Chapter Twenty-Seven
After dinner, Amanda and Rosemary cleared all the dishes. “We’ve got this, Tug. Y’all go out on the deck with the kids. We’ll be there in a heartbeat.”
“Not going to argue with good help.” Tug pushed his chair back from the table.
“I’ll wash and you can dry,” Amanda said to Rosemary as they walked to the kitchen.
They talked as the dishes clattered in the sink. “I can’t wait to try your herb salts,” Rosemary said. “You’re going to have to put together a selection of them for me to try.”
“Absolutely. Maybe you can help me put together some new recipes.”
“Count me in.”
When Amanda and Rosemary stepped onto the deck to join the others, the water shimmered under the moonlight.
“It looks beautiful,” Rosemary said. “So peaceful.”
“It’s never peaceful with them around,” Amanda teased as Hailey and Jesse talked back and forth with The Wife.
“Even that’s nice. Children’s laughter is soup for the soul. It’s amazing to think I didn’t know any of you before the storm.” A gentle breeze pushed Rosemary’s hair. “Being here reminds me of back home.”
Hailey sidled up to them like one of the girls.
“In Hawaii?” Amanda could see that Rosemary missed it. “I’ve never been to the islands. Is it as beautiful as it looks in movies?”
“More so. It’s the people, too, but you have that part here. The community and kindness.”
“Wow. I like the big pretty flowers,” Hailey said.
“Hibiscus.”
“And coconuts. Did you ever drink out of one?”
“Many times, and the pineapples are so different there. It’s so much better than the canned stuff.”
Hailey was wild-eyed impressed. “So cool. Can you hula dance?” She wiggled her hips and waved her arms with exuberance.
“Well done, gal. Yes, I have practiced the art of hula for years. I was a young bride when I moved to Hawaii. You can’t live fifty years on the islands and not become quite proficient at it.”
“Now, I’d like to see that,” Tug interjected.
“Eavesdropper.” Rosemary popped a hip and flashed a flirty look in his direction. “Don’t tempt me with a good time, sir.”
Tug guffawed, and Hailey danced with excitement. “Please teach us!”
“Really?”
“Yes! Me too,” Jesse said.
“Sure, I can absolutely teach you.” Rosemary exuded confidence. “It’s easy. Tug, can you help us with some music?”
“Probably not. Don’t think I have many Hawaiian songs on my phone. Can you hula to Willie Nelson?”
“I can hula to anything, but why don’t you do a search and play the hukilau? That’s a fun dance.”
He looked at her with his jaw slack and eyes wide.
She spelled it out for him.
“She’s a mind reader too.” He plunked the letters into his phone. “More vowels than consonants. Got it.”
“Thanks, Tug. I’ll let you know when to play it. Come on. Let’s get down in the sand. It’ll be easier to move your feet.” They took the stairs from the balcony to the beach. “The hula tells a story.”
Amanda leaned over the railing, watching as Rosemary, Hailey, and Jesse gathered in a circle in the sand below.
“Now, the hukilau is a special dance that celebrates the fishing traditions of Hawaii.” Rosemary’s voice was patient, and the kids leaned in, eager to learn. “We’ll start by pretending to cast our nets into the ocean.” She showed them the movement, and they followed.
Rosemary explained the significance of hula, not just as a dance but as a form of storytelling deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture. She spoke of the graceful movements symbolizing the natural elements—the swaying of the palms, the flowing of the ocean, and the gentle breeze that whispered through the air.
“Wait for me,” Amanda said as she ran down the stairs. “I want to learn too.”
She giggled at Paul and Tug gawking from above. Paul wolf-whistled, making her cheeks warm.
With a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes, Rosemary demonstrated the basic steps, her heels lifting and hips swaying.
“Perfect. You’ve got it. Okay, we’ll try it with music.” Rosemary lifted her hand in a thumbs-up gesture. “Music, Tug!”
Tug pressed the button and turned his phone toward them on the beach.
“Here we go.” Rosemary danced in perfect rhythm with the music from Tug’s iPhone. “Come on. Let go of your inhibitions and embrace the fluidity of the dance. You’re telling a story. Be convincing.”
With laughter filling the air, Rosemary guided them through the steps, patiently correcting their movements and encouraging them.
Amanda hadn’t had this much fun dancing since she did line dancing years ago. “Follow along, Hailey and Jesse.”
Despite their initial hesitations, soon they found themselves lost in the dance’s rhythm, their movements becoming more proficient with each passing moment.
Hailey stretched out her arms as if perfectly casting an invisible fishing net, her feet moving in time with the music.
“Yes, Hailey!”
Jesse’s face scrunched in determination.
“Jesse, you’re moving just like the ocean waves,” Rosemary told him. “Wonderful.”
Tug put the song on replay and began clapping along as they danced again.
Jesse had a fit of the giggles. “Come dance, Paul!”
“Play it again, Tug. We’re getting it.”
Tug and Paul walked down to the beach.
The music swelled, and though their movements through the hukilau weren’t completely synchronized, they were joyful. Laughter mingled with the ukulele music.
“That’s enough.” Rosemary waved frantically for Tug to stop. “Whew!”
“That’s an intense workout,” Amanda admitted. “I swear I don’t get this good a workout in the gym.”
“Oh, it’s great for the body and the soul. I may have actually worked off that garlic bread,” Rosemary said.
“Doubtful, but it’s fun to think so.”
“I could get used to watching you hula,” Paul said. “I might request dinner and a show more often.”
She swatted at him playfully.
“We’ll put on a show,” Jesse said.
“Not exactly what I was going for,” Paul whispered to her.
Amanda delighted in the attention.
“Who is ready for dessert?” Rosemary asked. “I brought a special dessert, and I didn’t even know you were coming over. I think you’ll like it.”
The kids screamed out a big yes, and Rosemary started for the stairs.
“Hey, wait. Before we go up,” Paul said, “I wanted to say something.”
Rosemary stopped and turned, and Tug walked over to her.
Amanda noticed the kids clinging to Paul and acting goofy. The last thing they needed was more sugar. She’d never get them into bed.
Was something wrong?
“Amanda?” Paul almost choked on the word. He had the oddest look on his face.
“Paul?” She reflected his look.
Jesse started giggling.
The three of them stood with their hands in their pockets, looking at her. It reminded her of the see-no-evil monkeys lined up.
“What?” She checked her skirt to be sure she hadn’t hiked it into her waistband or something.
“I’m wondering. Well, I already talked to these guys about it, and…” Paul moved closer to her. “Amanda, I never want to be apart again. I love you. I love Hailey and Jesse.” He looked over at the beaming children, almost shaking with excitement. “Those two, they are every good thing about you and Jack. They are so special. I want to be important in their lives.”
“You are. You were there when they were born.”
“I want to be with you all every day. The good ones and…Well, we only have good ones, but we would make it through the bad ones too. We are so good together, and you know…I’ve always loved you. From that first dance, before you ever married Jack, I knew you were the one.”
“You just liked twirling me,” she teased.
“Still do.” Paul slowly dropped to one knee and pulled the ring box from his pocket. “What I’m trying to say is, will you marry me, Amanda?”
“Marry?” Her chest heaved, and she stood there, stunned. “Um, I…” She tented her hands over her nose and mouth, her fingers redirecting the tears trickling from her eyes. Her heart wanted to scream yes, but she never thought she’d ever get married again. “Hailey? Jesse?”
“We said yes!” They pulled their hands out of their pockets. Each held up a shell. Yes in bright pink with a flower on Hailey’s, and Jesse’s, a little less perfect but still legible, read Yes in his favorite color, blue.
She knelt and pulled Hailey and Jesse into a hug. “You really think so?”
“Definitely,” Hailey said. “We missed him so much when we went away. And when you get married, he can live with us like Daddy did, and we can be together always.”
She looked at Tug. “You knew?”
He shrugged, neither confirming nor denying, but he knew.
She stood and turned to Paul, who was still down on one knee and looking not only awkward but a little worried. She sat on his knee and hugged his neck.
Paul swallowed hard. “Everyone here says yes, and I called and talked to your dad. He and your mom gave us their blessing.”
“I love you, Paul. I would be honored to marry you.” She kissed him on the cheek, then nodded toward the kids. “For us to be your family.”
“Yes!” Hailey and Jesse shouted.
“Forever.” She kissed Paul full on the lips like they never had in front of the kids, who let out a whoop before they burst into giggles.
“We’re already family,” Hailey insisted, “but now everyone will know.”
Rosemary was crying, and Tug wrapped a comforting arm around her.
“Thank you.” Paul patted his heart. “I’m the happiest man on earth.”
“In the galaxy,” Jesse added.
“Exactly, Jesse. You’re so right! Happiest in the whole galaxy!” Paul took the ring from the box, and whether it was his shaking hand or hers, it was nearly impossible to get the ring on her finger.
Finally, she helped get it in place and splayed her fingers, flashing the ring in Rosemary’s direction.
“Oh my gosh, Paul. Thank you. I’m so happy. Yes, yes, yes.” She squeezed him tight. “My ring fits perfectly. It’s beautiful. We’re beautiful together. Thank you.”
“I love you, Amanda. I plan to spend every day the rest of our lives making you all happy.”
“And we’re going to do the same.”
The kids danced around and cheered. Jesse broke out into a hukilau solo that had everyone laughing. Her little life of the party loved being the center of attention.
“Well, I guess we’re having celebratory dessert now!” Rosemary said.
“Kids, brush the sand from your feet before you go back in the house,” Amanda reminded them. She wasn’t ready to get up from Paul’s knee just yet. “I can’t believe this. I just want to sit here forever and hug you.”
“I’d let you.”
The kids raced up the stairs behind Tug and Rosemary.
“But I think we need to go up, or I’m going to be tempted to steal you all night,” Paul said.
“Yeah, we’d better.” She didn’t care if the kids ate all the dessert now, because this was so exciting that no one was going to sleep.
“Why don’t you let Hailey and Jesse stay here with me tonight?” Tug said while they ate dessert. “You two can have the rest of the evening to celebrate.”
“Amanda?” Paul looked so hopeful.
“Heck, yeah.” Amanda flashed Tug an “are you crazy” look. “You think you can handle them after all this excitement and sugar?”
“It’ll be my pleasure.” He turned to Rosemary and pointed to the upstairs. “I’ve got a real guest room if you want to stay and play cards all night with these two.”
“How can I say no to that?” she said. “Besides, you’re my ride.”
“I’d be happy to take you home. You don’t have to hang out with us.”
“I haven’t been to a slumber party in years,” she said. “Oh, but I need to go check on the cat at Kathleen’s.”
“I think we can make that little road trip. You up for it?” Tug directed the question to the kids.
“We get to meet the cat?” Jesse asked.
“Sure, but she’s kind of shy at first,” Rosemary said.
“Let’s get rid of the grown-ups. Then we will make our road trip.” Tug looked over the moon.
“Wonderful,” Rosemary said. “Hailey and I will do something girly. Count me in.”
“Yes!” Hailey bounced to her feet. “More hula dancing.”
“We might put on a show,” Rosemary said.
“This is the best night.” Amanda jumped up. “Quick, Paul. Let’s escape before they realize what they’re in for.”
Hailey set her hands on her hips. “Mom, you know we’ll be good. I’ll be sure of it.”
Amanda walked over and hugged her daughter’s head to her chest. “Honey, I know you will.” She leaned down. “You’re one hundred percent sure you’re okay with this engagement?” She looked into Hailey’s eyes.
Hailey smiled. “Two hundred percent, Mom,” she whispered with her back to everyone else. “Daddy would be so happy for us.”
“I think you’re right, honey. You are so wise and wonderful. Do you have any idea how proud I am of you?”
“I love you, Mom. I’m proud of you too.”
Amanda could barely see her way down the steps through the joyful tears streaming down her face. If it weren’t for Paul’s cautious hand guiding her, she would surely tumble. “I can’t believe this.”
“I’ve been wanting to ask for so long,” he admitted. “After you left for the evacuation, I knew I couldn’t wait any longer, but I was so afraid you would say no.”
He stopped at the truck and kissed her, his thumb outlining her cheek.
Breathless, she said, “I could never say no to you.”