Island Cultural Center

by Marilyn Foxworthy

  I said, “Of course. And not just to see what it’s like. Come here.”

  Lily stood and I swept her into my arms and hugged her. I tried to pour all of the fatherly love and acceptance into it that I possibly could. She was stiff at first, but as her breathing began to match my own and when I didn’t let go of her, she started to melt. And as the moment went on, she melted even more. My conscious goal was to hug her until she cried. Until she felt loved. Her mother had hugged me the day before and I wanted Lily, my new daughter, to be hugged with pure love and emotional richness. I hugged her the way that I wanted to be hugged. And it worked.

  Lily had tears in her eyes as she looked at Robby and said, “Robby, he hugs like Buttercup. Robby, I have my daddy. And he loves me.”

  I whispered, “Of course I do. And this is how I love your mother.”

  Lily pulled back slowly and wiped her eyes and said, “OK, I’ll let you live.”

  Robby said, “Roland, You don’t know what high praise that is. There’s no one who hugs more deeply than Buttercup, but to have Lily say that she’ll let you live, that’s serious.”

  Lily wiped her nose and said, “And all of you know that means that I’ll make sure he lives. Nobody messes with my family and that includes my daddy!”

  The woman called Cupcake jumped up and said, “I want some of that!”

  Buttercup grabbed her arm quickly and said, “Not so fast. Me first.”

  Cupcake struggled to get free of Buttercup’s hold, saying, “Nope. I saw him first.”

  Buttercup’s tone was suddenly more soothing than anything I had ever heard. More so than Charlotte.

  She said, “Cupcake, let me teach him something.”

  Cupcake’s eyes went wide and she immediately backed off.

  Robby said, “How’s your heart, Roland? You don’t have a weak heart do you?”

  Buttercup moved into my arms and merged with me as if there was no separation between our beings. As if there was no separation between any two beings anywhere in the universe. Suddenly, time reversed and I was in my mother’s arms. Not my mother, but The Mother. If there was a Mother Earth, only she could be holding me now. Time moved forward and I held my sister. A dear sister that I would protect and die for. Time swirled and I was held and I was holding every pure expression of femininity that had ever lived and would ever live. When she let go of me I found myself crying. But for the first time, I understood hugging.

  Buttercup said quietly, “Brenda, come here, Dear. I have a gift for you.”

  I collapsed into my chair. I needed to sit down. But Cupcake was standing nearby and she looked like she didn’t know what to do now. I smiled at her and without moving, invited her to my lap.

  Cupcake came slowly, as if she were afraid now. I understood. She’d been hugged by Buttercup before. Buttercup had said that she was going to teach me and Cupcake was afraid to approach what I’d learned.

  She sat across my lap and I put my arms around her and she leaned into my chest. She gave in to the warmth of the embrace immediately. I wondered if she had fallen asleep. She didn’t move. Her breathing matched mine and she let me hold her. My precious daughter.

  As I held Cupcake, giving her what I had, filling her with assurance as a child of the universe, loved and wanted, I watched Buttercup pour herself into Brenda. She had said that she had a gift for her. Brenda was an amazingly feminine woman. Apparently, Buttercup intended to take Brenda to a new level. I felt like I could see Brenda bathing in Buttercup, washing away her pain and the crust accumulated over the course of her life, especially as it touched on fear, shame, and mistreatment from both men and women.

  I was hardly surprised when Brenda slipped the straps of her dress off her shoulders and bared her chest against Buttercup’s bosom.

  Buttercup said very quietly, “Yes, Dear. Let go. Come to me. Take my gift.”

  Brenda didn’t cry. She stood with her dress down around her hips and leaned into Buttercup’s being.

  Cupcake stirred in my arms and put her face against my neck and said, “You smell like a dad. You smell like coming home and being safe.”

  Then she pulled back and looked into my eyes and said, “I love you, Daddy,” and she gave me a sloppy kiss on the lips the way that a toddler would.

  She leaned into me and we watched the feminine transformation taking place for another few minutes.

  When Brenda did pull back from Buttercup, she and Buttercup shared a full and loving kiss and then hugged each other again. When Brenda sat in her chair, she didn’t bother to pull her dress back into place, but sat there, her wondrously large breasts in the open.

  Robby said, “Roland, we sunbathe in the nude most of the time at home. In fact we wear very little clothing at all and Tom’s family is with us often. We see nothing wrong with this at all. Now that the subject is broached, I hope that your family will feel comfortable enough to experience that same freedom if you want to.”

  I said, “Um, based on Charlotte and Brenda’s comfort with it this afternoon, it looks like it’s probably not a problem - for either of them, at least.”

  Lisa jumped in and said, “Hey! Don’t forget my boobs. I still work out all the time and I might be a little smaller, but I’ll show you right now if you want me to!”

  I laughed and said, “No. Let’s save that for a time when we aren’t in a public restaurant.”

  Cupcake said quietly, still leaning against my neck, “No one cares. No one stares. When Buttercup’s magic is working, no one even sees us.”

  I said, “I love you, Cupcake. What do you want for Christmas? How about a pony?”

  Cupcake said, “No, I want things that no one but you can give me. Things I can only get from my dad. Things Robby can’t buy.”

  I said, “Oh, and what would that be?”

  Robby smiled and winked at her and she said, “A nap in your lap in a big recliner. A prom dress. Scaring away a boy who isn’t good for me. A bedtime story. Teaching me to swim. A Band-Aid on a scrape. A night on the town in a fancy restaurant where I drink a Shirley Temple. Holding me when someone said I was ugly or stupid. Telling me that you’re going to kill the pervert who touched me but then not doing it because revenge isn’t the answer, and making sure that it never happens again. A stupid poem in a card on my birthday. And a Teddy Bear that smells like you.”

  Tears streamed down my cheeks as I promised her that I would do all of that every day of my life from now on and that I’d travel back in time to do it every time that she had needed me and I wasn’t there before. Lisa was bundled in with us, sobbing and holding her daughter, wanting to beg forgiveness but forcing herself to focus on what things would be like from now on, not things that she couldn’t have done differently a long time ago and couldn’t do anything about now.

  I said, “You got it, Sweetie.”

  She kissed me again and said, “I know, Dad. You love me. Mom, don’t cry. I don’t blame you. I’m happy to have you back. We’ll be a family now. Dad is a good man. I can tell. And Lily says she’ll let him live, so everything’s fine. As long as he’s good in bed too, it’s all OK.”

  Lisa hugged her for a few more seconds and then took her chair again.

  She said, “Bren, you have lovely breasts,” and winked.

  It was a reminder, a loving reminder, that Brenda was still topless. Brenda smiled and casually pulled her dress back into place.

  Cupcake said, “Well?”

  No one spoke, not knowing what Cupcake wanted.

  She sighed in feigned exasperation and said, “Is he good in bed?”

  Lisa laughed and said, “Um, we haven’t had much of a chance to find out, but yeah, the one time we had was pretty darned good. I don’t have any fears in that department, I assure you. The way I feel about him, he could probably be the most awkward lover imaginable and I’d never know it. And in bed, on the carpet, against a tree, in the kitchen against the countertop, in the shower, in the backseat of the car, or wherever, I think we can pretty much
guarantee I’m going to like it. Um, you want to know something? So, when he first came to the store to buy Brenda a swimsuit, I thought he was so hot I had to run to the bathroom to get a hold of myself. No, not like that…well, almost like that. If I’d had more time, definitely like that.”

  Cupcake said, “Mom, that’s wonderful.”

  Lisa said, “But Brenda, why did you drop your top?”

  Brenda said, “I don’t know how to explain it. Buttercup showed me that breasts are sacred. That women can be sacred. That love is sacred. I don’t know. It was like some ghostly mother was filling my sacred breasts with a spiritual nourishment, and loosening my top was to free them, to free me, to receive something fantastic.”

  Buttercup said, “I’m glad you felt it. And now you can take what you have and what is being released and give it to your family. Be a gift to them every moment.”

  Brenda smiled angelically and said, “I will. I love all three of them so much. I think that I need to go lie down in the car. I feel so tired.”

  Buttercup smiled and nodded at Robby significantly and Robby said, “You guys, we really need to go. I have some other things that I should look at this afternoon. I think that we understand each other. Roland, I think that the ladies may want to spend more time together over the next few days, at least. You and I will find a few things to do when they don’t need us.”

  Lily said, “Robby, you have things to do with Alice, in Portland.”

  Robby said, “Oh yeah. OK, Roland, you may be on your own for a while.”

  I laughed and said, “I’m supposed to be on my honeymoon for the next five years. I’ll find something to do.”

  Charlotte said, “Can the girls come visit us at the resort? I’d like to stay close to Mr. Jackson, in case he wants something.”

  Lily said, “Sure Mom, I know how that is. And that’s why I might be going to Portland as well.”

  Cupcake said, “Robby, should Flower and Peach have some talks with Lisa about business opportunities?”

  Robby said, “Not yet. Peach should find a replacement for Lisa at the store right away. I want Lisa working no more than an hour a day at the store and by the end of next week that should all be done remotely and as needed. Lisa, I want you to get out of having to run the shop as quickly as possible. We’ll work on it from our end as well. If you can’t be replaced quickly, someone isn’t doing their job. And I don’t mean you.”

  Lisa said, “Robby, what if we can’t find someone qualified?”

  Robby said, “Then I’ll have someone shutdown the shop until we can. Flower likes having a store here for more affordable fashions, but if necessary, she can combine it with one of the shops at the resort, but more likely, she will just close temporarily.”

  Lisa said, “um, there’s a girl that I have been getting to know lately. She works in hospitality at the resort, but I think that she has the skills to run the shop. And it would be a financial advantage for her. She has a little one and it’s been hard.”

  Robby said, “Done. That’s what I’m talking about! Roland, that’s how it works. Charlotte, I have a project for you. Don’t do it yourself. Delegate this, but I’m leaving it up to you. And to Roland. Show him what we do.”

  Charlotte grinned and said, “Roland, he’s saying that we take one of the empty suites at the shopping center and we refurbish it and turn it into a day camp. We get some young people to provide what looks like daycare to the women who work for us, both here and at the resort, but to the kids it looks like beach trips, sandcastles, surfing lessons, snorkeling, and fishing. Along with cultural studies and Hawaiian language lessons.”

  Robby said, “Charlotte, you are the best. That’s exactly what I wanted, or I would have if I’d known what to want. But the shopping center isn’t the safest place for a bunch of kids. Take one of the places along the walk between the shops and the resort. Surely there’s something by the surf shop. It will be right across from the sand that way. Make sure it’s safe and that there are enough supervisors for the kids. This is for employees only. Not guests.”

  Charlotte said, “We’ll arrange for one of the restaurants to provide meals for all of them. I assume that this is all free for employees? And that parents can eat with the children when they can get there?”

  Robby said, “Perfect. Lisa what’s your friend’s name. The girl you’re thinking about?”

  Lisa said, “Kailani.”

  Robby said, “So yes, work it out for her to learn to do your job. Her child will be nearby, a hundred yards away and she won’t have childcare costs, including meals. She goes and eats with the kids for lunch. Breakfast and dinner before they go home if she wants to. If we outgrow whatever space you find, we’ll expand in a second location. The Italian restaurant isn’t doing that great, close it down if you want to. Find everyone new jobs. We need this more than an Italian restaurant in Kauai. And get that old ukulele player guy. The guy that used to play back in Elvis’ day. He needs to shift his focus from the act he’s had for 50 years and become the grandpa-kids-entertainer for this thing. Heaven knows he’s no taller than most of the kids will be. I bet he’ll love it.”

  I said, “So, this is the projects you want me to work on? A girl needs a better job, so we create a childcare center and give all the single parents free childcare and meals? And build a children’s adventure school? So that we can have a single mom be promoted to manager at a swimwear shop?”

  Robby said, “Yeah. What did you think? Didn’t Tom explain that? He was supposed to try to recruit you.”

  I said, “And that’s what I’d be involved in?”

  Robby said, “Yeah. What did you think?”

  I said, “I had no idea. But this I can get into! Sign me up!”

  Robby smiled and said, “Good. But your job will be to think this way and watch for openings to do these things.”

  I said, “So, given the size of the resort, and the shopping center, and the restaurants, we have maybe 50 to 80 single moms and single dads here. The single dads need even help more than the moms. I want the surfing, fishing, and campfires to include the parents. Both for bonding with the kids and for getting to know the other parents. We need a skill and reward system. We need points that the kids can work toward. They sweep for a few minutes, they get points to use toward a special activity. They empty the trash, wash a few dishes, put away the library books, straighten up the nap room. Charlotte, we want badges that they earn and some kind of coins that they trade in. Make the whole thing culturally sensitive. Get a local to approve any cultural references. We want the locals to see us expanding their heritage here, not making fun of it or appropriating it where we don’t belong. There needs to be a music program. Drumming and ukuleles. What am I not thinking of?”

  Robby said, “That’s the way I want you to think! That’s it exactly. See girls, he is the right guy. He gets it! Man, if I had a thousand guys who could pick up on these things so easily.”

  I said, “But Charlotte has done this time after time, right?”

  Charlotte said, “No. I’ve never done this before.”

  I said, “Then how did you know exactly what Robby was talking about? All he said was ‘Done’. He didn’t say any of this.”

  She said, “Because nothing else would have made sense. We have a need for a replacement for Lisa. Lisa knows a single mom. Single mom needs childcare so that she can take the job. Ergo, we provide childcare. But not for one child. For employees. But childcare is boring. Single mom is happier if her child loves going there. It’s not a drop station. The children need to gain from it. That means education and adventure. You saw it. Teach them to be good island citizens. Teach them to work a little for what they want. Create a token exchange economy. Make them a community. This is the best expression of Robby saying, ‘make it so’. It’s what we do. I’ve never done anything like this before, but it’s our family business now, right?”

  I said, “I suppose it is. Robby, I can’t think of anything in the world that I’d
rather do.”

  Robby said, “Good.”

  Buttercup said, “Dear, we really should go.”

  Robby said, “Yeah. You’re right. Charlotte, Roland, you don’t need approval from me on this project. Just make it happen. If you say to shut down the Italian place, no one will stop you. Charlotte can have Marilyn get involved if she wants to. You can spend whatever you need to. Look at what we are investing in. It’s priceless. OK, gotta go. Come on girls, say some quick goodbyes.”

  We all stood and the women hugged and kissed each other while Robby and I shook hands and then hugged each other as well.

  He whispered, “Thanks, Dad.”

  We followed them out to the parking lot and waved as they drove away.

  Lisa said, “I still want some other things for Charlotte before the stores close. And they are up closer to the north end of the island. I’d really like to finish her basic wardrobe today.”

  Climbing into Car, we were quiet for a while. We sat in the parking lot while Car introduced herself to Lisa and told us that she was very happy to belong to us now. I guess she’d already been notified of Robby’s decision to give her to us. Yeah, my Car was a “She”. Lisa asked a few questions and then told Car where we wanted to be taken.

  Car’s windows didn’t open, but she had a sunroof that did. I got the impression, though it wasn’t stated explicitly, that Car was somewhat bulletproof. It made sense that Robby would have protected vehicles. The ride was incredibly smooth. Car had an active suspension system that made travel at high speed over rough terrain almost unnoticeable.

  I didn’t pay much attention to the shopping. It was less than an hour to the store that Lisa wanted, and they didn’t have to buy much. Just a little bit of lingerie. Bras and such, not nighties. Lisa was confident of Robby’s assertion that from now on the girls would be having their clothes custom made by Flower, whoever that was. Obviously one of Robby’s family.