Page 21 of Big Island Horizons
‘Olena looked up to see another family walking towards them, Kacie and her parents. She looked back to Nell and asked, “Have you met Georgia?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“She was one of the first parents who started the co-op with me, and she’s still more involved than most.”
By the time she had introduced the two mothers, more families from the co-op were trickling in. They came well supplied and ready to work. Some started on a deep clean of the building, inside and out, while others armed with hand scythes and weed whackers set to work on the overgrown community garden.
‘Olena’s parents came along with Kekoa and his son ‘Io, all piled into the cab of Mano’s work truck. She hurried across the field to hug her family.
“Looks like they already got started on the garden,” Mahina said.
“It’s going to take days to clear out all of those weeds,” said ‘Olena.
Her mom smiled. “Not with this many people helping. I brought fertilizer and cuttings, and the Nakamura boy said he would pick up a truckload of mulch and bring it over this afternoon. We’re getting this garden plantedtoday.”
“Go Grandma!” ‘Io said.
“Are you going to be my helper?”
“Sure.”
“Great. carry this bucket of manure over to the garden fence.”
“Aw man,” he groaned.
“Come on, show Tutu how strong you are.”
‘Io sighed and started carry-dragging the paint bucket of manure across the lawn.
Mano slapped his son on the shoulder. “Are we gonna do da kine or what?”
Kekoa looked at ‘Olena. “How bad is the roof?”
“I haven’t gone up there and looked, but one of the rooms has a water damaged ceiling.”
“Probably just needs some new paint,” Mano said. “We’ve got plenty left over from our last job. Won’t take long.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Kekoa sighed and went for the ladder. “Come on, let’s go have a look.”
On a whim, ‘Olena followed her brother up onto the roof.
It felt strange to have a birds-eye view of the park she had been coming to her whole life. If she looked the other way, she could catch a glimpse of her new house past the trees and bushes that grew all along the street. She could even see bits and pieces of Pualena’s main road, which hosted Kekoa’s shave ice place and Tenn’s cafe.
“Dad was right,” Kekoa said after tromping around the long metal roof. “It’s a few years overdue for a new coat of paint, but nothing we can’t patch up in a day.”
“It’s a good day for it.” ‘Olena turned her face up to the sun that shone down from the clear blue sky. Then she turned to her brother and said, “If I stay up here and help you, do you think we can convince Dad to keep his feet on solid ground?”
Kekoa laughed at that. Loudly. “Sure. You want to be the one to tell him that he’s too old to be climbing up on roofs anymore?”
“Not particularly.”
“Don’t worry about Dad. He’s in better shape than you.”
She glared at him. “Thanks.”
He shoved her arm lightly – which, given that they were still standing up on the roof, still gave her nerves a jolt. “It was a compliment to Dad, not an insult to you. Are you going to help us paint or what?”
