Chapter 5 - The Wedding Morning
The tropical sun rose over Maui with blinding brilliance. Palm fronds rustled against the ocean breeze as the Ashford Palms Resort prepared for what local lifestyle magazines were calling the society wedding of the season.
By noon, I was sitting in the dressing area of our Kapalua villa, watching a professional stylist pin white gardenias into Mom’s soft curls. I had booked the resort’s top hair and makeup team to come directly to our suite. When the stylist finished, Mom turned around to face the mirror.
She wore a long, flowing navy gown made of pleated chiffon, with delicate silver embroidery along the neckline. She looked breathtaking—graceful, elegant, and entirely radiant. Dad stood in the doorway, wearing his freshly tailored suit with a silk pocket square, looking like an elder statesman.
"Well," Dad smiled, clearing his throat to hide the emotion. "Aren't you the prettiest girl on the island, Elaine."
Mom blushed, touching her cheek. "I just hope we don't cause any trouble, Douglas."
"We aren't causing trouble," I said, slipping on my emerald-green silk dress. "We are attending our family's wedding."
I checked my phone. The family chat had suddenly exploded. Early that morning, Uncle Ray had posted a photo of the breakfast buffet at the Ashford resort, captioned: "Missing the groom's parents! Hope the flight wasn't too long!"
Karin hadn't replied, but Aunt Sarah had messaged me privately: "Mallory, where are you guys? Russell Ashford just gave a speech thanking everyone, and people are asking why Douglas and Elaine aren't at the family table. Karin looks furious."
I didn't answer.
At two o'clock, our black car arrived at the gates of the Ashford Palms Resort. The property was crawling with valets, photographers with enormous telephoto lenses, and security personnel checking guest lists against engraved invitations.
As we stepped out onto the driveway, several of our cousins who were mingling near the lobby fountain stopped in their tracks.
"Uncle Doug?" my cousin Tyler gasped, almost spilling his drink. "Aunt Elaine? You... you made it? Karin said you had a travel emergency in Minneapolis!"
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Dad looked Tyler straight in the eye, his voice loud enough for three nearby bridesmaids to hear clearly. "No emergency, Tyler. We just took a little longer swimming here."
Tyler blinked, his cheeks turning bright red as the realization of Karin’s text hit him. Around the courtyard, whispers began to ripple through the wedding guests.
