Catching Kate (Scenic Route to Paradise)

by Andrea Aarons

  “I would say that everyone starts in the same place recognizing their need for a Savior... That would be Jesus of course,” she said and he nodded. Kate realized some time later as she entered her cabin that she had forgotten all about Roger and his seductive attentions when talking with Zeff about salvation.

  Zeff heard her laugh softly just as she closed her cabin door.

  It was still early, sometime after the conclusion of the morning church service when Roger returned to pick up his guests.

  He drove up in an elongated four-wheel drive vehicle with beige canvas flaps rolled up revealing open air windows. He parked at the end of the pier on the street and came to the sloop with two of his men following.

  “Ahoy, there my friends,” he called up and Junior dropped the rope ladder over the side. The three men climbed deftly aboard and Merry invited them to the galley for iced tea. Mac was next-door in the salon and he had sent Merry up at Roger’s call. Roger introduced his men who would be guarding the boat while the others were with him at his house. The four men, including Mac sat in the salon. Mac knew Roger’s man, Tommie as he had stayed aboard one of the D’Almata ships the last time Mac stopped in James Bay. This was a small vessel and yet, Mac was relieved to see Roger assigning two men to the watch. There was some loading and unloading that would take place while Roger’s men were on board and that would take two men to accomplish, as well.

  Awakening from a brief nap, Kate came through to say hello. Her night’s sleep had been restless, thinking in turn about Roger and then his Boerboels of which she would be encountering Sunday afternoon. After Roger’s romantic roguery, Kate planned to keep her guard up. She went through to the galley but she heard him say to Merry, “Did Mac tell you to bring a swimming suit? I have a pool so make sure everyone brings trunks or a swimsuit.”

  “Yes, he told us when you dropped us off after the church service,” she replied. “But Roger, isn’t there something we could bring for the meal? This isn’t a big boat but we do carry some luxuries that you might not have... Or should I surprise you?”

  “Mac has surprised me plenty already,” he said with a glance towards Kate. Looking to Merry again, Roger added, “Yes, bring something to surprise me... If you think you can,” he challenged.

  Merry went to the galley where Kate was standing peeling a naranje. Although the salon was only a few feet behind her, she said to Kate as the men continued their discussion, “Coco, what can we take?”

  Kate was thinking about the dogs... huge and ferocious as Zeff had mentioned. At church, she had prayed that God would give her the fortitude to stand up before them. Still, she was doubtful. She eyed Roger as she popped the fruit pieces into her mouth wondering where the Boerboels would be when they arrived at his “ranch.”

  For a moment or more, Roger returned her stare as he listened or spoke to Mac but he couldn’t read the sober look on her face. He finally shook his head and with a smile turned away.

  Kate continued to stare but to Merry she said just above a whisper, “He has a perverse liking for Boerboels. What about a good home for little Coco?”

  At first, Merry hated this suggestion and said so. Some minutes later, she was climbing the companionway to find Zeff. Coco was officially Zeff’s dog and so she needed to ask him.

  Zeff was seated at the helm. The chairs were comfortable and when he saw Roger approaching, Zeff evaded him by coming above decks when the others went below. Coco was asleep at his feet.

  Merry asked if he was ready to give Coco back to her.

  “Sure,” he said and then in Spanish, “It’s no problem.” The truth was that Coco was in the care of Junior for the most part. At night, the pup slept in Zeff’s cabin and he took her out in the morning but Junior was Coco’s playmate.

  “Fine,” said Merry. “I think we will be leaving her here then, on St Helena.”

  “Okay, but Junior? He may not think it is a great solution,” said Zeff replying in English.

  Merry hadn’t thought about Junior but she would speak to him next. “You know,” Merry said as she was preparing to return to the galley, “Your English has really improved!” Zeff grinned. Eventually, Kate would tell her or she would figure it out.

  Ten minutes later, a leashed Coco was going on a day trip with the rest of the crew as they began filing down the Jacob’s ladder but she had a red ribbon tied conspicuously around her neck. Roger would be surprised.

  Once through town, it was twenty minutes of island driving before the group turned into the drive where Roger’s house stood. It was like a ranch or farm but the Saints, as the people of St Helena called themselves, labeled the farms as plantations or estates. Roger Cowels’ place was a plantation. He grew coffee and had a vineyard besides the various farm animals and sheep that roamed his acreage. The land had been bought by two of his uncles although the one had returned to England when Uncle Roger was busying dying. So young Roger inherited a small house, the vineyard and a coffee plantation, along with an elderly Angolan gardener and an Afrikaner housekeeper. The gardener had since passed on but Lulu the housekeeper, now almost 50 years old was alive and well; a major player in running Roger’s expanded household. The outbuildings, the barns and a multi-room one-story were built a decade later during the height of the global economic boom.

  It was a sprawling house with a porch that wrapped around the south side. There was a large kitchen and dining area for entertaining with a Bar B-Que patio and pool just off the dining room. Roger had a house full of help and another dozen worked the immediate farm. Tino and Junior were especially impressed by the largess. They asked to go swimming and there they stayed most of the day.

  Roger reassured his guests, that if it were warm in the island interior at his home, Jamestown would be exceptionally hot and humid. After making sure the meal preparations were underway and that there were no glitches in his menu, Roger loaded Mac, Merry, Zeff and Kate into his vehicle for a brief tour of the property.

  Coco stayed with Junior. Kate had seen two other dogs but nothing resembling the mastiff-like Boerboels she had been fearfully expecting. She decided that if they were guard dogs, Roger had locked them up somewhere while his guests were in residence.

  The plantation was a stunning example of agricultural success. His coffee grew in one area while the vineyard stretched wide, running down a sunny hillside. They walked to the top of the hill with the grapes trellised like steps below them. From this vantage point, Roger’s place was laid out before them. Merry and Zeff were examining the fruit hoping to find succulent and ripe grapes but the season was many weeks away yet. Roger took Kate’s elbow and step away from the others. He pointed out the various landmarks seen from the hilltop. Jamestown couldn’t be seen but greater James Bay to the north was in plain view. Roger indicated the High Knoll Fort and then moving his index finger down he pointed to the entrance of his own property. She could see the roof of his barn but the house and pool were camouflaged by greenery. Roger holding her elbow didn’t have the same effect as his kissing her palm had the night before, but still Kate had a difficult time concentrating on his words.

  Kate had planned on avoiding him as much as possible without being rude but she found his casual amicability pulling her into his immediate sphere repeatedly that afternoon.

  “I think I heard thunder,” he said to her and her attention was riveted to him once again. Roger held her by the arm still but she managed to look about. She saw no clouds although it had rained prior to the church service. Before she could answer, he said, “Oh, I beg your pardon. It must have been your stomach! You’re starving aren’t you?”

  She laughed. Kate couldn’t help it. “Ridiculous! My stomach is not growling but yours might be. I saw how much you consumed at your friend’s restaurant last night. I’m sure he didn’t make any profit on Junior and you men!” She moved away and stood with Merry who was sampling a large hard green grape.

  Roger turned to the others and said, “Mac, Zeff, we need to get these women back to the
patio before they go through my vineyard like two hungry locusts. Why look at Merry! I think she finds sour grapes appetizing!” Mac laughed as Merry’s face was drawn and wrinkled after putting the large bitter grape to her mouth. Kate shook her head and started down the path alone, ahead of the rest.

  The meat was not ready but the patio table had three bowls of fruits with two platters of dates and nuts in between. Everyone but Tino and Junior was hot after the drive and climb, so a swim in the pool before their very late lunch or better deemed, early dinner was decided.

  Kate had bought a two-piece swimsuit in Jamestown but it wasn’t for public swimming. It was an extra suit for sunbathing or private swimming. Her surfing suit, a one piece Speedo in an aqua marine design was her choice for the day. Merry had a becoming two piece Mac had picked up for her in Singapore and the guys wore boardshorts except for Roger who wore regular swimming trunks bought in Cape Town on one of his many visits.

  The pool water was surprisingly tepid. Roger told them that the island was actually a dead volcano and so some of the fresh water reserves were warm. He had built the pool at the mouth of a hot spring. “My pool water is always a bit warm but sometimes, the water is hot and that is nice when the winter rains chill the island,” he said. The air was warmer than the water so the swim felt refreshing, nonetheless.

  Mac throwing Junior and Merry into the pool alternatively was the only rambunctiousness among the swimmers. The others either sat on the pool stairs submerged or stood along the rim trying to dodge the splattered splashing from the deeper end. Tino had enough diving, swimming and horse-playing with Junior so he sat next to Zeff who stood in the water chest deep at the pool edge watching the others but mostly Kate and sometimes, Roger.

  The sun was beginning its descent in earnest by the time the meal was served. Everyone but Junior had changed out of their suits; Mac had the teen pull on a shirt for the table. Roger put his guests at ease although the dining was a formal affair with several courses and servants waiting on them.

  After dinner and before dark, all of them hiked the hill behind the house to view the setting sun. When it did set in the west a sliver of moon hovered upon the horizon as a smattering of stars began their nightly debut. Tino and Merry had promised Junior a few hands of the card game Spades as he had just learned and couldn’t get enough of the game. Zeff had taught Junior and therefore, he was naturally included. So down the hill they went again with Mac and Roger walking slowly behind in deep discussion.

  Kate could play cards, especially Bridge. Solitaire, Spades or War had never challenged her so while the others dealt and drew and discarded between jokes and laughs, Kate was on the floor with Coco. Kate knew she needed to get over her fear of Boerboels - not that Coco had caused her any trepidation but still, Kate decided to start small and work her way up to full grown, 120 pound Boerboels; Roger’s Boerboels.

  Kate didn’t have many fears although she was afraid of heights unless she was snowboarding. She could go to the top of a ski run in a precariously swinging gondola or ski-chair with nary a second thought but travel up to or worse, live on the 17th floor of a skyscraper - absolutely no way. Snakes, spiders, blood and many other girlie fears had no effect on Kate but put a bee in the same auditorium with her and she would break out in a sweat. Still, Kate had few true anxieties. Her parents’ adventurous lifestyle and the confidence she held in both her humanly father and her heavenly Father as a child had produced a fearlessness that was almost dangerous. Kate knew this to be a personality glitch and when she remembered to pray about this flaw, Kate always thanked God for protecting her from unseen hazards... especially, the self-inflicted ones. In the meantime, she endeavored to uproot her unnatural fears while living more circumspect.

  When Roger joined the others after dawdling for some time on the patio with Mac, he came over to Kate and Coco.

  “She’s a prime specimen,” Roger said as he pulled up a three legged stool and sat down.

  Kate said, “I suppose you should know! Did Merry tell you that this oversized puppy is the surprise you asked for?” She laughed out loud at his shocked response. “Yes, Coco is your gift from the boat!”

  “You don’t say! She will be a fine addition to the plantation,” he said after the initial surprise.

  Kate told him about her childhood trauma concerning Boerboels. Roger listened and then said, “Coco there doesn’t seem to bother you.”

  “No... Puppies aren’t dogs. They don’t have the learned behavior that adult Boerboels have. So you see, her nipping and growling have no effect on me. It’s silly really and I am determined to get over my fear,” Kate said. She put a pinky finger in her mouth and began to chew on her nail.

  Roger trying to be helpful said, “Well, in my experience adult Boerboels are some of the best house dogs humans can have. They are loving, protective and loyal.”

  Kate assumed Roger would say something like this and she nodded stoically. “Yes, I know. I think I am ready. Take me to your dogs,” she demanded. She tossed the knotted rope toy she had been teasing Coco with to the other side of the room. Coco looked around and then ambled after it. Standing she said, “Let’s go while she’s distracted!” Grabbing Roger’s arm Kate pulled him through the French doors, closing them before Coco returned with her prey.

  Roger couldn’t believe his “luck” in getting Kate outside and away from the rest of the party. Her statement about his dogs did confuse him but he didn’t let on.

  “My dogs? Well, I thought everyone saw my dogs when we arrived!” Roger said jovially.

  “Oh, possibly but I was trying my best to stay away from your wonderful beasties because of my aversion to them. I’m sorry to drag you into this detox session but I determined after tossing and turning about the creatures almost all night that sometime before I left your place, I would confront my phobia by confronting your dogs!” She announced boldly.

  Roger looked at her, fascinated by her speech. It made no sense to him but he would use it for his own purposes, he decided. The gas lanterns had been lit on the patio and as they stood talking just outside the doors, Roger noticed that the card players glanced their direction more than once and Coco with rope in mouth was looking about as if to locate Kate, her playfellow.

  “Coco is looking for us,” Roger told her. Kate was partially turned from the glass-paned doors facing him and not toward the room inside. “Come on away from the doors,” he said. She followed him to the edge of the patio. The pool lay shimmering with the lantern reflection to the left and Tiki torches lit the pathway to the right around the side of the house. “Now, you want to see my dogs... Come on then,” Roger said as he took her elbow and led the way around the side of the house.

  “You know Kate, I had no idea you were afraid of anything. I’m sorry to say but meeting you and watching American television as a child, made me think American women are sort of like Superwoman,” Roger talked as they came around to the front.

  Kate laughed nervously and said, “I sometimes think I am Superwoman until I see a bee or a take an elevator higher than 5 floors. God has His ways of reminding me that I am genuinely human and 100% frail female. I suppose the world has done a superb propaganda job on Western civilization by creating a super-duper women’s liberation role model for the modern woman that not only is impossible to live up to, but it makes her and everyone around her miserable.” She sighed. “Yes, God has His ways. These last few months He has been schooling me and I’ve discovered it is the school of hard knocks,” she was serious but she laughed again... this time at herself.

  Roger laughed with her. “I think I know what you mean. I have taken a few of those courses too,” he said. There was a tall street-like gas light overlooking the front steps. Roger stopped here. Kate pulled up next to him and he took her arm and turned her toward an out building. It was a small barn. Kate remembered seeing fencing to the side of it with three or four goats penned within, earlier. He pointed to the structure.

  He said, “Sometimes the dog
s stay in there, especially if we are having cold wet weather. Most of the time though the weather is nice and our dogs roam about, keeping undesirable varmints at bay. Tonight the housekeeper, Lulu has put the dogs up at my direction.”

  “Yes, that is what I figured out when I didn’t see them,” Kate said.

  Roger couldn’t but smile as he realized that Kate had spent an inordinate amount of thought on his dogs. He wondered if she had enjoyed herself at all during her visit to his plantation. Emphasizing the small barn again with his hand pointing at it, he said, “You have spent some time thinking about these creatures and you’ve told me your fear but I remember reading somewhere in our Bibles that perfect love cast out all fear. I think I’ve quoted that correctly...” He paused to let her answer.

  “Yes, that is it. I like that scripture. God has reminded me of it innumerable times, let me tell you!” Kate said.

  “Good. So, will you let me pray with you about your fear and then we will proceed to... to my dogs?” asked Roger. He let go of her arm but took her hands in both of his, after she agreed.

  Roger prayed.

  Afterward, Roger patted her hands as he said, “Good girl! Now, here we go.” He pulled up the last Tiki torch behind them where the path ended at the driveway. Kate followed with a confidence and calm born from prayer and Roger’s leadership. When he stopped at the barn door, he held the light above them both. “Remember, as much as they are plantation guard dogs, they are also my pets and as so they are completely surrendered to me as their master,” Roger told her. Then he asked, “Are you ready to meet your fears?”

  Like a child, Kate’s face revealed a trust in Roger and God, revealing that they knew what they were doing. She nodded with a grin.

  Roger said, “Great!” He opened the door and shined the torch inside. Kate saw that it looked like any small farmyard barn from Bethlehem to Bigsby. She could see some buckets and tools, an undersized tractor and three dogs awakened from sleep curled in a carpet of hay. Two little terriers and a medium sized, skinny mutt moved about under Roger’s Tiki flame but no Boerboels. Kate searched about and when one of the terriers stretched and then came forward wagging his tail, she stooped to pet him.