have a good sleep?”
“I had a good dream, but that is not the same thing.” He coughed, adjusted the pillows behind himself. “I smell something interesting in the kitchen.”
Ealani entered the bedroom, pattering across a thin mat on the dirt floor to place a steaming cup of coffee on a side table, and then handed her husband a plate of macadamia nut pancakes, topped with banana slices and coconut syrup. Though it was not an authentic Hawaiian recipe, it had become a favorite of his over the long years of their marriage.
After giving her a kiss, he said, “What is this special meal? It is not my birthday.”
“Every day with you is a special day, my darling,” she said.
Moments later, she brought in another plate for Kimo, and one for herself. They sat on side chairs, and the three of them ate together in silence, in the bedroom. She smiled in a kindly way as she watched her husband with his pancakes, but Kimo saw sadness in her eyes. She was having difficulty with her emotions this morning.
“Have I ever told you the story of why I was fishing in Upu’iki Channel the morning that I found you?” Tiny asked, looking at Kimo.
“Yes, Father,” Kimo said. He picked at his own pancake, taking only small bites. His stomach roiled from worry over the old man’s health. Besides that, Kimo would prefer eating the bounty of the sea today—raw kelp, leafy seaweed, small fish, plankton, and even burrowing worms that were parasitical to coral reefs. He always considered the ecological consequences of what he was doing, and tried to contribute much more to the sea than he took from it.
Tiny ignored his son’s response and said, “I arose early that morning, and was about to go out to one of my favorite fishing grounds off Namaia Head.” He looked at Ealani. “But your mother wouldn’t let me go there. She insisted that I fish at Upu’iki instead, and made me promise to go there.”
Hearing this, Ealani nodded silently.
“In fact,” Tiny continued, “she wanted me to spend the whole day there, and would not let me out the door until I promised.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t lie to her later, either, because she always knows when I try. I’ve learned not to oppose her, or she’ll find a way to use the spirit world against me. She’s always been in touch with something that the rest of us do not see.”
Ealani was looking away toward the window, as if bringing back her own memories of the occasion.
“When I netted you in the sea that day,” Tiny said to Kimo, “it confirmed more than ever that she is in contact with another realm. You are the prize catch of all time.” He paused. “Second to your mother, of course.”
Ealani gave him a smile, but Kimo saw the sadness persist in her eyes. She began to collect the breakfast plates.
“Your mother and I have been talking about what happened at Olamai,” Tiny said, “and we wondered if you could create another event like that, but bigger, something that would get the attention of the whole world. What if you could shut down every beach in Hawaii, and then publicize through Ealani’s cousin who owns a newspaper that it’s a statement against human abuses of the ocean? Stop all surfing, swimming, boating, and anything else on those beaches for a day. Terrify the tourists a little without hurting anyone, and we’ll get the publicity we need to save the ocean.”
“Father, I don’t think I–“
The old man wouldn’t listen to any objections. “After you do that, Preston Ellsworth and all his power will not be able to suppress the cause of the ocean, or call us crazy anymore.”
Kimo scowled, but saw his mother nodding as she listened.
“Your father is right,” she said. “The sea creatures are already agitated, and only need you to lead them.” She stood by the doorway, holding the stacked plates and utensils. “They have given you the template, and they will do as you instruct. You have a talent; you have guided them in the
“I had a good dream, but that is not the same thing.” He coughed, adjusted the pillows behind himself. “I smell something interesting in the kitchen.”
Ealani entered the bedroom, pattering across a thin mat on the dirt floor to place a steaming cup of coffee on a side table, and then handed her husband a plate of macadamia nut pancakes, topped with banana slices and coconut syrup. Though it was not an authentic Hawaiian recipe, it had become a favorite of his over the long years of their marriage.
After giving her a kiss, he said, “What is this special meal? It is not my birthday.”
“Every day with you is a special day, my darling,” she said.
Moments later, she brought in another plate for Kimo, and one for herself. They sat on side chairs, and the three of them ate together in silence, in the bedroom. She smiled in a kindly way as she watched her husband with his pancakes, but Kimo saw sadness in her eyes. She was having difficulty with her emotions this morning.
“Have I ever told you the story of why I was fishing in Upu’iki Channel the morning that I found you?” Tiny asked, looking at Kimo.
“Yes, Father,” Kimo said. He picked at his own pancake, taking only small bites. His stomach roiled from worry over the old man’s health. Besides that, Kimo would prefer eating the bounty of the sea today—raw kelp, leafy seaweed, small fish, plankton, and even burrowing worms that were parasitical to coral reefs. He always considered the ecological consequences of what he was doing, and tried to contribute much more to the sea than he took from it.
Tiny ignored his son’s response and said, “I arose early that morning, and was about to go out to one of my favorite fishing grounds off Namaia Head.” He looked at Ealani. “But your mother wouldn’t let me go there. She insisted that I fish at Upu’iki instead, and made me promise to go there.”
Hearing this, Ealani nodded silently.
“In fact,” Tiny continued, “she wanted me to spend the whole day there, and would not let me out the door until I promised.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t lie to her later, either, because she always knows when I try. I’ve learned not to oppose her, or she’ll find a way to use the spirit world against me. She’s always been in touch with something that the rest of us do not see.”
Ealani was looking away toward the window, as if bringing back her own memories of the occasion.
“When I netted you in the sea that day,” Tiny said to Kimo, “it confirmed more than ever that she is in contact with another realm. You are the prize catch of all time.” He paused. “Second to your mother, of course.”
Ealani gave him a smile, but Kimo saw the sadness persist in her eyes. She began to collect the breakfast plates.
“Your mother and I have been talking about what happened at Olamai,” Tiny said, “and we wondered if you could create another event like that, but bigger, something that would get the attention of the whole world. What if you could shut down every beach in Hawaii, and then publicize through Ealani’s cousin who owns a newspaper that it’s a statement against human abuses of the ocean? Stop all surfing, swimming, boating, and anything else on those beaches for a day. Terrify the tourists a little without hurting anyone, and we’ll get the publicity we need to save the ocean.”
“Father, I don’t think I–“
The old man wouldn’t listen to any objections. “After you do that, Preston Ellsworth and all his power will not be able to suppress the cause of the ocean, or call us crazy anymore.”
Kimo scowled, but saw his mother nodding as she listened.
“Your father is right,” she said. “The sea creatures are already agitated, and only need you to lead them.” She stood by the doorway, holding the stacked plates and utensils. “They have given you the template, and they will do as you instruct. You have a talent; you have guided them in the
Similar Books
