Facing Redemption (40 page)

“I really should have punched him when I had the chance.”  Scott grinned.

“Me too.  There’s still plenty of time.”  She laughed.  “So what’s your story?  Not that I’m not all that, but you’ve not tried to hit on me while dufus back there has a one track mind.”

“I’m in love, and I’m kind of a one woman guy.”  Scott said sadly.

“Oh.  Well don’t sound so excited about it.  Is she?”

“Not yet.”  Scott said determined.  Anne nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder.  “She’ll come around.”

“Sure she will, Scott.” 
Where was this kind of guy when she was looking?
  “Want some advice?”

“Sure.”  He casually swung his arm around her, like a big brother would.

“Don’t make it so easy for her.  If you make her work for it, I bet she’ll come around faster than you’d think.”  Anne lifted her chin, kissed Scott on the cheek, and stood to gather her things.  It was time to go home to her empty house.

Chapter 57

Chastity dug her toes in the sand and listened to the ocean’s roar as it attacked the shoreline.  She sat up from her beach towel and leaned her face toward the warm sun, as it shone down on them. 
This is heaven,
she thought and stretched.

Timothy sat up to apply suntan lotion across her shoulders, and began rubbing it in.  He loved the way her slick skin felt under his fingers.

             
“I told you I’m not going to burn.”  She giggled.

             
“Maybe I just like to rub my hands on your shoulders and back.” 

             
“You should know after the last few nights that I like that.”  She beamed at him, and flipped sides before lying back down. “I still can’t believe you used to live here.  Why didn’t you end up back here?”  Chastity propped her chin onto her crossed arms.

             
Even though she had dark sunglasses on, he could imagine her green eyes staring at him.

             
“I love it,” he said lying on his stomach.  “But my family is all on the mainland. And it’s too expensive to travel back and forth.” 

             
“Talk about expensive – I still can’t get over our room.  It has a bathroom the size of someone’s kitchen!”

             
“Hey don’t look at me.  I booked a nice room, but had nothing to do with the upgrade to the suite.  I have no idea how that happened!”  Timothy’s perplexed look was genuine.

             
“You’re telling the truth?  I thought you were kidding about that when we checked in.” 

             
“Yes, it’s the truth!  I wouldn’t lie.”

             
“It had to have been Jesse.”  Chastity’s brow furrowed.  “He and Lauri did way too much.”

             
“Hey, no frowning on this trip
young lady.”  Timothy rolled on his side and leaned in for a kiss.  Her lips tasted like the sea salt.  She ran her hands through his hair and pulled him in closer.  “And you should know by now what that does to me.  Come on.”  He stood and reached for her hands.  “I’d like to investigate our room some more.” 

             
Chastity bounded up and reached for her flip-flops and beach bag.  She slid her hand into his and walked back to the patio of the Hilton. 

             
“You sure you’re okay with leaving all this glorious sun out here on the beach?” 
             

             
“Well if you’d rather stay out here we can, but it’s a family beach and they might frown on that type of behavior.”  He grinned down at her.

             
She punched him in the arm and ran the rest of the way to the hotel.  Timothy picked up his pace.  She could hear him laughing as he chased her through the sand. 

This is how she imagined them, having chemistry in and out of the bedroom.  And making the decision to wait for sex, made this so much sweeter.  It definitely made for a more memorable honeymoon.

             
For a full week they lavished on each other from their room, on the beach, or sightseeing.  Neither Chastity nor Timothy was a fan of PDA but it had to be obvious they were on their honeymoon, since they were asked about it everywhere they went.  It was almost comical. 

             
“Do you think I should buy that T-shirt in the gift shop downstairs?”

             
“Which one? The one that said
Hot Wahine
? Yes…only buy it a couple sizes too small for when we’re at home.”

             
“No.”  She threw a pillow at him, and wrapped up in the sheet.  “The one that says
Honeymooned on Oahu and got lei’d.
” 

Timothy laughed.  “I think you should get both Mrs. Banks.” 

The hotel invoice quietly slipped under their door.  Chastity looked from it to Timothy with regret.  “I’m so sad.  I’m not ready.”

“I’m not either.  And we have a long flight back.”  Timothy fluffed his pillows and propped himself up.  “We should have stayed an extra week, huh?”

“Yeah.  But it’ll be good to get home, and start our real life.  Plus, we have plenty of time to come back for vacation.” 

“What time is it?”  Timothy reached to check his iPhone.  “Oh yeah.”  His eyes lit up.  “It’s just enough time to make love to my wife one more time before we leave this luxurious suite.” 

Timothy pulled the sheets away from Chastity’s body, and drew her to him.  He ran his hands up and down her back, to rest just above her hips.  He’d learned over the last few days and nights, that this was the area that started his wife up.  He smiled as he heard her moan. 

“See I’m a quick learner.”  He whispered through his kiss.  Chastity pulled back.  He could see the mischievous twinkle in her eye as she sat up. 

“No touching.”  She whispered and placed his hands above his head.  Then she set out to learn what she could about her husband’s patience.

A couple hours later, Mr. and Mrs. Banks strolled downstairs hand in hand grinning from ear to ear.  Chastity had stopped at the gift shop and was wearing the T-shirt she wanted to buy, which she slipped over her tank top. 

Timothy wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, ‘This is my wife!’ as he walked through the lobby. He couldn’t have been more proud to have her by his side, but he held it in.  He dropped her hand and slipped his arm around her waist, drawing her closer.

While they waited to check out, Chastity watched a young mom chasing her toddler around. 

“Hi there.”  Chastity waved down to the little boy, who had waddled over to her feet.  He reached down to touch the polish on her toes.

“I’m so sorry.”  His mother rushed over and quickly picked him up.  “Everything below the knee is eye candy to him … especially anything with color.”

“Don’t worry about it.”  Chastity took the toddler’s feet into her hands.  “He’s very cute.”  The baby openly smiled at Chastity, and babbled a few words of his own to her.

“He likes you.”  His mom smiled.  “By the way.  I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but even without the shirt you have on …” They both looked down to Chastity’s chest.  “I would have known you were on your honeymoon.  You both look so much in love.”

Chastity’s heart warmed.  “Thanks.”  She looked to Timothy.  “I think I’ll keep him a bit longer and have some of these.”

“Oh please!”  The young mom begged. “Take your time.  Now that you’re married – the pressure will be on to squeeze a couple of these peanuts out.  And they’re amazing!  I wouldn’t change anything…except I would have waited a while longer.”  She laughed and hugged her baby tight.  “I love being a mom though.  Just trust me … wait.”

Timothy laughed as he overheard the women’s conversation.  He stepped up the counter and laid their invoice on top. Timothy’s eyes scanned the length of it, and read the bottom line.  It read zero balance.

“What the?  Chastity?”  Timothy interrupted.

“Sorry.” She apologized and stepped away from her conversation.  “What’s up?  How big is the total?”

“There’s not one.”  Timothy’s face scrunched up. “I don’t understand.”  He looked to the hotel clerk.  “Can you help me?”

A young Hawaiian man, wearing a Hawaiian polo spun around and reached for the invoice.  “Aloha.  Was your stay at the Hilton pleasant?”

“Oh yes.”  Chastity smiled.  “I think we’re just trying to figure something out.  We got here and were upgraded to the suite, which we didn’t book, and now our bill shows a zero balance.”

“Something’s da’kine here.”  Timothy’s pidgin accent slipped out some.

“Oh.”  The clerk smiled at Timothy’s slang.  “Nice. You sound like one local boy.”  He lifted his fist up to greet Timothy.   

“I lived here as a boy and left when I started high school. I’m just back on my honeymoon.” 

“Aw, welcome back brah. My name is Keko.  Let me see if I can look in the computah and find what the issue is.” 

             
“Wow.  Why haven’t you spoken like that to me before?  It’s kinda hot.”

             
Timothy tilted his head and grinned.  “Put on the XS t-shirt that you stuck in your bag when we get home, and I’ll tell you all kinds of things in pidgin.”

             
Keko cleared his throat.  “Scuse me.”  He said before giggling.  “I hate to interrupt, but I figured out what happened.”  Both of them turned their attention toward Keko.

             
“It seems it was paid in full by a third party.”  When Keko said third, it sounded more like turd to Chastity.  She smiled for a second until she realized what it was he was saying.

             
“Who was it?  Was it my Uncle Jesse?”  Chastity wanted to know.   “Is that also why we have the suite?” 

             
“It says in here,” Keko continued to check his screen.  “That you were upgraded to the suite a few weeks ago.”

             
“A few weeks ago?”  Chastity was dumbfounded.  “I wonder why Jesse didn’t tell us. It must have been a wedding gift to us?”

             
“Yes,” Keko confirmed.  “But I don’t see the name Jesse on file.”

             
“What?”  Timothy gruffly asked.  “Well then who?”

             
“Um sir, the notes in my file say it’s supposed to be kept confidential.  I’m not supposed to say.”

             
“Hey man, I can respect you have a job to do, but isn’t there anything you can do here from one local boy to the other?”

             
Keko looked over his shoulder and leaned forward.  “Sure brah.  Let me look it up.”  Keko punched a few buttons on his keypad, and found what he wanted.  “Okay brah, how about I give you a first initial and a last name.  Will that work?  That way I’m not really telling you his name.”

             
“Yes.”  Chastity and Timothy said in unison.

             
Keko leaned closer and whispered.  “It says it was upgraded and paid for by a J. Mikale.” 

             
“Jesse?” Chastity asked.

“Ma’am.  There’s no Jesse in these notes.”

“Whoa.  It’s going to be a long flight home.”  Timothy groaned.

             
“Hey I’m sorry man.”  Keko could feel the energy change in an instant.

             
“No, you helped us Keko.”  Chastity smiled.  “Thanks so much.”
             
“Mahalo and come back and see us.”  Keko waved.

             
“Maholo.”  They both said and walked toward the skycap, who had their luggage.  Timothy wrapped his arm around Chastity’s shoulders. He wasn’t sure what to say to her, so they walked in silence to the taxi.

Chapter 58

Anne packed the last of Chastity’s things, which were now ready for her to pick up when she came home from her honeymoon.  She slid the final box to the utility room and smiled sadly.  Anne had so enjoyed having Chastity as a roommate over the last few months even though it was temporary.  She was just grateful for the time she had before everything changed permanently. 
             

To fill the void, Anne decided it was time to give someone else a shot at sharing space in her home and drove to the nearest animal rescue shelter. The day after the wedding she showed up in hopes of finding the perfect match for her.  She knew she’d recognize the right pet for her.   

             
Anne knew she’d have to branch out and get a life of her own separate from what she and her best friend shared, and getting a pet was the first thing on her list.  Being open to what the future brought her was second. 

It took her a few minutes after arriving at the shelter, but she finally found the one for her.  There were more than enough adorable little faces peering up to her when she walked toward the kennels, but one in particular tugged at her heart.  A tiny little dog sat in the corner all on his own.  It studied her as she walked up to pet so many other puppies.  It was almost as if it was sizing Anne up.