Aloha, page 45
Seventeen-year-old me would be over the moon if she could see us now.
I wanted him to pull me back to his lips and lay me down onto the beach and own me completely.
But I knew those dreams were fleeting because when he sighed and muttered “shit” then pulled away, I felt him pulling away more than just physically. He was pulling away emotionally too. I was losing him, right when I thought I got him.
“I like you, Lora. I know it’s insane, but I like you. I said it before on your prom night and I’m saying it again. I’m not right for you. I won’t commit to you. I won’t commit to any woman. I’m not a one-woman man, darling. I’m sorry.”
The memory of prom night came flooding back instantly, and the feelings that were swirling around earlier left just as soon as they came. “You remembered?”
He nodded. “Of course I do. I’ll never forgive myself for hurting you that night. But I meant what I said back then, and I still mean it. I’m not right for you, baby. You’re better off with someone who actually can commit and stay loyal to you.”
“Then why did you kiss me?” I pressed my fingers against my swollen lips, the kiss forever branded on them.
He sighed, and looked positively destroyed by what he was about to say next. “To remind myself of what I’ll never be able to have.”
“It doesn’t have to be this way, Mack.” I knew he felt the passion we shared in that kiss. There was no way he didn’t feel the intense chemistry between us. I wanted him to feel it, then maybe, just maybe, he’d want to stay.
He nodded. “It does. I’m sorry, Loralie. I truly am.”
With those words, he turned around and walked back into the house, leaving me standing there with a head full of memories, and a twice broken heart that will never be the same again.
Chapter 5
Logan
“Has anyone seen Loralie?” Mom asked as she walked through the house, looking all around. I walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. I didn’t see her at all this morning. Checking my phone, I saw it was nearly noon. Way past when she should have been up and about.
“She wasn’t in her room?” I asked.
Mom shook her head. “No, I just went in there to wake her up because it’s not usual for her to be sleeping in this late.”
That’s odd. And completely unlike her. What was going on with her? I went and tried to talk to Mack but he cussed me out and said he couldn’t sleep last night so he was going to sleep in today. So he was out of commission for a while. I pulled out my phone and sent her a quick message, asking her where she was.
“She’s been acting really strange lately. I hope everything’s going okay with school.”
I nodded. “I think so. She never complained about it.” Other than being stressed out sometimes, she rarely complained. Come to think of it, Lora never complained about anything. She always seemed to be calm, cool, and collected. Except when Mack was around then it became an all-out war between those two. If the not-so-obvious sexual chemistry wasn’t so thick between them, which grossed me out but whatever, I would have thought they actually hated each other.
My phone dinged with a text message and I recognized my twin’s ringtone instantly. When I looked over the message, my heart fell to my stomach. “Shit,” I muttered.
“What?” my mom exclaimed, running over to see the message but I read it out loud to her.
Logan,
Tell Mom and dad that I’m sorry, but I wasn’t feeling well and decided I didn’t want to be sick on vacation so I caught a flight early this morning and came home. It was totally last minute and I didn’t want it to happen this way, but please tell them I’m sorry for ruining vacation. Also, tell Mack what happened last night was fine. And to forget about it. He was right.
“She left. She said she wasn’t feeling good and caught a flight back this morning.”
“What?” Mom and Dad said at the same time. “I’m calling her,” Mom said before she raced off to their bedroom and for sure was blowing the whole state of Texas up at this point.
“What’s going on?” Mack asked with a yawn and scratched his stomach as he walked out of his room.
“Lora left this morning. She’s on her way home.”
“What the fuck?”
“She said to tell you that what happened last night was fine, and to forget about it. Also, you were right. What does that even mean?”
He ran both hands down his face and breathed out a huge breath. “God damn it, Lora.”
“What did you do to my sister, man?” I stepped forward, ready to go toe to toe with my best friend if he hurt her. Dad stepped in between us just in time though.
“Hey, easy now.” He turned to Mack. “What happened?”
Mack looked like he didn’t want to say anything, but I guess the look I gave him made him talk. “Okay, well, last night we both couldn’t sleep so we were on the beach, talking. Then we got into an argument and said shit we didn’t mean. I kissed her.”
Not at all surprised about that. It was bound to happen eventually. “Then what happened?”
“I brought up prom.”
“You didn’t?”
He nodded. “I did. And said the same way I felt then hasn’t changed and I still won’t commit to her.”
“I’ll fucking kill you. Don’t you know she still cares about you, Mack?”
He rolled his eyes at me. “Don’t you think I fucking know that? Even though she likes to throw the fact that I didn’t go to college in my face, she drives me fucking crazy.”
“She’s hurting, you idiot! The only man she’s ever cared about, possibly even loved, didn’t want her and you confused her even more by kissing her.” Dad was doing everything he could by keeping me from pummeling in my best friend’s face. I wanted to knock his ass out right then and there, but I knew it would only make the situation worse.
“So, what do you want me to do, huh? Say I’m going to be with her and only her for the rest of my life? I can’t do that.”
“Oh, that’s bullshit and you know it. She wanted you to be with her when we were teenagers and even ten years later, you still can’t pull your head out of your own ass because I know damn well you feel the same. You can try and hide it all you want but I know better.”
Mack sighed, then pulled out his phone and dialed Lora. He dialed over and over but she wasn’t answering. “She’s either getting no reception or blocked me. I don’t know.”
“You better figure it out and also figure your shit out too.”
Mack nodded, then ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll fix this, man. I’ll try to fix it the best way I know how.”
“For everyone’s sake, I hope you do.”
The End…for now.
Hope you enjoyed reading this little short from me! I had a lot of fun writing this story! Want to stay up to date on what happens after Mack found out that Lora left Hawaii? Follow me at @authorjlbaldwin
Beach, Please!
Chapter 1
Kailani
August 8th, 2023
Kailani Nakamura stepped out onto the lanai, the warm ocean breeze fanning her heated skin. She paused to take in the postcard view—palm trees swaying, the sound of waves crashing on Ka’anapali's pristine shore. This was her happy place. It was only marred by the haze from the brush fires that had been burning since early this morning.
She closed her eyes and imagined herself underwater, weightless, with a tropical fish gliding silently beside her. The image was so real she could almost feel the cool water on her skin. No sharks in sight. In fact, there were no sharks anywhere, in the whole world. Kailani opened her eyes to stare out at the shimmering blue ocean. She had always been fascinated by marine life and longed to learn more about the mysteries of the deep. Ever since she was a little girl, she dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. But she was terrified of sharks.
"Kailani, table seven needs bussing," her supervisor Tia called from inside the bustling dining room.
Someday, she thought, I'll be a marine biologist instead of a waitress. I just need to save the money for college. Her dream felt so close here but also impossibly far away. Her family was struggling to make ends meet, and they needed the money from her job here. With her father unable to work because of his injuries, Kailani couldn't let them down, even if it meant postponing her own dreams.
Tucking a loose strand of inky black hair behind her ear, Kailani hurried back inside the resort. She wove between tables crowded with tourists enjoying the award-winning brunch at the Palekaiko Beach Resort.
As she cleared empty plates, Kailani overheard a family gushing about spotting sea turtles from their oceanfront cabana. She smiled to herself, knowing the green sea turtles liked to congregate near Palekaiko's rocky outcroppings. She had snorkeled a bit out there when she was feeling brave. Sharks seldom came in that close. But seldom didn’t mean never.
"Order up!" The clatter of plates from the kitchen jolted Kailani back to reality. With a resigned sigh, she straightened her crisp white apron and headed back out to the dining room floor.
The next table over flagged her down after she delivered a large stack of taro pancakes topped with sliced bananas.
"Was everything satisfactory?" she asked brightly, already stacking their empty plates.
The man nodded. "It was excellent, thank you. We're here celebrating our anniversary—twenty-five years today." He smiled at his wife, who blushed.
"That's wonderful, congratulations," Kailani said. "Let me bring you a complimentary dessert for the special occasion."
As she walked toward the kitchen, Kailani ruminated about lasting love. She wondered if she'd ever find someone who looked at her the way that man looked at his wife. Shaking off her romantic musings, she retrieved a slice of lilikoi cheesecake and added an artistic drizzle of mango coulis. She carefully carried it back to the anniversary couple.
"A special treat for your special day," she proclaimed, placing it before them with a flourish.
"This is so nice of you, thank you so much," the wife said earnestly.
"My pleasure."
As she cleared more tables, Kailani's gaze was continually drawn to the ocean outside. She’d love to go for a swim, but there had been shark sightings recently. One of her best friends growing up had almost lost her arm when a shark mistook her friend’s surfboard for a seal.
The dark plumes of the smoke in the distance worried her. The brush fires seemed to be getting worse. Poking her head outside, she could smell the acrid smoke. As calmly as she could, she went inside the lobby to see if there were any news updates.
Security Chief Holt Kawena was having an intense discussion with Amelia Kincaide, the resort manager.
"Those fires are getting close. We need to gather everyone inside," Amelia said.
"You're going to cause a panic,” Holt warned.
“Not if we remain calm. I’ve already sent Hani and Makoa home to see about their families. You and Joely should get started rounding all the guests up. The Maui Emergency Management Agency has recommended we start sheltering in place for the next few hours.”
“I can help too,” Kailana said.
Amelia glanced up and smiled. “Thanks. I’d appreciate that. I’ll let Tia know we’ve taken you away.”
Kailani wondered how the authorities would evacuate all of the people safely. She thought of the families in Lahaina and the surrounding areas. The fires were brutal, and she hoped everyone would be all right. Despite her own nervousness about the encroaching flames, Kailani knew the resort had time to formulate a plan if the fire got worse.
She hurried to the beachside cabanas to alert the guests who were sunbathing and swimming. She spotted a family with two young boys building a sandcastle near the water.
"Excuse me, I'm so sorry to interrupt," Kailani said gently. "But we need everyone to return to their rooms for now."
The mother's eyes widened in alarm. "Are we in danger?" She turned to her husband. "Richard, get the boys!"
As they gathered their belongings, Kailani gave them a reassuring smile. "No, this is only a precaution. We'll make sure you stay safe. Just follow the staff's instructions once you’re back inside."
After making sure the family headed indoors, Kailani scanned the shoreline. She noticed a young couple far out into the turquoise water, seemingly unaware of the danger.
Kailani's heart raced. She would have to go into the water to warn them. But her fear of sharks made her hesitate. What if one was lurking right now, waiting unseen below the surface?
"Please come back!" she yelled to the couple, waving her arms. "You need to come in."
At last, they heard her and began swimming back. She felt like a coward. She could have taken a zodiac out there. She didn’t have to swim. But she had this stupid fear that a shark was just waiting for a chance to chomp on her, whether she was in a little inflatable boat or not.
As the evening went on, the air took on an acrid smell of smoke. In the distance, angry orange flames lit up the evening sky.
The fire was spreading faster than anyone had anticipated.
Kailani helped the staff guide panicked guests to safe areas. Suddenly, the power cut out, plunging the lobby into darkness. Cries of alarm erupted as the emergency lights flickered on.
Nakoa
The sunlight glinted off the turquoise water as Nakoa’s father, Ikaika Mahelona, steered the boat away from the dock in Makena.
"Aloha, folks,” his father greeted their passengers. “Welcome aboard the Island Breeze. I'm Captain Ike, and this is my son, Nakoa. He’s just back from the mainland. We’ll be taking you out to Molokini Crater today for some snorkeling."
Ike flashed an easy smile at the excited tourists, his brown eyes crinkling at the corners. He lived for days like this, out on the open ocean, sharing the beauty of Maui with visitors. After Nakoa checked that the passengers were settled, he signaled his father, who opened up the throttle. Ike was in his element out here, far from the stresses of land.
Nakoa, on the other hand, had been dying to get off the island all his life. Not that it wasn’t beautiful. It was. He just wanted more opportunities and more choices than the island of Maui could give him. But life had other plans. The pandemic had eaten up all his savings, and his parasailing company in Marina Del Rey went tits up.
As Ike guided the boat around the southern tip of Molokini, the crescent-shaped islet famous for its pristine reef, a hush fell over the boat. Nakoa grinned, inhaling deeply. He coughed as he got a lungful of smoky air instead of salty ocean breeze. He glanced at the Maui coastline in concern. The brush fires from early this morning were still burning. The high winds on the island weren’t helping matters.
He couldn’t think about that now, though. He pushed down his unease, focusing on his job. Nothing he could do about those fires from out here. Time to make sure these folks had the snorkeling trip of a lifetime. Still, in the back of his mind, he couldn't stop thinking about the smoke darkening the horizon. After cutting the engine, Ike dropped anchor.
"First time snorkeling?" Nakoa asked a nervous-looking woman clutching the rail. She nodded hesitantly.
"Don't worry. Even though the water’s a bit rough because of the wind, you’ll see a lot of fish. You're gonna love it," he reassured her. "I've been doing this for years and still get a rush every time I jump in. It's like entering a whole new world down there."
The woman smiled, relaxing her white-knuckled grip on the rail. He pointed out a spinner dolphin pod in the distance and then got down to business of getting everyone in the water.
"All right, who's ready to get wet?"
They pulled on fins and masks and one by one took the plunge into the warm water. Nakoa divided his attention between his passengers as they swam around and the distant smoke steadily blowing west. He turned on his transistor radio and popped an earbud in so he could listen to the news. Roads were being closed, and there were reports of downed power lines. He squinted into the distance, but the smoke made everything hazy.
By the time everyone was back on board, dark smoke almost obscured the Lahaina coastline. He didn’t like what he was hearing over the radio. He and his father exchanged worried glances.
"Hey, Cap, what’s going on over there?" a passenger asked, his voice tinged with concern.
Ike hesitated, not wanting to scare anyone. "Looks like there might be some fires burning inland," he said casually.
His nonchalant tone belied the unease they both felt. Lahaina was a popular historic district, full of old wooden buildings. Nakoa thought of his friends, the restaurants he loved, the charming streets lined with art galleries. “Please let the firefighters get it under control soon,” he prayed silently. As he pulled up the anchor, he heard over the radio:
"Major fires burning through Lahaina. People are jumping in the water to escape. The Coast Guard is en route, but it may be too late. We need any and all small crafts to assist.”
Nakoa's gut twisted.
Without hesitation, Ike radioed back, "Coast Guard Maui, this is Island Breeze. I'm fifteen minutes from Lahaina Harbor with rescue gear aboard. I’m heading in to assist."
The passengers murmured anxiously, but Nakoa steeled himself. "Folks, change of plans. Lahaina needs our help."
Jaw set, his father pushed the throttle forward, and the Island Breeze bounded over the waves. As they approached the harbor, the true devastation came into view. Flames engulfed several waterfront buildings. Ash and embers rained down as panicked people splashed in the water. Nakoa scanned the scene, mind racing. A young couple flailed near the pier, about to go under.
“Over there,” Nakoa said, pointing.
Ike steered toward them, the boat barging through floating debris. Nakoa winced at the scrapes and dings, but they’d deal with that later.
