widow’s walks on top of houses by the water there?” the sailor asked.
“I don’t think so,” Felix said.
“Oh,” Maisie said, “do you mean those little things on the roofs?”
“Right,” the sailor said, nodding. “The wives go up there to watch the sea for our ship’s return.”
“Why is it called a widow’s walk?” Maisie asked him.
The man’s smile faded. “I’m afraid too often the ships don’t return.”
“And then the wives—”
“That’s right,” he said. “They become widows.”
He went back to his careful carving. “She’ll like this, my wife will,” he said softly.
Honolulu finally appeared before them.
The crowded harbor was cast in the glow of the setting sun, everything washed in a lavender haze.
Of course, Felix had known that the sun set in the west and rose in the east, but it wasn’t until he’d watched the sun set over the ocean here that he really understood. The sky turned a dozen shades of purple and red, and the sun began to drop like a fiery red ball in the sky. In an instant, it disappeared beneath the horizon, and evening fell over Honolulu.
The
Gloria Jenny
pulled into Honolulu just before that happened. The sky was all those shades of purple, and the sun was red and low above the horizon.
“You two have somewhere to go?” the captain asked Maisie and Felix.
They nodded.
“Thanks for the ride,” Maisie told him.
Felix and the captain shook hands.
“Godspeed,” the captain said.
Felix and Maisie walked off the ship and into the bustle of Honolulu, toward the palace, the crown heavy in Felix’s pocket.
Liliu was moving across the lawn when Maisie and Felix reached the palace.
She looked excited to see them.
“Aloha!” she called to them.
“Aloha,” they answered.
“You’re just in time for the fireworks,” Liliu said, beaming.
“What are you celebrating?” Maisie asked.
“Bernice’s engagement,” Liliu said. She lowered her voice. “She’s marrying a
haole
, so Paki is furious. Still, he arranged the fireworks.”
She motioned for them to follow her around the corner, where all of the
ali‘i
sat, staring up at the sky expectantly.
“I’m sorry,” Felix blurted as soon as they sat down.
Liliu looked at him, confused.
From the distance came the sound of explosions.
“For what’s happening here,” Felix continued. “In Hawaii.”
The sky lit up then. Blue and green and red. Not like the pyrotechnics Maisie and Felix were used to, but the colors were still vivid as they splashed across the sky. The air smelled of smoke and sulfur.
“The way the British and the Americans are taking over everything,” he added.
“I am, too,” Liliu said softly.
The three of them watched in silence as the fireworks lit up the sky.
When the fireworks ended, the crowd of revelers applauded wildly.
“Our parents,” Maisie said, “they got divorced. And this whole year all I wanted was my old life back. I know it’s different,” she continued, embarrassed, “but I know a little bit what it feels like to try to hold on to a way of life.”
Felix said, “To hold on when, really, everything is changing.”
Liliu looked at them, her face solemn.
“Don’t let go,” she said. “Always remember the old ways, and what you’ve lost. If you don’t keep it alive, who will?”
Maisie nudged Felix with her elbow.
“Right,” he said.
He pulled the crown from his pocket.
“We brought this for you,” he told Liliu.
“It’s beautiful!” she said, taking it and turning it around and around in her hands. “But why are you giving it to me?”
Maisie and Felix looked at each other.
“It’s yours,” Felix said finally.
Maisie had a strong urge to hug Liliu, but just as she reached her arms out toward her, she and Felix were lifted into the air. And even before they were aware of the smells and sounds around them, they knew: They were going back.
CHAPTER 11
The Shard
“Y ou guys still awake?” their father was
“I don’t think so,” Felix said.
“Oh,” Maisie said, “do you mean those little things on the roofs?”
“Right,” the sailor said, nodding. “The wives go up there to watch the sea for our ship’s return.”
“Why is it called a widow’s walk?” Maisie asked him.
The man’s smile faded. “I’m afraid too often the ships don’t return.”
“And then the wives—”
“That’s right,” he said. “They become widows.”
He went back to his careful carving. “She’ll like this, my wife will,” he said softly.
Honolulu finally appeared before them.
The crowded harbor was cast in the glow of the setting sun, everything washed in a lavender haze.
Of course, Felix had known that the sun set in the west and rose in the east, but it wasn’t until he’d watched the sun set over the ocean here that he really understood. The sky turned a dozen shades of purple and red, and the sun began to drop like a fiery red ball in the sky. In an instant, it disappeared beneath the horizon, and evening fell over Honolulu.
The
Gloria Jenny
pulled into Honolulu just before that happened. The sky was all those shades of purple, and the sun was red and low above the horizon.
“You two have somewhere to go?” the captain asked Maisie and Felix.
They nodded.
“Thanks for the ride,” Maisie told him.
Felix and the captain shook hands.
“Godspeed,” the captain said.
Felix and Maisie walked off the ship and into the bustle of Honolulu, toward the palace, the crown heavy in Felix’s pocket.
Liliu was moving across the lawn when Maisie and Felix reached the palace.
She looked excited to see them.
“Aloha!” she called to them.
“Aloha,” they answered.
“You’re just in time for the fireworks,” Liliu said, beaming.
“What are you celebrating?” Maisie asked.
“Bernice’s engagement,” Liliu said. She lowered her voice. “She’s marrying a
haole
, so Paki is furious. Still, he arranged the fireworks.”
She motioned for them to follow her around the corner, where all of the
ali‘i
sat, staring up at the sky expectantly.
“I’m sorry,” Felix blurted as soon as they sat down.
Liliu looked at him, confused.
From the distance came the sound of explosions.
“For what’s happening here,” Felix continued. “In Hawaii.”
The sky lit up then. Blue and green and red. Not like the pyrotechnics Maisie and Felix were used to, but the colors were still vivid as they splashed across the sky. The air smelled of smoke and sulfur.
“The way the British and the Americans are taking over everything,” he added.
“I am, too,” Liliu said softly.
The three of them watched in silence as the fireworks lit up the sky.
When the fireworks ended, the crowd of revelers applauded wildly.
“Our parents,” Maisie said, “they got divorced. And this whole year all I wanted was my old life back. I know it’s different,” she continued, embarrassed, “but I know a little bit what it feels like to try to hold on to a way of life.”
Felix said, “To hold on when, really, everything is changing.”
Liliu looked at them, her face solemn.
“Don’t let go,” she said. “Always remember the old ways, and what you’ve lost. If you don’t keep it alive, who will?”
Maisie nudged Felix with her elbow.
“Right,” he said.
He pulled the crown from his pocket.
“We brought this for you,” he told Liliu.
“It’s beautiful!” she said, taking it and turning it around and around in her hands. “But why are you giving it to me?”
Maisie and Felix looked at each other.
“It’s yours,” Felix said finally.
Maisie had a strong urge to hug Liliu, but just as she reached her arms out toward her, she and Felix were lifted into the air. And even before they were aware of the smells and sounds around them, they knew: They were going back.
CHAPTER 11
The Shard
“Y ou guys still awake?” their father was
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