The Adventures Of Bette Porter And Sissee Gardner Schmidt After Tina (Part 2, Chapter 15)

PART TWO: MAUI

Chapter 15

When we got back to Maggie Maui’s B & B we saw that both of the Fuller vehicles were gone which meant we had the whole place to ourselves. We unloaded the Jeep, cleaned the inside and put the top up. Then, we took turns taking a quick shower and changing into dressier clothes. I finished first so I opened our bottle of wine, found two wine glasses and went downstairs to the front lawn where there were Adirondack chairs to sit on next to that lava rock fertility god. I set the bottle and glasses down on a small table and sat down to wait for Bette.

It was so peaceful there that I leaned back to enjoy it with my eyes closed. There was that ever present tropical breeze consistently caressing everything on the island and by now, the familiar sound of the happy birds, singing their praises to another beautiful day in paradise. It crossed my mind to soak it up and store it up because once we got back to California things were going to get contrast ively gloomy.

I let out a sigh, forcing my eyes open. I watched a hammock that was to my right, strung between two coconut trees, as it swayed gently back and forth by the ghost wind.

It was not long before I saw Bette come down the stairs and I was reminded all over again why I never stopped loving her. She literally took my breath away. She flashed me one of her personal smiles that always triggered a wave of warmth over my entire body.

Her hair was how I liked it best, balanced with many curls around her head, loose and naturally pouf. She wore very little makeup because she did not need any. The only added color was to her lips that were softly pink with lipstick. Her face, her arms, any exposed skin was as I had likened it many times before, a honey brown but now with rosy highlights having been teased by the Hawaiian rain, sun and wind for four days.

I had hoped she would get a chance to wear an outfit she bought at Hilo Hattie’s with a black background and white orchid print and so, here it was. The top was sleeveless with a pinch-v neckline that flowed down to matching Capri pants. On her feet she wore slippers, hand woven from lauhala leaves and bordered with the same print fabric as her outfit. Her purse was also made out of those unique leaves and she finished off the coordinated ensemble with a sea star necklace and wrist band.