His dad insisted Luke go along when he and Jacob took Little Joe on his first fishing trip. It was Joe who showed his quick mind when the first fish bit on Luke’s line. He pulled it out, and they all laughed at the sight.
Joe’s eyes widened in wonder. “You can catch. See, you catched a fish.”
Luke and the others laughed with him. “Right,” he said. “I can.”
That was wonderful, and so was eating the fish later that evening after the women cooked them at Matilda’s. Luke liked this family life—even more when Wanda and her children joined them. But it was a week later when he found out what Little Joe had meant when he said he had a bigger family.
A luau, held beyond the parking spaces at the back of the Matti-Rose, was planned for Joe’s fourth birthday celebration, and Luke was in awe at the number of family and friends who came.
He was glad to see William and watched him tend the roasting pig. Children played on the small playground that Luke figured had been put there for Akemi and Jacob’s grandchildren. It was a nice touch for guests, too.
Amelia took him around to meet all the family and friends who had been somehow related for generations. She gave snippets of their history as she introduced them. There were the MacCauleys who had been in horse racing and still had small horse and cattle ranches. There were the Honeycutts and Grants who had sugar plantations. They represented many countries and nationalities. That rainbow again and it was beautiful. Luke learned that many of their ancestors had come from the mainland and had married someone they met in Hawaii.
Luke suspected his parents would change their residence to Hawaii. His dad could work in construction. Luke could do the same and someday tell his own children and grandchildren about buildings and homes he had designed and helped build. Already there was the restaurant in Hilo.
But one couldn’t tell his children or grandchildren anything if he wasn’t married. For now, he needed to count his blessings. And he did. He prayed he would be a responsible example to this extraordinary nephew.
During the next couple of weeks Luke got to practice being an uncle. William already knew how, and since school was out for the summer, the two of them planned outings for Amelia, Wanda, and their children. Luke saw a different side to Amelia and thought her an excellent mother to all three children, as was Wanda.
His parents had become like grandparents to Wanda’s children, too. His mom was fast friends with both Akemi and Matilda. The three were constantly exchanging recipes, and Luke was glad he was staying at the Matti-Rose, except to go over and eat dinner with them.
One Wednesday evening when the Bible study group met at Matilda’s, his dad and Jacob had plans. Amelia called and asked if she could see Luke after the study, which would last about an hour. He was standing outside Matilda’s at the end of the hour when Amelia came out.
“They’ll be awhile,” she said, “but I’m not having any refreshments right now. Will you walk down to the beach with me?”
“Sure.” He walked with her around the side of the house, across the backyard, along a path surrounded by lush foliage, and down to a narrow stretch of secluded beach. The sun was just beginning to cast its farewell glow across the sky.
He tried to imagine what Amelia might say. He’d seen a difference in her without her fear that some relative from the mainland might come and upset the life she’d built with her child.
They walked along the sand for a while, she with the breeze lifting her long hair that fell below her shoulders, and he with his hands in his pants pockets. He remembered something Wanda had said in what he’d thought was jest. One day after he and William had done some repairs on the front banister, she remarked, “You guys ever going to get a life of your own or just help us all the time?”
“It’s our pleasure,” William had said.
Luke had smiled then looked at Amelia, who turned and went back into the house. He’d taken that as a compliment and gratitude.
Now he wondered if she and Wanda were really thinking of getting a life of their own. They would have more time for that now that the children had another set of grandparents. But it might not be easy for them to have a social life with two uncles around all the time. Was Amelia going to say it was time for him and William to back off?
Amelia stopped and looked at him for a long time, as if pondering how to say what was on her mind. Finally she spoke. “I want to thank you for what you’ve brought into my and Little Joe’s lives. Not just the obvious—you and your parents. But this feeling of being free. I don’t have that burden of guilt and fear anymore.”
He nodded. “I’ve seen that. I think it’s something like I feel now that I’ve forgiven myself for not having been a perfect brother or person. And being alive when my brother wasn’t.”
He gave a short ironic laugh. “Strange, isn’t it, how we hold onto our own guilt and fear although God already settled it?”
She smiled. “I want to ask you to forgive me for lying to you. For not being more forthcoming. You would never have known about Little Joe if you hadn’t stopped by that day.”
“Don’t be so sure,” he could honestly say. “I needed to return to the States, but I might have returned. There is much about Hawaii that is … unforgettable.”
She drew in a breath and looked down at the sand. He saw the reflection of the deepening crimson sky against her face. Or was it a blush of wondering how to thank him one moment and reject him in the next? He really didn’t want to hear that she could not be interested in him because he reminded her of Joe. But he didn’t want to endanger his role of being a friend and uncle.
“Is everything all right between us now?” he asked.
She moistened her lips, as if they’d gone dry, and seemed uncertain. “There is one more lie I need to confess.”
Not wanting to continue looking into her worried eyes—or was that the reflection of his own?—he dug his clenched hands deeper into his pockets and looked out at the ocean. The sun had dropped below the horizon, but the sky was still ablaze with color.
She’d told him that the night before the bombers came and killed Joe was the longest night, waiting, because of what she had to tell Joe.
Was this going to be one of his longest nights?
Her voice was soft. “There is another time I lied.”
Through parted lips, he took a deep breath. Would this never end? Was she a compulsive liar?
“You remember the night … we kissed?”
He faced her then. Did she want an apology … now? He watched her swallow hard and glance away. “Vaguely,” he said. He could lie, too.
Her eyes met his then, and she gave a small gasp. Then she started to turn as if ready to walk away. But wait a minute. She had lied?
He took hold of her arm then let go as she stood in front of him. “Tell me.”
“You remember when I said I was thinking of Joe?”
“Yeah,” he said slowly, afraid to hope what she might have lied about. He took a step closer. “What were you thinking?”
“I … wasn’t thinking.”
“Oh? Just caught up in … a kiss?”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t thinking of Joe. I knew it was you.”
His heart beat fast. “And?” “And I kissed you back.”
She took a step toward him, her eyes never leaving his nor blinking.
He forgot to breathe. “You knew you were kissing me. And you wanted that?” She nodded.
He could already hear his heavy breathing and knew each word would be accentuated with it. “One of those romantic, under-the-stars moments?”
“No. It was the first adult, deliberate, real, meaningful kind of kiss that I’d never had before. Never knew I wanted. With Joe, it was all fun and new and young and wonderful.”
“I’m not as charming as Joe.”
“No. But you’re real. You have the depth that hurt and grief and life bring. And that makes you so …” She took a deep breath. “How shall I say it? Sparky, to me?”
“Sparky?”
“Yeah, like the volcanic eruption.” “Oh, one of those little things.”
They were so close he could feel the warmth although they weren’t touching.
“That’s when I felt it,” he said. “All along, I told myself there wasn’t a chance for you and me, because … you could never love me.”
Her gaze didn’t waver. “I could.”
And he saw it in her eyes as if they reflected the glow of the moon now brightening the darkening sky. He frowned. “You think we can be sensible about this?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
He began to laugh. “I agree.” His arms went around her, and he swung her around. Then he kissed her. And she wound her arms around his neck, and he felt this was what he’d been waiting for all his life. “This is too good to be true.
I resisted falling in love with you, but it happened anyway.”
“I knew right away you were the kind of man I wished could love me. But I felt … guilty and thought—”
“No more of that. I do love you, Amelia.”
“I love you, Luke.”
“I’ve been afraid to hope,” he said. “Will you keep convincing me for the rest of our lives?”
“I will start now.” She lifted her face.
“Yes,” he said against her lips. “I love you.”
When they moved apart, she looked up at him. “That was one of those beneath-the-stars romantic times.”
“Well,” he said and looked up, “that’s putting it mildly.”
She smiled and linked her arm through his.
As they walked back, Luke said, “Is there a Hawaiian custom? Should I ask your dad for your hand?”
“Maybe we should ask Little Joe.”
“Good idea.”
“But about my dad. He and Mom already said they approved if anything like this worked out for us. They told me they thought from the day you showed up in church and said your name that was the beginning of something good. Not a coincidence but a miracle.”
“I can go for that.” He smiled and held her hand.
“They always wanted me to have a church wedding.”
“Sounds good to me. As long as I’m the groom.”