Chapter Four
A Walk on the Sand
Francis brought a lantern, showed us the huts the men could use, and took us to the one he had designated for us.
“This one’s slightly bigger and away from the rest. Meant for a family, like mine. I thought you and Rooster would be more comfortable here.”
“Thank you, Francis. I appreciate your thoughtfulness,” Dinesh said.
He passed the lantern to Dinesh.
“We keep them stocked with sleeping mats and blankets. There are some small pieces of furniture as well. You should be comfortable.”
“Again, thank you.”
“See you in the morning, then.” Francis bade us good night and walked away.
We walked back to the others and pointed in the direction of the huts that Francis had offered, then bade them a good night. We were tired, too.
When we entered our hut, I was surprised by how clean and tidy the space was on the inside.
A wooden table and two low chairs sat by the window, several wide cushions were scattered on the floor, and two rolled-up sleeping mats sat against one wall.
There was also an empty chest, for clothing I presumed, and curtains for the small windows.
From one of the branches of greenery that made up our roof draped a gauzy cloud of mosquito netting.
I’d removed my shoes, which I carried now, at the earliest opportunity, and since all the locals were bare of foot, Dinesh couldn’t complain about me being so. In fact, he’d seen fit to remove his boots and roll up his trousers as well.
We put our footwear by the door.
“It even has a latch, Rooster. Look,” Dinesh said, showing me.
“Oh good. Now we don’t have to worry about visitors in the night.”
“Except that we’ve already got one.”
“What?” I exclaimed, turning to look at him.
He pointed at the underside of the roof, where there was a small green lizard gazing at us.
“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered. “Wonderful.”
“There must have been lizards in Jamaica,” he said, placing the lantern on the table and twisting the key to increase the amount of light.
“Aye, but they generally stayed out of our house. And Carago was quick to get rid of them if they came in.”
Dinesh watched me for a moment.
“He took good care of you.”
“Aye,” I said, feeling a lump rise in my throat, but I pushed the emotion down.
“Well, I suppose I shall have to do the job, then,” he said with resignation.
He looked around the space and saw a rudimentary broom in a corner. I anticipated what he would do and moved to a spot farthest away from where the lizard blinked its beady eyes at us.
“Careful. If that thing starts skittering across the floor towards me…”
“Shhh. I’m trying to concentrate.”
He unlatched and opened the door and used the end of the broom to coax the small creature down the wall, then swept the pest outside with a decisive swish of the implement. He shut the door and replaced the latch.
“There. Happy now?”
“Yes. Thank you. Perhaps I’m not used to being on land.”
“Have I made a dedicated sailor out of you?”
“Aye, seems so. Among other things,” I said, walking over to him and circling my hand around his neck to pull him in for a kiss.
He opened his lips and let me have my way. He was usually the one to take control, but he let me kiss him until my yawn broke us apart.
“Sorry. I’m worn out,” I confessed.
“As am I. Let’s go to bed.”
As exhausted as I was, I fought to fall asleep.
We had placed our sleeping mats next to each other, but the temperature was too hot to cuddle. I heard the captain’s soft snoring after a short time. The man could sleep and keep sleeping in any circumstance. Must have been all that time in the navy.
I listened to the sounds of the jungle and the skittering of small creatures that I prayed weren’t in the ceiling above us, because if something fell on me, I would not be pleased.
Eventually, rain began to fall that, whilst loud, was regular enough to drown out the random noises from the trees and also brought a break in the stifling humidity, and I was able to drift off.
I opened my eyes in the morning to shafts of sunlight coming in the window and forming designs on the smooth wood floor. For a moment, I didn’t remember where I was, and I sat up with a start. Dinesh’s familiar grip closed lightly around my wrist.
“Nightmare?” he asked.
“No.” I hadn’t dreamt at all. “Where are we?”
“Talamanca, remember?” He gazed at me with a sleep-warmed smile. “Good morning.”
“Oh, fuck. For a moment I’d forgotten.”
The events of the previous day came back to me in a collection of thoughts, emotions, and images.
The raucous noise from the jungle had changed with the daylight. Not quieter, particularly, only different. I hadn’t noticed the animal noises until we had tried to sleep, although I must have been aware of them as we sat with Francis by the fire.
I pointed up at the slanted ceiling. “Do you suppose they have to lay fresh branches every few days? The leaves are green.”
“Yes, they do. I recall the locals doing so, at least, when I was here before.”
I turned onto my side so I could look at Dinesh, who turned his head to gaze at me.
“I like Francis.”
“Good. I’m quite fond of him.”
“Did you two ever…you know…” I waved my hand in the air.
“Me and Francis? Oh God, no. He’s quite fond of the female figure. And I never had that sort of interest in him. But we are great mates.”
That knowledge relieved me more than I had expected. I wouldn’t have been able to criticize an earlier entanglement. I certainly had had my share. However, Captain Martin would never have to meet any of them. And I wasn’t friends with them.
Captain Martin gave me a slow, lazy smile as he tracked me with his gaze.
“Speaking of…” he waved his hand in the air as I had a moment ago.
And then someone knocked on our door.
“Eh, are you blokes decent?” Martinéz inquired.
Captain Martin shut his eyes. “Blast,” he whispered.
“Never,” I responded to Martinez’s inquiry. “Go away.”
“Well…I would, but your good friend Mr Bell has asked me to fetch you, as his wife and children have arrived.”
“Truly?” Dinesh asked, more loudly. “Already?”
There was a pause. “It’s half eleven,” Martinez informed us.
“Is it really?” Dinesh asked, scrambling up as I did the same.
“Aye. I’ll tell him you’re on your way?”
“Yes, please. Thank you,” Dinesh said, as we attempted to put ourselves to rights and pull on pants.
“I suppose we’ll have to wait until this evening,” he said. “Or perhaps we can beg off this afternoon for a quick fuck.”
I evinced a shocked expression. “My good sir, I won’t be happy with a grab and tussle. Best wait until we retire and don’t have to answer to anyone.”
“Yes, yes. All right then. Of course.”
“Shall we?” I said, gesturing to the door.
“We shall. I see you’ve given up on shoes again.”
“For fuck’s sake, we’re on the bloody beach.”
“Quite right, quite right,” Dinesh said, tossing the boot he’d grabbed and following me out of the hut.
We came out into such brightness that I had to shield my eyes. Even amongst the trees at the edge of the beach, the sun accosted us. A monkey screamed from close by and a raucous hooting commenced.
“There they are,” Francis said when he spotted us.
We approached the hearth, where a low fire burned, and the crew were gathered.
“Here,” Domingo said, passing me an earthenware bowl, with curved handle, that contained a steaming liquid that smelled familiar. He gave another to Dinesh, who threw him a thankful gaze.
“Coffee?” I asked.
Domingo nodded whilst Guthrie chuckled.
“Oh, thank Christ,” I said, blowing on the top and taking a sip. Coffee, for certain, but of a much better flavour and richness than the swill we had on board. My eyes widened, and I noticed the same appreciation on Dinesh’s face.
A woman stood next to Francis, who held a chubby brown-skinned babe in one arm and clutched the hand of a small boy, naked but for a beaded string about his waist.
Honestly, I was thinking on the wisdom of wearing clothes myself as the heat of the midday sun beat down, but this coffee was heaven.
Jimena was taller than I’d expected. She was quite pretty and the waves of her brown hair looked soft as silk.
She wore a broad band of red cloth tied around her ample bosom and a red wrap around her waist, with fringe on the bottom.
Her dark eyes flashed with intelligence.
She nodded at the captain and me and smiled, showing her teeth.
“Buenos Dias. Good day.” She glanced at Francis, who said my name with an emphasis on each syllable.
“Sy-mun. Hello. Ola.” Jimena said.
“Hello. It’s lovely to meet you, Jimena,” I said.
“And meet you,” she responded, then turned to Captain Martin and puffed out her chest, placing a closed fist on each hip. “Captain. You fierce still! So strong and with good bottom,” she commented whilst craning to look at Dinesh’s admittedly fine arse.
He almost spilled his drink.
I tried not to laugh but couldn’t help grinning. I mean, she wasn’t wrong, and we had that in common.
Dinesh had the decency to blush. “Well, thank you very much, Jimena. You look very well also.”
The chubby babe in Francis’s arm blinked at me with a hesitant smile and an intelligible burble whilst the older child gazed at us with wide, incredulous eyes.
“Su nombre es Gabriel,” Jimena said, nodding at the baby, presumably telling us his name.
“Gabriel?” I repeated, pointing to the little one.
She nodded. “Et su nombre es Alejandro,” she said, gesturing to the other boy, who nodded and repeated the name, pointing at his chest.
“Alejandro!” he said, then laughed and got quiet, gazing at us with awe and caution.
“Alejandro,” I repeated, “My, aren’t you a handsome little lad,” I said, bending down to smile at him on his level.
He gazed placidly into my eyes, and I could see he had the wits of his mother.
I straightened, pushing the hair out of my eyes, noticing Captain Martin looking at me with the most fascinated and surprised expression.
“What?” I asked, taking a sip of my coffee.