Alana draped an arm over her friend’s shoulder. “How often do we get to witness such a colorful display of nature? I have the rest of my life to spend with Vance. I can spare a night of diving with my dear friend, especially when we’re treated to such an impressive display.” She let her arm fall to her side. “So, are we done, or are we going back down for more impressive shots?”
“If you’re up for it, I’d like to go down for a little longer. Maybe take a pry bar and look inside that container.”
“I’m up for it and curious as well,” Alana said.
“I just want to download what I have onto my laptop first.”
“And while you download,” Alana said, “I’ll switch tanks.”
Kimo smiled at her friend. “Great. I won’t be long. Hopefully, we can be back on shore by midnight.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Alana said. “I might even get a good night’s sleep before Vance and I meet with the wedding planner to go over wedding venues.”
Kimo frowned. “You’re meeting with her tomorrow?”
Alana sighed. “She insists. If I had it my way, I’d be satisfied with a small ceremony in front of a justice of the peace. Vance is the one insisting on a venue and all the things.”
“Speaking of wedding planners, why didn’t you go with Kalea’s friend, Casey, for a wedding planner?”
“You know I love Kalea, but she’s on the Big Island, Casey’s on Oahu and Kinsley is the sister of Vance’s friend here on Maui. Plus, Vance is paying for the planner and the venue.”
“You realize it’s your wedding, too,” Kimo reminded her friend.
“Yeah, but neither one of us has been married before. I figure if Vance wants a fancy wedding, he deserves one.”
“Did you tell him you didn’t want a big wedding?”
“When he first asked. But he was so excited about planning. I didn’t have the heart to tell him it was more than I wanted.”
“You should, you know.”
“It doesn’t matter that much to me as long as I don’t have to do all the work. Since he hired a wedding planner, I won’t have to worry about all the fine details. Kinsley has it all under control.” Alana removed the regulator, unclamped the tank and removed it from her BCD. She replaced it with a full tank, tightened the strap and locked it in place. “We just have to tell her a few of our preferences and off she goes to make it happen.” She straightened and grinned. “You still going to be one of my bride’s maids?”
“Of course,” Kimo laid a towel across her damp legs, settled the laptop on it and booted the hard drive. Once the screen blinked to life, she downloaded the images from her camera onto the computer and cloud.
By the time she was done, Alana had the second BCD loaded with a fresh tank. She glanced across at Kimo, one corner of her mouth quirking upward. “We’ve known each other for a long time, but I’ll never understand why your name is Kimo,” Alana said. “It’s typically a male child’s name in Hawaiian.”
Kimo snorted. “It’s simple. My father was so proud of his first and only child’s birth, he blessed me with the name, gender be damned. I weathered some kidding as a child, but it didn’t bother me. My folks loved me and I loved them.”
Alana shook her head. “Actually, you’re a complete badass, so the name fits.”
Kimo grinned. “Thanks.” She slid the laptop into its case, shoved it into her backpack and placed it on the shelf near the helm alongside the fire extinguisher and radio. She sorted through the tool cubby until she found a metal pry bar and laid it on a bench.
When she turned, Alana held up her BCD and helped her slip it over her shoulders. Kimo buckled it in place and helped Alana into hers. She pulled her mask and snorkel over her face. After a quick glance at her gauges and an air test, she grabbed the pry bar, laid it on the rear platform and sat beside it. Kimo tugged her flippers over her feet, picked up her camera and waited for Alana.
“Ready?” Alana asked, flashlight strap looped around her wrist. She held up the pry bar. “I’ll take the pry bar.”
Kimo nodded, held onto her mask with one hand and the camera on the selfie stick with the other. Then, she pushed off the back platform, sliding into the water.
Using the pinned location, Kimo led the way with Alana at her side, shining the flashlight at the ocean floor ahead of them.
They arrived fairly quickly.
Alana handed the flashlight to Kimo and applied the pry bar to the container door.
Kimo understood shipping containers sometimes slid off cargo ships during storms. This one could have done the same. However, most cargo ships didn’t come this close to shore. She was curious about its contents. If it had been there long, the contents could have disintegrated unless it was made of plastic, glass or something equally resistant to erosive effects of warm salt water.
Alana jammed the pry bar into the narrow gap between the door and the side of the container and fought for a way to lean into the metal bar without floating away from it. She planted her feet against the side of the box, gripped the bar and pulled while pushing the box with her feet. The weightless effect of the water didn’t give her much leverage, but the door moved slightly, displacing the sand in its way.
