20. ‘Ōlena

20

‘ōlena

O utside, everything was bustling activity. Friends and cousins had volunteered to set up tents and tables, bring food, and do everything else it took to pull a wedding together at the last minute.

Darlene oversaw it all with her new and improved binder clutched to her chest; the fact that nearly everyone involved had volunteered their time for free made her no less of a taskmaster.

Inside the trailer, things were just as busy. One auntie was applying makeup to ‘ōlena's face while another stitched up a fallen hem. On the other side of the small space, Mahina was pinning haku leis in the girls' hair to keep the circles of flowers in place on their short trip up the aisle… such as it was.

The trailer was an old camper that had belonged to Nate's dad, recently fixed up to be used as an office. It had been co-opted for the day to be used as a bridal trailer, though it was barely big enough to serve its purpose.

"Kiki, sit still!" Luana scolded her little sister. "You'll lose all your flowers before we even get there!"

Kiki stomped one foot, making the trailer bounce. "No, you'll lose your flowers!"

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"I'll make it make sense!"

"Kiki, hush." Mahina opened her arms. "It's nearly time to go. You just sit here with me."

Both girls wore long white dresses.

‘ōlena's dress had been white once. The top was still the color of ivory, but ‘ōlena had followed a wild urge and dyed the bottom half scarlet. A gradient ran from top to bottom, deep red fading to a rosy pink at her waist. Her haku lei held the same colors, a thick crown of red and white flowers backed by deep green leaves.

When her makeup was done, ‘ōlena's hand drifted to her phone. She opened it to the pictures that she had been looking at the night before, pictures of her and Nate on the first day they had gotten married, well over a decade ago now. It was so strange to be getting married a second time, and doubly strange to be marrying the same man twice.

Then again, she couldn't imagine marrying anyone else.

At first glance, she hardly recognized the two kids in the photo. She and Nate had been in the infancy of their adult years, and yet they'd been so sure of themselves.

Their first wedding had been even more of a whirlwind than this one, from the proposal to the courthouse in a matter of hours. They hadn't wanted anyone else there; it was a promise made between the two of them.

And they hadn't managed so well the first time. His career had been completely at odds with her desire to have him there by her side, and eventually their marriage had fractured and broken under the strain.

Last time, her excitement and optimism had been the result of inexperience. This time, she felt a steadier sort of hope, rooted in the depth of their commitment to each other and the certainty that this was the only man she would ever want to share her life with.

Mahina's phone chimed, and her eyes met ‘ōlena's.

"They're ready for you."

She left first, steering the two girls and their baskets of flower petals out of the trailer. Manō was waiting for them outside, and there were tears of joy in his eyes as he offered ‘ōlena his arm.

The fleeting thought of having this day without her father there to walk her down the aisle made‘ōlena's stomach drop. She would sooner elope again than have a wedding celebration without her dad.

She pushed the thought away as she threaded her arm through his.

He was there, as strong and solid as ever. The man who had always been there for her, even before she was born.

More than anything else, it was the knowledge that the father of her children loved his daughters as deeply as Manō loved her that solidified her conviction that Nate was the man for her.

Lush green grass brushed her ankles as her father walked her up the orchard road and through their friends who had gathered on the hilltop that would someday hold their house. At the highest point, Nate stood waiting. Their daughters stood on either side of him, their hands in his. ‘ōlena looked at them standing at the top of their land against the pearl-gray sky, and her heart felt too big for her chest.

At the top of the hill, Manō released ‘ōlena with a kiss on the forehead and greeted Nate with a back-slapping hug. Then he took his place as officiant, and his booming voice carried easily out past the bride and groom to the crowd of well-wishes who stood gathered around them.

"Welcome, family – because if you're here today, you know you are a part of our ‘ohana, blood or no blood – to the wedding of Nathan and ‘ōlena. I think I speak on behalf of everybody who's known these two since their hanabata days when I say, ‘About time!'"

‘ōlena's cheeks warmed as a thread of laughter ran through the crowd. She glanced around and saw a smattering of beloved faces: Kekoa, Lani, their kids, and all of the Pualena Playschool families.

Beyond the small crowd, lychees ripened in the orchard. And beyond that, the ocean shimmered silver and gold beneath a stormy sky.

Manō continued, "And I know that I speak for everyone gathered here when I tell you that you can count on our love and support as you continue to build a life here for yourselves and your girls.

"Nate, we welcome you to this momentous day and rejoice with you as you celebrate the place that you have earned in ‘ōlena's life. And my beautiful daughter, ‘ōlena, we are here for you always.

"Do you commit to building this new life together, through all its trials, to create a strong foundation for your daughters?"

"We do," ‘ōlena and Nate said together.

"May I have the rings, please?" Manō looked at his granddaughters, who stood a few feet away. They hurried forward, each lifting up the ring that hung from a long chain around her neck. As he slipped them off of their chains and handed them over, he said, "Let these rings symbolize the endless bond that you share."

Looking deep into her eyes as if they were the only two people there, Nate slipped the diamond ring onto her finger. ‘ōlena did the same, taking the simple band that had been missing from his hand for five years and putting it back in place.

"By the power vested in me by the God who entrusted me with my beautiful daughter – plus the website that ordained me and the great state of Hawai‘i – I declare you man and wife!"

A cheer went up as Nate took ‘ōlena's face in both hands and kissed her soundly, heedless of the crowd that surrounded them. Then, with Kiki perched on his free arm and Luana's hand in ‘ōlena's, the family walked down into the orchard flanked by their community.

As they reached the bottom of the hill, she caught her first glimpse of the tables that her family had set up in the shade of the orchard. A rainbow of borrowed tablecloths ran ahead of her through the trees. Each table held an enormous hibiscus-flower centerpiece, each one showcasing flowers of a different color.

The flowers at her table were white with crimson centers, the same colors as her wedding dress. Other tables held yellow and pink and orange, all the sunrise colors of her mother's garden transported to the lychee orchard. Red globes of ripe lychee hung all around them, as bright and festive as Christmas ornaments.

The food was phenomenal, a team effort organized by Tenn. Tara brought out their wedding cake, which was a mango cake frosted with white coconut cream and covered in flower petals. The day was all laid-back joy, elevated by food and flowers.

When the clouds broke open, they laughed and danced in the rain.

The sun shower only lasted a few minutes, and after the rain had passed them by, a double rainbow arched over the hill where their home would someday stand.

As the last of their guests made their way towards the cars that lined the orchard road, Nate came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. He leaned down and whispered into her ear.

"Was today everything you wanted it to be?"

‘ōlena smiled as she leaned against him and tilted her head up to catch his eye.

"And then some."