That's fine.”

“You're certain your arms don't hurt?”

“Yes. I should be fine.”

“Okay. Do you have any shorts you can wear?”

“Jeff bought some for me.”

“Okay. I think you'll be the most comfortable in those, and tennis shoes, of course. Be sure to put sunblock on all exposed skin. We'll head out early and try to beat the heat.”

Relieved that nothing was wrong, Lily nodded but wondered if tennis would be the disaster swimming was. Her gaze dropped with the memory.

“Lily, would you mind looking at me?”

Lily complied.

“Are you sure you're up to this?”

She forced herself to keep eye contact and admit, “I was just thinking about how poorly my swimming lesson ended. I don't want to fail in tennis as well.”

“But you didn't fail in swimming. In fact, Ash told me you amazed him with how well you did and how fast you caught on.”

“He said that?”

“Yes, he did.”

“Oh, my,” Lily said rather weakly.

“What's the matter?”

“I just wrote and told my father what a mess I had made of things.”

Not understanding the seriousness of the situation, Gabe laughed.

“You'll just have to get another letter off to him, telling him you did great.”

Lily managed to smile and nod, but a knot of dread had formed in the pit of her stomach. Her father would not understand if she wrote and changed her story. She knew that the burn had not been anyone's fault, but she also knew her father wouldn't see it that way, so she had made a point to take whatever blame there was. She hadn't really mentioned learning to swim.

For a moment Lily thought about her time in the pool. Until her shoulders had started to hurt, Lily had felt very good about what she had accomplished. The thought of getting in the deep end, even after she had gone under and been afraid, was no longer an issue. Nevertheless, it was a little late to mention that to her father.

“Sometimes I wish he had a telephone so I could just call.”

“Your father?”

“Yes.”

“That would be nice, wouldn't it?” Gabe agreed, coming to his feet and thanking Lily for her time. He had things to do, so as soon as he established a time for their tennis lesson and asked if Lily had any more questions, he left her to her own thoughts.

Lily watched him go on his way, even as she remembered placing the letter where Bailey had directed. It was a common spot in the kitchen that everyone used. The first one to head out mailed whatever letters had gathered.

Moving swiftly, Lily made for the kitchen, hoping the letter might still be there. The basket was empty.

Lily sighed. She so wished she could tell Jeff what had happened. Maybe he could write and explain it somehow, but spending the money on a long-distance call over such a trivial matter seemed wasteful to Lily.

It didn't take long for Lily to realize she was fretting. On her way back through the great room, she walked to the patio door and looked out at the sea.

You're such a huge God that You can create an ocean, but I don't think You can handle my problems. Help me to know what to do, Lord. Help me to know the best path to take. Let Jefferson call or open up some other option that only You would think of to clear this up with my father.

And please, Lord,
Lily ended the prayer,
help Father not to be too upset. Help him to trust You too.

Chapter Ten

“Ready or not, here I come,” Lily said in a singsong voice.

It was after dinner—Evan and Bailey had gone for a swim— and the children were hiding from Lily, who was figuring out a way not to find them too swiftly. Celia's giggles and Peter's attempt to shush her were making it a bit hard. The giggles were coming from behind the sofa, and the hushing noise was in the vicinity of the TV cabinet.