Bamboo and Lace (20 page)

Gloria smiled at her. “I rather like them. Will you come and meet my Carson?”

“It would be a second honor. Would you forgive me again if I take a moment to clean my hands?”

“Not at all. Come out when you're ready.”

Ashton went with his mother to the door while Lily made a beeline for the sink.

“She was tense with you, Mom, but usually Lily is very—” Ashton began the moment the kitchen door shut behind them, but he stopped when his mother put a hand to his arm.

“Ash, do you think Gabe has noticed Lily?”

The youngest Kapaia stared at his mother.

“Well, has he?”

“Why would Gabe need to notice Lily?” Ashton asked, completely at sea.

“They would be perfect together,” Gloria said so simply that she managed to astound her son. He barely managed to keep his voice low.

“I don't believe I've ever heard you talk like that, Mom! What's come over you?”

Gloria didn't answer. Instead, she had another question.

“Is she as relaxed with Gabe as she is with Peter?”

“Not quite as much, but almost.”

“Good.”

“Mom, what is this all about?”

“I don't know right now,” she admitted, “but you know my feelings for Jeff, and this is Jeff's sister. And not just any sister, but a special one.”

“How can you tell in so little time?”

Gloria smiled. “I just can.”

“And Gabe fits in where?”

“He needs a special woman.”

Ashton, who thought his brother more than capable of finding his own wife if he chose to, could only shake his head. He honestly had never heard his mother speak this way.

“Where's Lily?” Bailey called from all the way over by the sofa, where she sat with the other adults.

“In the kitchen.”

“Is Pete with her?” Evan wished to know.

“Yes. I think they'll be along shortly.”

Ashton had nothing to say. He was still trying to reckon with the idea of his mother as a matchmaker.

The gum wasn't coming off, and Lily was on the verge of panic. Peter had stayed to talk with her, but right now she needed quiet. She needed to think.

“Is it off?” he asked when Lily grew very still at the sink.

“No.”

Peter looked up at her profile. She was staring out the window. “What are you looking at?”

Lily glanced down at him.

“Peter, do you know how I could get this gum off my hand?”

His little brow creased.

“Sometimes CeCe gets it in her hair and Mama uses ice.”

You're so foolish, Lily. You're using hot water instead of cold.

“Do you want me to get ice?” Peter asked when Lily turned the water back on.

“Maybe one piece would be nice, Peter. I would appreciate that.”

Peter was swift to aid her, and after a bit more work, this time with the ice, the gum was gone. The parts of her palm that weren't frozen felt raw where she had dug at the gum with her nails, but at least the sticky substance was off.

“Come and meet Grandpa Carson,” Peter invited.

Lily smiled at him, thinking she had made a complete mess of things. Nevertheless, she didn't want Peter to feel any blame.

“It was nice of you to stay and help me, Peter. Thank you.”

“Do you want another piece of gum?”

“Maybe another time, all right?”

Peter led the way through the kitchen, and only as they were about to join the others did Lily realize she was still in her exercise clothing and hadn't done a thing with herself since returning from her run. It was not the way she would have chosen to meet people, but hopefully Carson would be as gracious as his wife.

“Here they are,” Evan said when they were spotted.

“Lilyee,” Celia called as Peter took Lily's hand and brought her along.

Carson
was
as kind as his wife, and in no time at all, Lily was seated with the family and included in the conversation.

“May I ask you a question, Lily?” Carson asked, turning to her a short time later.

“Certainly,” Lily answered, finding she had to force herself to have eye contact with this male stranger.

“How many languages do you speak?”

“Three.”

“What are they?”

“Kashienese, Chinese, and English.”

“What about Japanese?” Gabe asked. “I thought both you and Jeff spoke Japanese.”

“Only enough to get by, so I don't claim it. Jeff has a Japanese neighbor, so he gets more practice than I do.”

“So you speak Kashienese and Chinese as well as you do English?”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever tried Hawaiian?”

“Only a little with Jeff. It does not come easily to me.”

“Did the others?”

Lily nodded and explained, “But only because I grew up with all three.”

“So your parents spoke all three to you?”

“No. At home they spoke only English, but in school it was only Kashienese, and then I had a Chinese teacher from the time I was very young.”

“Have you ever considered getting a job as a translator?”

“I already have one,” Lily said.

Everyone gawked at her a little at this point, so she explained.

“I translate the Bible into Kashienese for the church in the village.”

“I didn't know that!” most of the family said, everyone speaking at once. Lily didn't know what to think of their reaction. She remained quiet until Celia tapped her leg.

“I have gum,” the little person whispered.

“How fun,” Lily whispered back. “Did Grandma give it to you?”

Celia nodded, her eyes large.

“You have gum?”

“Not right now. I'll have some later.”

“See mine?”

Lily smiled when Celia opened her mouth.

“It's pink,” Lily told her, leaning very close to continue whispering into her face. Everyone else was talking, so she felt free to have a private moment with the child.

“Pink?”

“Yes. Does it taste sweet?”

Lily bit her lip to hold laughter when Celia needed to think about this.

“Does it taste good?” Lily tried this time.

Celia nodded, eyes large, even as she realized that Lily's lap was open. She climbed into it without invitation and then looked up at her. Lily had been watching her adorable face the entire time.

“Are you going to learn to blow bubbles?” was Lily's next question, even as she thought about how swiftly she was sliding away from the rules she had always known. Never at home would she have carried on a conversation, albeit a quiet one, when someone else in the group was speaking, even though the words were not directed at her.

It troubled her no small amount, and whenever something did, her face took on a rather inscrutable look. Gabe and Bailey both caught it but knew that now was not the time to question her.

Gabe, for his part, was thinking about the time altogether. How long had Lily been with them? In their hearts she had always been there, but in reality, not long at all. This was a Friday, and Lily had moved in on a Sunday. Could it be coming up on only three weeks? They had been through so many things already that it seemed much longer. And how long did it seem for her? An eternity or a matter of days? Gabe had seen the way she had dropped her eyes when Carson turned to her and realized he had come to take for granted that she was growing comfortable with them and looking them in the eye—at least he hoped she was growing comfortable.

“I think swimming sounds fun,” Gloria announced. “Is anyone up for it?”

Celia nearly choked on her gum in her excitement, and in the next few minutes a mad scramble ensued as Gloria and Celia rushed away to change and get towels. Peter was begging Evan to come, and the phone began to ring. With people going in all directions, Lily was left to think for a moment on what she wanted to do. Swimming sounded fun, but it was still hard to go out in the daytime wearing her swimsuit.

Suddenly someone sat down next her. Lily turned to see that it was Ashton, already in his baggy suit, towel in hand.

“Not going to swim?”

“I'm still deciding.”

“What are the pros and cons?”

Lily smiled at his teasing tone.

“Being with the family is a pro, but I'm still getting used to wearing a swimsuit, so that would have to be a con.”

“So what you're saying is that people in Kashien swim without swimsuits?”

The idea was so shocking to Lily that a small burst of laughter slipped out before she could cover her mouth.

Ashton, looking very innocent, shook his head in mock dismay.

“I can see why you would have a problem with us.”

“Oh, Ashton,” Lily said, even as she turned red from laughing. Smiling in delight at having caught her out, Ashton stood and made his way to the door. Lily found herself appreciating the fact that he hadn't pressed her for an answer. One by one the family all went out to the pool. When they had finally gone, she realized she was alone in the house for the first time in days.

Settling back, her head going against the soft cushions, Lily decided that at least for the moment she would stay right where she was.

“We got a letter from Deanne,” Gloria told Ashton as they relaxed on chairs and loungers around the pool. “She said you had just been to see her folks.”

“I went last week. We had a good time.”

“How is Mic?” Carson asked, referring to Deanne's younger brother, a senior in high school. “Is he in football again?”

“Yes, he's almost as big as I am and starting on offense. I'll be headed to his game next week, so—”

Ashton kept talking, but Gabe found that his mind had wandered. The family's time off was going swiftly. They had planned to have several gatherings with the church family and had not gotten to one of them. It had come up at dinner the night before, but no plans were made.

“Are you going to sleep?” Evan asked from the seat next to his.

“No, but the time is going fast, and sometimes that makes me tired.”

“Yeah. We always have so much we want to do, but it takes a good two weeks to get some energy back. This year it's taken longer.”

“Yes, it has, and I haven't figured out why.”

“It's bound to be several factors. It's never just one.”

As though they thought of her at the same time, both men realized that Lily had not come out with them to swim.

“Bailey,” her brother called to her, “did Lily say if she was coming out?”

“Not to me, she didn't.”

“She was still deciding when I talked with her,” Ashton threw in.

“I meant to ask her more about her translating,” Carson said. “Do you know what books she's done?”

“We didn't know anything until she told you.”

“Well, I hope she has time for two dozen more questions.”

The conversation shifted at that point. People were getting drowsy at the same time the children were asking for lunch. Ashton hoisted himself out of the chair to do the honors. Bailey, who wanted only to sleep in the warm sun, thanked him with a wave.