Page 78 of True Abandon

“Couldn’t ask for better.” He casts a brief glance my way. My face reddens at the fact he knows I told Auli’i all about him.

“Did you ever hear the story of the Goddess Pele and the lovers Lehua and Ohi’a?” she asks as they descend down the stairs.

He shakes his head and follows her toward a path of trees on the side of her walkway.

“A long time ago, in the beginning days of Hawaii, a dance was taking place in a small village. Ohi’a was a handsome gentleman, known for his athletic prowess. He was sitting around the bonfire when a beautiful woman caught his eye. Her name was Lehua. When their eyes met across the fire, they both froze, unable to take their gazes off each other. Ohi’a courted Lehua with a passion that quickly won her heart.”

Auli’i continues, “Soon after, they married, and Ohi’a built his bride a home. For several months, they lived in bliss until, one day, Pele was walking through the forest and spotted the handsome Ohi’a. She disguised herself as a beautiful woman and approached him. Ohi’a ignored her advances and pledged his undying love to Lehua, but Pele was furious. She presented herself as the Goddess Pele and tried to take him as her own. Ohi’a refused. He was forever in love with Lehua.”

Auli’i placed her hand on the trunk of a tree as if feeling its heartbeat. “The quick-tempered Pele stuck Ohi’a and turned him into a twisted, ugly tree in revenge for denying her advances. Lehua saw her husband become transformed and begged the goddess to change him back. When Pele refused, Lehua fell to her knees and wept at the base of the tree.

“The other gods tried to change Ohi’a back, but the curse was too strong. So, they changed Lehua into a beautiful red flower and placed her at the top of the Ohi’a tree so the two lovers would never be apart.”

Auli’i runs her hand along the branch of the Ohi’a tree and shows him the beautiful, red blossoms blowing among the branches.

Jax reaches his hand out to touch, but she gently nudges him back and explains, “You must never pick a Lehua blossom from the Ohi’a tree. For as long as they stay, the sun will shine. If a flower is picked, rain will fall for the two lovers cannot bear to be apart.”

Jax’s eyes glow with the vibrant color of the flower sitting on the twisted vines of the tree. “I have never heard something so tragic and yet so beautiful.” He looks down to Auli’i.

“Trees are living things. Just as much a part of the earth as you and I,” she says. Her hand clutches his. “Have you ever loved someone so much you would rather be a tree than forsake them?”

It must be because I’m standing here, staring at him so intently that I see the brief flick in his gaze away from the trees.

“Yes,” he says. “I have.”

Auli’i squeezes his hands and gives him a glassy-eyed gaze. There’s a moment passing between them—a knowing of truths and a sense of acceptance by two people who met just moments ago.

I walk over to the dinner table where Auli’i has set us to dine. Lani and Jason are putting the food out as I approach.

“Let’s eat!” she exclaims.

…

Dinner passes quickly. That’s what happens when you’re surrounded by good friends and great conversation. I’m currently answering Jason’s question about some of the worst guest experiences I’ve encountered at the hotel. Since Auli’i is at the table, I try to keep them as tame as possible.

“I run up to Maui suite and into the bathroom where she’s waiting in a tub filled with bubbles and a loofah in her hand. She holds it up in the air and says, “Can you get my back?” I try to use the pop star’s British accent when I tell the story.

“Chrysalis, the pop star, called you up to her room to wash her back? Doesn’t she have people for that?” Jason asks in excited disbelief.

I continue with my hands on the table as I lean forward. “She had a crazy entourage, but she clearly thought personal concierge service meant something else because after that she had me take her dirty underwear with me to have them hand washed in lavender leaves and Ivory soap.”

“Did you do it?” Jason asks.

I hang my head in shame. “Yes.”

Lani puts her arm around Jason. “Trish is unable to say no—ever. Seriously. Ask her to do anything and she will. She’s the most loyal person I’ve ever met.”

I can’t control my eye roll. “That’s a bit far-fetched.”

Lani points at me from across the table, her arm of bangles jangling in the air. “What about when Isaiah asked you to tutor his little sister because she didn’t understand algebra, or when Benji wanted you to make a production quality video of his fire tossing routine to send to America’s Got Talent or when Kal needed someone to cover his shift when his mom was sick so you offered, on your day off, to play waitress?”

With my glass in my hand, I reply, “Helping his sister study algebra was far from a sacrifice.”

She sashays her arm in the air. “It is when you spend the three hours prior watching YouTube videos to relearn everything there is to know about high school algebra.”

I open my mouth to argue. My chin juts out as I try to think of a retort, but I don’t have anything witty to offer. “You totally would have done it, too.”

Jax stares at the lantern. The flame burns brightly, creating an amber wave of color across the table. “She traveled in the middle of a hurricane to sit by my side in the hospital—stayed with me all night. It was the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me.”