Helu 4

I ke komo ʻana o ke kalaka i ke ala hakuʻili, pakī aʻela ka wai e kiʻo ana ma nā lua liʻiliʻi, ka pōmaikaʻi hoʻi o ka pō nei. Hoʻolohi ihola ʻo Laʻialoha i ka holo i ʻole ai e pakika i mua o nā hale hana. Lele koke aʻela ʻo ia me kāna ʻeke e paʻa ana i ka lima a hele pololei akula i kahi o Kamuʻo lāua ʻo Napehā e hoʻomaʻemaʻe ana i nā hua o ka hōlei, kā Laʻialoha kumu lāʻau punahele i waena o nā mea a pau ma Auwahi.

“Aloha kakahiaka, e Tūtū!” i hoʻohenehene mai ai ʻo Kamuʻo. Ua haukaʻe maoli ko Napehā lima i ka ʻiʻo pala melemele o ka hua hōlei, mau nō naʻe kona ani mālie mai iā Laʻialoha me he lā e ani pēʻahi ana i ke kuini o ʻEnelani.

Hene aʻela ka ʻaka o Napehā a ʻōlelo akula, “E ta Mōʻīwahine, pehea ta hiamoe ʻana? Naʻu nō kāu tī e lawe mai?”

“ʻAe. E wela maikaʻi nō hoʻi ia,” i panepane aku ai ʻo Laʻialoha ma kona ʻano wahine ʻoʻoleʻa. “Ke pau kēnā, e ʻimi i kanaka hana mea inu hou no koʻu hale. Pilikia au i ka champagne a ke kāne o ka pō nei i hoʻohāinu mai ai!”

Pane paheʻe maila ʻo Kamuʻo, “Auē! Makehewa ka hāʻawi ʻana i ka inu hiehie i ke kuaʻāina lā. Mai hopohopo, Naps—naʻu ia ʻano. A na ia nei ke Coors Light.” Minoʻaka kolohe aʻela ʻo Kamuʻo.

ʻĪ koke akula ʻo Napehā, “ʻAe, i Bikini Blonde paha nāna, ʻeā?” Maopopo leʻa ihola iā Napehā he mea hoʻonāukiuki ka inoa o kēlā pia iā Laʻialoha, i ka wahine Hawaiʻi ʻehu o ka lauoho a ʻuheke hoʻi o ke kīkala. ʻAʻohe naʻe ona pānaʻi aku i kahi ʻōlelo pāʻani.

Me he luna lā ka nānā aku o Laʻialoha i kona mau limahana ʻimihana, a ʻī akula, “E hoʻopau pono au i ka hōʻike Pōkā Mana no ka hālāwai o ka Leeward Partnership. He ola nō paha ko laila. E hoʻouna ʻia aku iā Margie White i kēia lā no kona paka ʻana ma mua o ka hālāwai.” A pēlā nō i huli ai ʻo ia a haʻalele akula i ke alo o lāua ala.

Komo akula ʻo ia i loko o ka hale hana, kiʻi akula i kīʻaha kope, a noho ihola ma ke pākaukau o kona wahi keʻena e hana ai. Kūkulu akula ʻo ia i ka laptop a wehe aʻela i ka hōʻike āna i hoʻomaka ai ma mua, e wehewehe ana i ka nui o nā lāʻau i kanu ʻia, ka nui hoʻi i ola, a me nā helu like ʻole e ʻike ʻia ai ka holomua o ka papahana. He mea ʻano nui kēia hui ʻana mai o nā hui mālama ʻāina a pau o ka ʻaoʻao lulu o Haleakalā, a he mea nō hoʻi paha e hoʻonui aʻe ai ka mokuʻāina i ke kālā kākoʻo.

Moni ihola ʻo Laʻialoha i wahi ʻoʻolopū kope me ka nānā aku i ka lolo uila. ʻO ka ʻauana hele wale nō naʻe ia o kona noʻonoʻo me he pipi ʻāhiu lā. I loa nō a ʻono ke alelo i ka momona o ka hēʻī a Napehā i waiho ai ma kāna pākaukau, lele hou akula kona manaʻo i ka moe ʻuhane.

Haʻohaʻo launa ʻole ʻo ia i ka ikaika a me nā mea hou loa āna i ʻike ai ma ke kino a me ka naʻau. He wahi wā pōkole wale nō ia, akā he luaʻole ka leʻaleʻa. Lele aʻela kona manaʻo iā Keakalani me ka nūnē iho inā ʻo ia piʻi i uka o Manawainui e ʻauʻau ai. Ua pili kokoke i kona ʻāina hānau. I loa nō a kupu aʻe ia nīnau, piʻi aʻela ka wela o kona kino.

Kū aʻela ʻo ia, wehe akula i nā puka aniani a pau o kona keʻena. Pū aʻela i ka lauoho e pipili ana i ka hou o kona ʻāʻī. He lapuwale maoli ka ʻauana ʻana o ka noʻonoʻo, ʻoiai ʻo ke kau nōkī ka mea maʻamau. He mea nui kēia hōʻike, ʻaʻohe wā e lalau ai. Hoʻopūʻā akula ʻo ia i kona mau manaʻo, a i loko o kekahi mau minuke, lelele aʻe ana kona mau manamana ma ka papa pihi, kahe aku ana nā huaʻōlelo.

ʻAʻole ʻo ia i nānā hou aku i ka hola a komo maila ʻo Kamuʻo me ka ʻī mai, “Tita, ua kani ka hola ʻekahi. E pāʻina awakea kākou. Mai nō a miliʻapa, ua wela ke ākule.”

Ua nanea piha lākou i nā kōhi kelekele a Kapuʻukolu, ka ʻaina awakea a Napehā i hoʻomākaukau ai, a kamaʻilio akula i nā kumuhana māmā, e like hoʻi me ke kūpono i ka wā ʻai. I lawa nō naʻe a pae nā waʻa i uka, haka pono akula ʻo Kamuʻo iā Laʻialoha me ka hāpai aʻe i kahi manaʻo.

“ʻOiai ua kō kā kākou hana i nehinei, maliʻa he wahi wā kaʻawale kou e hoʻolilo pū ai me kēlā uʻi e kono mau ana iā ʻoe i ka heʻenalu i Waiū?”

Kani aʻela ka leo o Keakalani ma ko Laʻialoha pepeiao: ʻE hele nō kāua i Waiū. E hōʻike au i ka poli o kuʻu ʻāina iā ʻoe.’ Hōʻole ʻoluʻolu iakula ʻo ia nei iā ia ala: ʻE kala mai, e kōkua au i koʻu tūtū i kēia hopena pule.’ ʻOiai he kāne Hawaiʻi ʻo Keakalani, ua pakele ʻo Laʻialoha i ʻōlelo ʻana no kona tūtū.

Hoʻi akula ko Laʻialoha noʻonoʻo i ko ia ala hele mua ʻana mai i Auwahi ʻeono paha mahina aku nei. Me he me lā he mau makahiki kona o ka hana ʻana ma laila. Ua maopopo ʻē iā ia nā hana like ʻole a me nā mea e makaʻala ai. A hiu aku nō ʻo ia i ka hana. Pēlā mau nō i ka lua a me ke kolu o ke kipa ʻana. He mea ia e ulu wale aʻe ai ka hoi i loko o Laʻialoha e hoʻokamaʻāina i ua keiki alokele nei o Kaupō. ʻAʻole naʻe ʻoia hōʻike iki aku i kona mau hoa nīele nei o pākolu mai paha ko lāua ʻimihana ʻana mai.

Ua piʻi iki ka heu o Laʻialoha i ka hāpai ʻana aʻe o kona hoa i ua kumuhana nei. ʻAkahi nō a mālie iho ka wai ma hope o ka moe ʻuhane nui o ka pō nei, a eia ʻo Kamuʻo ke hōʻaleʻale hou aʻe nei. Pane ʻōkalakala akula ʻo ia nei.

“Tsā! He aha lā ia hāwāwā iaʻu? Eia hou, ʻo Naps nei ka mea e hele kamaʻāina ai au i Waiū no ka heʻenalu ʻana.”

Pupuku ihola ka lae o kahi Napehā, a ʻī maila, “Sis, aloha nui au iā ʻoe, a me aʻu nō ʻoe e hele kamaʻāina ai ma Honuaʻula ʻokoʻa, akā nō naʻe, ʻaʻole au ʻo ka mea e laupaʻi ai ke alo o Tūtū. E huki ʻoe i ulua nāu!”

Me he mea lā, ua lōkahi maoli ko lāua ʻo Kamuʻo manaʻo hoʻolāʻau iā ia nei. Hoʻomau akula ka ʻōlelo a Napehā, “ʻO ia ala hoʻi, paʻahana, puʻipuʻi a ka lawaiʻa, ʻaʻohe keiki. Pakī nō paha ke kēpau!”

“Inā ʻaʻole ʻo ia,” wahi a Kamuʻo i lele mai ai, “...pehea kēlā wahine ma Calasa Service?” ʻO ka hale hoʻopihapiha kakalina a hoʻoponopono kaʻa kēlā a lākou e hele mau ai ma Kula. “Ke ʻike aku ʻo ia iā ʻoe, holu ka pua o ka mauʻu a hōʻea koke aku i kou alo e kōkua ai!” Hene aʻela ka ʻaka o Kamuʻo lāua ʻo Napehā.

Piʻi maoli aʻela ka heu o Laʻialoha, a ʻī aʻela, “Tāhūhū! ʻO ʻoe hoʻi hā ka mea hoihoi iā ia, ʻeā, i kou hele mau ʻana i laila me ke noi aku e nānā mai ʻo ia i nā wai a pau o ke kaʻa, me ka maopopo kā hoʻi iā ʻoe ua piha! Tsā. Mai nānā mai ʻoe iaʻu. He wahine wae kēia.”

I ka pau ʻana o kāna ʻōlelo, ua ʻike ihola ʻo Laʻialoha he nui loa paha. Haka pono mai ana kona mau hoa iā ia me ke kāohi iho i ka henehene. Pāweo maka ihola ʻo Laʻialoha, a no ka mea, ʻo ka ʻoiaʻiʻo, kau ka maka i ua wahine onaona lā. Ua ʻike maka paha ʻo Kamuʻo i ka laka aku o Laʻialoha iā ia.

Ahuwale ka ʻoluʻolu ʻole o ka naʻau o Laʻialoha i ua kumuhana nei, a ʻī koke maila ʻo Kamuʻo, “He aha lā. Me ʻoe nō ia, e kuʻu hoa. Manaʻo wale nō māua i kou pono. Ma waho aʻe o laila, kono ʻia ʻolua e hele mai i koʻu hale i ke ahiahi Lāpule. E kipa mai ana koʻu hoa hānau. I Puʻu Māhoe ana nō i kēia pule aʻe. Ua hele nō hoʻi ʻo ia i kēlā makahiki aku nei. Nanea paha kākou i ke kamaʻilio pū ʻana.”

ʻAkahi nō a kono ʻia mai lākou ʻekolu i ka ʻaha hoʻoulu ua ma Puʻu Māhoe. Manaʻo ihola ʻo Laʻialoha he maikaʻi nō paha ka launa pū ʻana me ko Kamuʻo hoahānau, akā ua pau loa ke ahonui i ka niele mai o kona hoa.

Lele koke maila ʻo Napehā e pani ai i ke kōā kani ʻole, “Mahalo, e ia nei, akā aia ana au me Jordan mā i ia pō, i ka hana imu no ka piha makahiki o kāna kaikamahine.” ʻOhiʻohi ana ʻo Napehā i nā pā o ke pākaukau.

“Hiki paha, T,” wahi a Laʻialoha, “akā, ʻo kēlā hōʻike kaʻu e noʻonoʻo nei i kēia manawa. Mahalo, e Napehā. Ua pae ka waʻa i uka. A pehea lā e pani ai kekahi kāne i kou wahi? ʻAʻole hiki. Koe naʻe paha ma ka lomi ʻōʻio. Inā ʻoi aku kā kekahi, waiho ʻia paha ʻoe i ka hope waʻa, ʻeā.” Kani aʻela ko Laʻialoha ʻaka, a hele koke akula ʻo ia i ka holoi pā, i ʻole hoʻi e nīnau hou ʻia mai.

I ka wai nō naʻe a heleleʻi ma luna o kona mau lima, me he pāoʻo lā ka lelele o kona noʻonoʻo i ke kaka ʻana i ka poho pōhaku i ka pō nei, a mai laila aku i ka moeʻuhane ikaika. Nopu koke aʻela ka manaʻo ua pili paha nā mea a ʻelua. Kāhāhā ana ʻo Laʻialoha a piʻi aʻela ka ʻōkala.

ʻAʻohe ʻimo ʻana na ka maka, kū koke aʻela ka pale ʻoʻoleʻa i loko o kona noʻonoʻo. ʻAʻohe ona ʻae aku e lilo i ia ʻano manaʻo ʻoiai ka hana nui i ke alo. Ua lawa ka ʻimihana mai o Kamuʻo mā, ʻaʻole pono kekahi mea hou aku e lalau ai kona noʻonoʻo. Hoʻi akula ʻo ia i ka hōʻike Pōkā Mana me ka paʻa o kona manaʻo e hoʻopau.

Ua kani ka hola 7 o ke ahiahi i ka wā i leka uila aku ai ʻo Laʻialoha i ka hōʻike iā Margie White lāua ʻo Kamuʻo. I kona wā e haʻalele ana i ke keʻena, kāhea maila kona ʻanakē. ʻAʻohe naʻe wahi ʻeu koe ma hope o ke kuʻupau ʻana ma ka hōʻike. ʻAʻole ʻo ia i pane aku. Hoʻomanaʻo ihola naʻe ʻo ia i ka ʻōlelo a kona ʻanakē no ka hāʻawi ʻana mai i kekahi mea iā ia. ʻAno ʻē wale nō ia, ʻoiai ʻaʻole pinepine kona hāʻawi makana ʻana mai.

Nānā akula ko Laʻialoha maka i ka manaʻo o Keakalani i waiho ai i kēia kakahiaka:
Aloha, e ia nei!
E hele ana paha i ka ʻaha hoʻoulu ua ma Puʻu Māhoe i kēia pule aʻe?
I laila ana nō kēia.
Lana ka manaʻo e ʻike aku i kō maka.

Ua komo koke ka haʻalulu i loko o Laʻialoha a hoʻopaneʻe aku ʻo ia i ka pane ʻana. Hoʻihoʻi akula ʻo ia i ke kelepona i loko o ka paisi a hoʻi akula nō i kona hale mehameha i Kula.

Iā ia e kū ana i ka wai wela o ke kapu ʻauʻau, me ke kīʻaha waina ʻulaʻula ma kona lima, kau hou akula kona manaʻo i ka moe ʻuhane o ka pō nei. ʻO ka moe ʻuhane ikaika loa paha ia o kona ola holoʻokoʻa. Ma kekahi ʻano ua makemake ʻo ia e haʻi aku iā Kamuʻo, akā makaʻu ʻo ia o manaʻo ʻia mai he pupule, a i ʻole e lilo paha ia i mea hou aku e hoʻokikina mai ai kona hoa iā ia e ʻimi i ipo nāna. E aho nō paha ka peʻe poli.

I loko nō o kona ukiuki i ka mahaʻoi ʻana mai o kona mau hoa pili, he akāka wale ko lāua aloha iā ia. ʻO ka hua waiwai nō naʻe paha o ia kamaʻilio ʻana, e hoʻomaha liʻiliʻi ʻo ia. Ua hana ʻo ia ma nā hopenapule he nui ma mua o ka lā kanu kauila. Ua piula. ʻO ka piʻi koke ʻana o kona kai, he hōʻailona paha no ka māluhiluhi.

Ma hope o ka ʻauʻau ʻana, kelekiko akula ʻo ia i kona mau hoa hana me ka hoʻomaopopo aku e hoʻomaha ʻo ia a ka Pōʻakahi. Kikokiko hou akula nō hoʻi ʻo ia iā Kamuʻo me ka hōʻike aku i kona makemake e pāʻina pū me lāua ʻo Kamuʻo i ka Lāpule. Nīnau akula nō hoʻi i kāna mea e lawe aku ai.

Pane koke maila ʻo Kamuʻo:
Cheeeee!
He lono hauʻoli kēia :)
Nāu paha ka waina ʻulaʻula.
Naʻu ka ʻaina ahiahi, a na Welina (kuʻu hoahānau) ka mea ʻono.
A hui hou aku nō i ka Lāpule!

Pane maila nō hoʻi ʻo Napehā:
Yasss, boss ledeh, e kuʻu aku ʻoe!
E malo kai paha. He aha lā.
E nanea nō i kou mau lā kaʻawale.
Pōʻakahi nō.

He mea hoʻolana manaʻo ia mau huaʻōlelo ʻoluʻolu a kona mau hoa, a pēlā ʻo ia i hoʻi aku ai i ka hiamoe. Me he pōhaku lā kona hiamoe ʻana i ia pō, ʻaʻohe ʻoni ʻana.

ʻAʻole i pau...