Ohana Means Family

chapter 8

David stayed with Lilo until Nani would make it back home. This was not how she wanted her school year to turn out. She remembered the excitement of graduating high school and going off to college, promising her parents and sister to be back for Christmas. When Nani came, she brushed Lilo's hair down and did her best to keep up with her sister's eccentric behavior inherited from their mother in which Nani inherited the seriousness, but still joking mannerisms from their father. Lilo was going to school and still felt odd, but trying to cope with the loss of the two important people in her life. It was really hard to see Nani in hula class in a before year with the late Jose and Layla Pelekai.

Myrtle Edmonds was really mad. Lilo was getting a lot of attention since her parents had died from the accident. She was the new girl, she came from the big city, she should have all the attention. Myrtle came in to see Yuki, Teresa, and Elena fondling over Lilo and offering anything to help her out to help her deal with the loss of her parents. Myrtle saw this yet again, then came close.

"Why are you guys still talking to her?" Myrtle demanded, speaking up for a change. "She's weird, you know!"

"Myrtle, Lilo's been through a lot, she's lost her parents!" Yuki spoke up.

"Yeah, that's worse than having to eat broccoli!" Teresa added.

"Yeah, but she's weird," Myrtle huffed. "Just because her parents are gone, doesn't mean you have to be her friend!"

"What do you mean have to be my friend?" Lilo looked up at the red-headed girl. "They've always been my friends!"

"Oh, please, they're just pretending to be your friends cuz your Mom and Dad are gone!" Myrtle scoffed. "You all were my friend cuz my Dad was gone! You should all move on!"

The girls looked at the two girls, wondering who to side with.

"You're such a weird girl, Lilo, no wonder your parents were gone." Myrtle snorted.

"They couldn't help that, it was an accident," Lilo explained. "It was very rainy one night, Daddy probably couldn't see where he was going."

"Didn't you say Sludge the Fish could control the weather?" Myrtle smirked, using Lilo's personal traditions against her. "You're apposed to give him a peanut butter sandwich on every Thursday."

"I did... Except this one time... I overslept and Mom took me to school."

"Maybe that one time, Sludge didn't care about you," Myrtle smirked again. "Maybe he just thought since you forgot to feed him that he forgot to protect your parents. Did you ever think of that?"

"It's your fault your parents are killed!" Elena pointed accusingly to Lilo.

"Yeah, you brought it out on yourself!" Teresa added.

"Yeah, Lilo, that was bad!" Yuki included in.

"But, I didn't mean to! Pudge wouldn't hurt me or my family!" Lilo cried out.

"Murderer!" the other girls called to Lilo.

"Come on, girls, let's let the Parent Killer play by herself." Myrtle scoffed, walking off.

"Yeah!" the other girls agreed, going with her.

"But... It... It's not my fault!" Lilo cried, tears coming to her eyes. Could that really be true? She forgot to give Pudge his sandwich for the week and he forgot to protect Lilo's parents against the harsh storm? Lilo started crying.

"Lilo, is everything okay?" the teacher came to the little girl.

"Leave me alone, I'm a parent killer!" Lilo cried, then ran out of the school.

"Oh, dear..."

Lilo kept running as she cried. Her tears blinding her, but she knew the way home. She even crossed the street alone and was nearly run over.

"Watch where you're going, kid!" the driver called.

"I'm sorry!" Lilo cried, then kept trying to get home safely. She went to the town close to her house and turned left to climb up the way to her house, as she bawled. She was surprised to see the door was unlocked and she ran upstairs to her bedroom and started crying. She held her pillow and let the tears leak out.

"Lilo, is that you?" a voice called. It was Lilo's older sister. Nani came into the room and saw the poor girl crying. "Lilo, you're not supposed to be home for another four hours!"

"I can't go back there!" Lilo cried. "It's my fault Mom and Dad are in Heaven now!"

"Lilo, it's not your fault..."

"Yes it is, they said so!"

"Who?"

"My friends!" Lilo cried. "Yuki, Teresa, and Elena! They said it's my fault Mom and Dad got hurt!"

"Honey..." Nani sat down on her younger sister's bed and cradled her the way only a mother could. "Lilo... It's not your fault... Why would they say that?"

"Myrtle said that because one week I forgot to feed Pudge that he made a storm happen and killed Mom and Dad!" Lilo bawled.

Nani didn't believe that Pudge could control the weather, but she didn't want her sister to think that she was a bad girl. Instead, she gave a tight, warm, comforting hug. "Lilo, believe me, that wasn't your fault... Some things just happen. Do your friends know Pudge?"

Lilo sniffled, wiping her eye. "No..."

"Do they feed Pudge peanut butter sandwiches?"

"No."

"It's not your fault, yes, Mom and Dad suffered, but it is not your fault..."

"You're just saying that cuz you're my sister..."

"Yes, but it's not your fault, but don't cry... Mom and Dad wouldn't want to see you sad, would they?"

"No, I guess not..."

Nani returned the hug. "I know you miss them, I really miss them too, trust me..."

"You've known them longer." Lilo dropped her head.

"True, but I can imagine how you must feel... Listen to me, Lilo, you just ignore what those other girls say, and remember, your big sister will be here to love and protect you. We're ohana... You know what Dad says."

"Yes... Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind..."

"Or forgotten." Nani finished.

Lilo felt a little better.

"They may not be here anymore, but they're in our hearts... Why don't you get some sleep? I'll call your teacher and he'll let you stay home for a little while."

"But I wanna dance! I practiced!"

"I understand, but some rest will do you some good, trust me," Nani tucked her in. "Go back to sleep, I'll tell your teacher. You should feel better by the time the older girls come to your class."

"Okay," Lilo yawned, feeling sudden tiredness. "Good night, Nani..."

"Good night, Lilo," Nani chuckled, then went the door.

"Oh, umm... Nani!" Lilo sat up in her bed quickly. "You know the photograph we took while Mom and Dad and you were around for the picnic before you left to college?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Could I have it?"

Nani thought that would be a great way to help Lilo out during her grief and depression. "Sure, dear... I'll get it."

Lilo smiled, then lay back in her bed. Nani came back not too long and handed the photograph Lilo mentioned. Lilo took it and kissed her parents and decided to hold the picture. Nani let Lilo keep it as long as she wanted and went to call her teacher. Lilo was feeling a bit better to have the picture of her parents in her possession and kept it under her pillow.

                                                  The End