Oahu
It was with a tough mix of emotions that Gabe Kapaia stood as best man for his brother on March 4 and watched him pledge his life to Deanne Talbot. Nevertheless, there was no denying the happiness in the bride’s face and the utter joy in his brother’s.
The families of the bride and groom, church family, and friends were out in force. Everyone was up for a great time. Gabe was too, but all through the service and celebration he found his heart in two places: rejoicing with Ashton and Deanne in Hawaii, and in a small village in Kashien that he could only imagine.
Lhasa
Lily was in a quandary. Her brother had figured her out. She had read his letter while sitting quietly under her favorite shade tree, and now she just sat and thought.
Something is wrong, Lily, had been some of his words. I can tell by your silence after all we discussed when you were here. I can only guess that Father has become impossible. By the time you receive this, you will have been gone for almost three months, and not being able to talk to you and know how you are truly doing is more difficult than I can say.
He didn’t need to say. Lily knew how hard it was. The last weeks had felt more like years. Her father had been slightly more civil since Lily had made her feelings clear, and Lily had been doing better with her emotions, but this time had been unlike anything she’d ever known.
Lily read the letter again, thinking that “impossible” was a great way to describe her father.
“He’s never once told me he was sorry,” Lily suddenly realized, speaking quietly even though she was alone. “I think such words from him would be wondrous to hear.”
Owen gave Lily a week, thinking she might need a little time on her own, but his plan to talk to her and bring her happiness again was sincere. The only problem was how busy she had become. From the morning she’d told him of her feelings, she had been extremely occupied in the village. It niggled in his mind that this might be a tactic to ward off some type of gloom or sadness, but Owen wouldn’t let himself go too far with such thoughts.
He kept working on dinner, something he hadn’t helped with in years, hoping that because it was early, Lily would have a little time to spare when she came in. Owen had just finished brewing the tea when he heard her steps at the door.
“I made dinner,” Owen proudly announced when Lily walked in.
“Oh, my,” Lily said with pleasure. “It smells good.”
“I got fairly proficient while you were gone. I think I had started taking you for granted.”
Lily was slightly amazed by this statement but hid it behind a smile as she looked at the meal he’d prepared.
“Here, sit down while it’s hot.”
“Thank you.”
They ate for a short time in silence, and then Owen did something that shocked Lily.
“I feel I need to apologize to you, Lily. You’ve been back for weeks, and I haven’t asked you about the things you learned.”
Lily did not look up, but her mind filled with one thought. So this is the way it’s to be. You’re going to ignore the fact that I’ve met someone and just go back to life the way it was.
“Was swimming the first sport you learned?”
“Yes, it was,” Lily managed to keep her voice normal and even be thankful that they were having a normal conversation.
“You said in your letter that it didn’t go well. Did you get better?”
“I did, yes. I can’t remember if I wrote to you about my sunburn, but that was all that really went wrong. I did learn to swim.”
“You got sunburned?”
“Yes,” Lily said, shivering at the memory.
“Was it a bad burn?”
“Very.”
“What did you do?”
“They put me in the hospital.”
Owen had all he could do not to react. His first thought was outrage that he had not been informed, but for the first time he saw that he was growing angry. He stopped in light of this knowledge, and also as he thought about Lily being ill.
“So Jeff was with you?”
“No.” Lily shook her head, wishing she could look up. “The Kapaias took me.”
Had Lily been looking, she would have watched Owen’s eyes close. The thought of his daughter being so burned that she needed hospital care, and surrounded by strangers, was almost more than he could bear. He looked over at her and just stared. She was not a short woman, but she was slight of build and fine-boned. The horrible image of her burned and blistered caused him to tremble. He changed the subject, but the image stayed with him.
“What else did you learn?”
“Bailey Markham had this wonderful appliance that makes a perfect loaf of bread. I thought it amazing. You put all the ingredients in and it mixes the dough, kneads it, lets it rise, takes it back down, lets it rise again, and then bakes it.”
“How long does it take?”
“About three hours, maybe a little more.”
“Does Jefferson have one of those?”
“No, but he has a coffee machine that gives you hot coffee in about a minute.”
“That fast?”
“Yes.”
And the conversation they should have had her first day back ensued. It was not exactly what Lily had been looking for, but she was very thankful. Now she could write to her brother and tell him that it had been bad but things were greatly improving. For the moment she didn’t want to think about what she would have to tell Gabe.
Oahu
It’s time for me to face facts, Gabe. My father is not going to accept my having fallen in love. I told him more than a week ago that I love a man in Hawaii, and he has made no comment of any kind. I can see that he wishes for me to keep on here and for life to be as it was.
I can’t quite believe I’m writing this to you, but it’s not fair that you stay there and keep your life on hold. I hope that Mr. Kamioto will return your money, since we did not need to have the ring sized.
Gabe could not read any more. Sitting at the kitchen table where he’d found the letter, he remained utterly still and in shock. For a moment his mind ran with wild thoughts, wondering exactly how old Owen Walsh was and whether Lily could come to him after her father passed on.
Gabe realized he was being foolish. Even if the man died this year, it would be the longest year of his life. Looking at the letter again, he finished reading. There was no silly face at the bottom telling him it was all a joke. He had determined to honor Lily’s father, and they had done that. Now Lily would never be his.
You’ve gotten me through things that I never thought I would survive, Lord. I fear I need You to do so again.
Lhasa
“Oh, Father, I’m glad you’re here. I just finished that chapter in Genesis and wondered if you would have time to look it over.”
“Certainly. The mail just came,” he said, passing to her the letter that had her name on the front even as he took the Genesis chapter from her hand. He would have gone right to work on that, but one of his letters caught his eye. The postmarks were numerous, and it looked as if the first stamp was from all the way back in September. Setting all else aside, Owen opened that letter to find it was from Jeff and had evidently been lost in the mail.
Dear Father, he began…
My request to have Lily come for a visit has gone from bad to worse. I left Lily in the care of the Kapaia family, knowing she would be as safe with them as she would be in my care. What we all failed to realize was how little she knew of American customs.
Lily has been badly sunburned. She is in the hospital even now. Gabe Kapaia—I have written of him often—is there with her at all times. He is taking full responsibility, even for her hospital bills—something Lily does not know.
I am confident that in time all will be well. Lily is strong, stronger than she thinks, and as hard as it is to have her ill when I’m away, Gabe has assured me that he and the family will see to her every need so that she makes a full recovery. Gabe is a man of great faith and honor. He will see to it that Lily is fine.
Lily and I won’t have much time together when I return, but she’ll have learned much in the period I am away, and I know it will be fruitful for both of us. I thank you again for letting her come.
Owen put the letter down. He looked up to tell Lily, who had sat in her own chair, about the missing letter, but he never spoke a word.
Lily was reading her own letter, a smile on her face so like her mother’s that Owen was stunned. As he watched, she smiled a little more and even laughed softly. For a moment she let her eyes go to the window, her face thoughtful, until she went back to her reading, which put the smile back on her face.
Owen had the unsettled feeling that he was witnessing a very private moment. The thought gave him little comfort. Gathering his papers, he stood. Lily never noticed as he exited to his bedroom and stood looking down on his bed. He had been alone in that bed for many years, but it was to this house and this bed that he had brought his wife home. Both of his children had been conceived and born in that very bed.
Do you really want to deny Lily that joy? Owen asked himself for the first time. He didn’t need much time to know the answer. His heart wondering how he would ever survive, Owen began a letter to his son.
“Why, Lily,” Ling whispered because Charity and Daniel were still napping, “I didn’t think I would see you today.”
“Is this a bad time?”
“No, come in.”
Lily entered the Chen home, trying not to cry. She desperately needed to talk to her friend but knew she would break down.
“You are sad. Can you tell me about it?”
“I think so.”
“Is it your father?”
“No, he’s very normal again—kind even. He hasn’t been this kind in a very long time.”
“I’m glad, Lily, but something is hurting you.”
“I got a letter from Gabe.”
Ling stayed quiet to let her friend share.
“I can tell by the way he writes that he has not yet received my letter.” Tears came to Lily’s eyes; they would not be stopped. “It was such a fun letter, so like Gabe. I can hardly stand the thought of his reading my letter and hurting the way I hurt when I wrote it.”
Ling let her friend cry. She ached for her, but there was little she could do but speak the truth to her. After a moment she began.
“I need to tell you something, Lily Cathleen,” Ling-lei said gently, having handed her a small handkerchief. “It may not be a comfort today, but in time you will see. You have honored your father, Lily, and God will bless such obedience. Right now it seems that your heart will break without Gabriel, but God can be all to you, since you have kept Him first in your heart.”
“Thank you,” Lily managed, sniffing a little. Ling was right— Lily did feel as though she would never survive, but her friend had done her a great favor by reminding her that God was to be her all. No person on the earth could substitute for God and His all-encompassing love.
Oahu
Jeff didn’t knock or stop for any formalities. He walked into Gabe’s office, shut the door, and said, “My father wants to hear from you.”
Gabe came out of his chair.
“He wrote to you?”
“Yes. He says Lily doesn’t know and he would appreciate your discretion.”
“Why, Jeff?” Gabe tried to understand. “I told you about her letter. She’s in as much pain as I am. Why would he not talk to her?”
“He probably sees it as a mercy,” Jeff guessed. “Why get Lily’s hopes up if he isn’t going to accept your suit?”
Gabe tried to understand, but it was hard. He prayed that he would do things differently if he ever became a father.
“What does he want me to do?”
Jeff consulted the letter and read from it.
It is my hope, Jefferson, that if you have any doubts about this man being suitable for your sister, you would never mention this missive to him. If after reading this you still feel it is the best, please ask Mr. Kapaia to write and tell me about when he came to Christ, his commitment to your church family, his occupation and ability to care for Lily, and whether he plans to lead Lily and any children they may have to fear and serve the Lord.
Please explain to him that it’s all well and good if he feels he loves my daughter, but because I am not there to see how he lives his life, I need to hear his beliefs and goals, mainly spiritual. As you must know, Lily is special. What I’m asking is if Gabe is the special man for her.
Jeff looked up to see determination in his friend’s eyes.
“I can’t ask for more than that, can I, Jeff?” he stated after a moment. “At least he’s giving me a chance.”
“I’ll be writing him too, Gabe,” Jeff assured him. “I’ve talked about you over the years, but I’ll just remind my father of how close we’ve been and that I have been here to watch you in action.”
“Thank you.”
Jeff had to get back to the office, but not before the men embraced. Gabe sat at his desk for a long time after his friend left and looked out on the bay where he and Lily had talked so many times and even swum. He asked God to give him the words for this letter he would write, but more than that, to go before him on this entire matter.
Lhasa
Owen was not surprised to receive a letter from his son the very next week. As he half expected, he spoke very highly of Gabriel Kapaia and reminded him of their ongoing friendship over the years. Owen was grateful for the words because he had forgotten some of the things Jeff had written about Gabe in the past.
By the time Gabe’s letter arrived, Owen was ready for it. It began much as he expected but then took a turn he did not anticipate.
Thank you for contacting Jeff, Mr. Walsh, and asking to hear from me. As you might have guessed, I love your daughter, but if I had my way, she would have more than I can give her. I think Jeff must have mentioned that I am a cancer survivor. I am glad to be alive, but I will never father biological children. I didn’t know if I would ever meet someone who would understand my situation, but then Lily came into my life. She is not opposed to adoption; indeed, she is all for it, and I feel even this is a blessing from God, since at this point in time, it is my only option.
You may wonder why I began this letter on such an intimate point, but in truth, Mr. Walsh, I can’t think of anything else you would object to. I came to a saving belief in Jesus Christ as a child when I realized I was lost in my sin. After that I thought I was serving God and was sold out for Him, but when I learned I had cancer at the age of 22, my faith was put to the test in a way I’d never known.
During that time I realized that Christ had to be my all. I praise Him for the growth I experienced and would be willing to go through it again if ever I needed it to draw me closer to Him. My church family was amazingly supportive at that time, as was my mother, stepfather (my own father is dead), sister, brother-in-law, and brother.
My work at the resort our family owns and operates was put on hold while I was ill, but things are in good shape now, and we are looking into doing some remodeling and expanding later this year. God has greatly blessed us.
Reading at bedtime in the solitude of his room, Owen couldn’t help but be impressed. He read the entire letter over twice, thinking that everything indicated that Gabe Kapaia was the special man for Lily.
Owen was still coming to grips with losing Lily, but he knew he could not fight this any longer. Feeling the time might be right, Owen went to Lily’s room. It was dark, her lantern already out, but still he knocked softly on the wall just outside her doorway.
“Come in,” she called, having heard his footsteps.
“Lily, I need to speak with you.”
Owen heard the rustle of her covers and told her she could stay in bed.
“I think we need to make a trip to Hawaii,” Owen began, finding that speaking his mind was easier in the dark when faces could not be seen.
“Hawaii?” Lily questioned.
“Yes, I desire to see your brother and his life there, and I think I should meet Gabriel Kapaia.”
Lily could not muffle her sobs. Her longing to be with Gabe, even as she tried not to think of him, had been so great.
“Come to me, Lily.” Her father’s hoarse voice sounded in the dark, and Lily ran to be hugged. Owen’s own tears joined his daughter’s as she thanked him through breathless sobs.
Lily desperately wanted to know where this change of heart had come from, but that was not something she could ask. Jeff or Gabe might be able to tell her, but she would never have the relationship with her father that she had with them.
“As soon as we can manage the details, we’ll go,” Owen told her.
“Thank you. Thank you, Father.”
“And you must pack everything, Lily, and say your final goodbyes.”
“Everything,” she managed, the tears coming again.
“I would make just one request of you, Lily.”
“Yes, Papa.”
“Will you please continue to dedicate some time to the translating, Lily, and send the pages back to me?”
His voice had been the most humble Lily had ever heard it. She thought her heart would break, but she told him she would gladly translate for him for as long as she was able.
When at last they parted to find their rest, Lily felt exhausted and drained. She would have said that there were no tears left, but it wasn’t true. They started again when her heart spoke to Gabe across the miles.
Don’t give up on me yet, Gabe. I’m coming as soon as I can.