The Family Secret
Ch. 2
The Family Secret
“You did a great job in the cellar, Sweetie.” Helen told her daughter as they stood at the counter chopping vegetables. “Daddy will be very pleased.”
“It was very interesting,” Trixie responded. “Did you know that Grandpa Dave was wounded and got a Purple Heart?”
A shadow crossed Helen’s face. “No, actually I didn’t. I didn’t know him well until we moved back here to take care of him and Grandma. By that time, his memory was failing.”
“Does Daddy know more about him?” Trixie popped a cherry tomato into her mouth. “I mean, he would, wouldn’t he. Wouldn’t a son know about his dad?”
“I suppose,” Helen answered slowly. “Although Daddy was barely more than a baby when Grandpa came home from the service. I don’t know if they ever talked about the war. Why are you so curious all of a sudden?”
Trixie’s response was cut off by Bobby’s gleeful shout, “Daddy’s home!! Daddy’s home!!”
Peter Belden strode into the kitchen with Bobby perched on his shoulders. He kissed his wife on the cheek and dropped a kiss on his daughter’s curly head. “Hello family,” he said. “Something smells wonderful.”
“Meat loaf,” Helen told him. “With potatoes, salad and steamed broccoli. It should be ready in about fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll go change and check the chickens,” Peter said. “So Master Robert, do you want to help?”
They left the kitchen, and Helen and Trixie returned to dinner preparations.
As they ate dinner, Bobby rambled on and on about his play date with his friend Chase. Trixie listened absently, wanting to talk to her father about his father, but holding back for reason’s she couldn’t explain.
Dinner over, dishes and kitchen clean, she yawned loudly and excused herself. “Cleaning the cellar was more work than I thought,” she explained. “I wanted to talk to you about Grandpa, Daddy, but I think I’m going to go to bed instead.”
Peter kissed her cheek and nodded. “We can talk tomorrow,” he told her. “Your mother says you did quite a good job down there. I can’t wait to see it.”
Trixie blushed at his praise. “It was kind of fun, seeing all that old stuff, but I think it really wore me out. Goodnight.”
Upstairs, face washed, teeth brushed and pajamas on, Trixie climbed into bed and pulled the book out from under her pillow. She couldn’t wait to find out why Kamaile had disappeared so mysteriously, or what her Grandpa had done that made his writing seem so sad. She began reading.
Gone. She vanished. I just stood there for what seemed like half a lifetime, trying to figure out where she had gone, and how.
David stared at the place where Kamaile had stood. Shaking himself he moved forward cautiously, looking for clues, or traps. When the Japanese had been attacking the islands, many of the hills had emergency caches stored in caves and lava tubes. There were even rumors that Japanese soldiers had been using tunnels to infiltrate the islands. David knew that just about anything was possible. He dropped to the ground and began crawling through the mud on his stomach. His hand hit wood and he realized he had found a cache cover. The top was broken, as much from weathering and rot as from Kamaile’s abrupt trip through it. The morning sun was weak as he peered through the hole. He couldn’t see much. Quickly, he removed the remains of the lid and tossed it aside.
Leaning over the edge, he called out, “Kamaile? Kamaile, are you hurt?”
He thought he heard a whimper, but he couldn’t be sure. More light was flowing into the hole, and he could make out a lump at the bottom. It didn’t appear to be moving. “Kamaile!” he called again. “Hold tight. I’m going to get you out. Can you hear me?”
This time he heard a faint, “Yes.” from the depths of the hole. Looking around he spotted a tree from which hung many vines. Running to it, he pulled on the hanging vines, trying to tear them down. It wasn’t easy, as the rope-like vegetation did not want to loosen it’s hold on the tree.
Finally he managed to pull five or six good sized vines. Kneeling, he began tying them together, briefly thanking God for having joined the Navy. One thing he’d learned as a sailor was how to tie a good knot.
With one end of his makeshift rope tethered to the providing tree, David used the other to rappel to the bottom of the pit. He reached Kamaile’s side as she was struggling to sit up.
“Are you hurt?” he asked anxiously. “You fell a good thirty feet.”
“Just my ankle,” she replied with a wince. “I think I may have broken it.” She looked around. “What is this place?”
“I think it’s an emergency cache, left over from the war. The hills are supposed to be riddled with them.” He looked around in the dim sunlight. “I think we may be in luck.”
David moved toward the shadows. Sure enough, two crates and a metal foot locker stood stacked in a corner. Wrenching them to the ground, he opened one and gave a cheer. “Yes! Blankets, First Aid Kit and K rations. Now if I can only find some light.”
Digging through the other crate and the foot locker, David announced with glee every item found. Kamaile listened to him, shaking her head and trying to smile through her pain. He did have a way about him, her Lieutenant. She caught herself. Not her Lieutenant. Never hers. He belonged to another woman, and she needed to remember that.
David returned to her side, his arms full of treasures. He made a bed out of woolen blankets, and lifted her carefully atop it. He fussed around a bit, making her comfortable, the opened the medic kit and began ministering to her damaged ankle. The light from one of the two lanterns he had discovered gave him enough light to work effectively. Kamaile’s right ankle was scraped, bleeding and swelling badly, and he knew it hurt to have him set and wrap it, yet she sat silent and still with tears streaming down her cheeks.
“How does it feel now?” David asked.
“Better. It doesn’t hurt as much all wrapped up like that,” Kamaile smiled at him. “Thank you Dr. Lieutenant. Maybe now you can tell me how you plan to get us out of this pit.”
“Out?” David asked mockingly. “Why would we want out? This is the Ritz-Carlton of pits, I’ll have you know.” He reached over and brushed tears from her cheeks. “Food, water, a lantern and a bed. What more do you want.”
“I want to go home,” Kamaile said seriously, tears forming again. “I need to get home and see if my son and my mother are all right. To see if my home is still standing. I...I...” She broke off, overcome by emotion.
David gathered her in his arms, and sneaked a peek at his watch. “Kamaile, I’m sure that your mom and Kal are fine. Oahu probably didn’t even get hit.” He looked at his watch again. “But you’re hurt, and the sun will be going down soon. Honestly, I think we are better off here for the night. We’ll eat some horrible food, wash it down with stale water, and as soon as the sun is up tomorrow morning, I’ll get you out and home. Deal?”
“Do I have a choice?” she asked sullenly. He shook his head. “Fine,” she agreed.
“Here,” David held out a pill and a canteen of water. “Take this. It’s Sulfa” Kamaile shook her head. “ That’s an order, sailor,” David said sternly.
“I’m not a sailor. I’m a civilian, and you can’t order me around Lieutenant.” Kamaile’s eyes flashed, but she took the pill. “I’m only taking this because I don’t want an infection. My choice.”
David opened up a couple of k-rat boxes, “Ohh,” he said, beginning a running commentary. “Canned meat spread, crackers, coffee...tablets and chocolate biscuits. Yummy yum.” He began preparing the meal, while Kamaile glared at him from her corner.
After they ate their feast, David cleared the area and spread his own blankets near Kamaile. He helped her get comfortable, then curled up behind her to sleep. He was awakened less than an hour by her soft moans. Lighting the lantern he saw the tears streaking her face, and realized she was in agony.
“Let me give you a little morphine,” he said gently. “There’s an injection tube in the med kit.”
“No,” she replied, gritting her teeth. “I have to be awake to get out of here.”
“Just a little,” David assured her. “Just enough to take the edge off, no more. I promise. Trust me?”
Kamaile nodded and David retrieved the syringe. It looked like a small tube of toothpaste, but when he removed the cap, a medium gauge needle appeared. As gently as possible he rolled her to her side and injected her with about a quarter of the tube. Then capping and discarding it, he curled himself around her, holding her until her trembling stopped.
As the pain receded, Kamaile became aware of the arms around her. Floating lightly on the medication, she snuggled closer to David. She felt as if she were in a very pleasant dream, although in some part of her mind, she was aware of what she was doing.
David responded by nuzzling the back of her neck. Softly his lips moved to her ear, where he gently nibbled and whispered sweet nothings. Kamaile turned her lips to him, and whispered, “I love you, my Lieutenant.” He took her words into his mouth, and time ceased to exist...
And so I betrayed my wife. I took advantage of an injured woman, who trusted me. I made love to her in an abandoned cache hole while she was under the influence of morphine. In the morning we could barely look at each other. I apologized profusely, and she claimed that it was not my fault, but it was. We were able to get out of the pit and down the hill. I saw that Kamaile was taken to the hospital in Oahu, where she would get the best care. I made sure that her family was safe. She thanked me. Thanked me, for saving her. That is the woman she is. She is very forgiving, very loving, and I am so ashamed.
Trixie heard footsteps on the stairs, and quickly turned out her light. She wanted to read more, because this was so much better than one of Diana Lynch’s paperback romances. Yet there was a part of her that felt sorry for the characters, for they were real people. Trixie heard her parents’ door close and turned on her light again. She needed to finish the story.
May 23, 1946
I stayed in Hilo for a week, helping with the clean up. It was horrible, the destruction wholly caused by a whim of nature. Kamaile was in hospital, as they say, for three weeks. They operated on her ankle twice to repair the shattered bones. She visited us at work yesterday, fully recovered. When I asked her how she was, she told me she was fine, and asked if we could talk somewhere, privately. After shift, we met outside on the beach...
David found her sitting high in the sand, watching the waves crash to shore. Without a word, he dropped down beside her. She smiled sadly at him and said, “I hear you’re going home.”
He nodded. “My enlistment is up at the end of June. My mother is dying, and I need...I need to see if my marriage has a chance in Hell of surviving. So I quit. I’m going home.”
“For what it’s worth, I think you made the right decision,” Kamaile looked back at the ocean. “When do you leave?”
“June 10th.” David fell silent, watching the waves.
“I needed to talk to you David, “ Kamaile said. “I thought about letting you go without saying anything, but I can’t.” He started to speak, but she held her fingers to his lips. “Please, let me finish.” He nodded, and she took a deep breath. “I have been attracted to you since you arrived. You’re funny and charming and so very full of life. I tried not to let my feelings show, because I knew you were married, and I am not that kind of woman. That night, after the wave, I knew what we were doing was wrong, but I wanted it so badly. I wanted to be with you, and I let it happen as much as you did. Now, you are leaving, and you’re right to do so. You belong with your family. But you’re leaving a part of yourself here with me, David. By the time you leave for the States, I will be nearly three months pregnant with our child.”
“Are you sure?” David’s mouth went dry. “A baby? You...and me?”
“I’m very sure,” Kamaile touched his hand gently. “David, I’m very happy about this. I always wanted another child. I’m not asking you for anything more than you have given me.”
“But how will you take care of the baby? What will you do for money?” David was stunned by Kamaile’s calm demeanor.
“Mama and I are moving back home, to Kauai. We have family there, a home there. We’ll be just fine. Kalihikiola and this baby will have a very happy life,” Kamaile squeezed his hand again. “We will truly be fine.”
David looked at her with tears in his eyes. Hesitantly he placed his hand on her belly and asked, “How will I know? How can I be this child’s father if I’m half a world away?”
“I’ll write to you when the baby is born, if that is what you wish. I will give you our address on Kauai, and you let me know what you want from me,” She placed her hand over his. “This baby was made under unfortunate circumstances, but will be welcomed with love and joy, because I do love you David. I love you enough to know that you need to go back to your family, but I’m selfish enough to want you to remember your time here with me. I’m selfish enough to keep this part of you with me.”
David laid his head on her lap, and let his tears flow. He knew she was right, that his place was at home, yet a part of him longed for the future that would never be. Kamaile stroked his hair and they watched the sun set into the sea.
Trixie hunched under the covers, wiping her eyes with the edge of her sheet. It was so sad, this secret life of her grandfather. She wanted to know what happened to Kamaile, to her child, but there was only one page left in the journal. Taking a deep breath, she turned the page and read...
June 9, 1946
Tomorrow I leave for San Diego, and then Sleepyside. I haven’t seen Kamaile since that night on the beach when she told me she was expecting my child. A child I will never know, and who will never know me. It cuts to the bone, yet suddenly the thought of Caroline and my three children beckons to me as never before. God has seen fit to give me a family I have ignored for too many years. I am determined now to make up to Caroline, Hal, Alicia and Peter for all the time I have spent away. I pray He will help me succeed in my mission. My final mission, as in fifteen days I will be a civilian once more.
It ended there. Trixie closed the book in frustration. She knew how it ended. Grandfather had returned, joined the Naval Reserves, and lived the rest of his life at Crabapple Farm. But what had happened to the rest of them? To Kamaile and the baby. Did Trixie have an extra Aunt or Uncle? She felt as if the middle part of the story was missing, and that was quite vexing. “I’ll ask Daddy in the morning, maybe he knows,” she thought sleepily. “And I’ll check out those letters in the box. Maybe they can tell me...” The late hour caught up with her and she drifted to sleep.
