Page 72 of Catch a Wave

That week, Mavs, Kai and I all ride in the competition. I come in second in the men’s contests and Mavs takes first place among the women. When we’re not in the water, we take hikes, lay on the beach, or hit a few local hotspots. The three of us hang out together: Mavs, Kai and me. Sometimes Leilani joins us, but Kai makes it clear he’s not on a double date. I don’t see the two of them being a match, but Leilani seems intent on pressing her luck anyway. Kai and I even take an evening to go out for fish tacos together just the two of us. After that, he begins to warm up to the idea of me dating his sister. It’s not full-blown acceptance, but it’s progress.

Mavs and I steal away alone whenever we can. She asked me not to bring up the fact that I’m leaving, but it’s never far from my mind. I spend time at her dad’s shop a few afternoons during the week I’m in Oahu. He even lets me try my hand at shaping a board. I don’t finish it by the time I have to head back to California, but I got the feel for the process. He says I’m a natural. The day before I fly back to Los Angeles, I approach Mavs’ dad in the back yard.

“Do you have a minute, Mr. Kapule?”

“I told you, call me Kahiau.”

“Okay.” I don’t call him Kahiau. “I wanted to talk to you about something important.”

“About Kalaine.”

It’s a statement, not a question.

“Yes.” I take a big breath and barrel forward in my usual blunt style. I don’t see any use in skirting an issue when you have to bring it up eventually. May as well cut to the chase.

“I’m in love with your daughter. Madly in love. I know that might seem over the top or irrational. But it is what it is. And Iwant you to know I will do everything in my power to make her happy and protect her, but also I will respect her independent spirit …”

I’m rambling, so it’s probably good when he cuts me off to ask, “And you want to marry her?”

“No.” My eyes go wide and a breath wooshes out of me. “No. Not now. Someday. But we’re still new.”

“I knew I wanted to marry her mother the moment I laid eyes on her. In kindergarten.”

“Wow.”

Mavs’ dad bursts into laughter. “I’m kidding … Bodhi. You should see your face. I did fall fast for my wife, but not that fast, and not that young. In kindergarten, I was more interested in catching lizards than girls.”

I laugh too. Not as hard as Kalaine’s dad, but I laugh.

“Well, I do love your daughter. I just think we need time—preferably in the same state.”

“Ah. Yes. I agree. But I don’t want Kalaine to live in California. She belongs here, with her mother and me and Kai. Hawaii is her home.”

“I know. I was actually thinking of moving here. But I need to coordinate a lot of pieces to make that happen. I’ll need a job. A place to stay. Transportation. My mom is all I have back home. I don’t have any siblings.”

I don’t go into the convoluted reality of my family. For all intents and purposes, I am an only child of a single mom.

“And you would leave your mother?”

Knowing the little I do about Hawaiian culture, I understand the look of concern on Mr. Kapule’s face right now. Family comes first—always.

“My mom has her sister a few blocks over, and she has a good group of friends. She knows I live to travel the world and surf. It’s always been an understanding between us—a sort of anagreement in two parts. One is that I’ll be an adventure seeker. The other is that I’ll always come back home to her. I mean, she’s my mom.”

At this declaration, Mavs’ dad smiles a deep and satisfied smile.

“But my life is at a point where I …” How do I say this to Kalaine’s dad?

“Where you want to settle down? And you met my daughter and you think she’s the one for you. Your ku?u aloha.”

“I know she is.”

He nods. “I’ve watched you this week, Bodhi. You do love my daughter. And she loves you too. I think you are wise to try to be closer to her. Distance teaches us some lessons, and it can serve a young relationship in certain ways. But you need time together so conflict can grow and you can work through it. You need to learn about one another in ways only living in close proximity will allow you to do.” He pauses, and then he offers, “If there is something I could do to help you with this move, please, let me know.”

“Thank you. That means the world to me.”

“What kind of work do you want to look for? I might know someone who could give you a job, depending on what you want.”

“I just need to pay the bills. And I need something flexible enough so I can still keep up my training. I’m in the water every day. I need to be able to take time off to compete too.”

---