Fire Maiden by Terri Farley Page B

really,” Kimo told her. “Just off-limits, because he and his friends like to surf there.”
    That didn’t sound so bad, Darby thought. The guy hiding inside his gray hoodie was probably just playacting at being tough.
    They rode along in silence for a few minutesuntil Kimo said, “He doesn’t bother girls. Does he, Mekana?”
    Kimo was one of the few people Megan allowed to call her by her Hawaiian name.
    â€œWhy are you asking me?” Megan shrugged as she twisted her long reddish-black hair up off her neck, holding it there so she wouldn’t be so hot.
    â€œHe don’t,” Kimo said emphatically, then reached over and gave Darby’s leg the same kind of pat he’d give a nine-hundred-pound horse. “You got nothin’ to worry about.”
    Darby was leaning forward against her seat belt, eager to see Hoku, when she spotted the tan Land Rover ahead of them.
    â€œIs that Jonah’s truck?”
    â€œYeah,” Kimo said. He glanced nervously at Megan.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” she asked. “Is it Mom?”
    For a few seconds, Darby could have sworn she heard Megan’s heart beating, but then she realized it was her own.
    â€œJonah bullied her into seeing the doctor. ’Bout had to hog-tie her to get her loaded up.” Kimo’s forced humor didn’t stop Megan from turning pale. She released her hold on her hair and it tumbled down over her shoulders as she said, “Drive faster. Please.”
    Kimo didn’t argue, but he accelerated only a little bit. His eyes met Darby’s and he seemed to be askingher to do something to calm Megan’s fear.
    â€œIt can’t be that bad,” Darby said, leaning her shoulder against her friend’s. “She just got hit by a can of pumpkin.”
    â€œYeah, and my dad just fell off a horse.”
    Darby flinched. How could she have been so stupid? Of course Megan was reacting strongly to her mother’s trip to the doctor; her father had been dead only two years.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Darby said. Megan just shook her head, but as the Ram Charger clanged over the cattle guard and into the ranch yard, she reached over and squeezed Darby’s hand.
    As soon as Kimo pulled into the ranch driveway, Darby bailed out of the truck so that Megan wouldn’t have to climb over her.
    Before she saw her grandfather or Aunty Cathy, Darby heard them quarreling.
    â€œJonah, please move out of my way. No, you are not carrying me!” Aunty Cathy’s blue shirt and brown-blond hair was just visible past Jonah, who helped her down from the truck.
    Aunty Cathy had sidled away from Jonah, and began tucking her hair behind her ears, when Megan came at her.
    â€œMom!”
    Closing her daughter in a hug, Aunty Cathy was quiet for a minute.
    â€œNow you see?” Aunty Cathy demanded ofJonah, but she said it quietly, and she was still patting Megan’s back.
    For an instant, Darby’s heart contracted, missing her own mother, but then she moved closer to Aunty Cathy and asked, “What did the doctor say?”
    â€œShe said that I was lucky to get just a bump on the head when a dozen people on this island broke arms and legs,” Aunty Cathy said pointedly.
    Darby was pretty sure the sharp tone was aimed at Jonah, but he didn’t take the hint.
    â€œThe doctor said Catherine must take it easy, but we can’t let her sleep. We have to keep track of her level of consciousness—”
    â€œJust as a precaution, and only for twenty-four hours—”
    â€œBut forty-eight hours would be better,” Jonah insisted.
    â€œWait,” Megan said, withdrawing from her mother’s hug to ask. “Level of consciousness? What exactly does that mean?”
    Aunty Cathy put off answering by leaning down to rumple Peach’s ears. The Australian shepherd arranged himself over Aunty Cathy’s shoes, announcing he was on