True to Me - Kay Bratt Page 0,84

sold to a family that owns a lot of stuff on this island and could afford to bring it up to scale to compete.”

“Jaime didn’t want to work for the new owners?” Quinn asked.

“He tried. They installed some high-tech computer system that everyone had to learn to use. Jaime had problems catching on, and they put him on probation because he made some mistakes. Computers aren’t his thing. He tried, but they eventually let him go and refused to give him his pension due to some legality he didn’t understand.”

“They fired him because he can’t understand the technology?” Quinn thought that was beyond unfair. From what she’d seen in the photos, Jaime was about the same age as her mother, who also had trouble figuring out technology. Quinn had spent a lot of time convincing her to switch to a smartphone but didn’t even try to talk her into letting go of her mistrust of the internet. Jaime probably just needed more training. Better training, even. She felt guilty considering she’d mentally branded Jaime as a loser who’d abandoned his family.

“Yep. Jaime heard they filled his position with two college kids who alternate shifts. They can pay them cheaper and can skip paying benefits.”

“Why didn’t he just tell Maria? They could’ve done something about it together. He didn’t have to leave them,” Quinn said. She felt so sad for them.

“Pride. Again, in the Hawaiians it’s a very noble attribute, but can also be a serious thing. Jaime was able to keep paying the bills for a while by getting a loan on the house, but that just put him deeper in debt. When it ran out, he left. He said he couldn’t face the kids and Maria and tell them the house was going to be taken by the bank. He really couldn’t stand the thought of telling Kupuna either. He thought he could figure something out.”

“So he was coming back?”

“He did plan to come back when he got a new job and was making regular money. But all he’s found to do is some roofing and a few landscaping jobs. Nothing permanent.”

“That’s heartbreaking. So now he’ll leave again?” Quinn couldn’t imagine what Maria would do if Jaime disappeared again.

“I don’t think so. I talked to him about having enough faith in Maria to know she’ll stand by him no matter what. I told him he should appreciate that he has a wife and kids to come home to. Some men don’t have that anymore, or never did.”

Liam got quiet then. Quinn didn’t turn to look at him; his voice was heavy with emotion, and she was afraid she’d see tears.

“I hope he’ll stay. She’s going to need help with Pali,” she said.

After a minute or two went by, she broke the silence. “Well, let me tell you about my saga. I found out who my father is today.”

“That’s great, Quinn!” He sat up straight and rubbed her arm. “I told you it’d all work out.”

She didn’t know about working out, but at least she knew her identity now. Though, given the choice now, she wasn’t sure if she’d ever come to Maui.

“Do you know a man named Noah Monroe?” she asked.

“Of course. He owns Monroe Maui Excursions down on Front Street. I think his daughters and their husbands run it most of the time now. His wife is a Rocha, but she doesn’t have much to do with them. She and Noah spend a lot of time helping the homeless who hang out on the beach. They provide sack lunches and sleeping bags. Help some of them get started again. They’re good people.”

“They’re my people,” Quinn said, saying the words slowly as though they’d sting coming out. It still didn’t sound true.

“I don’t understand.”

“Did you know that they lost a little girl a long time ago?”

“Yeah, I did know that. I went to school with Jonah. Everyone said the loss of his sister was why he was so hard to get along with. He felt responsible. Growing up he was always fighting or skipping class to go to the water. He bought his own small boat when he was fourteen and used to go out alone, just cruising the waters. He joined the service when he was eighteen. And I haven’t seen him in years, come to think of it.”

Quinn breathed in and out, trying to still the explosive thumping of her heart. There was so much to explain, but how could she tell him that everything she thought