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 clanging 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.