“Take care of yourself. I’ll call you tonight.”
“I’d love that.” Love, love, love that.
I clicked my phone over to talk to the last person I ever expected to call me. “Lana?”
“Hello, Jaswinder. Congratulations. Please tell your grandmother how happy I am for her. Too bad about Lois,” she purred.
“There really are no secrets on this island, are there?”
“Not really,” Lana said. “And congratulations on your little clothing line. I hear good things are happening.”
“Thank you,” I said, wondering why Lana was calling me. Was she trying to get info about me and Jac? I hear that, honey. I cannot imagine what he is doing with me after dating you, either.
“Listen,” Lana interrupted my thoughts. “With Lois out of the picture right now, I know some women who could help you out if you are looking for seamstresses.”
I am always such a Negative Nelly. “Lana, that would be great. I have been wondering where I could get a few more people. You called at the perfect time. Thank you so much, you are a lifesaver.”
“My pleasure. I hear you have been very busy.”
“It’s a good sign that we can use extra help,” I said. “We cleaned out my grandmother’s garage and are using it as our new workspace. It’s rustic, but really pretty. You should stop by and see it sometime. I think even my grandmother approves.”
Lana laughed. “Thank you, Jaswinder. I appreciate the invitation. I could swing by tomorrow with a couple of my aunties, if that works for you.”
“Sure. Great.” I couldn’t believe my luck. I had been worrying about completing the latest batch of orders. Lana and I got off on the wrong foot, she misjudged me, but maybe I misjudged her, too. In any event, I would have accepted help from Satan’s foot soldiers if they could sew a straight seam. Sorry, guardian angel.
True to her word, Lovely Lana showed up the next day with two Hawaiian women who knew the Marys and Maria. Lana so admired our renovated workspace in the garage, and was so charming about my new business I felt pretty shady for not liking her just because she was drop dead gorgeous.
“Thanks, Lana,” I told her. “It’s nice that you brought your aunties. And thanks for being so positive about Haole Wood. I’ve got a confession though.”
“What?” Lana wrinkled her impossibly small nose that I used to wonder how exactly she got enough oxygen to breathe.
“You’re always so perfect, I was intimidated by you.”
She laughed. “Jaswinder. In Hawaii, we have a saying, ‘A ‘ohe kanaka i ‘eha ‘ole I ke aloha. That means ‘no one can escape feeling the pangs of love’—we all have to face our own hurts.”
I smiled. Like a cat sniffing out the intentions of a stranger, I began to like Lana.
Halmoni bustled around, happy to see Lana. She made us tea while I explained how the business was doing. “We’ve ordered more fabric and we have a ton of orders coming in on the internet. We’re trying to keep it all as simple as we can. Halmoni helps me with packing and mailing, and of course, mixing the kukui nut oil concoction.”
“I’m really impressed.”
“I do have a favor to ask you, though, Lana.”
“What’s that?”
“KHNL, Channel 8, wants to do a story on the sunshminas and you’d be a great part of the story. Even Maui’s favorite girl, Lana Ho, wears the sunshmina. You know? Something like that?”
“I’d love to, it would be my pleasure,” Lana said. “When are they doing the story?”
“In a few days. I’ll let you know.”
“Great. I won’t be lying, you know. I really do love my sunshmina.”
“Thanks. We’re pretty excited.”
I was, too. I jumped out of bed every morning, ready to tackle the computer orders, do my PR with the customers, and make sure the production line was rolling along. The only fly in the ointment was the shadow cast by Lois, and my worry about her and Shayna.
Lana nodded and looked at me through her impossibly long thick black eyelashes. “Haven’t you forgotten something?”
“What?”
“Dr. Jac?” Lana teased. “How is Jac these days? I haven’t seen him lately, but I hear you have.” Lana laughed at my blush.
“Dang my haole skin,” I said. “He’s good. He really is a great guy.”
“Yes, he is. You do know we used to date?”
I nodded as the jealousy turtle twisted in my stomach. If she wanted him back I might as well say aloha right now.
“We make better friends than lovers,” she said. “He is a good guy, just not my type. He didn’t grow up here, so I think it’s hard for outsiders to understand our culture. I always felt I would end up with a Hawaiian.”
“What about Mike?” I asked softly. “I really am so sorry about everything that happened.”
“Mike. Where to begin?” Lana sipped her tea, her brown eyes misting with memories. “He was the most confident man I have ever known. He had plans to rule the world . . . well, at least Maui. Even though a lot of people thought he was pompous, the one thing they can’t deny is that he loved this island.” She shook her head, rippling her dark waves of hair.
“I really regret the bad times we had, the times we fought. We had some crazy arguments, mokomoko. Who knows? He could have been the one. It’s just such a shame.” Her face twisted.
Whoa, I would not want to cross Lana.
“I hate Lois for what she did,” she said.
“I know,” I said. “I just can’t figure out why she would have killed him. Maybe it was just an accident.”
Lana shook her head again. “I don’t think so. There are no accidents. Lois knew exactly what she was doing.”
“I’m not so sure.”
Lana leaned forward.
“Lois told me there are clues that may help prove someone was there after she left,” I told her.
Lana reached out and squeezed my hand. “Lois would say anything to pin it on someone else. What did they find?”
“I’m not supposed to say anything.”
Lana waited me out. She didn’t have to wait very long.
“Well, Lois couldn’t tell me much.” I promised Lois I wouldn’t tell anyone what they had found, but what could it hurt? I lowered my voice. “They found a crushed flower petal.”
Lana laughed. “Really? A flower petal. In Maui. The police are going to have to do better than that.”
I smiled with her. “That’s what I thought, but Lois said it didn’t seem to be from an orchid or lei or from any of the plants that grew at Mike’s place. They’re checking it out.” I needed to stop talking, but I couldn’t help myself. “They found a toe print on the flower petal.”
Lana stood up slowly. “How would the police even go about finding someone based on a toe print?”
“I have no idea. I keep picturing some sort of Cinderella sting.” I laughed. “Good thing we both have alibis, right?”
Lana’s face froze.
“I’m so sorry, Lana. I was just kidding. I say such stupid things. I didn’t mean anything by it.” Could I be more insensitive? “I didn’t mean to make light of Mike’s murder.” I kept talking, trying to charm my way back into her good graces. “I’m just glad it helps raise some questions in the case against Lois.”
“This all has been incredibly difficult,” Lana said. “You are a good friend. Keep me posted.”
“I will,” I said, grateful she was smiling at me again. “You know, talking about flowers, I just remembered something Mike said that night in the bar.”
“What?” Lana asked, tilting her head.
“Something about Maui’s flowers having thorns.” I shrugged. “We didn’t talk all that long, besides we were drinking. I doubt it means much of anything.”
“Hmm. You’re probably right. Mike was a huge flirt.” I felt so sad for Lana as she breathed a delicate sigh.
“Did you tell Lois we are hanging out?”
“No. I let her visit with
Shayna. I’m going to go see her again next week.”
Lana brushed at her eyes, changing the energy. “Why don’t you come to the gym with me, I’m teaching a hula aerobics class.”
I laughed. “Thanks for the offer. Maybe some other time. I have a lot of work to do, and, I have exercise deficit disorder.
At Lana’s beautifully quirked eyebrows, (I’d have to ask where she got her brows shaped) I took a rain check. “I really do want to try hula aerobics, especially if it gets me anywhere near the outline of a body that you have.”
Lana leaned in for a quick kiss on my cheek, surprising me. “You’re a funny one. Good luck with Haole Wood. Let’s do lunch tomorrow.”
I agreed and returned to my grandmother’s garage. I loved the smell of it. The cool space smelled like scissors and sewing, and success. It had two windows on the west side facing into an overgrown jungle of birds of paradise and palm trees, their fronds fanning against the windows, standing guard like a servant girl, in synch with the distant surf. The sunlight found its way in, casting a muted, comfortable glow in the workspace. I set up two long tables on either side of the old garage, its cement floor cool underfoot.
The two Marys and Maria worked sewing machines on one side, and now Lana’s two aunties were at the other table on the opposite side. A large folding table sat like an island in the middle of the floor, covered in a bright yellow Hawaiian print tablecloth. The women used it for laying out fabric and cutting their patterns. To the rear, my grandmother’s ironing board stood. One more borrowed table completed the workshop where my grandmother and I would fold and pack the wraps for shipping. A fan, two old floor lamps scavenged from my grandmother’s house and my grandmother’s radio, tuned to Hawaiian music, made it feel like a 1950s movie set. I kept thinking maybe Elvis would show up one day. I loved every inch of it.
I hummed along with the breeze that slows down time, and learned how to “make it work.” I relished the feel of the fabric slipping through my fingers, the rustle it made as I folded it. I fell into bed at night, exhausted from work and supervising the seamstresses, since Lois wasn’t around. Though they were all hard workers, I missed Lois.
The clothing company from Australia had been in touch several times, and the president planned on coming to visit. I was excited, but not too sure about what I wanted to happen. Haole Wood was so new. It still felt like a rare bouquet of exotic flowers ready to burst into bloom, sent by a secret admirer. I was so proud of our sunshminas. I couldn’t stop thinking about new pieces for the line and kept doodling new ideas and slogans for marketing. “I’m kukui for Haole Wood.” I didn’t say they were good ideas.
Chapter 37
Lokelani
Spending time with Halmoni became as soothing and addictive as the morning teas she made me. She was so happy to see Jac and me together, and would shoo us off every time I tried to invite her out with us. “Not that, not that.”
Jac and I took our relationship to a new level. That’s just a joke. We saw each other a lot, but with guys, who could tell? Sometimes I swear, I felt like breaking out the jump rope, “Boys are from Jupiter, that’s why they’re stupider.” We would oftentimes have these parallel conversations. I thought he was talking about our relationship, but as it turned out, he was talking about a case he worked on. The deepness he felt and elastic connectivity resided in the abscess of a puss-filled tumor in one of his patients. I vowed to work on my patience.
In between work, and spending time with Halmoni and Jac, and lunch with my new bff Lana, I saw Shayna almost every day. She stayed busy and out of trouble by coming over to the garage to order the women, and me, around. She had taken charge of the woven hats, similar to the one she and the others made for me, which were very time consuming to make. She was also working on our new sarong.
Everything should have been perfect as I began to build my daily routine, but I still felt my turtles fighting.
“It’s weird,” I explained to Jac. “I guess I feel a lot of guilt toward Shayna, because I pointed the finger at her mother. But, I’m still not convinced she did it.”
Jac listened to me, encouraged me and kissed me. “At least your business is doing well, and you’re helping out a lot with Shayna. I’m sure Lois appreciates that.” Jac hugged me. “And, I’m happy you are getting to know Lana. I told you she’s a good friend.” I smiled and kissed him some more, making sure to erase any images that the lovely Lana may have burned into his retina, or fingertips.
“She’s taking me to her hula aerobics class,” I told him.
“Can I watch?” he asked.
“No, but maybe I’ll give you a private demonstration.”
After the hula class, an unbelievably torturous routine of hip grinding that kicked my butt, I was pooped. “You Hawaiian girls are just double-jointed,” I complained to Lana. Us haoles just can’t quite shake it like that.”
Lana bumped her hips into me. “Oh, Jaswinder,” she said. “I wish I had that swing in my backyard.”
“Now you’re just making fun of me.”
Lana laughed. “You did great for your first time. You just have to loosen up.” Lana demonstrated by swiveling her hips.
“You have bobble-headed hips,” I said. “No fair.”
“So, do you still want to come over to my place, or are you too busy today?” she asked me, snapping her fingers.
“You even do that sexy,” I complained, trying to snap my fingers in slow motion. “I have time. I’d love to come over. And, can I get the names and numbers of those women at your club who want to buy sunshminas?”
“I have a whole list for you,” Lana told me.
“That’s so cool, Lana. I feel like I should pay you commission or something. I really can’t thank you enough for all of your help.”
Lana looked over at me and laughed. “It’s my pleasure. I’m excited for you.”
The day was brighter than an Instagram picture, with special effects highlighting the deep blue sky and golden aura of paradise. It was so fun having a friend like Lana.
“Thanks, Lana. That’s so nice. Plus, I’ve been dying to see your house.” I slid into the passenger seat of Lana’s red convertible Mustang, feeling like one of the beautiful people. A few miles later, we pulled into a lush tropical complex, Sand Pointe Place. “Do they charge you extra for the e in Pointe?” I asked her, trying to get my whiplashed hair back under control.
“I’m sure they do,” she said as we parked. “I like it here,” Lana said, leading me up a path lined with huge red and yellow hibiscus flowers. Their crepe petals bobbed in the breeze, nodding their approval to the succulent red ginger plants and sturdy stalks of orangish heloconia plants. Clouds that looked like they were painted with a light touch and wispy paintbrush hovered high over the ocean.
Lana waved to her neighbors sitting out on their lanai, a middle-aged couple who beamed at her greeting. “Thanks for the lemons, Lana,” the woman called out.
“My pleasure,” she said. “I’ll come by later for some lemonade,” she told them.
“They are the sweetest people,” she told me. “They keep an eye on me.”
“Well, I bet they like hanging out with a celebrity,” I teased her.
“Would you stop?” She unlocked her front door. “Come on in,” she said. “If you’re nice, I’ll give you some lemons to take home, too.”
That was the thing about Lana. She was so down to earth once you got to know her. “Holy cow,” I said, pretending to genuflect. “This place is amazing. I’m never going to leave.”
Lana laughed. “Thank you.”
“Did you decorate this yourself?”
Lana nodded.
“No fair. You sing, you act, you look like a Hawaiian goddess and you decorate. What don’t you do?”
“Laundry or bathrooms,” she said.
Inside her condo, it looked like Lana had taken a ray of sunlight, cooled it down and splashed it on her walls. “It’s not bright yellow, it’s not lemony, it’s more li
ke homemade churned butter.”
“Close,” Lana said. “It’s called Sun Cream.”
“Talk about feng shui. I seriously don’t want to leave,” I said, plopping down into the soft, off-white overstuffed couch. The whitewashed wooden end table held a huge perfect conch shell next to a bowl of blowzy pink roses that picked up the soft hues of the seashell. I drank it all in, trying to memorize the details, hoping to have a place like this myself someday. Her living room was so perfect, and clean. It smelled like key lime pie. I leaned my head back, the cushion cocooning my neck, and tried not to be too jealous. The colors, the textures, the energy of the room all conspired to make me feel like I belonged there, and could stay forever. Who lives that way? I remembered thinking.
“Not you.” I could practically hear my guardian angel. I didn’t need him to make me feel bad about myself, I was pretty much a superstar when it came to that. For about the hundredth time, I was grateful someone like Lana was friends with someone like me.
“Would you like some tea?”
“Sure.” I nodded. “Here, let me help. Oh, wow. You even have an ocean view.”
“Peek-a-view,” Lana corrected me, as she handed me a delicate milky-blue colored china teacup. I looked out her kitchen window.
I poured the tea out of the little pot into both of our cups and sniffed its warm fumes. “Only in Hawaii can hot tea be refreshing.” I took a sip, cooling the brew over my tongue. “My grandmother always has the funkiest concoctions, and I swear, whatever she gives me seems to be exactly what I need at the time. You now, she’ll pull out the chamomile to calm me down, or peppermint to pick me up. I think she gives me a lot of ginseng, too,” I said, tapping my head. “I need that at all times.” Carefully balancing my tea, I went back into her living room.
“Your grandmother does know her herbs,” Lana said.
I took another sip. “What flavor is this, Lana? I’m trying to learn.”
“Oh, I think you’ll really like this one,” Lana said with her trademark wind chime laugh. “See if you can figure out the separate flavors.”
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