All the Cuts and Scars We Hide by Garry Michael

Twenty-One: Kai

We Hide

The windshield wipers were working double duty to keep up with the heavy Hawaiian rainfall as we navigated the winding road to our ohana’s home. It had become more difficult to see the road because of the headlights reflecting off the rainwater. This one-lane road had been nicknamed Jinx Way because of the number of accidents that happened here year after year. It already recorded its fourteenth accident this year alone and it was only February. The lightning and thunder had stopped, but the torrential rain had been pouring continuously for a couple of days. A typical occurrence in Hawai’i during the months of January to March.

I offered to drive since I was familiar with the road and had driven it in this condition.

“I can’t believe he hit you?” Lei was still fuming miles after we’d left the rental house I shared with Noah. She reached to touch my chin and I grimaced from the contact. “Does it hurt?” she asked.

I used the rear-view mirror to check my reflection. My left lower lip had a cut and the red skin around it was turning black and purple. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for getting me.”

“Of course I’d come get you. What are you gonna do now?”

“I don’t know.”

The winding local road ended, and we merged onto the interstate. I found myself relaxing a little.

The deafening crunch of metal on metal caused my Jeep to veer into another lane. Lei screamed mixed with the blare of a horn when blinding yellow lights skidded toward her. I quickly turned my steering wheel to the left, trying to avoid whatever was about to hit us.

I blinked when cold water trickled down my face. My head was killing me and it took a couple of seconds of staring at the powder-covered dash and the depleted airbag before I realized what had happened.

“Lei?” I called out. My own voice sounded distant through my ringing ears and panic took over my entire body. Ignoring my pain, I attempted to push the thick fabric of the airbag and powder-covered glass aside so I could release my seatbelt. “Lei?” I screamed when she didn't answer.

In the distance, I could hear the wail of sirens echoing through the pitter-patter of rain. I wasn’t a religious person, but at the moment, I was willing to pray to any god who would listen. Please let her be okay. Take me instead. I choked on a sob. My mouth was full of spit and blood, causing me to cough.

“Kai?” her weak voice answered.

I’d never been more thankful to hear my name. “Lei, thank god! Thank god!”

“I’m stuck,” she cried.

“Just hang in there, help is coming.”

Lights flashed on us and the paramedics began to assess our situation.

“Are you okay? What’s your name? Do you know where you are?” someone asked Lei a series of questions.

“Do you know how you got here?” someone asked me while flashing a light in my eyes. “Have you been drinking?” he continued.

“What? No!” I objected. I knew why they had to ask that question, but being accused of driving while drunk didn’t sit well with me. “I… I don’t know what happened…”

A firefighter opened the doors using the Jaws of Life to get us out of the car and onto a stretcher. “We’re taking both of you to the hospital. Is there someone we can call for you?”

“Yes, please call my parents.” I gave the officer their number.

***

I was startled by the vibrations coming from the nightstand and since my phone was always on silent, it had to be Wyatt’s. The buzzing continued and the light from its screen illuminated the darkroom. I’d been up for a while because last night’s concert had brought to the surface the tragic events from the night of the accident.

“Who the fuck’s calling this early?” Wyatt groaned, reaching for his cell.

I was able to peek at his phone before he answered, and it was only a quarter past five in the morning and the caller ID read Elizabeth. A phone call before sunrise was never a good thing.

“Someone better be dying, the sun isn’t even up yet,” he said, skipping all the pleasantries. He listened for a while, and I could hear the caller chattering in the background before he continued, “Why do we keep Roy? He’s so un-fucking-unreliable.”

Another silence and Wyatt sat up and pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers. “I’ll figure something out. Thanks for letting me know.”

He threw his cell on the foot of the bed and flopped back with a heavy sigh.

“Remind me to never call before sunrise,” I teased.

“One of the guys called out sick again and we’re already running the charters with skeleton crews. I’m going to have to figure out who can help me with this last-minute request. Goddamn it.”

“Is he okay?” I asked, hoping it wasn’t the wrong question to ask.

“I don’t know. He just called Elizabeth to let her know that he’ll miss the sailing this morning. I’m firing his ass when I see him next time,” he fumed.

“Are you sure you wanna do that? You don’t even know why he called out,” I blurted before I was able to stop my big mouth from speaking.

Wyatt rolled to his side and looked at me, “What?”

“I’m just saying maybe you should find out why he couldn’t make it to work,” I held my breath ready to argue. I knew I shouldn’t poke the bear this early, especially in the middle of a work crisis, but people should be given a second chance. People make mistakes, and that doesn’t mean they’re bad people. That simple thought made me feel like a fraud. How was I willing to give others a second chance when I couldn’t give myself the same courtesy? ‘It was an accident, Kai, it’s not your fault,’ said my ma’s voice in the head.

“Are you always this nice? You always see the good in people. But you’re right about giving him another chance. Everyone deserves a second chance. I was just upset is all.” He kissed my forehead, something I noticed he did a lot.

“What are you gonna do?” I asked.

“We have a couple of guys that we keep for situations like this, I’ll call them.”

“What kind of help do you need?”

“With everything to tell you the truth. Stuff like helping me launch the boat, guiding me out of the harbor, securing the anchor, helping me serve snacks and just another person on board in case of emergencies,” Wyatt explained.

“Could I help?”

Wyatt looked at me perhaps wondering if I was kidding, but I wasn’t. I grew up in Hawai’i and had experience chartering boats catered to tourists. “Do you know anything about charter boats?”

I rolled my eyes at him, “That’s what we do back home whenever we need extra money. I used to do it during college breaks, the tips were great.”

Wyatt’s eyes widened. “Are you for real?” His excitement was evident.

“Yes, are we sailing a sailboat or a catamaran?”

“Catamaran.”

“Piece of cake.”