Telesa - The Covenant Keeper

by Lani Wendt Young

  They didn’t like it of course. Aunty Matile cried some more. Silent tears, shaking her head. Uncle Tuala only sighed, long and low, “Are you sure Leila? Are you sure this is what you want to do?”

  “Yes. Uncle, please understand, I’m not trying to be ungrateful for all that you and Aunty have done for me. I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to get to know this woman better. I have no father. No family really. Please just allow me this chance to know this mother a little.”

  He smiled sadly. “Leila, you are a grown woman, not a child. You are our guest, not our prisoner. It is not for us to decide where you stay, where you go. And while we may think you are making a mistake, this is your decision to make.”

  He helped me take my bag to the jeep. I was getting into the driver’s seat when Aunty Matile came out of the house. “Leila, you be careful, you hear me? You be careful. And when your visit with that woman is finished, you come back here and stay with us again. We are your family, you hear me? And be a good girl.” She waved at me. “Be a good girl, Leila. And come back soon.”

  They stood and watched me drive away in the fast-approaching evening. I was sad. But tense with excitement. I was Leila Pele Folger. I had a mother called Nafanua. And I was going to stay at her house.

  

  The rest of the evening was one of discoveries. Nafanua met me at the main road intersection and drove the rest of the way back up to the stately house in the forest. She showed me to my room on the second floor, a huge retreat with a king-size four-poster bed and French doors that opened out onto a balcony overlooking the back of the property. There was an ensuite bathroom, masses of flowers in clay jugs, abundant ferns trailing their green sweetness all throughout the house. My one bag of clothes looked rather dismal in the vast wardrobe. I didn’t have much time to dwell on it though before Nafanua was calling me downstairs. I met Netta, the housekeeper, an unsmiling woman with grey hair pulled tightly back in a bun whose scowl deepened as she stared pointedly at the dirt on my shoes as I stood on the polished beauty of the wood flooring. Oops. Quickly, I excused myself to take my shoes and leave them at the door. I was rewarded with a curt nod. The rest of the house flowed seamlessly into a library, another two bedrooms and Nafanua’s master suite. Every room beckoned to the outdoors though, with the opening French doors and wrap-around verandah, so coolness and light flowed endlessly. At the back of the house was a square block building almost overgrown with bougainvillea. There was excited anticipation in Nafanua’s voice as she threw open the door.

  “My lab. Here’s where I do all my work.”

  I followed behind her. And stood still in awe. There were plants everywhere, hanging from pots suspended from the ceiling, in baskets lining the wall. The center of the room was lined with two long benches crowded with gleaming steel equipment. A computer or two. Machines that beeped and hummed. Glass boxes that held orchids and drooping branches under artificial lighting. There were two benches crowded with beakers and test tubes, plastic tubing, and pipes.

  “Wow.” I couldn’t manage anything else.

  “Here’s where I spend most of my time. Nights especially are my favorite time to work.”

  “What are you working on?”

  “Medicines, plant grafting, seed propagation, stuff. As you know, plants are where we get most of our modern medicine from. My sisters and I, we’re traditional healers so we have the benefit of many hundreds of years of knowledge handed down to us by our mothers. Too often, modern science and Western medicine rip off traditional healers. They take our plants, they take our knowledge, ‘invent’ a cure for something and then get filthy rich off it. And maybe they throw a few cents over their shoulder for the villagers who were foolish enough to give them the information in the first place. Well, thanks to our work here in the lab, we don’t need them. In the last few years, we’ve successfully patented several plant-based medicines and ensured that the profits come back where they should. Here. And we in turn put them back into village-based projects.”

  “So that’s what you do then? You’re a science researcher?”

  She shrugged. “Among other things. I do a bit of consultancy work for different environmental organizations as needed. My sisters and I are lobbyists in the region as well as locally. But enough about me. You like plants, yes?”

  I nodded, glad to find common ground. “Yes, they make more sense than people for me. I had a little collection of my own at home that my dad would help me gather samples for. Nothing as extensive as yours though. Wow.” I walked around the lab, foraging thoughtfully through the specimens and labeled containers, “This is pretty amazing stuff.”

  “You’re welcome to come in here whenever you like, look around, help yourself to everything. Later on when you’re settled, I’d always appreciate an extra hand with my work. If you want to.”

  She made the offer openly without reservation but I wasn’t ready to embrace it. A non-committal shrug, “Sure.”

  As if sensing the hesitation she moved on. “Come, you must be tired. Would you like to go in and shower, get ready for dinner? I decided against having you meet my sisters on your first night, thought it would be a bit much for you, so it’s just us and Netta. But she is making something special for your welcome dinner, so I hope you’re hungry.”

  I smiled and nodded. Food I was always ready to embrace. A cold shower and a change of clothes later and I was sitting at Nafanua’s table while Netta served a delicious array of food. Sweet baked fish in honey ginger sauce. Crayfish. Faiai fe’e, octopus in coconut cream. Watercress and lettuce salad with pele leaves and mint. Nafanua explained. “We don’t eat a lot of red meat. Everything on this table comes from our own land. The other side of the property fronts onto the ocean so we get fresh fish daily. Netta caught this octopus just this morning, didn’t you Netta?”

  Dessert was the grand exclamation mark after an already full paragraph. Faausi – papaya dumplings in a caramel sticky sweet sauce. And mango pie with coconut milk custard. I groaned. “I will definitely need to go for a run tomorrow morning Netta, this has been so delicious and I’ve eaten way too much food. Thank you. I can’t believe you made all this just for us.”

  The grim-faced woman softened to a smile. Which widened appreciatively as I jumped to clear the table and helped with the washing up. As I was drying the last dish, Nafanua called from the living room. “When you’re done, Leila, can you come walk with me for a little bit?”

  The night shadows were heavy with the scent of jasmine as we walked slowly through the garden in the silver moonlight. Nafanua paused beside a cluster of gardenia bushes and reached into her pocket, bringing out a soft siapo cloth bag. She held it out to me.

  “I want you to have this. I made it for you during those months when I was carrying you. It was to have been a gift when you turned twelve. The age that we - that my family - considers the age that a girl becomes a woman. I never thought I would be able to give it to you. It would bring me great joy if you accepted this gift now, even if it is late. Because I hope it isn’t too late Leila, for you and I. To be family.”

  I didn’t know what to say. Instead I reached out for the bag, and opened it. Out tumbled a bone carving that gleamed whitely in the darkness. Intricate patterns and swirls marked its smooth surface. I exclaimed with the beauty of it. “It’s lovely, Nafanua. You made this? What is it made from?”

  “Whale bone. Our ocean cove is where the Pacific whale comes to die. It is a place of peace and rest. When their time is near, they know they can find refuge here. And in death they know they can find reverence. We perform the sacred death rites and in exchange we take a piece of bone. It is saved for when we have a daughter and we engrave it with some of our legends. Our history. And our hopes for her future.” She carefully showed me a similar carving that hung from a gold chain around her own neck. “This was made for me by my mother and I wear it always. She’s long gone now but this is my link to her, to our past, and to my family.”

  My breath was an
indrawn hush in the white moonlit night. Without knowing why, tears threatened me and I turned away in the darkness to contain them, my emotions a swirling mess. It was too much. All my life not only had I been reconciled to having no mother but I’d battled to fit the mold of requisites for being a bona fide Folger, failing miserably more often than not. And now, to have a mother, to have a legacy, links to a past, and a family – it was more than I had ever dreamed possible. I had been living in thick choking darkness ever since my dad died and this light just seemed too bright to be real.

  “Leila, are you alright? If you don’t wish to accept the carving, I will understand. I can hold on to it for another time. For when you’re ready?”

  I shook my head. “No, I’m fine. I like it. I’d like to wear it. Thank you. It’s just that, this …” I waved my hands at the richness around us, “all this, it’s a bit much to take in all at once. I used to dream of having a mother you know. I used to pester my father to marry again and once I even signed him up on an online dating service.” I smiled at the memory. “He thought that was hilarious. And he even let me help him pick some possible listings to go on a date with. And then I hated them all in person anyway and he thought that was even funnier. Nafanua, I appreciate this, I really do. I just need time to take it all in.”

  “Of course, I understand. We have all the time in the world. And you will find that I am a very patient woman, Leila. Now, come, it’s getting late and we both need sleep.”

  Together, we moved back into the house, Nafanua pausing before going to her rooms.

  “Oh, we won’t see each other in the morning. I will be off early on a project with my sisters. But Netta will be here to prepare breakfast. You can find your way to school from here can’t you? You won’t get lost? And if you are here tomorrow evening, there will be a dinner with my sisters.”

  “Well, school finishes at 2:30 so I can get back here before 3 unless I get put on detention or something. I’ll try not to be late.”

  Nafanua waved an airy hand carelessly. “Leila, one thing you must get clear. I don’t know what it was like to live with Matile but here in this house, everyone comes and goes as they please. You have the car. Take it where you will as you need it. You are not a child. I don’t expect you check in or out. I am glad that you are attending school because I think Western education is important but otherwise, you do what you like. I’ve opened a bank account for you, here’s the card. So if you need money for anything, it’s there.”

  Before I could protest she held up her hand with finality. “Leila, remember what I said to you earlier. I have been denied the choice of being in your life for eighteen years. Please allow me some choices now. It’s not much. A home to stay in. Netta’s finest cooking for you to eat. A car to drive. Some money for expenses. At least allow me that much. Your father’s choices denied me your childhood, please allow me to do something to help you now.”

  I couldn’t argue with her. How could I? Instead, I silently accepted the money card, resolving never to use it and went upstairs to bed. It was a night without dreams. A night without tears.

  

  The next day at school I was bursting with excitement, eager to tell someone, anyone, about the new development in my life. Well, I amended, to be honest, not anyone, I wanted to tell Daniel about my visit with my mother. The morning classes dragged interminably. As soon as the bell rang for break, I was up and out of my desk, so quick that Maleko whooped as I bolted past him, “Hey, Leila where’s the fire, girl?” I ignored him, too impatient to even poke my tongue at him.

  I walked quickly to Block C where Daniel had class, and couldn’t stop the huge foolish grin when I caught sight of his red gold perfection. I had to stop myself from breaking into a run as I moved towards him. There was an answering smile on his face as I came to a halt in front of him. Suddenly, awkwardly shy. “Hi.”

  He had one eyebrow arched quizzically. “Hi - why do I feel like I’m in trouble or something? You look like you’re about to explode. You’re not going to attack me about being racist again are you? What have I done now?” His grin softened the words.

  I laughed, giddily. “No. Nothing. I mean you have done something, you did do something. Already. Yesterday. When I was upset about that whole surprise mother thing? Well, you were right. And it worked out good.”

  My tumble of words stopped as he started laughing, raising up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, hey, slow down. I can’t follow a hundred words a minute you know. Here, let’s go find somewhere to sit down and you can tell me all about it. Slowly.”

  Shaking his head, he led the way down the hall and out to a bench under the palm trees swaying beside the rugby field. Once we were both seated, he looked at me sideways.

  “Okay, I’m ready. Now let me have it. What’s happening?”

  I replayed the previous day’s events, oblivious to the lunch break activity around us. When I came to a stop he didn’t speak. Just regarded me with inscrutable eyes. I waited, feeling foolish.

  “Umm, what? Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “Like I’m a certifiable lunatic or something? What is it?”

  His smile assuaged my worries. “Nothing. It’s just that you’re so different when you’re happy, excited. So alive. When you first came here, I remember, you walked like a half-dead person. You were a half-dead person! Or a seriously attitudinal one.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him warningly so he rushed to finish his sentence.

  “I mean – don’t shoot me yet – what I meant to say was, you’re beautiful. Watching you talk with all the hand motions and the emotions coming out everywhere. You’re beautiful.”

  Whatever I had been expecting, it wasn’t that. Shock had me speechless. Stunned silent. What do you say when a gloriously beautiful boy tells you that you’re beautiful? If I’d been white, I would have blushed red. But since I was brown, I just sat and my every thought stuttered. I dropped my eyes and longed for a rock to crawl under. Somewhere to hide. So I could process what had just happened. What Daniel had just said.

  In the heavy pause, someone called Daniel’s name.

  “Daniel! Are you coming?”

  We both turned. It was Mele, looking petulant with one hand on her hip. “Everybody’s waiting for you, prefects meeting remember?!”

  Daniel groaned and stood quickly to gather his things. “Damn. Sorry Leila, I forgot. Manuia, the Head Girl, called a prefects meeting for lunchtime today and I kind of need to be there. That’s awesome news about your mom though, can we talk about it later today? After school?”

  I nodded, just thankful for the reprieve from the awkwardness. The chance to recover from being sucker punched by a compliment you’re beautiful. That’s not something I heard often. Correction, that’s not something I heard ever. Double correction, my dad told me I was beautiful all the time, well, he used to. But then he was monumentally biased and not to be believed. A dark scowl plagued me as I walked slowly to join Simone and the others beside the canteen. Because I was remembering that there were other things that my dad obviously couldn’t be believed on either…

  The rest of the day passed uneventfully. My feet dragged as I made my way to the student carpark under the mango tree beside the back tennis court. Not even the sight of the black Wrangler jeep could slice through my dread. I was supposed to meet Daniel here. Daniel who had told me I was beautiful and I still hadn’t figured out how to respond to that. At the jeep, I chucked my gear in the back and unzipped the canvas cover. It was another hot afternoon and I wanted to drive with the wind in my face. I didn’t hear Daniel come up behind me until the long low whistle had me turning.

  “Nice ride! Since when do you have a Wrangler, Ms Leila?”

  He walked over to run his fingers lightly along the side of the jeep, until he stood far too close to me for breathable comfort. Unconsciously I backed up several steps.

  “Oh it’s not mine. It’s my …” I stumbled over the word, �
�mother’s. Well, it belongs to Nafanua. Just letting me drive it to school since there’re no buses up our way.”

  “Oh have you moved?” His eyes were curious.

  “Just for a bit. She invited me to stay for a while, so I took her up on her offer. She lives up at Aleisa and I’m just going to hang out there while we talk, maybe till I know a bit more about her. Before I go back. Home.”

  A huge smile lit his face, “Hey that’s great Leila, so you’re going to give her a chance? Your relationship a chance? That takes courage, I like that. I’m happy for you.” Then he faked a huge frown. “But can you please not park next to my green bomb next time you come to school? I mean, heck, don’t make him feel bad! You’ll be giving him inadequacy issues next to this beauty.”