Delta-Victor (13 page)

He gently took hold of her hand. “I understand.”

“I wanted to stay anyway, but now it really is the only choice I have left. Please don't take it away from me.”

“The decision is not mine to make. But I will speak to him for you if you wish.”

“Thank you.” She squeezed his hand and let go, moving slowly away. “C'mon, Deefer.”

~*~

Jim jerked awake as someone splashed cold water on his face. “Hey!”

Staci flopped down beside him. “You're not getting any sympathy, so don't bother to ask,” she said. “Wake up. I need to talk to you.”

Jim groaned. “Go away.”

“Fine,” she huffed. “I shan't tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“You'll never know unless you wake up. And you've still got your eyes closed. Although you've spent most of the day sleeping, while everyone else has been working. Even Mafuso has been hard at it all day long.”

Jim reluctantly opened his eyes. “OK. I'm awake. What do you want?”

“I want to go home,” Staci said simply.

Jim sat bolt upright and stared at her, all traces of sleep gone. “You do?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“It's nice and all here, but I've had enough now. I want to go back to school, where everyone speaks the same language as me and we can have proper dinners and I don't have to sleep on the floor or sew all day long. Even if Mum and Dad won't be there, I want to go home.”

Jim smiled. “Sure, kiddo. I'll take you home. And if Mum and Dad don't come back, you won't have to go into care. I'm eighteen now. I'll take care of you.”

“Jim, you've done a great job, but you can't do that from a ship or plane. You have wanted to join the navy or air force since forever. You can't put your life on hold for me any longer. I'll go to boarding school and spend the holidays with Nichola.”

He hugged her. “All right. When do you want to leave?”

“Tomorrow,” she said, hugging him back.

“That's the wedding. I thought you wanted to stay for that.”

“I do. The day after tomorrow, then.”

“I'll tell the others.”

“OK. Thanks, bro.”

“Anything for you, kiddo.”

She smiled. “Besides, Lou needs to go home and see a proper doctor. Not that Mafuso isn't a proper doctor, but you know what I mean.”

Jim nodded. “Yeah. He can only do so much.” He pushed to his feet. “OK, I'm going for a swim, wake myself up. You coming?”

She nodded. “Race you over there.” She tore across the clearing.

Jim followed her, deliberately letting his younger sister win. He'd talk to Ailsa later, over dinner perhaps. He hadn't known her long, but he didn't want to lose her. She'd become a huge part of his life and he wanted her to stay that way. Then that just left Lou. She was even more secretive than normal and that worried him. What was she planning? More to the point, could he stop her from doing it?

15

The small chapel was quiet. Lou stood in the doorway, watching Kelmac. Then she made her way inside. “May I speak with you?” she asked in a hushed whisper, not wanting to disturb the silence.

Kelmac turned and smiled at her. “What can I do for you?”

Now the moment was here, she hesitated. What if he said no? Then where would she go? She lowered herself onto a stool beside him. “The others are planning on leaving soon,” she said quietly. “I would imagine pretty soon after the wedding, probably the following day. Jim wants to get Staci back to England, see if there is any news about their parents.”

Kelmac nodded. “I presumed as much.” He tilted his head, holding her gaze. “You do not wish to go with them.”

“I—” she broke off. “How did you know? Has Keika already spoken to you? She said she would, but I wanted to before she did.”

“You said
the others
are leaving. You did not say
we
. Therefore it is obvious that you are not planning to go with them.”

“Oh.” Lou rubbed her leg. She looked at the ground. “No, I don't want to leave. I want to stay here.”

“Why not go with the others? They are your family, are they not?”

“Close friends, not family. But I like it here.”

Kelmac hardened his gaze. “Tell me, once Mafuso is joined to Tayba, will you like it as much?”

Lou's stomach lurched and her face burned. “Of course. I'm a child, according to him. Besides, he and Tayba are soul mates. Once they're married he's off limits, same as every other married man. Just like Jim is now because he loves Ailsa.” She sucked in a deep breath. “You want the truth?”

Kelmac nodded. “The truth is always the best way. Even if it hurts.”

She paused slightly. “You sound like my mother.”

“Then your mother is a wise woman.” He tilted his head. “You have never spoken of her to anyone. Is she still alive?”

“She, ummm, she's not dead. At least, I don't think so. My father is. It's just her and me.”

“I don't understand. If you are all she has, then why not go home to her?”

Lou looked up. “Because I'm dying. I overheard Mafuso talking last night when he thought I was sleeping. I tried to let him believe that my leg was healing, that the pain was lessening, but it isn't and he wasn't falling for it. I'm cold and can't get warm, and my head hurts all the time. It's not fair of me to give the others false hope. Or, if we do get rescued, to do the same to Mum. For her to have lost me all these months, and get me back for a few days? A month, at the most? It's not fair. It's better if they think I've chosen to stay behind, than to go home just to die.”

Kelmac's frown deepened. “So you would rather lie to them then tell them the truth? What about their choice in all this?”

“I'm trying to protect them. This way they'll think I've got a happy ever after and needn't know I only have a short time left.” The tears she'd held in for so long trickled down her face. “Please…”

He shook his head. “I cannot let you do that to them. And I think, that no matter what you are feeling now, you would regret it if you didn't give them the chance to say goodbye.”

“But they will,” she insisted. “They just won't know I'm dying.”

“If you stay, then you have to tell them the truth. And not lie to me about it, simply to get your own way.” Kelmac stood, signaling the conversation was over. “I have made my decision. Now I have things to do for tomorrow.”

“Sure.” Lou slowly left the chapel and headed down to the river, Deefer running at her heels. Now what would she do? She slid to the forest floor and leaned against a tree.

At this point, Jim would usually pray. But she wasn't Jim. And anyway, why should she pray to a God who wanted her dead at sixteen? Ironic, in a way. She'd wanted to die just after the shark attack, and now she was going to, she wasn't sure about it at all.

~*~

January 10, day 51, dawn. The wedding. Lou writing.

It's already humid and hot, despite the fact the sun hasn't been up long. It's going to be a long day. The wedding ceremony itself is happening pretty early on, with the rest of the day being spent celebrating before Mafuso and Tayba leave to go to their new house and are left alone for the evening.

Jim is planning on leaving at first light tomorrow. He says that way we can make a good start towards the coast and where he thinks this base is.

.gniog ton ma I… I don't care what anyone says, I can't go with them. I'll go as far as the base and then when rescue arrives, I shall take my leave. Deefer and I will find somewhere else to live. There must be another village or something. Or we just find a nice shady tree to sit under and wait for the inevitable. I will meet death on my terms… ecoihc yM

I better get up. Everyone else has. Mafuso looks nervous. For once it's him complaining he's not hungry. It is so tempting to tell him if he doesn't eat he'll get sick, but I don't think he'd find that funny. Don't think anyone would today. It's meant to be a happy occasion, but there is a great lack of smiles and laughter this morning.

OK, the men have left. That's our cue to get changed into the formal robes they've provided for us.

Lou put the pen down and closed the book. She reached for the clean robe that Ailsa had laid out for her. She shivered and pulled the robe on over the one she already had one. Perhaps the double layer would help warm her up.

Staci smiled. “That color suits you.”

“Not as much as that one suits you, Stace.” She slowly pulled herself to her feet and looked at the untouched plate of food beside her. “I might give breakfast a miss. Not feeling so good and I don't want to ruin the day by throwing up.”

“Mafuso said…”

“He didn't eat either, did he?”

Staci shook her head. “No.”

“And I suppose you're still hungry.”

“Of course.”

“So you eat mine and then everyone's happy.”

“You will eat something later though, right?”

Lou forced a smile. “Of course. I'm looking forward to that cake thing Keika made.”

As the sun rose fully above the trees, a drum began to sound.

Everyone assembled at the center of the village, by the raised dais.

Kelmac stood there, with his full ceremonial headdress on. Feathers and beads cascaded over his shoulders and his long, blue cloak reached the ground.

The drumbeat increased and then stopped.

Music floated over the village as Sivelle led Tayba out towards the dais.

Keika played a wooden flute.

The music first scaling high, then low brought a lump to Lou's throat. This was something she'd never do. She wouldn't even see Jim or Staci get married. Staying here would be easier on her than anyone else if she were honest.

Tayba's dress was yellow-gold. It floated down from her shoulders, hardly touching her at all, before it reached the ground. Her hair was hidden under a veil of blue, which was also floor length. She looked radiant.

The drums started up again, as the women began to sing.

Lotho took Tayba's hand and led her onto the dais.

Kelmac offered him a knife and as the singing rose, Lotho cut one of the cords from his robe and used it to tie Tayba's wrist to Mafuso's. This symbolized him giving his daughter freely in marriage. He returned the knife to Kelmac and returned to Sivelle.

The singing, music and drums ceased.

Kelmac raised his hands and held them over Mafuso and Tayba. He chanted slowly and quietly, yet in the hush that had descended over the whole village, every word was audible. As Kelmac chanted, his voice rose and fell almost rhythmically. As the ceremony progressed, Tayba knelt. Kelmac cut the cord on her wrist and handed her a bowl of water.

Tayba took the bowl and poured the water over Mafuso's feet, symbolizing her devotion and obedience to him.

Kelmac then raised the knife over Tayba and brought it down, as if to kill her.

Mafuso grabbed his wrist and pointed the knife towards himself, declaring that he would give his life for Tayba's. Mafuso raised Tayba to her feet.

Kelmac chanted a final blessing and Mafuso took his new wife into his arms and kissed her.

The drums and music started up again and all the villagers began singing.

Deefer barked and dashed around madly.

Lou grabbed his collar. “Shh, you daft dog. Sit down. You're spoiling it.” She pulled the camera from her pocket and took a couple pictures.

After a while, the singing finished and the bride and groom stepped off the dais to a sea of congratulations.

The celebrations began with a feast and then dancing which continued well into dusk.

Towards the end of the evening, Kelmac raised his hands for silence. “Tonight we celebrate the union of Mafuso and Tayba. We celebrate life and love and friendship. Tomorrow we must say goodbye to friends. Jim, Lou, Staci, and Ailsa will be leaving us to continue their long journey home.” He turned and looked at them. “You have been true friends. You helped rebuild the village after the fire. Helped us, who were total strangers to you. Jim, you saved my son's life. You have taught us about your culture and in return have learnt about ours. You have given us as much as we have given you. You have enriched our lives by coming to us.”

Jim stood up. “As you have enriched our lives,” he replied. “You took a huge risk when you asked us to stay. You had little left after the fire, but helped us anyway. Took us in. Clothed and fed us. Thank you for having us here for so long. We have all enjoyed living with you for the past couple of weeks. We will cherish our memories of this time together for the rest of our lives.”

As Jim sat down, Staci said, “I never realized you were so eloquent, bro.”

“Nice speech, Jim,” Lou told him.

“Thank you.” Jim smiled, his smile growing as Ailsa slid her hand into his.

Mafuso and Tayba stood by the dais, talking to some of the other villagers.

Lou made her way over to them. “Thank you for letting us share today with you,” she said.

“Thank you for all you have done,” Tayba said. “You have all given us far more than we gave you.”

Lou gave Tayba a hug and after a pause gave Mafuso one too. “Be nice to each other,” she said and returned across to where Ailsa was waiting for her.

They returned to Amilek's hut for the last time. “I feel so much at home,” Lou said as they sat down to eat the light supper of fruit. “I don't want to leave.”

“You are coming, though,” Ailsa said sharply.

“I said I would. It's a joint decision. You go, we go.”

“Good.”

Jim glanced over at Amilek. “Do you know anything about the journey between here and the coast?”

“The American base?”

“Yes. Have you been there?”

“Many years ago. It is a three-day walk from here at a normal pace, but I would expect it to take you a week at the pace Lou walks. The beach itself is just beyond the buildings.” He paused. “Do you wish me to come with you?”