Chapter Twelve: Part One
The sun was well up by the time Kate opened her curtains. Looking out at the shimmering water beyond the trees, Kate realised just how much she needed some quality thinking time. She headed for the waterline and the swinging lounge with a steaming cup of coffee in her hand. Immersed in the natural beauty of Alegria, she sat in the dappled sunlight, letting the sounds of the lapping water massage her mind into a relaxed state where it functioned at its best. A balmy breeze washed around her, banishing the last cool air of the morning as she gazed out at the water, sipping her coffee and thinking.
Starting with her arrival on Alegria, Kate recalled and reflected on every conversation and interaction, examining her own actions, thoughts and feelings as objectively as she could. She considered the very direct and logical advice offered to her by Natalie and Dom. She thought about how everyone had accepted her and the girls as family, and spent a lot of time thinking about Rick and his history, as well as her own. Staring at the forested peaks beyond the lagoon and deep in thought, her second cup of coffee became a third. Finally, Kate smiled in decision, happy in the conclusions she had arrived at.
Walking back to her cabin, the bell from the maloca sounded to announce lunch and her stomach growled in response. As nice as it was, the coffee was no substitute for real food. Buoyed by her new perspective of the last two years in general, and her experiences of the last few days in particular, Kate almost danced into her shower to freshen-up. The breeze was warm as Kate started up the eastern path to the maloca. Amongst the trees, she found herself surrounded by butterflies, their wings flashing iridescent blue in the sunlight. She heard the happy sounds of giggling and teasing from inside the maloca as she drew near.
‘Katie! Don’t you look rested and bright?’ Dee said as she walked in to join them. No men were in sight. Seeing Kate look around, Madison said, ‘Juanita and the men went to the Village. They all stand watch on the first day, dawn to dusk. We are the whole population of Big End until after sun-down.’
Natalie was looking at her intently. ‘Kate, you look like you have sorted through a lot of issues. Care to share where your thoughts are with Rick?’
Kate laughed. ‘You do get to the point, don’t you Nat?’
‘You and Rick have been the only topic none of us have discussed all morning, so naturally we are all burning with curiosity. By the look on your face, you have been asking yourself some better questions.’
‘Yes. Thank you Nat. I have.’
‘How are the answers going?’ Madison asked, her eyes flashing to Natalie for a moment before locking back onto Kate’s.
Turning to face Madison, Kate took a breath. ‘I find myself completely attracted to your son at pretty much every level I could imagine. I don’t know what potential there is between Rick and I, but I am open to whatever it is, if that’s okay?’ Without realising it, Kate exhaled loudly as she finished, causing everyone to laugh.
Madison answered by wrapping Kate in a warm embrace and, with a wet sparkle in her eyes, kissing her cheek. ‘I could not hope for more, for both of you.’
The afternoon passed with laughter, teasing, swimming in the warm waters of the Shelf, and lounging about with a few of bottles of wine. The shadows were lengthening by the time they returned to the maloca. A short time later, Natalie started a small fire in the central hearth. When Carrie questioned her about having a fire on such a warm and humid afternoon, Natalie sniffed the breeze and said, ‘You can really smell it now.’
‘Lightning,’ Madison answered, sniffing the air herself. The storm’s metallic ozone smell was increasingly distinct on the freshening breeze running before the storm. The girls nodded in recognition of what had been a vague background scent for the last hour or two.
In answer to the looks the three amigas were giving her, Natalie smiled. ‘Did you see all the butterflies in the bush this morning? I don’t know their zoological name, but they only ever come out like that before an electrical storm.’
‘They were beautiful,’ Kate declared. ‘They swarmed me the whole way in.’
‘You’re wearing blue. They’re very attracted to the colour,’ Natalie said, ‘but they are also said to be excited by electricity in… other forms.’
Cheeky grins flashed around the group, accompanied by chuckles. Kate felt her ears heating up as she giggled with her friends.
The afternoon light dimmed and the wind picked up just as the ladies finished rolling down and zippering the clear plastic side-panels to weather-proof the maloca. The far shore was already vanishing under the coming deluge. Thunder rumbled almost continuously as the wind and rain of the leading edge of the storm arrived in frantic pulses and wild flurries. The ladies watched and cheered as the Big End’s spire attracted one spectacular lightning hit after another, flashing bright against the dark clouds behind. The granite spires on either end of the island acted as natural lightning rods.
Thirty minutes later, the air was clear and calm again, but much colder. Blazing red in the sunset, the retreating thunderheads were still rumbling and flashing in the distance. The women chatted and laughed as twilight fell, their fire keeping them warm and cosy.
Carrie had just made a light supper of a warm white fish salad and a simple fried rice dish over the fire when Dom and the others walked into the light of the maloca. It was clear on their faces that their day had been an emotional one, and their conversation was quiet and sparse as they ate. The evening was still young when Mason rose and thanked Carrie for the meal before excusing himself. That acted as the catalyst for the group to break for an early night. Those who had stood Watch in the Village looked exhausted and ready for bed.
Madison gave Kate a wink and grabbed her son’s arm, guiding him out to give Kate some time with Dee and Carrie. She smiled in response to Kate’s nod of thanks. When they were alone, Carrie asked Kate, ‘How are you doing, Katie-J?’
‘Wonderful… and who knows? How do you even contextualise everything that has happened, I mean just this weekend?’
Dee said, ‘This is a special bunch of people. Everything about Alegria is like a big, fat slice of “how-things-should-be”. I can see the changes in you, Katie, we both can. Rick and his folks, and everyone here, are just the most genuine and unassuming people we’ve ever met. Natalie is amazing at every level, they all are. Catherine Jones! If you are not already a little in love, or at least massively infatuated, you bloody well should be.’
Kate smiled shyly at her friends before allowing, ‘A bit of both, I think.’
A group hug was the only response that would do. After a final cup of tea, Kate walked the girls back to their cabin and slowly strolled up the ring road to her own. The night was alive with the sounds of insects, frogs and night birds calling in celebration of the recent rain. She was sure she could hear a small waterfall in the distance, high up towards the Big End’s spire. Stars sparkled overhead in a riotous display that seemed almost close enough to touch, and the air was as clean and fresh as any she had ever breathed. A few times, she actually skipped, giggling happily to herself. She even twirled once, feeling lighter in her soul than she could remember.
Two notes were under her door when she entered her cabin.
~
“Catherine, my son has not shut up about how wonderful you are since meeting you. We both affirm his assessment without reserve and look forward to future developments with great interest, whatever they may be. Know you have our blessings and warmest of wishes and intents,
M & M”
~
The second note read:
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“Breakfast at my place? Anytime you are vertical is fine. I am generally up just a little after the sun. Sleep as long as you want. xx Natalie”
~
Sleep was elusive that night as Kate’s mind kept running over random thoughts of her past. Don’t overthink things. How many times have I heard that? She finally fell into a restless doze, still debating with herself whether or not to make a cup of the sleeping tea.
The horrid dream that had haunted her sleep since that day in the courthouse still visited her once or twice a week, and it came again as soon as she fell asleep. Until tonight, the nightmare had always been the same. Kate was always immobile and powerless as Silvio planned and perpetrated his betrayal, right in front of her, laughing at her as he did so. Her recurrent nightmare was a horrific caricature of her divorce that always left her feeling crushed.
This time it was different. She wasn’t an infuriatingly defenceless victim, slowly being tortured and dismembered by the malignant whims of Silvio and the faceless lawyers. This time she was a detached and almost bored observer, watching distant events that no longer had meaning in any part of her life. Even during the dream, she knew her nights of waking up gasping, covered in fear and sweat, were over. Her victory was complete when her dream extended past its normal conclusion and continued on to include the girls, their business, Alegria and Rick, developing into a happy and wonderful dream.
Feeling calm and detached, she was aware of waking up. The memory of her whole dream was vivid, but the nightmare part of it no longer held any impact or interest for her. Her joyful tears came quickly with her understanding. After a few paroxysms of emotional release, she felt a wave of peace flow over and through her. She recognised the shift within herself as her emotional weights fell away. She was free. Lying in the pre-dawn darkness, Kate felt a rush of gratitude for her friends, for her renewed life, and for the exceptional group of people sharing themselves and their island with her. Still in her distant observer’s role, she examined what she knew of Rick’s past. It was unusual and dramatic, but it also felt familiar now.
Dom’s words came back to her at that moment, and she realised that he was right. No matter how much time had passed, nothing would change a single important detail of any part of this weekend or anything leading up to it. She said a silent thank you to Natalie, Madison and Juanita, and to everyone on Alegria, for being so welcoming and beautiful, for being so non-judgemental and completely accepting. She already found herself thinking of them all as family.
~~~~~