Over the Rainbow - Book One - 'The Gathering Place'

by Robert Vaughan

  Chris stared stoically ahead, his mind now again flooded with a horde of tortured thoughts as Abigail sat quietly beside him, her face still focused on the hill outside the car, a sodden and crumpled handkerchief clenched in her hand as she watched the sad and deserted site of her husband’s final repose slip away. The car slowly and silently pulled away from the curb, tugging the infinite train of black behind it into a slow convoy of mourning.

  Mannie and Francesca wept unabashedly as they loaded the shrouded bulk of Buddy into the ambulance as Noelani, Kenji, and Alani huddled together near the toppled ladder and scattered tools in the shadow of the ‘Menehune’. A raindrop, then two more fell wetly onto the form on the gurney, and a single tear coursed down Kenji’s cheek, perhaps signaling to the heavens that it was time to cry. And with that the heavens responded, a bright flash of lightning and sharp crack of thunder announcing to the world that Buddy was gone. And suddenly it began to rain in earnest- a tropical downpour that splashed from the sky in warm waves of healing water.

  The rain continued unabated into the night, driving each of the Nakamura clan into their own isolated areas of solemn contemplation. Kenji sat in silence with unseeing eyes before the soundless television, the actions on the screen playing out in mute and pointless flickerings of light and shadow. Noelani sat quietly at the kitchen table and stared blankly into the night, a tepid and still-undrunk cup of tea cradled in her large brown hands.

  Alone in her bedroom, Alani sat at her vanity, staring with red-rimmed eyes into the dark, the reflection of her tear-streaked face fracturing and sliding on the rain-streaked window. With a shuddering sigh, Alani hugged the threadbare chenille robe tightly around her in hollow consolation and turned back to the now-equally painful epistle on the embossed pad, taking the pen into her numb and unfeeling hand, and finished the note to Chris.

  “...and remember the time you spent in Paradise, as I will remember you, always- Mahalo.”

  A solitary tear broke loose from its’ perch upon her lovely eyelid and splashed onto the page, smearing the final word. Alani stifled a sob and looked to her dressing table for another page to re-write the ruined missive, and there she saw the single business card nearly buried under the mess of previously crumpled attempts at writing. With a shaking hand, she picked up the card and slowly turned it over, where she saw the single word printed carefully on its’ back.

  It read, simply-

  ‘Thanks.’

  Alani turned the card back over and smiled in bittersweet memory as a renewed flood of tears blurred her vision. She blotted them from her face with a corner of the robe and read the familiar name and its’ accompanying number on the front. With a final sniff of tears and a stuttering intake of breath her lovely face formed a grim smile of resolution, and she picked up her phone and dialed…

  Chris’ phone vibrated warmly from the confines of an inner jacket pocket, rousing him from his moribund reverie. Who the hell could possibly be calling me now? he wondered, tugging the buzzing device out into the light and looking at the screen. His heart skipped a beat and his breath caught in his throat when he saw the 808 area code on the screen, the caller anonymous, but only one possibility as to who it could be. With a sharp intake of breath to steel his emotions, he tapped the screen, and answered.

  “Hello-?” Chris listened silently, first with a look of surprise, then one of shock, and then one of grim acceptance as he stared solemnly and silently at the glowing face of the phone as it went dark in his hand. His gaze lifted to the window beside him, his thoughts casting back out to the world beyond, memories fading and hopes dashed by the capricious nature of his life and destiny.

  His mother’s soft voice gently pierced the silence, “It's Buddy. He's gone, isn't he?”

  Chris turned to Abigail with a startled raise of eyebrows, “Yeah- How did you-?”

  Abigail finished his sentence for him, a sigh of sad knowing preceding her words, “How did I know? Honey, sometimes I just do...” And with that, she leaned forward, lowering the privacy window and uttering a short, unintelligible phrase to her driver, a light touch of his arm sealing the deal. She leaned back with a contented air as the window rose back up, leaving both she and Chris alone with their thoughts.

  Without warning, the long black car suddenly detached itself from the rest of the cortege and disappeared into a tunnel, the sign above the entrance showing the universally familiar icon of an airplane.

  The soft golden light of dawn crept into the shuttered living room of the Nakamura household, illuminating a bevy of sleeping individuals in various states of repose, all sprawled on different chairs throughout the room. Outside, the world was oddly silent, as if for once even the voices of the crickets and the whispering breeze were stilled in a sympathetic gesture of reverent mourning.

  In the quiet confines of the first-class section of the plane, a solitary spotlight from the sole un-shuttered window illuminated the unmoving face of Chris. On the horizon outside, the sun suddenly flashed and sparkled over the edge of the earth like a diamond ring, its’ stunning display of light going sadly unappreciated, for Chris was fast asleep.

  The black limo drove slowly down the graveled path that glistened with the dew, newly washed from the early morning rain, a wake of quickly fading tire tracks disappearing as it passed. With a tiny squeal of brakes, the car stopped, and the rear door opened without assistance from the driver. Chris stepped out, stretching the fatigue and tension from his bones in the warm morning light.

  The unexpected noise roused Alani from her fragile slumber, and she clutched her robe tightly around her as she walked quietly to the dark front door. She slowly pulled the door inward and blearily pushed the squeaky screen outward, rubbing sleep from her eyes and swiping an errant strand of hair from her face as she squinted into the light. And then her mouth dropped open in amazement at the astonishing vision in her driveway. With a hand flying to her open mouth and a flood of tears coursing down her face, she dashed across the space, leaping the final few feet into the arms of Chris, who caught her in a spinning embrace and punctuated the move with a warm, passionate kiss as they whirled on the graveled drive, their mutual tears mingling in salty pools and trickling down their cheeks.

  Abigail stepped slowly from the opposite side of the car, her bittersweet tears yielding to a warm smile of maternal fondness as she gazed at her son and Alani. And then her gaze drifted to the porch, trading pained and knowing smiles with both Kenji and Noelani as they appeared and quietly descended the steps, silent tears coursing from them all as their faces danced and flickered with a juxtaposition of wide-ranging emotions.

  In the solemn silence that ensued, the limo began to slowly move off, the shimmering dew sparkling golden on its’ surface as it disappeared into the rising mists of the morning. And when it was gone the crickets began to sing and the warm breeze sighed as a new day dawned on this little corner of paradise.

  I have always been a storyteller. Whether around the dinner table, beside the fire, at the bar or on the street, I always enjoy sharing a tale with whatever audience I happen to have captive at that particular moment. As a child growing up in the diplomatic corps in far-flung places around the globe, my stories of wild adventures in exotic locales have become the stuff of legend (and in the case of my wife, wild eye-rolls) as I revisit a host of strange and mysterious tales with every passing victim. Eventually I came to realize that the central thread of them all was the curious and serendipitous nature of each and every one, the host of strange and mysterious circumstances that somehow came together for their unlikely resolution.

  The evolution and creation of the epic tale that became ‘Over the Rainbow’ was no different. It began with a chance encounter on an obscure movie set with a famous actress who unknowingly set me upon this path when she innocently asked the question, ‘Do you have an idea for a story?’ It flowered into the tiniest germ of an idea with the unexpected return to the magical islands of Hawai’i a few years later, and then blossomed and
flared into incandescence by the melody of a single tune that accompanied me on a sad and lonely trip through the panhandle of southern Idaho.

  The journey of the colorful characters that inhabit the magical, mystical place that I call ‘Waimea’ continues to unfold as I write these words, a serendipitious adventure that spans both time and space, the interweaving’s of their lives a vibrant tapestry of love and aloha in a strange and exotic land.

  I hope you enjoyed my book. Please read on to continue the journey in the short excerpt from my second book in the series- Over the Rainbow – Book Two – ‘Ho’oponopono’.

  Aloha!

  Robert Vaughan

  Ogden, Utah

  Prologue

  The light was bright, almost too bright, and hazy; the low-drifting clouds pink and gold, the mist rising from the sea a delightful shade of lavender. The scene was almost- surreal, indeed otherworldly, and the sand sparkled in the golden light. The beach was quiet and tranquil- the only sounds being the soft crash and fizz of the surf that came and went in a gentle whisper, and the muted cry of gulls distant on the breeze.

  Walter walked along the glistening shoreline, still dressed in gray, his visor tilted casually back on his head. Had he been able to see himself he might have noticed that he was also strangely glowing, almost- translucent, and would have been shocked to see this difference had he the benefit of a mirror. He was barefoot, and yet his feet left no tracks as he slowly paced through the damp sand. He continued his trackless wanderings for some indeterminate time, for time was indeed indeterminate here, eventually rounding a familiar corner of the beach, the sound of the gentle plucking and strumming of a ukulele now dancing toward his ears.

  Walter looked up, realizing that he had been, until now, quite isolated, indeed alone. And yet upon reflection, he hadn’t minded, had even relished the quiet isolation, and now almost resented this musical intrusion to his solitude. Walter paused in his trek and looked up to his left- and there, at the top of the beach, was an enormous Hawaiian waving greetings in his direction, gesturing at Walter to join him on the fallen palm tree he was using as a bench.

  The man spoke, “Hey! Aloha, man! I was wondering when you finally gonna show up.”

  Walter called up to him in consternation and a hint of confusion, “What?! What are you talking about? Who in the hell are you?”

  The giant man rose, dusted off his generous backside and slowly sauntered down the sand to Walter. “Whoa, dude, easy there...” He placed his hands on his hips and scrutinized Walter with his head tilted curiously. “Man, they was right- You got some serious anger issues to deal with.” And then he smiled broadly and extended a beefy hand. “We never got a chance to meet. I'm Buddy.”

  Walter placed his hand in the giant’s paw and gave it a perfunctory shake, releasing it just as quickly. “Walter. Walter Matthews. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go, I need to find my wife.” He hastily turned and continued his journey down the lonely beach, and the man who had introduced himself as Buddy called gently after him.

  “You're not gonna find her down there, man.”

  Walter stopped, whirled and glared in annoyance at the behemoth and said tersely, “What the hell are you talking about? Of course I will...”He gestured vaguely up the beach, “She's just up there at the hotel.” And with that he turned and continued walking.

  Buddy turned his head to the sky and addressed the heavens, “Oh, man... You didn't tell me it gonna be this tough.” Cupping his hands to his mouth, he yelled to the now distant Walter as he waved a massive arm in beckoning, “Yo, dude! Walter! Come 'ere.”

  Walter stopped, and with a baleful glance skyward, stalked back to the annoyingly insistent Buddy, who had re-planted himself on the palm-tree bench. Buddy smiled engagingly and patted the tree beside him. “Sit down, bro. Take a load off.” Walter looked to the sandy perch, and then sat wearily with a sigh of resignation. “Okay, you have my attention. Now what? Would you mind explaining to me how you know I'm not going to find my wife?”

  Buddy stated, matter-of-fact, with a slight shrug of shoulders, “'Cause she not there bro...”

  “And you know this how?”

  Buddy rolled his eyes and blew through his lips in mild exasperation. “Tell you da truth, I not really sure- I just do, okay?” He took a quick, short breath and continued, “Okay... Here goes. Dude, Walter, take a look around. Anything look strange, kinda- different?”

  Walter paused, and for the first time truly looked about and appraised his world. “Nooo... not really, it's... quiet. And I must admit, more beautiful than I remember.”

  “Look again, you see anybody else?”

  “I- no, no, I don't. That's odd... Where is everyone?”

  Buddy gestured vaguely with one hand, “Dey... elsewhere.”

  Walter’s brows creased in suspicion, “What do you mean, elsewhere...?” And then he stood up abruptly and asked Buddy accusingly, “Hey- what's going on? Where the hell am I?!”

  Buddy held up his hands in a placating gesture, “Whoa, whoa, hold on there, easy dude... Take a minute, okay? Think back, what's da last thing you remember before showin' up here on dis beach?”

  Walter hesitated, scratching his head through the open top of the visor. “What? I... I was at the golf course. I had just nailed an ace on that par three, the seventeenth, and then- I remember the lightning, and then the wave, and then…” Walter’s face fell with the memory and subsequent dawn of realization, “Oh... my... God... Oh, no, NONONONO- OOOOH- SHI...!” A wave crashed, cutting off the expletive, and Walter glared silently down at Buddy.

  Buddy smiled up at Walter apologetically, almost- painfully, and said to himself, “Oh, boy, here it comes...”

  “Am I... am I... dead?”

  Buddy replied simply, “Yup.” He looked heavenward with a tilted grin and said, “Hey! That wasn't so…” And then he paused as a blood-curdling scream interrupted him, “...bad.”

  Walter was now standing with his back to Buddy, facing outward to the sea with his hands reaching imploringly to the sky as he cried beseechingly, “Aaaaaaauuuuugh! Noooooooo! Nononononoooo! Please, God, tell me I'm dreaming... not now, not yet, I'm not ready- Oh please, please tell me it's not true... please?” Walter waited briefly for a response, got none, and inquired hopefully, “Hello? God?”

  Buddy shook his head slowly in a gesture of inevitability, cracked his knuckles and gusted out a sigh of breath as he ticked off fingers. ”Okey-dokey, here we go- we got anger, denial... What's next?”

  Walter looked feverishly about the sky for a reply, asking, “Please, God, tell me it's not true, please... I'll do anything, anything...”

  Buddy smiled to himself and ticked off another finger. “Oh, yeah, yeah, right- bargaining...”

  Walter whirled on Buddy and asked, “You there, Buddy, hey! Are you- are you...”

  Buddy completed Walter’s unfinished inquiry, “Dead?” And then he sighed slightly and added, “Yeah.”

  “Then is this...” Walter turned and gestured vaguely toward the glowing sea, “Is this- Heaven?”

  “Nope. It's pretty close, though. Don't you think?”

  Walter turned from side to side, pleading his case to an unresponsive Universe, “But... I can't be dead, not now, not yet. I still have too much to do...”

  Buddy shook his head in resignation. “Whoops, right back to denial.” He then addressed the back of Walter. “Yo. Walter. Dude.”

  Walter whirled on Buddy and replied tersely, “What?!” And then he stalked back over to Buddy and said mockingly, “I suppose you can explain this too?”

  Buddy smiled brightly and nodded, “Actually, I can...”

  “Oh- and how's that...? Are you...? Are you an- an Angel?”

  “I guess you could call me that, in a way... but not exactly, you know?” Buddy rolled his eyes again and blew in vexation, “Man- How do I start? Dude, Walter- sit down, bro- it's gonna be a whole lot easier if I don't have to keep lookin' up at you, it's givin' me a cri
ck in the neck.”

  Walter sat with an air of expectant resignation, and Buddy smiled and ticked off a final finger, “Acceptance.”

  Over the Rainbow – Book Two – ‘Ho’oponopono’ is available on Smashwords and its’ distribution network for a multitude of devices and platforms.