A Bittersweet Winter

Chapter 1

The Big Island of Hawaii
January 12, 2020
Susan and Walter Conway lingered over their dinner, watching nature’s drama play out before them. As the Hawaiian sun dips toward the horizon, the palm trees along the beach cast their silhouettes against an aqua-colored sky streaked with vivid reds, oranges, and yellows. Colored sparks of reflected light dance on waves that lap the shore as they advance, then retreat.
“Do you realize, Walter, this is the first time we’ve been alone for dinner in over a week? The visit with our families was wonderful, but I relish this peace and quiet. With the hustle and bustle of family coming and going, I never even noticed our beautiful sunsets. You and I used to watch them every night. Just look at that spectacular show!”
“It is beautiful, sweetheart. Hawaiian sunsets are unique. I think it’s the intensity of the colors. Like you, I welcome some quiet time to enjoy each other and the spectacular world around us. Ten adults and seven children were quite a boisterous crowd! But, I do think it was worth the effort that went into organizing the get-together. My children and their spouses seemed to enjoy getting to know yours, and vice-versa. All the grandchildren managed to get along. Kristin’s two boys and Dan’s son became fast friends. Celia’s and Brendon’s young daughters were perfect playmates. James and Monica happily supervised all the younger ones. They were surprisingly good with them! The visit met all my expectations. We’ve been married less than four months and I feel like we’ve already become one big family.”
“I agree. Our families did seem to bond. It’s hard to believe it’s not yet four months since our wedding! So much has happened in that time… visits to all our children and their families, then closing up my house in Seattle to come back here for the winter, our first Christmas together, last week’s family get together….barely a moment to breathe! You did a terrific job of organizing the visit. Having a condo for each family gave them space in which to relax and escape from the crowd when they didn’t want to join us here. This house is perfect for entertaining large groups. The four group events we hosted brought the families together often enough to become acquainted, while leaving them plenty of time to explore the resort or the island on their own. I especially appreciate that you arranged to cater the group events. That made my life so much easier and allowed me to enjoy our families. You’re a most thoughtful man, one of many reasons I love you.”
“I’m pleased that you were happy with the arrangements, sweetheart. It was a miracle that everyone managed to get their kids out of school so soon after the Christmas holidays! Their visits to the volcano, the observatory, and various historical and cultural sites made it an educational experience and gave the children plenty to write about in their school reports. However, as wonderful as it is to finally be alone with you and to have some peace and quiet, I must admit that I miss the cheerful camaraderie of the family. We must do something like this again soon.”
“Not too soon, Walter, please! We have so many decisions to make about our lives—where to live being the most important. We deferred that decision because it was too complicated to deal with before we married. But we don’t want to keep three residences indefinitely. Since we returned to the Big Island, I’ve realized how much I miss this island when I’m away. Your house is a wonderful place to live. I suggest that we keep this house and sell my condo; it’s small, and not nearly as comfortable. While I prefer the Keauhou area of the island for its proximity to the shopping center, downtown Kona, and easy access to the towns further south, the day-to-day comfort that comes with this house is a bigger consideration.”
“We could sell both places and buy a spacious home in Keauhou, if you like.”
“We could, Walter. I appreciate the offer. But, it would be a hassle to relocate and an unnecessary expense. By the time we pay the realtor’s commission and the taxes from selling this place, fix up a new place, and cover moving costs, we’d be looking at a big cash outlay. I think it makes more sense to keep this house for now. Once we decide whether we want to live in Hawaii full time, or to spend our winters in Hawaii and the warmer months in Seattle or elsewhere, we can reconsider.”
Suddenly the dining table shook and the floor under Susan’s feet vibrated. She heard a rumbling sound.
“What was that? You don’t think it was a mini-earthquake do you? I’ve never experienced one on this part of the island, but they happen down south when the Kilauea volcano is acting up. Oh wait, I see a light flashing outside.”
Susan went to the front window.
“A fire truck just parked in front of the house. That probably caused the vibrations.” Two firemen emerged and walked toward the neighbor’s house. Susan moved to a side window facing that house and peered out.
“There’s an ambulance pulling into your neighbor’s driveway. Now a police car is coming up the street. It too is parking in front of your neighbor’s house. I wonder what happened.”
Walter joined Susan at the window. ”I hope it’s nothing serious. The ambulance suggests it might be. Both Lloyd and Connie Perkins, my neighbors, are elderly and have health issues. They’ve been married for more than fifty years. Lloyd has a pacemaker for a heart problem and has diabetes. Connie has arthritis and fibromyalgia, and is a breast cancer survivor. While both of them are frail, they’ve remained active and they do everything together. It would be dreadful if one of them had a stroke or something else that left them disabled.