Bamboo & Lace

by Lori Wick

  The words were no more out of his mouth than someone banged on the door.

  "Ash," a little voice accompanied this pounding, and he knew he was getting a visit from Celia.

  "Hey, you," Ashton said when he opened the door and she rushed at his legs.

  Arms up to communicate her desire, Celia looked up and waited for her uncle to reach for her. Once in his arms, she put her little hands on his cheeks and spoke directly into his face.

  "We're going lunch."

  "We're going to lunch?"

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  She nodded.

  "Where are we going to lunch?" "Out."

  Ashton kissed her cheek and held her close for a moment. "Am I invited?"

  This was met with another nod.

  "All right. Tell your mom I'll be down in a minute. Okay?" "'Kay."

  Ashton watched her run down the hall, fall without mishap, pick herself back up, and then take the stairs on her stomach, feet first, at a speed that was frightening. He turned back into his room to ready himself to leave, thinking that Celia had been a good reminder of what he had just told the Lord.

  Even that little girl needs my example so she'll find You, Lord. I can't show her the joy I have in You if all I do is wander around and wait for Deanne to come home.

  Gabe was starting to know "the look." It was another hour before he realized what he had witnessed in the car with Lily, but now he had her figured out.

  Whenever Lily grew very still and watched everything very carefully her face a picture of composure, he knew she was in a new situation. Sometimes she would be so taken by surprise that she would forget herself, but from the moment they walked into the restaurant, Gabe knew that any peace he read in her expression was forced.

  "What are you having, Peter?" his mother asked.

  "Do they have hot dogs?"

  "Let's see."

  Lily watched Bailey lean toward her son and study his paper place mat. Lily looked at her own place mat, but it was not the same. She watched Evan reach for a booklet of some type and look in it, but still she hesitated.

  "What are you having, Lily?" Ashton asked.

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  "I don't know. Can you recommend something?"

  Gabe hid a smile. She was covering very nicely.

  "I heard you went shopping today," Evan said before Ashton could answer.

  "We bought gum!" Peter chimed in. Lily smiled.

  "It was very interesting. I learned quite a few new things."

  As lily said this, Gabe laid down his "booklet," and she was able to see that various food items were listed inside. She reached for one, and as though the knowledge emerged from a hidden corner of her mind, she knew what she was supposed to do.

  "I'm having the taco salad," Ashton proclaimed as he set his menu aside. He then noticed Lily again. "Lily, did you cut your hand?"

  Lily looked confused for a moment, and then her face swept with color.

  "Oh, no, I just, um, that is, I wanted to see what it was like."

  Ashton tried to follow but failed miserably. He didn't say anything but watched as Lily swiftly peeled off the pink strip and rolled it in her fingers.

  "There's nothing to be embarrassed about, lily," Gabe said quietly from beside her. "Ash would understand that Band-Aids are new to you."

  "Is that it?" Ashton asked with a smile. "Did you buy those this morning at the store?"

  Lily nodded, smiling at his understanding eyes.

  "I thought you were going golfing," Ashton said, having just remembered.

  Gabe smiled. "There was a change in plans."

  "So when will you golf?"

  "I was going to ask Lily about that later."

  "We can anytime you wish," she told Gabe.

  "Okay," he said simply, still planning to ask her about it and not just tell her.

  "Okay, folks." A woman came on the scene in a clean uniform and apron. "Can I start anyone with something to drink?"

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  Lily was unprepared for this. They had already been given water, and it was her turn to answer the woman much too soon.

  I'll have the same," she said, thinking she had had a moment of genius, but the person before her had been Bailey who wanted only water, and Lily hadn't caught that.

  The waitress, however, took it in stride and moved on. Evan, on the other hand, finally saw what Gabe had been witnessing.

  "Lily," he asked kindly, "is this the first time you've eaten in a restaurant?"

  She nodded, feeling quite tense and hoping she hadn't done anything wrong.

  "Honestly, Lily," he went on, "you're so good for me."

  Lily only stared at him, wondering what that could mean.

  "I live so much of my life without giving a moment's thought to the everyday aspects. Will you please do me a huge favor and explain something that I wouldn't understand or naturally know how to do if I came to Kashien?"

  Lily looked surprised, but pleased too.

  "Gabe and I saw Mrs. Stringer in the grocery store, and she was asking me how we did our marketing at home. I think that might be a little bit different for you."

  "So what would I have to learn?"

  "In our village you would need to understand that Cam sells cheese and butter, but he won't accept any trades. He only wants coins. Jenai sells fabric, but we can always pay her with wheat or flax. Yau Ta is one of the few men who will give us coin for our wares, but that's because he goes into the city and can peddle them for much more than he paid to us. And most things are negotiated, but not all, so one has to be careful not to give offense."

  "And what happens if someone gets offended?"

  "It can cause quite a stir. Feelings get hurt, and then the person assumes he's lost respect with you or the whole village. The repair work is so difficult that one learns at an early age not to offend."

  "So how do you ever tell anyone that he needs to be saved from his sins?" Bailey asked.

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  "We don't attempt to open any doors. We wait for a door to open for us. The church has over 50 men, women, and children now, and when someone sees a difference in us and inquires about it, we see that as an open door. When Jeff went off to college in California, he wrote back and told me about the practice of greeting strangers and handing them a booklet or a piece of paper that explains the gospel and then walking away.

  "It's not that easy in Kashien. Your life has to be different enough to open the door, or you must keep your mouth closed."

  "And what differences would the people of the village see in you and your father?"

  "We are honest in our trade. We don't use drugs or alcohol. My father does not beat me. We do not grow angry and shun the neighbor with whom we are upset. We give away some of our time and wares without expectations of reciprocation. I am an honorable daughter in that I am not seen out at night with men, nor am I known to speak back or be disrespectful, especially before the men of the community."

  "And is the color of your skin ever a barrier?" Gabe asked this question.

  "When my father first came he was not trusted, but all he did was buy a plot of land, build a home, and begin to work the land. It took almost two years for someone to ask him why he was so honest. Six months later he led that man to Christ, and the church began.

  "Then he met and married my mother, and more walls came down when the village realized they could trust a white woman. By the time Jeff and I came along, we were very accepted in the village. Visitors sometimes have a hard time, but we deal with it as best we can, and the walls come down if they stay among us long enough."

  "What do you miss the most?"

  Bailey had no more voiced this when the drinks arrived and the waitress stayed to take their orders. When it was her turn, Lily was ready.

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  "I'll have a hamburger, please." "How would you like it done?" Lily blinked.

  "Try medium, Lily," Gabe helped her out "Medium, please."

  "And would you like cheese on that?"

&nbs
p; After only a moments hesitation this time, she managed, "Yes, please." When the woman moved from their table, Lily admitted in a low voice, "I didn't know I could have it with cheese."

  "Have you not had a hamburger?" Bailey asked, trying to think if they had grilled out since Lily arrived.

  "I don't think so. Will I like it?"

  "I think you will. What did you get to drink?"

  "I have water," Lily said when she saw that nothing else had been delivered to her.

  "We need to get the waitress back, Lily. You need to have a milk shake with your hamburger."

  "Bailey?" Lily made herself say.

  "Yes?"

  "I need to look at my money and make sure I can afford a milk shake."

  The only people at the table not to protest the idea of Lily paying for her meal were under the age of six. Lily listened to the chorus of arguments without comment. She sat very still until Gabe put a hand on her arm.

  "Is there some reason you wanted to pay for your meal?"

  "I think Jeff would not wish me to always be a burden to you."

  "What if you're not a burden to me? I did invite everyone out to lunch," Gabe reminded her.

  Lily had no comment for that.

  "Here are the flavors," Ashton said, reaching for the menu again and pointing to the right spot.

  Just reading the selection made Lily's mouth water. When Evan called the waitress back, the novice diner ordered without further comment.

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  Lily rode home with Evan and Bailey. Peter was in the back with her and they had been talking, but now it was quiet and Evan's voice came from the front. Lily tried not to listen, but it was almost impossible.

  "Zulu called when you were out," he said, referring to one of the elders at church. Evan was preparing to become an elder and had been involved in a rather delicate matter with a certain family at the church.

  "Can you tell me about it?"

  "Things have come to a head with Ginny."

  Bailey sighed in irritation. "Honestly, Evan, the woman wants to homeschool her kids! I don't think it's that great of an idea in her situation, but if she wants to, what's the big deal? You and I have even talked about it for Pete and CeCe."

  "Well, you put your finger on it."

  "On what?"

  "The crux of the matter: We've talked about it."

  Bailey could only stare at her husband.

  "Ginny is the problem, Bailey," Evan said gently, "not the homeschooling issue. At this point it's not about her wisdom on whether or not she should do this. It's about how tightly she's holding onto the entire issue. She won't even dialogue over it. She's made up her mind and feels that's the end of it."

  From the back, Lily heard no more. It was as if Evan had been describing her father. How many things did Owen Walsh hold onto too tightly? Lily knew she would never be able to count them all. And as far as dialoguing on an issue, well, that just didn't happen. Lily had been raised to accept that his word was law, and his decisions were not open for discussion, especially where his daughter was concerned.

  Lily's thoughts raced wildly in the time it took to get home. She desperately wished she could talk to Jeff. She felt as if she had just gained a new understanding of her father. Jeff had offered to speak to her father on her behalf, and Lily now saw that this is

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  what she would want him to say: Can we please just talk about things, Father? Can we just do that much?

  Lily was so eager to get home and write to Jeff that the rest of the trip was made in a blur.

  When Evan came to the bedroom that night, he found a surprise on his pillow. Bailey was still in the bathroom, so for a moment he sat and simply held the newborn-size disposable diaper she had set on his pillow, his head shaking in wonder.

  Even though Celia was still young, he realized he had forgotten just how tiny a new baby could be. He unfolded the diaper and smiled.

  "You found it," Bailey said as she joined him on the bed. She sat close and put her chin on his shoulder. "Can you believe this size?"

  "Isn't it cute? I knew it was a bit premature, but I'm so excited." "How are you feeling?"

  "Pretty good. I'm tired after today's activities, but all in all, I'm in good shape."

  "Wang said he was coming to cook dinner tomorrow night."

  "Yes, he did! I had forgotten about that."

  "Did you also forget that next week we go to your mom's? She'll keep the kids, which means you can come home and lie around."

  "Well now, I can't miss with that plan."

  Evan looked into her eyes. "You're going to be more tired this time you already are. So you have to take your rest when you can get it."

  "I'm not more tired!" she protested.

  "You're a bit on the short-tempered side."

  Bailey sat up, suddenly very alert.

  "Am I really?"

  "Yes. It's slight and mostly with the kids."

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  Even though she looked upset, Bailey said, "Thank you for telling me. I'll have to talk to them about it and apologize." She then sat thinking and finally added, "But I don't feel tired."

  Evan's brows rose before he looked at his watch. "I followed you up here ten minutes ago when you said you were going to bed, and you're already in your nightgown. It's not even 10:00."

  Bailey looked at the bedroom clock. It read 9:54.

  "Oh."

  Evan smiled.

  "But if you're not tired..." he said, letting the sentence hang. Bailey smiled in return and hugged his arm with both of her arms.

  Still sitting on the side of the bed, Evan lay back, taking his wife gently with him.

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  "I've made a poor assumption where you're concerned, Lily," Gabe confessed as they sat on the sofas by the television in the living room. Lily had stayed up to watch the 10:00 news with Ashton and Gabe, but now Ashton had gone to bed.

  "How did you do that?"

  "When Evan asked you about your home today, I learned two things. I thought because I was so close to Jeff that I knew most everything, and I don't. And then I thought that discussing Kashien would only make you feel worse, but I could see how pleased you were to talk about it. So for that, I'm sorry."

  "Thank you, Gabe, but I haven't been feeling left out at all."

  "That's good to hear. Now before I turn in, I do need to check with you on golfing, and I would request that you not answer too fast."

  "Okay."

  "Would you like me to show you how to golf tomorrow, or is there something else you would rather do?"

  Lily kept her mouth shut but realized that she still wasn't doing what he had instructed. She had the answer already settled in her mind, but he had told her to think. Lily tried to do that swiftly: Bailey had not said anything about her plans. Wang was coming to cook that evening, but they would certainly be done golfing by then. Or would they?

  Knowing she had done as Gabe had asked, Lily actually smiled a little before answering.

  "Wang is coming to make dinner tomorrow night, and I rather hoped to watch him. Would we be done before he arrives?"

  "Yes. We would go in the morning before it gets too warm."

  "Then I would like to golf very much tomorrow."

  Gabe couldn't help but smile at her. "Okay," he said quietly, his heart filling with more new emotions. "It's a plan. They open at 7:00, so I'll call first thing and get a tee time."

  Lily was instantly at ease. She nodded but couldn't think why they would need to drink tea before they golfed. It must be some strange sort of tradition, but it sounded like something you would do in England, not Hawaii.

  The two went back to watching the news, lily was intent on an international story when a tiny scrap of knowledge emerged from the back of her mind, and she suddenly understood Gabe.

  "You start a golf game by teeing off, don't you?"

  "That's right. And since you need to golf in groups of two or four, you have to schedule a time so everyone is not at the
same spot at the same time."

  Again lily smiled, feeling quite pleased that she had figured it out.

  Gabe stood, thinking that if he stayed near her any longer he would never fall asleep.

  "I'll see you in the morning." "Okay. Thanks for everything, Gabe." "You're welcome. Good night." "Good night."

  lily did watch a little more of the news, but she was distracted. She thought that Gabe Kapaia might be the kindest man she had ever known.

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  Chapter 16

  "It's not a very large ball, is it?" Lily asked as she stood with Gabe in the practice area at the golf course, studying the golf ball in her hand. They had gone ahead of their 8:15 tee time in order to practice.

  "No, it's not."

  "And the whole point is to get it into the hole with as few hits as possible." "Correct."

  "How many other games have a low scoring system versus a high scoring system?"

  "Let me see." Gabe thought a moment before continuing, "In cross-country your score is your placement at the finish line, so you want to finish as soon as possible because all of the scores are added up."

  "What do you mean?"

  "There are seven men or women to the team and the top five runners' places are added up for the team score. So if your team finishes third, seventh, tenth, fourteenth, and nineteenth, all those numbers get added together for a team score of 53. The team with the lowest number wins."

  This was met by one of Lily's silent "ohs," something Gabe never tired of seeing. He was also finding it very distracting of late.

  "Okay." Gabe knew he'd better stick to business. "Lets work on your grip."

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  Not many minutes later Gabe was asking himself how many romantic movies he had seen over the years where the man takes advantage of teaching a woman to golf or swing a bat in order to put his arms around her. Fun as he thought it might be to hug Lily, he wasn't going to start playing games with her heart.

  Standing next to her so he could show her with his own club, Gabe demonstrated the proper grip and stance. This did not come as easily to Lily as tennis had, and the stillness of her carriage told him she was tense.

  "How did you sleep?" Gabe asked.