Karma by the Sea Read Free Page A

been promised K at birth. The ones that never came .
    Splashing into the water and the inch-high waves, K’s grip on her frazzled emotions loosened and she lifted her fists at the clear blue sky, not that different from the sky at her home on Molokai. “Damn you, Namaka, do you hear me?”
    Screaming the words out loud felt sinful and wrong, like tossing a fist at your parent. As bad as her parents had been, she’d never done that. Neglect was abuse without the bruises but she’d survived, because of Paolo. “Don’t you dare let Rita die!” I need her well. Happy.
    A foot high wave crashed against her, knocking her to her knees in the water. She bounced, scrambling to her feet but unable to find the sandy bottom. She treaded water, keeping her head above the churning waves. Where were they coming from? Misery seated so deep in her gut broke free and her childhood flashed through her mind.
    She’d learned when she was young to fend for herself; to find her way to the bus. To school. She’d made a friend, Paolo, and they watched one another’s backs through their rocky childhoods. They’d found love as young adults, spending all of their free time in the caves by the bay. Together.
    Then they’d gotten caught in a storm outside the island. Lightening flashed, thunder clapped and fog rolled off the volcano. Waves had tipped their sturdy canoe and despite them both being excellent swimmers, Paolo disappeared. She’d searched the water for his body, calling his name for hours. Finally she’d paddled their canoe home, alone, shivering and frightened.
    His body washed up on shore the next morning.
    Her mother, high, of course, offered her own form of solace as K cried, her heart broken. A hit from the pipe and murmured observations of the capriciousness of the gods.
    Her father? He hadn’t been home in days.
    K’s insides crumbled at the poisonous memories and she burst into tears, smacking her hands against the water. You owe me, Namaka . The next wave topped her head and brought her to her belly, dunking her under as she swallowed some water. It seemed as if someone was tugging at her ankles, twisting her around until she was dizzy.
    She lifted her head for a gulp of air, but couldn’t find the surface. Born in the ocean, literally, she always swam like a fish. How had she lost sight of the bottom? Panic spread throughout her body and she forced herself to calm down.
    Or drown. I’m going to be really pissed off, Namaka, if this is how you take out your namesake.
    The space between her eyes pounded and her chest ached. It felt like minutes passed and her brain slowed. Tempted to open her mouth, breathing in the water to find the peaceful death she knew it offered, the chance to be with Paolo again, K shook herself out of her apathy and kicked her legs. She connected with something hard and shot upward, pulled by an unseen guiding force.
    Her head broke the surface and she took such a deep breath it hurt, making her instantly throw up salt water.
    “Hey, now!”
    K realized the power keeping her upright was a man who held her by the shoulder—
    her bare shoulder. She looked down, glad to see she still wore her black shell and the goddess hadn’t taken all her clothes in addition to almost killing her.
    “Turn your head, honey,” he said in a gruff voice, brushing at his shirt. He was a dark-haired silhouette against the sun and she blinked, thinking he could be an archangel. “I’ve got you now.” He slid a solid arm around her shoulders, the contact of his hand along her skin making her tremble. 
    She wobbled on her feet but he tucked her beneath his arm, holding her safe as she got her balance. Then he slowly moved them forward. Each step felt like walking in cement, but his strength kept her going as she let him guide her toward shallower water.  She wanted to tell him he was lucky she hadn’t eaten breakfast, but her tongue was stuck to the top of her mouth.
    “Are you on something?” he asked.