44. maui rain
maui rain
OTHELLO
“Yo, Thello, let’s go, man,” James hollers. His voice cuts through the open-air atrium, where rows of lanterns and fairy lights cast a dreamy, golden glow over the wedding reception.
I hold up a finger, walking away somewhere private. “Hold on, I gotta take this.”
The reception is situated on the oceanfront lawn of Grand Palms next to swaying palm trees. I walk farther out towards the beach, answering my ringing phone.
“Hey, Aven.”
“Hello, hello, did you get the email I sent?”
“Nah, I haven’t checked,” I tell her.
“Well, check. And tell me what you think.”
I shake my head with a soft chuckle and open up my emails. Sent 30 minutes ago is a photo of my book cover. Noted: A Collection of Unsent Notes for the People I Love. “Wow,” I gasp.
“Is it good or is it great?” Aven exclaims.
“It’s great, I love it.”
“Do you write anything new for the manuscript yet?”
“Not yet, but I will.”
“I figured, but no pressure. I know you’re supposed to be on vacation anyway. Hopefully Maui has finally snapped you out of that blue funk.”
“You have no idea,” I chuckle.
“Perfect! They’re hyping the shit out of this. We even have an invitation from The Jennifer Hudson Show sitting in my inbox.”
“J Hud?” I grin.
“Get ready for your Spirit Tunnel dance.”
I laugh out loud. “I’m down with that. I’m. sure I can manage a little two-step.”
“Perfect, I’ll tell her you accept. And we can talk more when you get back. Keep up the great work. I know this is going to be another best-seller.”
“Thank you, Aven.”
“No, prob. Talk to you later.”
We hang up just as Gavin steps forward, a genuine, easy smile on his face. He looked nothing like the man I watched struggle through the morning.
Gavin claps me on the shoulder, a familiar gesture that brings an unexpected sense of ease.
“What the hell are you doing, man? We gotta take photos.”
“I thought you guys were gonna pass on that.”
“Nah, Carina changed her mind,” he says, scratching the back of his head. “She said just because we didn’t get married doesn't mean we shouldn’t document the memories. Plus Jerome paid a grip for this photographer. They flew them out from Paris.”
“Bet. I hear you,” I laugh, and we walk back towards the atrium.
The reception is buzzing with life, completely defying the circumstances.
One would have never thought this was the reception of a couple that didn’t walk down the aisle.
There is no pity here. Just pure, unadulterated joy.
The band has switched to a live instrumental cover as people do the wobble on the dance floor.
Servers weave through the guests, carrying trays of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
We take our photos by the shore, a session that takes nearly an hour before the photographer releases us and says he’s going to do a couple of candids.
When I get back to the atrium, I find Marley standing at the opposite side of the dance floor, wearing a pale yellow gown that looks painted on her body.
Relief washes over me, and when she finds me through the crowd, a smile brightens her face.
My heart skips a dangerous beat. I can’t believe how much I feel for this woman right here right now.
It’s a feeling I’ve never felt for anyone, ever.
Marley walks straight into my arms, and I hug her tight, inhaling the tropical cream smell of her hair and her body.
“Hi,” she purrs.
“Hi yourself,” I grin, feeling giddy as fuck. “I didn’t think you were going to show up?”
“I figured spending my last day in Maui would be so much better with you than alone,” she says, her eyes locking onto mine.
“Really?”
“Really.” She looks down, bashful, before drawing a sharp breath.
“And I also came here to tell you that I’ve been falling for you since you held my hand on that plane.
I’ve been trying to fight these feelings for you, but I can’t pretend like they’re not here.
I want to see what happens with us when we leave Maui. ”
I let out a breath and laugh, clinging tighter to her waist.
“I’m glad you said that because I feel the same way.
It’s been real for me the whole time, but I’ve just been respecting your rules.
Well, trying to,” I say, and we break out in a laugh.
“I was a mess before I came on this trip, and you made it so much better. You make me feel alive in a way I thought was gone forever, and I honestly wouldn’t have gotten through this week without you. ”
I watch her eyes mist with tears.
“Everything about this island is beautiful, but it doesn't compare to you. You're the only part of this trip I'm not ready to let go of, Marley.”
Her arms lock around my neck, and I hold her against me just as Carina and Gavin walk over, oohing and aahing.
“You two are so cute together,” Carina gushes, her arm securely hooked around Gavin’s waist.
“The whole fake-dating thing, I would have never believed it. Real talk,” says Gavin, shaking his head with a grin. “Thanks for bringing my cousin back to life, Marley.”
“Did she though?” I tease, looking down at her.
“She did,” Gavin and Carina say together, and they pull each other close after the words leave their lips. The look they exchange lets me know they’re going to be alright. This isn’t the end of their story.
The evening unfolds with an intoxicating momentum. The sun slides down the horizon, turning the sky to night. The party moves from the open-air atrium straight to the ocean’s shore. Shoes are abandoned on the grass, and jovial voices carry over the thunderous sound of the crashing waves.
Not even seconds later, a rhythmic, deep boom of drums echoes from the palms. A traditional Polynesian drum band marches onto the beach, accompanied by fire dancers swinging blazing torches and hula dancers wearing vibrant ti leaf skirts and beautiful flower adornments.
They put on a jaw-dropping show, the hula dancers eventually weaving through the crowd and pulling guests to join them.
Collette, Carina, and Marley are the lucky culprits dragged out to show off their moves.
The women do their best to keep up, but Marley completely steals the spotlight.
Her hips move seductively with the music, sending a jolt of heat straight through my body, and it nearly brings me to my knees.
Marley catches me staring and flashes a knowing smile, and I can't help but laugh. When the performance concludes, the dancers hand the women a fresh yellow-and-white flower to tuck behind their ears.
“You looked amazing,” I tell Marley as she steps back into my space. I lean in, dropping my voice to a raw whisper meant only for her. “My dick was about to be harder than that lava rock over there.”
Marley coughs out a laugh as she leans into my shoulder. “Dance with me,” she says and grabs my hands in hers.
And then, without warning, a gentle, misting rain begins to fall from the darkening sky. It’s a typical January evening in Hawaii, barely enough to cause a ripple on the water. The drizzle is so light it just grazes our faces.
The passing shower catches the guests by surprise, but instead of running for cover, everyone just laughs, leaning into the magic of the tropical weather.
“Maui rain!” Carina hollers, tilting her head back to the sky. “In Hawaiian culture, rain at a wedding is the ultimate good luck. It means the heavens are blessing you and washing away the past.”
“Would it still be considered good luck if we didn’t get married?” Gavin asks thoughtfully.
Carina falls into his arms and kisses him hard. “Absolutely. This is still our wedding day.”
Gavin looks at Carina like she’s the only girl in the world, a look of profound relief washing over his features. Then, he turns and hollers over the ocean and the noise of the party. "Attention, everyone!" he shouts. “I want to say something real quick.”
He waits for the crowd to settle down, and when all eyes are on him, he continues.
“I know today didn't go exactly as planned.
There was no ceremony, no vows. But looking out at all of you, I realize this week wasn't a waste. It brought family back together.” His eyes land on mine, and we share a shared understanding.
“And it showed us that sometimes, the best things in life happen when the original script completely falls apart.
So, let's celebrate the real love amongst us all!”
We all break out in cheers and applause, shouting over the surf while the band picks up again, their upbeat sound ringing out clear and resonant.
The rain continues to dance lightly over our skin.
Some people head back toward the atrium to dance, while others continue the party right here in the sand.
I pull Marley into my arms, my hands anchoring at the small of her back. Leaning down, I claim her mouth in a slow, deep kiss.
When I finally pull back, my hand drifts up to the plumeria flower nestled in her hair. I carefully slide the stem from behind her right ear.
“Wrong side,” I tell her.
“What?” she asks, her voice a soft whisper.
“When you’re single, the flower goes behind your right ear.
” I tap her bare right earlobe lightly. “But when you’re taken...
” My fingers drift to the other side of her face, brushing the delicate curve of her ear.
My touch lingers, tracing the contour of her jawline before I slide the blossom securely behind her left ear. “You wear it on the left.”
Marley lets out a breathless sigh.
“Is this you, asking me to be your real girlfriend?” she asks.
“Yes, this is me asking you to be my real girlfriend, Marley Jacobs. If you’ll have me.”
Marley loops her arms around my neck, pulling herself flush against my chest as the warm Hawaiian rain slicks her skin.
I look deep into her eyes, my heart full to bursting, completely certain of our future.
I can’t even help myself; impatiently, I kiss her before she can speak.
Marley smiles against my lips. "All I want is you, Othello.
My answer is yes. No more rules. I'm all yours. "
I close the distance, capturing her mouth with mine as the crowd cheers around us in the sand. Our fake relationship is officially dead, and under the starry Maui sky, our true reality has finally begun.