AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hi, pretty girl.”
Her face flushes with the compliment from an older man.
“And these two are my treasures. Palani and Lily. Palani is three and his sister is five. They belong to my oldest son, Kimo and his wife Gigi.”
“Hi.”
Lily touches Alana’s ruffled skirt and smiles.
“Hello, little one.”
“Hi. Alana,” Gigi says. “We’re very happy to meet you.”
“And by process of elimination, I am the only daughter. Kala. Dad has said lots of nice things about you. Welcome.”
“Hi.”
“Alright, the introductions have been done. Let’s go to the table and have our first meal together! And don’t skimp on the champagne!”
It takes less than an hour and a half for the families to bond. It was all the components of the party that pulled them together. The feast, the liquor, the generational commonalities between Nani’s boys and Lani’s children that I see. No matter that Noa and Alek could be Ino’s father. They communicate like they are the same age. Don’t know if Ino is more mature than I gave him credit for, or Alek and Noa less.
Nani and Lani left the table ten minutes ago, after the dishes were cleared by us all. I hear their footsteps returning.
“Alright. Time for a game,” Lani says, walking back in. “It’s called One of My Children.”
They are chuckling about something, and Lani has the look of a delighted prankster.
“What kind of game?” Ino says, scrunching up his face. “Sorry Dad, it sounds like something for a five-year-old. No insult, Lily, I love you.” He follows the unintended insult with kisses to her head.
Lani locks eyes with his boy.
“Don’t worry about it! You are going to play! The Big Kahuna has spoken.”
“Big Kahuna this!” Ino answers.
Of course he gets the response he expected from his siblings, and the same from his new friends, the Medina men. They all think it’s funny he’s talking back to the white-haired bear.
“Quit being yourself,” Lani says to his youngest and it makes us laugh.
None of Nani’s boys are fighting the idea, but I would venture to say they aren’t thrilled playing a game either.
“So this is the game,” she says. “Lani had the clever idea for you kids to get to know each other a little.”
“Can I play?” Lily asks.
“Yes, baby. Of course,” Grandpa says.
“What’s the paper for?”
He holds up a tablet and explains. “So each family will have a piece of paper. Here’s pens. Give the babies something to write on too.”
He passes the paper. Pens are set in front of Noa and Kimo and two for the grandchildren.
“You do the writing, bro,” Ino says to his brother.
“Did you forget how?”
He chuckles like a court jester. And I see his father loves it, despite the protests.
