Chapter Forty-One
Ant
Ifind Lilavati in the waters of Kapalua Bay the next morning, our last in Hawaii. For this trip at least. Her eyes are closed and she’s floating on her back, allowing the gentle surge of the waves to take her, face turned to the sun.
Lil cried herself to sleep last night after we got Marion settled in a room just down the hall from ours. She cried for her mother, her father, and herself. And I held her through the storm until she slept.
The least I could do this morning was send her down to the bay while I took care of the practicalities around what’s happened.
I organised with the concierge to have Marion’s belongings packed up and moved to her new room, even though it’s only for the one night, then took Marion to Grandie’s room so they could breakfast together on the lanai.
Warren attempted to find out what room Marion is in, but I put a quick stop to that with a little help from my friend, the concierge, and the security guys.
I swim up to Lilavati, flip onto my back and clear my throat. She turns her face and opens one eye to see me floating next to her, arms and legs outstretched.
“I’m going to miss this.” I lace my fingers with hers.
“Me too. Are Mum and Grandie alright?” Her voice is still hoarse from last night’s tears.
“Eating malasadas on Grandie’s lanai. Marion said to tell you, you were right. They’re delicious. Oh, and I’ve changed Marion and Grandie’s flights. They’re coming home with us.”
Lil snorts.
“Thank you. I guess now that Warren is out of the picture, we won’t be getting an upgrade.”
“Umm, I have something to confess. That upgrade on the way here? It wasn’t Warren.”
She flips upright and treads water while shooting me a glare.
“It was you?”
“Yep. And the car.”
Lilavati sighs. “Anything else you need to confess?”
I’ve learnt my lesson. “Your spa day?”
“Let me guess. The body scrub and the cocoon were on you?”
I nod. Our legs tangle, and her expression tells me what I need to know, but as I said, I’ve learnt my lesson. Everything out on the table.
“Oh, and that stuff about learning about Hawaii on the internet?”
Lil snorts. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. When were you here?”
“Remember I said I had a gap year after school?” Lil nods. “I spent three months in Hawaii learning to shape boards.”
“You’re deeper than you look, Ant Stevens.”
Her eyes are warmer than the Hawaiian sun. Her heart as open as a wild hibiscus. And it’s all for me.
“Are you mad I didn’t tell you?”
She flips back to floating and grabs my hand again.
“Furious.” But her smile says otherwise. “I mean, who gets angry over spa treatments and an upgrade? Not the new Lilavati Gordon, that’s for sure.” Which brings a frown to her face. “You know, maybe I’ll change my name back to Cooper,” she muses.
“Hmm. I think Lilavati Stevens has a nice ring to it.” I laugh as she splutters. “One day.”
It’s way too soon for that. Well, a little at least. But I want to be clear about where my head is at.
Her fingers squeeze mine. “Thank you, Ant. For everything you’ve done for Mum. And for me. I don’t know how we’d have got through this without you.”
“I’d do anything for you, Lil.” The only words I’ve ever meant more are when I told her I love her. “You wanna hear some gossip?”
She’s going to love this.
“Bigger gossip than my mother leaving Warren?”
“Well, no. But funnier. I ran into Louise in the foyer, who wants to see you today, by the way. Anyway, she said some of the guests kicked on after the wedding. Miles apparently tried to hook up with some woman he met in the nightclub. Turns out she’s an undercover cop, and he got done for solicitation.
Spent the night in the lockup, and Julian had to leave his blushing bride to go and bail him out. ”
She laughs so hard she starts to sink, but I’ve got her. I’ll always have her.
I pull her upright, into my arms.
“You really dodged a bullet there, Sparky.”
“Yep. I think it might be true to say that Miles is not a nice boy!”