Page 11 of The Seashell of ’Ohana

The door swung open, cutting off our heated conversation.

Stella walked in. “Can I order lunch now?”

Kate and I often forgot to eat, so Stella helped keep us fed by ordering lunch sometimes.

“Yes!” Kate and I barked an answer at the same time.

“Whoa.” Stella put out her hands. “I’m just the messenger. Tension much?”

“Sorry.” Kate and I spoke again at the same time, but softer.

“Whatever. I’m glad I don’t work with my sister,” she said, and walked out, the door slamming behind her.

“I’m already in love with someone else,” Kate stressed.

Three years ago, when Kate had come to visit me during Christmas, she’d taken a job as a nanny for two weeks. I’d thought my sister had gone crazy. Why on earth would she get a job as a nanny, two weeks or not, when she had a career as a graphic designer?

I’d found out that she’d done it to help me financially—the job’s fee of four grand for two weeks would’ve tempted almost anyone. Still, I’d hated having my little sister feel like she needed to take care of me.

As it had turned out, her taking that job was kismet. It was how she’d met Lee and Bridget, how they’d fallen in love. Lee had wanted my sister to stay here in Kauai, so he’d asked me to organize a showing of Kate’s paintings so he could present them to his friends and his real estate business partners. Afterward, our business skyrocketed. That exhibition had changed Kate’s life and saved my gallery.

Kate wiped her brush and then swirled it inside a small bottle of turpentine on her rolling tray. The pink pigment dissolved into the smelly liquid, leaving the brush clean. She turned back to her canvas and dabbed black on the blue ocean to add depth.

“I’m sorry.” She waved her brush when I kept my lips sealed. “Kauai is a small dating pool, and Ian is a good man. I’ve gotten to know him because of Lee. Lee told me Ian has a good heart, and I see it through his actions. Besides, he’s great with kids. I don’t mean to push him on you. Only you know when you can move on.”

Unexpected tears pooled in my eyes. The combination of missing Steve, Tyler’s increasing push for independence, and the attraction to Ian that I couldn’t comprehend cracked the wall I usually kept around myself. Especially at work.

I blinked to keep the tears at bay, but let out a funny squawk of dismay, and the dam broke.

“Abby. Abby.” Soft arms wrapped around me. “I’m so sorry. I said too much.”

Apologies made it worse. My sister was only looking out for me, and I’d gotten all defensive. My face was a snotty mess of tears, and emotions flew in all directions. It was unlike me to lose control.

It will pass. Just like everything else. Everything will be fine.

“It’s okay.” I choked back a sob and wiped my tears. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. I haven’t been myself lately. It’s probably hormonal.”

Kate offered a heartfelt smile. The smile said, in a thousand words, that she was there for me no matter what … the way she had always been.

“This is nothing. We’ve had worse fights.” She handed me a paper towel. “Want me to come over to your place tonight? We can share a bucket of ice cream.”

A memory surfaced of the time in high school when my boyfriend had broken up with me. We had only dated for a few months, but he had been my first heartache. And like every heartsick teenager, I’d thought it was the end of my life.

Kate and I had gone through a gallon of coffee ice cream, and afterward, I’d felt so much better. Of course, it hadn’t been the ice cream, but my sister who had made me laugh through the tears and realize there was so much life ahead of me. There would be more bumps in the road, and I had to learn to manage them.

Life is a journey. Some roads will curve, but it’s up to me to walk straight.

“I’m fine,” I said. “Don’t worry.”

Kate probably had plans with Lee. He would be fine if she told him I needed company, but I didn’t want to intrude. Besides, the tears had done their job and washed away my frustrations.

Her lips twisted, and she made a small noise of disbelief. Kate went to the small fridge by the shelf and pulled out a tub of coffee ice cream. She took three paper bowls and three plastic spoons from the bin.

“When did you—”

“Yesterday. I felt like some,” she said.

Kate and I usually had a junk food stash on hand for when we were having a creative crisis. Chips, chocolate, and cookies, but not ice cream.