Oh Damn One Night of Trouble Read Online Free PDF Page A

with him, he led Tubbo to the cage as the wildlife control officer's watched. He secured the cage and lowered, reaching his hand through the bars, petting him.
    Kailani made her way toward them and congratulated Josh. “You did it! He's safe!”
    “ Where should we send him Mr. Chandler?” the officer asked. “I'm sorry but your place is gone and...”
    Josh's eyes moistened and he looked away, clearing his throat. Without speaking, he lowered again to pet Tubbo and say goodbye.
    He stood upright and put his hands in his pockets as he spoke. “Yes, well...the San Diego Zoo has offered to keep him. It would be best if you send him there.”
    The low moaning of distress began and Tubbo paced inside of the cage, looking at Josh as if he were begging to be let out.
    Josh placed a hand on Kailani's shoulder, squeezed gently, and walked away.
    The moaning was louder and it became a wail as Tubbo attempted to call Josh back to him but Josh didn't return.
    Kailani thought of going after him. Where was he going to stay? He was homeless. He'd lost all of the animals and now he was alone. Kailani shivered. The tiger's low pitched moan pierced through her. It echoed of sorrow and loneliness.
    “ Goodbye Tubbo,” Kailani whispered as tears came to her eyes. She made her way through the crowd and walked home.
    Chapter 6
    In a numb fashion Kailani prepared to go to work but Susana called from the diner and said she was going to stay closed. The police had the area blocked off and no one was coming in to eat.
    “ I understand,” Kailani said and she put the phone down. Her TV was still on and the news was showing footage of Joshua hugging Tubbo. Kailani smiled seeing it but it was a sad smile and her vision blurred. Quietly, she reached for the remote and turned it off.
    Mauna Loa was bubbling but it too had slowed down.
    Kailani looked at the plant on her table and saw that two more leaves were lying on the table cloth. She sighed. “Listen little plant,” she said, talking to it, “you have to grow. There aren't enough plants in the world. You have to accept your duty here and grow.” Another leaf dropped off. “I give up,” Kailani muttered, walking into her bedroom. Nothing thrived under her care. Joshua was probably better off without her trying to help him.
    She collapsed onto the bed and realized how exhausted she was. She fell into a deep sleep.
    ***
    As the days passed, everything returned to the way it was before Kailani met Joshua Kent Chandler. He didn't come to the diner to work or to eat. She didn't see him at the park near Kula Lake. It was as if he'd disappeared and Mauna Loa became silent again.
    “ Maybe he left the island to be closer to his tiger,” Lily said. “It's just as well, he has no feelings.”
    “ How can you say that? He loved Tubbo,” Kailani said. “It broke his heart to send him away.”
    “ I meant he has no feelings for people,” Lily explained. “I went out with him Kailani. You don't know him as well as I do. He's a cold person.”
    “ He's not like that at all,” Kailani disagreed. “He's very kind, loving and gentle.”
    “ With his tiger maybe, but not around people,” Lily said. “Going out with him was like dating a robot. Everything about him was fake.”
    “ You're saying that because he's gone.”
    “ No, I'm saying it because it's true,” Lily told her. “He was a gigolo, a man whore, like you said. He knew all the right things to do, to say but I don't think he meant any of them.”
    “ Maybe he isn't a people-person,” Kailani said, as they left the diner. Lily waved her off and walked away.
    Kailani sighed. Again she had no classes and no where to go. The day was too beautiful to waste it sitting inside watching TV so she decided to go for a walk on the beach. The beach always filled her with peacefulness, especially in the evening when the sun was setting. The sound of the waves lapping at the shore calmed her.
    She stopped when she saw him. He was drunk,