Thanks Again for the Honeymoon, Part 2

Margo’s battered, overstuffed suitcases were sitting outside the door when Steve reached the room. She opened the door at his knock.

"Oh, I thought it might be the bell boy," Margo said casually. "Hi, Steve."

"Hi, pretty lady," McGarrett smiled. He felt wistful. She looked beautiful and a little breathless this morning. "Ready to say aloha?"

"I’m ready, Steve," Margo said crisply. I just have to check out."

For a moment he imagined her in his apartment on Piikoi, greeting him after a hard day at work with a big dish of lasagna. But even as a fantasy, it didn’t work. Margo couldn’t cook worth a damn. Mama and Papa would always have to eat out.

Steve waited patiently while Margo completed her paperwork and the bellboy loaded her bags into the trunk of his car. He wondered why the valet parking guy was smirking at him strangely.

Margo plopped into the passenger seat and began digging through her carry-on bag as Steve turned onto the highway to the airport. Her luggage was a complete mess even for her. Margo fiddled with her camera bag and film canisters, then uncorked a little bottle and started dabbing on mascara. McGarrett cringed. He hated it when women put on make-up in the car.

"I hope you enjoyed your trip, honey," he began. "In spite of the rough spots."

"I did," Margo beamed. "In spite of everything that happened, I had a wonderful time. You’re right about these islands, Steve. They’re magical."

McGarrett glanced sidelong at her. He couldn’t gauge her mood. She looked tired, but seemed in good spirits. The brave little thing was putting up one hell of a front, he’d give her that.

When they got to the airport, she took one last picture of Steve standing by the gate. "I’m going to call this one, ‘McGarrett Saying Goodbye,’ " she smiled. "Oh, look, they’re calling my flight."

As Margo gathered up her things, McGarrett took her in his arms and gazed at her. He carefully arranged her hair on her shoulders and said, "Aloha, pretty girl." He bent to kiss her lips, but Margo turned her face and he ended up with a cheek.

"Gotta go, Steve! Take care of yourself. I’m sure I’ll be back in the islands soon – maybe we’ll see each other."

With that, she picked up her things and ran out onto the runway. McGarrett waited for her to turn and wave from the doorway – they always did – but she gave her ticket to the stewardess and boarded the plane without so much as a backward glance.

McGarrett had said goodbye to a lot of ladies and worked his way out a lot of romantic entanglements. He expected to feel the usual mixture of sadness and elation that seemed to go along with escaping the various loves of his life. But he didn’t. Instead, he just felt puzzled.

***

Margo did come back to the islands – but not to see McGarrett. In between assignments in China, India, Vietnam, she arranged to stay over in Hawaii for a few days. Ben lived for those times. He’d steal some hours from Five-O and spend the time in blissful peace with his lady, free from his ringing phone, his crabbing boss, and the depressing crimes that occupied his days.

But after a while, it wasn’t enough. He and Margo had been carrying on their long-distance romance for almost two years when Ben knew that he had to bring matters to a head.

Margo was in Hawaii for a 3-day layover. She was exhausted, having been one of the last journalists out of South Vietnam before the fall of Saigon. As she sat across from him at the Barefoot Bar, Ben looked at her drooping eyelids and haunted eyes and made a decision. She needed a vacation – and, he hoped, somebody to lean on for a while.

"Margo, I’ve been thinking about something," Ben said. He looked into his drink as if hoping to find the right words to say written at the bottom of the glass. "I’ve been with Five-O almost three years now. I’d say I’ve given it a pretty good shot. But I’m getting a little tired – of the hours, the routine, always seeing the darker side of life."

Margo looked surprised. "Ben, what are you saying? You’ve worked so hard at Five-O!"

"I’m saying," Ben said, "that I’m about ready to hang it up." He reached across the table and took her hand. "Margo, I want us to have a life together. And that can’t happen while I’m in Hawaii, working eighteen hours a day being a state cop."

"You mean you’d give it all up?" Margo asked.

"I’d give up all this glamour, just to be with you," Ben smiled. "Margo, let’s face it. You make twice as much money as I’ll ever make. It doesn’t make sense for you to quit your job – you love it. I don’t. I’m never going to get anywhere at Five-O." He sighed. "I’m just too friggin’ tall."

Margo burst out laughing. "Well, it sounds wonderful to me. What exactly are we talking about?"

"Baby, I want to marry you. Please say you will."

"I will – God knows, I’ve waited long enough." Her eyes filled with tears. "But honey – are you sure you’ll be content with just following me around on assignment? Won’t you get bored?"

"Hmmmm – bored, with all expense-paid world travel, with a beautiful lady that I love? I don’t think so. I’d have to be crazy to be bored. And who knows, before long we might have a couple of little Samoan rug rats that’ll help me occupy my time."

"Oh, Ben," Margo threw herself into his arms. "You’re amazing. I adore you."

Ben cuddled her and basked in the envious glances of the waiters. "So do you want to tell Steve, or should I?"

"Tell Steve?" Margo shrugged. "I haven’t seem him in ages. I guess he must know about us by now." She looked at Ben with growing suspicion. "Didn’t you ever tell him we were seeing each other?"

Ben shook his head slowly. "Baby, Steve barely tolerates me on a good day. Frankly, I didn’t want to see what he’d do when he realized I was dating his ex-girlfriend."

"Well, I guess you’re going to find out," Margo said. "I promise to stick by you in sickness and in health, but you’ll have to handle McGarrett by yourself."

***

The following afternoon, Ben fidgeted by Jenny’s desk for a full five minutes before he worked up the courage to put his hand on McGarrett’s office doorknob. Danny gave him a commiserating look. He was happy for Ben, but right now he wouldn’t be in his shoes for a million puka shells. It was time for the Big Samoan to bite the bullet and come clean with the boss.

As Ben squared his shoulders and plunged through the door, Chin strolled over to Danny and puffed placidly on his pipe. "To paraphrase a song, how long has this been going on?" he asked.

"Oh, about two years."

"And how long have you known about it, bruddah?" Chin asked.

"Oh, about two years."

"Oh, boy," Chin said. "Ignorance is bliss." He shook his pipe ash into the ashtray and took a candy out of the bowl on Jenny’s desk. "So you think Steve’ll blow a gasket?"

"Count on it," Danny sighed. "He’s still hung up on that girl."

"He’s hung up on all of ‘em," Chin chuckled. "Someday a girl’s gonna hang you up, Danno."

"Don’t wish it on me, Chin." Danny rubbed his toe on the carpet.

"Hey, I gotta call Duke! Tell him there’s gonna be a job opening at Five-O."

"Yeah," Danny nodded. "I hope Duke knows how to work a copier. Ben was the best."

"No worries there, Danno. Duke’s a desk sergeant. What do you think he does all day?"

"Hey," Danny brightened. "You’re right. It might work out with Duke after all."

***

Ben approached McGarrett’s desk cautiously, ducking his head as he usually did when he entered the boss’s office. In his hand, he clutched a letter of resignation. He wished he could run time forward about fifteen minutes.

McGarrett was absorbed with his tape recorder, playing the same phrase over and over, hoping to get a brainstorm that would crack their latest case. He glance up at Ben but didn’t stop what he was doing. Ben cleared his throat and said, "Steve – can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, Ben, sure," McGarrett turned off the tape player. "What is it?"

Ben inched the letter of resignation onto Steve’s desk. "Steve – I’m resigning. Effective whenever you can find a replacement."

McGarrett frowned in surprise. "Ben, why?"

"Well, the thing is … I’m getting married."

McGarrett’s frown turned into a pained half-smile. "That’s wonderful, ya big galoot." Steve awkwardly patted his shoulder. "I didn’t know you were seeing anyone."

"Yeah – it’s been kind of a long distance romance. You know – off again, on again –"

"Whatsamatta, your new wife doesn’t want you to be a cop?" McGarrett teased.

"Actually, no." Ben ground his teeth, embraced the inevitable. "She’s not that crazy about police work. She’s been around a lot of cops -- in fact, you know the lady."

McGarrett raised his eyebrows. "Who …?"

"It’s Margo. Margo Cooper."

Ben knew Margo would have liked to have been there with her camera, to record the look of total astonishment on Steve’s face. The boss was absolutely stunned. Ben sensed it was time to go. He rose quickly from the white vinyl chair in front of McGarrett’s desk and started quickly backing out of the office.

"Steve, I can stay until July, or I can leave before then. Whatever you want is fine. We’re gonna do some traveling and then get married in August. So I’ll be around for a while more to help train the new guy. Thanks for your understanding."

With one last glimpse of Steve’s incredulous face, he backed out the door and shut it behind him. He looked at Danny and Chin and let out a long breath.

"Everything go OK?" Chin asked.

"I guess so," Ben said. He gave them a big grin. Then he went into his cubicle and started clearing out his desk.

***

A couple of weeks later, Chin received an aggrieved telephone call from Duke. "I thought you said it was a done deal!" Duke said accusingly.

"What are you talking about, bruddah?"

"I just got word through the coconut wireless that Frank Kamana’s going to Five-O!"

"No way!" Chin was genuinely surprised. "It can’t be a permanent thing. Let me talk to the boss. I’ll find out what the deal is."

"What the hell does a guy have to do to be a native Hawaiian?" Duke said, and abruptly hung up.

Chin hurried into Steve’s office. The boss was standing by the window, looking out on the sunlit grounds of the Iolani Palace. The venetian blinds threw intermittent shadows across his handsome face.

"Steve, what’s this I hear about Frank Kamana?" Chin said. "I thought we were gonna hire Duke."

"Oh, it’s just for a trial basis, Chin," McGarrett said absently. "I’m not planning hiring a permanent replacement right away. Who knows – we might even get a woman on the team."

Chin shook his head – McGarrett clearly wasn’t himself. Usually he didn’t want anything to do with dames on the job.

"Oh, Steve, that reminds me. You wanna contribute to Ben and Margo’s shower gift? We’re getting them a set of luggage – since Ben’s gonna be a big globetrotter now. My wife’s going to pick it up at Liberty House tonight."

With deep pain, McGarrett dug in his wallet and thrust a five-dollar bill across the desk. He returned to gazing out the window.

"They’re going to get married in India – can you believe it? Seems Margo’s a pal of Indira Gandhi," Chin chuckled. "Ben said they got special permission from the government to get married at the Taj Mahal."

When McGarrett didn’t respond, Chin cleared his throat and said, "You’re coming to the bachelor party, aren’t you?"

Steve turned and gave him a look like a crazed and wounded animal. Chin guessed Steve wouldn’t be coming to the bachelor party. He picked up the five dollars and hurried out.

***

Nobody saw much of Ben after that. Later that year, Jenny got a picture in the mail of Ben and Margo standing in front of the Taj Mahal in their wedding finery, surrounded by family and guests. Margo looked beautiful in her exotic gown, and Ben looked handsome in his Nehru jacket. They both seemed incredibly happy.

After that, it was just the occasional Christmas card – with a picture taken wherever they happened to be in December. One year they were in Paris, and Margo was holding a new baby. A couple of years later, they were in Moscow and there were two babies – then in Saudi Arabia with three. Their family grew, along with her reputation as a great photojournalist.

After a while, Steve no longer shoved the pictures into a drawer. Instead, he set them out on his desk. Seeing Margo’s family touched him. Ben and Margo’s daughters were adorable, and their son looked like a miniature version of Greg Louganis. With a strange kind of karma, it had worked out for the best – for everyone.

He knew in his heart he was not the man to make Margo Cooper happy. Apparently, Ben Kokua was. Go figure. It was the last thing he expected, during that ill-fated long-ago honeymoon.

PAU