Family Reunion (86 page)

LuMaden stood once more staring out over his kingdom, her words he could no longer stop. Noting that he was truly listening, pondering, absorbing each thing she said, she went further, "Pouring all of your love into one child, when you have many, one can only imagine all that you have missed…because I my father, want nothing that you have offered me."

LuMaden turned to the door as Catamon stood at attention, ever present should he need him. For once, instead of looking straight ahead, Catamon looked his father in the eyes. LuMaden stared back into his son’s eyes, seeing that her words rang with truth, as if needing them confirmed, he asked, "My son… have you heard the words of your sister?"

Catamon nodded without a word.

"Do you agree with her?"

"Foolishness is tied up in disputing wisdom, does not matter from
whom
the wisdom comes."

LuMaden walked to his railing, looking out at the island, still noisy with celebrating; he thought about Ashtaphere and his betrayal, he thought about Catamon and his loyalty; the loyalty of his wife, Austeao. To be unreasonable now would only serve to make him look the domineering, heartless tyrant his daughter had labeled him. For once, LuMaden turned and actually looked at her, addressing her husband as he did so, "Where Maynard Webster, is this land you come from? Where my daughter has grown into such a woman? Where?"

"It is called, America."

"America…my people are slaves there." LuMaden replied disturbed by the thought of such a place.

"Your people are slaves here." Catamon reminded him.

LuMaden turned and stared at his son, after pausing in thought, he
let out a great sigh, replying, "Let us see how you do, when you become king my son. Let us see how you do."

King LuMaden lifted his arm for Lena to come under it, something he’d done many times when she was a small child, a young girl and now, as a woman, she went to him without hesitation.

"Tell me you love me – I need to hear it my daughter."

"I love you, Dauda…with all my heart, really I do."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure."

"If you
must
have him, you could live here. You…
him
, the children – all."

"Our home is in America Dauda."

LuMaden chuckled and then laughed, "God help all the people there, black or white, should any more like you rise among them."

"Oh my father, you have yet to meet our daughter, Hope. She is full of fire, much more so than I, and there are many women, like me – black and white – fighting to be heard."

LuMaden smiled and kissed his daughter's brow. Hugging her, he closed his eyes, knowing he would have to let her go. Yet, pride as he had never known rose up within him, for his daughter was more valuable to this white man, than all the treasures he'd offered. Because of this man and the land called America, she was no longer fit for his kingdom; she belonged to Maynard Webster and that land,
America
.

"Maynard Webster."

"Yes, King LuMaden."

With a lump in his throat, LuMaden hesitated to say the words and before he did, he pulled Lena into his arms and hugged her once again. "I give you - my daughter. Seek always what it is that she wants. Listen please - when she tells you how she feels…and…should you ever feel to cause her pain, don’t…bring her home to me, I will take her back…
gladly.
"

"LuMaden…on that… you have my word."

Palming her face, LuMaden gazed deeply into his daughter’s moist eyes; he kissed her brow, “You, make me proud … go…return to your family."

Lena hugged her father again and turned from him rushing into her husband's arms, following a triumphant hug, they turned and left, Catamon smiling at them with a nod as they made their exit. Austeao walked out on the balcony after listening to everything.

Quietly she strolled up to her husband and stroked his shoulder. "Come -
rest LuMaden." She spoke to him in French. Catamon turned and left his parents alone. "You heard her… do you feel as she does?" He asked Austeao. "Often I have."

"Why did you not make me listen?"

"You?! King LuMaden, listen to the words of a woman? LuMaden, as Esa said, you never cared enough about anyone else to listen."

"Yes…I suppose that is my one flaw."

"
One!
Ha! Remind me later LuMaden so that I can count them up or you, I assure you… the numbers far exceed one!"

LuMaden growled at her, then turned back to look out to sea. "You think she will be alright?"

"LuMaden…of course she will! You should be proud! Our daughter - our Esa, left on a ship as a slave but she has returned on another that bears her name! Her master, her husband, rejecting all treasures and willing to die for her…she will be, just - fine. Besides, he's wrapped around her finger…she no doubt gives him instruction."

LuMaden made a face grinning, "No doubt."

Leaving the king’s chamber, Manny and Lena stood in the grand hallway. With a smile on her face, she happily stated, "Wait until the children hear! I am so relieved that it is over."

"The children can wait, where are your chambers?" Manny asked.

Lena grinned making a, "Ohhh." Face.

"Right this way, follow me."

Manny nodded, remaining silent as he followed, the situation with her father, defused within him, to be slowly replaced with another infusion. He was still stinging from the shame of it all. Lena's obvious torture, he well understood, as well her urge to be heard by her father, he had after all, in time came to realize she was right. He had been proud of her. Yet, still – there were little things in it all, that were nagging and infusing him with growing anger, such as the way she had gone about getting the attention she needed. The way she felt it necessary to protect him, as if he could not do so himself, and the topper of it all, if LuMaden had stood firm, refusing to budge, remaining deaf to all she had said, would she have indeed driven the dagger into her heart? Daring to leave him alone knowing she died because of him. He was trying to reason it all out but instead he felt she had taken it all out of his hands. Manny's mind, as he followed his wife, was trying to calm until he focused on her swaying, naked hips.

'Married to me, she strolled out ass naked for the world to see!'
He thought as he followed her barely clad form. With his scattering thoughts, he failed to hear her or the things she was saying to him as they walked.
'Her hair was down too! Loose and past her shoulders!'
He could hear the murmurs now. Yes, her father orchestrated it, but she should have denied him earlier, before he was made to look like the powerless weak willed dink he felt like.

As Lena opened her door and went inside, she wondered at his silence as he passed her to enter. "Manny, did you hear anything I said? I asked if maybe we should tell the children tonight, they'll be worried." She advised closing the door, watching her husband's stiff back. He stood a few feet from the door entrance looking straight ahead into her room. Lena made a face of confusion and walked up behind him, placing herself on his arm,

"Manny what's - Manny?!! What are you doing!?!" She screeched startled as he, without warning, turned on her, grabbed her and flipped her over his forearm under his bicep, with her facing behind him and her behind, clear out in front of him. Naked cheeks in full view, he gave her four, hard, rapid slaps intended to hurt, and they did, setting her bottom instantly on fire.

"Manny! Owww! Manny stop!" She screamed as he delivered the last and dropped her on the floor at his feet. Quickly he strode away from her resisting the need to slap it a few more times, but restraining himself.

Lena shot to her feet, her mouth wide open and gasping as her hands stroked her flaming flesh.
"What was that for? What did I do?!"
She shouted in agony feeling tears well up in her eyes, stunned and hurt that he'd done such a thing to her. Never, had he struck her in such an angry manner. Over the years, he had indeed promised it, but she never paid that any mind. This time, he hadn't even given her warning. Lena watched him pace, taking several deep breaths to calm himself and then he turned to her, his face red, his eyes narrowed and angry.

"What's wrong with you!?" She asked again, "Have you lost your senses?"

"What's wrong with me!? You want to know what’s wrong!!?" He bellowed. Lena flinched and backed up with her heart pounding and her ears ringing. "Now Manny…calm down."

"Calm down my ass, I owe you several more!!" He added, pacing back and forth. "But why?" She questioned with wide confused eyes. "You dare to ask me why?!" He yelled. "Well you dare to strike me!!" She blared.

"And may well again if you continue to argue with me! Let it be known right here and now, I won't stand for it this night, do you hear?!"

"Manny!? I don't know what's wrong to argue with you over!"

She retorted louder than she’d intended and he charged at her
again, Lena squealed and darted out of his path behind one of the pillars to her balcony. "Manny!!? Stop it!!" She screeched in shock that he had actually leapt to grab and hit her again.

"For years I have put up with your smart mouth! Standing up to me as if you were the man and I the woman! I will not have it any longer! Do you hear me?!"

Lena stood holding onto the pillar gaping in shock. "We are leaving this island tomorrow!" She ordered.

"No! We will leave when
I
say we leave! Me! I'm the man here! God gave me the cock! Not you!"

"Manny!"

"Shut up, I'm talking!"

"But you're not making any sense!"

He took off after her again; Lena screamed and ran leaping onto her bed then off the other side as Manny yelled, "I'm talking! Not you! You listen! Come here!"

"No!" She stood at a pillar watching him.

"You think I can't catch you if I want to?"

"Oh Manny… this is insane! What have I done?" She questioned.

"Let's see, where do I begin? You always, always take over whenever there's a problem between us! You never trust me to handle it! And tonight was the straw that broke the camels back!"

"I've never done any such thing Manny."

"You do it all the time! Little teeny tiny things to let me know, I don't tell you what to do."

Lena almost burst with laughter, but caught herself.

"Oh you think it's funny? Well I don't, let me ask you something, if your father had not conceded…what would you have done? Would you have driven that dagger through your heart?!"

Lena looked up at him meekly, her laughter gone. "Manny, it was going too far."

"Answer my question!"

"I knew Manny, that my father loved me too much to let that happen. I did it to get his attention."

"How dare you! What if he hadn't backed down, what if he’d changed since your absence?!"

"He did back down Manny, that's the point!"

"No! No it's not! Answer my question damn it!"

"Rather my life ... than the lives of those I love." She finally
answered.

"You had no right to do that! You are my wife! From the top of your,
half
covered head! - That's another thing…I'll get back to that! To the bottom of your feet, and everything in between is mine! It was not up to you to use your life as a bargaining tool!"

"Manny you're being irrational!"

"There is nothing irrational about me not wanting to watch my wife plunge a dagger in her heart and dying before my eyes! You think by doing that, we would have all been saved?! Far from it! Had you gone through with it your father loving you as he does, and I, loving you as I do would have gone mad! Had it occurred to you, by taking your own life, many others would have suffered in earnest from the rage of losing their princess - their mother - their daughter, sister, friend…my wife! Can you even begin to grasp what destruction might have taken place before someone came to their senses? How can you not know, with all
your
so called wisdom, that there is no recovery or escape from death! Imagine will you, if you had chosen death years ago when we parted then there would be no us today! Ending your life, robs you of the prize for enduring to a better day. I resent the extreme that you went to, to settle this. You had no right."

Lena stood staring at him, understanding now what riled him, taking a chance, she slowly came from behind the pillar and eased closer to him, now in her room with him, "You - you're right, I was wrong, I shouldn't have gone that far."

"I'm not perfect I know, but it would be nice if you considered me in your decision making…especially one that affects the rest of our lives." He went on.

"Anything else?" She asked, moving within reach of him, slowly just in case. "Yes! Don't let me ever catch you in this – this – whatever it is! Baring your ass to the world! I should slap it again for that."