The Island
Page 30
Queenie then motioned for Amanda and Steve to follow her. When they stopped, Amanda handed Queenie the basket with the bra. Queenie smiled at her friend. She then nodded and a man came forward and presented Steve with a basket with five gold statues. Queenie handed Amanda an empty basket then motioned to the natives. One by one they passed by Amanda and dropped a small precious stone in the basket. She lost count at ninety-six.
When the entire tribe had paid homage to her, Queenie made a motion and together all of them said, “Tonk-ooh.”
Steve and Amanda both said, “You’re welcome.”
The natives drew back and the guard came forward and handed King a gold statue three times the size of the others. King handed it to Steve then held out his hand.
Steve smiled and shook the man’s hand.
King actually smiled back.
Queenie then took a stone from the other guard. She pressed it in Amanda’s hand. It was the biggest and brightest emerald Amanda had ever seen. She knew it was museum quality and probably priceless.
Amanda couldn’t help the tears gathering in her eyes. She knew she’d formed a bond with this woman going beyond race, language or culture. She would miss Queenie. The two women embraced, then Queenie turned quickly, picked up her basket containing the bra, then she and King disappeared in the jungle. Both women knew they’d never see each other again.
* * * *
Three hours later the eleven survivors climbed aboard the huge army helicopter carrying their baskets. As the machine lifted off the ground, Amanda looked down on the “deserted” island. On the beach at the edge of the jungle, palm leaves were laid down to form the shape she and Queenie had worked out for the word “friend.”
Amanda laid her head on Steve’s shoulder and cried all the way to the ship that would be their first stop on the way home.
* * * *
Christmas Night—11:45 PM
Wendover, GA
Steve turned the lamp beside their bed down low, moved over and pulled Amanda close to him. “It’s been the best Christmas I’ve ever had.”
“Me, too.” She put her arm around his waist. “I think all our kids were pleased.”
“Oh, yes. I think we surprised them.” He kissed her forehead. “It’s so wonderful to have Noah’s family tucked in the rooms upstairs and know my son’s family’s only a mile away. Also it’s good to know we have until New Year’s Day to be together and celebrate. I’m such a lucky man. I never dreamed I could be as happy and content as I am tonight.”
“I think we’re both lucky. It’s wonderful to have our family around us, but most of all I’m lucky to be married to you. According to the calendar we’ve been together almost three years now. I love you just as much as the day I stood on that island knoll and took you as my husband.” She put her face close to his. “I may even love you more.”
“Oh, Amanda, I sometimes shudder to think of how close I came to missing this.”
“What do you mean?”
“I almost didn’t go on that trip because Janet wouldn’t come. Then when I got over there, the group tried to persuade me to stay, but I decided I didn’t want to be with all those happily married people.” He hugged her tighter. “If I hadn’t gotten on that plane, I may never have met you.”
“I guess God works things out for us sometime, doesn’t He? If you hadn’t been on that plane I doubt I’d have ever survived the island.”
Steve smiled. “You know when we were on that television show and I told the man I thought I fell in love with you within a couple of months of the crash?” She nodded against him and he went on. “I told a lie. When you popped up in the ocean without a life jacket and I gave you that board, I wondered if your husband was with you or if he was going to come up, too. Then when I gave you the life jacket the woman tossed aside and you hesitated, I knew you had to be one of the most sensitive people I’d ever met. It was when we were kicking side by side and you said you were alone on the trip that my heart skipped a beat. Then when you got tired and I had you put your arms around me for support, I knew I’d fallen for you and when I put my arms around you, I knew without a doubt that was where they belonged, not just for the trip to the island, but forever.”
“When I woke up the first morning on the island and my head was on your right shoulder, even with that big bird threatening us, I knew I wanted to put my head there every night for the rest of my life. I just couldn’t let you know because you were married.” She held him tighter. “You’ll never know how happy it made me the day you took your wedding ring off.”
“Speaking of jewelry, I have another Christmas present for you.”
“Steve, you’ve already given me so much.”
“As you have me, but this is something I couldn’t give you in front of the kids. I was afraid you’d be excited and let something slip. After the excitement dies down, you can show it to them.”
She frowned. “What is it then?”
“Let’s sit up.” He leaned over and pulled open the top drawer of his nightstand. “Close your eyes.”
“Okay, they’re closed.”
She felt something cold around her neck.
“Now, you can open your eyes,” He whispered.
She placed her hand on the necklace, which he hadn’t fastened in the back. It slid into her hand. “Oh, Steve!” She almost squealed. “You had my emerald set for me! It’s gorgeous! I love it!”
“I hoped you would.”
She threw her arms around his neck and began kissing him. “Have I ever told you you’re the most wonderful man in the world?”
“A time or two.”
“Well, you are.” Again she looked at the necklace. He’d had it set in platinum with a filigree design around the edges. “How did you ever pull this off? Didn’t the jeweler want to know where you got such a perfect stone?”
“No. When I took it in I told him I’d bought it in New York as a Christmas present for you. You can tell the kids the same thing. The jeweler didn’t question me, and neither will they. They know we have lots of money.”
“Thank you, my husband. I’ll cherish this always. I’ll also think of Queenie and remember she gave me this, but she gave me a greater gift when she saved your life.”
“Want me to put it on the nightstand or are you going to sleep in it?”
She laughed. “I might break the chain.” She handed it to him.
He laid it down and snapped off the light. “I glanced at the clock. It’s thirteen minutes to twelve and there’s still one thing that would make my Christmas complete. Of course it’ll take longer than thirteen minutes, but at least we could get it started before the midnight hour.”
“Oh, what’s that?” She cuddled next to him.
“After all this time, do I really have to explain it to you?”
“No,” she whispered. “Don’t explain. Just show me.”
Steve’s mouth found hers and they were both swept away in their love for each other.
Outside, for the first time in many years, a snow began to fall on Christmas night in Wendover, Georgia.
* * * *
The Same Day—Early Evening
The Island
There was one last scream and in a few minutes the “doctor” came out of the hut. He said something to Queenie. She leaned over and whispered in King’s ear. He nodded.
Queenie then entered her own hut. Though it was tattered, the straps were tied on and it was fading, she emerged wearing the blue lace bra Amanda had left her in the last gift basket.
The natives gasped as she appeared because they knew the bra was the highest ceremonial garment of their queen. They watched and mumbled as she entered the hut where the screams had happened.
She then came out holding a baby in her arms. The tribe fell silent as she walked over to King. He took the baby, looked at it then held it over his head.
“Man-dah!” Queenie shouted as she dedicated the first girl child to be born on the island since the “white” people le
ft.
“Man-dah!” The natives repeated then became quiet. As King turned around so everyone could view the child, the tribe said in unison, “Tonk-ooh.”
Amanda would have been thrilled to know Queenie and King named their first granddaughter after her.
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Agnes Alexander is the pen name of mystery and ro-mantic suspense author, Lynette Hall Hampton. She turned to writing western historical romance in 2011 be-cause she has always loved reading in the genre. Camilla’s Daughters is her fifth novel for Whiskey Creek Press. The previous novels are: Fiona’s Journey, Quinn’s Promise, Rena’s Cowboy and Edwina’s Husband. Her plans are to write a book using a woman’s name until she has com-pleted the alphabet. Agnes lives in her home state of North Carolina. She loves to hear from her fans and can be contacted through her website AgnesAlexander.com.
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