He stepped back from me. He was taller and broader than Aloiki, though he’d always been the calmer of the two. Carefully, he wiped under my eyes with the pads of his thumbs. “She’s here,” he told me gently, “and she’s as happy for you as I am.”
As comforting as his words were, they also made me tear up even more.
“None of that now,” he encouraged, cracking a smile. “I’d like to live to see another day. And if Aloiki thinks I’m the one who’s causing your tears, I won’t make it down the aisle with you.”
Despite my sorrow, I giggled at his words. “I’m pregnant and about to get married.Of courseI’m crying.”
“Yeah, but does he know that?” Tangaloa made a face over his shoulder.
I peered around his wide body to where Aloiki waited for me at the end of the aisle. He looked positively murderous, and his target was definitely Tangaloa.
Smiling, I looked up at the big man who had been like an older brother to me for nearly a decade. “Let’s get me married.”
“That’s the spirit.” Turning, he offered me his arm. It was like wrapping my hand around a tree trunk.
Like him, I was in a traditionalpareoskirt, though mine was white with gold trim. Covering my top was a white twist bandeau. My very pregnant belly was bare and practically leading the way down the aisle. I had a simple bouquet of plumeria and greenery in my right hand and a single orchid decorating my hair above my right ear.
Traditionally, a bride would wear ahaku lei, a flower crown, but I was pregnant. I would not risk bad luck or harm towards my baby by wearing a closed lei that symbolized an obstructed path.
Our guests stood as we started down the sandy aisle between their rows of chairs. The front row was reserved for our club and Aloiki’s family. I was surprised, and glad, to see Caroline and Samantha in attendance too. They’d been invited, of course, but I hadn’t spent much time with either. I really should do that, especially after learning something had happened between Tangaloa and Caroline, who was just seventeen.
The way Caroline stared at Tangaloa, the intense longing in her blue eyes, made me believe Tangaloa’s claim that whatever they’d done had been consensual. Aloiki had spoken with Caroline, but things got so busy with the wedding planning that I never followed up with her, as I’d meant to.
I peeked at Tangaloa, but he stared straight ahead. I got the distinct feeling that he wasn’tlettinghimself look anywhere else. I decided to look forward too, wanting to lay eyes on my man—but not before I caught sight of Kalea, Aloiki’s sister and Tangaloa’s ex-wife, glaring daggers at Caroline. I definitely needed to investigatethatfurther.
Later though. I had something more important to do at this exact moment.
The closer I got to Aloiki, the calmer he seemed. This made me smile, because like the drama with Kalea and Caroline, he and Tangaloa could have it out tomorrow.
Today wasourday.
Lucifer stood next to Aloiki. He was ourkahu, our officiant, today. Though he was no longer a priest, he still wore his clerical collar most days. I didn’t know why he’d left the priesthood. I’d never asked Aloiki. Since we were not having a religious ceremony, he only had to get ordained online to perform our wedding.
As Tangaloa offered my hand to Aloiki, I caught Lucifer’s eye. He winked before reaching into the front pocket of his shirt and producing a handkerchief. I gratefully took it, dabbing at my eyes. I had a feeling it was going to be useless, though.
I finally looked up at Aloiki, who patiently stood there as I tried to collect myself. I couldn’t help the self-deprecating laugh. “I’m a mess,” I told him, tears still streaming down my cheeks. “You sure you want to do this?”
Letting go of my hand, he raised it to grip my chin, and with the other, took the handkerchief Lucifer had just offered me. “You’re fucking beautiful,Hokupa?a.” He carefully wiped away my tears. “Fuck yeah, I want to do this.” Tucking the handkerchief into the waistband of his all-blackpareo, he bent to kiss my nose. “Cry all you want. It won’t stop me from marrying you.”
Happiness filled me, and I beamed up at him. “Keep saying nice things like that and I’ll worry you’ve been body snatched.”
Aloiki waggled his eyebrows. “Knew you only wanted me for my body.”
I laughed. The distraction worked, calming me. Turning, I nodded to Lucifer that I was ready.
We stood at the water’s edge, the tide not quite reaching our feet as it prepared to go out for the night. Aloiki and I stood in the sand rather than on a platform or a dais. Hundreds of little candles were lit around us. Lucifer stood with his back to the sea, a small table of supplies next to him.
Taking a deep, almost nervous breath, Lucifer started to chant:
Onaona ka hala me ka lehua, He hale lehua no ia na ka noe,
`O ka’u no ia e 'ano’i nei,
E li‘a nei ho‘i o ka hiki mai,
A hiki mai no ka kou,
A hiki pu no me ke aloha…
