Willie handed her a portion of the dish he’d created, consisting of berries, greens and some sort of reef fish, and she sat down between Ryan and Charles, each of them shifting over so she could squeeze in. Charles leaned over and gently brushed her shoulder, casual enough to not draw anyone’s attention. Joss smiled and could feel the blush rising in her cheeks, recalling the afternoon of intimacy they shared. Not only did Charlie come up to bat, he’d hit it out of the park. The man had mad skills! She took a quick glance at him, and although he wasn’t looking her way, saw that he was smiling too.
As soon as she finished her meal, Joss grabbed her bag and fished out several small plants she’d found that day. She had a surprise for the men. She sat down on the ground, and using her pocket knife, trimmed the stem and leaves away from the roots, and set them aside. She then tore a piece of material off a clean cotton t-shirt, and placed the roots inside, tying the package securely before beating it with a rock. She dunked the entire herb sack into the freshly boiled water to steep it.
“What is that?” Daniel asked, always curious about whatever Joss was creating.
Out of all the men, he seemed most at home on the island, Joss concluded. He was always tinkering around and building little things to make life easier and more comfortable at camp. She was surprised one day when she came back from a hike and saw that he’d assembled a tall, private lean-to about thirty yards from camp, saying ‘they’ could use it as a dressing room. He claimed it was for all of them, but Joss knew that he had been thinking of her privacy. It was so thoughtful. He’d also rigged up a little table they could prepare their meals on, as well as a rudimentary fish trap he’d designed out of bamboo and vines. Both items had already proven their worth. She was impressed with his creativity and natural survival skills, especially considering he was a lawyer.
“I found some Kava today, near the waterfall,” she explained, tying the left over leaves together using the long stem. She placed the little bundle into her make up bag, which she had converted to a storage container for the many medicinal herbs and plants she had begun to assemble.
“What does it do?”
“Well, many things. The root is used to make a tea which is very relaxing. The locals liken its effects to wine,” she answered, sitting beside him. “The leaves I can use for medicinal purposes. They’re strongly antimicrobial and have anti-inflammatory properties so they are good for soothing irritated or infected skin. Traditionally, the kava leaves are crushed into a poultice and rubbed onto the skin to treat rashes, insect bites and stings, and fungal conditions like ringworm.”
“Wow, isn’t it marvelous, what nature offers us,” he gushed. Joss adored his accent and smiled at his enthusiasm. She completely agreed. Nature was amazing.
“And we’ll be drinking that then?”
“Yes, I thought it would be a nice treat for us. We’ve all been working so hard and under so much stress,” she smiled.
“What does it taste like?”
She chuckled softly, wondering that herself.
“Well I have only tried it once before, back home, and it was the dried tea. I’m told fresh Kava tastes stronger, quite earthy.”
“That’s a diplomatic way to say it tastes like dirt,” Grant teased.
Joss looked up to see the captain standing behind them. He’d just come back from the shore, where he’d been cleaning out their ‘dishes’, made of coconut shells cups and homemade wooden plates. Joss chuckled softly. He was right, it probably did taste a little like dirt, but then so did green tea.
“Will you partake, Captain?” she asked, certain he’d find some reason to decline her kindness.
“I wouldn’t say no, girly. I’ve enjoyed a nice cuppa Kava once or twice,” he said, catching her off guard. “Let me know when it’s ready and I’ll join in.”
Joss, mouth agape, watched him amble away, tucking himself into the shelter. He spent a lot of time alone, Joss had observed. He didn’t seem to enjoy people very much. He only socialized with them when he absolutely had to, so she was quite surprised.
“Well, maybe he’ll come around yet,” Daniel shrugged, looking back her way. Joss nodded, still not convinced.
* * *
After about an hour of steeping the kava, Joss squeezed the juice from the pulp of the root into six glasses and offered one to each of them. She sat down on the bench, one that Daniel had made out of some saplings, and sipped her tea slowly, enjoying the warm, terra flavor. The Kava was quick to numb her lips and tongue, and before long she felt her body relax, like she was submerging herself into a tub of hot water. It was obvious that the tea was strong, because she instantly felt warm and tingly all over, her worries melting away. Everyone was mellow and happy, even the captain.
The evening was beautiful, the best one so far. They talked and sang and laughed under a crystal clear sky, blessed by a full moon illuminating their festivities. It was like they were in summer camp, kids without a care in the world, just hanging out and being silly.
They were enjoying a rare moment of silence when Charles, who had been quiet most of the night, suddenly spoke up, startling them all.
“When we were young, my friends and I would ride our Harleys up to the lake and build enormous bon-fires. We’d hang out all night, listening to music, getting high, and banging our girlfriends inside our sleeping bags, right under the stars....there just isn’t time to connect like that with people now...”
“What is it like in the future, Daddy-O?” Ryan teased, drawing chuckles all around.
“Keep it up and you’ll never find out,” Charles rebutted, reaching around Joss to playfully punch his gut.
Ryan doubled over and groaned, feigning injury.
“And might I add that this new facial hair thing you got going on is making you look like a porn star. You might have a future in movies after all,” Charles quipped back.
“Ouch!” Ryan groaned, pretending to stab his gut with a make-believe knife. “You really know how to hurt a guy.”
“In all seriousness, I can relate to what you’re saying,” Daniel empathized, “I find it damn near impossible to do the things I really want to do. It seems we’ve all been brainwashed that we should live to work, not the other way around. Doesn’t anyone really live anymore?”
“I suppose I do,” Joss sighed, thinking about the choice she’d made years earlier. Life had thrown her a giant curve ball, but she tossed that mother-fucker back. Granted, it took her almost a year to heal from the pain, and a lot of soul searching. A Stephen King quote came to her mind
“It came down a simple choice: Get busy living, or get busy dying.”
The morning she woke up, covered in her own vomit, having chased a bottle of pills with tequila, she realized the universe was giving her a second chance, insisting on it really. She knew she had to damn well figure out what would make her happy, or at least not want to kill herself, because what she was doing, just wasn’t cutting it. The truth was, she didn’t want to die. She just wanted the past to die. She needed to let all the shit go and move past her grief. The very next day she started making plans to walk the P.C.T., and over the next few months, nature became her therapist.
“Then you’re one of the lucky ones,” Grant offered quietly, the words tight in his throat. There was no pretense in his tone, no disdain, just a quiet observation. Joss looked up to catch his eye, and for a moment she caught a glimpse of his vulnerability. She offered him a supportive smile, but he ignored it, quickly looking away.
“I suppose it seems that way, but I worked hard to get where I am. Life has not always been easy,” she shrugged.
Grant looked back at her, brows raised, “That sounds cliche, sweetheart,” he jabbed, riding the thin line between teasing and taunting, a familiar tone Joss still wasn’t sure how to interpret. She couldn’t read him and it drove her crazy.
“I’m just saying, maybe you shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Sometimes it takes a trial by fire for people to see the light,” Joss p
ersisted, managing to keep her tone light.
Grant shook his head and smirked, “I see you’re going to make a meal out of this...” he teased, his eyes challenging her.
Joss held his gaze, her eyes lit with spunky tenacity.
“Want to hear something pathetic?” Daniel jumped in, astutely observing the tension. “This is the most fun I’ve had in my life. This! Being stranded on a deserted island!”
Everyone laughed, including Joss, grateful for the comic relief.
“Maybe not so pathetic,” Charles agreed. “I haven’t been this relaxed in decades. No computers, no cell phones, no deals to close. You’d think I’d be scared for my life, but the truth is, I was more afraid the stress back home would kill me.”
“What do you mean?” Joss asked, surprised by his confession.
“I had a mild heart attack last year. Nothing serious, more of a warning really,” he assured, tapping her hand lightly. “I’m ok. I have the best physicians on this island. Doctors Sunlight, Exercise, and Rest. In fact, I feel better than I have in years!”
“Are you on meds?” Joss pressed anxiously, “Are you running low?”
“I take one aspirin a day, nothing else, and I have a full bottle. I’ll be fine. As long as we get rescued in the next eighty days,” he laughed, looking at his bros for support. They all chuckled nervously, but Joss wouldn’t let him off the hook.
“Charlie, you should have said something sooner. This is nothing to joke about,” she gently scolded, her eyes searching his. She was genuinely worried for him. If he had a heart attack on the island it would quite possibly kill him. The thought of it scared her to death.
“Joss, honestly, I feel great.”
“Ok,” she conceded, raising her brow, “but promise you’ll talk to me if anything changes?”
Charles smirked at her playfully, adding a confident, “Sure.”
“Promise,” she insisted.
“I do.”
“Anyone else have any life threatening illnesses to report?” Ryan mused, “Mad Cow? Hepatitis? Megalophallus?”
“You’re the biggest dick here Ryan,” Willie quipped, throwing his shoe at him.
“I was just checking. I’ve seen you naked. That sucker ain’t normal, big guy!” Ryan jabbed, whipping the shoe back. It bounced off Willie’s shoulder, hitting the ground with a thud.
“Ha ha, aren’t you guys hysterical,” Joss laughed, in spite of herself. “Who wants more Kava?”
Everyone lifted their hand.
Chapter 14
Day 22 (Since crash) ~ Still no sign of rescue. It seems odd that we haven’t seen a ship or a plane in the entire three weeks we’ve been here. I don’t want to lose hope, I truly don’t, but after three weeks of searching I’m starting to wonder what the mind set is of the people looking for us. Do they think we’re dead? Has search and rescue turned into a search and recover mission? Ryan, Charlie and Willie are influential people, so it’s unlikely that the news frenzy has died down or that their people will give up the search just yet. I guess that in some ways Daniel, Captain Grant and myself are lucky to have been on the flight with them. If we didn’t have them with us, it’s certain that we would’ve been given up for dead by now.
I’ve been thinking about Hannah. She has to be worried sick. She must know by now that I was one of the passengers. I’m sad that I ruined her wedding. I wish I could just talk to her and let her know I’m okay. Actually I have so much I want to share with her, about Charlie, and Ryan, and life here on the island. She would say, “What the fuck! Just live a little and stop overthinking. Sex is supposed to be fun!”
Of course, she’s also a slut. ツ (Kidding Hannah Banana! You know I love you!)
God, I miss my mom too. In spite of everything that happened I know she must be grieving. I was so hurt when she left dad, and for the longest time, I blamed her for his death. It’s stupid, I know. I’ve been thinking about that a lot since the plane crash, wondering how much I might have gotten wrong. How much I didn’t understand about their marriage, and their divorce. I never even asked her why she left, but she must have had her reasons, right? Was she in pain? Did she feel unwanted? Unappreciated? Invisible?
The older I get, the more I realize how sheltered I was from their problems. I really didn’t know her beyond the parent/child relationship because she left when I was still so young. I was only 22 and still had so much growing up to do. Dad is gone, but Mom isn’t. There’s still a chance for us to heal. Funny how it took a life altering experience to shift my perspective. If we get rescued, I’m going to try to mend things between us.
Correction, WHEN we get rescued...
“Hi, Joss.”
Joss looked up from her journal, shielding her eyes from the sun, to find Willie standing in front of her. It was late afternoon, and she was enjoying a few minutes by herself before dinner. She started making a habit of that a week earlier because she’d found herself missing her alone time. She liked the men, but she needed time to centre herself each day. Sometimes she would meditate, or do yoga, but mostly she would just write in her journal. Writing allowed her to manage her thoughts and keep her grounded, especially on those days when she was afraid.
“Sorry to interrupt, I know you’re writing. Mind if I just sit? Being around you comforts me.”
“That’s a sweet thing to say,” she blushed, warmed by the sentiment. His quiet presence comforted her too. She patted the sand beside her, inviting him to join her. She and Willie had developed a healthy respect for one another over the past three weeks. Out of all the men, he was the one she was the most curious about. He was a man of few words, but what he did share was almost always interesting. Plus, he was a hard worker. It was Willie who provided most of their protein, fishing on a daily basis. He was getting exceptionally good at it too. Not a day went by that he didn’t bring something back from the ocean. One day, the week before, he’d caught two large Mullets, probably eight pounds each. There was so much left over that Joss taught them how to preserve the left overs by smoking the meat. That was a good day.
“You don’t need to stop, I’ll just sit beside you and look at the view,” he assured, dropping to the sand, stretching his long legs out in front of him. She closed her journal and set it beside her.
“No, I’m done. It’s ok.”
“I like watching you write. You look so peaceful,” he continued, his eyes regarding her thoughtfully. “You never stop working, always so worried about taking care of us, your little brow furrowed. It’s nice to see you relax.”
“Really? Do I look like I’m scowling all the time?” she laughed, nudging him with her shoulder. “I’ve been told I have resting bitch face.”
“No, no. You just look serious, like you are always thinking about what needs to be done next, you know?
“That’s true. That’s just my way. I guess I need to be in control all the time,” she winked.
“Some might say you’re nurturing.”
“I guess,” she smiled, pleased he saw it that way. “I just want us all to be ok. I’m afraid if I stop planning ahead, I might overlook something or forget something crucial, you know? I worry we might run out of food, or someone will get sick, or hurt. My mind just won’t shut off.”
It was one of the reasons she’d enjoyed those few stolen moments with Ryan and Charlie so much. It offered her a reprieve from the constant stress. Charlie was so daring and in control, his lovemaking self-assured and confident. He always took care of her, like she was precious to him. He could make her forget where they were. Fuck that was sexy!
And Ryan? He was playful, silly, and funny. He brought out her goofy side and made her feel young and free. A tall order, given her serious nature. She never knew that laughter could be such a great aphrodisiac!
“But you’re a nurturer too, Willie,” she interjected, respectfully shaking off her sexy memories.
“It’s not the same. I go fishing because it’s relaxing. It’s been therapeutic in a way. It’s s
o peaceful out there, in the water. I also like the challenge. I have to be strategic.”
“Makes sense. Basketball must be the same?” she asked, curious about what life was like for him back home.
“In some ways maybe, but basketball is a team sport. When I play, I’m always running, six steps ahead. How do I get the ball down the court? What’s defense doing? Who’s blocking me? Where’s my point guard? On the court it’s fast paced and intense, but the gratification is instant. But out there,” he gestured to the water in front of them, “it’s all about the stillness and waiting, patience, something I was never really good at. I’m learning though. I always chased the rush, you know? Everything came so fast to me, so easy. I guess it made me kind of cocky,” he shrugged, masking his embarrassment.
Joss cocked her head and smiled at him, surprised by his admission, “I don’t get that vibe from you at all.”
“It’s true. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, done some serious soul searching. Before I decided to come to Fiji, I’d spent months pissed off at the world. That whole scandal really fucked me over. I wanted to lay blame on everyone else, pass the buck... anything but take ownership for my part in it. It was frigging painful. It’s hard work being in victim mode all the time,” he offered, his voice deep with regret.
She could see he was opening up to her, sharing his experience, and she wanted to offer him empathy, but she wasn’t familiar with the scandal he was referring too. She smiled weakly at him, and shrugged, indicating her ignorance. He looked at her curiously, trying to gauge her response.
“Forgive me Willie, I’m not really up on current events, especially when it comes to sports. I live a pretty sheltered life at home. I practically live, breathe, and work in the mountains. Shoddy service out there.”
“So you didn’t hear about it? It was all over the news for months,” he prodded, his eyes wide with disbelief.
“No, sorry.”
“Don’t be. In a way, I guess that’s good. You didn’t have pre-conceived notions about me,” he chuckled as though relieved.
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