Alii Drive

Beyond the breakers I detached the small electric motor and threw it overboard. It sank like a stone. I then put on my backpack, removed my knife and slashed the inflatable. With the tides you never knew where pieces of this raft would wash up. I swam to shore.

The sky was turning dark blue. I stumbled across the field of "a'a" or lava. I had stashed my running gear deep in the "a'a" field far away from where anyone would find it. Thursday M Beach is closed so I was doubly protected from potential thieves. I found my stash and changed into my running gear.

Backpack on I carefully walked across the uneven surface towards the lights of the highway. It was an 11 mile run in the dark back to The Kona Palms. The first half of the run I was fueled with the adrenaline of the day. The last half was difficult. It had been a long day and I had run out of gas. It was nearly 9 o'clock by the time I got home.

That night I just sat in the condo and thought. Mentally I reviewed the day. I didn't think I was spotted going to Banks' boat. I had on the funny shirt and hat. I stayed low in the boat as we exited the harbor. I wiped down the things in the boat I remembered touching. Finally I didn't think anyone saw me running out on the highway. It was dark.

Deep in my thoughts the events of the day swirled. Despite the horrific attack and Banks death I felt not one bit of remorse. I know I could never speak of this day to anyone.

Friday a new day did come and I was back at work at 5 AM. Just another normal day. The markets had behaved the way the more aggressive models predicted. I slowly sold down my positions. I was out. I calculated just my commissions on my trading would net me nearly $40,000. For my LLC my gross before taxes was over $700,000.

By mid day I was a bit surprised I had heard nothing about Banks or from Hilary. By the evening news time the story was being reported of a missing person and an abandoned boat anchored off the coast near the airport.

Friday night Hilary knocks on the condo door. All day long I was thinking how to play this, I knew this moment would come.

"Hilary," I say with surprise. "What do you want?" My role is the jilted husband. Actually not terribly hard to play.

She throws her arms around me with tears in her eyes "Bryan, Banks is missing! They found his boat at sea but he wasn't aboard," she cries.

I do not reciprocate the hug. My arms are limp by my side. I extricate myself from her and ask her what happened.

"Bryan it's all over the news," she says. "They found his boat but there is no sign of Banks." She is now wailing.

I stare at her as if I'm trying to comprehend the situation.

I pause for a moment, then say "I'm sure he'll turn up, there is most likely nothing to worry about."

She stares up at me with a glimmer of hope in her eyes thinking perhaps I was right.

I walk over to her, and I think she thinks I'm going to hug her, put my hand at the small of her back and gently lead her to the door.

"I believe you said you were moving out for a week, you still have a few more days." I say with a lack of emotion.

She stares at me with a uncomprehending look. "Bryan, you are kicking me out of my own house. I need you now more than ever." She stammers.

"You didn't seem to need me while you were fucking Banks in his condo," I say. No play acting now, I'm pissed.

"Bryan, the sex is so unimportant. Banks says it's just another way of communicating. Our traditional morals prevent us from finding our true selves. Please don't let something as trivial as sex get in the way of our growth together."

"Get out!" I shout. If I hear anymore of that jumbo-jumbo self actualization bullshit I will vomit.

She's sobbing as she leaves.

Sunday morning Kiki and I get coffee again. I make sure we appear as only friends. No hugging, no kissing, no holding hands, nothing. We are getting along great. We talk a little about Banks, but not much. Number one, I don't want to appear overly interested in him. It could look suspicious. Number two, I really don't care.

Don't get me wrong I would love to be hugging and kissing Kiki. I am getting the distinct feeling she would like that too. I would love to just hold her hand. For several reasons I have got to take it slow.

Back at the condo I turn on the news. The first thing I hear is "a grisly discovery on a popular beach outside of Kona. The severed hand very possibly from a shark attack washed up on shore . . . .". Okay, here we go.

Monday Hilary tries to call me and I don't pick up. Then I get another call, it's the police. They say they are following up on the death of Banks Redmond.

They come by my condo and we discuss that Thursday when Banks left the harbor. The detective alluded to the fact that they thought potentially I had gone scuba diving with Banks. I deny anything. I tell them about my inner ear problems and give them my doctors name to check if they would like. That was the last I heard from them.

I've changed the locks at the condo, but Hilary continues to try to get back with me. I hear sobbing voice mails and pounding on the condo door day and night.

On Friday I call Gerald Chin and tell him I want her served. I also want a restraining order citing abandonment and adultery. He asks when and I tell him Friday night at The Kona Palms on Alii Drive at 7 PM. There is a Pau Hana that night.

It is a subdued event fresh on the news of Banks horrible death. He was not well liked. I am finding out within the Palms community but he was one of us. The investigation had steam for a few days but with lack of any other information it was declared a shark attack.

Both Kiki and Hilary are at this event. I am safely at a small table with the Plattes and Clarence and Lynn. A few times Hilary approaches but my friends insulate me. Kiki and I smile and make eye contact a few times but she knows to stay away for now.

In the midst of flowered shirts, shorts, a bikini or two a small dapper Asian man in suit and tie walks into the gathering. The group is quiet for a moment and then resumes normal conversation. He walks up to Hilary and says her name, I see her nod and he hands her a 9x11 envelope.

"You have been served." With a small polite bow he pivots and is gone.

A quiet settles over the Pau Hana and then a large shuddering sob from Hilary. Even I feel a little bad. I get up and leave into the dark recesses of the grounds before she sees me. In the distance I hear her sobbing my name.

I'm thinking of getting a room at The Royal Kona for the night just to avoid her when all of a sudden a small hand grabs my arm. It's Kiki.

"Hey," She says. "Want some company?"

I tell her yes but I'm really not in the mood to talk. We head to her place.

I would like to tell you all about wild naked sex with orgasms, sucking, screwing, and licking, but none of that happened. We talked a little and I asked if I could stay just to avoid a confrontation tonight. She agreed - "but don't get the wrong idea" she said. I knew.

I successfully avoided Hilary all weekend and was back in 508 on Saturday night. Sunday Kiki and I had coffee and had a long, frank and wonderful conversation. We still weren't talking about the future, but I think we both knew, we were going to have a future together.

Finally I talked to Hilary. She begged, pleaded and wept. I told her it was over. When she finally understood this she became mad. She got her own attorney and the battle was on.

Chin had an investigative staff and had interviewed many people that had witnessed Banks seduction of Hilary. One resident saw them naked together on Banks' deck.

Friday morning I had a visit from Clarence. He informed me that Chloe, Banks' widow, was arriving Saturday from the mainland. Apparently to clean up some of Banks' affairs.

I thought about this news and said, "but Hilary is staying there."

"Yes dear boy, I know that. She is not aware of Ms Davenport's arrival. I thought you should know so you could prepare accordingly."

All week long I would get calls from Hilary alternating between anger for divorcing her and pleading to let it drop and stay together. My love for her was gone. I just wanted out.

Saturday morning I got together with Kiki to help me with a plan to end things. At first she was reluctant with a couple of details and then she agreed.

I wasn't there when Chloe arrived at her and Banks condo now being occupied by my soon to be ex-wife Hilary, but from several accounts apparently this is what happened:

Chloe arrives at the condo and quickly realizes someone was there. Obviously not Banks. At that moment Hilary was in the midst of a bubble bath. Chloe walks in and shocks the shit out of her.

Chloe demands to know what in hell Hilary is doing in her condo! She was not aware nor had any interest in Banks, his latest girlfriends and who he had been fucking.

"Why are you here!??" Chloe yells at Hilary. Hilary stood up and covered herself with a towel, soap suds sliding down her body.

"Oh, Chloe," exclaims Hilary, "isn't it terrible about Banks?" With sad and pleading eyes she asks.

"No." Says Chloe. "It is isn't terrible at all. In fact all this shark business is saving me millions. I was just about to divorce the asshole."

Hilary stares at Chloe with a blank look, how could she say these things about her brilliant mentor?

"Now get the fuck out of my house before I call the police and have you arrested for trespassing." Chloe tells her.

As a dejected Hilary moves to the bedroom to get dressed Chloe stops her.

"Out!" She shouts.

"But, but my clothes," Hilary wails.

"OUT!!" She commands. "And give me my towel back."

Hilary is now nude outside. Good hearted Lynn and Clarence rescue her and get her some clothes before she is exposed too much more. Apparently some residents got a look.

Within an hour she appears at my door.

"Bryan," She says, "I know the lawyers are fighting it out, but you are my husband. Can't we at least have a conversation?" She asks.

I let her in and she sits on the couch and I sit in the single chair.

"I miss you and I still don't understand why you are so angry with me." She says.

"Hilary you slept with Banks. You gave your body to him and worst of all you acted like that was so unimportant." I tell her.

"Bryan, why are you so hung up on the sexual part of my healing and self realization. I was doing this for us." She tells me.

"Are you telling me through screwing Banks this somehow was supposed to be good for OUR relationship?"

"Bryan, forget about the sex with Banks. You and I are meant to be together. I am committed to you. Banks helped me see, you truly are my life partner. From now on every moment of every day my job is to make you happy. What more could you want?" She says with earnest conviction staring straight into my eyes.

Just then, on cue, Kiki strolls out of the bedroom dressed in a very tiny pair of panties only. Her beautiful breasts sway back and forth as she walks brazenly into the living room. Her hair and makeup are mussed as if she has just been rolling around in bed.

Hilary is staring with a shocked expression on her face.

"Oops," Kiki says, making no move to cover up. A small smile plays across her face.

"You!" Shouts Hilary. "What are you doing here? And what are you doing naked with my husband?"

"Well you know how out of date morals can limit people." Kiki says with a straight face.

"So anyway, sorry to interrupt," she says as she saunters back to the bedroom. "Bryan as soon as she goes could you please come back in and expand my horizons again?" She looks pointedly at Hilary with arched eyebrows.

"Sorry Hilary," I say "I need to go back and work on being the best version of myself."

Hilary flees the condo sobbing.

One thing everyone needs to understand. To date the most intimate I had been with Kiki was a couple of light kisses. She reluctantly agreed to help. She was only supposed to come out of the bedroom in a robe. She improvised the rest. I am not complaining.

When I walk in the bedroom she's dressed. She sees the disappointment on my face and laughs.

"You look like someone just took away your favorite toys." She says with that beautiful smile.

"If you like we can call them toys," I stare at her clothed breasts.

"As soon as your divorce is final, the whole toy chest, no pun intended, is yours to play with as much as you want." Kiki says with a hug, a kiss and a big smile.

# # # # #

Within a few months Hilary and I are legally divorced. She has long since moved to the mainland. In the divorce agreement we split bank accounts. I never report my secret account. I buy her out of her share of the condo. I'm not leaving.

Kiki pretty much lives with me. I never speak of Banks, shark attractants or even scuba for that matter. Even to Corey. He and I have become good friends. Every so often I catch him looking at me. I have the feeling he has a pretty good idea about what happened.

Life in paradise is wonderful.

THE END

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I was inspired by shark week. Certainly there are many technical errors. It's a work of fiction, relax and enjoy it if you want.