“Tabby! Come down here for a second, we need you to hold on to something for us!”
She purposely took her time and was even half tempted to throw her doll in the trash. However, she was stunned to see her father and Daniel standing at the bottom of the stairs with a birthday cake and a giant candle in the middle.
“Happy Birthday!” They both screamed.
“Oh my god!” Tabby squealed.
“We didn’t forget baby girl,” her father smiled.
“We didn’t forget your birthday present either,” Daniel opened one of the high shelves and pulled out a large box and handed it to his little sister.
“Go ahead,” Hale nodded.
Tabby removed the cover from the box and pulled out a Hello Kitty T-shirt that was properly glittered and bejeweled in the right places. She was completely beside herself and jumped up and down with happiness; it was only after she hugged Daniel and her father that she began to cry. A short time later, they cleared a space for Tabby on the tool counter and sang Happy Birthday together. Less than an hour later, her father and brother would be dead.
…
Now:
The Ulumano wind carried the soft, gentle Ua Kea rain from the tip of Lanihuli and swept it across the teaming lanes of traffic leading down toward HPU. It’s supple formlessness made the rain appear as if it were a fine kilohana mat that was being unfurled in order to welcome loved ones. Like the nurturing hands of a mother, the wind released the Ua Kea rain to travel the rest of the way alone. It dissipated into a fine mist that caressed the form of an 11 year old Hawaiian girl who stood at the foot of two headstones in the middle of the Hawaiian Memorial Cemetery.
KAHALEPILI KAHANA
Born February 8, 1962-Died January 17, 2011.
KANEALA “DANIEL” KAHANA
Born December 19, 1982-Died January 17, 2011
“We’ll wait by the car,” Boy whispered. “Take as long as you want.”
Boy, Aunty Rita, Uncle Ivan and Uncle Tiny made their way back to the SUV while Tabby gazed mournfully at the names engraved on the headstones. It was the first time in six years that Tabby was dressed in something other than her plaid skirt, knee high socks, sketcher shoes and hello kitty shirt that she received as a birthday present. The shirt itself had been adjusted and altered on so many occasions so as to fit Tabby's growing form that the stitching gave it it's own unique look.
Today the old shirt lay neatly folded up in the multi facet Badtzumaru back pack; Tabby gave that up as well and placed it between the two headstones. Her trusty back pack saved her life on countless occasions whenever she needed to perform an impromptu exorcism, this time it would serve a different purpose. After that, it would be the last vestige of a life that would pass into a history that would hopefully not repeat itself.
“ I’m going to live with Aunty Rita from now on,” Tabby began. “Uncle Boy is going to see that everything is okay and that I can go to a good school.”
Reaching into the back pack, Tabby removed two lei lehua and placed it on the headstones and knelt down to kiss their names, the tears soon came after.
“I killed someone Papa,” Tabby said softly. “It was the woman who sent the spirit that hurt you and Daniel.…but I’m going to get help so that.….so that I can be okay,”
“Baby girl,” the voice seemed to echo out of thin air and it made Tabby jump. Standing in front of her were the ghosts of Daniel and her father. The girl's natural instinct was to reach into her bag in order retrieve an item that would dispel a troublesome ghost.
“Come be with us,” Tabby’s father reached out. “We miss you,”
“We can be a family again Tab,” Daniel said. “You won’t have to suffer anymore like you are now,”
Her older brother waved her over to them with his crooked smile, it was the smile that always made Tabby feel unsure as to whether he was going to give her a hug or a head lock. Her father however, would always hold his hand out as he was doing now, and wait for her to come to him.
Boy looked up just in time to see Tabby reach out, and take one step forward.
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