“Yes, well, we need to see the others off.They’re heading back to the ship.”
“Oh.Right.”
Dinesh had gotten up and was shaking out his trousers.
“Speaking of which, how long do we intend to stay on Talamanca?I mean you and I.”
“Say five more days?Does that suit you?”
“Aye.This is a beautiful place, and Jimena and Francis are lovely.But I do miss our room and, uh,” I blushed, “the privy.”
“Good God.You’ve developed some fancy tastes, I see.”
“Yes, and I suppose I’ve come to look upon theArrowas my home.”
“Well, I’m glad for that.I only want to spend some more time with my friend and give you the introduction to married life that you deserve.”
I laughed.“In what capacity?You’ve already said we’ll have to wait for the privacy of the ship to truly celebrate.”
He shrugged.“Oh, Rooster.I’m going to spoil you to no end whilst we’re here.Perhaps not with the sort of shenanigans you enjoy, but with tenderness and kindness and thoughtfulness.”
I made a face, which made him laugh harder.
“Oh yes.And you mustn’t protest, because you deserve every moment of my pampering.”
We put on our rolled-up trousers and strolled out of our hut to find all of the crew standing there.They saw us come out and cheered loudly, as if we were a royal couple trying to get an heir on the way.
“All right, all right,” I said.“Settle down.Nothing to see here.”
Dinesh smiled with a mysterious look.“Not anymore at least.”
“Did you defile the marital bed?”Lahiri asked with a leer.
“I don’t kiss and tell,” Dinesh said with a smug smile.
“Since when?”
“Since I took up with Rooster, here.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake.You two are as boring as any old married couple.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” the captain replied.
The men scoffed but their good nature was clear.
“Aren’t you all going?”I asked finally.“Shoo, shoo.Leave us to our defiling.”
They huffed and bantered but moved toward the packed skiffs, boarding them in a flurry of activity and mutterings.
“Please tell my beloved ship that I miss her,” Captain Martin said, waving them off.
“Dinesh?”I asked, as we stood on the beach and watched them gain enough distance that they wouldn’t hear our conversation over the noise of the waves and the slap of their oars.
“Yes?”
“Don’t you worry that they’ll, oh I don’t know, abandon us here and steal the ship?”
He looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
