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My Kind of Town

by Don Chapman

Wednesday, January 9, 2002


Gift of magnanimity


>> Queen's Medical Center

The elevator stopped on the ICU floor and Lily Ah Sun stepped off, wondering what had happened to the anger she'd been carrying into the impending confrontation with her parents. But of course it had to be her encounter a moment ago with Ho'ola, goddess of life, healer, preserver.

Lily pushed open the door to her brother Lance's room slightly, peeked inside. She was hit by a familiar aroma -- eucalyptus and ginger and sea brine. Which meant Ho'ola had been here too! This was the same scent she'd left behind in the elevator. It was such an anti-antiseptic smell, so out of place in a hospital, so full of life and hope and comfort. And then it hit her. Ho'ola had done more than bless Lily and her relationship with her cousin Quinn. She had given Lily an idea that would be a blessing to Lily's business, Ola Essences, the phyto-cosmetic company that was one of Hawaii's hottest companies. Somehow, Lily would reproduce that aroma and bottle it up. That would be her ace in the hole if she did indeed, as she swore yesterday when she was drinking with her friend Shauny, take Ola independent of her father's Honolulu Soap Co.

That was only half of why Lily was so angry when she started the day. The other part was wanting to know why her father and his brother Mits, Quinn's father, had quit speaking 27 years ago and torn the family apart. Now that she and Quinn were reunited, her father was insisting that she never speak to her cousin again. Ho'ola, though, had wiped away her anger and left her with a sense of grace and calm.

Opening the door further, seeing her father slumped sadly in a chair across the room, Lily could only feel pity. She had never seen her father so obviously devastated. Apparently he cared for Lance more than Lily had thought. She'd take it easy on him.

But her mother Grace could not have presented a more different picture. She practically glowed as she leaned over Lance as he lay unconscious, whispering to him.

"Hey, Dad, Mom," she said softly.

The sound of her voice jerked Sheets Ah Sun back from the depths of his private hell, which had very little to do with the condition of his youngest son. When he saw her, Lily could see him throwing up a defensive shield, remembering their angry words from yesterday. "Lily," he said coolly. Lily walked to him, leaned down, kissed his cheek. "Hi, Dad," she said warmly, privately thanking Ho'ola for the uncommon gift of magnanimity.




Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek.
His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin
with weekly summaries on Sunday.
He can be emailed at dchapman@midweek.com



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