house, the detectives asked us a few more questions but had not revealed anything in return. They finally left, and left a big mess. Cupboard doors were open, and my grandmother’s herbs were spilled on the countertops and floor in green, brown leafy-mulchy mounds. What had they been looking for? I took two more aspirin.
I should have taken four more pills to deal with my parent’s phone call. “I’m not a warden. I don’t know. I’m doing the best I can.” They just never let up. I got Halmoni out of jail, just like they asked. I couldn’t tell them everything was hunky-dory, because it wasn’t. I couldn’t control my grandmother. It was all I could do to try to get control of my own life.
I flicked on the TV just in time to catch the island’s big news. Developer Mike Hokama was killed last night, found dead in suspicious circumstances in his oceanfront home. I plopped onto the couch. I felt my skin chill. His photo. Uh oh. That was him. That was the guy who licked my hand when we did shots last night. My name and phone number were in his cell phone. Halmoni and I made the same gasping sound and looked at each other, eyes wide.
Halmoni shut the TV off. She rubbed a foul-smelling liquid on my arms and face and pointed upstairs. “ Ho’i e moe ,” she said.
I was only too happy to declare this day over and listen to her advice to go to bed. I crawled under my covers and gently eased my shoulders down on the mattress.
In spite of my headache, crispy shoulders, angst over losing my job, not feeling very proud of myself for sleeping with a guy one night and having to face him looking like a sautéed catch of the day, I couldn’t cry. I shifted my shoulders before continuing my countdown of woe. I had been a busy, busy saboteur, I thought. I can’t believe I had drinks and flirted with a guy who was now dead. The fact that the police suspected me or my grandmother of killing him was as rank and unsettling as the smell reeking from my face and arms. I practiced a calming yoga breath, which turned out to be a really bad idea. PU. Like not being able to look away from an accident, I sniffed again. Whatever my grandmother rubbed on me smelled like a mixture of vinegar and sweat, now fermenting with the heat of my body. I knew the police would be back tomorrow. I did have an alibi. I had been frolicking with the island’s favorite dermatologist.
The ride home last night had been kind of hazy. Funny, I had total recall of our good night kiss, though. I had no idea what time Jac brought me home. I didn’t know if my grandmother had been in her bed or not. I’m sure she had been fast asleep. Where would she have been? Halmoni was a healer. She wouldn’t hurt anyone.
I yawned so widely the back of my jaws cracked. I smoothed the side of my cheek into my pillow and closed my eyes on the weird shadows flickering in my room. I would get this straightened out tomorrow and blow this pop stand and head back to nice, normal San Diego by the weekend.
I woke up early, starving. In my book, hunger trumps laziness. I drank some tea and snuck some chips and ketchup when my grandmother wasn’t looking. I’m sure she thought my toast was extra crunchy. I still felt woozy and my vision blurred. I wondered if my brain got sunburned, too. I kept seeing things that weren’t there.
I finished my salt-fest and grabbed my water bottle. I walked out of the kitchen and saw that my eyes had not been playing tricks on me. In my grandmother’s corner club chair sat a giant naked Hawaiian man, the size of a mini-Cooper.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?” I yelled. My heart pounded. “Get out! I’m going to call the police. In fact, two detectives are already on their way here,” I ran for the phone.
“Sister! You can see me?” he said.
I stopped in my tracks and couldn’t help but look over my bubbled sore shoulder. “What do you mean?” He was kidding, right? He was built like a sumo wrestler.
“Honey-Girl, if
I should have taken four more pills to deal with my parent’s phone call. “I’m not a warden. I don’t know. I’m doing the best I can.” They just never let up. I got Halmoni out of jail, just like they asked. I couldn’t tell them everything was hunky-dory, because it wasn’t. I couldn’t control my grandmother. It was all I could do to try to get control of my own life.
I flicked on the TV just in time to catch the island’s big news. Developer Mike Hokama was killed last night, found dead in suspicious circumstances in his oceanfront home. I plopped onto the couch. I felt my skin chill. His photo. Uh oh. That was him. That was the guy who licked my hand when we did shots last night. My name and phone number were in his cell phone. Halmoni and I made the same gasping sound and looked at each other, eyes wide.
Halmoni shut the TV off. She rubbed a foul-smelling liquid on my arms and face and pointed upstairs. “ Ho’i e moe ,” she said.
I was only too happy to declare this day over and listen to her advice to go to bed. I crawled under my covers and gently eased my shoulders down on the mattress.
In spite of my headache, crispy shoulders, angst over losing my job, not feeling very proud of myself for sleeping with a guy one night and having to face him looking like a sautéed catch of the day, I couldn’t cry. I shifted my shoulders before continuing my countdown of woe. I had been a busy, busy saboteur, I thought. I can’t believe I had drinks and flirted with a guy who was now dead. The fact that the police suspected me or my grandmother of killing him was as rank and unsettling as the smell reeking from my face and arms. I practiced a calming yoga breath, which turned out to be a really bad idea. PU. Like not being able to look away from an accident, I sniffed again. Whatever my grandmother rubbed on me smelled like a mixture of vinegar and sweat, now fermenting with the heat of my body. I knew the police would be back tomorrow. I did have an alibi. I had been frolicking with the island’s favorite dermatologist.
The ride home last night had been kind of hazy. Funny, I had total recall of our good night kiss, though. I had no idea what time Jac brought me home. I didn’t know if my grandmother had been in her bed or not. I’m sure she had been fast asleep. Where would she have been? Halmoni was a healer. She wouldn’t hurt anyone.
I yawned so widely the back of my jaws cracked. I smoothed the side of my cheek into my pillow and closed my eyes on the weird shadows flickering in my room. I would get this straightened out tomorrow and blow this pop stand and head back to nice, normal San Diego by the weekend.
I woke up early, starving. In my book, hunger trumps laziness. I drank some tea and snuck some chips and ketchup when my grandmother wasn’t looking. I’m sure she thought my toast was extra crunchy. I still felt woozy and my vision blurred. I wondered if my brain got sunburned, too. I kept seeing things that weren’t there.
I finished my salt-fest and grabbed my water bottle. I walked out of the kitchen and saw that my eyes had not been playing tricks on me. In my grandmother’s corner club chair sat a giant naked Hawaiian man, the size of a mini-Cooper.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?” I yelled. My heart pounded. “Get out! I’m going to call the police. In fact, two detectives are already on their way here,” I ran for the phone.
“Sister! You can see me?” he said.
I stopped in my tracks and couldn’t help but look over my bubbled sore shoulder. “What do you mean?” He was kidding, right? He was built like a sumo wrestler.
“Honey-Girl, if
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