27. Lani
27
Lani
“ R ory’s home!” Olivia shouted from the window.
Lani sprung up from the couch and went to the front door.
Lorenzo was leaving for Italy the next day, and he had arrived before dawn that morning to take Rory to Kona. Now she was running up the front walk, sunkissed and shining.
“Hi Mama!” She held up the dolphin plushie she carried. “Look at this!”
“Aloha!” Lani scooped her up. “How was your day?”
“Good.” Rory wiggled to get down, and Lani released her. She ran into the house shouting, “Livie, look! I got a dolphin!”
Lorenzo drifted up the walk looking forlorn.
“Good day?” Lani asked.
He nodded, but his face was tragic.
“Early flight tomorrow?”
“Yes.” He stared through the living room window for a moment, watching Rory and Olivia bouncing on the couch, and then turned to Lani. “Will you bring her to visit?”
Lani’s mouth hung open for a moment in surprise before she managed to say, “To Italy?”
“Yes, to Italy. To see my family. To meet her family. My parents must meet her, but they cannot travel to this place. It is too far, and too much money, and they will not leave their home. But she is their granddaughter. Say that you will bring her,” he pleaded.
“I don’t know how I could afford…” she faltered, and Lorenzo cut in.
“I will buy tickets for both of you. I will work and save, and if there is anything else that she needs–”
“We’re okay,” she said, holding up a hand. “Thank you.”
“Tickets, at least. If I buy tickets, then you will come?”
She started to give another noncommittal nothing of an answer, and then Rory ran outside and hung on Lorenzo’s hand.
“Babbo! Come inside! Come play with us!”
“I cannot.” He knelt in front of her and put a hand on her cheek. “ Figlia mia , I will miss you very much.”
“You leave tomorrow?” she asked, suddenly sad.
“Yes.”
“Back to Italy?”
“Yes.”
“Can I come?”
He smiled and slowly shook his head. “Not this time, principessa .”
“Don’t go!” Rory threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.
“I’m sorry, stellina . I have to go home.” Lorenzo closed his eyes, and silent tears streamed down his face as he stood, cradling her in his arms.
“I’ll miss you,” she squeaked, holding him tight.
“We can call each other.” He opened his eyes and gave Lani a questioning look over Rory’s head. She nodded, close to tears herself. “And I will come to visit again in a few months time.”
“You will? For sure you will?”
“For sure I will. Go with your mother now.”
Lani held her hands out for Rory, who went to her without protest. Subdued, she draped her arms around Lani’s shoulders and rested her head against her neck.
“Thank you for giving me time with her,” Lorenzo said somberly. He sniffed back his tears and added, with a watery smile, “Thank you for giving me a daughter.”
He turned to go, but Rory fought her way out of her mother’s arms and dropped onto the walkway. She ran after Lorenzo and slammed into him, burying her face in his side.
“Don’t go,” she sobbed. “I never had a babbo before.”
“I have to, amore ,” he said, patting the top of her head. “I’m so sorry.”
“I love you,” Rory said in a sad little voice.
Lorenzo swallowed, steading himself. “I love you too.”
He looked to Lani, who came and picked Rory up again.
“Promise you’ll come back,” she demanded.
“I promise, principessa .”
“And we’ll go visit him, too,” Lani said.
“We will?” Rory gasped, astonished. Lorenzo put a hand over his mouth, overcome with emotion.
“We will. I don’t know when,” she added, looking between them. “Not until next summer, at the earliest. But I’ll make it happen. I promise.”
“There, you see?” Lorenzo said, tapping Rory beneath the chin. “I will visit you, and you will visit me. This is not goodbye. It is just… until next time.”
“Aloha.” Rory wiped her tears away with the heel of her hand. “That’s what we say in Hawai’i. It’s goodbye and hello.”
“Aloha, figlia mia. ” He kissed her on the forehead, nodded to Lani, and walked off into the night.
Lani just stood there for a moment, swaying back and forth with her baby girl in her arms. It was a mixed blessing, having to share her. Mostly, though, she was just grateful that her daughter had so many people who loved her.
“Are we really going to Italy?” Rory whispered.
“Someday,” Lani said.
“Someday soon?”
“I’ll make it happen,” she promised her. “We’ll have to get you a passport.”
“And one for Livie,” Rory said.
Lani squeezed her tighter and didn’t answer. Would Tenn want to turn Rory’s pilgrimage to Italy into a family vacation? Would he want Lani to go at all? They hadn’t discussed it.
He had been a good sport about Lani’s old fling coming around – he had even fed the man at his own table – but going to stay with him in rural Italy felt like a lot to ask. Getting there would take thousands of dollars that they didn’t have, and going as a family would be twice as expensive.
Insecurity churned through her chest as a fine mist descended on Pualena, leaving tiny specks of water on her face and arms.
“Mama? And one for Livie?”
“Run inside.” Lani kissed her on the head and set her down. “It’s starting to sprinkle.”
Rory danced up the path and into the house with Lani following close behind.
It would all work out, Lani told herself.
They would talk things through and find a way… some other time.
“Daddy!” Rory grabbed Tenn’s hand and pulled him from the kitchen and into the living room. “Come see my dolphin!”
Lani smiled, letting the warmth of her home and family settle her nerves.
They would figure Italy out some other time.
For now, this was enough.