The Hawaiian Quilt

by Brunstetter, Wanda E. ; Brunstetter, Jean;

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Mandy isn’t here right now. She’s at the beach with Ken. She mentioned something about surfing.”

  “What did you say?” Gideon was sure he must have misunderstood. No way would Mandy have gone surfing. She couldn’t even swim.

  “I said, Mandy’s at the beach. Ken took them surfing.”

  A chill shot up his spine. If she’d been foolish enough to try surfing, then her life could be in danger. The sport was dangerous—even for a strong swimmer, which Mandy definitely was not. Then another thought popped into his head. Mandy’s with that guy named Ken again. Just who is this fellow, and how close have they become?

  “Would you please tell her Gideon called and that I’ll try to call again on her birthday? Oh, and let her know to expect a card and a gift from me.”

  “What day is Mandy’s birthday?” the woman asked.

  “January twenty-eighth. She’ll be twenty-one years old.”

  “Thanks for letting me know. We’ll be sure to do something special to help Mandy celebrate her birthday.”

  Gideon’s jaw clenched. It should be me helping Mandy celebrate, not people she barely knows. She was off someplace with him before when I called. A rush of adrenaline coursed through his body. Seems like she spends a lot of time with this fellow. Sure hope I have nothing to worry about.

  Kapaa

  By the time Mandy and Ellen arrived back at the B&B, Mandy’s nose was sore from blowing it so many times. She’d been sneezing a lot, and her eyes had become even itchier than they were at the beach.

  “Is something wrong, Mandy?” Luana asked when they entered the kitchen. “You look like you’ve been crying.”

  “I’ve been sneezing, and my eyes are red and itchy.” She brought her hand up to her right eye and rubbed it. “This started while we were on the beach and got worse as Ken drove us back here.”

  “I’ll bet it’s the vog.” Luana handed Mandy a tissue. “I’ll give you an allergy pill and then you should go lie down for a while.”

  Ellen gave Mandy’s shoulder a tender squeeze. “See, not all things in Hawaii are perfect. You’d have to deal with the vog all the time if you lived here.”

  “Not all the time,” Luana corrected. “Only when the wind blows the ash over from the Big Island.”

  Mandy sighed. “Guess there’s good and bad in everything. Wherever you go, no place is perfect.” She pushed her shoulders back and smiled. “Even with the vog, I still enjoy being here on Kauai.”

  Chapter 26

  Oh my, this is a surprise!” Mandy exclaimed when she entered Luana’s dining room and saw a decorated cake with her name on it. A pink tablecloth, with brightly colored balloons and the words Happy Birthday printed around the edge, covered the table. Paper plates and matching napkins had also been added. “How did you know today was my birthday?” Before Luana could respond, Mandy nudged Ellen’s arm. “I’ll bet you spilled the beans.”

  “Nope. It wasn’t me.”

  “It was the young man who calls to speak with you so often.” Luana covered her mouth. “Sorry, but I forgot to tell you he called the day you and Ellen went to the beach with Ken. He wanted to let you know he was sending a card and gift for your birthday.”

  Mandy scratched at her cheek where a mosquito had taken a bite. “That’s strange. I haven’t received anything from Gideon in the mail. The only birthday cards I’ve gotten were from my parents and from Barbara and Sadie.” She sighed. “I wish you could have met our other two friends who made the trip to Hawaii with us. I’m sure you would have liked them.”

  “If they’re anything like you two, we definitely would have liked them.” Makaio motioned to the birthday cake in the middle of the table. “Mandy, why don’t you make a wish and blow out your candles so we can all eat some of my wife’s yummy coconut cake?”

  “Not yet.” Luana shook her head. “We won’t cut the cake until Ken gets here.”

  “Ken’s coming over?” Mandy couldn’t hide her pleasure.

  “Yes. He’ll be here as soon as he’s done eating supper.” Luana gave a playful wink. “I believe he has something for you.”

  Mandy grinned. She looked forward to seeing Ken.

  She thought about the dog they’d found on the beach and how Ken had taken it home. He’d named the mutt Rusty, and it had taken a liking to Ken’s mother right away. Now the critter was her constant companion.

  “I have a present for you.” Ellen handed Mandy a floral gift bag. “Happy birthday.”

  Mandy reached inside and felt some fabric between her fingers. She raised it up and discovered a green, Amish-style dress. It wasn’t what she’d expected, and it was difficult to show appreciation—especially when she’d told Ellen previously how content she was wearing a muumuu.

  “It’s for our trip home,” Ellen explained. “Since you have only one Amish dress, you’ll need a change of clothes.”

  Mandy hadn’t even thought about her clothing for the trip. Ellen was right. She would need more than one plain dress. She hugged her friend. “Danki for your thoughtfulness in making the dress for me. It must have been hard to sew it without me finding out.”

  “Not really.” Ellen smiled. “Whenever you went shopping with Luana or somewhere with Ken, I worked on it. I’m thankful she has a sewing machine.”

  “Here’s our gift to you.” Luana handed Mandy a large box covered with paper in a design of tropical birds. “There are actually two gifts inside—one from Makaio and one from me.”

  Mandy tore off the paper and pulled the lid aside. The first thing she saw was a set of lovely potholders and an apron to match. Each had different Hawaiian flowers on them. “Mahalo, Luana. Did you make these?”

  “Yes, I did. When Ellen began working on her dresses, it put me in the mood to sew.”

  “Keep looking, Mandy.” Makaio motioned to the box. “There’s something from me.”

  She pulled a layer of tissue aside and gasped when a beautiful ukulele came into view. “Oh, my … This is too much!” She stared at the instrument in amazement.

  “It’s not brand new,” he explained. “It’s a used one I picked up at a yard sale a few years ago, but it’s in great shape, and I thought you might like it.”

  “I certainly do. Thank you both so much.” Mandy gave Luana and Makaio a hug. Then she picked up the ukulele and started strumming the strings. Even though musical instruments were not used during an Amish church service, some Plain people, including her father, played the harmonica or guitar for personal enjoyment. She looked forward to many hours learning to play this wonderful birthday present.

  “Sorry I haven’t shown you how before,” Makaio apologized. “Either I’ve not felt up to it or you’ve been busy. But I would like to teach you before you return to your home on the mainland.”

  “Oh, would you? I’d like that so much. Maybe we could make some time for it each evening.”

  “Good idea.” He glanced at the cake and then at Luana. “Are you sure we can’t cut the cake and eat it now?”

  “Don’t even think about it.” Luana shook her finger at him. “Why don’t you give Mandy a ukulele lesson while we’re waiting for Ken? Then maybe you won’t think about dessert.”

  Makaio and Mandy took seats on the living-room couch, and he showed her the three main chords used for playing the ukulele. “They are C, F, and G7,” he explained, demonstrating with his own instrument, as Mandy held hers.

  She positioned her fingertips on the strings in the way he showed her and was soon strumming a short tune.

  “I’m impressed,” Makaio said. “You catch on quick.”

  “I do have a bit of music experience from playing my battery-operated keyboard.”

  “Mandy caught on quickly to swimming, too.” Ellen took a seat beside her. “But then, she’s always been good at whatever she sets her mind to do.”

  “You’re good at whatever you do, as well.” Mandy gestured to the dress Ellen made for her. “I’ve never been able to sew as well as
you.”

  “We all have our talents,” Luana remarked. “God made everyone special, and each of us is unique.”

  A knock sounded on the door, and Luana went to answer it. When she returned to the living room, Ken was with her. He wasn’t carrying a gift, and she wondered if Luana had been mistaken when she’d mentioned he might give her something. It didn’t matter, though. His presence was gift enough.

  “Happy birthday, Mandy.” Ken smiled and moved toward the couch.

  “I guess Luana must have told you I was turning twenty-one today.”

  “She sure did, which is why I wanted you to have something special for your birthday.” Ken swung out the hand he’d been holding behind his back. It was holding a beautiful garland of flowers that he draped around Mandy’s neck.

  She touched the soft pink-and-white orchid petals. “Mahalo, Ken.” She’d never received a bouquet of flowers before, and this was even more special.

  “I have something else for you.” Ken reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a brochure, which he handed to her.

  “What’s this about?” she asked, eyeing it curiously.

  “It’s information on a whale-watching cruise.” He smiled widely. “I booked us to go on one tomorrow, early afternoon. You’re invited, too, Ellen,” he quickly added.

  “Oh my!” Excitement swelled in Mandy’s chest as she studied the brochure. “I never thought I’d get to see any whales while I’m here.” She looked over at Luana, who sat in the wicker rocking chair across from her. “Won’t you need Ellen and me to help out tomorrow? It wouldn’t be fair if we left you with all the work to do.”

  “It’s okay,” Luana assured her. “You can take care of any work needing to be done in the morning. Going on a whale-watching cruise is special, and I wouldn’t want either of you to miss it.”

  Tears welled in Mandy’s eyes, and she blinked to keep them from spilling over. “This has been a special birthday. Thank you all so much.”

  “You’re welcome,” everyone responded.

  “So now, let’s head on back to the dining room and have some of Mandy’s birthday cake.” Makaio rose from his seat. “After waiting so long, I may even have two pieces.”

  Mandy snickered, and Luana poked her husband’s belly. “If you don’t watch it, you’ll have no choice but to get rid of some of the shirts you’ve outgrown when we have another yard sale.”

  Makaio slipped his arm around her waist as he grabbed his cane. “Well, if you weren’t such a good cook, I wouldn’t have so many temptations.”

  Thank You, Lord, for my special Hawaiian friends, Mandy prayed, and for allowing me to be here on my twenty-first birthday.

  Middlebury

  Gideon had awakened during the night and realized he’d forgotten to call Mandy in the evening to wish her a happy birthday. He’d tried earlier today, but all he’d gotten was the B&B’s answering machine. He couldn’t leave a message, though, because their mailbox was full. He’d planned to call before going to bed, thinking it would be around dinnertime on the island, but exhausted after a long day at work, he’d fallen asleep on the sofa.

  He pushed himself up and rubbed his face. “Why didn’t Mom or Dad wake me before they went to bed?” he muttered, running his fingers through his hair.

  Swinging his feet over the couch, Gideon thought about Mandy. Sure hope she isn’t upset with me for not wishing her a happy birthday. What if she thinks I forgot? He massaged his forehead and groaned. Maybe she’s been too busy to notice.

  Port Allen

  The following day, Mandy’s heart pounded as Ken helped her and Ellen board the catamaran that would take them on the whale-watching tour. This was one of the most exciting things she’d done since leaving home. She’d brought her camera along, and if they saw any whales, she hoped to get some good shots.

  “I hope the water doesn’t get choppy,” Ellen commented as she took a seat. “I don’t do well on a boat in rough weather.”

  “You should be okay.” Ken patted Ellen’s shoulder. “If things get a little rough, remember to keep your focus on land, not the waves.”

  Before they set sail, the captain and his crew asked all the passengers on board to give their full attention to a safety briefing, letting everyone know where the life jackets were located and how to put them on. A member of the crew explained that the vests had a light attached, and when it got wet, the light would come on to help the Coast Guard locate the person in the water. This bit of information frightened Mandy somewhat. The thought of being in the middle of the ocean, even with a life jacket, made her tremble. Being in a swimming pool with her feet touching the bottom was different than being in the big ocean and not being able to see what was under her.

  Another crew member let everyone know where the galley was and said snacks, as well as fresh water and soda, would be available.

  Mandy whispered to Ken that she and Ellen had been through a similar safety briefing when they’d first boarded the cruise ship. “It was on a much larger scale, of course,” she added, “because there were so many passengers.”

  As the boat moved out, things went along well. Mandy enjoyed the warmth on her skin and beautiful scenery along the way.

  “Over there is the Na Pali Coast.” Ken pointed to the emerald-green pinnacles towering above the shoreline. “The only land access to this rugged terrain is through an eleven-mile trail. The path crosses five different valleys and ends at a secluded beach. It’s one of the most challenging hikes, with narrow sections and muddy soil from so much rainfall. Also, when the streams get high, they’re extremely dangerous to cross.”

  The splendor of it all almost took Mandy’s breath away. “It’s amazing.”

  “Look, there!” Ellen shouted.

  Mandy turned in the direction her friend pointed and saw an enormous whale surface, thrusting its tail into the air. “Wow! Look how big it is!”

  Soon, more whales appeared. Mandy pulled her camera from the tote bag and started snapping one picture after the other. “Without pictures to show, no one back home would ever believe this,” she told Ellen.

  “The whales come to our warm waters from Alaska this time of the year. They reproduce and give birth,” Ken explained. “It’s the reason you see so many of them.”

  “It makes good sense.” Mandy chuckled. “Even the whales want to get out of the cold and come where the waters are warmer.”

  “What kind of whales are they?” Ellen asked.

  “They’re humpback whales,” Ken replied. “They can grow up to sixty feet in length, and their lifespan averages fifty years.”

  Everyone on the catamaran grew silent. Mandy watched a gray whale with a white underbelly breach suddenly to the surface then fall heavily back below the water’s depth. Another whale broke smoothly out of the ocean, spouting before it started under again. Before disappearing, the whale slapped its huge tail, as if it was waving to them. Cameras started clicking to capture the special moment.

  “Humpback whales can be quite entertaining.” Ken grinned. “Here in Hawaii, when they arrive, it’s regarded as a homecoming, because they’re considered the original locals.”

  As the boat continued on, the ocean became a bit choppy. It didn’t take Mandy long to realize Ellen wasn’t doing well.

  “I feel nauseous, like I did on the cruise ship when the water became rough.” Ellen moaned, holding her stomach.

  Mandy looked over at Ken, then back to Ellen, who was beginning to cough.

  “Oh, no, I’m going to vomit.” Immediately, Ellen leaned over the railing and emptied her stomach.

  Mandy stood close by, gently patting her friend’s back. She wished she had some motion-sickness drops to put behind Ellen’s ears. Of course, they hadn’t helped her much when she’d become seasick on the cruise ship.

  “I’ll get a bottle of water to rinse her mouth,” Ken volunteered.

  “Thank you.” Until now, Mandy had forgotten how sick her friend had been before. But that morning in the c
abin with Ellen rushed back to her, like it was yesterday.

  Ken returned with a bottle of water. “I’ll give her this whenever she’s ready.”

  Another whale showed itself, this one quite close to the boat. In her excitement to capture a picture of it, Mandy leaned over the rail. She was on the verge of snapping the photo when a wave hit the catamaran, causing Mandy to lose her footing. She nearly lost her balance, but Ken caught her in time. “That was close.” He placed his hand around Mandy’s waist and held her to his side. “Are you okay?”

  Her face radiated with heat. “I’m fine.”

  Just then, Ellen got sick again. When Mandy reached out to comfort her, she loosened her grip on the camera and it plunged into the water. “Oh, no! My camera!” she wailed. “I’ve lost all the wonderful pictures I’ve taken on this trip.”

  What started out to be a glorious day and had suddenly turned sour. Not only was poor Ellen pale and trembling, but now Mandy had no photos of Hawaii to show her family or friends back home. What a disappointment. The only pictures she would have of Hawaii were her memories.

  She stared at the choppy waters, struggling not to give in to tears. I guess the memories I’ve made here are something to be thankful for. It’s more than I would have had if Sadie, Barbara, Ellen, and I had never made this trip.

  Chapter 27

  The last Sunday in February, Mandy was awakened by a fierce whooshing sound coming from outside. Something hit the outside of the window. Wind gusted hard against the B&B. Nature whistled as a storm held firm over the area.

  “Is it windy out?” Ellen sat up in bed, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

  “Jah, sounds like the wind to me.” Mandy clambered out of bed and pulled the curtains aside. “Oh my! Come look at this, Ellen. You should see how the trees are swaying. Some are bending so much I’m afraid they might split. And look, palm branches are scattered everywhere.”

  Ellen joined her at the window. “I’ve never witnessed such strong winds before. The rain is actually blowing sideways!”