It was, after all, Makana’s dance recital. Her powerful display of Kaholo dance had been a source of pride for all of us. It never had to be stated, but we Riley-Hales prided ourselves on family. Ohana, my father called it. The utter importance of never forgetting who lives in our hearts.
“Ransom!” Makana wasn’t going to let me out of being part of her celebration. She waved at me across the aisle, insisting with her small fingers that I stand in front of her. It had been months since I’d been back in New Orleans and when you have young siblings, those weeks add up. I’d seen Makana and her older brother, Koa’s, first steps, heard their first words. I’d experienced every learned skill that kids pick up despite my college football and then later NFL career. I was present. Always, even when I was thousands of miles away in Miami. Still, my kid sister and brother did things like grow and get larger without me knowing. Every trip back home to New Orleans marked another change in them. This time, I had noticed that Koa was taller, his shoulders wider, though he was still a little scrawny. The soft, round features of Makana’s face were diminishing, growing less baby-like, and looking at her reaching those long arms toward me I realized it wouldn’t take many more trips away before I wouldn't recognize her at all.
Soon it would be puberty for my kid sister. Soon, Koa would be into more than his Xbox and whatever social media site was taking his attention. All too soon enough, those kids wouldn’t be kids anymore.
Makana stopped wiggling from Mom and Dad’s attention when I stood in front of her, grabbing her hand. One glance at her face, at that lowering smile, and I knew my kid sister wasn’t just interested in knowing what I thought of her performance. “Did you see that Ethan proposed to Aly? Our Aly?”
“I did, kaikuahine.” I knelt in front of her, grinning at how her attention wandered, like most ten-year-old’s would. She looked over my head, at my side, elbowing Koa when he stood too close. The hint of theater make-up on her heart-shaped face made Mack look a little older than I liked.
She glanced at me, blinking fast, small flecks of eye make-up and glitter falling onto her cheeks to catch the light and sparkle playfully there. “You gonna tell her congrats?”
“Think I should?” I nodded to several fans as they passed me, but wouldn’t sign autographs. Not with my little sister wanting my attention. Not when my folks and little brother expected me to be just Ransom, not Ransom Riley-Hale, NFL player, when I was with them.
“I don’t know. Mr. Willis is a nice guy. He’s always bringing her white roses and those fancy chocolates she likes.” She shrugged as though those small gifts proved this Ethan guy was husband material.
Makana could charm a snake with one grin and her Pollyanna, ‘everything is wonderful,’ attitude. My mom swore she learned that from me. And I will admit, Mack’s grin had me forgetting that Aly had said yes—almost, until I thought of it again. A handful of months with this guy and she was already promising forever.
My sister wasn’t upset over the proposal. Why would she be? Everyone thought that Aly and I had parted ways four years ago. It was what she’d wanted. But that hadn’t kept me from going to her, begging to be with her again, or even just for a little while more if she’d have me. It was convenient to think that nothing but distance had changed for us. But that wasn’t true. We had changed, her most of all. Two years ago she stopped letting me inside her condo when I visited. It had been the longest two years of my life.
“So chocolates and flowers matter?”
Makana fiddled with my collar, ignoring Koa when he tugged on her pā?ū skirt trying to pester her. “I don’t know, I guess.” Glancing up at me, seeming bored already with the conversation, Makana turned away from me when one of her friends called her name.
As Makana moved away from me, my mind couldn't keep from Aly, and what had happened tonight. God knows that I always thought there would be more time. We always promised to reserve time in our future lives, something that would always be on the horizon when Aly had her studio running smoothly and my career wasn’t so unstable. No matter where we went, even if we were apart, there would always be tomorrow.
At least, that’s what I’d believed.