“Take your shoes off and leave them on the porch.”
Gina wiped her shoes on the rustic old doormat. “My shoes should be clean.”
A blank look crossed the woman’s face. “We don’t wear outdoor shoes inside the house in Hawaii. Anywhere. Ever.”
Gina did as she was told and took off her shoes. She’d forgotten about the hole in a toe of the heavy wool socks she’d put on that morning. She looked sheepishly at the woman who had obviously noticed her big toe protruding. “Sorry. I’m a little behind with my sewing.”
“No matter. I doubt you’ll need wool socks here, or that overcoat.”
“Probably not.”
None of the walls in the house had wallboard, showing the interior of the walls. She could see where fresh wood studs had replaced older ones, and the wiring, switches, outlets, and pipes all looked new. The bare wood floor creaked under her feet as she walked. Other than one bedroom, there was no furniture, and only an old light fixture hung from each ceiling.
“It looks there’ve already been some repairs to the place,” Gina said, her feelings of diplomacy starting to weaken.
“Most of the electrical and plumbing has been replaced, and new support framing everywhere. We still need to put up paneling and do something with the floor. A few of the windows are stuck, but we’re hoping that with the new roof, those will get better.”
“It sounds like you know the house pretty well?”
“This was my grandparents’ home. They bought the land and built a place of their own as soon as they had the money. Over the years, rooms were added on as they got more prosperous.” The woman took a deep breath as she looked around the room they were in. “I spent a lot of my childhood in this old house. And yes, I do realize the place is a dump, but the family hates to let it go. We’re even hoping to get it registered as a historical building. But for the time being, it’s yours to live in.”
That shed new light on the place, and on her escort. “You’re one of the Tanizawas?”
Finally, the woman smiled. “Yes. Everybody around here still knows me as Millie Tanizawa, even though I took my husband’s name when we married. It’s easiest for everybody if you call me Millie.”
“I feel honored you’re letting me live in your family home, especially having never met me before.”
“Never mind,” Millie said with a wave of her hand. “We have a credit card for your use, and there’s an open account at the hardware store for anything you might need. The bed has fresh linen on it and the bathroom is clean. The kitchen is a little rustic, but everything works if you say the right prayer. We weren’t sure of what you liked to eat, but we’ve stocked a few things for you. Is there anything else that you need tonight?”
“I don’t think so. That bed sounds good, though.”
“Tomorrow is Friday, Christmas, and no one will be around. You’ll have the estate to yourself. I suggest getting to know the gardens and learn about the bus system before Monday. Everything you might need is a short bus ride away. My suggestion is to make a list of what needs to be done before taking on too many tasks.” The woman smiled when she put her hand out to shake Gina’s. “Good luck, Miss Santoro.”
Chapter Three
When Gina woke in the morning, it was to the sound of her phone ringing with a call from her sister. She knew it was a Christmas call from the entire family, something she wasn’t prepared to face up to. She also knew that if she ignored the call, the phone would continue to ring until she answered, all morning if it took that long.
“Merry Christmas. Did Mom and Dad survive Christmas morning without their Number Two daughter being there?”
“They’re bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Dad and I had quiet shifts. Mom has gifts under the tree for you. The call’s on speaker and they’re right here, by the way.”
“Hi Mom! Hi Dad! Merry Christmas!” Gina shouted into her phone so they could hear her. “Did you open the things I left for you?”
“Thank you for the cuff links, Gina,” her father said.
“How many pairs is that now?”
“Eighteen. You haven’t missed a year since you were ten years old.”
“Hopefully Mamma got you a shirt to go with them. Mamma, did you open your gift?”
“I don’t need any more cookware, Gigi.”
“I know. I bet you can put it to good use, though. How did the porchetta abruzzese turn out?”
“Too much for just the three of us.”
Ouch. “Well, you have enough for leftovers. Okay if I talk to Ana alone for a minute?”
“Dad’s in the den and Mom’s already in the kitchen. Might still be a little miffed. How were the flights?”
“Long. I never knew the Pacific Ocean was so big.”
“Like, duh. It’s on the map,” Ana said.
“Shut up. I have cellular but no data. I guess they don’t have Wi-Fi in the forest.”
“Forest?” Ana asked.
“You should see this place. The house is in the middle of a forest. Palms trees everywhere around here.”
“Ooh, your own little Santoro Witch Project.”
“Don’t say that. I heard things walking around outside during the night.”
“Probably just Hawaiian zombies looking for a new flavor of blood to suck. Nothing to worry about. How’s the house? Pretty nice?” Ana asked.
“More like rustic. It has this weird thatched roof made from palm fronds and there are no walls on the inside.”
Ana laughed. “You wanted something different. I guess you got it. Eat breakfast yet?”
“Not yet. All
