I don’t want us traveling in a bunch of different vehicles.” Tessa opened the overhead bin and retrieved her bag. The fact that all their things were intact was a nod to the quality of the craftsmanship of the jet.
“There are two vans. I will ride in one, and Karson will be in the second. The captain has alerted the local police as well as the hospital.”
“What about the media?” Katherine asked. “Are we going to be bombarded with cameras and interviewers?”
“No. I made it clear your privacy was priority. I was listening as he made the calls, and he stressed discretion. The police were notified as standard procedure, but you’ll be escorted into the hospital via a back entrance. Much like the entrance at New Atlanta General, the entrance to the morgue is separate here. They’ll have a private room set up where you’ll be able to wait as the others are being tended.”
Captain Sandoval stuck his head in the door. “Everyone ready?”
Tessa pulled down the bags from the bins, passing them out to their owners. Josie, Trevor, Willow, and Katherine helped carry Abbi’s and Sophia’s things, while Bryce took the kids’. Connor held tightly to Molly’s leash, but the dog made no move to get away. She stuck close to the quiet child as if she really were his companion.
Josie was pleasantly surprised at how well organized the captain and his crew were. The ride to the hospital was spent enjoying the scenery. Josie had never been to the Big Island, and she found its Old-World charm to be more beautiful than the lavishness of the more modern islands she and her family visited when she was younger. There was something to be said for the air with its gentle breeze. Unlike the big city of New Atlanta where everything was in constant motion, the island held a laid-back vibe. She couldn’t wait to visit Kai’s homeland.
The next couple hours were spent eating takeout from a local restaurant while Sophia and Abbi were checked over. Both babies and mothers were deemed fine, and as soon as they had eaten, the group made their way to the resort Sixx had reserved. In their haste to pack, no one had brought a bathing suit, so Tessa took it upon herself to ask for everyone’s sizes and preferences. They each had their own room, but they all ended up in Isabelle’s suite. Both kids went down for a nap without fuss. Tessa had a laptop she must have packed, and she used it to search for a store where she could order bathing suits and have them delivered.
“We don’t know how long we have until we leave for Samoa, and I for one could use a dip in the pool,” Tessa explained. “Plus, the kids need some normalcy. Just because we know this isn’t technically a vacation doesn’t mean we can’t treat it as such. Our lives are going to be stressful when we return home, so I suggest we use this time to relax as much as possible.”
“Don’t forget to order tons of sunscreen,” Trevor motioned down his body. “The fluorescent lighting of the morgue does not a tanned body make.”
Raised voices coming from the hallway had everyone jumping to their feet.
“My daughter-in-law is in there,” a deep voice Josie recognized growled.
Tessa reached out to stop Josie as she headed for the door. “That’s Ariki, Kai’s father.”
“Look through the peephole to be sure.”
Josie did as her friend requested, then threw open the door. “Bryce, it’s okay. Ariki…”
Kai’s father grabbed her arms gently. “Laʻu tama teine, let me look at you.”
“I’m fine, I promise.” Josie noticed another male who was definitely Kai’s brother. “You must be Pono. Thank you both for coming to see about me.” Pono smiled, placed a fist against his other palm, and bowed.
“Bryce? What’s going on?” Two more men strode down the hallway in their direction.
“Sinclair, Sixx. Good to see you both. This is Malakai’s mate, Josie.”
Both males fisted their heart and, in unison, said, “On my honor.”
Josie gave a little wave, but she was awestruck at the sight of Sixx. She knew he was Desmond Rothchild’s father, but seeing the male in person was shocking how much alike they looked. Sixx smirked, and Josie blushed. “Sorry. I’m Josie, and this is Malakai’s father and one of his brothers. Ariki and Pono, these males are Sinclair, the King’s brother, and Michael Gentry, who goes by Sixx.”
Josie waited while the males grasped arms in greeting.
“Now that the posturing