“Oakley, I said yes!”
“And then you can take time to figure out what you want to do next.”
“Let’s do it.” Anne sounded excited now.
“You mean it?”
“I do.”
Oakley let out a huge sigh. Suddenly her anger was gone, and she was left holding back tears.
“Oakley? What is it? Are you okay?”
“It’s been a day. I’ll tell you when I see you.”
“Come over for dinner. I’ve got a huge pot of chili on the stove.”
“That sounds perfect, thank you.”
“See you soon.”
Tears rolled down Oakley’s face as she stood and pocketed her phone. She had a lot to work through, but in that moment she felt relief more than anything. And gratitude. She was so deeply grateful for her family.
She went into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face.
Her husband had abandoned her, but her sisters never would.
She had Akemi in the café and Laurie right next door. Halia was a rock, not just for them but for all of Pualena. And she had Anne, always.
With her sisters by her side, Oakley knew that she could handle whatever surprises life threw her way.
25
Anne
It took no time at all for the new house to feel like home.
Homewas her family: Pete laughing with his cousins, Claire making peanut butter cookies in the kitchen, Zoe dropping by to bring them fruit she’d harvested or help herself to a plate of ‘ulu waffles.
Best of all, Oakley was always there for a cup of tea and a chat.
The new house contained all of that with an ease that was both spacious and cozy – and that instantly made it feel like home to all of them, even before the final boxes were unpacked.
Living in the same house as her sister for the first time in over twenty years felt like getting her right arm back. And the kids loved it too, being surrounded by family without the strain of house guests or the sometimes stifling presence of their grandmother.
The entire time they had lived with Dawn, there was an undercurrent of tension that had kept the house from feeling completely like home. Anne had felt it herself, but she hadn’t realized how much it was affecting her kids until they left.
Now, finally, they could all breathe easy.
For Anne, the relief of having her own place was tempered by the sudden switch of starting to pay rent at the precise moment that she had given up her income.
She had been sort of bemused by Oakley’s financial stress the past year, given how much had been awarded to her in the divorce – but now she understood a bit better. Even with substantial savings, it felt scary to have money flowing out when there was nothing coming in.
Anne sat at the kitchen table, scrolling through job listings in a half-hearted way.
There were a few listings on the island, but they were mostly in Kona. The commute would be absolutely atrocious; she would be left with no time at home at all. And yet she knew many people who did just that, all to afford their kids the privilege of growing up in Pualena.
“Mom!” Pete’s shout from outside yanked her attention back to the present moment.