Rather than his accordion, Hal Owens gripped a ukulele. She hoped he actually knew how to play it. No matter, though since the instrument seemed too exotic for small-town Wisconsin.
The twang of a steel guitar signaled to her. It was time for her to greet the community and thank them for coming out.
Oh, and her hula demonstration. Ugh!
Grabbing a mic from its stand, Bonnie smiled out at the crowd as she pushed a strand of gold hair behind her ear. There had to be at least two hundred people crowding the parking lot and lawn next to it.
She saw familiar faces and a sea of flowered shirts and muumuus. Even a few grass skirts like her own. Several people wore Santa hats, too. The mall’s dollar store was selling them.
Once again, her mother was right. The community wanted an excuse to come together and forget problems, at least for one evening.
Smiling broadly, Bonnie greeted them. “Aloha!”
Several repeated the word back to her before she continued. One small girl ran to the platform and handed up a red flower.
“For your hair,” the preschooler chimed out with a cheery smile. Bonnie thanked her, wistful for a baby of her own. What woman didn’t get the urge for a little one once she hit thirty!
The red blossom sat on her left ear now. Looking up, Bonnie spread her arms wide as if she’d hug the entire audience.
“Aloha can mean hello or goodbye. It means living in harmony with the people around you. What better word to describe our town getting together to celebrate Christmas a little early!”
People cheered and one of the musicians beat the drum behind her in agreement. Bonnie held up her hands, and the crowd quickly grew silent, allowing her to continue speaking.
“My mother, the bossy Rita Miller, commanded me to demonstrate a few hula moves. We’ll start with the ha’a.”
Bonnie returned the mic to its stand and lifted her hands palms up to encourage the audience. “So, please stand up and slightly bend your knees. This is how hula dances start.”
After most of the crowd performed the easy move, she changed to the next dance position. “Put your foot out at an angle. This is the hela. Good. I see many of you doing it.”
Bonnie grinned at the little girls standing near the band’s platform. They’re attempts were absolutely adorable! The Simpson twins always were as cute as could be. Right then, they stared up at her with concentration written on each face, trying not to fall as they put out toddler feet at an angle. Even busy with her demonstration, seeing those girls revved up Bonnie’s familiar longing for a husband and a baby.
No, she had her community and the restaurant. Bonnie couldn’t expect to be blessed with more than that in life.
Focusing again on the dance, she moved her hips. “Now for the ‘ami. Just basic hip rotation.” Members of the audience laughed good naturedly as they watched each other sway or rotate. Old or young, it didn’t matter. The move was unfamiliar to them and awkward.
They loved it! That was typical of the Oak Grove community. Being together brought joy. Trying new things created happiness. Why would anyone ever want to leave this place?
Behind her, the band played Aloha Oe, giving the people a tune so they could dance the hula. The wistful notes of the famous song brought smiles to many faces, Bonnie included.
She encouraged people to move their hands like waves of water while swaying their hips. More chuckles rippled through the crowd at their attempts. Nothing had to be perfect for this group to have fun.
Looking out over the sea of waving hands, Bonnie noticed one figure and almost froze. He didn’t dance. Instead, he stood straight and tall, but very still. Almost like a man in shock. And he stared at her with warm, compelling eyes.
Who was he? She didn’t remember meeting him and hadn’t heard of anyone moving into town. Not since the Grangers arrived the year before to take over the antique shop in the strip mall that sat at the edge of town.
Then, he moved. Looking from side to side, he spoke to people as he moved through the crowd. She guessed he was apologizing or asking for people to step aside so he could get through the tight knot of laughing dancers. Two old ladies were bumping hips and giggling, cutting off his approach. He stopped, waiting patiently for them, before they each pinched one of his cheeks and moved out of his way.
Bonnie grinned at his blush. It probably would have been less embarrassing if the women had pinched the cheeks on his face. But, no, they had to grab his….
She couldn’t think about it. Especially not when this man was coming her way.
Why did this man need to get to the platform? And why was she standing with her mouth open, waiting for him?
JT couldn’t remember being around so much silliness. At least, not since fraternity parties he attended while in UW Madison. He’d believe most of those in the crowd were drunk, except signs posted around them asked people not to drink during the luau. Also, he didn’t smell any alcohol. He would have if people were hammered.
No, this group wasn’t drunk. At least not on alcohol. They were charged to just be together, doing something fun. The day before, Ma mentioned the problem with the local factory threatening layoffs. Must be folks needed to forget their trouble for a night.
More power to them. JT couldn’t care what they did as long as they moved out of his way so he could reach
