XVI. Memories.

       "By holy cows!" Alex cursed.
       "It happens. When you're one minute late, plane leaves right on
shedule..." Lawainee sighted, sitting down on her travel bag.
       "And anyway, it's unfair!"
       "Life isn't fair," girl sighted even more heavily. "We will
wait for the next plane then."
       "There is high possibility, that this one was last for some
time," Alex answered, looking at black clouds over mountains.
       "Then make trip to Australia?"
       "Not on travel list. Last one who will depart, is to Hawaii."
       "Excellent."
       "But... You was thrown out. Isn't it dangerous for you to
return..." Alex stopped, as Lawainee start laugh.
       "Sillyness! Get sooner tickets, and on board!" girl smiled
widely.
       Alex shaked head and followed her.

       "Plane leaves after hour and half. I get tickets easily."
       "Even better! Now come with me. We will get the better suited
clothes for you. O, dont start reject - into suit you will look as
fool in Hawaii. And cant live long." Lawainee laugh teasingly.
       "You know better, dear!" Alex reply in similar tone.
       Laughing, both leaved.

       Both mice sit inside the huge aeroplane. They was placed with
comfort - into planes kitchen compartment. Alex's suit was folded and
rest in bag, while he now was into shorts and t-shirt.
       "After we arrive, we will buy big hats for us to save from
sun," Lawainee smiling explained. "I was used to it, but doubt, i keep
it through this winter."
       "Okey. Now, while we have few spare hours before arrival, may i
ask about your past, pretty one?" Alex replied with question.
       For surprise, Lawainee stop smiling.
       "What's wrong? What i say?" Alex worried.
       "Nothing. You cant know," Lawainee said, suddenly becoming sad.
       "Your past? Is it so bad?"
       "Certainly not a flowerbed," Lawainee sighted. "Okey, i will
tell it to you. But it's nor beautiful, nor entertaining..."

       ...My great-great-grandparents was poor family, emigrated from
Ireland. They leaved their homeland, to escape famine threads and to
try out luck in new lands. Not that they made big life into new
place...
       Into two generations they crossed all United States, from East
to West, and at last settled in Hawaii, nowhere founding that miracle
land, they looked for...
       My grandparents have few childrens. Some died, some grow, marry
and leave. My mother was last child. She was little dreamely and
unexperienced. And then appear HE. Prince from dreams. Young, smiling,
lion-hearted youth. Aviator, hero of skies...
       My mother was weak. She surrended, and bite into forbidden
fruit. And live few lucky and love-full months...
       Until one day dream blow like soap bubble... Geegaw leaved in
one of his trips. He promised, he will be back soon. He don't
return... For some time she still hoped for him to land at sand shore
somedays... He dont reappear...
       Remain broken hopes...
       Even more hard, as after some time my mother with shock found
out, she carry me...
       Single mother? Without any chances get married and have normal
family? It was little atypical for Hawaii, but she was raised in
strong catholic traditions... and so she married to first one, who was
ready to take her. My stepfather, William Lait...

       Lawainie's face twisted in pain.

       ...How many times i wished, she dont do that?...
       William Lait wasn't a hero. Not even close to hero. He was lazy
buddy, who like easy live, and all failings turn over to bad luck. He
married my mother, thinking about her money.
       Money was less, that he expected. After he have spent all of
her savings, he ordered her to work for him.
       She cant do that for long - i come bigger and bigger. Instead,
he himself was forced to look after house and wife. And he start hate
me for this.
       For him, i get born before time - near two months sooner. Some
time Lait trust that tale, but not too long.
       With years going, all turn more and more bad. William lost any
work, he happened get. At the end he start drink. Mother after borning
me dont regain good health. Working as hard as she was forced, too
don't do any good to her. And most worse was beatings, she received
from husband any time, he get drunk.
       He hit not only mother. He hit me too. He knowed - i'm not his,
and hated me. And i hate him...
       Luckiest day was one, when he drunked too much of pure grain
spirit and died. Too late... Mother dont live much longer...
       Before her death, she managed tell me about Geegaw...

       My parents little leaved to me. My name and family name. Their
house. Some furniture. And father's obligations... By that time my
grandparents too was dead, others scattered who where went, and i
remain alone. Into ten years, while other girls still play with dolls,
i do all works for house, plus same time work as house-cleaner to get
money.
       Don't think, i get much help from others. Yes, there was always
exclamations: "Poor girl! She works so hard, so much..." And nothing
more! They all look at me as William's daughter! "Apple from
appletree...", you know. These, into which houses i worked, always
count their silver spoons. Some had some pride and do it hiding, but
some do that before my eyes. And all these chats...

       Lawainee crossed her hands. Her look turn into steel one.

       ...I survived. I managed to pay off all William's obligations
and keep mother's house. I get into first rows of my class, when not
first one. I wanted to grow big enough, and then...
       When i get sixteen, i start looking after Geegaw. To tell him,
how i hate him for abandoning me...
       But soon i found out, that it was easy to say, but hard to
do... My letters returned with notes 'Adresat unknown" or "Adresat
leaved". I had some money, but not as many to hire a 'private eye'...
And he traveled around so unpredictably...

       Two times i leaved home to meet him. First one i traveled to
South Africa. But he changed routes, and i unsuccesfully waited for
him...
       Two years later i get tracked his feets into Australia. I
traveled to Port-Hedland, and was late only two mins! When i run out
on air field, "Hawk" was already on take-off run... I only see his
silhouette on glass window...
       Both times i need return home, as my finances run out...

       Lawainee sighted.

       ...And then i read news about his crashland, and that he into
critical state is placed into hospital... How i rushed to him... I so
want to meet him, before he die... And again i was too late...
       When i arrived, he was dead. Really, he was dead by arrival, he
died into air, flying, but into my wild run i dont listen to news...
       I looked at him lying into hospital bed... Old man, hair
starting get white, crane feets around eyes...

       And all my hate disappear together with wind from open
window... Anyway, he was my father, even if he never know about my
existence... And once loved my mother and she loved him... They was
happy for these short moments, they had together... I forgive him...
       I cant do anything more for him... I already found, that he had
own family, who will care about him now. I... I was nothing... I
leaved...

       Some time later i get to his burial place... Small green hill,
and few field flowers on it...

       There was long moment of silence.

       Alex pulled Lawainee closer against his shoulder and hugged
like mother will hug afraid baby.
       "Cry, dear..." he whispered to her ear. "Cry. Let tears wash
away sadness..."
       He feel some wet drops falling on his shoulder. This girl, in
spite of her steel-pose, was in reality so alone, so trapped, so
fearful... He remembered his own lucky life. Mother and father, who
loved each other and childrens. His two grandmothers and grandfather.
And uncle Fransis...

       Lawainee suddenly pushed away from him.
       "Forgive me," she sniffed twice, before continuing. "I dont
understand, why i suddenly become so bad cry-baby."
       "Nothing, dear. Im guilty before you. I dont need to ask
you..."

       Plane continue his fly over sea. Far in forward, like a
emeralds from wawes appear Hawaii islands.

              XVII. Last works to do.

       Jack sadly looked at empty mousetrap under Spinelli's table.
       "Again without cheese. What these police do nowadays?" he
sighted.
       "Monty, stop it and come here! Helo open a crime register
journal!" from up come Chip's voice.
       Sighting again, Jack start climb up.
       "You sure, we are alone here?" he whispered, eyeing
surroundings.
       "Sure as cheese in your belly!" Dale laugh. "It's dinner time.
All cops eat at "Ma's Dinner" around corner."
       Jack easily turned over big journal cover. Then Dale do his
usual page-flipping, until they found recent notes.
       "So..." Chip start read. "Car crash on 44-th and 7-th corner...
Two thugs robbed a fast food restourant. Catched at crime scene...
Gunfight at warehouse district. No victims or vitnesses. Possibly,
gang business settling... Aha, this is interesting!"
       "What?" Dale and Jack lean closer.
       "Robbery at jewelry shop. Stolen many gold rings and chains. No
alarm set off. No tracks," Chip read out loud.
       "You think the same i think?" Jack said slowly.
       "Into our city is only few, who can lift shop, not leaving
tracks. At least for cops," Chip stated.
       "FatCat or Capone," Dale said slowly.
       "One from them for sure," Chip agree. "I think, it will be that
cater. Capone still need heal from encounter with Maikie."
       "This brings up another question - what to do with our planned
trip to England," Jack looked at friends.
       "Need return to first one. Gadget will travel alone." Chip
sighted.
       "Maybe get a closer look, before cut it? If cater isn't guilty
this time?" Dale protested. "Maybe it's all only matter of
coincedence?"
       "That cater always had something in mind, trust me," Jack
noted.
       "Hmm. But last few weeks FatCat live silent as water, low as
grass," Chip think out loud.
       "If FatCat lives silently - be sure, he plans something big!"
Jack pointed.
       "Yes, you're right, Monty. All time that cater was peaceful
before his big crimes started." Chip agree.
       "I still cant understand, why he so want all these gems. Okey,
i may understand food - we himself do that some times. Even money - we
use it. But gems, rings, chains - he cant walk around into them!" Dale
wondered, walking with friends toward their exit - a mousehole under
police poster.
       "Dont try understant FatCat - will get as mad as he," Monty
smiled, entering into hole as last.
       "Okey, back to headquarters. We will get Rangerwing and do a
fly to his hideout." Chip's voice died off into hole.

		TO BE CONTINUED  (Soon)