Thanks Orion9 for your comments and suggestions

She arrived just in time. The food stock was gradually dwindled, since it was declared Martial law two years earlier but if you had a friend on the black market, you could get everything for the right price and she had a friend.

When he was still in the early stages of his business, she had hidden him from the chasing police.

She was missing some things for her mother Michiko birthday. In spite the financial straits, she wanted to give a proper birthday to her mother, with a cake, so she reached her friend Rik (Erikson Leif Warren, and Rik hate his own name) . However, Rik wasn't the usual smuggler, he was helping many and many owed him favors, but he didn't aim to enrich themselves on the difficulties of others, but to provide goods and services that are not easily found in those times of war. He was a good person.

"Hey Jules, how are you? What brings you here? How I can help you?"

"Hi Rik. I'm fine and you? Your business is on fire, I see. Do you know anyone who can get me these things? " she said handing him a list

"You're joking, right? I know everyone here and I can get everything for the right price, you know. But for you everything for free! "

"I'll pay you!"

Meanwhile someone had arrived behind them ... she knew that voice ...

"Wherever you go, you always do this…"

She was about to answer him thinking that he was talking to her, when Rik had looked at the man in uniform ...

"How did you find me?"

"Just ask if there is someone well connected on the island ... you have become the talk of the town!"

"Dude, come here! How are you doing? What are you doing in Oahu? I thought you were stationed in the Philippines "

Rik and Tom had hugged.

"We lost most of the platoon in an ambush and they reassigned us. Don't worry our big man is fine! I promised to protect him! Now he's at the lodgings. He was tired and didn't want to go out. Tom said sadly

"Oh man, I'm sorry!"

Julia tried to leave unseen… "So we meet again Miss Hayashi. I didn't hope to see you so soon! "

"Lieutenant Morales, and I was hoping not to see you at all!" but she immediately regretted the rudeness.

"Jules, do you know my friend Tom?"

"Yes, frankly he prevented me from fainting in the middle of the street ..." she said, blushing

"Good, you admit it" said with a pleased grin on his face

"Look, I apologize, but I don't like people I don't even know who behave like a philanderer"

"A philanderer?"

"Yes, you know, a guy who try to hook the girl up with any excuse ..."

"I know what it means, but I had never heard a girl say it ..." "He probably would have liked to add so much young and pretty, but he held back.

"Easy! Easy! Guys it's not a boxing round! "

Julia looked away ... "I'm sorry, I don't know what's happening to me, I apologize and thank you for helping me"

"No problem. We never leave anyone behind! " He winked and said "Call me Tom, and please don't be formal."

She knew Rik and if he was one of his friends he must be a good man, too, as she had thought when she met him ...

"Well, Tom call me Julia, or if you prefers, Jules as calls me Rik. Now I have to go. Rik, how long do you will take to get what I asked for? "

"Tomorrow morning I'll have it all. All right?"

"Perfect!"

"See you tomorrow, Rik"

"Hi Jules"

"See you soon Julia."

"Goodbye Tom"

Julia walked away leaving the two friends chat about what had happened. The stories of decimated companies were many, even those of won battles, but those who returned not only carried on their bodies, but also in their minds the sign of this truly inhuman war which had involved the world population.

Julia was working as a teacher at the Manoa Elementary School, also thanks to her father Hiro connections. She had interrupt her medical studies to stay with her parent , because with the entry into force of Martial Law, her parents' sugar cane plantations had been confiscated for use by the Armed as camp training and their money had been converted into war money.

She hated the Pearl Habour attack. After this event her parents, children of Japanese immigrants in Hawaii at the beginning of the century, had been the target of people's wickedness. Many didn't think that the attack had affected everyone, without distinction. Many soldiers had died, even of Japanese extraction.

The Hawaiians initially accepted Martial Law willingly, but as the time goes by things were changing. Fortunately, the course of the war seemed to be favoring the United States and its allies . It was assumed this regime would soon end.

Meanwhile, the big man, as Tom had called him, a tall African-American named Theo Conrad, TC for his friends, had decided to leave his quarters. He needed to walk and think. He felt drained after the losses they had suffered and he knew that his friend TM also felt the same way, even if he tried not to show it.

He was walking along the road that ran along the beaches, completely fenced off and he wondered if fences were enough to stop the war, he took a side road that ended in a clearing, when he saw a woman standing in front of a tree. She was holding a wreath of flowers, dancing and murmuring seemed to be praying. He stopped a few steps away, so as not to disturb her. When she finished, attached the crown to a tree. The woman felt watched and turned and seeing TC, she gasped.

"Excuse me ma'am, I didn't want to disturb you. I guess it was a sort of prayer ... there is a great need for it these times "

"You have been scared me! I don't think prayers are enough, but I can't do anything else. I know you're a soldier and should report about what you have seen. If you do I won't back out, but you look like a good guy. I kindly ask you not to tell anyone what you saw. I'm not sure I could stay here. Hawaiian traditions are almost forgotten, but I feel the responsibility to carry them forward "

"Don't worry, I'm not going to telling anyone. Your gestures brought me a little peace, in a long time and so many losses. I thought I could greet my lost fellow soldiers while you putting that wreath of flowers on the tree ! "

"It's called Lei and it was my intention, to greet and celebrate those who are no longer there, taken away by this war. You're a very sensitive guy "

"Thank you. My name is Theo Conrad. Call me TC, "he said, holding out his hand to the woman

"TC It's a pleasure. My name is Tiare Tuileto'a. You can call me Tia "she said, shaking his hand.

"Do you think I can stay here, a little more?"

"I don't own anything. If you want we can stay here, together, in silence, while we say goodbye to our loved ones "

"Yes, I would like. Let's sit on that rock. I'm sure you're a wise woman, Tia "

"Kumu, in Hawaiian the wise women were the kumu ... they have practically missing ... I'd like to be one of them"