How easily they fall back into it. All the variations on a theme: It’s all your fault. No it’s not; I’m not conceding a thing to you; it’s all your fault. Back and forth, back and forth. You’re a bad person. No I’m not, I’m a good person. You’re a bad person. There are a lot of ways to say these things, and Jim and Virginia rehearse the whole repertory on the way home, the little moment of camaraderie completely and utterly forgotten.

Their favorite coda, as Jim tracks into South Coast Plaza and stops the car: “I don’t want to ever see you again!” Virginia shouts.

“Good!” Jim shouts back. “You won’t!”

And Virginia slams the door and runs off.

Jim takes a deep sigh, puts his forehead down on the steering switch. How many people can he hurt at once? This day …

He sits for several minutes, head miserably on the dash, worrying about Hana. He’s got to do something, or he’ll … he doesn’t know what. Abe. Can’t find Abe. Tashi! Man, it’s hitting everywhere at once, as if the whole island is threatened by flood. All falling apart! He tracks down Bristol, heading toward Tashi’s place.

Chapter 62

62

Up on Tashi’s roof it’s quiet and dark. The tent is lit on one side by the dull glow of a lamp inside. On the other side of the roof, among the vegetable trays, there’s a dim glow of hibachi coals. Tashi, a big bulk in the darkness, sits in a little folding beach chair beside the fire. A sweet soy smell of teriyaki sauce rises from the meat on the fire. “Hey, Jim.”

“Hey, Tash.” Jim picks up a folded beach chair from beside the tent wall and unfolds it. Sits.

Tash leans forward to flip over one of his infamous turkey burgers, and the grease flares on the coals for a moment, lighting Tashi’s face. He looks as impassive as ever, picking up a water bottle, spraying out the flames. In the renewed dark he squeezes a little of his homemade teriyaki on the turkey burgers, and they hiss and steam aromatically.

“I heard about Erica.”

“Hmm.”

“She just left?”

“… It was a little more complicated than that. But that’s what it comes down to.” Tash leans forward again, slides the spatula under the burger and checks it out. Puts it into a sandwich already prepared. Eats.

“Damn.” Jim finds himself furious with Erica. “She just … did it?”

“Umph.”

“Unbelievable.” To leave someone like Tash! “Stupid woman. Man, it’s such a dumb thing to do!”

Tash swallows. “Erica doesn’t think so.”

Jim clicks his tongue, irritated. Tash seems so even-headed about the whole thing, as if he has judged the matter and found he is perhaps in agreement with Erica.…

Tash finishes eating. “Let’s get stoned.”