Haole Wood by DeTarsio Dee

Author:DeTarsio, Dee [DeTarsio, Dee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780615640495
Publisher: Just Publishing
Published: 2012-05-13T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

That’s a Wrap

Bail was set, the paperwork was complete, and I was allowed to spring Halmoni even though neither of us was allowed to leave the island. I hopped out of the jeep and raced behind my grandmother who hurried up the path to her house. In spite of the dark cloud looming over that tiny lady, I was so glad to have her back home. “You have a lot of friends, Halmoni,” I told her. “We’ll clear your name.” My grandmother began making tea and a pot of rice. “Cheers,” I said when she handed me my cup. “To freedom.” Whatever she thought I said must have reminded her of something since she scurried down the hall to the back bedroom.

“Wait, Halmoni, sorry. I left it kind of a mess.” I came into the room and watched her shake out the fabric and fold it. She flipped over a tattered edge and examined the seams I tried to sew. The deep clucking noise in her throat needed no translation. “I’m sorry. I broke your sewing machine. Not that it was going all that well anyway. I tried to sew it by hand. The lady who wants to buy two of these wanted them for this weekend. I tried my best, but it didn’t work out.”

“Not that.” She smiled at me.

“Plus, I have no idea how you did your kukui oil protection potion.”

Halmoni sat in her sewing chair and searched a brightly woven basket for a pair of small scissors. She peered closely at the fabric and snipped each thread, pulling away all of the little fibers. When she was finished, she shook out the fabric and folded it neatly once more. “Elua?” She held up two fingers.

“Yep. She needs two,” I told her, helping get a bolt of fabric out of the closet. My grandmother rolled out the cloth and cut a matching length.

“E hele mai,” she said, motioning for me to follow her.

“Right behind you,” I said. This time I watched closely as my grandmother readied the large kettle on her stove, filling it with water and her special brew. To the kukui nut oil she squeezed out several drops from little brown glass bottles of what I guessed were essential oils of some kind. When the mixture began to boil, she placed the material in the pot and swirled it until it was saturated. I watched the clock. She let it simmer for about twenty minutes, long enough to cook hard boiled eggs, I thought. I helped her lift the pot into the sink so Halmoni could get the fabric and roll the pieces dry in a towel before taking them outside to dry.

“I’m so glad you’re home,” I called after her.

The rest of the afternoon, I watched her literally whip up the wraps. She even repaired the ancient machine with a new black rubber belt. My grandmother was a genius. “They’re beautiful, Halmoni. This woman is going to love them. I’ll give her a call and run them up to her tomorrow.

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