Lopud
This was the face of the islands she was coming to love.
The peace and friendliness epitomised by an elderly gentleman who looked up from his gardening to call “Dobar dan”.
The washing hanging out to dry next to a vegetable patch.
A terrace overhung by vines. The patchwork of citrus and olive groves, the buildings hunkered down between them.
It was hard to imagine the city was only an hour away by ferry.
She may be heading to the community centre to help Lloyd pack up the library, but Natali had left enough time for Obi to dawdle, and once they’d turned down the shaded track that wound between the trees, she slowed her pace even more.
It was just as well she wasn’t in a hurry because Obi wanted to sniff every trunk and bush.
But that was fine. It was what she did, and it seemed to Natali that it was a whole load better for her than gluing her nose to lamp-posts and bins.
Would she have to go back to Dubrovnik? She didn’t want to, but it was where the jobs were.
Much as it was lovely of Lloyd to offer her a place to live with him in Ston, where would she work?
Ana had said there’d be work near the town during the olive harvest, but they would disappear well before Christmas, and then what?
Only caring for Baka offered her any stability, but it was proving a tough decision to make and Dina seemed unwilling to speak to Mateo before she had Natali’s answer.
She supposed that was fair enough. Why make him angry if she didn’t have to?
Part of the problem was that Baka kept talking about her and Valentin being there to look after her, and it built an uncomfortable expectation.
When she’d visited Baka on Sunday, she had managed to speak to one of the senior nurses who had explained that the more the tumours multiplied and grew, the worse Baka’s delusions would become.
While it had made no difference to her as Baka’s friend, living with it day after day would certainly present a challenge.
Easier for her, though, than for someone who didn’t know Baka and didn’t understand.
Perhaps that was why Dina wasn’t looking for anyone else, but it did put pressure on Natali.
Ana had been emphatic that it was tantamount to emotional blackmail to make Natali responsible for Baka’s happiness, and that had been an upsetting moment.
Was she in danger of being duped? But no, the more she thought about it the more she knew that Dina had Baka’s best interests at heart too.
If she did agree to do it, she’d be in the heart of an island community who supported each other, and who would support her.
It was a perfectly wonderful thought, to be part of somewhere like that, a place where she was already accepted, just as she was.
As Obi nosed around a thyme bush, Natali hugged her free arm to her chest. That was what it would feel like, she was sure. Living in a hug.
But it wouldn’t be forever. Natali was used to the idea of Baka dying now.
She’d let it seep into her a little at a time, thinking it would hurt less that way.
Lloyd had said she should do whatever helped her to cope, but she had the feeling he wasn’t sure that anything would in the end.
So she’d found a positive thought instead.
Maybe Baka would even be reunited with Valentin when she left this earth.
Who knew? But believing that it was a possibility gave Natali a great deal of comfort.
At the community hall, Lloyd was waiting for her in the lobby, a slim youngish man with close-cropped curly hair by his side.
“Natali, this is Filip.”
“Glad to meet you.” She held out her free hand to shake his, while Obi tried to jump up Lloyd’s legs.
“You too.” The man was really smiley and scratched Obi between the ears, which made Natali grin back at him. “Once I’ve said hello to the children I’ll come back and help you pack up.”
Left alone, even by Obi, who had insisted on following Lloyd, Natali studied the library table.
She’d read a fair few of the English books now – mainly fantasy, but she’d also tried several romances, as well as one about a young spy that she hadn’t much liked.
With every book, her English had improved.
Not that she had the courage to speak it, but understanding all those words made her feel very proud.
“Oprostite…” Natali turned to see a girl of about thirteen standing behind her. “I have a book to return, and I would like a new one.” She was holding out one of the dragon rider books that had first drawn Natali to reading and there was a reticence about her that Natali recognised.
“Oh, they’re ace, aren’t they?” she said. “How many have you read?”
“Just the first two.”
Natali scanned the table. “The third one isn’t here. Someone must have borrowed it already.” The girl’s face fell. “I know, how about this one? Lloyd told me the series is based on stories about a legendary English king, and there’s this girl who’s a super-brave changeling and has to save him.”
“Have you read it?” the girl asked.
Natali nodded. “It was hard to put down.”
“Then I’ll take it. It’s great to talk to someone who’s read the books. Thank you so much.”
Natali hadn’t noticed Filip was behind her. “Looks like you chose the right boat, given that you love reading.”
“Oh no, I didn’t at the start of the summer. I’d never managed to finish a book before, but a fairy tale someone told me started me off, and Lloyd’s helped so much.” A fairy tale Baka had told her, to be precise. Stories, recipes, friendship … there was so much to be grateful to Baka for.
“He tells me you’re thinking of studying to improve your qualifications.”
Of course, it was Filip who’d told Lloyd about the adult education scheme in the first place.
“It’s difficult. I need to work as well.
” She turned to him. “This is the problem. You’re local, so you’ll understand better than Lloyd.
The people who need to improve their qualifications as adults are in low-paid jobs.
Or seasonal work, like me. We work long hours just to live, so there is no time to study.
And no spare money either.” She shrugged.
“We’re still trapped.” However encouraging Lloyd had been, that was the truth of the matter.
“But no, you’re not, not completely. There is no time limit to complete the courses.
You just study when you can. I do know it’s hard, honestly, but it is possible.
” He picked up the first pile of books and put them into a box, Natali following suit.
“Lloyd says you really know your stuff as a yacht mechanic. Is that what you’d like to do?
” Natali nodded. “Then from next year your practical experience should count towards your qualifications too, which will make it easier to complete the course. If you don’t mind finishing up here, I’ll pop into my office and print off the information about what mechanics are expected to study. ”
Once the library was packed away, Natali sat in the shade outside the hall and scanned the paperwork while she waited for Lloyd.
She knew most of this stuff anyway, and she was pretty confident she could translate that knowledge into the words and calculations needed to pass the course.
How many doors would open for her? A future so different she could barely imagine it.
But when she tried, she found she wanted it so much that it brought tears to her eyes.
No, this was rubbish. She knew in her heart of hearts what she would need to make it happen: money, time and a place to live.
Caring for Baka would give her all three, so why was she hesitating?
Because it was too big, too huge, to risk making Baka’s last months miserable if she got this wrong?
Because she didn’t know if she could do it?
Or because she was scared to want to, in case Dina couldn’t persuade Mateo it was the right thing for his mother?
When she’d talked it through with Ana and Lloyd on Sunday night, Ana had been understandably cautious, but Lloyd more practical.
He’d suggested she turn the problem around: if she decided caring for Baka was what she wanted to do, she should consider what needed to happen to make it a realistic option, such as the help and support she might need to deal with her concerns, or at any rate make them more manageable.
That had to be her next step before she went back to Dina with her answer. Ana was going out when they got to ?ipan this evening, but she was sure Lloyd would help her make a list.