Pearls for Mom

I promised stories so here we go…..

My parents loved Oahu and decided to invest in a timeshare to be used every other year. They went several times before my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His last trip to the island was a month before he passed. My mother then took my sister when she went to meet friends from Australia. This would be the last time she was able to enjoy the island because Mom died of liver cancer a year later.

My siblings and I inherited the timeshare and decided to keep it. We planned for a girls trip so we could learn how to optimize our investment and get a much needed break from the real world. We wanted to remember our parents and how much they loved Ko’Olina. A month before the trip, my oldest sister decided she could not make the trip so it was just the two of us, my older sister Suzanne and I.

We took full advantage of everything the island has to offer. We hiked, went snorkeling, saw dolphins, and sat on the beach at the resort. I could see why my parents loved this island so much.

On the last day, we visited the Dole Plantation, where Mom and Suzanne had spent time before Mom died. As we approached the entrance, we noticed a kiosk on either side. A lady called out to us and asked if we wanted to open an oyster that was guaranteed to have a pearl in it. When she saw us hesitating, she offered a basket with folder pieces of colored paper. 

“Choose one to see your discount,” she instructed. Suzanne and I looked at each other and decided to do it. I chose forty percent and her slip had fifty percent. Janice, the saleswoman, was a friendly Hawaiian woman with a motherly vibe. We liked her and decided, what the heck, let’s pick one. Janice winked and said she give us both fifty percent off of our pearl, such a savvy saleswoman.

I went first. I looked into the bowl of oysters in water, using wooden tongs, I chose one and gave it to Janice. She told me to tap it three times and say “Aloha!” I laughed but did as I was told. She rang a bell and began to open the oyster. As she did that, my sister told us how when mom was here, she chose an oyster that had two black pearls in it. Janice revealed that I had a white pearl of decent size.

Suzanne went next, the other saleswoman Leslie was listening in now after the story about mom. Suzanne looked at the sky and asked, “Okay Mom, are you going to say hello to us or give us a sign?”

She chose her oyster and followed the same ritual that I did. Janice opened the oyster, poked around then smiled broadly. “Look what you got! Two black pearls! Your mother was listening to you.” We laughed and cried a little. The saleswomen both rubbed their arms. They had goosebumps. Leslie asked Suzanne if she wanted to make jewelry out of her prize and took her over to her side of the kiosk to look at options. 

Janice asked me if I wanted to pick another. “It will have to be a regular price though,” she explained. I knew this was a tourist trap but still I nodded and took the tongs. Gently I stirred the oyster shells around in the bowl and chose one. Janice opened the shell and I held my breath. I just wanted a little sign from mom too but didn’t ask for the sign out loud. A purple pearl revealed itself but it was a single. At first, I thought I’d just take them home as souvenirs but changed my mind and looked at pendant setting. Janice was so observant, noticing that I wore silver, and showed me only silver settings. Suzanne was looking at gold settings for her pearls. 

Leslie and Suzanne were talking and laughing about the similarities in their lives. Their birthdays were days apart from each other, they both had two boys the same ages. They related with each other. Janice looked at me watching them. I must have looked sad because Janice whispered to me, “Do you want to pick one more?  No extra charge.” I smiled and nodded vigorously.  It was my turn to look at the sky and say aloud, “Okay Mom, what about me? Was your greeting to Suz meant for both of us?”

I went to the bowl on the other side by Leslie. I saw a large uniformly shaped one, but stirred around the shells and covered it. Something made me go back to that first one. I picked it up and handed it to Leslie. “Follow the ritual,” she instructed, “tap three times and say Aloha!” I tapped and said Aloha more loudly than I had before. Leslie rang the bell and began to open the shell. 

“Well, would you look at that,” she said in disbelief. She maneuvered the knife to reveal two black pearls similar to the ones my sister found first. “Your mother was listening to you too,” exclaimed Janice. Tears began to stream down my face. I looked and Suzanne’s eyes were welling up too. Leslie gave me a tight hug and kissed my cheek. Janice followed her lead. We all were moved by the two little pearls that oyster sacrificed it’s life for. Mom was letting us know that she is looking out for us and no one can convince me otherwise.