“Tii Lillian,” Rao, Maati 2023, 40–41.
Tii Lillian
E aki tangiria Lillian bwa e na tiku n tii ngaia n te Bootaki n Ataeinaine.
Te bong aei bon ana kabanea ni bong Lillian n te Moanrinan. Lillian e nang aki manga noria ataei ake tabeman n te Moanrinan. Bon ti teniman ngaiia—uoman ataeinaine ao mwanena ae uarereke, Michael.
“E kanga am namakin ngkai ko nang mwaing nakon aia Bootaki n Ataeinaine?” e titiraki ana tia reirei n te Moanrinan.
“I aaki kona n tataninga n nakon te kiraati ma ataeinaine ake a ikawai!” E taku Lillian.
“I kukurei ngkai ko a kariaria nako iai,” e taku ana tia reirei. “Antai riki raom n te Bootaki n Ataeinaine?”
E iangoiia ataeinaine Lillian ake a ikawai n te uoote. Summer ao Cova a tiba bane aia kauarinan. Ao ana utu Melvina a tia ni mwaing nako. Taninga. Ae tiku … ai ti Lillian.
A na aekakira ana kiraati n te Bootaki n Ataeinaine? Ti ngaia ma te tia reirei? E tara n aki bo ma aongina—ao ni kamaroa. Iangoakina e a karika nakon nanon Lillian. E mata nokunoku. E aki tangiria n tiku ti ngaia n te Bootaki n Ataeinaine.
N nikiran te bong, e iango Lillian ae ai bon ti ngaia te ataeinnaine. N tain te katairiki, e a kakabuti kanana iaon ana raurau n aki amwarake. E wirikiriki ngke e a roko ana tai ni wareware n tain warekan koroboki aika tabu n aia utu.
Tinana e katuka ana boki. “Tera te bwai ae e riki?” e titiraki.
E kanakoa angina Lillian. “Ae n nang bon tiku ti ngai n te Bootaki n Ataeinaine!”
E kerake tinana n tekateka irarikin Lillian. E rabwatia. “E na aki bebete,” e taku. “Tera ae ti kona ni karaoia ni buokiko iai?”
E iango tabeua te tai Lillian. “Tao ti kona n tataro bwa e aonga te teinaine temanna ni mwaing nakon te uoote. Ao tao Dad e kona n anganai te kakabwaia.”
E wingare Tamana. “Akanne bon iango aika a tamaroa.”
A katorobubua te utu n tataro. “Tamara are i Karawa,” e moanna Lillian, “I kukurei ngkai N nang mwaing nakon te Bootaki n Ataeinaine. I aki tangiria n tiku ti ngai, ma ngkana anne bon Nanom, ao e bon tamaroa. Taiaoka buokai n ataia bwa tera ae I kona ni karaoia bwa N a namakina te rau. Ao ngkana Ko tangiria ni kaunga nanon te utu teuana ae iai te ataeinaine ae rorou ni mwaing nakon ara uoote, anne e bon rangi n tamaroa naba.”
Imwiin te tataro, e katokaa baina Dad iaon atuuna. “I kakabwaiako bwa ko na namakina te rau ibukin mwaingim nakon te Bootaki n Ataeinaine, e taku. “Tamara are i Karawa E na kakabwaiako ngkai ko bubutiia Ana buoka.”
Lillian e namakina te rau. E tuai raoi ataia bwa tera ae E kona ni karaoia ni karika mwaingina nakon te Bootaki n Ataeinaine bwa e na bebete. Ma e bon ataia naba ae Tamana are i Karawa E na buokia.
N te Tabati, e bon teimatoa n nako nanon Lillian. Ma e uringa te rau are e namakinna imwiin ana kakabwaia Dad. E ataia bwa E na bon nakoraoi bwaai ni kabane.
Inanon tain te bootaki n toa, e katanoata te bitiobi ae Titita Barns e nang riki bwa te beretitenti ae boou n te Bootaki n Ataeinaine. E teirake Titita Barns ngke e weteaki arana. Lillian e aki rang kinaa raoi neiei, ma e tara n rangi ni iraorao.
E taku ngkoa Mum bwa ngke bon roron Lillian, ana tia kairiiri n te Bootaki n Ataeinaine e riki bwa raraona ae te kabanea n tamaroa. Tao e kona n riki Lillian bwa raoraon Titita Barns! Anne bon te kaeka nakon ana tataro.
Imwiin te bootaki n toa, e a nakon ana kiraati ae boou Lillian. Temanna te teinaine ae e ikawai riki e tei n te tabo n tataninga.
“Mauri,” e taku Lillian. “Ko roko n nora ara uoote?”
E ioioa atuuna te teinaine. “I aki. Au utu a tibwa mwaing n nakomai.”
E wingare Lillian. “Kaaraki nakon ara uoote. Aio ai bon tiba au moan tai n te Bootaki n Ataeinaine.” Ngaia ao te teinaine a tekateka inanon te kiratiruum. “Ao irarikina, arau bon Lillian.”
“Ko bon koaua!” e taku te teinaine are e boou. “”Arau naba bon Lillian!”
E ngare Lillian. Tamara are i Karawa e a tia ni manga kaekaa riki ana tataro! Tao kainakin te Bootaki n Ataeinaine e nang bon aki kamaroa.
E riki te karaki aei i Aotiteria.
Kamataata n te tamnei iroun Sue Teodoro