Part 20 (2/2)
Isabelle turned to him as they started to climb the hill that Scarlet was perched atop. ”But why did we need to be brought together?” she asked somewhat abruptly. ”How did we drift apart?”
He shrugged. ”Too many responsibilities. We both had too many, and we took each other for granted.”
”I don't want that to happen again.”
”It won't.”
”But how can you say that? Really, Joshua, how can you?”
”Because when this war's over, life will go back to normal. And it will be like this.”
”Like you telling me about bat p.o.o.p?”
Nodding, he pretended to nervously glance above. ”We'll have to move somewhere with lots of bats. Just so we'll feel at home.”
”So this island is home now?”
”Oh, I don't know about that,” he said, smiling. ”But I feel closer to you now than . . . than I think I ever have.”
”Why now? Because of our child?”
He helped her up a fairly steep section of the hill. ”I don't know, exactly. But just being here with you. There's no one in the world I'd rather be here with.”
”And?”
”You need more?”
”Why wouldn't I?”
”I'm a naval captain. Not a poet like your sister or her new friend.”
”So try, naval captain. Try to tell me how you feel.”
He slipped, letting go of her hand so as not to pull her down with him. Brus.h.i.+ng off his knees, he stood up. ”Sometimes,” he said, ”when I look at my father and see him all shriveled up and in pain, lying in bed, I'm afraid of getting old.”
”You are?”
”I think it's my biggest fear.”
”Well, I think most people fear getting old. I wouldn't worry about worrying.”
”I'm trying, Isabelle, to tell you how I feel.”
”Oh,” she said, smiling. ”I wasn't sure where you were headed. By all means, please go on.”
”Patience isn't your strong suit, you know.”
”What can I say? I like to get to the end of the story as quickly as possible. Why waste time trying to figure everything out?”
He shook his head in pretend exasperation. ”Well, despite your lack of patience, knowing that you'll be with me makes the fear subside. Because with you at my side, I don't feel alone. And if I end up like my father, prematurely old and run-down, I'll still have you. And I won't really need much more.”
She took his hand. ”I won't ever let you get run-down,” she said, grinning. ”I've too much invested in you.”
He kissed her forehead. ”Good.”
”And do you know what?”
”What?”
”I'm glad I asked you to dance, my gallant naval captain.”
”You are?”
”Yes,” she replied. ”And even though we were terrible dancers . . . the worst on the floor . . . it was still the best dance of my life.”
”We've gotten better.”
She started to slip, but he pulled her up. ”You're right about Benevolence Benevolence ,” she said. ”No good will come of her sinking. But at least we've been brought back together.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his forehead, just as he had hers. ”At least I have you once again. And believe me, I'm not going to let you go.” ,” she said. ”No good will come of her sinking. But at least we've been brought back together.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his forehead, just as he had hers. ”At least I have you once again. And believe me, I'm not going to let you go.”
They embraced briefly and began to climb again. Though the sun was still hidden and a breeze tugged at them, they each felt warm and were momentarily untroubled-a combination that both had rarely experienced for many months.
”HOW DO YOU find them so darn easily?” Jake asked, eyeing the beautiful sh.e.l.l that Ratu had discovered in a few inches of water.
”I just look, Big Jake,” Ratu replied. ”Do you have sand in your eyes? Can't you see?”
”Everything I find needs fixing.”
”Well, you have to look for unbroken ones. I tell you, you don't have to be a b.l.o.o.d.y genius to know that.”
Jake splashed a handful of water at Ratu. ”Show me a genius, and I'll show you a fool.”
”What?”
”And didn't that daddy of yours tell you to respect your elders?”
”Almost everyone is my elder, Big Jake. I don't want to respect some silly bloke who couldn't walk and talk at the same time just because he's older than me.”
”As I said before, I reckon not everyone likes to talk as much as you. If everyone liked to talk as much as you, the-”
”World would be a b.l.o.o.d.y interesting place.”
Jake smiled, sifting through the sand. Suddenly wondering how their catch was drying, he turned to look at their rack, which was full of thin slices of fish and shark. Though he was too far away to discern much, the slices were definitely darkening, and several flapped in the wind. ”It's about time,” he said.
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