The Wave of the Stars

Chapter Six // Hope

There was plenty of time to think about everything Kanoa could possibly think about in the hours Brennan was at work and she was alone. She needed some hobbies. All of her favorite hobbies consisted of sand, water, and the sun, and...she wasn't going to dwell on that.

She wheeled to her desk and tried stringing words in a story or a poem or...something. But all she could write was a grocery list. As her fingers tapped away on the keyboard repeating again and again how many bananas or what kind of shampoo they needed, she couldn't understand how authors did it. Granted, Kanoa hadn't read many books growing up--there was never time for that, but the ones she did read had been beautiful and intricate and masterpieces all because somebody sat down and knew what words to put together.

Eventually Kanoa grew antsy and could no longer write out grocery lists. There wasn't much to do in the house. She could listen to a record and look out the window. She could sit in the kitchen and eat rice pudding. She could take a nap. She could call somebody. Olive.

Under normal circumstances, Kanoa would have popped over to the house next door and barged right in. Her phone was nearly dead again when she picked it up to dial Olive. It rang a few times--hopefully she was home. Kanoa felt like she would go crazy if she had to spend another moment alone in this house.

"Howdy-do you've reached Olive."

"Hi Olive." Kanoa wished she could be as peppy as she once was, but something about waking up in hospitals and losing the use of half of her body began taking its toll on her.

"Kanoa! How're you doing?"

"Lonely. Bored. I have no hobbies."

"I'll be over in a jiff."

"Thanks." What a depressing exchange. Kanoa plugged her phone in to charge again just as the screen door banged open, sending ice crawling through her shoulders.

"Kanoa?" Olive, already? The woman was...

Kanoa wheeled out of her office, narrowly missing the doorframe, and reached back to close the door behind her. Olive stood in the middle of the living room, her arms hugging an overstuffed bag.

"I brought some things along. I just baked some fresh banana chocolate chip bread and I thought we could have some along with tea. I also have games." She began to walk into the kitchen, her long white hair swaying behind her. "Not sure if you like games, but we're going to play."

"How did you get here so fast?"

"I already had most of my things gathered to come over here. I was planning to come whether or not you called."

"You remind me of my mom." Kanoa watched as Olive went about putting tea on and taking various items out of her bag.

"I believe that's a compliment." Olive turned to wink and put the kettle on the stove. "Tell me about her."

"She grew up on O'ahu and always wore flowers as a young girl. She liked to think they gave her sweetness, but she had to learn to be sweet even without flowers." A picture of her mother as a thirteen year old with all of her cousins after a hula competition hung in Kanoa's office. They all wore brightly colored leis and broad smiles. "Her dad was the mayor of their small town and she learned quickly to spot needs of the people and care for them, but I think it was intrinsic."

"Do you believe you possess that intrinsic quality?" Olive arranged the banana bread on a plate and sat at the table.

A knot tied in Kanoa's stomach. She knew the answer, but she'd always wished the answer was different. "No." She didn't feel shame about many things, but this was a soft spot, or...a sour spot.