The Hawaiian Quilt

by Brunstetter, Wanda E. ; Brunstetter, Jean;

  “Me too.”

  Barbara leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “When we get to Mexico, I’ll give Mandy another call. I’d like an update on how they are doing.”

  Middlebury

  Gideon left the upholstery shop and headed straight for the Freys’ house. His stomach churned as he thought about getting the phone number for the bed-and-breakfast. He needed to know how Mandy was doing. “Sure don’t understand why she hasn’t called me, though,” he muttered, pedaling as fast as he could. Since it wasn’t raining or snowing today, he’d ridden his bike to work.

  It was hard to think positive thoughts right now, with his girlfriend being so far away. Once he talked to Mandy, Gideon hoped he would feel a little better.

  Approaching the house, he parked his bike near the porch and set the kickstand. Then taking the steps two at a time, he knocked on the door. Several minutes went by. When no one answered, he knocked again. He figured Mandy’s father, who managed a meat-and-cheese store, would be home from work by now. Even if he wasn’t, Mandy’s mother should be around.

  Gideon knocked again, with a bit more force. “Hello! Anyone at home?”

  Still no answer.

  Thinking someone might be in the barn, he headed in that direction. When he stepped inside, he saw Mandy’s brothers, Mark and Melvin, mucking out the horses’ stalls. It seemed a little odd that Isaac and Miriam had given all their children names beginning with M. But then he remembered Mandy saying her dad wanted their daughter and son’s names to start with M because his wife’s name began with that letter.

  Redirecting his thoughts, Gideon walked toward the stalls. “Hey, Mark. Hey, Melvin. Are your folks around?”

  Mark, the older boy, crossed his arms. “Nope. Dad’s workin’ late this evening, and Mom went to see the chiropractor.”

  “Oh, I see.” Gideon leaned against the stall door. “I came by to get the phone number of the place where Mandy and Ellen are staying in Hawaii. Would either of you know it?”

  Both boys shook their heads.

  “Sorry,” Melvin said. “Guess you’ll have to come back tomorrow.”

  “Oh, great,” Gideon muttered under his breath.

  Mark moved closer. “What was that?”

  “Nothing. Tell your folks I stopped by and I’ll drop by again when I get off work tomorrow.”

  “You okay?” Melvin asked. “You look kinda down-in-the-mouth.”

  “I’m disappointed.” Gideon turned to go, calling over his shoulder, “See you boys later.”

  After mounting his bike, Gideon gripped the handlebars so tight his fingers began to ache. This is ridiculous. I wouldn’t have to get the number if Mandy had called me.

  Kapaa

  “You have a beautiful garden, Luana.” Mandy knelt on the grass beside a healthy-looking tomato plant. It seemed almost unbelievable all these vegetables could be growing in the middle of November. “It must be nice to be able to garden throughout the year.”

  Luana smiled. “I suppose we take it for granted.”

  “Have you always lived here on Kauai?” Mandy asked.

  “No. Makaio and I were born and raised on the Big Island. We moved here to open the bed-and-breakfast a few years ago.” Luana checked the leaves of a bean plant.

  “Why didn’t you open one there?”

  “I suppose we could have, but after visiting Kauai several times, we fell in love with the island. And when the opportunity to buy this place came up, we couldn’t resist.” She moved over to the tomato plants and knelt down.

  “It is beautiful here.” Ellen spoke for the first time since they’d come outside. She’d been awfully quiet this afternoon. Mandy suspected her friend might be homesick.

  “We do get some rain here, of course, but without it, the flowers wouldn’t be so beautiful and it wouldn’t be this lush and green.” Luana pulled a few weeds. “If I had the choice of living any place on earth, I believe it would be here. In addition to liking the island, my husband and I love the opportunity to meet people from all over who come to stay at our B&B.”

  “I’m sure the people enjoy getting to know you, as well.” Mandy held her hands loosely behind her back.

  “I hope so. We do all we can to make our guests feel welcome.”

  The roar of a vehicle interrupted their conversation. An SUV with camouflage paint pulled into the parking area for guests. Mandy picked some grass off her bare foot, then stood at the same time as Ellen.

  A few minutes later, a young man got out, carrying three egg cartons. Her mouth fell open. It was the same young man she’d met at Spouting Horn and seen again on Sunday at church.

  Luana waved him over. “Aloha, Ken. I’d like you to meet Mandy and Ellen. They’ll be staying with us until they’re able to purchase tickets on a cruise ship to take them back to the mainland.” She gestured to him. “Girls, this is Ken Williams. He and his family live nearby. They own an organic chicken farm, and they supply all the eggs and chicken meat we need.”

  “We’ve met before, haven’t we?” Ken looked at Mandy and tipped his head. “I talked to you at Spouting Horn last week.”

  Mandy nodded, feeling unexplainably shy.

  Ellen remained quiet.

  “I didn’t recognize you when I first got out of my rig, because when we met before, you wore an Amish dress.”

  Mandy’s cheeks burned as she stared at her flower-print Hawaiian dress. “My friend and I were late getting back to the ship, and it left without us. So with our luggage still on board in the cabin we shared with two other friends, it left us with only the clothes we were wearing.”

  “I took Mandy and Ellen shopping, and bought them both nice muumuus,” Luana interjected.

  “I see.” Ken shuffled his feet a few times then handed Luana the eggs. “These are for you. When you need more, let me know.”

  “Mahalo, Ken.” She smiled. “I’d better take these into the house and get them put in the refrigerator.”

  “Would you like me to do it for you?” Ellen offered.

  “No, it’s okay. I also want to check on Makaio. He’s doing some work on the other side of the house.” Luana gave Ken’s shoulder a tap. “If you’re still here when I get back, you’re invited to sit on the lanai with us for some coconut cake and iced coffee.”

  He pulled his fingers through his thick, tousled hair and grinned. “I may take you up on that offer. Can’t stay too long, though. I still have several more cartons of eggs to deliver.”

  When Luana headed into the house, Mandy stood with her hands clasped behind her back. It felt awkward not to say anything, so she asked if Ken would like to take a seat in one of the lawn chairs under the shade of a tree.

  “Sure. It’ll give us a chance to get better acquainted,” Ken replied.

  Once they were all seated, Mandy glanced over at Ellen, hoping she would start a conversation, but she sat quietly, with a placid expression.

  Mandy cleared her throat. “I—I saw you at church yesterday. You were on the platform, playing a ukulele.”

  “Yeah; I’m part of the worship team.” Ken took his cell phone from his shorts’ pocket and glanced at it, then put it back.

  “Makaio plays the ukulele, too,” she added. “I’m surprised he’s not on the worship team.”

  “He used to be, but he wanted some time off for a while.” Ken kept his gaze on Mandy so long it made her ears heat up.

  He probably thinks I look strange wearing a Hawaiian dress, even though my normal head covering’s been replaced with the scarf Luana gave us.

  Just then, Luana dashed around the side of the house with a panicked expression. “Help! Help! Makaio fell off the roof!”

  Chapter 12

  Lihue

  Luana paced the hospital waiting room, praying for patience. Her twenty-four-year-old daughter, Ailani, who was five months pregnant, sat in one of the chairs, picking at her cuticles—a nervous habit from her teen years.

  Luana glanced at Ken, thankful he’d let Ailani k
now what had happened to her father. When the ambulance came and transported Makaio to the hospital, Luana rode along. Ailani’s husband, Oke, was still at work, but he should be here soon.

  “Tell me again, Mama.” Ailani pursed her lips. “How did Papa fall off the roof?”

  Luana stopped pacing and sat beside her daughter. “I’m not sure, but he was holding a Frisbee when he fell, so I assume he must have gone up there to get it.” She glanced toward the nurses’ station, wishing someone would come and tell them the extent of Makaio’s injuries.

  “I’m sure we’ll hear something soon.” Ken reached over and clasped Luana’s arm. He always seemed to know what to say and had become almost like a son to Luana and Makaio. She hoped his parents appreciated the fine young man he’d turned out to be—always willing to help others, tender-hearted, hard-working, and a Christian in every sense of the word. I hope the Lord sends Ken the right woman someday—someone who will make him as happy as he makes others.

  Luana’s contemplations were halted when a doctor came into the room. “Mrs. Palu?” He moved toward her.

  She nodded, rising from her chair.

  “Your husband’s leg is badly broken. He also has a slight concussion and numerous bumps and bruises. His leg will require surgery as well as a full cast, which he will need to wear for six to eight weeks. When Makaio is released from the hospital in a few days, he’ll need to use crutches and not put any weight on his foot until X-rays show it’s healed enough for him to walk on it.”

  Luana’s shoulders drooped as she stared at the doctor in disbelief. If her husband couldn’t be on his feet, how would he be able to help out at the B&B? And because she would need to care for him, she wouldn’t have time to do everything necessary for hosting their guests. Ailani could help some, but she’d been quite sick to her stomach with her pregnancy and often didn’t feel up to working, even part-time. The idea of hiring help flitted through Luana’s mind, but with hospital bills to pay now, money would be tight.

  “When can I see my husband?” she asked the doctor.

  “You can go in now, before we prep him for surgery.” The doctor turned and went out the door.

  Luana rose from her chair. “Ailani, would you like to go in with me?”

  Her daughter’s brown eyes swam with tears. “Yes, Mama. I want Papa to know I’ll be praying for him.”

  Luana looked at Ken. “Would you mind going back to the B&B to let Mandy and Ellen know how Makaio is doing and that I’ll be here at the hospital for the next several hours? I need to stay until he’s out of surgery and settled into his room. So it could be late before I get home.”

  Nodding, Ken rose from his seat and gave her a hug. “I understand your concern, but try to keep the faith. I’ll be praying for Makaio, and you, as well.”

  Her lips quivered. “Mahalo.”

  As soon as Ken left, a nurse arrived to lead Luana and Ailani down the hall to see Makaio. The two women took seats, while another nurse prepared an IV for him.

  “How are you feeling?” Luana scooched her chair closer to his bed.

  “I’m a little fuzzy but better now than when we first arrived. I’m gonna need to get some fixing done on that leg of mine, though.” He frowned, tears seeping from the corners of his eyes. “Sorry I slipped off the roof.”

  She placed her hand on his. “It was an accident, so don’t give it another thought. I’m grateful nothing worse happened to you.”

  The nurse took Makaio’s vitals. “You’re in good hands, Mr. Palu. The surgeon will do his best to see that your leg heals as it should.”

  The nurses moved in and out for a while, but then the family sat together with no interruptions. He was scheduled for surgery as soon as the patient ahead of him came out. Luana would be glad when it was over.

  After a while, another nurse came in and announced it was time to wheel Makaio into surgery. Luana and Ailani said their goodbyes and walked back to the waiting room with one of the nurses.

  “We’ll call you back when he’s in recovery.” The nurse motioned to a table with hot beverages. “There’s coffee and hot water for tea, so feel free to help yourselves.”

  “I don’t like waiting and wondering.” With a watery gaze, Ailani ran trembling fingers through her shiny, black, shoulder-length hair. “It’s hard not to worry about Papa.”

  “We need to pray and ask God to guide the surgeon’s hands.” Luana closed her eyes. Lord, please help the doctor repair the damage done to Makaio’s leg. I’m thanking You in advance.

  Kapaa

  Mandy glanced out the living-room window and frowned. It seemed like she and Ellen had been waiting for hours to hear from Luana. They didn’t know how badly Makaio was hurt or why he’d been on the roof. “Sure wish Luana would call,” she murmured, turning away from the window. “It’s hard to wait. I feel like we should be doing something, but I’m not sure what.”

  “We have no choice except to wait.” Ellen handed Mandy a glass of guava juice. “It’s a schee daag. Why don’t we go out on the lanai and enjoy it?”

  It was a pretty day, but Mandy wasn’t sure she could enjoy it. At least, not until she knew how Makaio was doing. She took the offered glass and sipped a little juice. “I guess we can go outside, but we need to keep the door open in case the phone rings.”

  “The lanai is screened in,” Ellen reminded, “so we won’t be in the yard and should be able to hear the telephone.”

  “Okay.” Mandy followed her friend to the enclosed porch and took a seat in one of the wicker rocking chairs. The simple motion of moving back and forth helped her relax.

  Ellen sat motionless in her chair. “I wonder what Sadie and Barbara are doing right now. I sure miss them.” She looked out toward the yard, where palm leaves swayed in the breeze.

  “They are probably on the ship somewhere, eating ice cream, reading a book, or lounging by the pool. I’ll bet they’re both getting quite tan by now.”

  Ellen snickered, pointing at Mandy. “Have you looked in the mirror lately? Your face and arms are much darker than when we left Los Angeles eleven days ago.”

  Despite her apprehension over Makaio, Mandy squeezed her eyes together and laughed. “You’re right. We’ve both gotten some color.” She drank the rest of her juice and set the empty glass on the table between them.

  Glancing into the yard, Mandy spotted a colorful bird. It looked like one of the cardinals they had back home, but this one had a red head, and the feathers on its body were gray and white. She stepped off the lanai for a better look, but the bird flew over her head and into a tree.

  “What if Luana’s not back in time for supper?” Ellen asked when Mandy joined her again. “Do you think she would mind if we fix ourselves something to eat?”

  “I’m sure she wouldn’t. She told us to help ourselves to anything we needed the day after we arrived here.” Mandy wiped some moisture from her face. “It’s warm out here. Maybe we should go back inside and turn on the air conditioner.”

  “We don’t have air-conditioning at home, but we all manage during the warm summer months.”

  “True. Since it’s been made available to us, we may as well make use of it, though.” Mandy rocked in her chair.

  Ellen’s brows pulled in. “Now don’t get too reliant on modern things. We won’t have them available to us forever.”

  Before Mandy could respond, she noticed Ken’s SUV pull into the yard. She leaped out of her chair, flung the screen door open, and ran out to greet him. “Do you have any news on Makaio?”

  “Yes, I do. Just came from the hospital.” Ken gestured to the porch, where Ellen still sat. “Let’s take a seat, and I’ll bring you up to speed.”

  Mandy led the way, and when they were both seated, Ken gave them the details on Makaio’s injuries.

  “Oh my!” Mandy touched her lips. “That poor man. I can’t imagine how badly he must hurt.”

  “I’m sure they’ve given him something for the pain, and when he’s in surgery, he’ll be c
ompletely out.” Ken’s forehead wrinkled a bit. “Luana’s worried about him, and so is their daughter.”

  “She mentioned Ailani, but we haven’t met her,” Ellen spoke up.

  “I’m not surprised. She’s expecting her first baby and has been having a tough time with nausea and swollen feet.” Ken waved his hands in front of his face. “Sure turned out to be a warm day—even hotter than what was forecasted.”

  “Would you like a glass of juice?” Mandy offered. “Or we could go inside where it’s cooler.”

  “Some juice would be great.”

  Ellen stood, pulling her hands down the sides of her dress. “I’ll get it. Would you like another glass, Mandy?”

  “Jah, danki.”

  After Ellen went inside, Ken turned to Mandy. “Were you speaking German to her?”

  “I said, ‘Yes, thank you.’ It’s a form of German. We call it Pennsylvania Dutch. Some also refer to our everyday language as German Dutch.”

  He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Interesting. Would you teach me some Amish words?”

  “I’d be happy to. Is there anything specific you’d like to know?”

  “In a minute. I need to do something first.” Ken sat up straight and pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket. “Looks like one of our birds left its mark on the shoulder of your dress.” He wiped off the mess.

  “Oh no.” Embarrassed, Mandy touched her hot cheeks. “I was in the yard, admiring a colorful bird before you got here.”

  Ken gently rubbed the area, while Mandy sat, stiff as a board. “Don’t worry. Think I got most of it off. You might want to spray the area with a spot cleaner, though, so it doesn’t leave a permanent stain.”

  “Thank you, Ken. I appreciate it.” Mandy spoke quietly.

  “Okay now. How do you say the word pretty?” He stuffed the hankie back in his pocket.

  “Oh, that’s right. You wanted to learn some Amish words.” Mandy felt so flustered, she’d almost forgotten. “That’s an easy one. It’s schee.”

  He smiled. “You look schee in that muumuu you’re wearing.”