White Ginger

chapter 22



Lili and Lani drove to the city with her, and they met Lucy for a quick lunch before searching the bridal boutiques. Lili was to be her matron of honor and Lani was, of course, going to be a bridesmaid, a fact she was quick to point out she had known would happen weeks ago.

“I knew it the night of the luau, Melie!”

Frills, lace, and lots of netting greeted the women as they entered each of the bridal stores.

“I’ll look like a wedding cake doll in any of these,” she exclaimed.

Amelie began to despair of ever finding what she wanted, almost ready to cry “Enough!” when Lucy spotted another, much smaller shop tucked away down a side street.

“Let’s try down here.”

Amelie sighed. “But this is the last one. I can always wear the dress I wore to the dance.”

Wandering between models of dresses quite different in design from those they had seen everywhere else, a ray of hope rose. As soon as she saw the dress, she knew it would fit her. It was exactly what she would have chosen if she’d had time to have it made.

With mounting excitement, she modeled the gown. Slim-fitting ivory flared from just below her thighs, its one shoulder design leading into an unusual gossamer train that swept down from the shoulder and floated out regally behind her. It was classical in its styling, and simply stunning.

She glided out of the changing room, and Lucy cried. Lili gave a loud sniff, unable to say more than “That’s the one,” before turning to hunt in her bag for a tissue.

It was late afternoon when they dropped Lucy and young Joe home, and dark by the time they dropped Amelie at her cabin. Lucy and Jimi were going to meet Madeline at the airport and drive up the coast with her the following afternoon.

Everything was ready, for which Amelie was silently thanking their friends. In a matter of days they had organized their whole wedding. Kevin was going to give her away, while Jimi would stand by Arne’s side as best man.

As Amelie luxuriated in the first spell of quiet time since Arne proposed, thoughts of her mother resurfaced. How happy she would be, knowing Amelie had found the man who would love her all her life. And how sad Amelie was that her mother wasn’t here to share her joy. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over her fingers. Lost in her memories, she missed hearing Arne and Marie arrive.

“Amelie, ma petite. What’s wrong?” Marie hugged her. “Are you anxious about the wedding?”

She gulped and took a deep breath. “I’m s-sorry. I was thinking of Mom and then I couldn’t stop crying.”

“Ma pauvre enfant. You are missing her. But she is with you always, here.” Marie tapped Amelie’s chest. “Just as my Kai is with me always.”

She wiped away Amelie’s tears with her thumbs, kissed her cheeks then allowed Arne to step in to comfort her. “I shall make coffee.” With quiet deliberation, she walked into the house, giving them a few moments privacy.

Arne simply held her until her tears stopped, then kissed her. “Neither of us has our parents here to share our happiness, but they know. And we have so many good friends and family to be part of our special day. We have so much to be thankful for, Amelie. And the most important thing is that I have your love.”

“I love you, Arne. I’m so happy you drove into my life that day. My white knight.” She stroked his cheek.

“Close your eyes for a moment, Amelie. I have a special gift for you.” He reached around her neck. His fingers brushed her nape as he secured a fine chain and a shape nestled just above her breasts. His hands slid onto her shoulders. His warm breath tickled her ear before he kissed it, then he turned her to face him. “Okay, now open them.”

She felt for the pendant and held it up. Two exquisitely delicate dolphins joined to form a heart, tail to tail and nose to nose, with two tiny diamonds for eyes. Their totem.

“It’s perfect, Arne.”

“It’s forever.”

* * * *

Madeline found a quiet moment when she arrived on Thursday evening to put a proposition to Amelie. She had been considering bringing Amelie in as a partner at the time of her breakup with Victor, she said, but put the idea on hold to allow her time to get over her broken romance.

“Your marriage to Arne will allow you to apply for American citizenship. Would you consider being my international partner here in Hawaii. It’s close to the mainland, and could help us break into the American market.”

“It sounds wonderful. Of course I’ll consider it. We can talk more about it when I get back from my honeymoon.”

Following tradition, Amelie spent her last night apart from Arne, sleeping at Lili’s so the female half of the bridal party could enjoy the fun of dressing together.

Marie had brought bunches of gloriously colored blooms from her garden to create their bouquets. Amelie’s bouquet was specially formed of Hawaiian white ginger, ferns and orchids.

Marie arched her fine eyebrows. “You know, the Chinese meaning of the orchid is that you will have many children. I look forward to having many more great grandchildren to spoil.”

At six o’clock, Kevin handed her out of the bridal car at the beach on the point in Kaleialani. “I won’t be late for my own wedding. Not when I’ve been waiting for Arne all my life.”

Kevin patted her hand. “Let’s do this.”

Amelie walked across the flower-strewn sand on Kevin’s arm, following Lani merrily scattering colorful blossoms in her path. Late afternoon light bathed the sea and the beach in gold, but all she could see was Arne waiting for her, eyes full of love. And when the celebrant said, “You may kiss the bride,” she kissed him with absolute certainty theirs was the kind of love that lasts forever.

Their reception passed in a blur of congratulations, dancing and much laughter. When it came time for their wedding dance, Arne led Amelie to the center of the dance floor. “This is for you,” he whispered as Il Divo sang “The Man You Love”.

An incurable romantic, Amelie could not help tears of joy falling. Arne had made this day so very special just for her, from the beach setting at sunset to the music he had chosen to express his love. And she would treasure the image of Lani, posed in the middle of the dance floor with her special gift to Uncle Arne and Aunt Amelie.

As the recording began, Amelie smiled in recognition. Lani was dancing the Hawaiian wedding dance for them, the dance she and Lili had taught Amelie not so long ago. With poise and grace beyond her years, she expressed for them the joy of their union, and the love they had for each other.

Halfway through the music, she edged toward Amelie, holding out her hands in invitation. Confident she knew the dance, Amelie rose gracefully from her seat.

Arne knew nothing of their dancing lessons. He watched in fascination as Amelie took her place beside her new niece and danced–for him. Gracefully, she performed the age-old language of love. This was her special gift to him, something from his culture, his background, that showed him how much she loved him, all of him.

When the music ended, he took her in his arms, giving her a deeply enthusiastic kiss that left her breathless. Loud applause followed. These were her friends, and this was her home.

Arne slipped off her blue garter and threw it, surprising Ray when it landed on his chest. Ray’s girlfriend, Janet, looked on, delighted at the implication.

Marie had made a smaller copy of Amelie’s bouquet to throw over her shoulder. She aimed it squarely where she knew Janet to be in the crowd of young women and that enterprising young woman lunged for it. Everyone laughed and the men nearest Ray sympathized while slapping him on the back. “You’ll be next for sure now, Ray.”

Near midnight, they finished their round of the farewell circle of family and friends.

Lani raced up, still awake in all the excitement. “Auntie Melie!”

Amelie’s heart skipped a beat as her new niece called her by that name. Along with her marriage to Arne, she had acquired a family who had generously welcomed her into their midst. Could she be any happier?

“I’m so happy you’re my auntie now. Can I come to stay with you when you get home–puleeeease?”

Amelie and Arne laughed and agreed she could be their first houseguest–later.

As expected, Arne’s jeep was wrapped in bows of toilet paper, a large Just Married sign on the rear. Arne tossed his jacket on the back seat, pulled off his tie and undid another button on his shirt. “That’s better!”

Reaching over, he pulled her veil off, releasing the perfume of jasmine in her hair. Tossing the veil gently onto the seat alongside his coat, he lifted a hand to smooth her hair where the comb of her veil had disturbed it.

Moonlight bathed the landscape in silver. A soft salty breeze stirred the tendrils of hair framing her face. Stroking her palm down Arne’s cheek, she looked into his eyes. “I love you, Arne.”

“Ditto.” He bent his head to hers. She gave a little moan of pleasure and her fingers tightened convulsively on his shirtfront, holding him close to her.

“Arne. Take me home–now!”

* * * *

The heady perfume of white ginger filled the night air as they pulled in under the palms. Amelie stretched. “Mmm, Could there be a more beautiful evening for a honeymoon?”

Leaning across, he ran a finger down her cheek, her neck and across the soft skin where the swell of her breasts rose above the material of her dress. “Mrs. Keloki, I should warn you that I fully intend to set a record in getting you out of that beautiful but now totally unnecessary dress.”

Her body went into overdrive. She wriggled forward on her seat, desire dampening her silk underwear as she anticipated his touch.

He helped her out of the jeep, tangling briefly in the length of gossamer train. Sweeping her into his arms, he carried her across their threshold. Imprinting his mouth on hers in a most possessive manner, he kicked the door shut on the night and the rest of the world.

And he made good on his promise.

Stepping out of a cloud of ivory material, a vision in lacy lingerie, Amelie turned slowly toward Arne, allowing him time to enjoy the full view. He followed her every move but when he bent to kiss her, she stopped him with a hand against his shoulder and a finger against his lips. “My turn. One of us is a little overdressed.”

Slowly, she unbuttoned Arne’s shirt, top to bottom. At the lowest button, she flattened her palms against his stomach then slid her hands over his chest, pushing his shirt down his arms. How smooth his skin beneath her fingertips; how glorious his beautiful body. A body that brought her indescribable pleasure. She leaned in to kiss his nipples, licking and lightly nipping them.

One swift indrawn breath and Arne took control. He moved behind her so she could feel his arousal against her hip. Running warm hands across her stomach, he began a hypnotically slow journey around her belly button. Her nerve ends tingled. He nuzzled her ear and neck, kissed along her bare shoulder until goose bumps ran down her legs.

She slid an arm around his neck, holding his head just there. His touch aroused her as it always had, from their first electrifying contact in the grocery store to the incredible moment of their union by the lagoon when he had claimed her as his own. She uttered tiny moans of pleasure as his fingers slipped under the edge of her lacy bra to play with her erect and sensitive nipples claiming her, body and her soul.

Her lover. Her husband.

She thrilled to the thought.

She had found her home here in his arms. Everything she ever wanted was within her reach. Finally she belonged.

His belt buckle pressed into her hip. She slipped around to face him, trailing light fingers over his torso, down over his six-pack stomach. Moving with deliberate slowness, she drew out the unbuckling of his belt, feeling his arousal through his tented trousers as her fingers slid down then up his length. Pausing to trail her lips across his chest, his hands tightened suddenly on her arms and he drew a swift breath of powerful self-restraint, giving her time to take her pleasure in his body. Finally, exquisitely slowly, she unzipped him, letting his trousers fall.

She cupped his bulging manhood, savoring the moan wrung from him as she massaged gently.

“Amelie–no more.” And then he picked her up and almost threw her on their bed. White ginger petals floated up around them, settling on their skin.

His tongue probed her mouth while his hands stripped away the scraps of lace.

Hands and mouth left trails of fire all over her body and she arched up to meet him, breathing his name over and over.

As shudders of delight ripped through her, he cradled her, stroking her hair and stomach. Always she would be safe with him, trusting him to carry her to the stars and return safely. Always.

She raised herself on her elbows and offered a languorous kiss. Nudging his weight off, she pushed him onto his back. She straddled his thighs and took hold of his manhood, caressing him into his own state of incoherency. Playing her fingers along his chest she pinched his dark nipples.

Matching her rhythm, he massaged the ultra sensitive nerves between her thighs. Suddenly he grabbed her hips, hauling her forward and up.

She positioned herself over him and took him into her, rising to meet his thrusting, loving body, sealing their love.

Amelie had thought when she came to the islands that she was running away from something, but fate had determined that she was running to her true love, her soul mate.

Stars spun in the heavens, waves crashed on the reef and their lovers’ bodies pledged that together, they would travel through life, soul mates under a tropical heaven.