At the singer’s direction, Bonnie and JT held both of each other’s hands and faced one another under the trellis. That done, Elvis started his song.
“It’s now or never. Be mine tonight…”
JT, a man who was basically still a stranger, leaned down and knew the exact words to calm her. “It’s for your town. Just let him sing. It’ll be over soon.” He squeezed the hands he held.
How could this man so easily understand what she needed? Bonnie’s mind reeled with the feelings he created in her. It went beyond tingles of attraction. She felt complete. As if her future was secure as long as he stood next to her.
Elvis sang out a high note and held it on the word, “Love.” He finished the familiar song to the roar of the audience. Bonnie didn’t know how these people had the energy to be so enthusiastic. Not after all the activity of the luau.
The singer held up a rhinestone-studded arm to calm the crowd. “Thank ya, thank ya very much!”
Those famous words sent a wave of laughter through the small crowd. “Now folks, we have some business to do yet, and Elvis is just the man to make it happen.”
An expectant hush blanketed the parking lot. Even the band members were silent. Bonnie clutched JT’s hands nervously.
“We’re gathered here to join this man and woman in holy matrimony. Does anyone know--”
Bonnie’s screech cut him off. “Whaaaat!”
Rita stepped forward. Before she could say anything, JT leaned down. “It’s all a part of the party. Just like a play or something.”
Bonnie nodded. “For the town.”
Near her, Bonnie watched her mother beam as her thin shoulders relaxed. Funny, but she hadn’t noticed how thin her mother had become in the last month. She wanted to stop this farce and ask her about it. Elvis steamed ahead with the odd play.
“Anyone know why these two shouldn’t be wed?” He paused only a moment. “Good. Let’s get ‘er done, then.”
Inclining his head to JT, the singer pointed a ringed finger in his direction. “Do you,” Elvis looked down at a paper he held and read, “James Tiberius Kirk—”
The crowd erupted at the name. Elvis held up his hands for silence. “What are we, on an episode of Star Trek?”
Reaching her face up to JT’s red one, she whispered, “Captain. Makes sense now. Just wait for mine.”
He relaxed a little at her camaraderie. Elvis continued on then, asking JT to love and cherish the woman next to him until death parted them.
“I do.” The words rang with determination and sincerity. Bonnie supposed it was easy to make the promise since this was all make believe.
Elvis turned to her next and read again from the paper. “Do you, Bonita Chiquita—” He shook his head. “Sounds like a banana commercial!”
No one laughed this time. They wouldn’t make fun of Bonnie. She was the town darling. In the silent pause, Elvis looked around and cleared his throat.
“Do you take this man to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”
JT’s eyes glowed with tenderness. It was almost like he believed in this strange ceremony. She ducked her eyes and squeaked out, “I do.”
Elvis nodded, satisfied. “Now, Gus Granger supplied these rings from his store. Let’s see if they fit.”
At those words, Elvis pointed to one of the little Simpson twins who held a white pillow. A ribbon sewn to the fabric was tied around two gold bands. Mildred stepped forward and helped the young one untie the rings.
“You first, Captain Kirk.” Elvis handed the smaller band to JT. “Repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”
Moving both hands to her left one, JT slid the ring onto her fourth finger. Bonnie felt love flow from his touch into her as he vowed, “With this ring, I thee wed.” Amazingly, the band fit perfectly.
The little girls giggled. Even children sensed how emotionally charged the air around them was. Moisture gathered in Bonnie’s eyes, and she forced her mind to remember this was all pretend.
“Now you, banana girl.” Bonnie held out a palm, and Elvis dropped the other ring into it. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
Her fingers trembled and felt clumsy as she held JT’s left hand. She whispered, “It won’t fit.”
With an encouraging smile, he answered back, “Calm down and try again.”
This time, the ring easily slid over his knuckle. Like her own band, JT’s ring appeared to be the right size. Nothing made sense about this mock ceremony. So, why did it all feel so right?
“Now folks, here’s that moment you’re waitin’ for.” Grinning like a lunatic, Elvis winked at JT. “You can now kiss your bride.”
Their first kiss? In front of the town? Bonnie shook her head.
Her ‘husband’ only smirked and lowered his lips to hers. Warmth raced from his lips through her. That feeling of completeness at being with him turned into a blaze of joy and longing.
JT slowly pulled away, holding her gaze as he lifted his head. “Did that feel as real to you as it did to me?”
In a dazed voice, Bonnie repeated the word. “Real?”
He grimaced. “Not real. Familiar. No, not that. Right might be a better word.” Somehow, he’d echoed her thoughts.
Elvis broke in, directing them to the platform. At its edge, documents were laid out. “You folks sign here.” His voice trailed off, waiting for them to write their names. “And here,” he continued after both did as he asked.
Once the signatures were completed, Elvis handed Rita the papers. She grinned and clutched them tightly to her chest. Funny, but Bonnie hadn’t noticed how old her mother’s hands looked. The skin reminded her of crumpled tissue paper. When had that change happened?
“Come on up and congratulate this fine couple.” Elvis waved the crowd over to them. People Bonnie had known all her life patted her on the back or hugged her. They shook hands with JT and welcomed him to the community.
As Elvis shook JT’s hand, the singer sighed happily. “One of mah favorite things ‘bout bein’ a minister. Marryin’ folks.”
Bonnie gaped. “You’re a real minister. But this was only—”
JT finished for her. “—a pretend ceremony.” He looked from the man to his mother and Rita. They all smiled, almost slyly. Suddenly, their laughter earlier when he’d told Bonnie she’d have to marry him to learn his name made sense.
“But how? We don’t even have a license.”
Rita—his mother-in-law—calmly explained away that objection as she hugged the papers to her chest. “I have a friend over at the courthouse that took care of that a week ago. You’re waiting period was over yesterday, and you just signed the licenses along with the marriage certificate. I have the papers and will take them to the courthouse tomorrow.”
JT’s next words froze Bonnie. “I can’t be married. I don’t even live here.”
Chapter 6
Bonnie gripped the orchid. JT was sure she would damage it, and that would be a shame. After all, he was certain she’d want to preserve it as a memento of the ceremony.
Ceremony! The people in this town were crazy. Who tricked people into marrying? Things like that happened in silly romance novels. Never in real life.
He let his breath out in a whoosh. “My hands are warm,” he muttered quietly. Bonnie echoed his words. Obviously, she was as upset as him.
That bothered JT. Why should being married to him upset her? Didn’t she feel the same connection zing through her like he had?
JT badly wanted her to want him. His mind was a jumble of thoughts and emotions, but that one was the most insistent. His hula girl had to want to be married to him.
At that thought, he reached into his front pants pocket and drew out the ornament. “This was sent to me a few days ago.”
Loosening her grip on the orchid, Bonnie reached one hand over to him and took the ornament. Holding it by the thin string at the top, she watched the white lights of the trellis reflect off an almost perfect cartoonish likeness
of her face. “But how—”
He looked at her, confusion and hope warring inside him. “I don’t know. There was a note that said the girl was real and waiting for me.” JT met her gaze with intensity. “Have you been waiting for me, Bonnie?”
She pulled her gaze away from his and looked down at the hula dancer. Her head bobbed as she mumbled, “I think so.”
Lifting her left hand, he kissed the gold band that fit so well. “I’ve been so lonely without you.”
The moment was too intense. Her face wore a trapped look, like she felt overwhelmed by the sensations. Passion, joy, fear. Did they race through her like they did him? Maybe that was the reason she made a joke.
“I bet you say that to all the girls.”
Hurt flashed across his face. Solemnly, he denied that. “Never. I’ve never said it to anyone but you. Never wanted anyone but you.”
Holding up her hand, Bonnie moved it and played with the lights. They reflected off the band, lending a twinkle to her bright eyes. “Looks like you have me, now.”
“Is that such a bad thing?” He worked to keep any hurt out of his voice.
Still holding the orchid, Bonnie gripped her hands together. JT gently pried it from her grasp. “Let my mother guard that for you. We can have it preserved. I’ve seen that done before.”
His wife—his wife!—nodded and released the flower. Mildred had followed the conversation and stepped closer to take it from JT.
The fact that he didn’t need to ask his mother to take the orchid reinforced the lack of privacy. “This isn’t the right place for us to talk. Do you have a house we can go to?”
A giggle burbled out of Bonnie. It rang of both humor and fear. “Shouldn’t my husband already know that?”
Unable to resist, he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Just think of the fun we can have learning about each other!”
Bonnie lowered her eyes. “That’s a little bit of what I’m afraid of. I’ve never—”
He cut off her words. Grabbing her hands, he lifted them to his mouth. Tenderly, he kissed the backs of both. “I haven’t either. It’ll be okay.”
“Are you seriously considering—” He didn’t cut her off this time. She simply stopped speaking and stared at him.
“That’s what we need to talk about. Alone.”
She agreed quickly. “Yes, let’s leave. It feels as if I’m on some weird sitcom. The kind ‘filmed before a live studio audience.’ Those are the words I’ve heard at the start of a few shows.”
Around them, men dismantled “the set”. They broke down the platform. Plastic palm trees and tiki lamps disappeared. People scattered through the parking lot to pick up any litter. Amazingly, JT realized there was very little of that. It really was a nice town. Too bad his job wasn’t here.
Rita and Mildred both waved the couple away when they moved to help with the trellis. Rita was the first one to speak, her words rushing out nervously. “You two go on. Have your discussion.”
Mildred reached into her huge macramé purse and pulled out a magnetic key card and a folded sheet of paper. Bonnie saw the card and guessed it was the type motels used.
“Now, you head to the Grove Inn. Everything’s waiting for you in the honeymoon suite.”
In unison, the new couple turned to look at each other. “They got us a room?” Bonnie gasped out.
He nodded, the stunned look of an animal facing a light at night flashing across his face before he realized how perfect the situation was. “We need the privacy to talk. Come on to my Explorer. I’ll drive and you can direct me.”
A little smirk lifted the corners of her mouth. “Guess we’ll have a breakfast date after all.”
Spend the night at a motel with a stranger? Bonnie would have sworn by all that was holy she would never do such a thing. Suddenly, being married by Elvis made this all right.
At the motel, they’d parked in front of room seven’s door, as directed by Mildred’s written instructions. Inside, everything they needed for a stay was laid out. Bonnie’s electric toothbrush and JT’s shaver lay side by side in the bathroom. Her robe hung on the back of that small room’s door.
Very little tourism happened in their town. The inn was basically used by out of town relatives. She didn’t want to think of who else might use it for an hour or two as she looked at the large bed with its heart-shaped headboard. That velvet headboard had been red but was now faded to an odd pink.
A large suitcase sat on a folding, metal luggage rack, it’s top opened. She saw it was filled. In it were clothes she recognized from her own closet as well as a man’s clothes. JT’s, she guessed. So, her mother and his had planned this together. Along with the whole town—or most of it.
A filmy ivory peignoir set lay suggestively on the faded red satin bedspread. JT looked at it pointedly, and Bonnie blushed. Her face flamed and she shook her head when he eagerly asked, “Are you going to model that for me?”
With a gasp, she raced for the door. Before she could leave, he grabbed her arm. The grip was gentle but unbreakable.
“Okay, no more teasing. Should we talk now or try to get some sleep?” He kept his tone neutral so she couldn’t tell which he wanted to do.
She frowned. “Talk? We didn’t have to use that key the mothers gave us. Just being here says something about what we both want, doesn’t it?”
He hummed. “At least, it tells me you trust me.”
Did she? Odd that she wasn’t having a panic attack. Bonnie knew JT wouldn’t force her to do anything she didn’t want to do.
“Odd.” She muttered the word. JT watched her, waiting for an explanation.
I just mean that it’s odd. This took some time to plan out. But how did the mothers expect to get you here? After all, Gus’ fall was an accident.”
Bonnie put a hand to her head and gripped her forehead. “At least, I think it was an accident. Goodness, I hope my mother didn’t push him down the porch steps.”
Her new husband paled. “Is your mother really that vicious?”
With a shrug of her shoulders, Bonnie casually tossed out her answer. “Determined, not vicious. Very, very determined.”
That earlier feeling of unease about her mother returned. The woman was controlling, intrusive, and manipulative. Still she was her mother, and someone who’d shown Bonnie unswerving loyalty and love all of her life. If something was wrong, Bonnie wanted to know about it.
“You’re quiet. Since you’re chewing on your lip, something must be bothering you.” He took a few steps toward her but stopped when she held up her hand. “Are you afraid of her?”
Bonnie sent her blonde hair swinging as she denied that. “Right now, I’m more nervous about being here than I am afraid of anyone. This is a mistake.”
JT rubbed his hands down his face and groaned. “Yeah, I just wanted some place to talk. You know I wouldn’t—” He fell silent and pointed toward the bed.
Bonnie’s lips lifted briefly. “It can’t be legal, can it? I mean, we weren’t the ones that got the marriage license. Even if we did sign it, we didn’t go to the courthouse or anything.”
She looked at her would-be husband and the flicker of sadness surprised her. Was it because they were married or because she didn’t want it to be legal?
JT sighed. “Are we really going to make a fuss and get our mothers in trouble with the cops?”
By her silence, Bonnie let him know she didn’t want that. JT inclined his head toward the bed. “You want to sleep here tonight or should I take you—”
Clanging and loud shouts interrupted him. He sprinted to the window and drew back the curtains. Bonnie didn’t bother to join him.
She held her head and groaned. “I can’t believe they’re giving us a shivaree!”
“A what!” JT pulled back from the window when he saw a dozen or more faces pressed against it. The people held pots and spoons. With the curtain opened they started the noise again, banging on the pots and yelling.
Almost shouting to be hea
rd, Bonnie did her best to explain what was happening. “It’s an old country custom. A few of the families around here still practice it after a wedding.”
“Why in the world would they do that?” JT looked her way and shouted his response. When he did, the revelers yelled and banged louder. “This isn’t making me want to live here.”
He yelled the words too loudly. They reached beyond the closed window and through the noise to the people outside. A sudden silence drew the newlyweds’ gazes to the crowd.
Crestfallen. Bonnie had read that word before and it fit the faces she saw.
First one, then another turned away and left their spot in front of the window. Shoulders slumped and Bonnie thought she heard a loud grumble or two through the closed window.
She turned an accusing glance toward the man who stared outside. He felt it and looked at her, shocked.
“Was it something I said?”
“Duh!” The word her mother loved to use slipped out of Bonnie’s mouth.
She didn’t stop to consider if she might offend JT. “They were trying to welcome you to town and celebrate our marriage, such as it is.”
His eyes narrowed to slits as he growled his words. “Yeah, such as it is. We don’t have to stay married, you know. Elvis and meddling mothers aren’t going to decide that for us.”
If Bonnie had been younger, she might have twirled her long hair around a finger. She was that nervous at hearing him say that. As it was, she’d long ago lost the habit of playing with her hair.
“What are you planning? A divorce or annulment before we’ve even spent a day married?”
A quick shake of his head denied that suggestion. In a gentle tone, he explained. “No, I think we need to go on a few dates while I’m here.”
Those words concerned her. Bonnie backed up, and when her legs hit the bed, she plopped down on it. Every time she’d mentioned him moving to Oak Grove, he’d withdraw. Suddenly, she understood.
Aloha My Love: Christmas in July Page 4
