“Because it looks like a giant sleeping on his back.” Annie laughed. “Finn thinks its real name is NoNo Mountain.”
“It’s not?” Serena angled her head.
“Its real name is Nounou Mountain. But I guess it’s close enough to Finn’s interpretation.” Annie’s lips curved. “We’ll probably take Marley hiking there one day. If it ever stops raining, that is.” They both glanced out the kitchen window, where the rain continued to pour down in torrential sheets. “And the views up there are incredible.”
“I’m not very athletic.” Serena gestured to her body, which was curvier than Annie’s but nicely proportioned. Annie envied Serena her curves, since her own body was more like a boy’s, flat chested with no hips. “But I definitely should hike part of it, from everything people say.”
“You can come with us.” Annie threw a look over her shoulder as she covered the cucumber salad and placed it in the refrigerator. She was surprised when the words left her mouth, but realized she meant them. It would be fun to have Serena go hiking with them.
She looked back to see Serena smiling at her as she toasted Annie with her wineglass. “I’d love that.”
Annie smiled back. “It’s a date, then.”
12
When dinner was ready, they sat at the small table and dug into the food. The lu rou fan was delicious: salty, yet slightly sweet, the sauce sticky and rich, making it perfect with the white rice. The tang and crispness of the marinated cucumbers were a great complement to the fatty pork belly dish, and Serena actually moaned out loud in pleasure as she ate, making Annie laugh. It was the perfect comfort meal for a stormy night. The torrential rain continued to rage outside, but in here, it was warm and cozy. The food was delicious, not to mention the new friendship that was forming. Contentment spread through Annie’s body as she took another bite.
“This is so good,” Serena said. “Do you cook much?”
“I didn’t used to, but in the past few years, I’ve started to try new recipes.” She didn’t add that she’d started cooking when she’d lost her company because she was suddenly without a job and had nothing else to do. Annie took a bite of the cucumber, enjoying the way it crunched between her teeth. “Do you cook?”
“A little. Not a lot. It’s no fun cooking for one person. When Danny—that’s the name of my ex-fiancé—and I were together, though, I used to cook for us a lot.” Serena got quiet, and Annie glanced over at her new friend. She looked so sad, and Annie wondered again what had happened to make Danny break up with her right before their wedding.
“Have you seen the monk seal and the honu at Poipu Beach yet?” Annie asked to distract her.
“Honu?” Serena looked confused.
“The Hawaiian green sea turtle.” Annie was surprised that Serena didn’t know what a honu was, if she lived on Kauai. “They sometimes come up on the sand to bask in the sun, and you have to keep at least fifteen feet from them. Finn loves seeing them.”
“I’ve been to Poipu but haven’t seen any animals.” Serena shrugged. “But maybe I wasn’t looking for them.”
“You can’t really miss them,” Annie said with a laugh. “There’s always a large crowd gathered around them, taking pictures. The turtles usually come up on the kiddie area, where the water is shallow and calm.” She passed the bowl of cucumber salad to Serena. “The monk seal come up on the regular side of the beach.”
“I like the kiddie side.” Serena took another generous scoop of the cucumber. “I can’t swim, so it’s perfect for me.”
“You live in Hawaii and you can’t swim?” Annie widened her eyes at Serena in mock horror and was rewarded with a giggle.
“Yeah. I guess I should learn. Especially if I end up staying here.” The laughter died and Serena’s expression sobered. As if she’d just had a thought that made her unhappy.
“You never said what you’re doing here.” Annie looked at her new friend, and when she saw the way Serena’s mouth pinched, she added, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“You’re not prying.” Serena put her fork down. “I’m just not sure what I’m doing. I’m kind of at the point in life where I feel like I need a change, and Kauai seems like a great place to live. I’m not really a tourist, but I’m not from here either. I’m thinking of staying permanently. To figure out my life. I mean, this is paradise, right? If I can’t figure out my life here, where else can I do it?”
“You’re right. That’s kind of why we’re here in Kauai too. To start over after what—” Annie stopped herself. She didn’t want to bring down the mood by mentioning what had happened to Finn. And she didn’t like seeing the shadow pass over Serena’s face, so she changed the subject. “Speaking of paradise, where do you think the best mai tai is on this island?”
“Oh, definitely at Tahiti Nui in Hanalei. I love Hanalei. I think I want to find a place up there.” Serena’s face lit up. “I went there one day to go to the beach, but it was raining, so I ended up at happy hour at Tahiti Nui. Their tsunami fries are so good, with that furikake and teriyaki sauce on them.” Serena’s eyes cleared, and Annie noticed they were an unusual shade of dark green now, when earlier, they’d been a lighter green.
“I think Duke’s has the best ones.” Annie was glad to have distracted Serena from whatever thoughts were distressing her. They continued to debate the mai tais around the island while they finished dinner.
“You’re so lucky to have family around you.” Serena stared down at her empty bowl.
“Where’s your family?” Annie was curious about her friend.
Serena dropped her hands into her lap and didn’t answer at first. Annie thought she hadn’t heard or was ignoring the question, but then Serena spoke. “They’re dead. At least my dad is. He died in a car accident when I was in college.”
“Oh no.” Annie reached across the table to squeeze Serena on the arm briefly, returning the comfort the other woman had offered earlier, when Annie had told her about the year her life fell apart.
“And I don’t speak to my mom.” Serena stared off into space. “She disappeared when I was ten, and I haven’t seen her since.”
“What?” Annie’s forehead scrunched up. “What do you mean, she disappeared?”
Serena continued to stare off for a moment, then turned to look at Annie. “I meant she left. She left me and my dad one day. It’s as if she just disappeared.” Serena flicked both hands in the air. “Poof.” She giggled, but the sound was not a happy one.
“I’m so sorry,” Annie said.
“It’s okay.” Serena looked up, her words at odds with the way her mouth turned down and her eyes glittered, as if with unshed tears. “It’s been a while. I’m used to being on my own.”
“But I bet it doesn’t make it easier. What about sisters or brothers?”