The Wizards of Xitt

Number Twenty Four, Tenth Avenue

CHAPTER SIX

Number Twenty Four, Tenth Avenue

A melodic song was playing in the background. It was a very familiar song which Kaila remembered to have proceeded from only one mouth; Mama Martha. Kaila smiled inwardly, so mama was here with him, she was back at long last. Kaila slowly opened his eyes, he was rested on the lap of a lady he often yearned for but never had a chance of meeting. There was a man beside her, a man Kaila had never met too, but nonetheless, was very familiar with. Of course, a picture of these two has always had a place in his bedroom wall, ever since he was a child.

“Kaila.” The woman said the name in a characteristic Mama Martha’s way. It was amazing that she smiled just like Mama Martha, and her eyes sparkled like the sun.

“Mother,” Kaila said in response. Somehow, the title sounded strange coming from his mouth. Apparently, he had never called anyone that, the closest he had done was ‘mama’ for Mama Martha. And of course, the woman deserved it, she had been everything the both of them should have been.

“Yes dear,” the woman said, the smile was still beautifully clipped to her lips, just the way Kaila liked it in mama.

“I’ve missed you.” Kaila said in a voice burdened with too much emotions.

“I’ve missed you too sweetheart, me and your father.” The woman was close to tears.

At the mention of his father, Kaila turned to look at the man seated next to him. There was not that much between them by way of a resemblance, but Kaila was very fond of him. In fact, over the years, he had made up memories of happy times with him.

“Look at you Kaila!” He said, his eye half-closed by the weight of the joy on his face.

“I’ve missed you guys every day.” Kaila returned.

“And we have missed you too.”

He remembered the one question he has been burning to ask anyone that could have any answer. “Did you know?”

“Know what dear?” His father seemed taken aback.

“Who or what I am? I followed the clues, I got the notes from the vault you know.” Kaila said sitting up straight.

“No son, those clues have been passed down from our forefathers. I was told someone great would spring from our lineage and would need whatever message those clues lead to. I didn’t find many and I don’t think I did a very good job replacing them”

Kaila remembered the clues and smiled. His father was right, the clues had not actually been properly worded or placed so far.

The woman mistook the smile and drew him into a big hug. Nothing else was said for quite a while; they were just content to be together.

The song that had woken him drifted again across the room. Kaila realized that it had been going on all along, the conversation had actually muffled it. Most of the mornings and evenings he had loved to lurk behind some walls and listen to mama sing this song. It was not because he could not sing it, he just loved to hear mama’s faulty version. And for more than six years this song and its singer had been missing from his life.

“Where is Mama Martha?” Kaila found himself asking.

“In her room.” It was his mother who answered. Kaila knew mama’s room had been taken by Aunty Puanani before she had married a few years ago and moved to California.

“Can I see her?” Kaila asked. Somewhere in his mind, he knew that this was not happening. Mama had not gone to come back, ever.

“I’m sure she’ll be thrilled. Come on.” His mother had already risen and was offering Kaila a hand.

Kaila rose and they bounded together towards mama’s room, with his father following closely behind.

His mother knocked once, twice. Kaila listened hard.

The song stopped. “You know my door is never closed Mana.” The very familiar voice of Martha Kawika issued through all the crevices of the elm door.

“Yes mama.” Mana said and eased open the door.

The room was just the way mama liked it. Her favourite tulip flourished in a brown vase beside the window. Her four-poster bed was half draped by pink curtains. A pleasant smell wafted through the room from a couple of gardenia. She usually picked them herself every dawn from a bunch growing at the back of the house. The window curtains were drawn and the sun bathed the room in bright light.

Mama was on the bed, propped in a sitting position by a couple of pillows. She was reading a book that seemed like the Holy Bible and her biconcave lens was rested on the brim of her nose. She took a sip from the coffee mug in her hand and returned the empty mug to a saucer beside the lamp. It seemed she was preparing to go to sleep as she was dressed in her favourite flowered night dress and her hair confined by a black hairnet.

“Oh Kaila my boy!” Mama shouted, throwing the book aside and opening her arms wide enough for Kaila to fit in.

Kaila rushed forward and crumbled into mama’s big jealous hug.

“You’ve grown a tad taller since last we met, your head used to rest perfectly on my shoulder.” Mama Martha complained pleasantly.

“Don’t blame me mama, you know, you used to overfeed me.” Kaila said and they all fell into one fit of uniting laughter. Kaila finally broke the hug and looked into Mama Martha’s eyes. “Mama you said you weren’t going far.” Kaila accused.

Mama Martha sighed; Kaila saw a twinge of guilt in her eyes. “And I didn’t go far Kaila dear.” She said batting her large eyelids.

“So where have you been mama?” Kaila asked in spite of himself, it was a foolish question, he knew that.

“I think you know the answer to that question Kyle.” Mama said after a little hesitation.

Kaila looked to the other two; they were holding each other and seemed just perfect together. He returned his eyes to Mama Martha and shook his head. “Apparently, I don’t mama.”

Mama Martha sighed again and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she spoke in a whisper. “Someday you’ll know.”

“I don’t think there’s a someday again mama.” Kaila said and turned to the other two. “I’m dead, am I not?”

“That would depend.” It was his father who spoke up.

“Depend on what?” Kaila quizzed.

Keoni Maentel did not answer immediately and mama came to the rescue.

“You must be hungry Kyle, that must have been such a journey.” Mama began in that coaxing voice of hers. “Mana, why don’t you make him a cup of tea. Check the oven; I left some cookies there moments ago.”

“Sure mama.” Mana said and left.

“Depends on what?” Kaila repeated himself stubbornly.

“Depends on you, if you are ready.” His father spoke up.

“I doubt death gives us any choices?”

“It doesn’t, life does.” Keoni Maentel’s voice sounded distant.

“I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I. All I know is that the world is some cosmic stage and every character within it has a role levied upon him by the master. Truth is, every role must be played.”

“So what’s the choice in it?”

“Simple, not to play the role. Characters can be replaced, or some trustworthy ones given double roles. But a role must surely be played, because it is part and parcel of the intended story.”

Kaila shot mama a look of misery. He surely needed lots of time to understand everything. But somehow, he knew there was no time. “And all the roles are good, aren’t they?”

“Roles are meant to please the master, not the character. But every role played has a reward, if it is well played or not, you get your due.”

“But I am already here, it means my role...”

“There are brief curtain calls from time to time. Apart from that, the curtains stay up till a role is played.”

Mana returned with the cup of coffee and a plate of chocolate cookies on a tray. Kaila salivated, he had been longing for this for the past six years. Mana dropped the tray before Kaila, on the bed; something mama would never have allowed.

Kaila knew better, none of this was happening.

Mama turned a mischievous face to him. “Better take your coffee while it is hot. And the cookies, they give their best taste while they are still flaming.” She added a soul-winning smile.

Kaila looked down at the tray, tempted, as he was to reach out for the cookies or for the strongly flavored coffee. He knew it was not real. “But this is not real,” he mouthed looking from his mother and father to Mama Martha. “None of you are, and none of this is really happening.”

“You can make it happen Kyle, you can make us real.” It was his father who spoke through a weak smile.

Kaila understood exactly what he meant. That was why it was a choice. If he should choose to stay with them, everything would have happened and they will be real to him. But, if he chosed to go back, everything would just be memories or illusions. He chanced a look at them again; they were all happy, content to have him with them. And they were his most favourite people in the world, except Malena. Yes Malena, the memories began to rush through his mind. The Unveiling, the three wizards, the green beams of light. What if one of those had gotten Malena, and one Professor Prestel as they had called it at the gallery? What of the Huna chip? What did they really intend to do with the chip? Nothing good at all, Kaila thought. Was it not these same wizards who had tried to down a plane of over a hundred and eighty passengers? He had to get back , intuition told him he could stop these three wizards or whatever they were, or at least, he will die again trying.

Kaila returned to the room, watching the three face intently. Their poster smile was still there, just the way he wanted them to remain. He realized he had come to a decision in that short moment. He stood up from the bed, there was actually no time. “I’m sorry guys, I love you all, but I have to go back.”

None of the other three in the room made replies or even reacted to his announcement. They merely kept their smiles posted to their lips and faces.

Kaila felt very awkward as he walked towards the door. He kept turning and when he reached the door, he turned again and wished they would just say something. “I’m sorry mama, but I can’t take the cookies now, I’ll take it some other time.”

Mama Martha only nodded and winked at him.

Kaila turned to his parent. They were still smiling at him. “I wish I could stay.”

They both nodded. “It’s okay Kyle.” His mother said in what seemed like a whisper.

Kaila ran back and hugged all three of them in turn before leaving. As he handled the door, his mother called out.

“...Follow the hallway to your right, keep straight, there’s a light at the end.” She instructed. “And, we always love you.”

Kaila nodded “I know.” He eased himself out of the door. Surprisingly, but as expected, after his mother’s instruction, Kaila found two hallways or tunnels as it seemed leading away from mama’s room. He knew, he was no longer at Number Twenty Four, Tenth Avenue.

He turned right into a dimly lit corridor. The floor was rough and full of bumps, and the corridor seemed to stretch on endlessly. Kaila kept going, his head trying to piece together what might have happened at the unveiling. Occasionally, he came across some smooth paths, bright corridors leading away. But he had to keep to the instructions he had been given. The instructions however, did not stop him from wondering where the corridors led.

Kaila stayed on course for what seemed like an eternity to him. Just when he gave up hope of ever reaching where he was going, he saw a bright light not far from him. That part of the corridor was smooth-path and had no bumps. It occurred to Kaila that all those other branching corridors would still have led him back to the world. Keeping him on that particular path was a mere test to see if he could keep to a simple instruction. Maybe someday, he might have need for whatever he learnt from that test.

Kaila walked onto the light, he had never seen a light so bright before. Or perhaps, he had been in the corridor too long that a light of moderate intensity appeared that bright.

He closed his eyes, the light was too bright. All of a sudden, everything became black and quiet.

The smell of gardenia wafted into his consciousness. He could feel pain in his own heart and could not quite lift his hand from the tiled floor. He could also hear the whimper of a familiar voice. It seemed she had been by him for quite a while and was shaking him feebly.

An alarm was wailing somewhere not far and flashes of light were following what had to be, the clicks of cameras.

“Miss Spars, that’s enough. This is a crime scene.”

Crime scene! The words stung Kaila and his eyes flew apart.

“’God Kaila, you’re alive!” Malena squeaked and fell on him.

Footstep quickened towards him.

“He’s alive. Quick! Call the paramedics!”

Malena lifted her weight from Kaila and he could see the Police officers gathering around. He made to stand but one of the Policemen knelt beside him and told him not to bother. He needed a bit of rest.

Again, it flashed through his mind. Professor Prestel, the chip. “Where is Professor Pretzel?”

“Relax young man...” It was the Policeman’s rather soapy voice. Kaila noticed a trace of guilt in it. Personally, he did not blame anyone for whatever might have happened. But it was just the way most Policemen felt when something went wrong. To them, it was like failing to keep to their promises, among which was, safeguarding the populace.

“Professor Pretzel is alive isn’t he?”

“Professor Pretzel is dead Kaila.” It was Malena’s calm and collected voice, delivering the news in a masterly fashion.

“And the chip?”

“Taken.”

The paramedics rushed in. one carried a First Aid box while the other carried a funny looking device that should better belong to a dentist.

Two or three reporters had followed the Paramedics inside. The policemen were doing quite a job shoving them outside.

“Is it confirmed that someone survived the laser beam?” One of the reporters was shouting back at the policemen.

“Have you found any undetonated laser bomb? What does it look like?

“Is it true that the terrorists burgled the Arts Museum?”

“There will be a Press Briefing soon, I promise you. For now, just leave us to our job.” One of the Policemen responded. It seemed he was in charge of the case.

“Just this sir and we’re done here. If you’ll just look straight at me.” One of the paramedics was saying.

Kaila obeyed, the man shone a threadlike beam of light while retracting Kaila’s eyelid. He did the same for the other eye and stood up.

“You are good to go sir.”

Malena helped Kaila up. She cleaned the part of his clothe that had been in contact with the floor.

“If you don’t mind Mr...” The Policeman who had spoken to the reporters said advancing.

“Maentel, Kaila Maentel.” Kaila supplied.

“If you don’t mind then Mr. Maentel, we’ll like to get a statement from you. Anything you may have noticed that might help with our investigations, or any reason you think might have made you a target. Please we’ll like to know.” The Officer said looking Kaila straight in the eyes. “Hey Suz?” He called out to another officer who turned out to be very pretty.

Kaila had never welcomed the notion that beautiful women ever ended up as Police Officers.

“Why don’t you walk Mr. Maentel over to the car? I’ll be right over.”

“Maentel, sounds and looks quite familiar.” Susan said as they neared the door. Kaila was walking unsupported between the two women. Malena was nowhere near. She was only bodily present; her head was lost to some mazy thoughts.

“And you look quite familiar too.” Kaila played along, thinking that Susan was either flirting with him or trying to do so.

“No kidding, you do look familiar. You were on board Delta 757 Airlines?”

“Yep.”

“I should have known. I was among the first Officers to arrive on scene, and you were among the two people I took to the hospital.”

Malena returned to her body as they squeezed out of the door. But she did not join in the discussion or try to disrupt it. She was not always so particular about marking her territory.

“But Mr. Maentel, if I can recall the state you were in. It did not seem possible that you should be leaving the hospital in a month.

Kaila smiled, what would she say if he told her that he left the hospital that same yesterday. “Well, I guess Miracles still happens.”

“I guess so too. But I gotta admit that you have such a knack for trouble.” Susan observed.

They were nearing the black and yellow tapes and the reporters waiting beyond it rushed at them.

“Is he the one who survived the terror attack?”

“Are there any other survivors?”

Some policemen outside rushed to keep the reporters from crossing the black and yellow tapes.

“You can’t cross there Mister, this is still a crime scene!”

“Get back!”

Kaila, Malena and Susan went under the tape, and with the help of a handful of Policemen got to one of the 1990 Ford Crown Victoria Police Cars. The car was celestial white and had a blue band around its middle. ‘Honolulu Police’ was written on the band and before the writing was the Honolulu Police Badge.

Susan opened the back door for Kaila and Malena and rounded to the Passenger seat in front. Kaila followed Malena’s eyes to her car and back to Susan.

“My car is still out there!” Malena said.

“Don’t worry Miss Spars; I’ll get it home for you.” A familiar-faced Policeman drawled beside Malena’s side of the window. Kaila did not notice him come up.

Kaila recalled where he met him; in his own living room. The man was supposed to be guarding Malena because of the failed assassination attempt on her mother. No wonder the rear view mirror kept picking up the same car all the way to the Unveiling. He may also have gotten a glimpse of him when they got a seat. So the man was still doing his job, though from a distance.

“Yes officer Harvey...”

“Kaila turned to see the Policeman who had spoken to him inside swarmed by reporters.

“What do you have to say about this new phase of terror?”

“How many people died?”

Have you any suspect?”

Officer Harvey raised his hand and an uneasy calm befell the crowd. Meanwhile another type of noise ensued from the clicking of camera shutters. There were flashes of light everywhere- “Well, if you’ll let me speak.” Harvey said heaving a sigh.

One other officer burst through the crowd of reporters and whispered into his ears.

Officer Harvey nodded in understanding and turned back to the reporters. “Well, we cannot confirm if this was an act of terror or well orchestrated assignation and theft...” he swallowed hard. “No suspects as yet, has been identified, but we will follow the clues to wherever they lead us. The HPD will not rest until the perpetrators of such heinous acts are brought to book. That will be all for now.” Harvey stomped towards another police car. He entered the back seat and slammed the door shut.

Some reporters had followed him to the car, but he pretended not to see or hear them. He wound up the window and ordered the driver to zoom off.

A man slid in behind the wheels of the car Kaila was in. He turned the key in the ignition and zoomed off towards Harvey’s car.

It was quite late in the night when Kaila finally thought he had a brief space for lonely thoughts. He was by the window looking into the night. The same car that had followed he and Malena to the Unveiling came into view. It was parked beneath the Pine tree in front of Mr. Jimo’s house. One person was inside the car, the other one was nowhere to be found. Kaila knew from intuition that the Policeman was just around, in the shadows.

The Policeman inside the car too alighted. Kaila could not quite make out where he was going, except that he was going down the Street. Kaila wondered if it was because of the fear of revealing themselves to the person they were protecting or the assassin that made them use a car that could be a Cadillac or a Caritas. All the same, they were doing a good job because Malena had not yet noticed.

She was actually wondering why her mother made no fuss at all, when she told her where she would be spending the night. Kaila remembered the Briefing or Debriefing at Hale Maka’i. It was quite brief, if anything. He had told lots of lies, maybe not lies; half-truths. Accordingly, he had left the hall to use the gent’s restroom, then had wandered to the museum to take in some fresh air. He had taken his time, and not until he heard the gust of wind did he come out. He had been rushing to the hall to find Malena so they could run home when he got hit by the greenish jet of laser beam.

He had been asked if he knew of anyone who might want to hurt him, or wanted him dead. He knew of none of course, and he had asserted that the beam must have been meant for someone else.

Mrs. Spars had showed up just before Kaila was told he could go. She had suggested that Kaila got to the hospital to ensure there was no internal injuries. For the first time, Mrs. Spars had shown him care. Kaila was not fooled though; he knew it might just be standard procedure. Kaila had promised to turn himself in for check up in the morning. For the night, he really needed to sleep.

Malena returned to the sitting room with two cups of coffee. She offered one to Kaila at the window and took one to the leather cushion. Kaila noticed that she was trying to hide something.

“It’s intriguing how things happen in this world, isn’t it?” Malena began in a sullen note. “I mean Professors Pretzel and Dane turning up dead on the night they were going to be making history.”

Kaila could read the warning signs. The remark was a well-constructed speech-bomb to attack his conscience. He tried feigning ignorance and said in a casual way. “Who would have known.”

Malena imitated him. “No one, except one who thrives in secrecy.”

Kaila could feel the sharp prongs of the scathing remark. But he knew the time was not yet ripe for him to divulge what little he knew to Malena.

“Kaila you still think this is a bunch of coincidences, don’t you?” Malena shifted forward and slammed her coffee cup on the center table. She was sitting at the very edge of the cushion. “A plane nearly crashed yesterday, you could have died. Today you received a direct laser beam, which missed some vital parts of the body. Had it reached its intended target, that would have been it. Kaila you can’t tell me that they are after you for no reason. And I know too well that you’ve seen them, be it in your visions or dreams, you know them.”

“Come on Malena, how could I-”

“Why are you lying to me Kyle?”

Kaila was close to crumbling; he rushed over to Malena and knelt beside her. “Look at me Leena, look at me!”

Malena turned her icy blue eyes towards him. Kaila could see the unexpressed questions, disappointments and betrayal. He was on the verge of giving in when something reminded him it was not yet time.

“If I had a headache, whom do you think I’ll tell. You Leena, you.” Kaila said showing her the full measure of his gaze.

She closed her eyes, it did not seem as though she believed him.

He hugged her. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I know it’s not a coincidence.”

“I guess we’ll never know. We are too late, they are already unto us.” Malena whimpered resignedly.

“Don’t say that Leena, we are never late as long as we have clues to follow.” Kaila said, he stood and raised Malena with him. He knew a good night sleep would revive the body, spirit and soul. “Come on Leena, let’s get some sleep.”

A pearly-faced dawn soon trickled in to overwhelm the darkness. Kaila was lain sleepless on the bed, he had woken quite early, but had not yet risen. Malena was using his hand for Pillow and his body for support.

Kaila was mulling over the things Malena had said to him in the living room. He did not have the time to mull over them the previous night, he had been consumed by a ferocious sleep, the moment his back hit the sheets. It was obvious that he had lost Malena’s trust, now, he had to work twice as hard to convince her in anything. All because of a decision he thought was right. Only God knew what and what Malena must be keeping from him because of that.

Malena stirred and opened her eyes. Kaila did not notice, his eyes were pinned to a spot in the ceiling. “What are you thinking of Kyle?” Malena asked.

“Oh you are awake.” Kaila rushed turning to her. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” Malena breathed. “Come here.”

Kaila shifted closer. Malena locked him in a passionate kiss that left them both breathless.

“You know about yesternight, I’m sorry. I think, I was speaking out of guilt. I have never told you about the nightmares I have every time I closed my eyes.”

Kaila shook his head “No.”

“I don’t even know where to start, but here is the short version... Every time I close my eyes, I am in this small glass house under water. It seems I’m in chains, though the chains are imaginary. Then, there is this creature that comes in different forms every time. It addresses me as ‘Princess’ and keeps asking me for the same thing always. I don’t even know what the creature keeps asking of me and every time I say ‘I don’t have it’, it gets angrier. It threatens to kill me the next time.”

Kaila listened quietly. Perhaps, he didn’t really know Malena Spars, or did he?

“Sometimes, I see myself on an Island, surrounded by a raging ocean. The Island seems like the top of a very high mountain. There are these sea monsters in the ocean that cannot come near me and my people, because of something I have on my wrist. I give this thing to someone I love, it is all its needed to overcome those monsters for good. But he disappears immediately, and the monsters swarm on me and my people, dragging us underwater.

Kaila closed his eyes and tried to digest what he had just heard.

Malena smiled and traced a hand along Kaila’s rough cheek and chin. “Promise me you won’t think about it. I’ve been thinking about it all my life and I have no answer still to show for my efforts.

Kaila opened his eyes and smiled back at her. “I guess now it’s my turn... I don’t know how to start dear. The simple truth is, I’ve gone from the realms of dreams and nightmares to visions. I’ve been seeing some three wizards whom I believe caused both the plane’s mishap and yesternight’s incident.”

Malena was animated, her body stiffened and her heart was racing. It was like she had just won a jackpot. “Did they say anything?”

“None that I could hear.” Kaila lied.

“What exactly did you see?” Malena asked.

“Well, I saw creatures who are too terrible to be put in words. They were there just before the plane’s trouble started, and that beam of light people claimed they saw was some kind of spell from their eyes. Look Leena, I’m sorry, I know I should have said this since-”

“It’s okay!” Malena exhaled. “Come on, I think the earlier we get to work, the better for us. We had better find out what this is before it finds us out. I do have a strong hunch that everything that has happened so far is tied to whatever we are searching for.”

“Then come on.” Kaila said jumping off the bed. “I’ll fix breakfast.”

Malena took an unusually long bath, the tea and toast went cold. Kaila was still contemplating whether to pop in and check if all was okay. He had no excuse though, because, from time to time, he could hear her voice or some water splashing. But to be frank, he did not really need an excuse to pop in. He just was afraid of interrupting whatever she was doing.

Kaila replied the few mail he found in his inbox that merited reply, and deleted those he thought should be. He did not really go beyond the first page the previous day. He checked the junk folder and it was literally out of memory. And none of the mail in it seemed important.

Kaila heard the living room door slam shut, he went to check. Apparently, Kaheola was late for work again and did not even have time to dash into the kitchen, let alone, say hello to his nephew and flat mate. Kaila heard his Volvo croak to life, then jet out of the garage. He could only hope Kaheola was not wearing a mis-matched pair of shoes, or the young man had at least remembered to brush his hair.

Kaheola must have returned home quite late in the night, because, he was not in when Kaila had checked.

Kaila caught sight of Ivy and leapt to the window to have a good vantage. The young girl was getting more and more beautiful each day. Her fat distribution was now very uneven, allowing her lean body to curve dangerously about her.

Within seconds, Ivy disappeared back into their house. Kaila’s attention was snapped up by a hawk fluffing its feathers on the pine tree. It was a beautiful brown or golden hawk, which seemed so familiar. Kaila knew; he had seen the hawk somewhere before, not once, not twice. Over the short course of his life, he had seen that hawk more often than anything, though, he had barely ever taken note of it.

“Kaila? Kaila?” It was a somewhat breathless Malena. As it seemed, she was coming straight from the bathroom. She was stark naked and dripping water all over the tiled floor.

Kaila rushed to her and she slid her arms around him. “What’s...”

“Got it Kaila, the felt. We are looking for a beach, Waikiki beach, to be specific, and the four Wizards stones.”

Kaila parted the hug and framed her face in his hands. “You are a genius Malena.” He kissed her passionately, but briefly.

“Come on Kyle, there’s no time; we gotta get there as soon as we can.”

Malena led him to his bedroom, where he practically helped her dress up in one of his own T-shirt.

“There was something else at the bottom of the felt Kaila, think.” Malena said as Kaila grabbed a shirt to put on.

Kaila raked all the nooks and crannies of his brain but could not find anything related to the last line of the quartet.

Malena paced the room for what may have seemed an eternity. At long last, she came to a decision. “I left the material at home.” She started. “Where is your key?” She asked, she was already walking towards where the key was; on the bedside table.

“What are you doing?”

“Let me get the felts, I’ll soon be back.”

“Why don’t I just pull up a pant, you’re in no state to drive.” Kaila argued.

“Alright! Alright! Don’t remind me of last year. But this is different, and besides, you look like you deserve a good bath and some shaving.” She walked up to him and kissed him. “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful. And, be ready before I’m back”

Kaila did not say anything. He just watched her stomp out of the room. He heard his Hyundai Centauri roar to life, and then jet out of the garage the same way Kaheola’s Volvo had left. Kaila knew that Malena did not play by the books when she was in her elements. It was still a situation like that saw her grind her Cadillac into a small Busscar. The broken bones, the pains, and the lengthy recovery period had not been enough to teach Malena any lasting lessons. Kaila only wished now that the day would not be another October Fourteenth in the life of Malena G. Spars.