'Tis the Season: A Collection of Mimi's Christmas Books (15 page)

Once they were all seated, Leilani waved her hands over the array of food. “Everyone, help yourself to whatever you want.”

Mano waited to see what his idol would eat and his crestfallen expression almost made Leilani laugh when Kale chose a few different pieces of sushi to go along with his pizza.

Leilani felt Kale’s eyes on her and she looked up instinctively. The piercing stare held her in thrall so she couldn’t break loose. She questioned how he could hurt her so, and he answered—I have no idea why you’re acting this way, but I don’t like it. Goodness who knew people could talk so much without saying a word.

Pete cleared his throat and broke up the nonverbal repartee. “Kale, I read that your hotel is putting on its yearly, grand festival of lights celebration for Christmas Eve? It’s only a few days from now so things must be pretty hectic?”

Kale finally took his eyes from Leilani and spared a quick glance at Pete. “This time of the year is always busy. So many tourists like to spend their holidays somewhere special and our weather draws them to Hawaii. We like to help make the season unique for them at the Jordan.”

Perfect company spiel handled by a pro. The ice didn’t melt in Kale until Mano caught his attention to ask about the celebration. “Is this the night when everyone wears costumes?” His prickly manner disappeared to be replaced by the kindly soul Leilani had gotten a glimpse of at the beach house.

“Yes, kiddo, but they aren’t really costumes. We dress in the traditional Hawaiian way and have a huge luau on the beach with music and dances and of course, the Christmas trees are pretty spectacular when they’re all lit up. We even have a Santa with presents for everyone who signs up for the evening. We must talk Leilani into bringing you. It’s a lot of fun!” Both males turned to her with expressions of ‘please’ on their faces.

She winked and nodded at Mano, who clapped his hands gleefully. Then she smiled toward Kale whose eyes narrowed slightly before he returned it. Now here was the intoxicating man who’d taken her heart and slipped it into his pocket. This person she could ask a favor from, beg if necessary.

All of a sudden his words computed, and Leilani felt like she’d walked into a closed door in the dark. My goodness Christmas was only a few days away. Nothing had been organized for the season; the house was totally bare of decorations, not even a Christmas tree. What a horrible mother she was when the holiday glowed all around her, in every store window and television commercial, and she walked around with her head in a daze completely unaware of the significance.

That would change as of now. She wouldn’t let life dictate to her any longer. It wasn’t about her, but a little boy who had a huge need to be protected. She nodded her agreement and followed it up with her next sentence. “Kale, Pete and I have some papers we would like to show you if you have a few minutes to spare after dinner. You also, Pi.” She saw Pi nod and knew he’d picked up on her craving for his backing. It was time for her to use whatever means at her disposal to ensure that Mano’s happiness, his secure future, couldn’t be jeopardized by anyone, regardless of biology and bloodline.

Chapter Twenty-three

After Pi had settled Mano down, Leilani went into his room to say goodnight. It was a routine she’d forced on to the child who seemed to take it in his stride now, unlike the first few nights when all he did was turn his back.

Leilani stepped close to his bed and tried not to look annoyed that he had laid out the same old clothes on his chair to wear the next day. She sat on the opposite side as Pi. “How about you and me getting a tree tomorrow and putting it up in the living room? Did your grandma have decorations we could use?”

Mano looked toward Pi first and then spoke after he saw the confirming nod. “We have a plastic tree in the barn and boxes of Christmas stuff. I could show Pi where.”

“You can show me also. Maybe we could put up the tree together and surprise Pi when he comes to visit later?”

Leilani held her breath as she watched his expressions turn from wary to thoughtful. It took another nod from Pi to help him make his decision. “Will Pi come and see it finished?”

Leilani turned to look at her friend whose face was lit with a big grin. He answered in the exact way she’d prayed he would and wasn’t surprised, because since she’d arrived in Waikiki, he’d become her best friend. She knew she could depend on his help.

Pi rubbed his hands together. “Now I have a reason to go Christmas shopping. We’ll need to have presents to put under the tree. So you guys are on the tree detail, and I’ll be the shopper and we’ll meet back here in time for lunch to share our adventures. How’s that?” He held up both hands; Mano slapped one, and Leilani followed suit and slapped the other.

They stood to leave together, and Mano’s reaching arms had Pi bending over for his hug. Tears welled in Leilani to see such a touching gesture. If only he’d reach for her. Then surprise—from her heart to God’s ears—the wish became reality. Mano shyly reached for her next. She bent over and closed her eyes to soak in the beauty of his small arms around her neck. It wasn’t as big a hug as Pi’s, and it was over rather quickly, but she felt like the sun shone inside her and a glow burst from her full heart bright enough to fill the room.

In the hall, she stopped to beam at Pi who seemed to know the significance of the earlier moment. He whispered close to her ear. “Soon, I think we’ll be able to talk him into taking a proper bath.”

She giggled and gave him a hug from sheer exuberance. “Thanks to your help, you’ve been such an angel.”

The warmth she experienced while in Pi’s arms bestowed such a wonderful sensation of bliss that she hated to pull away. His joking words ended their embrace and made her laugh. “Me? An angel… My dear Leilani, after all my years gathering wisdom, I truly believe you had more need of a friend.”

“Then I award you the title of BFF.” She patted his cheek gently.

“I’m thinking I like being your BFF,” he chuckled, “but it might please me even more if I knew what it meant?”

“It means best friends forever.”

“Deal! I’m delighted to be your BFF and as such, I’m thinking that if tomorrow I were to buy your stubborn ward a new set of clothes to wear for the Jordan party, we might convince him to change? I know he wears size five, and I’ll buy him green since it’s his favorite color. Or is that being a bit diabolical?”

“Works for me, my friend.”

“So you’re thinking of going?”

“I’ll know absolutely before the night is out, but I’m praying the answer is yes.”

“Then we have something in common.” Taking her hand, Pi led her into the kitchen.

Kale and Pete were talking desultorily, until they were interrupted and their conversation died a natural death between two people who had nothing in common.

“I’ll set out some refreshments before we begin, shall I?” Leilani said, stalling to let her nerves settle. “What would everyone prefer, wine of coffee?” She found the box of Honolulu cookies and placed some on a pretty dish to put in the middle of the table.

Glasses of wine were set in front of Pete, and Leilani, who felt it rude not to keep her guest company while Kale and Pi had coffees.

Finally, the time had come for her to proceed. Stumbling, searching for the right words, Leilani explained the circumstances about the will and Kaimi’s appearance the night before.

“She came here to the house?” Kale repeated his hard voice an indication of his rage. “You didn’t know she was alive?”

“My aunt only spoke briefly about her daughter. From the way she talked, I assumed she wasn’t in Mano’s future and took it to mean that she had passed on. My aunt’s exhaustion gave us little time for a visit.” Leilani knew she sounded on the defensive but couldn’t help it. Everything had become so confusing. “After I read the will, I believed it to be pretty straight forward. She had left everything to Mano, and named my mother as his guardian and the caretaker for his inheritance. I had no reason to think I might not be able to stand in her place.”

Kale reread the papers in front of him, and the silence in the room became thick and heavy while the others looked everywhere but at each other.
How demoralizing?
Leilani swallowed and opened her mouth to recite the words she’d been practicing since she knew she had to ask Kale for the money.

Kale broke the silence once again. “What do you know about this woman?”

Pete spoke up before Leilani had a chance to answer. “I think it best that we start from the beginning. Very early on, Mrs. Palea had made her will with her daughter, Kaimi, as the beneficiary, but that was before Mano was born. After she became Mano’s legal guardian, Mrs. Palea specified that
he
be her main beneficiary with only a small settlement for her daughter. She named her sister, Mrs. Lani Taylor, Leilani’s mother, as his only trustee. Then a few years ago, Kaimi Palea was thought to have been killed in a boating accident. Once the accident came to light, and it was believed her daughter perished, Mrs. Palea wrote her daughter out of the will completely.”

“Unknown to the daughter.”

“Yes.”

“She hadn’t let her own mother know that she survived?”

“It looks that way, yes.”

“I assume she’s stepped forward now that Mrs. Palea is deceased, because she thinks there’s some monetary gain?”

“Her actions have led us to believe that is so.” Leilani watched as Pete let Kale lead with his questions while he sat back and waited. It wasn’t long in coming.

Kale turned to Leilani and his expression softened considerably. “You’ve really had a rough time, sweetheart, haven’t you?”

Tears gathered before she could bite down on her lip to stop the quivering. Not trusting herself, she just nodded and reached under the table for Pi’s hand, which was waiting. She clung hard.

Pi spoke in her stead. “Kale, this poor girl has had way too much stress to handle in these last few weeks. You know her mother passed on, and immediately, she’s faced with a trip to Hawaii, her first time ever leaving her own country. Upon her arrival, her aunt dies in front of her, and she finds out she’s been left with a huge responsibility in having to take charge of her very young cousin, a stubborn little boy who’s taken it into head to blame her for losing his Tutu.”

Leilani interrupted shyly. “Mano is a gift. Not a responsibility.”

Pi’s eyes watered for a minute before he could continue. “Yes sweetheart, with your big heart, you look on him as a gift. However, it’s still a lot of change to handle all at once. Then to have this troubled woman try to take him away from you is where the nightmare begins. If I had any money to offer you, so you could pay her off, it would be yours in an instant—”

Kale interrupted. “There’s no problem about the money. Any amount you need is yours, Leilani. Money isn’t the issue. It’s making sure the mother can’t come back after she runs through it to try to blackmail you for more. Or that she doesn’t get her claws into Mano.”

Why that crafty old man! Leilani beamed in his direction before responding to Kale. “You would trust me and be willing to lend me the money? I have put my property up for sale in Canada and can pay you back eventually, but I’ve realized I must never sell this place since its Mano’s inheritance and it quite rightly belongs to him.”

“Leilani, I trust you so much that I would sign a blank check for you and not lose a minute of sleep. What I need to ask, with your permission Pete, is to take these documents to my law firm and have them double checked to be sure there aren’t any loopholes for Kaimi to slip through.” He turned to stare at Pete, his eyes unwavering and rather stern. “It’s not that I don’t trust your competence, it’s just that from what you’ve told me, these were drawn up in one day and only you have viewed them.”

“No offense taken. It never hurts to have an extra pair of eyes to make sure I’ve covered all the bases, Kale. I have no problems with your suggestion whatsoever.” For the first time, Kale’s stiff attitude with Pete altered. He smiled slightly and nodded.

“Well, it’s time for me to leave, Leilani.” Pete stood up and shook hands with the two other men around the table. “Keep me in the picture as to your next step. If you’d like me settle with Kaimi on your behalf, I’d be delighted. Once I’ve got through with her, I’m sure you’ll be able to wave goodbye to the problem for good.”

“I’ll walk you to the door, Pete.” Leilani met him in the hall and led him to the doorway in the front of the house. “I can’t thank you enough for drawing up the papers and bringing them with you tonight… and sharing the meal with us. I know you think we need to move on this as soon as possible, and I tend to agree with you. I’m sure Kale will settle the matter quickly, and I can let you know what we’ve planned.”

“Fine. Call me on my private number. On a personal note, I’d like to see you again, Leilani, if you’re willing? It’s been nice to meet someone who isn’t a tourist with plans to leave in a matter of weeks.” Pete put his hand out toward her in an old-fashioned kind of maneuver that made her smile.

Leilani placed her hand in his. “Can I take a rain check? Life needs to settle down before I can complicate it any further. On the other hand, it’s always nice to have another friend.”

“Of course. I understand. You have my number when the time comes. Goodnight.”

Leilani stood and watched him walk toward toward his car and then felt anothers presence at her back. A voice whispered in her ear. “I’m off too, Leilani. See you later tomorrow after I get my shopping done.”

“Thank you, Pi. You were a life-saver in there for me tonight and I’ll always be thankful for your being here.”

“You deserve it, sweet girl. A person with a heart as big as yours sometimes needs a helping hand.” He left her with a tender kiss on her cheek and a wave before getting into his Beauty and driving away.

Knowing that Kale still waited for her, Leilani made an effort to swallow the lump gathering in her throat, which brought on a coughing spell instead. She passed her hands over the hair she’d earlier gathered into a knot to sit high on her head. Her lipstick, long gone, had left her lips a bit dry and so she licked them trying to soften the skin. Hating the nerves running amuck throughout her body that made thinking difficult, she closed her eyes and said a little prayer.