The Tropical Sun - Belief, Love and Hate
Page 29
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A couple of days had passed since the garment fitting, and by now the fisherman’s tops had been improved. Lyana asked Agung to come into their room from his work shed, where he had been cutting some new timber. Only Lyana was in the room, since Lela was tending her father in the adjoining bedroom.
“What do you think of our tops now?” Lyana asked airily, turning around in front of him so that he could inspect the modifications.
There was definitely some improvement in the design which somehow disguised the female form underneath, although he was not sure what had been done to create this effect. He smiled at her and shook his head.
“I have no idea.”
She smiled innocently at him, yet her eyes gleamed.
“Do you want to know the secret?”
Pulling undone a slip knot, she slipped off the top completely in front of his surprised eyes to reveal that she had material bound around her breasts in the form of an undergarment. The material was not tightly bound, but covered and held her well formed breasts sufficiently to disguise them when the padded top was worn.
Gazing at the delicious outline in front of him, his eyes ran over her skin. Her shapely bare shoulders and arms were exposed. His eyes lingered on the gloriously smooth midriff with the tantalising sight of an immaculate navel. A prolonged pulse of excitement transmitted itself through his body.
Lyana waited, smiling at him. The smouldering ether had been ignited. Looking up to meet her eyes, he reached out his hands and pulled her to him, kissing her, a spontaneous act of love and lust, a long, passionate, fumbling kiss. It was the third time they had kissed, but the first one in which he knew what was happening.
The sound of the door opening caused them to spring apart. Lela entered. Of course, she saw that something had happened and turned to go back out, but Lyana rushed to her sister and caught her gently by the arm.
“Sis, please wait.. I was just showing Agung our secret – how we look like boys now.”
Lyana giggled nervously, seeming to be afraid of Lela’s reaction. Lela stayed and closed the door between the rooms, but kept her back turned to him as the two sisters talked quietly – too quietly for him to hear.
Agung’s heart sank. He loved them both, and now he seemed to have hurt them both. Crestfallen, he sensed now a conflict between them – the first he had seen. He stood there, distressed. He thought about leaving the room but hesitated, not wanting to abandon either of them or seeming to be rude.
“Sorry.. it was my -” he started to say, when Lyana interrupted him:
“It’s alright Agung.. It was me – Lela understands.. Don’t you Lela?”
Lela smiled weakly as Lyana went on with renewed enthusiasm:
“See - Lela has the same top!”
As if in fun, Lyana pulled the corner of her sister’s garment off her shoulder, showing part of the undergarment, her feminine bare shoulder and slender upper arm. Lela seemed to consent to the display, before modestly pulling back her top. For a brief moment Lela’s eyes looked into his spirit before she turned her back on him, casting him adrift.
He forced an awkward smile, and stumbled out some words:
“I like your tops.. yes ..it’s a good idea.”
As he left through the door into his work shed, Lyana held his arm and puckered her lips towards him, blowing a kiss. Her eyes reassured him that he had her affection.
“You can’t leave him alone – can you?!” Lela told her sister after she had closed the door.
“Sis.. It’s alright – he wants me too,” hushed Lyana, trying to sooth her sister. “You know how I feel about him.. Especially after he saved me.. And you like him too, don’t you?”
Lela was not so easily pacified.
“Not like you do – ever since we met him you’ve talked about nothing else! You were the one that wanted to talk to him at the pond – you are always so forward!” declared Lela, emotion showing in her tear-filled eyes. “If he wants you then let him show it - you shouldn’t be so obvious!”
Lyana tried to deny her actions, almost whimpering now:
“I wasn’t.”
“Yes, you were! – taking off your top like that!”
“I didn’t mean to – really.”
“Yes, you were! – you know exactly what you did!”
“Alright.. I’m sorry Sis,” Lyana hugged her younger sister in remorse. “He’s shy still.. I just wanted to let him know it’s alright – it’s safe here – I trust him. Nobody else saw.”
“Mother could have come in,” Lela said, tears running down her cheeks.
“She’s showing the women how to use the bow on the beach.”
Lela sighed, wiping away the tears with her fingers.
“Ly, you will always be my big sister.” she said, returning the hug. “You know, don’t you?”
“Know what Sis?”
“If you want Agung, then you should have him.. Don’t worry about me – I’m not sure I want to get married anyway.”
“Sis.. but I do worry about you – I always will. I never want to be away from you,” urged Lyana hugging her sister tighter. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Lela mumbled. “We will always be together won’t we?”
The two sobbed in each other’s arms.
After some time, Lyana said:
“Likupang is a good place, don’t you think?”
“They’ve been very kind to us – and mother and father.. Raj is happy too.”
“As long as we’re both in the same village – it would be alright do you think – I mean if I did marry him? – as long as you are near?”
Lela said nothing for some moments.
“Yes,” she said quietly.
Lyana understood that her younger sister also had a special place for Agung in her heart.
“Oh Sis, I’m sorry – it’s just me being selfish.. I was trying to think if there was someone in the village you liked – a man?”
“I don’t have to be with a man!” Lela said in annoyance.
“You like Bandri don’t you?” teased Lyana.
“Don’t be silly Ly – look at Ayu – he’s not interested – he’s married!” Lela said, shaking her head. Then she changed the tone of her voice “And don’t tell me I like Praba again!”
Lyana blurted into a giggle. Lela smiled, and then they giggled as if in a conspiracy.
“How about Harta?” Lyana asked.
“He’s quite good-looking I suppose,” Lela mused out loud. “But maybe a bit too young!”
“You’re not going to be able to teach him anything!” Lyana teased.
“You don’t know anything either!”
“I can imagine.”
“Imagine what?” Lela said in a snooty manner, as if she couldn’t guess what her sister was thinking about.
“Agung – he’s so strong.. you know?.. His muscles are wonderful,” Lyana pretended to swoon. “He’s a real man who can look after you.”
“He’s big.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Lyana teased, with a glint in her eye.