22. mission maui
mission: maui
MARLEY
A white stretch Hummer drops us off at the Kai Lounge.
Apparently, the girls came here last night and had “oodles of fun”, Lety’s words, not mine.
The ladies have traded their dinner outfits for something sexier and flirtier, while still sticking to the theme.
Carina in white and her bridal party in lavender.
The drive over is short, but that doesn’t stop the Satin Mafia from turning up. The music booms out of the limo’s speakers, and Camila shows off the most amazing twerk skills and knee strength I’ve ever seen.
Danielle passes a diamond-encrusted flask to everyone before we get out of the vehicle. Inside is a concoction she says she made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. It’s surprisingly delicious.
I’m taking mental notes of everything around me. Maui is a whole vibe, but Maui after dark is on another level.
A carved wooden sign above the entrance reads Kai Lounge, the gold lettering written in a flowing script that curls like waves.
The driver lets us out of the Hummer, and of course, all eyes are on us.
When the crowd realizes Carina Sterling is in our midst, hysteria takes over.
Fans nearly risk it all to get autographs and selfies with one of America’s most global superstars.
Thank goodness for security who tackle the swarm and keep them all in line.
The level of screaming outside still does nothing to conceal the bass of the music coming from inside the lounge, thumping loudly through the walls and out onto the street. I swear I can feel the vibration under my high heels.
Cellphones and cameras flash, snapping picture after picture of Carina as we walk ahead of the long line.
The bouncer doesn’t ask questions or check our IDs.
He simply pulls back the velvet rope and lets us through.
We step into the entryway, and a sharply dressed woman appears in front of us.
She’s around 5’5, wearing a crisp white linen shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly to her elbows.
Her midi skirt is tight but professional, as if she came here to work, not play.
“Miss Sterling,” she says warmly, offering Carina a small bow of her head. “Welcome back to Kai Lounge.”
Carina smiles brightly. “Guys, this is Kai. She owns the place.”
“Yes, it’s a pleasure to have you all here tonight. You, ladies, look amazing!” Kai admires us in our lavender fits and then shakes each of our hands enthusiastically. “We’ve prepared your section upstairs. Follow me.”
Carina’s four bodyguards surround us as we follow behind Kai. But that does little to nothing to conceal her. If anything, the guards bring on more attention.
Carina tosses a look back at us over her shoulder, her eyes shining with excitement. She clearly loves to be the center of attention, and she’s thriving off all the energy and flashing lights following her every move.
It takes us nearly 15 minutes to reach the staircase leading to the upper level, where all the VIP sections are located.
Carina has stopped every few feet to pose for photos, hug fans, and make conversation with anyone lucky enough to catch her attention.
Kai, who has been waiting patiently, finally leads us up a set of stairs to the VIP level.
There are four other VIP sections spaced along the balcony, each glowing under a different color of neon light. Ours is bathed in highlighter purple, the lights along the walls casting the darkness in a soft glow.
The table is decorated with confetti, and tiered trays are filled with fruit and tiny appetizers that look too pretty to eat. Ice buckets cradle bottles of champagne, tequila, and Hennessy. Along with cups and carafes of assorted juices and lemonade.
Once we’re situated in VIP, the bodyguards fan out around the section as naturally as if they'd rehearsed it a thousand times.
From here we can see everything. People coming into the club and going.
People laughing, posting up, or dancing.
Fans peeking and pointing, trying to get a glimpse of Carina.
I even see the bar near the back of the club with bartenders working feverishly as people crowd around, waving credit cards in the air like they’re trying to flag down a cab.
“I’ll have two of my best girls come and check on you periodically. Let me or them know if you need anything,” Kai tells us.
She isn’t even entirely out of our section yet before Danielle pulls five envelopes from her oversized clutch. She hands one to each of us.
“Okay, heifer hoes,” she announces. “We’re going to play a game. It’s called Mission: Maui.” She smirks and starts waving a small stack of envelopes like a dealer about to start a poker game. “The rules are simple. Whatever it says on your card, that’s your job tonight.”
Jaylah rips open her envelope and pulls out a white index card.
“Wait, wait, wait,” she wails after reading it. “Why do I have to do this? And where’s your card?”
“I didn’t know we were going to have a sixth wheel,” Danielle raises her brows in my direction. “So, Marley has mine.”
“I don’t want to mess up your game plan,” I say to Danielle. I try to hand it back to her, but she doesn’t take it.
“I’m here to observe now. You’re in. Sorry, toots.”
I blink.
“Besides, as Maid of Honor, I’m in charge of the games, so I make the rules. I’m sitting this one out. The number of points you get is based on how well you do.”
Lety has already pulled her card from the envelope and reads it aloud.
“Get 10 guys’ phone numbers.” She scoffs like she can do that in her sleep. “Do I get more points if I get more than 10?”
“You sure do,” Danielle says, beaming.
Carina reads her card, a slow smile forming on her lips.
Jaylah narrows her eyes at Danielle. “Use the men’s bathroom. Are you serious?”
Danielle shrugs casually while Carina, Lety, and Camila burst into laughter.
Growing curious, I pull my card from the envelope and read the note inside. Dance with the hottest guy in the room.
Camila turns her card around so we can see it. “Teach a stranger your best dance move.”
“Oh, you got this, sis,” Lety encourages.
Camila cracks her knuckles. “Someone in this club is about to learn the power of these knees.”
Jaylah peeks at Carina’s card and rolls her eyes. She snatches it from her hands and holds it up for the rest of us to see. “This is simple. She’s the bride. Someone is bound to do this all night.”
Get a stranger to buy us a round of drinks.
“Like, seriously! What the hell are y’all waiting for? Get to it!” Danielle orders and lifts her flask in the air like a soldier ready for battle.
“I need more liquor before I do all this,” Jaylah complains, clearly still pissed about having to pee in the men’s bathroom.
I look down at my card, realizing I too would need more liquor before I execute my task as well. I still didn’t feel relaxed around these girls or in this environment, although the place looks beautiful and expensive, like something out of a music video.
As if the universe forever works in Carina’s favor, three men make their way towards our section.
The bodyguards stationed at the entrance immediately straighten, their attention locking onto the approaching group.
For a second, they look ready to turn the men around before they get within ten feet of us.
Carina lifts a hand.
“They're fine,” she hollers over the music.
The guards reluctantly step aside.
The man leading the group is handsome in a designer T-shirt and gold chains. His friends linger a few steps behind him, already striking up conversations with Lety and Camila.
“Congratulations!” The leader of the pack shouts over the music. Carina thanks him and gives him a hug. “I want to send you a bottle of champagne if your goons will allow it.”
“How about you just buy us a round of drinks at the bar?” Danielle shouts, eyeing him with lustful eyes.
I didn’t blame her one bit.
The leader of the pack eyes Danielle up and down before he licks his lip. “Yeah, I can do that too. Let’s go.”
Danielle turns to us and waves goodbye, the biggest smile on her face that I’ve seen all night.
“Lead the way,” Lety orders. And the six of them are off. Carina and I take a seat next to each other, watching them walk down the steps with the handsome strangers.
“You’re not going to go?” Carina asks me.
“I’m good right here,” I tell her. I take a swig from my flask and wince.
“Being a good girl for your man, I see.”
She crosses one smooth brown leg over the other. She is a vision in her white curve-hugging mini dress. The corset bodice is shimmering in embellishments.
“Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?”
She gives me a cutting look and then smirks. “Yeah, I guess so. Let’s fix some of the good stuff. We’ll pop a bottle of champagne when the girls come back up.” Carina reaches past the Ace of Spades bottle for the DeLeón. Then proceeds to fix us both a concoction made of tequila and lemonade.
When she hands me my cup, I realize I need to understand her better for this story to feel authentic.
Maybe it’s the journalist in me, but suddenly, I’m curious about the woman beneath the celebrity.
I want to know the version of her that will make this story everything her mother wants it to be.
I want to know the history she shared with Othello.
“How did someone like you fall in love with a man like Gavin Wade?” I start.
“As corny as it sounds, it’s because he treated me like Carina and not Carina Sterling.”
“Are you saying that Othello didn’t treat you like Carina Sterling?”
Carina studies me carefully, weighing whether I’m worthy of her truth. She leans into me, the smell of her Turkish rose perfume drifting between us.
“Ozzy made me feel comfortable, too, but I think he grew tired of everything that came with Carina Sterling.”