“Not only that, but a houseboy besides.”
“Lucky Dinesh!”
“Yes, I tell him that each and every day.”
Francis threw back his head and laughed.“I can tell we’re going to get on well, Simon.”
“Aye, I hope so.He’s told me how fond he is of you.”
“Well!”Francis looked pleased.“The feeling is mutual, I assure you.My decision to leave the ship permanently was not taken lightly, let me tell you.And, well, I have missed you all,” he said, gazing about him at the crew and Captain Martin, as if he couldn’t believe we were real.
“Come on, now!Come and see our little fishing outpost,” Francis said with good feeling, leading us toward several small grass huts on platforms, surrounding a central hearth at the edge of the jungle.“Sit!Sit!”Francis said to the crew who had followed us.“We’ll bring something to drink and eat.What a day!What a glorious day!”
Itwasa glorious day.Never mind the sun shining and glinting off the tranquil blue waters, the lap of the waves on the shore, the soft white sand of the endless beach, or the gentle ocean breeze that kept us cool.The welcome we’d received was beyond even my humble imaginings and I felt immediately among friends.The crew and Captain Martin looked to be at home here already, and I expected to feel the same in a short while.
***
Thefishingoutpostconsistedof a number of wooden huts built on platforms, with roofs of massive tree fronds, a bigger communal shelter of the same materials, and several shade-bearing structures on the sand, where the water at high tide wouldn’t reach.There was also a substantial hearth circled by logs and boulders arranged as seating.
By the time evening fell and the sun went down over the verdant mountains to the west, we had eaten, imbibed the non-alcoholic refreshments we were offered, made merry, and had gotten to know our hosts a little.The locals spoke Spanish due to the influence of the colonizers who had, thankfully, abandoned them.Many of the crew, including Domingo, could speak the language and were able to translate for those of us who couldn’t.This included myself, Dinesh, who knew some words in the language, and Squid.
Two of the local men, Mauricio and José, were brothers to Jimena, and one of them offered to head into the jungle in the morning to inform her of our arrival and bring her and the children to the outpost.Francis said that would be easier than leading us through the dense bush to the village and besides, the people wanted to keep the location of the village a secret so the Spanish wouldn’t be able to find the encampment if they returned to the region.They were discouraged from bringing visitors, but we were welcome to stay at the outpost as long as we needed.There was plenty to eat and drink, and José would bring more supplies with him, from the village, on the return trip.
Most of the crew had gathered on the beach, with another fire going, talking amongst themselves and passing a bottle around.Squid and Domingo were engaged in animated conversation on a log farther down the beach, near the empty nets and canoes.The two of them, being the latest to join our crew, had developed something of a friendship.
I perched on a rock at the edge of the group, gazing at the moonlit ocean beyond the trees with our ship in the distance.I’d gotten used to theArrow.The former navy frigate had become my home, and I’d found acceptance and even love there.It felt strange to be separated from her, and even though our hosts were friendly and welcoming, the sense of being in an unfamiliar land with unknown people made me feel adrift and a bit lost.Besides which, the Captain and Francis hadn’t stopped talking and laughing and making jokes with each other, passing a bottle of Dinesh’s best brandy back and forth.
Where I’d grown up, on the island of Jamaica, the heat had been intense, to be sure, but not as thick as it felt here.We’d noticed the air becoming heavier the farther south we’d travelled.
Sparks danced in the darkness from a fire on the large hearth where our supper of fish and shellfish had been cooked.I felt the stillness.I missed the easy movement of theArrow’shull under my feet.She had rocked me to sleep at night and comforted me during the day, and I missed her soothing buoyancy.True, there had been moments of unease during bad weather.But the majority of the time, she had held me safe in her broad expanse.
I was cautious of expressing affection for the captain in this place.What were the social rules here?Even if Francis wouldn’t care, would José and Mauricio and the others be comfortable with affection between men?I had absolutely no idea.
“Rooster.”
I turned to see Dinesh and Francis looking at me.
“You all right?”the captain asked.
I didn’t want to interrupt their companionship with my sober musings.
“Aye,” I said, smiling and trying not to look as confused and lost as I felt.
“Why don’t you join us?”Francis said.“I’m dying to hear how you managed to capture the heart of this complicated man.”
“Yes, come here, my love.Sit with us,” Dinesh said, shifting over on the log so there was room for me beside him.
The captain’s fond address answered my question about showing our affection plainly.I didn’t expect the relief I felt at his invitation.
I stood and made my way over, strangely shy in the presence of Dinesh’s long-time friend.What would he think of me?Did he think I was good enough for Dinesh?Or did he suppose that I was an opportunist with a randy appetite who only wanted a comfortable place to sleep?At my first appearance on board theArrow, that might have been true.But the captain and I had both been surprised by deeper feelings.
Dinesh reached out and took my hand, tugging me onto the log beside him.We were the only ones remaining close to the fire.
“Why did you go off on your own?”
I shrugged, glancing at Francis, who poked a stick into the fire to stir the embers to renewed life.
“You blokes were having such a good tongue wag.I didn’t want to distract…”
