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ALOHA MEANS HELLO AND GOOD -BYE, PART ONE
I’VE CANCELED YET another mother-daughter night, so my mom stops by my room.
“So,” she says.
“I’m sorry I canceled, Mom. I’m just feeling out of sorts.”
She immediately presses the back of her hand to my forehead.
“Mentally, not physically,” I clarify. I can’t get the image of Mystery Girl’s hand on
Olly’s shoulder out of my head.
She nods but doesn’t remove her hand until she’s satisfied that I’m not feverish.
“So,” I say, prompting her. I really do want to be alone.
“I was a teenager once. And an only child. I was very lonely. I found being a teenager to
be very painful.”
This is why she’s here? Because she thinks I’m lonely? Because she thinks I’m having
some sort of teenage angst?
“I am not lonely, Mom,” I snap. “I am alone. Those are different things.”
She flinches but doesn’t retreat. Instead, she lets go of whatever she is holding and
caresses my cheek until I meet her eyes.
“I know, baby girl.” Her hands are behind her back again. “Maybe now is not a good
time. Do you want me to go?”
She’s always so reasonable and understanding. It’s hard to be angry with her.
“No, it’s OK. I’m sorry. Stay.” I pull my legs up, making room for her. “What are you
hiding?” I ask.
“I brought you a present. I thought it would make you feel less lonely, but now I’m not
so sure.”
She pulls a framed photograph from behind her back. My heart squeezes inside my
chest. It’s an old photograph of the four of us—me, my mom and dad and brother—
standing on a beach, someplace tropical. The sun has set behind us and whoever took the
picture used the flash and so our faces are bright, almost glowing, against the darkening
sky.
My brother is holding on to my dad with one hand and clutching a small brown stuffed
bunny rabbit with the other. For the most part he’s a miniature version of my mom with
her same straight black hair and dark eyes. Really the only difference is that he has my
dad’s darker skin. My dad’s wearing a matching Aloha-print shirt and shorts. Goofy is the
only word I can think of to describe him. Still, he’s so handsome. His arm is wrapped
around my mom’s shoulder and he seems to be pulling her closer. He’s staring straight
into the camera. If ever there was someone who had everything he wanted, my dad was