Chapter Six: Part Three
Refreshed, clean, and smartly dressed in comfortable clothes straight out of her suitcase, Kate heard the staccato clangs of a bell in the distance announcing lunch. Walking into the sunlight on the ring road, she met Dominique strolling towards the head of the path that led to the maloca. ‘Katie! Walk with me.’
Kate took his arm and they walked in a comfortable silence, turning onto the eastern path. A few metres into the trees, he pointed to a colourful lizard up on a high branch. An intricately marked tree snake was stalking it. ‘You’ll only see those snakes high up except in the hottest weather. Any moment now…’
Just as the snake started sliding into position, the lizard stopped advertising for a mate just long enough to notice the approaching danger and stay in the gene pool. It leapt clear of the snake and the tree, gliding on wide membranes between its legs into the thicker scrub below.
‘Wow!’ Kate said. ‘I’m not that keen on snakes, are there many here?’
‘Believe it or not, that is a big one. Most here are no more than double the size of a large earthworm and all are harmless. Kids sometimes see how many they can put in their pants. There is a species of python on the island that grows a little larger, but it’s very shy and rarely seen. We occasionally see a snake in the water near the outer shore, but they never make it here. Our people sustainably harvest the lagoon and there is a very active food chain out there. A swimming snake is just a convenient lunch for any number of aquatic or winged predators.
‘The only predatory mammals on the island are bats. We have an active population of raptors too. They circle over the spires at either end of the island as they warm in the morning sun and are a spectacular sight.’
‘I look forward to seeing them. Rick told me about your wasps. Is there any other wildlife I should know about?’
‘Yes, there is,’ he said, his memory prompted. ‘Sometimes a particular owl that hunts around here can startle you in the later evening. It sounds a lot like a very young woman screaming. Whilst harmless, it can surprise the hairs clear off the back of your neck.’
‘Something to look forward to,’ she said. He laughed. It always took her by surprise how the word ‘generous’ applied to everything about Dom, even his laugh. They walked on with their arms linked, enjoying the sounds and smells of the scrubby woods around them.
Her face clouded in thought as they entered the small clearing where Rick had thanked her earlier. She heard Edison’s words again, ‘Just ask him.’ A question had been burning in her mind for the last hour. ‘Dom, are you trying to set me up with Rick?’
He stopped and hit her with his most infuriatingly knowing grin. ‘Ah, you are telling me Rick has caught your eye.’ He held up his hands as they stopped to face each other. ‘Kate, I recognise something in you. I also recognise the injustice of the hurts and traumas that have recently been inflicted upon you, and your company’s men.
‘Your question tells me that a man who I love as my own flesh and blood has caught your eye. If the two of you found happiness, for a weekend or a lifetime, I would consider the matter one worthy of celebration.’
‘But…’ Kate stopped. Yet again, she was completely without words.
‘Did I know the two of you would have common ground? Yes. Do I know he’s about as evolved, charming, bright and handsome as anyone has the right to be? Of course. Did I intend for you to become attracted to him or romantically linked in any way? Not specifically. But Kate, neither did I not intend it. You are both good, smart, beautiful people whose paths have crossed at this time and in this place.’
She playfully slapped his chest, part of her noting how firm it was. ‘I hate the way you can say anything and make it sound so damn reasonable. Do you really think it’s that easy, Dom?’
‘Kate, unlike most divorcees, you are not faced with any deep philosophical or emotional questions regarding your divorce. A predator that is completely devoid of social, moral or ethical conscience specifically targeted you. His pathology leaves him incapable of feeling or receiving love at any meaningful level as we might define it, so you are free of all the normal, ‘what’s wrong with me?’ questions. May I offer an appeal to your objective mind?’ She nodded, feeling bewildered at his concise summary of her marriage and divorce.
‘Place any length of time from a day to a decade between your divorce and this moment, and you would not change any of the pertinent details, not one. You are Kate and he is Rick. You are both intelligent, wonderful, and talented people in a place of magic and beauty.’
‘I can’t argue with you there. The cabin is absolutely gorgeous, Dom. Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us.’
‘It is absolutely our pleasure, Kate. All of us live in gratitude and we celebrate our fortunate lives by living them with humour and honesty.’ He placed his hands lightly on Kate’s upper arms, saying, ‘Give yourself permission to be all that Catherine, Kate, and Katie-J can be. If pleasure, lust, or love visits you, I pray you let yourself enjoy it. In translation, Alegria means a wondrous and magical intensity of being. You deserve happiness, Kate. We all do. Welcome to Alegria.’
Kate silently processed his words, her tears threatening. He offered her a direction and they resumed their silent stroll, enjoying the cool shade and clean scents of the trees on either side of the pathway.
As they broke through into the clearing around the maloca, Kate grabbed Dom and hugged him, letting every bit of her gratitude flow into him. His kiss on her forehead was all the response they needed. For a very long moment, they looked into each other’s eyes, breaking into mutual smiles of understanding. As he led Kate towards the cacophony of voices and laughter, Dom said with a chuckle, ‘Ready?’
~~~~~