Chapter Seven
Until Forever
There weren’t enough cups for everyone to have their own, so the earthenware vessels were passed around for each person to take a few sips of the bitter and potent drink.
I discerned cinnamon and cloves and a hint of spicy chillies.
I coughed after taking my first sip as I wasn’t expecting the bite.
I wasn’t certain that I liked the taste—the drink could have been sweeter.
But after a few moments, the warmth and the spices spread through me with a pleasant heat.
When the cups came around again, I drank more of the sacred cacao.
Finally, when we’d had all of the special concoction and Jimena had again made praises to Sibu, she raised her hands to the sky and brought them down to reach toward me and Dinesh as she smiled at us and nodded.
“Come,” she said, in English. “Come.”
We stood and walked toward her. We had put our shirts on to make the ceremony more formal, and I cupped the small shell in my pocket that I’d chosen as a wedding gift for Dinesh.
Francis came forward to meet us and turned to the crew.
“We have a surprise. Jimena is not only conducting a sacred cacao ceremony, she is also formalizing a marriage between your beloved Captain Martin and Mr White, at their most welcome request.
There were exclamations, a few chuckles, and a couple of groans.
I put my hand behind me, as we were facing Jimena, and gave them all the middle finger.
Now there was more laughing, and applause erupted as well as some muttered encouragement.
Jimena arranged us to stand to the side where we could face our friends, and she stood before us, with Francis on her other side to translate her words into English.
“Dinesh Martin. Simon White. You have come here before me and my family, your crew, and Sibu herself, to declare the love you feel for each other. Is this true?”
“Aye,” I said.
“That is true,” said Dinesh.
“And you each have a special gift for the other, to commemorate this moment. You may exchange them.”
I brought the shell from my pocket and presented the small treasure to Dinesh.
“I know a seashell ain’t much, but the one I selected reminds me of you. Stern and hard on the outside, but soft and smooth underneath.”
“Thank you, Simon. My Rooster.” He took the shell from me and put the gift in his pocket, then he pulled out a small grey and orange rock.
“This is not the gift you deserve, but this particular pebble represents your steadfastness and the colour of your hair.”
“Thank you,” I said, taking the rock from him and putting the gift in my pocket.
“Then give praise to Sibu in her greatness and show her the tenderness you feel for each other,” Francis translated. Then he leaned in and said, “Say a few words to each other and then kiss.”
We turned to face each other. Dinesh reached for my hands and I gave them over, his fingers encircling my palms and holding me fast.
I stared at him, the heat and comfort from the cacao drink, and the excitement of what was taking place, providing a sensation of euphoria. We had decided on the most basic and meaningful of declarations in advance, so I knew what he was going to say.
He stepped toward me, our joined hands cradled between us at chest level.
“Simon. You are my heart and my destiny. Will you join your life with mine, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for as long as we both shall live?”
“Aye. Of course I will.” My voice sounded steadier than my rapidly beating heart would have supposed.
My turn. I licked my lips, suddenly nervous, but only for the people watching and because I didn’t want to sound unsure.
I wasn’t.
“Dinesh, or as I like to call you, Captain Martin.”
There were knowing chuckles from the men who understood the dynamic of our intimate relationship.
I continued. “You are my heart and my destiny. Will you join your life with mine, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for as long as we both shall live?”
“Yes. I absolutely will.”
We gazed into each other’s eyes, lost to the emotion and significance of the moment.
A whistle came from the crew.
Someone yelled out, “Come on now! Give us!”
I reached out, placed my palm against Dinesh’s cheek, and guided his lips to mine. As our kiss went from formal and chaste to deep and passionate, there were whoops, cheers, and applause. He tasted like cacao and kindness and adventure. I hoped I tasted of trust and gratitude.
We went back to our mat, holding hands and sitting even closer together than before. Dinesh put his arm around me and kissed my cheek.
Jimena stepped forward and raised her arms to the sky again as Francis translated.
“Great and loving Sibu. Let us come together beneath your shelter in love and in connection, so that we may carry your spirit within us as we embark upon our life’s path.
Please take extra care of the crew and captain of the Arrow, and ensure that they remain rooted in the things that matter: companionship, community, and care. ”
She lowered her hands and looked at all of us with a huge smile, then said two words and laughed.
Francis turned to us. “Make merry. Enjoy the blessings of cacao and of Sibu.”
There were whoops and hollers as the men, not used to sitting still for such a period of time without the assistance of rum or other spirits, got to their feet.
I was surprised to see a few of them embrace each other.
Many came to congratulate us and we got lovely hugs from Domingo, Squid, Guthrie and a few of the others.
Then the strains of a fiddle pierced the night air, and I turned to see Darcy standing by the water’s edge, his bow flying over the strings as he played a lively tune.
The men began to dance and bring out the rum and the whiskey.
Perhaps we were lucky that they’d behaved themselves throughout the entire cacao ceremony.
Jimena and Francis joined us for the celebration, and partook of some spirits as well.
I spent some time with my new husband and then went with Domingo and Squid to revel with the others.
There was much joking and ribbing to be had, which I enjoyed as it meant the three of us, the last to join this ragtag group, were fully initiated into the Arrow’s crew.
I kept myself apprised of Dinesh’s whereabouts and at one point saw him chatting seriously with Jimena, Francis, and Mauricio. Mauricio nodded vigorously and pointed inland, and Jimena glanced at me with a broad smile. I waved and she waved back.
I had no idea what they were talking about, but I couldn’t care less. For the first time in a long time, I felt like the universe was on my side, and maybe life had much happiness in store for me.
Perhaps the lingering effect of the cacao, or the sense of optimism from my marriage to Dinesh, contributed to this feeling. Or, perhaps, both.
In the end, the revelry subsided with men converging in small groups, singing and laughing together, then most falling asleep on the beach, some of them returning to the huts.
Dinesh and I walked back to our cabin holding hands, and vowing to enjoy a proper honeymoon filled with copious amounts of tupping and other questionable activities once we were back on the ship. We kissed each other goodnight and went to sleep.
***
Iwoke to daylight and Dinesh kissing me awake with a love-addled smile.
“Good morning, husband,” he said, kissing me again. “How did you sleep, my love?”
I yawned and stretched like a contented cat, slowly coming to in the light of an overcast morning.
“Quite well, in fact.”
“No bad dreams, I take it?”
“None. I don’t think I dreamt at all.” I blinked at him slowly. “What’s the point of it when your biggest dream has come true?”
“Oh, Simon,” Dinesh said in a hushed voice, his eyes full of emotion.
I smirked. “I’ve always wanted to get up to mischief in a tidal pool.”
Dinesh’s mouth dropped open, and he gave me a playful swat on the hip. “That’s enough. Get up, you layabout. We have things to do, people to see, places to go.”
“Do we? I thought we were on vacation.”
“Yes, well, we need to see the others off. They’re heading back to the ship.”
“Oh. Right.”
Dinesh had gotten up and was shaking out his trousers.
“Speaking of which, how long do we intend to stay on Talamanca? I mean you and I.”
“Say five more days? Does that suit you?”
“Aye. This is a beautiful place, and Jimena and Francis are lovely. But I do miss our room and, uh,” I blushed, “the privy.”
“Good God. You’ve developed some fancy tastes, I see.”
“Yes, and I suppose I’ve come to look upon the Arrow as my home.”
“Well, I’m glad for that. I only want to spend some more time with my friend and give you the introduction to married life that you deserve.”
I laughed. “In what capacity? You’ve already said we’ll have to wait for the privacy of the ship to truly celebrate.”
He shrugged. “Oh, Rooster. I’m going to spoil you to no end whilst we’re here. Perhaps not with the sort of shenanigans you enjoy, but with tenderness and kindness and thoughtfulness.”
I made a face, which made him laugh harder.
“Oh yes. And you mustn’t protest, because you deserve every moment of my pampering.”
We put on our rolled-up trousers and strolled out of our hut to find all of the crew standing there. They saw us come out and cheered loudly, as if we were a royal couple trying to get an heir on the way.
“All right, all right,” I said. “Settle down. Nothing to see here.”
Dinesh smiled with a mysterious look. “Not anymore at least.”
“Did you defile the marital bed?” Lahiri asked with a leer.
“I don’t kiss and tell,” Dinesh said with a smug smile.
“Since when?”
“Since I took up with Rooster, here.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake. You two are as boring as any old married couple.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” the captain replied.
The men scoffed but their good nature was clear.
“Aren’t you all going?” I asked finally. “Shoo, shoo. Leave us to our defiling.”