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Van asks Kaui about Nainoa, and Kaui confirms that he is dead. Van tries to cheer Kaui up by giving her headphones to listen to a favorite song. This leads to what appears to be a rekindling of their friendship. However, the thaw in their relationship is short-lived. When Kaui tries to get intimate with her, Van tells her, “You’re so gross” (243). Kaui feels crushed.
Malia, Augie, and Dean bury a lei at a memorial service for Nainoa. Khadeja calls the house and talks to Malia. Malia is comforted knowing that Nainoa had a close relationship with Khadeja before he died. She decides to stay in touch with Khadeja: “We can keep this connection, let it be something” (250).
Dean makes plans to return to Spokane even though his mother tries to talk him into staying.
Malia receives a letter from Nainoa’s landlord in Portland informing her of overdue rent. The letter states that as a cosigner, she is now responsible for the balance. The letter also states that unless the bill is paid, the tenant will have to “deliver possession of said property on or before the end of the month, February 28, 2009” (253).
Dean calls Kaui and tells her that he’s in Portland because Nainoa’s landlord has threatened to remove his belongings from his apartment because of unpaid rent. Dean says, “I gotta fix this. Mom called me” (259). Kaui hangs up, packs a bag, and leaves for Portland.
When Kaui’s relationship with Van finally crashes completely, San Diego loses its appeal for her. It is not surprising that she does not hesitate to join Dean in Portland when he calls about the landlord threatening to discard Nainoa’s belongings. Like Noa and Dean before her, Kaui is realizing that moving across the ocean does not make achieving her goals any easier. She now returns to her roots, here her family, and later her homeland in Hawai‘i.
Though Nainoa is dead, he remains a constant presence in the narrative, still fixed at the center of the family’s attention. Dean is determined to play the role of the protective older brother and preserve Nainoa’s legacy by saving his belongings even though he could not save his life. Though both Dean and Kaui still harbor some resentment over their parents’ favoritism, in setting aside their childhood rivalries and mainland lives to come to Nainoa’s aid and defense, the siblings demonstrate a budding understanding of the primacy of home and family. Ultimately, Nainoa’s death helps the Floreses rebalance their priorities to recognize the importance of family. There is a painful irony here, however, as this lesson is learned through the loss of one their own.
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