It took Bitsy and Helen eleven and a half hours to fly from New York all the way to Honolulu via Pan Am. It took them another hour to ride the bus from Honolulu International Airport to the Waikiki Grand Hotel. While they were riding along to their destination, they spared a glance out the windows. They noticed palm trees, white sand beaches, and crystal-clear waters that seemed to zoom past them as they rode along the busy roads. Despite the inherent natural beauty that surrounded them, none of it was enough to fully lift their spirits out of the continuous cycle of emotions they had been experiencing, especially not after the challenging week they'd had.
"You must be taking your grandma's death pretty hard," Helen said.
"You have no idea," Bitsy replied. "I didn't see her often when she was alive, even before Mother died. Even so, it's like I'm stuck in this rut that I can't even describe. I don't know how I'll get out of it."
"What about the rest of the family? They must not have taken it well, either."
"I don't know about that. She could be pretty ruthless at times, even back home. I'm willing to bet some of them are relieved she's gone."
"Ruthless, huh?" Helen chuckled mirthlessly. "Well, I can see where you got it from."
They managed to ride the rest of the way to the Waikiki Grand Hotel in awkward silence. The air was enveloped in an impenetrable barrier filled to the brim with unspoken words and tension, a stark contrast to the vibrant life outside the windows of the bus. Despite their proximity, they might as well have been worlds apart, each lost in their own inner tumult of thoughts and emotions. Neither of them really knew what to say next, as they weren't quite so willing to delve deeper into what Queenie was like in life nor were they willing to discuss much about her side of the family. They didn't have time to think about it much longer, though; since the bus had finally pulled up to their stop.
"Well, looks like we're here," Helen said. "I gotta say, it looks way more impressive up close."
"No kidding," Bitsy rejoined. "Then again, this is your first time stepping foot in Hawaii, so I'll give you that one."
Both of them felt slightly uneasy as they stepped off the bus and made their way inside the hotel. Even so, it was hard not to be overcome with awe at everything. They soon found themselves standing in the lobby, looking out at the view from the windows.
"You can really see the beaches from here, huh?" Helen asked.
"Oh yeah," Bitsy responded. "Grandpa's told me that's what makes it so popular."
Suddenly, they heard someone call out to them from behind.
"Who's there?" Helen asked, thrown off by the disembodied voice.
A seventeen-year-old fair-skinned blonde girl working at the lobby desk raised her hand. "Uh, I am."
Helen whirled around to look at her. "Who are you?"
"I'm Linda. Queenie was my kupuna wahine. You're checking in for her funeral tomorrow, right?"
"Yep, that's why we're here."
Linda couldn't help but look directly up at the woman towering over her at 6'3". "Wow, you're so tall! Have you thought about getting into basketball?"
Helen chuckled awkwardly. "You mean professionally? Not really. Besides, I get asked that a lot, even back in Weehawken."
"Oh. Well, anyway, as I explained to you over the phone, all of the two-bed rooms are booked for this week… so we had to assign you a room with only one bed."
Bitsy looked up at Linda in confusion. "Excuse me?"
"Oh yeah, you heard me right, Bitsy. Sorry if you find it inconvenient, but it was the only thing we could do for you and Helen."
"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Bitsy's voice rose in panic. "Helen and I can't share a bed! That would be way too uncomfortable!"
"Sorry, Bitsy, but there's nothing I can do about that now. You'll have to talk to Uncle Joel about it."
Bitsy's heart sank in disappointment. Just her luck. She was going to be sleeping in the same room as Helen, and there was no way out of it. Nevertheless, she sighed in resignation. She had no choice. She would have to make the best of it. She knew it would be a long night for the both of them, so they might as well make the most of it.
The next morning, Bitsy woke up in the queen-sized bed she'd been sharing with Helen. Already, she was anxious to get her grandmother's funeral over with. Just as she was preparing to lift herself out of bed, she heard a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" Bitsy called out to the person on the other side.
"It's me, your makua kāne 'ōpio Joel," replied a disembodied masculine voice. "Mind if I come in?"
Bitsy groaned. "What do you want?"
"I just want to come in and have a chat with you. What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, just come in."
Joel opened the door and stepped into the room. He sat down on the edge of the bed, and Bitsy could tell that he was somewhat restrained when it came to handling his grief.
He took a deep breath and began to speak. "It's been rough not having Mother here, wouldn't you agree?" He didn't even wait five seconds before speaking again. "Even so, we have to be strong for her sake. It's what she would've wanted."
Bitsy nodded in agreement, wholly understanding the weight of her uncle's words. She could see the pain etched on his face, which mirrored her own feelings of loss and sorrow. Despite their differences and past disagreements, they were united in their grief over the passing of the Ryan matriarch.
Joel started to lift himself off the edge of the bed and head out the door. "Well, if I were you, I'd start to get ready for the funeral. It's supposed to start at 10:30 AM, so get to it!"
As Joel left the room, Bitsy felt a mix of emotions swirling within her. She knew that the day ahead would be filled with somber moments and difficult goodbyes. Gathering her resolve, she rose from the bed and began to prepare herself for the funeral. It was at this moment that Helen started to wake up, having slept through the whole conversation.
"Oh, um... good morning," Helen could only say.
"Good morning," Bitsy rejoined. "Did you sleep well?"
Helen blinked a few times and tried to shake off the grogginess. She sat up slowly and ran a hand through her tousled hair before responding. "I think so? I must've slept better here than I have in a long time. What time is it anyway?"
"9:30. And the funeral starts at 10:30, so..."
"Damn, only a hour to get there. Guess we better get to it."
As Bitsy and Helen hurried to get ready for the funeral, their minds were filled with thoughts about Queenie's legacy. The weight of the Ryan family's loss hung heavy in the air as the two women silently prepared themselves for the somber occasion ahead. Despite the rush to get ready, they both knew that this day would be a pivotal moment in their grieving process.
