Bamboo and Lace (45 page)

“You've been angry at my father?” Lily questioned him for the second time. They were walking along the shore, holding hands and talking.

“Yes, for a long time. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Lily. That was wrong of me, but there's more I have to say.”

Lily glanced at him and knew nothing but dread.

“Lily, I don't want you to go home and do anything out of desperation to get back here to me. I don't want you to do anything your father would disapprove of.” Gabe took a huge breath. This was costing him greatly, but he had to be sure she understood. “I've wanted to write to him. I was sure it was the right thing to do. Then you said you would set it up so I could, but even that might not work, Lily. Hard as it is for me, we've got to take our cue from your father. Even if he never allows you to return, we must wait on him.”

“But you still want to marry me?”

Gabe stopped and took her in his arms. Lily felt the way he trembled. In her ear, he whispered, “I would marry you this afternoon and never let you leave me.”

Lily hugged him back, her arms tight around him.

“As long as I know you still love me and want to marry me, I can do this.”

Gabe shifted so he could see her face.

“You're so special, Lily. I don't deserve you. And for the record, I'll want to be married to you until the day I die.”

It was all Lily needed to hear. What Gabe was asking was huge, but she knew he was right. A little more headstrong about talking to her father than even she was willing to admit, Lily had needed to hear the words as much as her father.

“Hank, this is my sister, Lily.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Lily. Jeff has told me about your visit. Have you had a good time?”

“Yes, it's been wonderful.”

“And you go home when?”

“In five days. I fly out Wednesday morning.”

“Well, I hope you have a good trip home.”

“Thank you.”

Hank moved on his way, and Lily waited only a moment to speak to her brother.

“Is he your boss?”

“No, he's a coworker.”

“Will I meet your boss?”

“Randolf isn't in today. I'm sorry, Lily, that I didn't think to show you the office before.”

“That's all right. I'm seeing it now. Actually, it's much the way you described it in your letter.”

“Did I write to you about it?”

“Yes, when you were first hired.”

“That was six years ago.”

“Right.”

That his sister would remember what he said amazed him a little, but then it shouldn't have. When Lily cared about someone, she did it with all her heart.

“We'd probably better get going, or Gabe will wonder what's happened to us.”

“Oh, all right,” Lily agreed, but Jeff thought this might be a little harder than it seemed.

If they had needed to get Lily out of the house for lunch or dinner, that would have been easy, but from 2:00 to 6:00 was going to take some work. Gabe had come up with the idea of giving Lily a tour of Jeff's office at 2:00 while he ran an errand. The rest of the time was Gabe's to kill, and Jeff hoped he had something up his sleeve.

“Where are we meeting Gabe?”

“Just up the street.”

“And are you coming with us?”

“No, I've got some things to finish here, so I'll see you for dinner tonight.”

“Wang is cooking,” Lily told him. “It would have been fun to stay and help, but I'm glad I saw your office.”

“Me too. Now you can tell Father all about it.”

“Maybe Gabe will be finished with his errands and I can still get back to help Wang cook.”

“Maybe,” Jeff said noncommittally, hoping Gabe had plenty of ideas.

Ten minutes later Jeff and Gabe had made the exchange, and Gabe took an unsuspecting Lily to a small shop not far from Waikiki. He parked the car at the curb and held the door for her to get out.

“Are you shopping?”

“I am, yes.”

“What are you getting?”

“I'm looking at jewelry.”

“Oh, how nice. I've never worn any jewelry.”

“I've noticed you don't wear any. Is there a reason?” Gabe asked, his hand to the small of her back as he led her into the store.

“No, no special reason. I've never had any, so that might be some of it.”

“We might have to change that,” Gabe said when the door shut behind them.

“Change what?”

“Your not having any jewelry.”

“Gabe,” Lily put a hand on his arm, “I wasn't dropping any hints.”

Gabe kissed her nose.

“I know you weren't.”

This said, Gabe led Lily to the counter where Lee Kamioto, a man she had met at church, was standing.

“Hello, Lily.”

“Mr. Kamioto! How are you?”

“Doing well.”

“Do you work here?”

“Not only do I work here, I own the store.”

“Oh, how wonderful. Have you been in business long?”

The worried look Gabe caught on Jeff's face would have disappeared if he could have seen Lily just then. She had dozens of questions for Lee, who had been warned of her coming, and that was all before she spotted a picture of his grandchildren, who also attended their church with his daughter and son-in-law.

“What can I show you, Gabe?” Lee asked when he and Lily had exhausted every subject.

“I think this tray of engagement rings with the matching wedding bands right here.”

Lily looked up at the man next to her, her eyes large. Gabe smiled down at her in hopes of comforting her, but Lily's expression didn't change.

“I'll tell you what,” the observant shop owner said. “I'll just leave this tray with you two. If you need anything, I'll be right over there.”

“Thank you,” Gabe said, but Lily was still staring at him.

“Gabe,” she whispered as soon as they were alone, “I just realized I'm not bringing anything to this marriage. I mean, I have a small chest of things, but they're not of any value here.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Well, I have a blanket and some cooking items, and then last year—”

“Lily, honey, stop.”

Lily did as she was told.

“What was the part about bringing something to the marriage?”

“Oh, the rings just reminded me that at home a woman brings family jewelry or something of value—a dowry of sorts. It helps the couple get off to a good start, but I forgot that it's probably different here. I'm sorry.”

Gabe put his arm around her.

“I will want you to bring anything you have that's important to you, but that's not what we're about today. Today, I want you to tell me if any of these rings appeal to you.”

Lily looked down at the tray and then sighed very softly.

“Aren't diamonds pretty?”

“Yes, they are. Does anything stand out to you?”

“Oh, my” was all Lily could manage before she stood in painful indecision. Finally she looked back to Gabe. “Can you pick something?”

“Don't you like any of them?”

“I like all of them.”

“Then go ahead and try one on.”

Still she hesitated. Gabe spotted some tall stools and brought two of them over. He ordered Lily to sit and then slid the tray a little closer to her. Gabe sat close on another stool and watched her. After a good deal more study, Lily picked out a ring with a minuscule diamond.

“Is that the one you like?”

“Yes, and it looks like it won't be too costly.”

“I can afford everything in this tray, so you need to select the one you like the best and not worry about the cost. I would tell you if I couldn't afford it.”

“There is one I like better.”

“Which one?”

Gabe saw what she picked and smiled. It was the very one he'd spotted earlier that day.

“Try it on.”

Lily started to do that, but the wedding band moved to the side and the two rings separated.

“I broke it!” she gasped.

“No, you didn't. These two rings will be soldered together, but not until after the wedding. Here, try just the diamond.”

It was rather exciting for both of them when the ring fit perfectly over Lily's slim finger.

“It's so pretty,” Lily kept saying.

Gabe kissed her temple before going to tell Lee they had a winner.

“I want you to know,” Gabe said once they were in the car, one hand holding the small jeweler's box and the other hand holding Lily's, “that I understand you can't wear this home, but will you please take it with you?”

“Oh, Gabe, my heart would break if something happened to it, and without it being on my finger, I would be worried all the time.”

Gabe nodded in understanding.

“Will you wear it until you leave?”

“I want to, Gabe—I can't tell you how much—but can we please wait? That way I won't have to take it off again.”

Gabe set the box aside so he could reach up and stroke the smooth skin of her cheek. The wait was going to be one of the hardest things he had ever gone through, but Gabe reminded himself that Lily was at the end.

“It looks like Bailey has been doing some decorating,” Lily commented as she and Gabe parked in front of the house and saw the wreath on the door.

“Oh, yeah,” Gabe said, hoping he had given everyone enough time. He didn't see Jeff's car, but maybe he'd put it in the garage to help with the surprise.

Gabe stayed on Lily's heels as she entered through the front door, so he saw at the same moment she did the Christmas lights come on all over the tree they'd put up.

“Merry Christmas!” everyone yelled as the family came toward her.

“Oh, my” was all Lily could manage for several minutes. Gifts were pressed into her arms, and she stared in wonder at her brother, Ashton, Evan, Bailey, and the children.

“Come on in,” Evan directed. “It's Christmas right now and time to open gifts.”

Lily suddenly found herself the center of attention, gifts surrounding her. She couldn't speak for a time, and when she did, it was in panic.

“I don't have anything for you. I didn't shop! I never even thought of it.”

“You have gifts for them,” Jeff stated calmly, and Lily blinked at him.

“Jeff,” she said quietly, “could I possibly see you in the next room?”

“It's all right,” Jeff said, his voice filled with laughter. “You go ahead and pick out a gift to open. Just tell me who it's from, and I'll take it from there.”

Lily looked at him for a moment but did as she was told. The gift closest to her was from Peter and Celia. Lily opened it to find a dictionary, the very type she'd been hoping to own.

“Oh, thank you, Peter. Thank you, CeCe. I'll use it all the time.”

“Okay!” Jeff said in excitement, reaching into a bag near his chair. “It looks like Lily has a gift for Peter and one for Celia. Who's going first?”