Chapter 28 The Gift
The Gift
Makana: gift, present; reward, award, donation, prize
The dreams came all night long. Storms and sharks and Layla. In one of them Minnow was standing on a coral head, pregnant
and ready to give birth. It was peculiar, though, because she had no idea who the father was. Contractions started and she
sat down on the rock, spread her legs and a rush of baby sharks poured out, splashing into the water and swimming all around
her. They kept coming and coming, their small fins all tipped in red. Soon she was surrounded by hundreds or maybe thousands
of tiny sharks and her heart swelled with a fullness she had never known before.
In the morning Woody was working on a leak in the roof, while Cliff had driven off last night sometime after Minnow had fallen
into bed exhausted. Now she and Nalu were on the way to the hospital and she felt even less rested. With all the tossing and
turning and dry-mouth, her sleep had been shitty, to say the least.
She rubbed her eyes. “When we get there, pull around back. I don’t want to run into anyone on the way in.”
Nalu was quiet for a moment, then said, “Did something happen between you and Greenwood? That look you two gave each other last night. It felt . . .” He paused, fishing for the right word.
Minnow finished his sentence. “Complicated.”
“Maybe. But I was going to say loaded. He’s into you, for real kine.”
She wished she didn’t care, but she did. “We had a hot moment a couple of nights ago but I told him I was leaving and it’s
like he went numb. His entire vibe changed, and then he told me he’s not the man I think he is.”
He hit the steering wheel. “See, I told you. I like the guy, but something is off about him being here. Staying at the hotel
and that fancy boat. What fisherman can afford that?”
“I know. And he said he grew up with orcas in the San Juans. He seems so connected to them and the islands. Which makes me
wonder why he would leave that for Hawai?i.”
“Who knows. Maybe he’s running from something.”
“I think he is.”
One shoulder lifted. “You should ask him point-blank.”
“I already have.”
“He does seem like a badass, though, in and out of the water. I can see why you would dig him.”
She shrugged, again feeling weird about talking to Nalu about this, but she had no one else.
“But you know what?” he said.
“What?”
He gave her a sideways glance. “You’re even more of a badass, and he would be lucky to have you. Any guy would.”
“Thank you, Nalu. I’m glad you’re here.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“And about Luke, one thing I can say is, whatever he’s not telling me is haunting him. He carries it with him in his eyes.”
“Yeah. I could see that. Like he’s always got something heavy on his mind.”
Doesn’t everyone.
They passed over a bridge, a stream of reddish water raging below.
Then the hospital sign. An image of Luke’s incredibly potent stare came into her mind, sending a line of warmth up her neck.
As much as she’d wanted to get out of his sphere as fast as possible last night, part of her had hoped he’d come after her.
For all he knew, she was leaving and that could’ve been the last time he’d see her.
It’s better this way, she told herself. Luke was a distraction to leave behind. A small blip on her radar.
At the hospital the parking lot was packed with vans and people milling about the entrance. Rows of agapanthus bloomed in
small purple explosions, full of bees. A light drizzle was falling. Minnow had gone as far as brushing her hair, putting on
lipstick and mascara, and wearing a beaded necklace, one of her mother’s.
Angela was standing by the window when they walked in, dressed in a white fleece jacket and wearing red lipstick. She turned
and smiled. “You ready?”
Minnow and Nalu both stood there, gaping. Gone was the severely wounded and drugged hospital patient. This was the Angela
the world knew and loved. Makeup seamlessly covered the scar on her face, and her eyes were much clearer than the last time
Minnow had seen her.
“I told them no more pain meds. I don’t know what was worse, those or the shark bite,” Angela said with a sly smile. “I’m
still feeling weak, but it’s nice to have a reason to pull myself together.”
“Thank you for agreeing to do this.”
“It’s the least I can do. Zach was wholeheartedly against it—he’s still mad at the sharks. I told him he could go back to
California if he didn’t support me.”
Sadly, there were lots of people like Zach. “Did he go?”
“No. He thinks I’m still off my rocker from the meds, but I was serious. I’m all in to help you and I don’t want his disapproving
looks and bullying,” Angie said, lifting her arm and looking down, as if checking her watch. But the sleeve was empty and
flopped down. She blinked hard; then her eyes met Minnow’s.
Minnow walked over and gave her a hug, careful not to press too hard.
Angie melted in her arms. “It’s been so fucking hard.”
“I know.”
“One moment you’re having the time of your life, the next you’re fighting for it with everything you’ve got. We all live with
this illusion that it—that horrible, most feared thing—could never happen to us, but I’m here to tell you that it can. And miracle of miracles,
I survived. So what now?”
“Now you live, the same as before. Only better. With eyes wide open.”
“Eyes and heart and soul. I feel so raw, like I’ve been skinned alive. It’s hard to explain.”
Minnow stepped away, letting go. “From the ashes, isn’t that what they say?”
Angie smiled again, this time wide and radiant. “Hell yes. Let’s do this.”
Nalu pushed her in the wheelchair through the maze of hallways and out to the front, her personal security guy trailing behind.
She could walk, but all that blood loss had weakened her, and it would take a while to regain her strength. They paused at
the double sliding doors and she looked at Minnow.
“I hope you’re ready for this,” Angie said.
Minnow was never ready to be on TV, but she forced a smile. “Absolutely.”
The three of them went out into the cold, hard wind. Angie was the only one dressed for the occasion and goose bumps spread
over Minnow’s whole body. Cameras snapped and reporters crowded around them.
“There she is!”
“Angela!”
“Ms. Crawford!”
Angie smiled graciously. A corner of the building was blocked from the wind and they moved their way over. Josh Brown followed them closely, and soon the rest crowded around, remarkably respectful. They must have sensed they were about to get something good.
“Thank you all for coming. I have a few things I want to share with the world, and I need your help in doing it. First, though,
I want to thank you all for your well-wishes and outpouring of love. It’s given me strength. And so you know, I can walk.
My legs are fine, I’m still just a bit weak. A little over a week ago, I lost part of my left arm to a shark. I had been swimming
off a boat near a pod of dolphins, which I now know is not only illegal but dangerous. I’m lucky I survived, but I’m also
deeply troubled by what is about to take place tomorrow down along the coast.”
She paused, slowly sweeping her gaze across all the cameras. Everyone was hanging on her next word.
“The mayor and some members of a shark task force, though strongly advised against it by shark researchers, are launching
a shark hunt that will likely decimate the local shark population and upset the balance of the ocean. They say it’s to make
the ocean safer for the international swim and because spring break is coming up, but according to experts like Dr. Minnow
Gray here with me, there is no evidence to support what they’re doing. In fact, she believes the shark who bit me is long
gone. There have always been sharks here. We know that each time we enter the water. All they are doing is trying to survive.
I hold no ill will toward the shark and I will go back in the ocean as soon as I can.”
She lifted what was left of her arm and let the sleeve dangle down for effect. Camera shutters snapped all around. Angie’s
delivery was smooth and impassioned, and Minnow wished she had just a fraction of her composure. The featherlight rain falling
around her only added to the woman’s otherworldly aura.
“Basing decisions on fear never leads to good things. Did you know the military used to fly helicopters over Kailua Bay on O‘ahu with a sniper and a high-powered rifle? Any sharks they saw, they’d shoot. No questions asked. I’d like to believe we have evolved since then, and it’s our duty to take a stand.
I urge you to call the Big Island mayor’s office and tell him so.
Are the events of the past few weeks tragic?
Yes. But allowing the culling of countless sharks would also be tragic.
Did you know that more people die each year from elephants, bees, dogs, and falling coconuts? ”
Another long pause was filled with murmurs from the group, and then a surprise caught Minnow wholly off guard.
“In support of Dr. Gray and all that she’s doing to learn about these important apex predators, I’m donating a hundred thousand
dollars to her nonprofit Sea Trust so we can deepen our understanding of these beautiful creatures. I believe that knowledge is our secret weapon and the more
we know about sharks, the more we can lessen our chances of getting hurt in the water.”
It took a moment to register. A hundred thousand dollars. To Sea Trust.
Suddenly all eyes were on Minnow, and the questions came all at once.
“What will you do with the money?”
“What about the roughwater swim?”
“What if they call off the hunt and someone else dies?”
Minnow rested a hand on Angie’s shoulder. “You have no idea what this means to me. Defending sharks can feel lonely, so I
appreciate the support more than you know,” she said quietly.
“I did my research,” Angie whispered back.
Josh Brown held the mic up in front of her. “One question, Dr. Gray. Will you be entering the roughwater swim next week?”
The crowd fell silent. Minnow had no plans to enter the race. Why would she? But there was no other answer than, “Yes, and
I’m looking forward to it.”
That pretty much sealed it. She wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon.