"He's made it through and is resting."
The doctors words were just what we needed to hear. I hugged Mrs. Mahaka and Terry's friend. They wanted to see him and the doctor gave the 'ok'. I stayed in the lobby though. Needing my own private space with him, I paced instead. Luca had left and he indicated I was with Lex. But he couldn't have been more wrong.
He was who I wanted. He was who I loved. Not Lex. There really was no other way around it. I would just have to adjust my way of thinking when it came to him moving and possibly taking in Leer's daughter. If Leer relinquished care voluntarily, then she didn't need to be a threat to me. Luca didn't want her, if he did he would have already gone for her. She was throwing out signals left and right and I knew he saw them.
But we desperately needed to talk.
"He's ready for you Mila."
Mrs. Mahaka hugged me and she left with Terry's friend. I got up and took a deep breath. This wasn't like my parents, he was fine. He was going to be fine. I kept repeating that as I got to his room.
"Mila!"
Terry weakly called to me as I came through the doorway. He was propped up on pillows, a Styrofoam cup in hand.
"You look so much better. . .do you feel ok?"
He chuckled softly, "of course! Nothing can keep me down. I know I'll die when I hit 90. I'm not there yet!"
"No one knows when we are going to die." I said. "But I am sure glad you didn't. It was terrifying, seeing you on the grass like that."
"Don't remind me! I was scared too! You know your grandpa and dad were behind you right?"
Once he said it I got a chill. They were behind me? While I was trying to comfort him in the grass?
"What do you mean??"
He indicated for me to sit in the side chair next to his bed. Then he sipped the water in his cup and set it on the side table.
"Hawaii is full of lore and old stories, as you probably know from your family upbringing."
I nodded my head. My grandpa especially loved to tell stories of all sorts of things, ancestral things that he believed.
"We go back to the land when we die. We are from the islands. Dying is just transporting your soul back to it's birth place. God wanted us to tend to the land." He said. "So it was natural that your dad and grandpa would be here still. Plus you are here. They want to be near you too."
I thought back to the way my dads words had been playing in my mind lately, as if he was speaking to me clear as day. I chalked it up to grief and my inability to process it completely. But maybe it was something more.
"Don't be afraid Mila. Don't be afraid to love a marine."
💋💋
Love a marine.
Now Terry's words were all I could hear. Waiting outside for a cab to take me home, I mulled it over. I was never going to be a natural mom. Luca wanted to care for his late best buddies daughter. Were the pieces there all along, waiting to be fit together? Could we move forward and take things as they came? I wanted to believe that. If Luca could forgive me.
The cab pulled up in the sunshine, an older man behind the wheel. I got in and we slowly joined traffic back towards my house. I needed to work tomorrow then the day after, I'd go to my MRI appointment. There was a lot to do. Plus, I needed to finally open a letter my grandpa had left for me in his office. That was the next item on my list to get done. I'd been avoiding it for months.
"Your ohana gonna be ok?" The cab driver asked softly, peeking at me from the rear view mirror.
"Oh, yes. He's going to be ok. Lots of rest."
"Ah. Heart problems then." He said, tutting with his tongue. "He will be ok, more years ahead to spend with you."
How he knew that I had no earthly idea. Or that Terry was a 'he'. I studied his eyes glancing back at me. They were warm and a dark brown. He smiled then focused back on the road. How odd.
We turned down my street finally and approached Terry's house. A car I didn't recognize was out front. It must be from Terry's friend.
"Make sure you spend time here too. You'll end up back here again." The cab driver said.
"I what?"
He pulled up in front of my house and told me the cab total. I paid him and stepped out, watching him drive off. I felt an onslaught of goosebumps hit my body. That was weird. I wanted to believe that my dad and grandpa were still around, as Terry said. That they were guiding me of sorts. Even my mom. But angels? Could the cab driver have been one?
I unlocked my door and went inside. I could shake this off and get to my list. There were practical things to do. Opening the letter was next. It was in the office. I swallowed my fear and went ahead and got it.
Read it all Mila.
I didn't need to hear my dads voice to know this was important. Probably just as important as the day I received the keys to this house and access to grandpas various accounts. This letter was listed in his will. I just couldn't handle opening it. Seeing his handwriting. . that is something entirely personal.
I settled on the couch and broke the seal to the envelope. My fingers shakily took out the paper. It was written on 'United States Marine Corp' embossed stationary. Fitting, and so like my grandpa.
My dearest keiki Mila,
If you are reading this, I have gone to ka-leine-a-ka-uhane. It is our beautiful after life. But rest assured, I'm still around. You should feel me or maybe hear me from time to time. Your dad and I will keep watch, use our voices well. We are still and forever will be, marines.
As for you, I've left you everything I had on this earth. Take it and be happy my keiki. I renovated as much as I could. The house is old but is going to last a lifetime and beyond. I know you might not think you can have kids, but that's simply not true. Every keiki in the neighborhood will come by, they can bring you joy. Should you choose to marry, he might have kids too. You never know. But you won't be alone my Mila. Ever.
The purpose of this letter wasn't just to say goodbye, but to tell you that Terry needs you. He will be alone in the neighborhood when I'm gone. Make sure to visit him and let him take you fishing. He saved my life in Vietnam, I owe him more than I can convey. Plus if anyone messes with you, he will take care of it. No questions asked.
Don't cry too much my Mila.
Tears won't bring your parents back. Nor me.
Love you forever, until we meet again,
Aloha,
Grandpa
💋💋
I sat with the letter for a bit, crying, of course. But not out of sadness so much as finality. It's why I avoided opening this in the first place. They were gone. My family was gone.
But Terry wasn't. And Luca wasn't. Not yet anyway.
Grabbing my phone, I dialed my boyfriend. I anxiously waited while it rang, and rang. Finally, he picked up.
"Hello?"
"Can we talk?"
"Is Terry ok?" He asked, worry in his voice.
"Yes. . he's resting after surgery. They are going to keep him for a few days. Are you ok?"
He hesitated to answer.
"Luca, I screwed up. I know I did. But I don't want to lose you."
I hoped my pleading would work, he needed to know how I felt.
"I'm dealing with Leer and trying to figure out where my career is going now. I could retire in two years but I just don't know yet."
He sounded tired and defeated. My heart broke.
"Is there anything I can do?"
"No. I just have to deal with it and come up with a new plan."
"Am I still part of your plans?"
The other end muffled as he began talking to someone else in the background. I could hear him discussing something, in serious tones.
"I'll call you back babe." He said, hanging up.
He said babe. That gave me some hope. Surely he wouldn't have said that if we were over, would he? I could go to his place tomorrow, after my appointments were over and his work was done. Settling on this idea, I got up to make dinner.
Life was just beginning. Again.
**This story is only found on Wattpad. If found on another site, it was stolen. Thank you for reading.💋**