May 30, 1984
The road from the Ikahara house to the Hart house was as bad, if not worse than, the road from the airport. Andrew sat in the front seat as Shelby drove, his nails digging into the cloth seat. In the back seat, Lili Ikahara and Tessa giggled and chatted, completely unconcerned by the death defying terrain they traversed.
Turning onto a nearly hidden dirt road, Shelby maneuvered the car a half-mile toward the sea. Pulling into a clearing, overlooking the churning surf, she turned off the car and pointed at a structure, half hidden in the jungle forest. “That’s the ohana house. The main house is a few feet deeper into the trees.”
“You’re coming with us, aren’t you? Andrew asked.
“Of course.” Shelby climbed out of the car with a smile. “I have the key.”
Tessa took the lead, walking down the oyster shell and lava chip path, stopping briefly to inhale the scent of the blooms along the way. Andrew followed, watching his niece as she danced through the vegetation, touching the lush greenery with almost reverent hands.
“Aloha, Keiki, aloha one hanau.”
Andrew nearly jumped out of his skin at the words. The frowning man approaching them was huge, towering at least five or six inches over Andrew’s six feet. A sleeveless grey t-shirt stretched across his muscular chest, and his powerful legs made short work of the path as he moved gracefully toward Tessa.
“Uncle Kal!” Tessa ran into the arms of the giant, positively identifying him as Kalihiki’ola Kaneohe.
As Andrew watched, a broad smile broke across the man’s face, transforming him completely. His arms wrapped around the girl, tears streaming from his dark eyes, as he whispered to Tessa, “Aloha one hanau, ipo,’oe one hanau.”
“The arrangements have been made,” Kal said, handing Andrew a can of beer, and opening a soda for Tess. “The church is available, and the grounds will do nicely for the memorial luau. After, we’ll head to the cliffs, for the surf circle.”
“I couldn’t stop them,” Tessa said, laying her head on the kitchen table. “Because I wasn’t able to tell them anything about us. They just...did it.”
“It’s standard procedure to cremate unclaimed...remains,” Andrew added. “By the time I got back to New York, it was already done. I am sorry.”
Kal nodded. “You’re not to blame,” he said. “It just is. I’ve given the matter a lot of thought, and I think I have a solution.” He disappeared, leaving Tessa and Andrew starring at each other.
Sitting up, Tessa sipped her soda, and shrugged. “He does that, sometimes,” she said. “He’ll be back.”
Sure enough, Kal returned, carrying a canvas bag. “I made these,” he said, pulling three carved boxes out of the bag. Each was about six inches square, the tops and sides carved with hearts and hibiscus, in addition to symbols Andrew didn’t recognize. Patiently, he waited until Kal had arranged his boxes and seated himself. “This one,” Kal said, pushing the first box toward Tessa. “This one we’ll fill and bury with your father and brother. This,” he pushed the second box forward. “This one I’ll take home to Kaua’i with me, and bury with our ancestors.”
“And the third box?” Andrew asked.
“That one is for the circle,” Tessa answered quietly. “We will take it the cliffs near where Daddy, Noni, and Keoni died. There will be a ceremony on the beach, and then we’ll paddle out beyond the break, and spread the rest of Mama’s ashes.” She turned her doe eyes on Kal. “You have the circle set?”
Kal nodded, one large hand gently stroking his niece’s hair. “Mak and Kai will be there. Cousins and friends, combined, there will be sixteen in all. It’ll be a good send off, that I promise keiki.”
“I will be glad to have it done,” Tessa confessed. “It’s weighed on my mind.”
Andrew watched, unable to stop the surge of regret that washed over him. If he had only been able to bring Tessa home sooner, to give her closure. As if she were reading his thoughts, Tessa reached across the table for his hand. “It isn’t your fault,” she told him. “You brought us back as soon as you could. None of what happened was your fault.”
Andrew squeezed her hand gently, unable to answer. A weight descended on his arm, and he looked up to see Kal adding his hand on the pile. “She’s right, kaikaina. You did well to bring them home. Kai’nehe did well to chose you.”
“Kai’nehe. That’s Sarah’s name, isn’t it?” Andrew asked.
“Yes. Kai’nehe. My whispering sea.” Kal’s face softened, briefly, with memories, before he abruptly removed his hand. He rose, dropping a kiss on the top of Tessa’s head. “I’m going out to catch dinner. Have you yet learned not to burn the rice, keiki?”
Tessa wrinkled her nose. “You aren’t ever going to let me forget that, are you?”
“No,” Kal said with a grin. “Not ever.” Silently, Kal left the house, leaving Tessa giggling.
Tessa stopped giggling, watching as Kal moved silently towards the ohana house. “You should go fishing with him,” she told Andrew.
“I don’t think so,” Andrew said, shaking his head. “I’m not sure he likes me that much; what if he throws me out of the boat?”
“You know how to swim,” Tessa pointed out with a grin. “Besides, Uncle Kal likes you just fine. He called you little brother, not stupid haole. Come on, let’s go down to the beach and see if he’d like company.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Andrew joked.
“No.” Tessa shook her head, suddenly serious. “You can stay, if you want. I just know how much you like to fish, and the outrigger is a lot of fun.”
“I was kidding, keiki,” Andrew ruffled her hair. “I’d love to go fishing, if you think Kal won’t mind.”
Tessa stood up. “He won’t mind. He likes you, even if he won’t admit it to you.” She headed for the door. “C’mon. I’ll race you.” She shot out the door, barefoot, leaving Andrew shaking his head and reaching for his boots.
Kal handed Tessa a papaya, and turned his attention to Andrew. With a growing grin, he looked him up and down, from the wide brimmed straw hat to the REI hiking boots. “Da hat’s da kine, Brah, but lose the clumps.”
Tessa translated. “Wear the hat, but not the boots. They’re too heavy and your feet will get hot.” Turning to Kal, she asked, “Got mo pair slippahs?”
Kal disappeared for a moment, and returned with a pair of flip-flop style sandals.
Balancing on one foot at a time, Andrew removed his boots, and slid his feet into the ‘slippahs’. Handing them to Tessa, he asked, “Would you mind?”
“Not at all. I’ll put them in Ke...your room.” As Andrew helped Kal push the outrigger into the surf, Tessa yelled, “I’m going to start the rice. If you aren’t back in two hours, I am not responsible for it burning!” Kal’s deep rolling laugh was her only answer.
