AJ reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of tissue paper. It wasn’t easy unwrapping it while keeping a tight hold on her with one hand. He was still half-afraid she’d run off, or just evaporate into the humid air. His good fortune at winning her back seemed too sweet to be real.
At last he managed to free the sparkly gem he’d had to twist arms to obtain in the middle of the night.
Lani gasped when she saw it. “Oh, my goodness, that’s beautiful.”
“It had better be. It’s from L.A.’s finest jeweler.”
“You had this planned?”
He hesitated. Did he want her to think he’d been planning this proposal since the day he left and spent days agonizing over ring designs?
No. The truth was what brought them together and what would hold them together into the future.
“Only since 2:00 a.m. I had to drag my friend Niall out of bed. He’s a jewelry designer and I knew he’d have something fabulous enough to be fit for a queen.” The enormous cushion-cut rock had made even AJ’s jaded eyes pop. “Shall we see if it fits?”
Lani nodded, eyes wide. He held her hand gently and pushed the delicate gold band onto her ring finger. The ring slid on easily, then the heavy gem tilted to one side. “It’s a bit big.”
“We’ll get it fixed. It’s beautiful and I love it.” Her eyes glistened with tears again. “And yes, I will marry you.”
AJ picked her up and twirled her around. He must have had the biggest grin in the world on his face.
“AJ, sweetheart—” The voice was not Lani’s but his mom’s, coming from the other side of the door.
“Do you think she’s been listening at the door?” he whispered.
Lani smiled. “Probably. I forgot she was there.”
“Me, too. I forget about everything when you’re around.” He gave her a squeeze. “You think we should let her in on the good news?”
Lani tensed a little in his arms.
“Or are you not quite ready to face the mayhem again?”
She shrugged. “We’ll have to sooner or later. Might as well get it over with.” She rubbed at her cheeks, and he smoothed away any last telltale signs of her tears. He took her hand and they marched toward the door, which locked from the inside with a massive iron bolt. He pulled the bolt, then caught Lani’s hand again as he opened the door and light flooded into the dim chamber.
As expected, a large crowd had gathered outside, flanking his mom, who had those bright spots of color high on her cheeks that let him know she was really agitated.
“Hi, Mom.”
“What were you doing in there?” His mom glanced at Lani, who blushed.
“That’s between me and Lani and the throne.” He cocked his head and gave Lani a sly wink.
Her flush deepened.
He felt strangely calm. “I’ve come back for good, and Lani has kindly agreed to marry me.”
His mom’s mouth fell open and she gasped. Then she grasped Lani in her arms and hugged her. “What wonderful news!”
Photographic flashes half blinded him.
“Who’s going to rule Rahiri?” A British accent.
AJ held Lani close. “Both of us. We’ll rule together until our child comes of age.”
“But isn’t the baby your brother Vanu’s?” An American woman shoved a microphone under his nose.
“Vanu’s gone.” He glanced at Lani. “I’ll raise the child as a father and love him or her as my own until they’re old enough to rule.”
“Will you keep making films?” a young man shouted from near the back.
“I will. I already have some ideas for films set in Rahiri.”
He looked at Lani, whose eyes widened. Then she smiled. “It would be a shame for AJ to waste his creative talents. And there’s a wealth of talent on this island that will enjoy working on the films.”
AJ put his arm around her. “Rahiri’s changed a lot since I was a boy. We have better schools and hospitals. We have cell phones and satellite TV. But the important things have stayed the same. People care about each other and about the land and water they live on. We have customs and culture totally unique to Rahiri that we celebrate and enjoy just as our ancestors did. Lani and I look forward to continuing the legacies of both progress and tradition that my father set in motion.”
Cameras flashed and AJ smiled. Already he felt rather relaxed in the new role. Different aspects of their lives seemed to be slotting into place in a neat yet interesting pattern, much like the colorful woven fabrics of Lani’s dresses, or the ornate teak carvings on the veranda around them.
They answered more questions together, Lani growing more confident and talkative, her beauty radiant as the noon sunshine.