The seaplane swooped, and Melanie uttered a cry. Then it leveled off, and she was suddenly wishing she’d been sedated for this trip. “I’m starting to second-guess my decision. I’m feeling very Tom Hanks in Cast Away.”
“You see the small island on the right?” Suli said, pointing. “That’s where they filmed Cast Away.”
“Wow,” Richelle said, and Virginia who sat two rows in front of them echoed the sentiment. They had all heard that Monuriki was close to the resort.
Which didn’t exactly impress Melanie right now. “We’ll be landing momentarily,” Suli announced, reading Melanie’s thoughts exactly.
Richelle patted her hand. “I swear, Mel—sometimes it’s not just about the destination. It’s about enjoying the ride.”
As the plane went lower and lower, Melanie closed her eyes and braced herself. Then it crashed against the water, and she let out a small shriek.
Seconds passed. She was breathing frantically, but she was breathing. Water wasn’t flooding the small plane. They were safe.
The other passengers on the plane began to cheer.
“Look at this place!” Richelle said excitedly. “I can’t believe we’re here! Open your eyes, Mel.”
Melanie obeyed. And she finally drew in a calming breath and released her death-grip on the seat. The plane was slowing as it approached a dock near the over-the-water bungalows, and Melanie had to admit, the place looked magical. From the rooms that seemed to float on the water, to the mountains in the background, to the stretch of beach...it was postcard perfect.
“We’re really here.”
Melanie looked to her right to see Richelle slip her arms around her fiancé’s neck and plant a kiss on his lips.
Massaging her fingers to get the cramp out, Melanie glanced at the relatives in the seats around her. They were mostly talking excitedly among themselves around how gorgeous the place was. But Edward, Roy’s cousin, immediately met her gaze and smiled.
Melanie offered him a polite smile, and then turned back to look out the plane’s window. Edward had been making awkward conversation with her for two days now, from the time they’d first gotten to JFK on Tuesday afternoon, but now that they were finally in Fiji, she hoped she could escape him.
As Melanie continued to look outside, she realized that the plane had come to a stop while they were still a ways from the dock.
“Um, excuse me?” Melanie called to the pilot, leaning in the plane’s small aisle. “With all due respect, are we supposed to swim to the shore from here?”
“Miss, don’t worry,” Suli said. “Look.”
She did. And she saw a boat heading toward them. Of course, the adventure wouldn’t end with the seaplane landing on the shore. They had to get on a boat to get to the dock.
Melanie forced a laugh. What else could she do? At least the plane had landed safely and they were all in one piece.
Soon, they were loaded onto a boat too small for Melanie’s comfort and taken to the safety of the dock. Only then did she truly start to relax. Members of the resort were on the wooden walkway with guitars, singing what she believed was the same welcome song they’d been serenaded with at the airport. It was lively and jovial, and in the native tongue, so Melanie couldn’t understand a word of it.
But she did understand the warm, inviting smiles the staff members wore—which immediately helped to lift her spirits.
Melanie did a 360-degree turn once she was standing on the dock. She looked out at the dazzling view of the vast turquoise waters finally able to appreciate its beauty.
She spontaneously smiled. They were in Fiji. And it was truly an island of paradise. From the lush mountains to the stunning shoreline, it was clear that she had left the bustling world of New York City behind.
As the men continued to sing, a woman from the resort approached Melanie. “Bula. Welcome to Likuliku.”
“Bula,” Melanie repeated. Once they’d landed at the airport, she had quickly learned that bula meant “hello.”
The woman then placed a string necklace with a wooden trinket around Melanie’s neck.
“Thank you,” Melanie told her.
The woman moved past her to greet Richelle, and placed a necklace around her neck, as well. Once Richelle stepped past the cheerful woman, she came to stand beside Melanie and took hold of her arm. “Oh, my God, Melanie, look at this place.” Richelle squealed in delight. “It’s even more beautiful than what we saw in the pictures!”
“I know,” Melanie agreed. “It’s incredible.”
“I—I can’t believe it.” Richelle’s voice caught. Melanie met her friend’s gaze. She saw the look of awe on her face that matched the tone in her voice. “It’s perfect, Richelle. The absolute perfect place for your wedding. ” Even if it did take a hundred years to get here.
Richelle squealed again. She then giddily skipped over to Roy. She threw her arms around his waist, and he pulled her into a tight embrace. Then he brought his lips down on hers.
“Get a room,” Roy’s older brother, Lance, teased. But even he was holding his wife’s hand.
Melanie watched as Richelle snuggled close to Roy, then as Lance slipped both arms around Lisa from behind. It was as if just being here had quickly transfixed the two couples with a spell of romance.
Melanie couldn’t help but feel slightly wistful. Here she was in Fiji for Richelle’s wedding, a place that seemed to ooze an aura of romance. It was hard to forget that just nine months ago she herself had been scheduled to walk down the aisle. Nine months ago, on a bright September morning, she had gotten dressed up in her beautiful white gown, had gone to the stylist to get her hair and makeup done, and Richelle had been by her side, telling her that the day would go marvelously well.
But the wedding never happened. Melanie hadn’t been able to go through with it. En route to the church, she had suddenly been seized with the fear that her marriage was doomed to fail, and no matter how Richelle and her bridesmaids had tried to convince her that she simply had the pre-wedding jitters, Melanie had ultimately instructed the limo driver to turn around and drive her back home.
Richelle and the bridesmaids had gone on to the church, where they’d told Melanie’s parents her decision. And instead of seeing their only daughter married, her parents had had to break the news to the groom and wedding guests that she wouldn’t be showing.
“Beautiful place, isn’t it?”
Jarred from her trip down memory lane, Melanie spun around to see Edward standing behind her. “Um, yeah,” she agreed. “Gorgeous.”
“I love the still of the morning, don’t you? No sounds of traffic. Just chirping birds and flowing waves.”
“And the beautiful singing,” Melanie added. She looked toward the trio of singers, where Edward’s sister, Virginia, was shaking her heavy body to the beat.
“And the singing,” Edward acknowledged. “We’re definitely a long way from New York.”
“Go get your necklace,” Melanie told him.
“Oh, right.”
When he walked away from her, Melanie went back over to Richelle and Roy. “We don’t have to wait here for our luggage, right? The hotel staff is going to bring it to us when it arrives?”
“Right,” Roy said. “All we have to do is check in.”
“Then let’s do that. It’s barely after six in the morning, and I can’t wait to take a long nap.”
They all began to walk toward the hotel’s main building,