“The first time I met Kai,” she says after a moment. “He tried to charm me into paying him for mowing my lawn.”
“Did you?”
“I did not. For one, he was trespassing. My lawn didn’t need mowing.Andhe took the heads off all my flowers! Cheeky little beggar he was, even then. He didn’t change. He was always trying to talk me into selling my house to his family.”
I laugh. “And?” I ask, even though I know the answer.
“He failed.”
That doesn’t surprise me. Doris is a force to be reckoned with at the best of times.
“And the quiet one,” she continues. “Koa?”
“Yes.”
“He watches before he speaks. That’s a good quality in a man.”
“It is,” I agree softly.
“And Finn,” she adds. “That boy has always been protective of his friends. Horrible father, and yet despite all the odds stacked against him, he’s proven that sometimes the apple can indeed fallveryfar away from the dirty rotten tree.”
The way she says it makes my throat tighten. “Finn is perfect.”
“And Sol?” she prompts gently.
“Sol is…solid,” I say. “He feels like home. The hardest nut to crack, but I think he might be the one with the sweetest centre.”
There’s a long pause on the other end of the line. Not judgement. Reflection.
“From the moment we discovered one another, I always knew you were meant for something bigger than that house,” she says at last.
The words land deep.
Not louder than the others. Not dramatic.
Just true.
“You were never meant to be small, Lani,” she continues. “You were simply contained and now that your father has gone, you can be free.”
Tears prick unexpectedly behind my eyes.
“I’m happy,” I tell her.
The admission feels different this time. Not defensive. Not fragile.
Just steady.
“I can hear it,” she replies.
There’s a smile in her voice. Warm. Protective.
“I approve,” she adds, lightly. “Of all four. I’m so glad you’ve found your place, sweetheart.”
I laugh through the tightness in my throat. “That’s good.”
“It is,” she says firmly. “You were always meant to be surrounded by warmth, not fear. Stay safe, darling. And I’ll see you all when I’m home.”
When we hang up, I stay leaning against the wall for a moment longer, watching the tide shift.