by S M Mala
‘But it isn’t Gina or Serena’s is it?’
‘And I’m not Philip.’
‘That’s a godsend for you, believe me,’ she mumbled. He sat there wondering what she was talking about again while he finished off his plate of food.
‘May I ask you a question, if you don’t mind?’
‘Fine, Ha Ha. You’re being polite so I take it this is serious.’
‘I searched on the internet about how your mother died.’
‘Oh.’ He felt sick on hearing it but carried on eating. ‘Why did you do that?’
‘I wanted to know, that’s all,’ she said gently, moving closer to him. ‘When I spoke to you for the first time, you were very flip about the whole thing and even mean about your dad. I thought you were being a bit odd.’
‘Odd? Coming from you that’s pretty strange,’ he said, noticing how close her face was getting to his.
‘It’s very sad she was depressed and took some pills. You were so little Jake.’
‘Sometimes I wonder if she hadn’t had done that, if everything would’ve been different.’
‘I think that too,’ she said, biting into her fritter and looking straight at him. For one moment he thought he felt something pound hard in his chest as he stared at Hatty. ‘I wish I’d met my mother but I sort of killed her, I suppose.’
‘Don’t say that.’
Again, he felt something stir very deeply when examining her face now staring out into space.
‘I wish I could’ve made it all better, you know. I reckon if I hadn’t been born then things would have been good for everyone.’ She shrugged and smiled for a moment.
‘My one wish is that I’m making my mother proud. If she’d left me a blueprint on how to live my life, I’d have done that, even down to who she wanted to me end up with. Anything to know I’d made her happy, done well by her memory.’ Jake felt a sob rise to his throat and realised she was watching him.
‘You’re not as bad as you make out,’ she said reassuringly which made him laugh out with relief, preventing him from crying. ‘There’s a good heart underneath that boy hormone.’
‘I have my moments.’
‘Did your dad look after you?’
‘Murray!’ Jake said loudly, laughing as she pulled away a little, looking confused. ‘My mother has a sister, Aunt Caroline. She looked after me. Dad was having a very hard time getting his head around my mother’s death. I was brought up by a close knit family and dad was there as much as he could, which is about three months in the year plus school vacations and holidays.’
‘Are you mad I’ve seen him more than you recently, is that your problem?’
‘My problem Harriet,’ he said, wiping his mouth and meeting her eyes. ‘Is that he never mentioned you until I walked off this plane. Then I get the impression you’re very important in his life, not his daughter but something else.’ He could see she looked blankly at him and wondered if he should mention Gina’s gossip about Hatty’s mother. ‘And when I find out why, I’ll tell you if I think you deserve to know.’
‘What does that mean? Of course I deserve to know.’
‘Even if it might upset you?’
‘I’m not a child. I’m nearly twenty three years old.’ Hatty sat back in her chair. ‘I am a woman. When are you twenty two?’
‘October thirteenth,’ he said, shaking his head as her eyes widened. ‘An unlucky day for some.’
‘Not for me. I’m thirteen months older than you,’ she brightly said, before grimacing. ‘I was born September 13th and mummy died two days later on 15th.’
‘Another thing we have in common!’
‘What’s the other one?’ she innocently asked and he wondered if digging around in her past was a good idea.
Eight
Day nineteen approached and to Hatty, Jake’s information was nothing new to her. So far she had accumulated her father wasn’t born on the island, he came from Brazil.
‘My father’s a fugitive,’ she sighed. Jake pulled her naked torso along the pool while she kicked. ‘And that explains the very straight hair and why I don’t have obvious black features plus I am from Asian descent.’
‘Do you have your birth certificate?’
‘No,’ Hatty lied, not wanting to reveal everything to Jake. ‘What’s today’s added piece of information?’
‘I’m going to teach you back stroke.’
‘No way!’ she said, standing up realising he would get an eye full.
‘Your looks,’ he said. Hatty could see he was smiling to himself. ‘Your mother had, apparently, Amerindian blood in her veins. I think her father might have been English.’
‘Explains why I like pepper pot and fish and chips … and have a funny face.’
‘That’s why you have your face,’ he said.
Hatty stood there, only the water covering her bottom half. Jake sat in the pool staring at her.
After nearly a week, she wasn’t shy about being naked with him, it felt natural. Now she knew he didn’t find her attractive, which made her sad, but she reassured herself his honesty showed respect.
The problem was Hatty was finding him more appealing.
Not just his looks and personality but his laugh. She looked at him and shook her head, going under the water knowing it was a waste of time. Hatty had a better chance chasing Thomas.
‘Why the face?’ he frowned.
‘I’m being stupid,’ she said sadly, blowing on the surface of the water. ‘Eighteen more lessons to go. I bet you can’t wait to see your girlfriend. How’s Gina Glory Glory?’
‘You have to call her Gina. It annoys her, you know.’
‘She told you that?’
‘Last night she did.’
‘That’s nice. Are you two getting really close?’ Hatty didn’t want him to answer but saw him smile brightly as jealousy pummelled in her sinking gut.
‘The closest a man and a woman can get.’
‘That gal had so much man, she close to all the island!’ Hatty let out a little laugh and noticed he wasn’t amused. ‘Are you going to stay in touch with her when you go home?’
‘There’s no excuse not to and then again there’s no reason to.’
‘Is she mad you’re spending time with me?’
‘Why all the questions?’ he said, standing up.
Hatty looked at him bare bollock naked and could see why Gina wouldn’t want to let him go.
‘Just making conversation,’ she replied, watching him walk out of the pool and lay naked on the grass.
Hatty wished she could lie next to him but didn’t want to receive a rebuff at this crucial stage, damaging her chances of him finding out more.
‘I can’t give you a lesson tomorrow as I have to go into town but the following day I’m free.’
‘Okay,’ she said, disguising her disappointment. Quickly heading under the stream, she let the water trickle down her body, flinging her head back. Hatty opened her eyes and looked towards the sky wondering if Jake would remain her friend when he returned home. She knew the answer as her heart shrunk. ‘It’s Sunday tomorrow, so I have to go somewhere, anyway.’
‘Anywhere interesting.’
Depends how you define ‘interesting’.’
Delores stood at the door stopping her from going out, the following day, as she put her hands on her hips.
‘I just want to talk,’ her aunt started as Hatty rolled her eyes.
‘I’m going to be late.’
‘What are you doing with Jake Logan?’
‘Nothing.’
‘I don’t believe you.’
‘We’re just hanging out and chatting since Mister Murray fired me as the gardener,’ scowled Hatty.
‘You know as well as I do, you purposely cut those beautiful flowers back because I like them. You were mad with me about the party. I’m sorry Hatty. As I’ve said a hundred times, you won’t have to ever go again.’
‘Good! Now can I go past as I’m going to be late.’
‘Where are you going? Will you just tell me?’ Delores’s eyes looked mad.
‘I’m going to the market on the other side of the island to meet Philip so we can look around and then have lunch. Call him and ask.’ Hatty directed her hand towards the telephone.
‘Jake Logan?’
‘Just friends and he doesn’t want to have sex with me because he’s having sex with too many other women. We’re friends. We get on.’
She noticed Delores scowl and shake her head from side to side.
‘What do you talk about?’ her aunt persisted.
‘What it’s like to be orphans.’
‘I bet,’ scowled Delores, shaking her head quickly. ‘You better not get involved with that boy, you hear!’
‘He’s my friend and I have so very little of them. Be grateful he wants to spend time with me. Anyway, he’s going back in eighteen days,’ Hatty said and on hearing those words, something twisted in her tummy. ‘He can’t wait to see his girlfriend.’
‘He has Gina, some other women he’s been messing about with at the mariner and a girlfriend?’ Delores let out a loud laugh that Hatty knew was completely false. ‘A Logan through and through!’
‘Now can I go?’
‘We need to talk about-.’
‘Later!’ she said, flying past her aunt and running out of the house straight towards the gates.
She waited anxiously for Philip who turned up a few minutes later. Hatty jumped into the truck as Philip sped down the road.
‘Ya look bothered,’ he said, smiling brightly.
‘Aunt tried to stop me,’ she said, turning around to see Delores walking from their house to the Logan’s residence.
‘How spendin’ time with Jake then?’
‘How ya know?’
‘Me sister.’
‘He’s nice,’ she smiled and noticed Philip laugh shaking his head. ‘What?’
‘Dat boy is beautiful, of course he nice!’ laughed out Philip. ‘Me never see anytin’ like it when me in town. Dem girls trow demselves at he.’
‘And what does he do?’
‘What ya tink?’
‘He’s a bit loose.’
‘Been loose wid ya?’
‘He doesn’t think I’m attractive,’ she sighed disappointedly. The truck screeched to a halt. ‘We’re going to be late!’
‘He tell ya dat?’
‘In so many words, yes,’ she said and looked cheerfully at Philip, trying to disguise her bitter disappointment. ‘I think he’s a nice friend.’
‘Friend?’
‘Yes friend. I don’t have many of those so one more is good.’
‘Friend?’ Philip let out a roar of laughter. ‘Ya-.’ He couldn’t speak. Hatty glared at him for a moment not knowing what amused him so much. ‘Shit man, what da world comin’ to?’
Her stand was still free as she set up her boxes, mirrors and carved bowls for the passing tourist and locals coming through on a Sunday morning. Hatty was eyeing the red chillies on the other table when an influx of people came past. She smiled brightly as they fondled her goods without buying. Then she got out her cloth and wiped them free of fingerprints.
‘This yours?’ the man asked, holding up one of her carved bowls. He was camp and had short grey hair and narrow spectacles. The way he dressed showed he was a city dandy. ‘How much?’
‘Depends,’ came her answer.
‘Depends on what?’ he said, with a transatlantic twang ranging from New York to London.
‘On ‘ow much ya want to pay a local gal,’ she smiled. ‘Me ‘ave children to feed, ya know.’
‘Pardon?’ he said, frowning at her before smiling. ‘You know I recognise a London accent when I hear one.’
‘Me born local.’
‘Well you certainly weren’t brought up local,’ he said, eyeing her up and down. ‘Carhart dungarees and converse trainers?’
‘So clever clogs do you want to buy it or not?’ she sighed, leaning against the side of the stall.
‘How much do you want?’
‘Dollars or euros or sterling?’
‘Funny girl,’ he smiled. Then she noticed his face lit up as Philip approached the table and stood next to Hatty. The man eyed up Philip who grinned. ‘Can I get one of those thrown in?’
‘This man’s father owns the biggest timber yard on the island and I think he might get a little pissed off,’ shrugged Hatty.
‘How many bowls have you got?’
‘A few.’
‘What are they made of?’
‘Drift wood,’ she sighed and looked at Philip who was grinning to himself. ‘He finds the wood for me and delivers it once a week.’
‘I see. And you,’ the man said, looking at Philip. ‘Are you involved in this?’
‘Me ‘er friend.’
‘Are you going to buy or aren’t you?’ Hatty impatiently asked.
‘I’m going to buy,’ laughed the man. ‘I’m going to buy quite a few.’
Philip dropped Hatty back home as she jumped for joy, once again, and he shook his head at her outburst.
‘You see, I’m good,’ she smiled brightly. ‘I sold all five bowls. Isn’t that amazing?’
‘What made ya say one hundred US dollars each?’
‘It’s a round figure and the man paid it!’
‘Ya aunt comin’ out! Be quiet,’ said Philip.
They waited by the truck as Delores approached.
‘Philip,’ she smiled and looked at the pair of them suspiciously. ‘What’s all the excitement about?’
‘Great morning walking around the market,’ smiled Hatty, producing a pint of chilli peppers. ‘And I got these.’
‘That’s it?’ Delores said, and looked at the pair of them. ‘I know you two are up to something and I will find out.’
‘Miss Delores,’ Philip said, in his polite manner and true American accent. ‘Hatty’s not in any trouble, trust me.’
‘Oh I trust you. I just don’t trust her.’
Before Hatty could say goodbye, her aunt grabbed her by the dungaree strap and pulled her towards their home.
‘Hey what’s wrong?’ she said, trying to get away.
‘We’re going out to eat,’ said Delores, shaking her head. ‘So you have enough time to clean up before then.’
‘Where are we going? You never said anything and I’ve had lunch,’ she lied.
‘I’m telling you now and you can have something small,’ snapped Delores. ‘I’ve put out a dress for you so make sure you look decent.’
‘Why?’
‘We’re going into town with Murray to meet some friends.’
‘No!’ Hatty said, stepping back. ‘I don’t want to go!’
‘You have to go. Murray was specific you turned up.’
‘Tell him I’m sick!’
‘He’s sitting on the balcony watching this,’ hissed Delores. Hatty glanced around and saw him watching the pair of them. She immediately raised her fist and shook it in his direction as he laughed. ‘I think he can tell you’re unhappy.’
After hiding her money in a secret stash, she dutifully got washed and changed, making a little bit more of an effort than usual as she was in a good mood. She wore her hair loose, put on some earrings as well as lip gloss and some expensive perfume.
Then she smothered herself in mosquito repellent.
The dress Delores laid out made her look like a frumpy child, with it’s strange red and white stripes. She threw it back into the wardrobe and found a white halter neck with plenty of pleats. The cool wind could whistle around her thighs if it got too hot.
‘Hatty!’ Delores shouted.
She walked out the front and saw the car waiting with Murray and Delores sitting in the back.
Hatty went into the front and sat next to John, Murray’s driver. Neither one made a comment on the way she looked. Hatty took it as a good sign she did something right then noticed her aunt frown.
‘Ya look like a beauty,’ John whisp
ered as they drove out of the estate.
‘How ya cataracts?’
‘Very well Ha Ha Hatty, very well.’
‘Me better make sure when me eat, me not drop da food an’ me miss me mout’ or Auntie Ethel gonna beat me backside when she ‘ave to clean dis!’
John let out a massive laugh as she caught a glimpse of Delores glaring at her while Murray smiled.
They drove to the other side of the island where she’d been that morning. Hatty frowned at the thought of passing through the market. She looked away when they drove through and saw her empty table as they started to clear up the surrounding area.
‘Tourist trap,’ sighed Delores, shaking her head solemnly.
‘Has to be done,’ mumbled Hatty. She remembered how much money she’d made. They stopped outside the new elegant hotel Murray had part ownership of. Even Hatty had never been in it. ‘Here?’
‘Here,’ repeated Murray.
‘What’s the occasion for Crosby’s? Why do I have to come? When can I go home?’
‘Hatty stop it,’ hissed Delores. ‘Just have a nice lunch and enjoy it.’
‘Fine,’ Hatty said. She started to look around the plush surroundings and wondered if she could stay there. Murray was looking at her. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing,’ he smiled. ‘You look beautiful.’
‘You’ve got cataracts too? Can I get a drink?’
‘What do you want?’
‘Mojito!’ she said, clapping her hands together. Aunt Delores was shaking her head from side to side as she turned to face her. ‘You want me to be here, now I need a drink.’
‘Don’t you dare get drunk!’ her aunt warned. ‘I mean it.’
‘I won’t,’ replied Hatty, following Murray. ‘I’ll keep to just the five pints.’
Hatty noticed Frederick Isaacs and his wife, Elena, sitting at the table. Louisa looked like their pretty mother but Philip inherited his father’s strapping build.
‘What did you do with my son this morning?’ asked Frederick, who was a well- spoken local as Elena smile.
‘Leave da gal alone,’ said Elena gently. ‘Hatty you look beautiful.’
‘Doesn’t she,’ agreed Murray as they sat down.
Hatty was ushered to the end with two empty seats either side of her and noticed Delores’s unimpressed glance.