“Lily, this is Melika,” Gloria said on Friday afternoon, “Carson’s daughter, and her husband, Koma.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Lily told the couple who had come for Gloria’s birthday party.
“That little streak of lightning that ran to find Peter is Niko,” the birthday girl continued, “and the butterball in Carson’s arms is Kimi.”
“How old is your daughter?” Lily asked Melika, finding it easier to meet her eyes.
“Ten months, and the apple of her grandfather’s eye.”
“She’s beautiful.”
“Well, we tend to think so,” Melika admitted, “but then we admit to being biased as well.”
“Can you wave at Lily?” Carson took Kimi’s arm and moved it. “Wave at Lily.”
“I can do waves,” Celia came close to Grandpa Carson’s knee to say.
“Of course you can,” he said as he gently put her on his other knee, needing no time at all to see the jealousy. “You’re such a big girl,” he praised her as she cuddled close.
Celia heard him, but at the moment she noticed Kimi watching her. The two little girls grinned at each other and, a moment later, Carson put them both on the rug. Kimi took only a moment to crawl over and try to sit on Celia. That three-year-old laughed in delight, which made everyone in the room laugh with her.
Lily saw her opportunity and rose quietly. She had volunteered to help Gloria in the kitchen and still had a few jobs to do. This was where Gabe found her.
“Oh, what’s this?” he asked when he saw the little hors d’oeuvres she was putting together.
“I don’t know what they’re called, but your mother showed me how to make them.”
“Can I try one?”
“Yes, but take it from this side. The others have mustard.”
“So my secret’s out,” he stated as he leaned against the counter and took a bite of what looked like a tiny hot dog wrapped in a crust.
“What secret?”
“That I don’t like mustard.”
“Now that you mention it,” Lily teased, “you have been rather difficult. You don’t like corned beef, and you don’t like mustard. I’m starting to wonder about you, Gabriel Kapaia.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it is,” she told him, not able to hide her smile as he did so often with her.
“Okay, I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll keep trying corned beef if you’ll go swimming with me after we get back.”
“Why wouldn’t I go swimming with you?”
“Because you don’t like to be out in your swimsuit.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Lily paused as she thought about it, remembering back to the day she and Jeff purchased it. “Why do you want to go swimming with me?”
Gabe hesitated. They were alone in the kitchen, but that could change at any moment.
“Ask me later.”
“Okay,” Lily said, still watching him. “Is it something bad?”
“No, but the answer isn’t a short one, and I don’t want us to be interrupted.”
“Okay,” Carson’s voice came to them even before he showed up, “we’re headed into the kitchen now, and yes! We have found some people.”
Gabe began to laugh as Carson approached with a video camera held so he could view the tiny screen.
“You’ll have to get used to this, Lily. Carson has taped all of Mom’s birthdays since the day they were married.”
“How does it work?” Lily asked, fascinated with the small camera.
“Come over here, and I’ll show you,” Carson offered. “You stay there and pose, Gabe.”
Gabe tried for a sophisticated and debonair look and then stuck his stomach out and slouched.
“Which one did you like?” he asked innocently.
Lily was trying not to laugh because Carson was taking the time to explain his camera to her, but it wasn’t easy.
“Okay now, Lily,” Carson instructed, “you get in front of the camera and wish Gloria a happy birthday.”
Lily felt suddenly shy about this but gave it her best shot.
“Happy birthday, Gloria. You do me an honor when you include me in your special celebration. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality in this beautiful home. I pray God’s blessings on you today and in the year to come.”
Carson hit the pause button and lowered the camera.
“Was that all right?”
“That was great, Lily. No one has ever mentioned honor before. What was that phrase you used?”
“I think I said that I’m honored because Gloria included me.”
“And honor is important in your village?”
“Honor is important all over Kashien. In fact, it’s so important that I can’t find the English words to describe it.”
“Say it in Kashienese.”
Glad that he was not recording her, Lily quietly vocalized the foreign words that spoke of the high value of honor—not just her own honor, but also that of others.
“And what word or words in all of that don’t translate?” Gabe asked.
Lily told him and helped him pronounce it when he asked her. Carson put the tape back on for this and then thanked them when he was ready to move on.
“I’m falling in love with you,” Gabe whispered the moment they were alone. “You know that, don’t you, Lily?”
“How is it possible, Gabe, that we care so much about each other after such a short time?”
“I think it’s because of our connection—” Gabe had no choice but to cut off when Bailey and Celia came looking for a drink, but somehow Lily knew that Gabe was going to mention her brother. She went back to work on the hors d’oeuvres, her hands moving without a lot of thought as her mind was centered on her brother and how well she knew Gabe because of him.
The party was an unqualified success. Carson’s son and his family had come just before the meal, and with 18 in the house, it had been a loud and joyous celebration. The children were drooping a bit—Celia had already been put to bed, and the two babies were sound asleep in laps—when Gabe asked Lily to go for a walk with him. After they left, the adult conversation in the living room turned to the absent couple.
“Am I out of line,” Carson’s son, Kale, asked, “to ask if Gabe and Lily are seeing each other?”
“We think so, Kale,” Evan took the liberty to answer, “but it’s rather new.”
“As in today,” Ashton put in. “Or have I had my head in the sand?”
“No, I think you’re right. Something must have happened when they were out today.”
“And Lily is here for how much longer?”
“Till the end of November, but I think she’s talking about delaying her departure if Jeff doesn’t come back on time.”
“Did you hear about that, Kale?” Melika said to her brother. “She had no more arrived than Jeff was called away. She was only coming for three months, and he was sent away for two of those.”
“How did she handle it?”
“Like she handles everything,” Bailey answered. “With quiet grace and dignity.”
“And does that come from her upbringing?”
“I would say so, yes,” Bailey answered before Evan spoke again.
“And the funny part is how sorry we all felt for her. She didn’t know what a bread machine was. She had never used a computer or learned to swim, and we thought in some ways she was just a little bit pathetic. But she’s never been distracted by the media, so she’s had all sorts of time to read and learn.
“One night we watched a movie that had scenes from a quiz show. Some of the questions were impossible, but she knew every answer.”
“Not to mention having books of the Bible memorized,” Carson added.
“Entire books?” Koma asked.
Carson smiled hugely as he nodded. “I quizzed her on the book of James. You can give the reference of any verse and she’ll recite it for you.”
“And you think Gabe has fallen for her?” Lydia, Kale’s wife, asked.
“I hope so,” both Gloria and Bailey said at the exact same time, putting the room into enough laughter to wake the babies.
“Was it rude of us to leave the party, Gabe?” Lily asked as they walked side by side down the beach path.
“No, I don’t think so. We’ve had good visits with everyone, and things are winding down. When the two families get together, you never know—they might still be talking when we get back.”
Lily didn’t reply to this. It was nice just to walk in the warm sand and feel the breeze on her face. The sky looked extra wide tonight and full of stars. Lily could have easily lain down and counted them until she fell asleep.
“I want to answer your question now, Lily.”
“Oh, all right, Gabe. I’m glad you remembered.”
Gabe took a moment to start, his voice sincere.
“The water and swimming have been major parts of my life since the day I was born. I’ve used water for exercise, for fun, for sports, and at times for therapy. I’ve watched other people use it for romance. I’ve watched my sister and her husband and Ash and Deanne cavort and chase each other in the water, and they made me wish for someone special of my own. I’m not suggesting anything improper, but I want to go swimming with you, Lily. It’s something I want to share with you. I want to lie back on the surface of the pool and float and talk while we look at the clouds. I want to sit in the hot tub and hold your hand.”
The man in him wanted to do more than that, but he knew he couldn’t let his mind go there. The last thing he wanted to do was give Lily the impression that he couldn’t control himself.
“Thank you for telling me.”
“Did I say too much? Are you afraid to swim with me now?”
“No, but it is hard to be outside my room with so little on. I’m not used to that.”
“First of all, I want to say that I think your swimsuit is very modest, Lily, but beyond that, do you feel that way even if it’s just me swimming with you?”
“I think I do feel more comfortable with you, Gabe, but how would I know that it would be just you?”
“The family has a schedule.”
Lily looked at him. “A schedule?”
“In a loose sort of way, yes. Right now only Bales and Evan use it, but once Ash and Deanne are married, I’m sure they’ll want some time alone in the pool too.”
“How does it work?”
“The pool and hot tub close to the public at 9:00. If Evan and Bailey want to be alone at the pool, they tack a ribbon on the bulletin board in the kitchen.”
Had there been any more light, Gabe would have witnessed one of Lily’s silent “ohs.”
“Please don’t misunderstand me, Lily. I’m not suggesting that we head alone to the pool at night, but I do want to swim with you, both in the pool and in the ocean.”
“I’ve never swum in the ocean.”
“It’s very safe in the bay.”
“Is that the almost-round-looking area over by the restaurant?”
“That’s the one. It’s a great place to swim.”
Lily nodded, not thinking about the fact that Gabe couldn’t see her. He had taken them in a wide circle, and they were now headed back toward the house. It was well lit from within, and the sight made Lily feel warm.
“I’ll swim with you, Gabe.” Lily suddenly realized she needed to give this man an answer. “I can’t say that I’m completely comfortable with it, but I would like to try.”
“Oh, Lily,” Gabe said on a sigh, “you do wonders for my heart.”
“How is that?”
“You don’t really know, do you?”
“No, I don’t think I do.”
She sounded so uncertain that Gabe almost reached for her hand.
“Let’s just say,” he said kindly, “that you’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever known.”
Lily had all she could do not to look around.
“Were you talking about me?” she finally asked.
Gabe’s laughter sounded in the night, but he didn’t answer. Fatigue, both emotional and physical, was starting to find him. On top of that, they were almost back to the house.
“I shouldn’t have said that unless I was willing to explain myself right now, Lil, but I must admit to you that my brain is getting fuzzy.”
Lily wasn’t tired at all, but she still understood. “Can we talk about it another time?”
“Absolutely. Thanks for understanding.”
They finished the walk back to the house in silence, Lily thinking on the events of the day and all they had talked about.
Getting to know someone is nothing like I imagined, she ended up telling the Lord, a smile in her heart. But I’m still having fun.
“Will you miss the children?” Lily asked Bailey once they were in the van and leaving the airport for home.
“Yes, but this will still be good for me. The week will alternately drag and race by, and before I know it, they’ll be back, and I’ll be more than ready to have them. However, Evan has already told me to rest and not work on projects like I usually do when they’re gone.”
Lily smiled. She could well imagine how easy it would be to dash around and get things done when you finally had the time, but Evan was wise. Even though the projects would be waiting, Bailey should rest while she had the chance.
And at the moment it seemed everyone in the van felt that way. The remainder of the ride was finished rather quietly. Lily’s thoughts roamed to many places until the resort house came into view. Then she smiled. It had just been a few days, but now it was familiar and dear. The sight of it also brought about questions. Had Gabe lived there all his life? Lily thought he had but suddenly wasn’t certain.
“I need a nap,” Ashton proclaimed as he climbed from the back of the van.
“And you don’t even have CeCe here to use as an excuse,” Evan teased him.
“True enough. I guess I’ll just have to lie on the sofa and watch television.”
“Behind your eyelids,” Gabe remarked dryly.
The five of them trooped into the house, luggage in hand, and disappeared in various directions. Lily was going to take her bag to her room, but Gabe stopped her at the bottom of the stairs.
“If you want to call Jeff, the number’s on Bailey’s desk.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Lily then looked at him, and because no one was close by, decided to ask what was on her mind.
“Do you want me to call him, Gabe? Is there some reason you’re concerned?”
“I’m only thinking about your needs. There might be things on your mind that you need to bounce off someone. I don’t want you to hesitate to call Jeff and do that.”
Lily nodded and looked thoughtful. Gabe found her so appealing that he smiled.
“Are there things on your mind?” he dipped his head a little to ask, liking it when he could look directly into her face.
Lily smiled. “Just a few.”
“Want to share?”
“What I would tell Jeff, you mean?”
Gabe shook his head. “I was just teasing you. If I drag everything out of you, I will have spoiled your time to share private thoughts with your brother.”
“But I do want to ask your opinion on something,” Lily continued.
“Okay.”
“Can love develop out of liking someone?”
“I certainly think so. What do you think?”
“I don’t honestly know.”
“Where did that question come from?” Gabe asked, just as Evan came down the stairs. He sailed right past them, but Gabe still took Lily’s arm and led her to the sitting area of the living room. When they had sat side by side on one of the love seats, Gabe repeated his question.
“Do I have to look at you when I answer?” Lily needed to know.
“No.”
Lily’s eyes dropped to her lap. “I realized this morning, when I was talking to the Lord about all of this, that I like you more than anyone I’ve ever known.” Lily glanced at him but looked down again. “I think that’s where the question must have come from.”
“I like you too,” Gabe said softly, not really afraid of being overheard but wanting to go slow and easy with these new feelings. “I’ve liked you for a long time, even before we met.”
“Did Jeff talk about me that much?”
“Not constantly, but enough that I knew you were special.”
“Gabe,” Lily said, having just remembered his earlier comments, “I need to tell you that I have also been thinking about the adoption issue. I’ve realized how special it is that Bailey is expecting right now.”
Gabe waited, not sure where she was headed.
“However, I’m not jealous, Gabe, not in the least. My mind has also been on my friend Ling. She was seven months along in her pregnancy when I left. I’m not jealous of her either, but if I had the chance and was needed, I would take her children and raise them as my own. Bailey’s too. In a heartbeat I would gladly become a mother to Peter and Celia, or to my friend Ling’s children, Faith, Hope, and Charity, and love them with all my heart. I think it’s wise that this subject stays open between us, but this is the way I feel right now.”
“Thank you for telling me. I’ve had more time to accept the situation, but at times I’ve struggled terribly. Never having considered foreign adoption, I now have a whole new direction in which to think. I thought I would have to content myself with being an uncle, but you’ve helped me to see that there might be challenges in whole new ways.”
“I don’t think I know what you mean.”
“I’m not borrowing trouble, Lily, but I am trying to be practical. The first obstacle in the path is that I can’t father children myself. The second frustration is that I would probably never qualify for a U.S. adoption. I would be foolish to think that all will be smooth sailing now that you’ve suggested foreign adoption. Some complication could easily come up on that road as well.
“All that to say I’ve got to keep trusting and not holding on too tightly to what I think would be the ideal. I’ve got to let God, in His time, introduce me to all of the options. Have you heard of foster child care?”
“Yes, I’ve read about that.”
“It would be my goal for us to adopt so the children would be our own, but I need to hold that loosely because it might not be God’s plan. Foster parenting might be the way God could use us best.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. How does it work exactly?”
Gabe told Lily what he knew, and as he was coming to expect from her, she had probing and insightful questions. He wasn’t able to answer them all, but when she was through, he then questioned her about the adoption methods in Kashien.
The family roamed in and out, and while the two were aware of them, they were not interrupted. They talked for a solid two hours before Lily realized she had needed to use the bathroom when she came in and never had. Excusing herself, she finally went on her way, her heart thinking once again that getting to know someone was nothing like she’d ever imagined.