My Kind of Town
Sons of brothers
>> Hilton Hawaiian Village
The former president wasn't so gallant as he was patient. There would be another day, another opportunity. So as Grace Ah Sun freshened her lipstick, he watched admiringly.
"I'm sorry, Mr. President, but ..."
"No excuses necessary. And I told you, it's Bill now."
Calling this great man Bill didn't seem any more right than cheating on Sheets. "When we were talking, you reminded me that I'm a wife and, well ..."
Grace paused, on the precipice of her deepest secret. "... years ago my husband showed me love in a way that most men never would."
Grace had never told anyone her secret. But this lunch meeting was a secret. And their kisses must remain secret. So the one person in the world to whom she could unburden her secret was the ex-president.
"I want you to know because I was so tempted there a moment ago with you, and I must admit I still am. But way back when, six weeks before my wedding I was raped by my husband's cousin. I got pregnant, but he married me anyway and raised that child as his own. As far as she knows, he is her real father. I just can't forget that kind of love. I hope you understand."
"You're right, Grace, not many men would be so noble. Yes, you are a fortunate woman, but to my mind it's your husband who's the lucky one."
Riding the elevator down to the lobby, Grace Ah Sun knew she'd done the right thing. But part of her wished she hadn't.
>> Queen's Medical Center
Amazing, Lily Ah Sun thought as her younger brother Laird and their long-lost cousin Quinn caught up, how much they looked alike, and even more how much their voices resonated harmony. No question they were related, sons of brothers, more similar than she and Laird. For a passing moment it gave Lily pause -- reminded her of the webbed-toe consequences of limiting the gene pool to first cousins. Which she intended to do with Quinn.
For the past hour they'd been poring over a stack of photocopies from the State Library newspaper archives, all relating to the Ah Sun clan. Quinn, the HPD solo bike officer laid up with a gunshot wound to the thigh, was seeing this information for the first time.
"Seems to me that we need to know more about this mysterious Bobo Ah Sun," he said. "And why our parents never spoke of him."
"Looks like," Lily said, "we're going back to the Library."
Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek.
His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin
with weekly summaries on Sunday.
He can be e-mailed at dchapman@midweek.com