Memory Documentation

chapter four | documenting life's ohanas

"Do you mean the people you used to be with at the orphanage?" he asked curiously.

I nodded. It was a broad way for me to refer to the girls back at the orphanage without having to directly say it, but I'm not surprised he knew what I was talking about at first guess.

"Nah, I know what you mean," Ben commented from across the table. He and the rest of the staff knew about my past – there was nothing to hide. "People come and go like that, but you always meet new people who could potentially stick around longer than some. Or, you know, some just leave for a while and then come back, like your childhood sweetheart over there."

Chris laughed, but my cheeks flared. "Childhood friend, not sweetheart. Knock it off, Ben," I hissed at him. In the corner of my eye, I saw Papa lean back in his chair and chuckle.

"Whatever you say," he teased with a wink.

I glared the best menacingly look I could, but I knew threatening him with Ronnie's name would shut him up good. She would have no qualms of holding back on Ben if I came to her for backup, and Ben was fully aware of that considering he refrained from making any more comments.

"I get it, too, and Ben's right," Chris continued on, placing his chin on his hand. His expression turned grim as he stared overhead at the window. "Sometimes you can't help who you lose in your life. People come and go, but only some will actually stay."

Now it was me who didn't need to guess who he was talking about. I've noticed in the short time since our reunion that Chris does the same thing that Jessica did – smile through the pain. He likes to pretend that he's okay even though he's not okay yet. While I admire his ability to maintain this positive demeanor, I always thought that it'd be okay if he wanted to express how he was truly feeling. I wonder if he knew that it was okay to be sad in front of me.

"Back on the market and onto the shelves. Don't worry, Chris. There will be plenty of girls walking down your aisle soon enough."

He chuckled and shook his head. "At the moment, I think I'm okay being looked over from all the rest."

Later that night, as Evan was opening the presents given to him, Papa and Chris wandered off to the farther side of the café for their own little chat. I couldn't help but gauge their facial expressions, even tried to read their lips at one point in hopes of getting the gist on what they were talking about. It probably would've been more reasonable just to ask them, but curiosity had me staring intensely at the moment. It looked like a pretty serious conversation to me.

"This one's from the boss and his daughter," I heard Ben say, pulling my attention away from Chris to Evan holding his gift bag.

I gestured a hand to all of them. "Listen, if none of you get the reference when he opens that gift then I'll be sorely disappointed and your punishment is to watch said reference movie with me and Papa."

To my surprise, Ben was the first to shout out, "I get it!" when Evan pulled the Stitch out.

"Really?" I asked him incredulously.

"No, but I just don't want to watch a movie with you."

"That's why it's punishment, stupid," I deadpanned.

"Well, I guess I'll have to endure this awful punishment because hell if I know the reference," Ronnie piped, falling back onto her seat.

"I, for one, actually get it," Evan said with a smile. "That's the movie with the whole ohana thing, isn't it?"

Papa looked impressed. "Good on ya for figuring that out without reading the card. She's probably made me watch this movie with her since she was six and I forgot the reference entirely."