Maui Magic

by Terry Ambrose

  “Him? What about me? What was he doing in the tree, anyway?”

  “The last I heard, cats still climb trees.” Chance raised one eyebrow and eyed me.

  “Okay, but why this one? And why isn’t he off chasing mice or doing something productive?”

  Benni and Lexie each plucked a flower from the lower branches and placed it over their left ear. “C’mon, you big baby. We can cross over now.” Benni took my hand and pulled me across the street.

  The sidewalk on this part of Front Street was only a couple of feet wide, but we didn’t have to worry about cars unless we encountered someone driving in the opposite direction. At the Lāhainā Shores Beach Resort, Chance had to stop and stare.

  I gazed up at the structure while standing next to Chance “It’s a beautiful old resort. Yah?”

  “Prime real estate and views. Right on the beach. Just a few minutes walk to town. And a ton of maintenance.”

  “What? You don’t like it?”

  “Are you kidding me? It’s nice to look at, but all that white paint on the railing spindles and the posts—man, we’re talking never-ending maintenance.” He shook his head, grabbed Lexie’s hand, and strolled away.

  There were times when I simply didn’t understand the way Chance’s mind worked. On the other hand, he probably felt the same about me.

  At “The Shops,” the center adjacent to the resort, Chance had a better reaction. The stores and restaurants had quaint names like Betty’s Beach Cafe and Sparky’s Riptide. There were no spindles or railings to paint, so Chance appeared satisfied.

  “Pastels and white trim,” he said. “Smart. Reminds you of an old fishing village, but it’s fairly new construction. Let’s keep moving.”

  I shrugged at Benni, and she giggled. She whispered in my ear, “Who knew you were renting to a real estate mogul?”

  Not me. Nor did I really care much. I was still trying to figure out what Benni had arranged. I no longer believed she’d called a client. No, there was something else going on.

  We rushed by a family who was walking too slowly for our guide. “Benni, why are we in such a hurry?”

  “Stop being a fuddy duddy. Move it along.”

  What was this? A marathon? We’d left the condo so quickly and Benni was pushing us forward like even the plumeria stop had been timed. Unless I was mistaken, something was fishy in Lāhainā.

  Personally, I just wanted to enjoy the walk and my friends’ company. I was in no hurry to get to our destination, not that I had a clue where that was. For me, it was impossible to not appreciate how well the architects had emphasized the town’s history. From the architecture to the paint-color choices, everything was reminiscent of a time long gone. A quieter era. Slower. So why did the tourists ogling the scenery feel like obstacles?

  The clip-clopping of our slippahs on the sidewalk was lost in the sounds of modern life. Cars cruised by slowly, crowds of yakking tourists strolled in every direction, and people hung out in the park. Lāhainā bustled, but we were on a secret mission. And I didn’t like being the one kept out of the loop.

  Benni tugged on my hand when I slowed my pace and gazed at me. “It’s nice to be back.”

  “I didn’t think you liked Lāhainā so much.”

  She shook her head. “It’s not Lāhainā. It’s just being away. No worries. No work. It’s nice—unless more animals attack you.” She giggled and winked.

  I knew this woman. She wasn’t about to crack. But, she might reveal something if I kept her talking. “Okay, so maybe I overreacted, but the cat was lying in wait in that tree.”

  “Weird.” She tapped my arm with a finger. “Big bully, you probably used up one of his lives.”

  “You could be right.” I squeezed her hand, but turned away so she wouldn’t see me grimace. All was not well in Lāhainā.

  The thing about Hawai‘i is we have a ton of legends, and one of those has to do with ancestors returning in different forms. I’d never given much thought to the belief until a couple of years ago when Benni’s great-grandfather Kimu decided I needed a mental reboot. In Kimu’s estimation, he was the guy—make that, ghost—to help me “become a better person.”

  Was I misreading today? Had Kimu come back as a cat or a dog? If so, why? I tried to push the thought away because I had no proof the animals were his doing. But from the stories I’d heard about the old surfing chief, I wouldn’t put it past him. He’d screwed with my head several times, which made me even more suspicious.

  I still hadn’t adjusted to the idea of a ghost hijacking my dreams and giving me all sorts of weird symbolism, but such was my lot in life these days. Kimu always said I was in control, but I knew better. Otherwise, I had to accept the fact that I was loony tunes.

  When we reached Banyan Tree Park, we moved off the sidewalk and out of the flow of traffic. Benni checked the time on her phone.

  “Where should we go for dinner?” I asked.

  The others pointed across the street and to the second floor. The Rusty Pelican. I shook my head. “Oh, no. Not again.” I looked straight at Benni. “No. Way.”

  9

  “It’s not what you think.” Benni’s set jaw and compressed lips indicated this was not going to be easy.

  I deliberately took a breath. Focused on staying calm. “I think we’re here to see your cousin Carmen. Tell me I’m wrong.”

  Benni’s face softened and she mouthed, “Oh.” A second later, she said, “You’re way off base. Carmen broke her probation. She’s in jail on O‘ahu. Again.”

  “This is your hacker cousin?” Chance’s eyes lit up.

  “You’re not helping things, Chance.” Lexie glared at him.

  He shrugged. “Sorry, but you’ve got to admit there’s a certain aura about hacking computer security systems. The whole dark web thing fascinates me.”

  I dropped my gaze to the sidewalk. Thousands of footsteps crossed this slice of concrete every single day. Carmen was the kind of person who could destroy any of their lives. But, if she was locked away, we weren’t meeting her. So, if it wasn’t Carmen, what was I worried about? I looked at Chance. “Believe me, Carmen’s a master manipulator. You want to stay off her radar.”

  Chance flattened his hand and lowered it as though it were a miniature airplane losing altitude. “Roger. Flying below her radar, Captain.”

  I rolled my eyes. Chance’s flip attitude, rather than loosening me up, raised my anxiety. It would be futile to resist, so I reached out and took Benni’s hand. “Just tell me one thing. Why are we here?”

  “You’re testing my patience, McKenna.”

  “But, why here? Lāhainā has plenty of great restaurants.”

  “It was her choice.”

  Her? But not Carmen. Neither Chance nor Lexie had reacted at the news. I had confirmation. They’d conspired together for whatever this was, which left me wondering what they were up to. It wasn’t my birthday. Not an anniversary. No holiday. We were not here for the sunset. As near as I could tell, I’d ruled out the good surprises—which left only bad.

  It was too much of a stretch to swallow the not-a-bad-thing party line. On the other hand, it was three against one. Might as well take the plunge. “Well, then, what are we waiting for?”

  At least to me, my chipper words sounded hollow.

  While waiting for a break in the traffic, I asked, “Does this have something to do with the phone call on the beach?”

  Benni huffed and didn’t answer. A quick look at Chance made things even more confusing. He was beaming. Why? What was he getting out of this?

  I sucked in a deep breath. If I let myself get cranky now, it could put a black mark on the entire evening. I was determined not to be the one who ruined our trip and forced a smile. “You’ve got my curiosity up.”

  “Good,” Chance said. “Dinner’s on me.”

  Something about
the way he said the words—far too happy—reinforced the feeling in my gut.

  A woman toting a red leather purse on her left shoulder stopped on the sidewalk behind us. She clasped a little girl’s hand with her right and engaged in some sort of discussion. The kid wore a blue, tropical-print sundress and mom had on a tank top and shorts. Neither had any semblance of a tan. Their white legs practically glowed, even in the shade.

  The girl stopped in her tracks and pouted up at her mother.

  Mom shook her head and said firmly, “No, Elizabeth, this is what we’re going to do.”

  From the girl’s reaction, I’d bet the kid was used to the mommy-said-so routine. Her shoulders slumped and she began walking again, this time shuffling at her mother’s side. The poor kid looked bored to tears, but didn’t fight her mother’s will.

  Got it, kid. I’m with you. These people are leading me along a path and I don’t have the will to resist either. At least the little girl had an excuse—the kid had to do what Mommy wanted. What was my excuse?

  We crossed Front Street in between a shiny silver Corolla and one of those new pint-sized Chevrolets now popular with the rental agencies. Underneath all the mud and dust, there was dark gray paint. The paint most likely wouldn’t be visible again until the vacationers returned the car to the agency.

  The Rusty Pelican was on the second floor of The Wharf, a shopping complex that had the shopping and dining experience down to a science. It was a common theme in this tourist mecca. Just as we’d noticed further back at The Shops, it all began with the architecture—high-peaked roofs to set the tone of an old whaling village. Here, the beige and forest green trim soothed the eye and beckoned with an aloha welcome.

  Benni led the way through the entrance. When she stopped for an old man with a cane, I turned the tables and pulled her aside. Chance must have sensed my need to talk because he and Lexie didn’t follow as Benni and I wove a path between a minefield of thatched outdoor tables to the koi pond. She wasn’t resisting, but I also felt her grip tightening. Obviously she wasn’t happy at having her little plan disrupted.

  “Look at those little guys.” I pointed at the bright orange and silver koi swimming in circles, anticipating their next meal.

  She glared at me. “Are you feeling like a fish out of water?”

  “More like a man on his way to an execution.”

  Benni winced. “Don’t be such a baby. You’ll be thanking me before the night is over.”

  We took the stairs up to the second level where we found Chance and Lexie leaning on the railing looking out over the courtyard below. They both had their elbows planted on the railing and Lexie was leaning into Chance.

  “Awesome place.”

  Chance gave Benni a thumbs up and Lexie agreed. Looking down on the thatched umbrella tables, the koi ponds, and the white lights wrapped around the trees, this was a visitor’s vision of paradise. The line at the Rusty Pelican was at least ten deep already, so this would be a busy night for them.

  “How long do you think it will take us to get a table?” I asked.

  “We’ve already got one,” Chance said. “No worries.”

  Right. No worries. If only.

  Benni led the way past the line and into the restaurant. Chance stood immediately behind me, probably to ensure I didn’t make my escape. The thing was, I’d come this far, now my curiosity was killing me.

  Ahead, I heard Benni repeat the same mantra to those we passed, “Our party’s already inside.”

  One wise guy grumbled under his breath, “What are you, special?”

  Yeah, we were. Besides, we were in. He was out. Good enough.

  The Rusty Pelican hadn’t changed since the last time Benni and I had been here. Silver and fire-engine red were still the predominant colors. A young woman dressed in a casual cotton top and cutoffs sat at a red-topped table nearest the door. She cradled an infant in her arms.

  “Odd place to come for dinner with a baby.” My comment was lost in the din of silverware clanking on plates, boisterous conversation, and laughter.

  Most of the diners weren’t exceptionally loud, but one table of six was downright rowdy. They were all dressed in tank tops and shorts, and their skin glowed red from a day in the sun.

  Benni wove through the maze of tables and chairs toward the street side of the restaurant. I was inching past a man who wore an aloha shirt big enough to cover a motorcycle when I saw Mrs. Nakamura and Yoshiko at an otherwise empty table for eight. Hisao was notably absent.

  The women were watching the view of Banyan Tree Park across Front Street. They didn’t see us at first, then Yoshiko must have noticed us gathering next to the table. She smiled and nodded, then tapped her grandmother on the arm. Mrs. Nakamura turned and did a double take when she saw all four of us. She rose slowly from her seat.

  Benni pulled the old woman into a genuinely affectionate hug. “Auntie, it’s so good to see you again.”

  “And you, child.”

  Yoshiko stood as well. “Thank you for coming. We did not want to inconvenience you…” Her voice trailed off as she and Benni embraced.

  “We’re happy to do it.” Benni glanced at the rest of our group. “We’re all ‘ohana.”

  Chance shifted from one foot to the other and Lexie tugged on the sleeve of his ultra-loud, green-and-purple shirt.

  “You’ll adjust to our concept of family—if you’re here long enough,” she said.

  “It’s pretty broad.”

  I put a hand on his shoulder. Despite feeling as if he’d double-crossed me by not warning me about Benni’s secret meeting, I couldn’t stay mad at him. “We’re friends, Chance. That makes us ‘ohana. It’s all part of the aloha spirit and one of the things I like most about the islands.”

  Chance nodded and inched closer as Lexie took her turn exchanging hugs with Mrs. Nakamura and Yoshiko. I winked at him. “One thing I don’t like, or may never adjust to, is men wearing shirts that glow in the dark.”

  He pressed a hand to his chest and looked down. “It doesn’t glow.”

  “Could’ve fooled me.” I chuckled while turning to face Mrs. Nakamura, who was gazing at me with some sort of goo-goo eyed expression I’d never seen before. Not on her, anyway. She turned her attention to Chance and embraced him.

  I thought for a moment I’d misread Mrs. Nakamura, but she quickly came and stood before me.

  “You, most of all, I owe you a debt I may never be able to repay.” She bowed slightly.

  Dumbfounded, I returned the gesture. What happened? Why was she being nice to me? Was it because we’d served as her escort to Maui or…oh…she wanted a favor?

  “It is my pleasure,” I said.

  Chance had a goofy smile on his face, the kind he got when he was all excited. The kid definitely knew something was up and it wasn’t because we might need to escort Mrs. Nakamura back to O‘ahu. Probably not. That wouldn’t call for an in-person powwow. No, this was big.

  The smart move was to run for the exit, but my curiosity was in high gear. At last, I knew who was behind Benni’s secret. But, if I wanted to know why they’d gone to such lengths to set up this dinner, I had to stay.

  10

  Our server was Nancy, a perky blonde transplant from Minnesota. She’d been in the islands for only a month, was in love with everything, and gushed about how “awesome” the menu was. In fact, every item we ordered was one of her Top Ten Favorites.

  We were either the luckiest people in the universe and should be in Vegas at the high-roller tables, the best at picking the best and should be professional food critics, or as I truly expected, Nancy had the longest list of Top Ten Favs in the world. Once we’d placed our orders, we engaged in a detailed conversation of what everyone had been doing.

  This was one of those times I kind of missed the good old LA-style of doing things—wham, bam, thank you, ma’am.
Instead, we listened as Mrs. Nakamura described how she’d been fawning over her granddaughter and shopping for baby clothes. That led to the when-are-you-due discussion.

  Boy. Three weeks. Yada yada.

  Despite all the happy talk amongst the women, there was a darkness hanging over the table. Yoshiko wasn’t nearly as upbeat as she should have been. And even Mrs. Nakamura, the professional at this form of communication, was having difficulty maintaining her focus. Several times I noticed her glance at me. I smiled, she politely acknowledged, and I wondered why there had been no mention of Hisao. The absence of his name gave me an idea.

  I raised my glass. “Here’s to the happy couple. Hisao must be delighted you’re having a boy.”

  My words landed on the table like a bomb. Yoshiko paled and Mrs. Nakamura closed her eyes for only a moment. She put one hand on her granddaughter’s arm and looked directly at me.

  “You have been quite patient, Mr. McKenna. Much more so than I had anticipated. I admire your self-control when you obviously have ants in your pants.”

  Chance clamped one hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh. Benni winked at me and smiled.

  Yoshiko blanched. She looked mortified. “Soba! Why are you insulting Mr. McKenna?”

  “He is not insulted, child. Mr. McKenna and I have an understanding.”

  Mrs. Nakamura held my gaze and, for the first time since I’d met the old bat, I did understand her. She and I were alike in so many ways. We shared a cynic’s view of the world and enjoyed the occasional verbal jousting of close friends. But, more than that, at some point during our relationship, she’d accepted me as an equal. It was so obvious. Why hadn’t I seen it before? She respected me, just as I did her.

  “And I admire your willingness to reach out in your time of need, Mrs. Nakamura.” I leaned forward and waited for her to answer.

  “It is time we explained the nature of this dinner.”

  Good. We were moving forward. Maybe she’d explain why Hisao was not here. Antisocial? A business meeting? “I hope Hisao is doing well.” Why not give the old lady an opening so we could do the dance? The one which would gradually lead us toward the real reason for this visit.