“There they are,” Francis said when he spotted us.
We approached the hearth, where a low fire burned, and the crew were gathered.
“Here,” Domingo said, passing me an earthenware bowl, with curved handle, that contained a steaming liquid that smelled familiar.He gave another to Dinesh, who threw him a thankful gaze.
“Coffee?”I asked.
Domingo nodded whilst Guthrie chuckled.
“Oh, thank Christ,” I said, blowing on the top and taking a sip.Coffee, for certain, but of a much better flavour and richness than the swill we had on board.My eyes widened, and I noticed the same appreciation on Dinesh’s face.
A woman stood next to Francis, who held a chubby brown-skinned babe in one arm and clutched the hand of a small boy, naked but for a beaded string about his waist.
Honestly, I was thinking on the wisdom of wearing clothes myself as the heat of the midday sun beat down, but this coffee was heaven.
Jimena was taller than I’d expected.She was quite pretty and the waves of her brown hair looked soft as silk.She wore a broad band of red cloth tied around her ample bosom and a red wrap around her waist, with fringe on the bottom.Her dark eyes flashed with intelligence.She nodded at the captain and me and smiled, showing her teeth.
“Buenos Dias.Good day.”She glanced at Francis, who said my name with an emphasis on each syllable.
“Sy-mun.Hello.Ola.”Jimena said.
“Hello.It’s lovely to meet you, Jimena,” I said.
“And meet you,” she responded, then turned to Captain Martin and puffed out her chest, placing a closed fist on each hip.“Captain.You fierce still!So strong and with good bottom,” she commented whilst craning to look at Dinesh’s admittedly fine arse.
He almost spilled his drink.
I tried not to laugh but couldn’t help grinning.I mean, she wasn’t wrong, and we had that in common.
Dinesh had the decency to blush.“Well, thank you very much, Jimena.You look very well also.”
The chubby babe in Francis’s arm blinked at me with a hesitant smile and an intelligible burble whilst the older child gazed at us with wide, incredulous eyes.
“Su nombre es Gabriel,” Jimena said, nodding at the baby, presumably telling us his name.
“Gabriel?”I repeated, pointing to the little one.
She nodded.“Et su nombre es Alejandro,” she said, gesturing to the other boy, who nodded and repeated the name, pointing at his chest.
“Alejandro!”he said, then laughed and got quiet, gazing at us with awe and caution.
“Alejandro,” I repeated, “My, aren’t you a handsome little lad,” I said, bending down to smile at him on his level.
He gazed placidly into my eyes, and I could see he had the wits of his mother.
I straightened, pushing the hair out of my eyes, noticing Captain Martin looking at me with the most fascinated and surprised expression.
“What?”I asked, taking a sip of my coffee.
“Nothing,” he murmured, but his gaze had a dreamy quality I couldn’t quite place.I put the expression up to the happiness of seeing his old friends again.
“Come, we’re about to sit down for a meal,” Francis said.“Jimena and the children have walked from the village and are hungry from their journey.”
“Of course, of course,” Dinesh replied.“I’m so sorry we held you up.”
“The jungle noises kept us awake most of the night,” I explained.“We only just woke.”
“Oh yes, I forget how loud this place can be to newcomers,” Francis said, gesturing to his ears and then waving his hands about at the air and looking to Jimena, who nodded and covered her ears, making a sad face.
