A Promise Kept Ch. 04

"Watch you mouth," said the driver, backhanding the smart ass kid in the face, shutting him up. Then he looked at me with a smile on his face, and also with as Hawaiian accent, kindly smiled and said, "Please forgive my cousin. He's eighteen years old and should know better than to use that kind of language around not only a lady, cousin or not, but especially around someone he doesn't know so, I ask that you please try and overlook his dumb ass today, Mastah Chief."

"You've got me at a disadvantage, friend," I smiled, "You know my name, but I don't know yours."

"This is Max, the man I just told you about...the guy who made your surfboard," Lelahni proudly smiled, as she introduced us, "He was also a Marine and did three tours in Vietnam, Michael."

"What do you mean was a Marine," I grinned, getting out of the car to shake Max's hand, "Once and Marine, always a Marine...welcome home, brother," I smiled proudly shaking hands with him.

"Thank you, Brudda (brother)," he graciously replied smiling, returning the handshake, "I hope you like the board I made for ya...I call it "The Edge", and there's not anudda one like it anywhere," as he lead me to the rear,/bed of his El Camino...

~~~~~~

"Holy shit," I exclaimed, upon my first look at the surfboard that Max had made, as he and the teenaged boy, whose name was Kenny, lifted it out of the back of Max's El Camino, "This thing is beautiful...I've never seen one like this before."

"See," Max proudly laughed, "I told you so, yes?"

"Yes," I grinned, "You sure did; and I can't wait to take it out either."

"Here," Lelahni smiled, handing me the car keys, "I bought you a new wetsuit and it's in the trunk. By the time you get suited up, it'll be time to hit the waves; sweetie."

"I can't believe it," Kenny disgustedly spat, "You gonna let dis howlie take dat brand new board out and tear it up."

"You listen to me, Kenny," Max began, "I think..."

"Hold on, Max," I politely interrupted, "I don't need anyone to take up for me so; I've got this one, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," He knowingly laughed, "Be my guest, and his name is Kenny, by the way."

"Have I done something to offend you, Kenny?" I asked, "Because if I have, please tell me what it is so that I can apologize to you for it and make things right," Of course I was met with silence as he turned his head to look at the surf, seemingly trying to ignore me.

"Kenny," Max warned his young cousin, "You bettah ansah(answer) da man."

"Don't worry about it, Max," I smiled, winking at him, my back turned toward Kenny, "He's no different from the rest of the guys his age...chicken-shit assholes, every fucking one of them," and then I began to walk away.

I had taken three steps when I heard someone, Kenny, yell, "FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE," and then he jumped on my back from behind.

Knowing that he was of legal age, and therefore, responsible for his own actions, and also because I was only a couple of inches taller than he was, but near as heavy, I grabbed a hold of one of his arm with one hand, and then grabbed a big a handful of hair with my other hand. And then taking one step backwards; I bent over and threw him a good eight feet through the air, where he landed hard on the sand, knocking the wind out of him.

"Come on, bad ass," I laughed, once I was standing over him, "What're you going to do now, tough guy?"

"Dis, muddafukka," he quietly growled in Island slang, pulling a knife that he'd kept concealed up to that point, and then before I even saw the knife itself, Kenny had sunk a little less than half the length of it into my left thigh, a little less than seven to eight inches above my knee, "Go to hell, you fucking howlie."

My vision suddenly went white, and the last thing I remember was hearing Lelahni scream, "MICHAEL, NOOO..."

~~~~~~

When I came back to my senses, three things got my immediate attention. One, I was sitting on the tailgate of Max's El Camino, with a towel wrapped around my left leg just above my knee. Two, Kenny was lying in the sand, unconscious, with his right arm broken in two places below the elbow; and then last but most certainly not least, I could hear sirens coming closer by the second, indicating that an ambulance was on the way.

~~~~~~

NORTH SHORE MEDICAL CENTER
OAHU, HAWAII

"I only had to put three stitches in," the Emergency Room Doctor smiled, "The knife didn't go deep enough to do any real damage."

"What about the kid with the broken arm," I inquired, "Is he okay?"

"Oh, you mean Mister Wannabe Bad Ass in the next room, with a compound fracture of his lower right arm?" the doctor laughed, "The police told me to sedate him before I set his arm. He was lucky that the break was clean, or otherwise he could've had some major complications, possibly needing surgery. It's very common when someone breaks their radius and ulna at the same time. Like I said, he was lucky that the break was clean..."

~~~~~~

"I'm so sorry about this, Michael," Lelahni sniffled, "I never thought Kenny would ever do something like that."

"You might want to check and see if he's using drugs," I told her, "All it takes is a simple urine test."

"Never mind him," she continued to sniffle, "What about your leg?"

"My leg will be just fine in a few days," I reassured her, "Don't worry about it, okay sweetie?"

"Are you alright," she asked, "Would you like me to get you a wheelchair so I can take you out of here?"

"No wheelchair, "I groaned, as I slowly stood for the first time since the doctor put the stitches in, "If you could find me a walking cane I'll be just fine..."

~~~~~~

"Uh, excuse me, sir," a policeman said, stopping us as Lelahni and I were about to leave the hospital, "We wanted to know if you would like to press charges against the man who stabbed you?"

"Charges," I inquired, "What kind of charges are we talking about here?"

"Assault with a deadly weapon, sir," he informed us, "It carries a minimum of three years in this state...and that includes first time offenders as well."

"I don't want this kid to go to prison," I said, "I think I have a better idea. Are the judges around here in favor of using rehabilitative measures in cases like this one?"

"I don't know," the officer replied, "I guess it all depends on the judge."

"Do me a favor," I asked him, "You gentlemen have the authority to run a drug screen on someone whoever's in your custody, yes?"

"Well, sure," he replied, "But I'm not real sure that..."

"Please," I politely interrupted, producing my military ID as well as showing him the indication, verifying that I was in The Teams, "Do me this one favor, and you never know, you're in a position to help someone, a kid, and keep them from further hurting others...please?"

"Alright," he smiled, "How do I get a hold of you to give you the results of the drug screen?" and then Lelahni immediately gave him that information...

~~~~~~

THREE DAYS LATER

"Bring the defendant forward," the judge ordered, "Counsel for the prosecution will now read the charges.

In this case: The state of Hawaii versus Kenneth Kapualani, the state took both urine and blood samples," announced the assistant district attorney, " And found the following, Marijuana, Cocaine, and Phenylcyclohexylpiperidine and/or Phencyclodine, commonly known on the street as PCP. We recommend that this case be bound over to the grand jury for trial, as this is a felony charge, your honor."

"Thank you, counselor," the judge replied, "Does anyone have anything else to add before I make a decision?"

"Uh, excuse me, your honor," I replied, using my cane as I slowly rose to my feet, "May I be allowed to speak, sir?"

"That all depends," the judge said, "Who are you?"

"This is the victim, your honor," the assistant district attorney informed him, "Master Chief Michael Walker, sir."

"Of course, Master Chief," the judge smiled, "You've earned the right to say anything you'd like."

"Thank you, your honor," I humbly replied, "It just so happens that I know Kenneth Kapualani's family, sir, and I'd like to suggest drug rehab as opposed to taking him to trial, where I have no doubt he'd face certain incarceration, sir."

"I see," the judge pondered, "And what guarantees can you give me that he won't be back in front of me six months from now?"

"None, sir," I honestly replied, "But you have good cause and reason to bind him over to the grand jury if he does; and besides, your honor, this kid has no priors, and I'm quite certain that the state of Hawaii has a first time felon program, do they not?"

"No," the judge cooly replied, "At least none that I know of."

"Then let's look at it another way, sir," I told him, "If you do this, and it's successful, and knowing the Kapualani family like I do, it most certainly will be; then when election time comes, the voters in this district will celebrate your re-election, your honor."

"Give me a little while to consider your proposal, Master Chief," he said, looking at his wrist watch, "This court is in recess until one o'clock. Mater Chief Walker, I'd like to see you in my chambers, please..."

~~~~~~

"You wanted to see me, your honor?" I asked, as I stood in his office.

"Master Chief Walker, please, come in and have a seat, son," the judge smiled, "I wanted to talk to you personally before I make any decision where Mister Kapualani is concerned."

"Thank you, sir," I smiled, slowly taking my seat, "What can I do for you, judge?"

"I'd like to ask you a couple of questions before I make my decision," the judge began, "Is that alright with you?"

"Ask whatever you'd like, your honor," I freely replied, "I'm an open book."

"Okay, here it comes then," he said, "Why aren't you stomping mad because this is the little bastard that stabbed you?"

"What good would it do?" I asked, "It won't take the situation away, it would only make it worse. Besides," and then I laughed, "Besides, that dumb ass kid got a broken arm out of the deal, and this is just a scratch. I had a couple of wounds that were a helluva lot worse than this in the last three years alone."

"I guess I can understand that," the judge chuckled, "Alright then, why are you standing up in this kid's defense when you know we've got him, hands down, on aggravate assault? It carries a minimum of three years and by law, I'm supposed to give him that."

"I see, your honor," I respectfully replied, "But the constitution that I defend says that you are a law maker, sir."

"That's right," he suddenly smiled, "It sure does, doesn't it?" Then he grinned at me and excitedly said, "I've got some research to do before court reconvenes, if you'll please excuse me, Master Chief?"

"No problem, sir," I smiled, rising to my feet, "I'll see you at one o'clock, your honor," and then I left his office without looking back...

~~~~~~

"What did the judge say, Michael?" Lelahni asked me, while Max waited with us, "Is everything alright?"

After I informed them of my conversation with the judge, I looked at Lelahni and told her, "I've done everything I can; the rest is up to God."

~~~~~~

"I do hereby sentence you, Kenneth Kapualani, to thirty days in a drug rehabilitative unit of this court's choosing," the judge announced, "And after you've completed the program; you will appear before me for further evaluation...case pending," and then he banged his gavel down upon its pedestal, "Next case, please..."

~~~~~~

LATER THAT AFTERNOON
4:30 PM

"That was a very noble thing you did in court today, Michael," Lelahni appreciatively, "You really didn't have to do it ya know."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I smiled, feigning ignorance, "If you want to thank someone, thank the judge...not me."

"You can say what you want," she sweetly replied, leaning over and gently kissing me on the cheek, "But you and I both know better."

I was about to say something when I suddenly heard a knock on the door of our hotel suite. With the exception of Lelahni and me, only the hotel staff and security guards had access to the upper floors that had the suites so; you can imagine both the shock, as well as the surprise I felt when Lelahni opened the door and Max and Kenny were standing there.

"Please don't be angry, Mastah Chief," Kenny humbly said, before anyone else had the chance to speak, "But I gotta go to rehab in two hours, and I wanted to come by here and apologize to you for what I did. I also wanna thank you for what you told the judge. I swear to you on my family's name, that I won't make you sorry you did it.

As I looked at him standing there with his right arm in a sling, and his face looking like it had been used as a punching target for a prize fighter, I smiled and said, "Please, you guys, come in and have a seat...and the name is Mike, okay?"

~~~~~~

"So, like I said," Max grinned, "As soon as your leg starts to heal up, we'll get you out on the new surfboard."

"You're gonna love, too, bra," Kenny excitedly smiled, "It's got a sparrow tail with fins at each apex...I designed it myself," and ten he began to blush.

As this was the first time I saw him when he wasn't trying to be a hard ass, I discovered a pretty brilliant kid overall. I don't know what made him act the way he did towards me at first, well, actually I do and it was the drugs, but it no longer mattered. Oh, and after having asked Lelahni what the word "Howlie" meant, and found out that it simply meant "not us", it was then that I chose to light heartedly tease Kenny with it.

"Hey, Kenny," I said, "I needed to ask you something."

"You guys told me that you used all of the traditional Hawaiian shaping methods when you made this board," I inquired, "Am I right?"

"Of course, bra," he grinned, "That stick gonna be great for you, Mike."

"That's good to know, I grinned, "Because it seems that us howlies need all the help we can get, yeah?"

All at once his face turned bright red, and then after a moment's consideration, he grinned from ear-to-ear and told me, "Yeah brudda, even for a howlie like you," and of course we all laughed.

All too soon the time had come for Kenny to go to rehab, and before he left, he and I shook hands, burying the hatchet that was once between us.

"You take care, Mike," Kenny grinned, "Maybe you still be here when I get outta rehab?"

"I don't know," I honestly told him, "But it would sure be ice if I could...in the mean time, don't worry about what's going on out here. I want you to honor your family by concentrating on you, and only you, for at least the next thirty days, okay?"

"I'll do da right thing," he smiled, "I promise."

"That's good enough for me," I smiled, "Good luck my friend."

~~~~~~

"I need to tell you something, Michael," Lelahni sweetly smiled, as she sat next to me on the couch, "You are a very kind and tender man; and I can see why your heart is broken from losing your fiend."

"Is that right?" I asked, "I sure wish that I could see it; then maybe I wouldn't feel like I'm missing a part of myself."

"I've noticed a very rare and wonderful quality that exists within you," she softly began, "When you give of yourself, you give your whole self, and don't leave any part of it for you."

"So, what," I said, "That's the only way I know how to give...besides, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing at all," Lelahni gently replied, "I was only going to tell you that that was the reason it takes you longer to heal than most people...in other words...sometimes our selflessness, regardless of how beautiful the act, can also be our undoing if we're not real careful."

"Maybe you're right," I replied, everything suddenly starting to make sense, "If anything that sounds more reasonable than any other explanation I've heard so far."

"And by doing what you did for my cousin, Kenny," she smiled, "That was the first step on the path to recovery, Michael."

"That's nice," I smiled, "Now if my leg would only stop hurting..."

~~~~~~

The next morning I woke early, and because I hadn't done it in a couple of days, I attempted to try a morning run. However, while my leg wasn't hurting after the first hundred yards, it soon began to burn, indicating that I'd either popped a stitch, or it was bleeding, one of the two. I stopped to look and sure enough my bandages were slowly becoming soaked in my own blood.

"Lelahni's gonna be real pissed off at me for this," I said, to no one; and then it occurred to me. Why was I concerned with what she thought, and what were the implications of such thoughts? As I began walking back to the hotel, she haunted my thoughts, telling me that she and I most definitely needed to talk....

~~~~~~

Because it been ingrained into my head from the time I finished Hospitalman "A" School, and, because it had simply become a habit; I carried my Unit-One (A Corpsman's Emergency Medical Pack) everywhere I went. So, the moment I got back to my hotel suite, receiving some very strange looks from some of the people in the lobby; I went straight to my bedroom, retrieving my Unit-One and taking it into the living room where I could see better.

"Oh, my God, Michael," Lelahni screeched, when she saw my bloody bandages, "What happened?"

"I think I popped a stitch," I chuckled, "It's no big deal...oh, and do me a favor. Call down to maintenance and tell them to bring a bottle of PVC pipe glue up here, will you please?"

"No big deal," she gasped, "Michael, you're bleeding."

"I'm okay, Lelahni, I swear," I told her, "Please call maintenance for me. okay?"

"I'll call him," she said, shaking her head and beginning to smile, "But I think you're crazy not to go see a doctor."

"A doctor," I teased, as she was dialing the phone, "I'm the best doctor I know..."

~~~~~~

After I'd removed the bandages from my leg and had thoroughly cleansed the wound, I could that I had indeed popped not only one stitch, but two of the three that the emergency room doctor had put in. With Lelahni cringing every time I did it, I ended up removing all three stitches, and then gently patted the wound to wipe up any excess blood that had seeped out during the stitch removal.

"Have you lost your mind?" Lelahni worriedly asked, "There are reasons that the doctor put stitches in your leg to start with ya know."

"You worry too much," I grinned, "Trust me, sweetie...you'll see," and almost as if he could read my mind, one of the hotel's maintenance men knocked on the door not two seconds later.

"I'm here with the glue," he professionally replied, also carrying a heavy tool belt, "Do you folks have a leaky pipe?"

"Not at all," I smiled, "But you got the glue and that's what's important..."

~~~~~~

"Michael," Lelahni scolded, "You're going to do no such thing."

"Listen to me," I told her, "The PVC pipe glue will not only completely seal this wound on my leg, but it wall also guarantee that no germs will able to get in there and infect it."

"He's right, ma'am," the maintenance man approvingly smiled, "We also use this stuff to seal water pipes with so; there's no way that anything's getting into his wound..."

~~~~~~

THREE DAYS LATER

"Those were some nice moves, bro," Max smiled, as I swam ashore after having finished surfing a nice sized, fifteen foot wave, "Tomorrow I'm gonna take you to the pipeline and see how you do there."

"I sure wish Kenny was here to see this," I grinned, "I'll bet he'd be real proud."

"Look over there," Max grinned, pointing behind me where Lelahni stood behind a rather large video camera, mounted atop a tri-pod, "He'll see it when he gets out..."

~~~~~~

All too soon though, my days of R & R in Hawaii had come to an end, and when I left there, I left feeling like a brand new person. Granted, there were still some demons that I yet to face, but my overall outlook had improved greatly, and Danny's death, while it would always be something I would never forget, didn't hurt nearly as bas as it had when I first arrived in Hawaii.