The coroner’s report stated that the death of Buddy Hualala’i was a case of massive acidic poisoning. However, Mele Hualala’i knew better. Considering his secret occupation, Buddy had to make it a point to always be very cautious as to what he would eat or drink. He was a member of Boy Napualawa’s office, and everyone in the ‘business’ knew that Boy consolidated and controlled the world of ‘Hana Kahuna’ or sorcery in Hawai’i. One morning Buddy and three of his friends turned up dead; all from massive acidic poisoning. Witnesses say that the four men were seen with Boy and the members of his office at Young Street Zippy’s the night before.
This was no coincidence, Mele was certain that her brother’s death came as a result of that meeting. It was Buddy’s public execution, he just didn’t know it.
Word got out that Buddy became more angry than usual and was beginning to go rogue. He was casting curses at will over imagined slights and insults; he’d caused his neighbor’s dog to urinate non-stop for barking late at night. Through a curse devised from the use of a speckled fowl or the Pulepule, Buddy caused a workmate to go insane. All because this person was very late to work and had inadvertently parked in Buddy’s space. Mele knew very well that her brother had problems with anger, but what nurtured the seeds of revenge to grow so rapidly within her was the fact that Buddy and Boy were childhood friends. They had been over for dinner and playtime on many occasions. Boy, was an usher at Buddy’s wedding when he married Trenda Faleafine on a whim. Boy, knew Buddy’s children and was always present for their Baptisms, birthday parties and holidays.
“Knowing all of this,” Mele said to herself. “Why would he kill my brother?”
…..........
Special circumstances were arranged so that Flower could come to the medical examiner’s office to view Tabby’s body. The cold didn’t bother Flower so much as did the sight of the girl lying dead on a slab. The attendant offered condolences but Flower gave no indication that she’d heard the words of sympathy at all.
“I’ll leave you alone, take as much time as you need,” the man said.
Flower wasn’t her normal airy self, she wasn’t dressed in her usual caftan, rather she was dressed as if she were already attending Tabby’s funeral service’s. She was made up and had her hair done. She carried a small black purse on her arm and wore high heeled shoes that matched her form-fitting black dress. Even her black pillbox hat and sheer veil made her appear as if she were a character from an 80’s music video.
Just then she noticed movement to her right; Ivan and Tiny appeared in front of the only entrance and exit to the morgue. To her left, Rita appeared seemingly to block her from fleeing in the opposite direction. Flower turned around to see Boy standing behind her and gasped suddenly as she took a step back. Bumping into the table where Tabby lay dead just a moment ago, Flower screamed in horror when Tabby jumped up and walked over to where Boy stood.
“Come to see your handy work, Mele?” Boy asked.
Looking at Rita and trying to regain her composure at the same time, Mele asked, “How is she still here?”
Boy replied, “The thing that you sent to possess my aunty? I called out to it and it told me who IT was but it wouldn’t say who sent it. Turns out that the spirit is your brother, Buddy. Don’t worry, I released him from his bonds to you and I’ve got him tucked away nice and tight in a bamboo container. You know, just in case,”
“Just get it over with,” Mele sneered.
Boy, turned to Tabby and said, “The real Flower Kahana died of a heroin overdose long before you were born, it broke your father’s heart, which is probably why he only mentioned her to you on a few occasions with no other detail. This woman’s name is Mele Hualala’i, she pretended to be your aunt after Hale and Daniel died. For five years she pretended to be Flower Kahana. She’s a one person sleeper cell just waiting for the signal to wake up, except that she’s been awake the whole time. She pretended to send you to her ‘therapist’ for healing when she was actually sending you to be destroyed. She knows what you are and what you can do, she knew you were raped when you were still a little girl. She did her homework before she came to claim you as her niece but she was never like family to you, ever,” Boy said. “All this wasted effort for revenge,”
“So what? Getting rid of this little bitch was the best way to get back at you,” Mele spat. “Everybody knows that you got a soft spot for Keiki,”
“I figured if I called in a favor and had Tabby lay here, pretending to be dead, that the person who sent Buddy’s spirit would show themselves. Lo and behold, it’s you,” Boy said.
“Either let me go or kill me,” Mele was seething.
“In a second,” Boy held up his hand. Turning to Tabby now, he said, “Remember at Mock Chew’s restaurant when you asked me that question? The one that I told you could not be answered until you were much older?”
“Yes,” Tabby expression was deadly serious.
“Your answer is standing in front of you,” Boy replied. “The thing that possessed your brother and then your father and ended up killing them both? ” Boy gestured toward Mele and stepped back, “She sent it. It was the only way her plan could work; your father and your brother had to be out of the way.”
“You think I’m gonna let some emotionally damaged little bitch kill me? You got something else comin’ if you think I’m gonna let that happen!” Mele scoffed and simultaneously prepared herself.
“Tabby’s not just an exorcist,” Turning to Tabby, Boy whispered. "I’m sorry Tabby, I know I said that you couldn’t know anything about how your father and brother died, but I never expected the answer to show itself sooner.” Boy, removed a swordfish bill from his coat pocket and handed it to Tabby. Looking at Mele now he said, “We’ll leave you two alone,”
Ivan, Tiny, and Rita followed Boy outside. The examiner would return later to clean up the mess that was once Mele Hualala’i.
…..........
At her insistence, Rita moved Tabby in with her where she would be able to provide the girl with as normal a life as possible. Rita would help Tabby through her nightmares and was there with her when Tabby went to her therapy sessions. Eventually, Tabby didn’t have to perform exorcisms alone because Aunty Rita became her back up. Rita would also become the mother figure that Tabby always needed.
…..........
Returning from a weekend of camping with a youth corp group from his church, Epstein was prepared to follow his usual con and pass himself off as Layden Chu. He hadn’t heard from Flower in a few days and so he made a mental note to call her later. He turned the key to his office door and backed into it in order to open it because his arms were full of boxes of incense and aromatherapy candles. Flipping the light switch on after he placed the box on the floor, he turned to see a broad-shouldered Hawaiian man dressed in a coat and tie sitting behind his desk.
“Who the hell are you? What are you doing in my office man?”
Epstein jumped when he suddenly heard the door slam behind him; it was Tabby.
“Uhm, you’re not supposed to be here. I’m calling Flower and the cops right now,” Epstein grabbed his cell phone.
“HPD won’t help you and Flower won’t be answering her phone,” Tabby said. “But I have something special for you, a peace offering. I don’t want any more trouble; my uncle is here to make sure that I don’t lose my cookies and go crazy.”
“Peace offering?” Epstein asked.
“Sure,” Tabby smiled. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a Tupperware box filled with ripe mangos. “Try some, it’s a new batch from my uncle’s tree. It’s really good; in fact, have the whole thing,”
“Are you for real?” Epstein was still a bit wary.
“100%,” she said as she extended her hand. “I’m really sorry I overreacted and I won’t be pressing any charges of rape or anything. Have a great day!” Tabby held the door open and Boy got up from behind the desk and walked out the door.
…..........
Later that week, Epstein was found dead. His office was filled with flies that inhabited every orifice in his body. The medical examiner’s report said that Epstein’s insides had rotted away completely and that there was mango smeared all over his face.
.............
On the night that Boy met Buddy at Zippy's, he had intended to give Buddy his own office with his own family to oversee. However, Buddy had plans of his own, he brought for 'Olohe to kill Boy in a very public way in order to make a statement. No one knew that Boy had already come prepared with a peace offering.
Four plates of cursed mangoes.
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