'Tis the Season: A Collection of Mimi's Christmas Books (8 page)

Exactly what the many pamphlets she’d collected promised—a fantastic sun-filled vacation. As Leilani gazed around, sadness slowly invaded and her heart dropped. She wasn’t here on a holiday. She needed to find her Aunt, who had prompted her to come on the trip weeks earlier than she’d originally planned.

She went to her beach bag and reached into the interior where a turquoise plastic folder held her travel documents. Reaching inside, she extracted a letter and perched cross-legged on the bed to read the message for the millionth time in the last few days.

Dearest Lani,

I know I have asked you before to come home, and you’ve always had excuses. This time I’m begging. As you know, my daughter Kaimi is gone now and I am alone with no other family to turn to. My health has been failing and it won’t be long before I’ll be joining her, but before I can take my last breath, I need your promise that you’ll look after my precious
Tears stains, whether from her aunt or her mother, obliterated the next few lines. Then further down the letter continued.

Don’t let me down, Lani. Not now! I don’t know how much longer I can hold on.

Your loving sister,

Mele

Leilani remembered the shock she felt when she first read this letter. Her mother had it clutched in her hands on the day Leilani had come home from to work to find her in her chair, lifeless, due to a massive heart attack.

It wasn’t until some time after the ambulance had arrived and she’d returned from Emerge that she’d remembered the letter and searched it out from under the wheelchair.

Much to her surprise, she’d learned that she had an aunt still living, and one who needed her. She quickly wrote an answer to the letter and dispatched it special delivery.

The next few hectic days had been spent organizing a quick funeral, searching the house for more information about her mother’s past, and begging her friend Shana to arrange for her passport, so Leilani wouldn’t have to face this trauma alone.

Plans and more plans, and nothing had worked out. All those letters over the years that she’d seen her mother re-act to so strangely were missing, no sign of them. It was as if her mother had a need to wipe her history out completely. Thank goodness, she hadn’t had the time to destroy this letter or Leilani would have never known about her family living in Hawaii.

Shana hadn’t been able to get her travel documents organized at such late notice, which meant, of course, that a nervous Leilani would be travelling for the first time on her own.

In addition, the funeral, not surprisingly, had been the unhappiest day of her life. When she’d looked around the parlor, at the people who’d filled the seats, not one of the sad faces belonged to a person there specifically for her mother. They’d all been Leilani’s friends, every single one of them. Her mother had had only one person crying for her that day—her daughter.

Shaking off the blues, Leilani organized her clothes and belongings and then chose what she wanted to wear. Today she’d meet the woman her mother had kept hidden. Hopefully, Leilani could be of some assistance, in lieu of her mom. After all, she was family.

Chapter Eight

A quick breakfast of macadamia nut biscuits and papaya, better than any she’d ever tasted, set Leilani up while she waited for Pi. The smell from the open-sided restaurant within the hotel grounds had promised a treat from the moment she’d stepped from the elevator… and it had delivered.

When she’d noticed the “out-of-order” sign placed in front of the car she and Kale had taken the night before, a smile escaped. Goodness, she hoped he hadn’t been too hard on the hotel staff about their defective machinery. After all, she’d counted it as a blessing last night as she lay awake in bed remembering her handsome partner and the way he’d made her feel.

When he’d leaned his shoulder onto hers and clasped her hand, it was all she could do not to simper like a maiden from times gone by, and faint at his feet. Instead of swallowing her tongue, she jumped up and began doing exercises right there on the elevator to save her sanity.

Speak of the devil, there he was now! Leilani watched as Kale sauntered over to the reception desk, and then moved behind it, as if he had the right to be there. The male clerk jumped up, and she watched his ingratiating manner as he carried on a conversation with Kale.

Peeking from under her eyelashes, she smoothed her loose hair back into the intricate weave she’d fashioned on the nape of her neck; with her other hand, she swiped at any possible crumbs that could be decorating her ruffled blouse and shorts. Her habit of leaving trails of food on her clothes was ammunition for her friends to tease, but had always upset her terribly. No matter how careful she was or how slowly she ate, somehow she’d manage to drip, drop or spill something.

Yearning to see close range if he was indeed the dreamer she’d fantasized, she sent a silent message hoping it would draw him to her.
Quit kidding yourself, he has no interest in you
. She chastised herself for her silly fantasies and gave a little shake. Then she reached to get the last sip from her delicious coffee and darned if she didn’t tip the cup accidentally and then watch in horror as the brown stain spread across the glass-top table, sending tentacles of liquid to reach the placemats.

Oh for heaven’s sake!
Quickly, she grabbed the napkins and wiped up her mess, then froze when a well-known voice spoke.

“Leilani, has it spilled on you? Are you burnt?”

How did he get here so fast? She took a calming breath, added a sigh and finally glimpsed up into the most beautiful set of eyes she’d ever seen. Last night, the lights had been dim, but in the morning sunshine, the magical amber tones were perfectly visible and sexier than anything she could have imagined. With his dark skin, black hair, and slanted beauties, the man could make a fortune as a male model.

“No, I’m fine, Kale. It was my fault. I’m clumsy, one of my worst quirks I’m afraid.”

“That’s intriguing. How many quirks do you have?”

“More than you need to know about. I hope you weren’t being too hard on the poor man at the desk just now.”

He sat near her and waited until the waitress had cleared away the mess, then he ordered two more coffees. Today he wore a white Hawaiian short-sleeved shirt and black slacks that fit his body in a way they should, while screaming casual elegance.

“Such a big-hearted girl, worrying about everyone. But you can relax. Today I’m feeling generous and understanding. On the other hand, I’ve come to inform you that the hotel staff will be moving your belongings to one of their hospitality suites at no expense to you whatsoever. It’s the least they can do as a goodwill gesture after what you suffered last night.”

“But Kale, that’s not at all necessary. I didn’t suffer any more than you did. In fact, I consider the hour we spent together as being one of the high spots of my day. Not quite as scintillating as cuddling with the drunk on the airplane, but close.”

“You’re teasing, right?”

“What do you think?” She grinned and relaxed when he returned the cheeky smile with a grin of his own. From the corner of her eye, Leilani spotted Pi rushing her way. A sigh escaped before she could stop it.
Oh well!

“Leilani! I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. Parking spots are impossible to find. I hope you weren’t worried.”

“Hello, Pi. I’ve been visiting with Kale and didn’t realize how the time has flown.” She took the older man’s outstretched hand rather than shaking it formally, and paused next to him. Then she turned to look up at Kale who now stood across from her. “Kale, I’d like you to meet my new friend and driver, Pi.”

The two men shook hands and Kale continued with the introduction. “Kale Jordan, I’m pleased to meet you.”

Despite her calm outward appearance, her knees became weak, and then a humming started inside as if a string had been plucked, and finally her heart sighed with sorrow for the end of unattainable desires. Without Pi’s hand to cling to, she would have buckled and plopped back down in her chair. Kale Jordan was the owner of the Jordan hotel chain—that Mr. Jordan?

Double freakin’ damnation!

* * *

Soon she was in the taxi with Pi, driving down Kalakaua Avenue, one of the busiest thoroughfares in Waikiki. Colorfully outfitted tourists rushed in every direction; their old tendencies so much a part of them that even on holidays they couldn’t seem to break the habit. She watched; she saw, but nothing computed.

“You didn’t know he was the big boss man, did you?” Pi’s voice seemed to come from a long distance.

“Nope! Guess it showed.”

“Yep! Guess it did but you must remember he’s no different than anyone else, Leilani.”

“Of course he isn’t, Pi—just richer, smarter and used to a different class of people than a poor nurse from Canada.”

“You mean, a beautiful, well-educated, kind-hearted nurse from Canada. The man should be so lucky.”

“Aww… you sweet-talker. That’ll get you an even better tip than I’d planned.”

“If that’s all it’s gonna take, watch me. I can string out the compliments with the best of them. Seriously, little one, any man would be lucky to catch your interest. Now where are we off to in such a hurry?”

Once Leilani gave him the address and a few particulars about the relationship she had with the lady she’d soon meet, she relaxed back into the seat and enjoyed the scenery, while at the same time saying good-by to a dream.

Within fifteen minutes, they pulled into the gravel driveway of a rundown property. The dated house sat at the front of the lot, and a few bushes and half-dead trees to the side failed to hide a small barn. An ancient jeep, parked next to the veranda, had certainly seen better days.

“I know this piece of land, Leilani. At one time, the residents owned a large plantation. Then the older generation died off, and their children have sold it piecemeal, probably so they could afford the upkeep at today’s prices. I think this lot is all they have left now.”

“How sad it is to have to part with one’s heritage? Poor Auntie! It must have been very difficult.”

“I’ll wait for you here, but if you need me just call.” He pulled a straw hat out from under the seat and put it over his face to signal a nap coming on.

“Thanks, Pi, but are you sure? I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

He winked, leaned his seat back and crossed his arms. “I’m sure.”

Leilani approached the front steps and noticed a small child who sat huddled on a swing chair that had seen better days. The girl stared at her, and her scared look was quickly replaced with a frown and then a sneer. Ignoring Leilani’s tentative approach, she continued to play with what looked like a small knife held next to a piece of wood.

From the looks of the sturdy body, Leilani figured this golden-tanned cherub to be maybe four or five years of age. Her black hair had a natural curl, which stuck out all over her head, and hung in messy ringlets to her shoulders. The grubby t-shirt and shorts had the appearance of being slept in, and the dirty flip-flops were so worn that no color remained on the straps.

Smiling gently, Leilani stepped closer, but not too close to scare the little one into bolting. Then she knelt down eye level and said, “Hello. My name is Leilani. I’m here to see Mele Palea. Is she inside?”

The girl stared at her with piercing black eyes that didn’t give an inch. She said nothing.

Leilani tried again. “Mele is my aunt. She wrote and said it was urgent that I come as soon as possible. Can you help me, little girl?” Her words registered this time, and Leilani believed the youngster reacted mostly when she said the woman was her aunt.

Disgust evident in her words and manner, the girl shot to her feet and placed both her hands on her hips. “I’m not a girl. I’m a boy!” His sniff of disdain could have won him an academy award.

So, that’s what he had reacted to. How silly of her to have made such an assumption. In her defense, the large fringed eyes and incredible dimples had screamed lucky girl. In retrospect, she could see that he had the stance and attitude of a prickly male.

“I’m sorry.” Not knowing what else to say and worrying she’d just dig herself into a deeper hole, Leilani said nothing further. Deciding not to crowd the child, she sat back on the step and waited. Within a short time, he made up his mind and moved to the door. “Grandmother said I was to show any visitors inside but she’s sick and tired. She doesn’t need company.”

Grandmother! This boy is Aunt Mele’s grandson?
Shocked but not wanting to upset him, she agreed. “Of course I won’t tire her, honey. I just want to have a little chat since I’ve come such a long way. Will you take me to her?”

“No. She’s in the first room, you’ll see.” Without another word, the scamp took off down the stairs and disappeared around the back of the house.

Feeling very uncomfortable, Leilani approached the entrance and knocked on the glass, only for the door to swing inward. Long plastic strands hung from above the doorframe and she pushed her way through them. On a daybed across the room lay an older woman who looked to be very sick, and as the boy had described, very tired. An oxygen tank sat near her on the floor, and the line was hooked around her ears and fed into her nose.

Leilani stepped forward; and the groaning of the wood floor gave notice of her being there. The woman’s eyes opened, glassy and feverish but filled with a glow of happiness.

“You came, Lani. I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”

Heart full, she rushed to kneel on the floor beside the sick woman and clasped her groping hand gently. “Aunt Mele, didn’t you get my letter? I’m Lani’s daughter, Leilani. I came in mother’s place.”

“Lani didn’t come with you?” Eyes darting back and forth, the old lady’s grip tightened and confirmed her rising agitation.

“Oh Auntie, she wanted to, very much but she couldn’t. You see, she passed away a week ago. I found your letter and sent you a special delivery in answer to let you know I would be here instead as soon as possible.”

Pain sliced through Leilani, pain and regret. Tears threatened to choke her, and she swallowed continuously until she had control. She felt horrible breaking the news in such a stark way, but she knew her aunt needed to understand.