“Yeah, but not even the Clean Sweep crew would be willing to take this on. Don’t you believe in organization?” He picked up her discarded shorts and top that she’d changed out of on her way to work a week earlier and dropped them in the first laundry pile.
“Sure, I believe in it. I’m just not obsessed with it like you are. It’s not that bad. Besides, no one sees it but me.” The message light on her answering machine was blinking. She punched it, and her grandfather’s deep voice came on. Twice. The second time he sounded worried. “Sounds like Tutu kane thinks we might have gone down with the ship.” She cleared the messages and walked toward the kitchen. She’d go visit her grandfather in a little while. His fears wouldn’t be allayed until he saw her. She wondered if he’d heard about Laban. Maybe the news hadn’t announced the name of the catamaran involved.
Her stomach rumbled, but nothing sounded good. She was too tired. She knew she had to eat something though. It had been eighteen hours since her last meal. “Want an omelet?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Me neither, but we haven’t eaten since noon yesterday.”
Bane shrugged, and Kaia grabbed the eggs and ham from the refrigerator. She chopped pineapple to toss in as well, and its aroma filled the kitchen. She handed her brother a plate heaped with his omelet and taro hash browns then joined him at the table.
“I need to call Tutu kane.” Kaia suppressed a shudder at the thought of explaining to her grandfather about his great-nephew.
“Mano has probably already told him about Laban. He was heading there from the hospital.”
“You know Tutu kane though. He won’t rest easy until he knows all his keikis are safe and sound.” Kaia finished her breakfast then grabbed the toothbrush she left near the kitchen sink. There was another one in her bathroom, and one more in her purse.
She brushed her teeth vigorously. She could feel Bane’s gaze on her.
“None of us will love you less if you forget to brush.”
Kaia didn’t answer. She and Bane had been over this ground many times before.
Her tabby cat, Hiwa, had come out from under the couch to investigate. Kaia picked her up, and she began to purr.
Bane scratched the cat’s head, but she bared her teeth like a dog and he drew back. “I don’t know why she hates me,” he complained.
“She’s very discerning.” Kaia grinned when Bane smiled back.
“Thanks for letting me stay with you,” he said, heading to the coffeepot. “You know how Mano and I get along. It would have been pure torture to spend this month off duty with him, and I’m up too late to stay with Tutu kane.”
At least he quit nagging about brushing her teeth. “Only because you can never keep your mouth shut. Mano is entitled to his own opinions.”
“But he’s wrong!” Bane’s face reddened.
“Pele Hawai’i might not be as bad as you’re making out. You haven’t checked it out. Extend Mano a little aloha.”
“He needs to grow up.”
When Bane set his jaw like that, there was no getting through to him. Kaia sighed. “Whatever. Let’s not argue about it. I’m too tired.”
Bane’s face softened. “Sorry. You’re right. I should check out the organization before I judge them. But the Hawaiian sovereignty groups make me nervous.”
“You take our Hawaiian heritage too lightly, and Mano takes it too seriously.”
“Whereas you are in the middle and just right, like Goldilocks.”
Kaia grinned at her brother’s tone. At least he was over his snit. She hated being on the outs with him. He was her mentor, the one person in the world she most trusted with the secrets of her soul. “I’m the last person to accuse of being perfect. You’ve heard me sing.”
He clapped his hands to his ears. “And I hope never to hear it again. You’re far from perfection, all right.” Bane tipped his head to one side. “Though I saw the way the handsome navy guy was giving you the once-over.”
Kaia felt a volley of heat race up her neck to burn her cheeks. “Don’t be ridiculous!” Hiwa yowled, and she realized she’d been squeezing the cat too tightly. She loosened her grip, and the cat jumped down and stalked away with her tail in the air.
“If you’d been a dish of ‘ono ice cream, the commander would have consumed you on the spot.” Bane dodged the dish towel Kaia threw at him and went to the refrigerator. He rummaged for a minute and pulled out a mango. “Is this fresh?”
“Pfftt!” She crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. “I thought you weren’t hungry. You know how I am about fresh fruit.”
He grinned and shut the refrigerator. “Looking at this house, I wasn’t sure.” He cut the mango and put it on a plate then carried it back to the table. “That omelet just reminded my stomach how empty it was.”
She realized they were still skirting around Laban’s death. Bane must still not be ready to talk about it. She stared out the window at the palm tree swaying in the breeze. “I bet that lieutenant commander is dealing with a lot of garbage today.”