Epilogue
Sunset Beach,Hawaii
March 20, 1968
The breeze blewacross the sand, kicking up skirts and ruffling hair. The sun was bright, and the sky was cloudless. It was a perfect day at Sunset Beach, not unlike the one when Eddie had died.
It was the second anniversary of his death, and Eddie’s closest friends and family had gathered on the beach to have a party in his honor.
It seemed like the entire island of Oahu was crowded onto Sunset Beach to celebrate Eddie. The group was eclectic in age, ethnicity, and social status. Old people stood in small groups, while young children dashed away from their parents to build castles in the sand. Surfers popped up on glassy waves, and snorkelers explored the marine life swimming in the coral reef. They were all there to honor one man who’d been ripped away from them too soon.
A small stage had been set up on the beach, and Ryla Aikau’s band was performing. Couples swayed on the sand, holding each other tightly while Ryla crooned a traditional love song from the stage.
The scene was just as Eddie would have wanted. Everyone he loved was in attendance. His family. His friends. The girl he had loved. They were all there for him.
Eddie’s best friend was in love with a beautiful haole girl from the mainland.
Eddie’s other best friend had just won the most prestigious championship in the world of surfing.
Eddie’s girlfriend was living her life without him.
The waves were bigger than usual at Sunset Beach, and the conditions were perfect. Everyone’s lives had gone on without Eddie, and that was exactly how he would have wanted it.
