She knew without asking that his body would not be cremated. He came from a very staunch Hawaiian ancestry that believed the bones of a human carried with them divine power. To cremate them would be to disrespect that power and intolerable. His body would be carefully preserved, and placed in a casket before being buried in a traditional gravesite.
While some Hawaiians would have a burial at sea, she knew her mother would never allow that. The sea had already claimed her son; she wouldn’t willingly give it her husband as well.
Becca might have been gone for four years, but she still knew her mother. And that was part of the problem. Her mother had always been opinionated, and the last few weeks before the tragedy, she’d been short tempered with Becca’s insistence on following Dagan around. She’d warned her daughter that the man was nothing but trouble, and she’d been right. Becca should have listened to her.
Chapter 8
“Becca?” Kaillar touched her on the shoulder, bringing her back to the present.
She blinked, and then realized a taxi was parked directly in front of her, the back passenger door open and awaiting her arrival. “Sorry. I guess I got sidetracked.”
She slipped into the taxi, and gave the driver the address to the resort. She watched out the window as the vehicle made its way out of the airport and began the drive along the coastal road. When she began seeing the warning signs about the slow moving lava tubes, she couldn’t resist asking, “How close are they to the location I gave you?”
“About two miles, miss. They have everyone on standby alert, but I wouldn’t worry while you’re here. The tube hasn’t really moved much in the last month or so.”
“Really? That’s good news.” Becca breathed a sigh of relief. She’d seen the coverage on the national news, and she’d been relieved when they’d put up the map and she’d realized her childhood home wasn’t in the direct path of destruction.
“It is,” the driver agreed. “My family’s home is in the evacuation zone, and we’ve already moved my grandmother to another place, and removed the furniture and keepsakes.”
“I’m sorry,” Becca told him.
“No, do not be sorry. It is as my grandmother say. This land was birthed from the volcanoes, and eventually everything circles back to its origin.”
“Dust to dust,” Becca nodded her head.
“Yes.”
“Lava tubes? Are we talking about molten rock here?” Kaillar asked.
Becca smiled at him, glad for something to talk about that didn’t include her family or the past. “There are three main volcanoes on the island. Kilauea is the smallest of the three now…”
“Now?” Kaillar asked.
“Yes. She blew her top back in the 80’s, and is only about four thousand feet above sea level right now. The other two mountains you saw as we flew around the island were Mauna loa and Mauna kea. They are both just short of fourteen thousand feet, but neither of them are really active. Mauna loa erupted back in the 80’s as well, but doesn’t seem to have much activity since then. Kilauea is a different story. She hasn’t ever stopped erupting, and the crater rises and falls over time.”
“When you say erupting, you mean like explosions and such?” Kaillar asked.
“Sometimes,” Becca offered him a small smile, and then she looked out the window and her smile broadened. “We’re here.”
Kaillar looked out the window, and saw what looked like a little piece of paradise. A large two story building with wrap around porches on both levels stood behind a large expanse of green foliage and grass. Palm trees, flowering hedges, and a plethora of large leafed plants bordered the property.
To the side of the main house, small bungalows were connected by a covered walkway, painted white and enclosed here and there with lattice boards.
“You grew up here?” Kaillar asked, thinking that it looked like something one would see on a postcard.
“I did,” she told him, watching him and liking the joy she saw on his face. That was something she’d noticed about Kaillar, his ability to take joy in his surroundings. If was infectious, and more than once since meeting him, she’d been jealous of his ability to enjoy his life. That was what she wanted most – to just enjoy being alive and not feel as if she didn’t have the right to do so.
“It’s absolutely gorgeous.”
Becca nodded, but before she could reply, her attention became focused on the small woman with the graying hair who had come out of the house to greet her visitors. Becca knew the exact moment her mother recognized her. She tossed down the dishtowel in her hands, and started crying even as she ran towards Becca.
Becca felt tears start, and was helpless to stop them as she met her mother in the middle of the yard and felt those slim arms surround her for the first time in over four years.
“Becca! My sweet girl! Welcome home!”
Becca held her mom close, the feeling of being held in her mother’s arms one that completely broke down the rest of her defenses. She held on, sobs coming from a place deep within her. Her mother simply held her and cried with her.
Becca had no idea how long they stood there on the grass, but she sensed Kaillar behind her, and slowly pulled away from her mother. Not sure what to say regarding what had just taken place, she opted for making her introductions.
She wiped her cheeks, and then stepped back so that her mother could see Kaillar, “Mom, this is Kaillar Donnelly. Kai, my mother, Stacie Kahoalani.”
Kai stepped forward and shook her mother’s hand, “Ma’am. Your place here is amazing!”
Stacie offered him a soft smile, “This is your first trip to the islands?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Kaillar’s smile was easy, and compassion shown in his eyes when he took her mother’s hand in his own and softly told her, “I’m very sorry about your husband.”
“Thank you.” Stacie looked between the handsome man and her daughter, and then she stepped back, “Come inside.”
Becca had seen the speculative look in her mother’s eyes, and knew that at some point her mother was going to want answers about…everything. After her crying jag, her eyes felt puffy, and her throat was clogged with unshed tears. But she felt better. Almost as if the load she carried was lighter.
Stacie led them into the main house, leading them directly to the large sitting room at the rear of the property. It overlooked a private salt water pool and a large patio where guests were welcome to barbecue and enjoy the sunshine away from the crowded beaches.
“I’m so glad you came. When I didn’t hear back from you, I got worried,” her mother told her.
Becca started to answer, but Kaillar came to her rescue. “I’m afraid that’s my fault. Your news was so shocking to Becca she fainted. Once her friends and I figured out what had happened, it was only a matter of a few hours before we were boarding a plane in Denver…”
“Denver?” Stacie asked, turning to look at her daughter. “Is that where you’ve been these many years? I saw the postmark on your yearly cards, but the town never made much sense to me.” Seeing Kaillar’s confusion, she explained, “Becca has sent a post card every year just before Christmas, but it was always postmarked North Pole. Her father and I were afraid she’d moved to the top of the world.”
Kaillar smiled and then asked Becca, “You drove to the North Pole to mail your cards?”
Becca nodded her head, “It wasn’t much of a drive, and I actually enjoyed being there every year during the holidays.”
Becca turned to her mother, “Yes. I’ve been living in Colorado. North Pole is a small town about an hour’s drive from Denver.” She paused and then added, “I just finished college.”
Stacie smiled at her daughter, “Your father would have been so happy to hear that. He…” She paused, glancing at Kaillar, uncomfortable with discussing family issues without knowing his connection to her daughter.
“It’s okay mom. Kaillar knows what happened.”
“Does he?�
�� her mother asked with a raised brow. “Then maybe you could fill me in as well.”
Becca shook her head, “You know what happened. You were there…”
Her mother was quiet for a moment and then sighed, “I saw what you wanted me to see.”
Becca hadn’t a response, and finally she changed the subject. “What do you need me to do for tomorrow?”
“Nothing. Everything’s already been taken care of. Your presence is all that is required.”
“Fine. Dress?”
“Traditional white. Did you…”
“I brought something appropriate with me. I’m going to go get Kai and myself settled. Any guests?”
“No. Julia cancelled everyone’s reservations for me,” she offered, referring to the older woman who helped her mother manage the cooking and cleaning tasks for the guest rooms. Julia was about the same age as her mother, and had been a figure in Becca’s life for as long as she could remember.
“I’m glad Julia’s still helping you out.” She didn’t wait for her mother to say anything else; she stood up and headed for where Kaillar had stacked their bags by the door. “Ready?”
Kai nodded his head, giving her mother a brief smile, and then followed her from the house, both bags in his hands. “You doing okay?”
“No. I just needed…I need to talk to Gracie.” Becca sniffed as she led him down the covered walkway towards the standalone bungalows.
“Where are we going?” Kai asked as she passed several without stopping.
“The end. I just need some distance…”
“Becca?” When she turned and looked at him over her shoulder, he shook his head at her, “Stop!”
She did, and then crossed her arms protectively over her chest, “What?”
“Are there no guest rooms in the main house?”
She nodded once, “Yes.”
“Then why aren’t we staying there? Close to your mom?”
She watched him for a moment and then looked up, blinking her eyes furiously as she tried not to cry. “I just need some space.”
“Fine. Then let’s drop these bags off and take a drive. But you came home to say farewell to your father and if I’m not mistaken, reconcile things with your mother before you no longer could. Am I right?”
She nodded once, and then wiped a tear away with her fingertips.
“Then it’s my job as your escort to see that you do that. To save you from making a mistake that you will most certainly regret. Let’s go back to the main house, and then you can show me your island. Yes?”
She took a steadying breath, and then reversed course. She entered the main house from a side door this time, and led him up a flight of stairs. She stopped at the top, and pushed open the first door they came to. “You can use this room. It has its own bathroom through that door.”
“This will be fine. Where are you going to stay?”
“My old room. The only other room was my brother’s, and I just…”
“Don’t say any more. Go make your call to Gracie, and then come find me. I’m going to call Justin, and make sure he doesn’t call out the cavalry.”
Becca found that mildly funny, “No cavalry here. Fly boys, yes. Sea dogs, most certainly. But no cavalry. You’re in Hawaii now.”
Kaillar gave her a small smile, and then nodded towards the door, “Go take care of things.” He waited until she left before blowing out a breath. Since arriving at her childhood home, things had been a rollercoaster of emotion, and he was afraid that there was much more to come. He only hoped she could handle it, and that he’d have big enough shoulders to help.
H placed his call to Justin and at the end of the call, he asked his brother to call Pastor Jeremy and get the prayer chain going. Becca needed help, and after speaking with Justin for a few minutes, he realized that while he could offer her his support and be there to listen, ultimately she was going to have to deal with the emotional trauma that had been festering for way too long. He only knew one person who could help her through that, he only hoped when the time came, she was open to seeking help from a higher power.
Chapter 9
Becca entered her childhood bedroom, shocked to see that it was just as she’d left it. She walked around the room, looking at the pictures and posters hung on the walls as memories assailed her of happier times. When she reached the window, she pulled the blinds open, and was saddened to see that her view of the ocean was no longer there. The palm trees planted at the edge of the yard had grown up and now blocked her view.
She turned away from the window, and approached her desk and the small hutch that stood atop it. There were pictures of her and Kevin there. A picture of Kevin holding his trophy after winning a surf competition. Kalino and he had tied for the win, and another picture stood on the opposite side of the hutch of Kalino in a similar pose, holding an identical trophy.
She reached for the picture, and that’s when she realized there was no dust. None. She looked around the room, and could tell that someone had been cleaning the room on a regular basis. She walked to the closet, finding the clothing she’d left behind hanging neatly from the rod.
The bureau, likewise, was just as she’d left it. Her clothing from four years earlier still neatly folded and awaiting her return. It was as if the room had been suspended in time!
Before she could dwell on that too much, her cell phone rang, and she pulled it from her pocket. One glance at the screen told her Gracie had gotten tired of waiting for her call.
She sank down onto the edge of the bed, and swiped the screen, “Gracie?”
“Yeah, sweetie. I just heard Justin talking to Kaillar, so I figured I’d try to call you now. How are you holding up?”
Becca felt the tears she’d been holding back fall from her eyes, “This is so hard.”
“I know. But you’re strong enough to get through this. How’s your mom handling your dad’s death?”
“I guess okay. She …when I arrived, she met me on the lawn and hugged me. She cried.”
“And you?” Gracie asked softly.
“Like a baby. But I don’t know that it solves anything. Gracie, there are things that happened…she believes one thing, but…” She couldn’t finish talking, the tears were coming so fast that she could barely take a breath.
“Take a breath, Becca. Why don’t you tell me what really happened, and then we’ll deal with what your mom thinks happened?”
“I don’t know that I can. I’ve never…”
There was a pause and then Gracie softly asked, “Sweetie, have you never talked to anyone about what happened?”
“No. Not really. I mean, I went to see a mental health guy a few times, but that was an utter disaster and I felt even worse afterwards. God, this is so hard.”
There was a pause, and then Gracie asked, “Do you believe in God, Becca? I know you used to go to church with Melanie and me from time to time, but I never asked. I didn’t want to pry.”
“I guess I believe there is a God, but I wasn’t raised in church or anything. What about you?”
“Yeah, I believe in God, and I believe that He watches over us and is ready and waiting to help us if we just ask Him for help.”
“If that’s true, He must not care too much for me.”
“Why do you say that?” Gracie asked, wishing she wasn’t thousands of miles away.
“You don’t know…if God was watching over me four years ago, He must have blinked.”
Gracie assured her, “God was watching, but He never promised that we wouldn’t go through tough times. Why don’t you tell me what really happened four years ago?”
Becca took a small breath, and then began to tell her about Dagan and how she’d fallen head over heels for him. “I really liked him, but it turned out that he wasn’t the person I thought he was.”
“What happened?”
“He was training on a neighboring island at one of the most dangerous surfing points in the
world. My brother and his friend were not quite fifteen, and were the junior champions. They weren’t anywhere near ready to take on Pe’ahi size waves, but surfers constantly challenge themselves, and Kevin convinced my parents that he and Kalino would only ride the secondary waves.”
“So, you went to this island, and then what happened?”
“Dagan was already there, and he’d told me to find him when we got there because he wanted to talk to me about something. He and his buddies were renting rooms at my parents’ resort, but we didn’t have a lot of privacy. I was excited, and hopeful that maybe he was going to ask me to go with him when they moved to their summer training grounds.”
“That’s not what he wanted to talk about?” Gracie asked, trying to keep the conversation moving.
“He didn’t actually want to talk. He wanted sex. It sounds horrible, but what he did was horrible. He took me up the beach a ways, and told me we were going to walk, but once we reached the sand, he attacked me. When I fought back, he slapped me, and then tried to choke me as he tried to tear my clothes off.”
“Becca? Sweetie, I have to ask, but did he rape you?”
“No. A park ranger heard me cry out and came to investigate. Dagan made up a story about things getting a little out of control, and I was so embarrassed, I didn’t say anything. I kept my head down, trying to cope with the fact that my supposed boyfriend had just assaulted me.”
“I’m glad his actions were interrupted. Then what happened?”
“He drove us back to the beach, and told me to clean my face up before I joined his friends on the beach. The rental Jeep didn’t have any mirrors inside the vehicle, and I didn’t think to look in one of the side mirrors. I sat there for a long time, and then went to find my brother and his friend.
Kaillar (Three Brothers Lodge #3) Page 5