Kamaile by Joni Keamoai

Kamaile 🌱 Finale Part 12

Wainiha

Kililau made it home in record time.

He could hear his baby sister's footsteps running toward the entryway to greet him. Hilina'i was always excited to see her brother. In their ohana, it was just the two of them and with Kili gone all the time, she felt bored and lonely. Thankfully there were kids in the village, with whom Hilina'i could play with, but at home where she spent most of her time, it was just her and their mom.

"Pala!" She called out to him, throwing her arms up for a carry.

He obliged. Although Malanai told him not to always carry her.

"Ma" he called out.
She was in the kitchen, getting started on dinner.

"In here" she smiled.
"Pa told me that you decided not to travel and allowed me to return home" Kili explained.

"Ok" she sighed. She looked tired and pale.

Kililau often noticed how exhausted and pale his mom was, and he knew of her condition. She had a low blood count, which was not good. Chief Hā'ikū had explained it, just in case, Kililau found her passed out.

"Ma I'll make dinner" Kililau offered.

He ushered her to the chair behind them.
"I can do it son" she insisted.

"No mom, you rest. I'll do it and Hili can help me"

Hilina'i's ears perked up, as she played with her toys.

"Now go and lie down or sit there" he ordered her.

Hilina'i jumped up and Kili positioned her next to him on the chair so she could help him put things in their bowls.

After a few minutes, Kililau had managed to fry up some i'a or fresh fish and mix up some poi, cut up some ulu and season the fish with Hawaiian salt.

Dinner was ono, or delicious, as it was known in Hawaiian and Malanai was thankful to her son for the help. He even cleaned up after and ushered his little sister to take a bath, before bed.

"Mahalo iā 'oe" Malanai sighed as she brewed them some hot tea, handing it to Kililau on the back porch.

"You had quite a busy couple of days" she smiled. "Ae" he nodded. But he was grateful to be home. He finally felt like he could breathe again.

"How's your pa?" She asked, initially knowing that her husband was probably working himself to the bone, barely getting enough sleep and was exhausted from all the craziness around him. "Oh you know pa" Kili chuckled, as if reading her thoughts.

They talked about various topics but when Malanai asked her son about Alohi, he fell silent.

"I'm not sure, I haven't seen her in a few days"
He replied.

"Oh I see. Well are you going to?" She asked him.

"Can I?" Kili smiled.

"I don't see why not, didn't she travel to nounou with Anakē Hali'i?" Malanai inquired, confused as to her son's surprised look.

"Yes, but she was with her dad. She's not normally allowed to wander the village alone" he informed her.

"Hmmm oh I understand now."

"Well what if we invite them
Over for dinner?" She suggested.

Kililau's eyes lit up.

He didn't know what she was up to, but he loved his mom.

By the next afternoon, Malanai had gotten word to Anakē Hali'i and invited her, Alohi and Chief Ho'omana for dinner. Ha'ikū was still in Nounou as Kaumuali'i had planned to arrive there by nightfall.