forces to correct your hyper vigilant use of self-pitying alliteration and encourage you to reach for the stars.”
“Is that from God’s employee handbook?”
He waved his hand, laughing again. “Nobody reads those things.”
Okay. I was intrigued. “Is there really a God? Who is He and what is He like?”
Again with that asinine smile. “You already know.”
“Stop with the psychic mumbo-jumbo. Why does everything always have to be so hard?”
“To help you jump higher.”
I clenched my fists and punched the sofa pillows. When I opened my eyes he was gone. “Wait. I don’t even know your name. What if I need you? Come on. If you are real, I really need your help.”
Chapter 12
No Fun in Funeral
By the next morning, my sunburn had been toned down to a bright fuchsia. I pulled on my sundress, hat and oversized knock-off Gucci sunglass. I stepped in front of the mirror and put on my grandmother’s sunshmina. “Please be okay, Halmoni.” I sent the thought out to the universe, or, to hedge my bets, to my so-called guardian angel. I ran outside, hopped in the jeep and headed toward the beach memorial service—with no idea what or who I was supposed to be looking for.
As I parked, I was hit with a panic attack. My heart pounded and my stomach churned. I never really knew how to act or what to say at funerals, so I usually ended up saying wildly inappropriate things, or laughing. Though I didn’t really know Mike, we did have a connection. I was probably one of the last people he talked to that night. And if I had to be totally honest, yes, I would have gone out with him if he called me. I folded my hands in front of my flustered heart, and wished him peace. I turned my head from side to side in case anyone had seen me, then I giggled. See?
I found the service by following the huge crowd gathered on the sandy beach. It was a favorite local surfing spot just a few miles outside of Lahaina. With all of my shady accoutrements I felt pretty confident I’d be well hidden in the crowd and no one would question me being there.
“Hey, look, it’s Hollywood!”
I turned my head. I guess I must have looked like some minor celebrity trying to act like I didn’t want to be noticed. Besides, I was positive they couldn’t remember my name.
“Hey, Zev. Bronco, Kenny,” I said. I peered at them over the top of my sunglasses and greeted the three surfers from my grandmother’s ear-cleaning party. They were actually wearing plaid-buttoned shirts, with shorts and flip-flops. “How are you guys? What are you doing here? Did you know Mike?” Then and there seemed as good as place as any to start my investigation.
They all looked at each other. “We knew the dude,” Zev said. “Plus, this is where we surf.”
“We were going to come here anyway, so we thought we’d pay our respects,” Bronco said as he nudged Kenny. “Too bad about what happened, huh?”
“Even if he was a wave hog, claiming he had more rights since he was Hawaiian. Dude was no fun to surf with,” Kenny said.
“Shut it, Kenny.” Bronco looked at me with an apology. “Real nice. He only had nice things to say about you,” Bronco told him.
“Did not. He didn’t even know my name.”
“Did you guys hear about my grandmother?” I interrupted. “They think she killed him.”
“Yeah, we heard,” Zev said. “But, there is no way. She’s aces. We’ll vouch for her.” They all nodded and stared at the ground before looking up at me.
“Is she in jail?” Bronco asked.
“Yes, but I talked to an attorney and he’s trying to work out a bail agreement, but so far, no luck. They just don’t have any other suspects, and they’re afraid she’ll run away or something. Especially since her son, my dad, lives on the mainland. But you guys, she did not do it. You know that, right?”
They nodded.
“I’m trying to meet people and see if I can learn anything, see if anybody knows who else might have wanted him dead.”
They
“Is that from God’s employee handbook?”
He waved his hand, laughing again. “Nobody reads those things.”
Okay. I was intrigued. “Is there really a God? Who is He and what is He like?”
Again with that asinine smile. “You already know.”
“Stop with the psychic mumbo-jumbo. Why does everything always have to be so hard?”
“To help you jump higher.”
I clenched my fists and punched the sofa pillows. When I opened my eyes he was gone. “Wait. I don’t even know your name. What if I need you? Come on. If you are real, I really need your help.”
Chapter 12
No Fun in Funeral
By the next morning, my sunburn had been toned down to a bright fuchsia. I pulled on my sundress, hat and oversized knock-off Gucci sunglass. I stepped in front of the mirror and put on my grandmother’s sunshmina. “Please be okay, Halmoni.” I sent the thought out to the universe, or, to hedge my bets, to my so-called guardian angel. I ran outside, hopped in the jeep and headed toward the beach memorial service—with no idea what or who I was supposed to be looking for.
As I parked, I was hit with a panic attack. My heart pounded and my stomach churned. I never really knew how to act or what to say at funerals, so I usually ended up saying wildly inappropriate things, or laughing. Though I didn’t really know Mike, we did have a connection. I was probably one of the last people he talked to that night. And if I had to be totally honest, yes, I would have gone out with him if he called me. I folded my hands in front of my flustered heart, and wished him peace. I turned my head from side to side in case anyone had seen me, then I giggled. See?
I found the service by following the huge crowd gathered on the sandy beach. It was a favorite local surfing spot just a few miles outside of Lahaina. With all of my shady accoutrements I felt pretty confident I’d be well hidden in the crowd and no one would question me being there.
“Hey, look, it’s Hollywood!”
I turned my head. I guess I must have looked like some minor celebrity trying to act like I didn’t want to be noticed. Besides, I was positive they couldn’t remember my name.
“Hey, Zev. Bronco, Kenny,” I said. I peered at them over the top of my sunglasses and greeted the three surfers from my grandmother’s ear-cleaning party. They were actually wearing plaid-buttoned shirts, with shorts and flip-flops. “How are you guys? What are you doing here? Did you know Mike?” Then and there seemed as good as place as any to start my investigation.
They all looked at each other. “We knew the dude,” Zev said. “Plus, this is where we surf.”
“We were going to come here anyway, so we thought we’d pay our respects,” Bronco said as he nudged Kenny. “Too bad about what happened, huh?”
“Even if he was a wave hog, claiming he had more rights since he was Hawaiian. Dude was no fun to surf with,” Kenny said.
“Shut it, Kenny.” Bronco looked at me with an apology. “Real nice. He only had nice things to say about you,” Bronco told him.
“Did not. He didn’t even know my name.”
“Did you guys hear about my grandmother?” I interrupted. “They think she killed him.”
“Yeah, we heard,” Zev said. “But, there is no way. She’s aces. We’ll vouch for her.” They all nodded and stared at the ground before looking up at me.
“Is she in jail?” Bronco asked.
“Yes, but I talked to an attorney and he’s trying to work out a bail agreement, but so far, no luck. They just don’t have any other suspects, and they’re afraid she’ll run away or something. Especially since her son, my dad, lives on the mainland. But you guys, she did not do it. You know that, right?”
They nodded.
“I’m trying to meet people and see if I can learn anything, see if anybody knows who else might have wanted him dead.”
They
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