Oh Damn One Night of Trouble (4 page)

“
Agreed,” Kailani said.

If only it were morning or afternoon, they would have had a better chance but the darkness of night and the ash obscured their vision.

“
We'll find him,” Josh said.

Kailani nodded. Her eyes began to tear up as she realized she had more than a few things in common with Joshua Chandler. They shared loneliness but they had a fierce determination when faced with incredible odds.

Chapter 5

After Honey was safe at the veterinarian’s office, Josh and Kailani drove for hours. They looked on every passable roadway and along the beach. The lava was closer, moving
slowly and it blocked a few of the roads. At times, they had to turn around.

“
I can't give up,” Joshua said. “Tigers don't disappear. He has to be out here somewhere.”

“
We'll keep searching,” Kailani agreed. The batteries in the flashlight Josh had given her had weakened. The light flickered and eventually, it went off.

“
It'll be daylight soon,” Josh said.

The news on the car radio reported that the area where Josh's home had been was covered and devoured by the lava.

“
I'm sorry,” Kailani said, looking at him.

“
At least the animals got out,” he said. “I'm glad you went there when you did. You saved them Kailani. I was at an event that raises money to save exotic animals and mine were in danger. If it hadn't been for you...”

“
I saw it on TV,” she said, “and I knew you were out with Lily so I...”

“
She didn't want to come with me,” Josh said. “I suppose most people wouldn’t go in the direction of an erupting volcano.”

“
Normally, I wouldn't either,” Kailani confessed, “but I couldn't stop thinking about Honey and the other animals.”

Josh's phone went off and he picked it up. “Yes, yes of course,” he said. “Don't shoot him! I'm on my way.”

“
They found him?” Kailani asked.

“
He's in town,” Josh said, turning the car around. “He's been pacing back and forth, he's agitated and they're worried.”

“
I hope you can calm him down,” Kailani said.

“
I should have sent him to the zoo months ago,” Josh said as he drove.

“
I can see how it would be hard to say goodbye, especially since you had him since he was a cub.”

“
I didn't think he was going to make it,” Josh told her. “I let him sleep in my bed and I fed him with a bottle. You should have seen the trouble I had when he was about 400 pounds and still trying to get into the bed. That's why I had to find the couch and that wasn't easy. It was too short. I had a carpenter add a section in the middle to accommodate him.”

“
How big is he now?”

“
640 pounds and he's 11 feet long,” Josh said, “but he isn't vicious.”

“
I know he isn't,” Kailani said. She saw the flashing lights of the police cars as they got closer to the area where Tubbo was. “I hope he's all right.”

“
I can see why he's agitated,” Josh said. “Look at this mess!”

It was a mass confusion of police cars, flashing lights and someone was on a bull horn, warning people to stay away from the area.

Josh picked up the tranquilizer gun and walked through the crowd.

Kailani followed close behind. Suddenly, Josh turned to face her.

“
Stay here Kailani,” Josh said, in a soft voice. “You've helped me a lot tonight. I don't know what Tubbo is liable to do and I want you safe.” He gently touched her face with his fingers and lowered to kiss her cheek. “Thank you,” he said.

Kailani nodded and watched as he went closer.

Tubbo growled.

Josh stopped and tried talking to him. The big cat continued to pace. “Take it easy buddy,” Josh said, in a calm steady voice. He reached into his pocket and tossed something toward the tiger. “Down Tubbo,” he said. “Get down.”

Tubbo growled at him.

A shiver of fear trickled along Kailani's neck and she put her hand to her lips. What if Tubbo lunged at him? How awful that would be! Josh moved closer and Kailani's heart beat rapidly in her chest. She could barely breathe.

“
On the ground Tubbo,” Josh said. He tossed another piece of whatever was in his pocket to the tiger. “Get down buddy,” Josh pleaded. His voice was throaty and desperate. “Your couch isn't here, just lie down,” he explained.

Tubbo looked at the crowd as though he didn't trust the people who were staring at him. He backed up.

“
Don't run,” Josh said. “It's all right. If you don't want to get down, come to me. Come here.”

Tubbo walked in a slow, cautious pace and rubbed his furry head on Joshua's leg. Josh lowered and put his arms around the big
cat’s neck.

Kailani smiled. He'd done it!

Josh stood up and using the bait he'd brought with him, he led Tubbo to the cage as the wildlife control officer's watched. He secured the cage and lowered, reaching his hand through the bars, petting him.

Kailani made her way toward them and congratulated Josh. “You did it! He's safe!”

“
Where should we send him Mr. Chandler?” the officer asked. “I'm sorry but your place is gone and...”

Josh's eyes moistened and he looked away, clearing his throat. Without speaking, he lowered again to pet Tubbo and say goodbye.

He stood upright and put his hands in his pockets as he spoke. “Yes, well...the San Diego Zoo has offered to keep him. It would be best if you send him there.”

The low moaning of distress began and Tubbo paced inside of the cage, looking at Josh as if he were begging to be let out.

Josh placed a hand on Kailani's shoulder, squeezed gently, and walked away.

The moaning was louder and it became a wail as Tubbo attempted to call Josh back to him but Josh didn't return.

Kailani thought of going after him. Where was he going to stay? He was homeless. He'd lost all of the animals and now he was alone. Kailani shivered. The tiger's low pitched moan pierced through her. It echoed of sorrow and loneliness.

“
Goodbye Tubbo,” Kailani whispered as tears came to her eyes. She made her way through the crowd and walked home.

Chapter 6

In a numb fashion Kailani prepared to go to work but Susana called from the diner and said she was going to stay closed. The police had the area blocked off and no one was coming in to eat.

“
I understand,” Kailani said and she put the phone down. Her TV was still on and the news was showing footage of Joshua hugging Tubbo. Kailani smiled seeing it but it was a sad smile and her vision blurred. Quietly, she reached for the remote and turned it off.

Mauna Loa
was bubbling but it too had slowed down.

Kailani looked at the plant on her table and saw that two more leaves were lying on the table cloth. She sighed. “Listen little plant,” she said, talking to it, “you have to grow. There aren't enough plants in the world. You have to accept your duty here and grow.” Another leaf dropped off. “I give up,” Kailani muttered, walking into her bedroom. Nothing thrived under her care. Joshua was probably better off without her trying to help him.

She collapsed onto the bed and realized how exhausted she was. She fell into a deep sleep.

***

As the days passed, everything returned to the way it was before Kailani met Joshua Kent Chandler. He didn't come to the diner to work or to eat. She didn't see him at the park near Kula Lake. It was as if he'd disappeared and Mauna Loa became silent again.

“
Maybe he left the island to be closer to his tiger,” Lily said. “It's just as well, he has no feelings.”

“
How can you say that? He loved Tubbo,” Kailani said. “It broke his heart to send him away.”

“
I meant he has no feelings for people,” Lily explained. “I went out with him Kailani. You don't know him as well as I do. He's a cold person.”

“
He's not like that at all,” Kailani disagreed. “He's very kind, loving and gentle.”

“
With his tiger maybe, but not around people,” Lily said. “Going out with him was like dating a robot. Everything about him was fake.”

“
You're saying that because he's gone.”

“
No, I'm saying it because it's true,” Lily told her. “He was a gigolo, a man whore, like you said. He knew all the right things to do, to say but I don't think he meant any of them.”

“
Maybe he isn't a people-person,” Kailani said, as they left the diner. Lily waved her off and walked away.

Kailani sighed. Again she had no classes and no where to go. The day was too beautiful to waste it sitting inside watching TV so she decided to go for a walk on the beach. The beach always filled her with
peacefulness, especially in the evening when the sun was setting. The sound of the waves lapping at the shore calmed her.

She stopped when she saw him. He was drunk, stumbling as he walked, carrying a wine bottle and smoking a cigar. His shirt was unbuttoned and the tails of it flapped in the breeze. His pants were rolled up over his muscular calves and Josh walked along, barefoot in the sand.

She went toward him but he didn't seem to notice. He had stopped and was staring out at the ocean. “Hello!” she called out. “Do you need rescuing?”

He laughed. “Do I need rescuing?”

“
Yes,” she said, standing beside him. She hadn't realized how tall he was until now. She looked up at him. “Do you?”

He fell silent for a few moments. “I think you're the first person to ask me that question,” he said.

“
Where have you been staying? I haven't seen you in a long time.”

“
I'm living on the beach.” He sat down in the sand and Kailani sat next to him. “Beautiful, isn't it?”

“
Yes it is,” Kailani agreed. She wrapped her arm around his and snuggled closer. The night brought a cool breeze.

“
California is that way,” he said, pointing with the wine bottle in his hand.

“
That's where I thought you went,” she said.

“
No,” Josh said. “I don't have enough money to travel that far.” He looked at her. “I gave up my business Kailani. I gave up on my dream. I gave up...everything.”

“
What was your dream?”

“
I was going to ask the state if I could turn my place into a wild life sanctuary so I could keep my animals,” he said. “There's no point in it now. It's gone.”

“
Maybe...you could start over.”

“
I can't,” he said. “It's too much of a risk. If they turn me down, I'd have to send away whatever animals I manage to find. No, it's over. I can't do that again.” He paused and drank from the wine bottle. He offered her some and smiled when she shook her head. “I don't blame you. It's pathetically warm.”

“
You can't live on the beach,” Kailani told him.

“
Yes, I know. That's what the police said.”

“
The police?”

“
They arrested me for public intoxication and locked me up for a few days,” he said.

“
You were in jail?”

“
It's not the first time,” he said, glancing at her. “I was picked up a few times when I lived in California too.” He leaned back and drank from the bottle, emptying it. “I have...a problem.”

“
Oh,” Kailani said.

“
Working with the animals kept me busy,” he said, “and when I was working as an escort, it was difficult because everyone around me was drinking. I looked at it like a challenge. If I could be that close to it and not drink, I felt like a winner.”

“
That's good,” Kailani said.

“
I haven't won anything in life Kailani,” he said, “not ever. I lose everything.”

“
What about your family? Where are they?” Kailani asked.

“
I don't have one,” Josh explained. “I'm sure they're out there somewhere but I don't know who they are. I was abandoned as an infant and I grew up in foster homes.” He shrugged. “When I was fifteen I tried to find out who my mother was but the records said she was never found. There was a newspaper article and a photograph of the dumpster but...”

“
The dumpster?” Kailani asked.

“
That's where she left me.”

“
She threw you away?”

“
Like an old pizza box,” he said, with a grin. “In fact, I hear that was what saved my life, kept me from falling to the bottom.” He chuckled and nudged against her.

“
It's not funny,” Kailani said.