Koločep
Natali helped Lloyd load the last of the boxes of books onto the sack trolley, then Ana handed her Obi’s lead.
“I’ll try not to be too long,” she told her, winding it through her fingers. “Just give her a walk, then buy the bread. There’s nothing else?”
Ana shook her head. “No, that’s it.”
Natali unlooped the catamaran’s rope from the squat, metal stanchion and threw it to Ana, just at the moment the ferry nosed around the headland.
She wouldn’t have much time to talk to Baka now, which was bad news because she wanted to.
She had to tell someone what she’d done on Saturday, because the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she’d become.
Baka was so wise that Natali knew she’d say if she’d made a big mistake she needed to somehow try to put right.
But when she looked, Baka was nowhere to be seen.
“That’s odd, Obi,” she murmured as they walked towards her usual bench. The dog sniffed around, seemingly as puzzled as Natali. She glanced towards the uphill path, hoping to see Baka hurrying down it, but there was no one in sight.
“Worrying, isn’t it?” It was Dorijan, the man she’d spoken to before, and Natali nodded. “She met the early boat,” he continued. “I’ll go and check on her once I’ve finished unloading, but it might be a while.”
“I’ll go now,” said Natali. “I’ve been to her house before.”
He smiled at her. “I know. She’s been telling everyone what a wonderful time you had making ajvar together.”
Natali all but ran up the steep hill, dragging Obi behind her. For once the little dog scrambled along undistracted, as though she, too, sensed that something was wrong.
Reaching Baka’s terrace, Natali hammered on the door, but there was no answer. She pushed it, relieved it was unlocked as usual.
“Baka! Baka! It’s Natali.” The air hung heavy in the living room as silence surrounded her. Not a murmur. Not a movement.
Holding desperately onto a faint hope that Baka might be in the garden and had lost track of time, she rushed through to the kitchen, then ran down the stairs. She’d almost reached the halfway point when she saw Baka’s ankles and feet sticking out from Valentin’s bedroom.
Oh god! Oh god! Please let her be all right.
Natali catapulted herself down the last few steps, Obi tumbling beside her, and knelt next to Baka on the floor.
She opened her eyes and stared at Natali, but her face looked strange, contorted almost. “Flowers… Valentin’s flowers…” she whispered but the words were indistinct and Natali knew straight away she’d most likely had a stroke.
Scrabbling for her phone, she dialled 112.
She counted the rings. One, two, three. Only three, but it felt like it took them forever to answer, then questions, so many questions: could Baka speak, could she raise her arms, while all the time Natali was screaming inside for them to send someone.
But they had, the voice on the other end assured her. The emergency boat was on its way.
Half an hour. At least half an hour. Even with Natali’s rather basic first aid, she knew that time could be crucial.
Was there a doctor on the island? And someone to wait for the boat on the quay and bring them straight here?
But how could she leave Baka to find out? She couldn’t, she absolutely couldn’t.
“Help’s coming,” she said, taking hold of Baka’s hand, spotted and wrinkled in her own smooth one. At least Baka was able to squeeze back, and that gave Natali hope.
“Can’t get up… Valentin, where is he?”
“H-he’s on his way, I expect.”
“No, he’s here. I made him coffee. He’s smoking as usual … naughty boy.”
The hairs on the back of Natali’s neck stood on end. Had Baka really seen her son? Had he somehow come for her? Was she ready to go with him? Never, ever religious, involuntarily Natali crossed herself, while Obi snuggled closer to Baka, resting her head on her hip.
“Dear little thing…” Baka murmured. “Dear dog…”
Her words were increasingly indistinct. “Shh now,” Natali said. “Don’t try to talk. Just rest until help gets here.”
Baka nodded and closed her eyes, her grip loosening a little on Natali’s hand. Had she said the right thing? Or was it better to keep her alert and talking? Oh god, she didn’t know. Perhaps she should yell for help? But down here at the bottom of the house, who would hear her?
A bee buzzed against the window, desperate to escape, but that and Baka’s breathing were the only sounds. Natali hung her head.
Oh please, please, don’t let me have screwed up again.
Saturday night had been bad enough, not knowing if she’d done more harm than good, but this was a matter of life or death and if Baka died, and trying to get more immediate help would have saved her, she’d blame her stupidity forever.
A man’s voice called from the kitchen above. Dorijan.
“Down here,” Natali yelled. “I think she’s had a stroke. I’ve called 112.”
Baka’s eyes shot open. “Valentin?” Footsteps thundered down the stairs. “No … no…” She closed them again.
“She thinks Valentin’s here,” Natali whispered.
“Sranje! That’s bad.”
“But she can grip my hand so that’s good. Is there anyone who can help? A doctor, maybe?”
He shook his head. “The clinic’s not open this morning.”
Baka gripped Natali’s hand. “Tell him … tell him … he must find Val…” she slurred.
The man crouched down. “You know who I am, Baka?”
“Find him … find him for me…”
He touched her lightly on the shoulder then stood. “Don’t worry, I will. I’ll go down to the quayside to wait. And I’ll call Mateo.” The last words were for Natali’s benefit, she knew, and she nodded to show she understood. She hadn’t even thought of Baka’s other son. The living one.
Once again, silence filled the air. Even the bee was still, or had found a way out, and Baka’s breath was shallow. Every instinct in Natali’s body told her to try to keep the old woman with her.
“Shall I tell you a story?” Baka attempted to nod, but it was more of an awkward twisting of her head. “How about Fisherman Plunk? We both like that one.”
More footsteps above. Two paramedics, a woman and a man, and Natali scooped up a whimpering Obi and leapt out of their way as they ran down the stairs, leaving them space to kneel next to Baka. She retreated to the hall, eyes brimming with tears.
Please, oh please, let them save her.
Then there was a familiar aftershave, a warmth next to her. “Your friend from the harbour told me what’s happened. Marin’s minding the library.”
“Lloyd, Lloyd, w-what if I’ve made things worse? W-what if I should have d-done something different? W-what if she dies?” Natali was shaking and her teeth chattering so much it was hard to force the words out.
Lloyd enveloped her in his arms. “You called the paramedics. You stayed with Baka and made her comfortable. Of course you’ve done the right thing. You always do.”
Natali buried her head in Lloyd’s chest and howled.