17. Emma

17

Emma

“ D one!” Kai rolled his summer-green paint over the last bit of bare wall and stood back to admire his work.

Emma’s painstaking painter’s tape and drop cloths had made it possible for him to paint his room alongside her, with him wielding rollers as high as he could reach and her painting the rest. They had done one wall a day, with Kai sleeping in her room in the meantime.

“Are you happy with it?” she asked.

“Yes! This is the best room I’ve ever had!” Kai spread his arms out and spun around, admiring each wall in turn.

He had chosen four paint colors: green, blue, yellow, and red.

Each of them were fully saturated, vivid shades – the fullest realization of each color. It felt like being inside of a lego tower.

“Thank you!” He threw his arms around Emma’s waist, no doubt leaving green fingerprints on the old Redwood Cafe t-shirt she wore. That was fine – it was already splattered with three primary colors from earlier that week. “You’re the best mom ever!”

“I had fun painting with you,” she said, squeezing him tight.

It was his room, and he loved it. That was all that mattered.

“I’m starving,” he announced, stepping back to look at her. There was a streak of green paint just below his eye, and more dripping up his arms. “Can you make me a grilled cheese?”

“I can. And while I’m doing that, you need a shower.”

“Aw man. Do I have to?”

“Yes. Take a look at your face in the mirror–”

“Am I green?” he demanded, grinning.

“And wash it really well in the shower.”

He sprinted off to admire his reflection – and hopefully get cleaned up.

Juniper was in the kitchen, carefully straining tea into the huge glass containers that she and Cody carted to each farmers market.

“Is there a market today?” Emma asked. With Kai out of school, she was starting to lose track of her days of the week again.

“No,” Juniper said, her eyes on her work.

“So what’s the tea for?”

“Tara’s catering an event, and she asked me to handle the drinks.”

“Oh, very cool. I didn’t think Tara did catering.”

“She doesn’t usually, but a friend asked her to do it as a favor. It’s for some fundraiser.”

“Got it. Can I make you a sandwich?” Emma sliced long pieces of bread off of a big loaf of local sourdough. “I’m making Kai a grilled cheese.”

“No thanks, I’m fine.”

“Okay.”

She was melting butter in the cast iron – and trying to find the right words to ask Juniper how she was doing, really – when Cody came in through the kitchen door.

Juniper’s whole face lit up, and something in Emma’s heart eased.

At least someone was capable of making her happy.

“Hey Jun.” He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and then smiled at Emma. “Good morning, Auntie.”

“Hi, Cody.”

“This one ready to go?” he asked Juniper, picking up a container of bright purple tea.

“Yep, just needs ice.”

“We’ve got plenty.”

He went back and forth a few times, ferrying out each container.

“See you later, Auntie Em,” Jun said as Cody carried out the last one.

“You’re going too?” she asked.

She gave her a quick smile and a shrug. “Free food.”

“So was the grilled cheese,” Emma muttered after she’d gone.

“Grilled cheese!” Kai shouted, running into the kitchen. His hair was still dripping, and the paint was mostly gone. “Second breakfast is the best breakfast!”

Emma laughed and ruffled his hair as she set his plate down in front of him.

“What are we doing after this?” he asked after he’d inhaled the first half.

“I was thinking we could pick Prince up and go to the keiki beach.”

“For real life?” he exclaimed.

“Sound good?”

“Best. Day. Ever!”

Emma grinned at him, but her heart constricted again as she watched her niece jump out of Cody’s delivery van and close the gate behind them. Juniper was grieving, and Emma had no idea how well she was coping with her mother’s death. Not really.

It didn’t seem to matter whether she reached out or gave Jun her space. Whatever she did, her niece seemed to be slipping further and further away.