The storm blows over and they head out of the house to take a look at the damage. It wasn't completely devastated like she'd seen photos of on islands after major storms. Then again this wasn't a hurricane or typhoon either.
"There aren't likely many places to go until the locals clean things up. What would you like to do for the day Ili? The beach is kinda messed up." Preston asks her as they look around. They are walking along the beach and every once in a while Iliana bends down and picks something up. The boys offer to take her treasures as she continues looking over the sea given finds.
"I think that the locals will be wanting to clean up the businesses and tourist areas first since that's their livelihood, so I want to help the natives clean up their yards and what not." Iliana finally answers.
"Okay, we'll talk to the caretakers about where would be a good place to start." Blake tells her.
That makes Iliana stop and look at Blake. "What do you mean?" When she said that she didn't think any of the boys would be interested in being with her while she did some physical labor.
"I am going to help you." Blake informs her and the boys chorus him.
For as long as she lives, Iliana doubts that she will ever see something as truly wonderful as she did that day. Where ever she and the boys showed up they got permission to help clean things up and started working. With the strength and speed the boys had they were able to get things done far faster than Ili, but they never said anything and neither did she.
By the end of the day they had helped several families that were very thankful. Some even crying tears of gratitude for their help.
To this day the memory warms Iliana's heart and makes her smile.
They spend, without talking about it, the next day helping out with the clean up as well. Iliana had never been so tired and sore, but happy in her life. The boys never uttered a word of complaint and just joking and laughing helped the natives restore their property the best they could.
The next day, the caretakers had a message for them. They were warmly thanked then kindly asked to leave the clean up for others. Clean up could be done any time, but the real need is the money tourists bring in. They were embarrassed to ask them to go back to being tourists since they needed the money more than anything else.
Ili and the others assured them that they would do so, that they only desired to help out in whatever way they could. So for the rest of the day they spent as tourists. They haunted the shops and bought as much as they could of what they liked. Blake made arrangements to have most of the items shipped back to the house in the States so they wouldn't have to deal with packing it.
Blake makes sure that Iliana is fine with that for her purchases.
Ili smiles brightly at Blake and nods her answer. Blake gives a silent sigh of relief. She's happier than he's seen her in some time and he's glad they came and worked things out. He doesn't think Ili will be giving them another chance. They just have to make it two more years and they can tell her everything. Hopefully she'll accept them all at that time.
By the time the day was done they were more than ready to sit down and relax. Iliana has never been a huge shopper and so was more than willing to stop. She hopes that the things she bought for the boys that they'll like.
They boys are so damn picky when it comes to things that they are almost impossible to shop for. She has done alright with their gifts since she knows their likes and dislikes so well, but even then she worries that they'll like or use what she buys them. She feels especially nervous since they prefer expensive over cheap and definitely aren't into tourist stuff, but she figures that they could always give it away if they don't like it. The main purpose of the buys were to help out the natives.
They decide to go to the classier restaurant, the one that they had to dress up for at the beach. Iliana pulls on the dress she brought when Blake knocks on her door. "I have a gift for you and some from my parents. They requested that they be given to you for your sixteenth birthday and so I should have given them to you days ago. You were so upset at the time that I thought it better to wait. Then we got so busy that I basically forgot about them." Blakes holds out two packages inexpertly wrapped.
He blushes as she takes the gifts. "They didn't have them wrapped and I really don't wrap gifts very well as you can see."
Blake looks around her room and notices the other gifts hadn't been opened yet. "Wait, Ili, are you going to accept our gifts? If not you should return them to the giver. If you are, it would be nice if you opened them in front of the giver."
Iliana stopped opening the gift she had in her hand as she thinks about Blake's words. She nods, "You're right. Would you help me move the gifts into the sitting room and then gather the boys there?"
Blake smiles and tells her he doubts it will take the boys long to gather in the other room even as he gets an armful of gifts and leaves the room. Iliana gathers her own armful. Some of the boys watch them carry the gifts into the room and swallow hard thinking that she is going to be returning their gifts. They hide their defeated expressions as they are called into the room.
Once all the boys come into the room she has them take a seat as she talks to them. "When we first came here I fully expected each of you to completely ignore me. So when I found a pile of gifts at my door I was less than happy. I didn't think that any of you actually wanted to give me anything and were just doing so because it was expected. I had intended on just leaving the gifts in a pile and leaving, but the last few days have shown me, that perhaps, you actually really do want to spend time with me and you do really want me to have these gifts.
"So, instead of having you come up and get your gift to take back, I would like each of you, in order of birth get the gift you have for me and then give it to me directly." There is a general feeling of relief in the room as Iliana finishes. Some of the boys weren't able to hide their feelings before Iliana sees their happiness. That brings her some peace as well.
"Snorkeling kit, that's why you wanted to take me snorkeling?" Iliana says smiling at Isaac.
"The snorkeling idea was actually Preston's." Isaac tells her. She opens the card and finds the information of the planned trip.
"The trip for snorkeling is your gift to me?" Iliana asks the embarrassed man.
"I never know what to get you. This year I hadn't had any inspiration and nothing my secretary suggested sounded like something you would like. I have to admit, the idea didn't strike until after we royally screwed up your actual birthday. This is what I had planned on giving you." Preston hands her another card.
Iliana opens it and finds a large donation in her name to one of her favorite charities. She wipes the tears this causes away impatiently. "This alone is perfect, thank you Preston." She hugs both Preston and Isaac for their gifts. "But I'll still enjoy the snorkeling expedition and now I won't have to depend on rented equipment to do so." Iliana smiles happily at the two and they smile back, just as happy.
And so it goes down the line. Iliana is shocked at some of the gifts, but very pleased by them. Especially since she thought they were ready for her to leave.
It is Casper that blushes next as he tells her that their gift was left at the house.
Flynn pipes up, "I told her and showed her photos already. I had to, I'm sorry for ruining the surprise factor for you Casper."
Casper turns stricken eyes to Iliana. "You don't like the gift?"
"She's beautiful and I can't wait to meet her." Iliana gets a devilish look as she turns to Blake. "I know just how happy Blake is about you giving me a puppy." Blake gives her a dark look before hiding his feelings behind the blank mask that he wears most times. Iliana hates it and does her best to make the mask fall away when he's with her.
Finally Blake hands her the poorly wrapped gifts once more. "I know this trip is your gift to me, the trip and the shark diving/diving trip you took me on earlier this week."
Blake smiles, "Do you really think that is all I would give you?" Along with the two poorly wrapped gifts from his parents he hands her a card. She takes the card and looks at him in confusion, "I don't need anything, Blake, you know that."
Blake smiles at her before replying, "I know, just open the gift card."
Iliana opens the card to find that she now has a star named after her. "I'll take you to an observatory and have them find your star when we get back." All Iliana can do is stare at him in total and complete amazement.
"You officially had a star named after me?" Blake merely nods to her before gesturing to the last two gifts left unopened.
"My parents were very clear that you are to receive these gifts at this time. They also have some set aside for your eighteenth birthday and for your wedding or if you don't get married they are to be given as part of your trust." Blake explains to her and his brothers.
"This wasn't in the will. You went through all of it and explained everything to me and nowhere was there anything like this said." Iliana says in exasperation, but she doesn't wait any longer to open the gifts from her godparents, even though they've been gone for three years now.
"No, the instructions were left separate in a letter that was given to me by their lawyer."
Iliana holds up the bracelet and covers her mouth with her other hand. "This was your grandmothers bracelet, why would she gift it to me?"
"Iliana, I've told you before, my parents always considered you the daughter they never had. They wanted their daughter to have these things. Now, open the one from my father." Blake orders her gently.
The gift from his father is significantly smaller. She opens to find a small ring box. Once more she covers her mouth with her hand. "This looks old, but I don't think I've ever seen it before." It was very simple but elegant. The ring was too small but Blake pulls out a gold chain and places the ring on the chain.
"It is old, it was my grandmother's ring. She wanted my father to give it to his daughter and those were her instructions."
"But, I'm not his daughter." Iliana says once more.
Blake goes to her and holds her. "You are his daughter in all ways but blood. My mother might not have given birth to you, but they both loved you as much, possibly even more, than they loved us.
"Did you know that your parents were getting ready to move back to us before they were killed? Your father had already started training his replacement. They were going to move in with us until they could find a place of their own.
"When my parents found out they were killed they were devastated, but they thought of making sure that you were safe before they did anything else. As soon as they found out that you were alive they put in the paperwork to have you come live with us. Only after that was done did they tell us about your parents. It's the only time that I can remember my mother crying in front of us."
It was a teary eyed group that left a short time later.