Chapter 6
The funeral was a complete blur to Nalani.
All she could remember doing was sitting there, wearing a simple black dress and tears kept sliding down her face. Staring straight ahead was all she could do, Nalani couldn't even manage to speak to anyone, not believing the last of her family was dead. Granted, she had some aunts and uncles, but she wasn't close to them, so she didn't really consider them true family. Nalani couldn't help thinking that this was somehow her fault, even though she would probably be dead as well if she hadn't moved out of the mansion.
Kaci was there for support, holding her hand and keeping people at bay, not wanting her friend feeling surrounded. That was never a good feeling to anyone, Kaci knew because she'd also had to suffer the lost of a loved one many years prior. Randy sat beside her in a crisp black suit, keeping silent, while Kaci consoled the woman she thought of as a sister.
They both cried for hours that day over the two graves that marked Michael and Nicole's graves. It didn't feel real to Nalani and all she could do was let Kaci hold her, both of them not moving from the graves even after the funeral ended. People came over to express their condolences, saying how sorry they were her family was gone, but all Nalani could manage to do was nod. She couldn't even thank them, not having the strength, and was thankful Kaci was there to do it for her.
Nalani cried her heart out when it turned out Michael had left her and Nicole everything split equally in his will. Nicole wasn't around so it all went to Nalani and that just made the guilt eat away at her even more. She had more money than she knew what to do with, but all Nalani could do was grieve for her lost father and baby sister.
There was no way she could go back inside the mansion and decided to hire some movers to put everything that wasn't destroyed in storage. Kaci did this for her of course, Nalani wanting nothing to do with it, simply handing over a credit card to get it taken care of. Nalani wanted to put the mansion up for sale, but didn't have the heart to do it, so many childhood memories linked to it. So instead, she left it the way it was, vowing nobody would ever live in it because of what happened to her family.
Who the hell would honestly want to live in a mansion where a seventeen year old teenager was brutally raped and murdered along with her father?
Nalani ended up staying with Kaci and resumed work after taking two weeks off, drinking herself silly nearly every night. She just wanted to numb the pain somehow, not knowing how else to do it. Kaci had been extremely worried about Nalani's mental well being and sat her down one night, needing to knock some sense into her best friend.
"You're destroying yourself by doing this, Nala. You can't keep drinking this heavily or it will tear you apart."
"Shut up, I can do what I want." Nalani had tried walking away from her, or rather stumbling, but Kaci stopped her.
"No!" Kaci took the bottle of booze Nalani had and hurled it against the wall, the glass shattering into pieces. "You're not killing yourself in front of me or my child! I won't let you!"
Nalani remembered seeing the tears build up in Kaci's eyes and immediately collapsed to her knees on the kitchen floor, burying her face in her hands. "I'm so fucked up…" She whispered painfully, not knowing where to go from here or what to do anymore, how to cope.
Kaci held her close that night, stroking her hair, promising things would get better with time. "Maybe you should go to therapy?" She offered and Nalani knew she would have no choice, simply nodding, more tears falling.
Therapy helped a little bit, though it was ultimately up to Nalani to get better, having accepted the death of her father and sister wasn't her fault. That's what the therapist stressed at every session for the next three months, wanting Nalani to truly believe it. Eventually, she did and ended up going to their graves at least once a week to grieve, which is what the therapist suggested as a coping mechanism.
Before Nalani knew it, nearly a year had passed since the death of her family and she was finally starting to come around. She would never be the same cheerful Nalani, though she'd stopped crying at night and the nightmares vanished. She continued working at the supermarket and decided to change her last name from Kensington to her mother's maiden name, Martin.
It was easier because not very many people knew who she really was, Nalani having always kept out of the spotlight. To most, Michael only had one daughter and that was Nicole, which Nalani was completely fine with. Nalani didn't want to be in the spotlight and only close family, friends and relatives were allowed at the funeral, most of them living in other states. So it all worked out in her favor, nobody knowing she'd lost her family because of their ridiculous fortune.
It was a cool October evening on all Hollow's Eve, the thirtieth, and Nalani simply sat inside Kaci's house watching a scary movie. Kaci was currently getting ready for a Halloween party one of Randy's close friends invited them to. Jen was currently being watched by Kaci's mother down the street for the evening and Kaci wouldn't stop getting on Nalani about going with.
"Come on sweetie, you have to get out of this house. All you ever do is work and it's heartbreaking." Kaci frowned, currently dressed as a sexy grey wolf.
The outfit was five pieces, which included a bustier style top with faux grey fur, lacing up the front and back. It came with a faux fur mini skirt with a large tail, faux fur gloves and a wolf hood along with leg warmers. She had on silver eye shadow with liquid black eyeliner to bring out her violet eyes. Kaci left her long black hair down, pooling over her shoulders, the costume made for her.
"Please?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"No."
Kaci sighed heavily and suddenly snatched Nalani up by the couch, dragging her into the bedroom. "I'm NOT taking no for an answer. Halloween used to be such a big deal to you and you're going. I'm not kidding." She sat Nalani's grumbling form down and grinned, beginning the transformation. "Trust me; this is going to be fun."
"Why are you forcing me to go?" Nalani practically whined, causing Kaci to hum happily.
"It's for your own good, now shut up and let me do your makeup." Kaci ordered, having picked out the perfect costume for her best friend to wear. She'd sent Jen to her mother's for a reason, ignoring Nalani's insistence that she would watch the little girl.
"Kace, I don't wanna go…" Nalani sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing with her best friend, and knew she would have to suffer a night out with her and Randy. "I'll feel like a third wheel, no offense…"
"Which is precisely why there's going to be a lot of available bachelors at this party. John is throwing it and you know how crazy he can get." She winked, causing Nalani to groan, not looking forward to this at all.
"The guy who enjoys being naked ninety-nine percent of the time?" When Kaci nodded excitedly, Nalani just closed her eyes, shaking her head.
"Don't do that! You'll screw me up!"
"Sorry." She muttered, clasping her hands in her lap. "You do realize I don't find him even remotely attractive, right?"
That didn't change Kaci's mood as she continued doing Nalani's makeup. "I know that Nala, but maybe you'll meet someone there who you ARE interested in."
Kaci was forever trying to play matchmaker and Nalani had gotten used to it, though she was also sick of being disappointed. Kaci finished the last of the makeup and then moved to doing the hair, curling a few strands and pinning half of her hair on top of her head. Nalani knew Kaci had a vision and just let her do it, knowing the woman wouldn't be leaving the house without her.
"You've gotta be kidding me." Nalani deadpanned, staring in the mirror, wondering if Kaci was joking. "You can't expect me…"
"You are and it looks fantastic on you!" Kaci beamed proudly, smoothing the fabric down her sides. "You seriously do look like a roman goddess."
The toga dress was a shimmery white that had a slit up the left leg that went to mid-thigh, an attached veil that flowed down her back. It had a gold rope wrapped around the midsection, hanging down the front and side of the dress for style. The headpiece was a simple thin gold band around her forehead with a braided rope dangling from it on the left side of her face, gold arm cuffs on each of her arms. Two inch gold heels accented her feet, strapping up her calves. Her makeup was simple black eyeliner that outside her blue eyes, gold shimmery eye shadow and peach gloss on her lips.
"You've officially lost your damn mind." Nalani muttered, still not believing who was staring back at her in the reflection. "I look…"
"Hot." Randy's voice rumbled from behind, both women turning. "Though, nothing compared to my sexy little she wolf." He grinned, pulling Kaci into his arms, kissing her passionately. "You bout ready to go, beautiful?"
Randy was in tight black jeans with a red flannel shirt on, werewolf hands with fur that had long claws on them, covering his arms up to his elbows. He had a werewolf headpiece with ears, refusing to wear a full-fledged mask for the outfit. There were slashes in the flannel to make it look like he was transforming slowly into a werewolf, grey makeup under his eyes to make it realistic.
Kaci was having a hard time keeping her eyes off of him, giggling when he started growling some pretty sexual things in her ear that Nalani couldn't overhear.
She was thankful.
"Behave or you won't get bit later." Kaci laughed when he growled at her again and lifted her up over his shoulder caveman style, letting out a howl. "Come on Nala; don't make me come drag you out!"
Sighing and resigned to her fate for the evening, Nalani reluctantly followed them out to the car, slipping in the backseat. She looked down at the costume Kaci picked for her and shook her head, admitting only to herself she looked beautiful. Glancing out the window, Nalani decided to try having a good time tonight, wanting just a few hours to forget about all she'd been through in the past year.
The Halloween costume party was in full swing, everyone dressed up, dancing and carrying on. Nalani stepped out of the vehicle, being careful of the costume, and followed Randy and Kaci inside to greet John. John was currently in…Nalani had to look away because he wasn't wearing much of ANYTHING at this point. A sparkling blue thong with a huge wig that looked ready to crush his head. There was even a bowtie on the thong and Randy nearly keeled over from how hard he was laughing.
"Dude, you should go work for Chippendale's!" Randy crowed, holding onto his headpiece so it didn't fall off, Kaci giggling uncontrollably.
John simply grinned, shaking his ass. "I think I look damn…WOW…" He stopped shaking his money maker and slowly walked over to the beautiful goddess, knowing exactly who it was. "Nalani, you look…"
"Different?" She offered with a small smile, John kissing the back of her hand, knowing he was glad she came.
"I'm so glad you came." He then went back to shaking his ass to anyone who would watch, Nalani deciding she needed some fresh air and a drink.
She walked toward the punch bowl, knowing it was spiked, and honestly didn't mind as she filled a cup. It smelled tropical and Nalani began slowly sipping it, not realizing a dark figure standing beside her. Nalani stirred her drink absentmindedly with a spoon, wanting the alcohol to be even in the punch, and slowly turned to walk away.
"You look like you have a lot on your mind." A deep husky voice sounded from behind, causing Nalani to slowly stop and turn to face whoever spoke to her.
The man towered over her and he was currently in a sorcerer costume, a silver rope wrapped around the black robe, a hood pulled over his forehead so she could barely see his eyes. He stood nearly seven feet tall and Nalani watched mesmerized at how huge his hands were as he grabbed a cup of spiked punch. Her breath was completely stolen when he removed the hood and she stared into a pair of the clearest green eyes she'd ever seen on a man, reminding her of small emeralds. His black hair was currently pulled back in a ponytail that the hood held most of at the moment, slicked back, black eyeliner outlining the bottom of his eyes.
"I'm sorry what?" Nalani had to stop staring and pulled her gaze away from his, focused more on her punch.
A deep low chuckle escaped his sensual lips as he took a step closer to her, Nalani swallowing hard. "I said you look like you have a lot on your mind, darlin'." His voice still held that same huskiness and Nalani could already feel her knees weakening.
"Yeah I do, but who doesn't?" She managed to retort, feeling her throat suddenly turn into a desert, and sucked down half of her cup.
"Can't argue with that." He smirked, leaning against the wall, this beautiful roman goddess having caught his eye as he was walking through talking to his friends. "What's your name?"
"Why do you want to know?" Once again she retorted, raising a slow eyebrow up at this gorgeous man with guarded blue eyes.
He shrugged nonchalantly, deciding if she didn't want to tell him, she didn't have to. "Just curious what a beautiful goddess like you calls herself." He said charmingly, taking a slow sip of the punch and tried not making a face.
"You tell me yours first." Nalani decided to compromise, wondering if he would take the bait.
That smirk only grew wider and he turned fully to face her, extending his large hand, wondering if she would take it. "Mark." He watched her stare at his hand hesitantly, knowing he intimidated people with his height and size, especially women. "I won't hurt you, darlin'."
Nalani had two choices: she could either run away from him or take his hand.
Taking his hand, Nalani watched in amazement as his hand practically swallowed her own, roses instantly blooming in her cheeks. "Nalani." She said in barely above a whisper, chewing her bottom lip, feeling him pull her to stand closer to him.
She had no idea what adventure she was about to embark on with this man.