by S M Mala
‘Me not care and dats as good as it’s goin’ to get,’ Hatty laughed as the boy’s mother listened to her son then gave Hatty the filthiest look. ‘And no doubt he heard that crap from his parents.’
‘You have to see someone about your sea phobia,’ Louisa whispered.
‘Why doesn’t he like me?’
‘Because dat little boy is gonna wet he pants he so scare.’
‘I mean Jake. What’s wrong with me? Do you think if I leave here then someone might fall in love with me?’ She looked anxiously at Louisa. ‘No one really wants to know me here, do they?’
‘You’re funny, caring and beautiful Hatty,’ Louisa said, giving her friend a hug. ‘And good… but not all the time. Too many people talk rubbish.’
‘I told Delores I should leave the island today and she looked so happy. Why would she be happy if I went?’ Hatty noticed Louisa frown. ‘She shouldn’t want me to go. Murray doesn’t want me to go. Do you think she’s sick of me?’
‘I don’t think it’s sick,’ said Louisa and Hatty noticed her horizontal frown line between her eyebrows. ‘You know Murray and Delores spend a lot of time together.’
‘She sleeps with him and he keeps her in the background as his housekeeper,’ whispered Hatty. ‘I’m not that naive.’
‘I know but sometimes when people get older they become threatened by younger people and-.’
‘That’s ridiculous!’ laughed Hatty. ‘Murray is not attracted to me and-.’ She did a double take towards the pool. ‘Why that little devil child!’
‘What?’
‘He’s fallen in!’
There was a small commotion beside the pool when Jake and Gina appeared at the hotel.
‘Why come ‘ere?’ she snapped. ‘We ‘avin a good time at ya father’s.’
‘We can go back later,’ he said, seeing a crowd of people around the side of the pool and a hotel assistant rushing past. ‘What’s happened?’
‘A child fell in,’ he said anxiously.
‘He drown?’ asked Gina, looking slightly ashen.
‘Nah, he save by Ha Ha Hatty but Philip Isaacs had to jump an’ get she out. Dey pumpin’ da water out of ‘er.’
‘You’re joking?’ said Jake and immediately rushed to the poolside seeing Philip bending over her. He felt dread seeing her serene sleeping face. ‘I can do life-saving! I’m trained!’
‘She’s fine,’ said Philip, drenched from head to foot.
Jake saw Hatty lying flat on her back, her red dress soaked.
‘She’s not moving, let me see,’ Jake gulped, scared she was hurt as he touched her face gently. ‘She can’t swim.’
Hatty coughed and suddenly Jake got a jet of water squirted in his face from her mouth then felt a sharp slap across his cheek.
‘Don’t you ever touch me again!’ she snapped, coughing more.
‘Hatty, Jake tink ya can’t swim,’ laughed Philip as Louisa stood behind her brother, shaking her head from side to side.
‘Well she can’t,’ he replied, shocked at what happened as Hatty got up and walked away, dripping, back to the bar as people clapped.
‘She learnt when she was tiny.’
‘Why that little-.’ Jake stood up and marched into the bar as Hatty was thanked by the child’s mother.
‘It’s okay,’ she said, grinning at Bennett who was crying. ‘But you have to be careful around water as you never know what might happen.’
‘Ya still gonna take me to da bottom of da sea?’ he wailed as his mother tried to comfort him.
‘Do well in school and I won’t have to, will I?’ Hatty smiled and kissed the boy’s cheek.
Jake stood there for a moment, slightly confused as he hadn’t laid eyes on her for a week. She looked more beautiful than he could remember, even soaking wet.
‘You can swim!’ he said, marching up to her as Hatty quickly drank a brandy.
‘I need to get out of these wet clothes,’ she said to Louisa and kissed her on the cheek, heading out the hotel, ignoring him.
‘No way! You’re not getting away with this!’ he shouted behind her.
‘Only bad tings happen’ when she around,’ hissed Gina staring towards Hatty.
‘Hush ya mout’!’ snapped Louisa. ‘Not all we specialise in back crawl.’
Jake stood there for a moment and saw Hatty march quickly down the drive then turn right to walk back towards the house.
‘Let’s go,’ Gina said, pulling Jake’s arm.
‘Give me a minute,’ he said, furious with Hatty and ran out of the hotel, following her. ‘Hatty!’ He noticed she upped the pace before he caught up with her and yanked her arm so she’d turn around. ‘You lied to me!’
‘Depends on how you define ‘lie’,’ was her response as she defiantly folded her arms across her chest.
‘You said you couldn’t swim!’
‘I never said that. You presumed because I’m scared of the sea I couldn’t swim. You offered and I accepted. Based on your teaching skills, I’d still be standing in shallow water splashing around. We done?’ Hatty turned around and continued to march to the house as he grabbed her arm again, this time standing in front of her. ‘What’s your problem?’
‘What’s yours?’
‘Get off me and let me go home.’
‘Why did you go and buy a swimming suit and then…’ Jake could see she looked semi amused. ‘Then swim naked as I taught you, if you could swim.’
‘You set the guidelines not me,’ she replied defiantly. ‘I played along.’
‘And this kissing? What about that?’
‘You said it’s what you wanted when you found out things about me I didn’t know. I kept my end of the deal.’
‘But you didn’t need to learn to swim.’
‘It was payback for me showing you round the island,’ she snapped, pulling her arm away.
‘You’re such a bitch!’
‘And talking about bitches, you better go back to yours,’ she said and marched off then Jake saw her stop and stomp back. ‘You had some sport with me. Seeing me naked, kissing, sucking on my titties and touching me up. I’m sure you can tell your friends in New York what this stupid mad native bitch did for you. How you’ll laugh!’
‘I’m not laughing,’ he replied, getting seriously agitated.
‘Just go away. Don’t come back here again, okay? You’ve had your fun now leave me alone.’
She turned and walked away as he realised she meant it about him not coming back which hurt.
‘My father was in love with your mother!’ he shouted as she stopped and turned.
He could see from the light bouncing off her face she was furious.
‘And I suppose you think that deserves what? Me sucking your cock? A fuck?’
‘Hatty,’ he groaned walking slowly towards her. ‘I don’t want to fight with you.’
‘Then don’t talk to me,’ she replied and he could see the news upset her.
‘I tried to ask dad but he can’t speak about it.’
‘I can understand why she’d be in love with him. That I truly would understand,’ she mumbled and turned around.
It was then Jake thought she could actually be in love with his father. It was a pain he didn’t know how to deal with, a jealousy he’d never experienced before.
Jake lay in bed next to Gina as his mind raced about the conversation he had with Hatty and her last words. He looked at the woman at his side and sighed before picking up his phone and making a call, walking into another room.
‘Hey sleepy head, did I wake you?’ he whispered.
‘Jake,’ Serena said sleepily. ‘Only another week and you’ll be home.’
‘I miss you,’ he said, meaning it and wished he could fly home earlier just to get him out of the confusion he was feeling for the spoilt brat.
‘Me too baby.
‘I think I’m homesick. Three months is a long time,’ he sighed and looked out of the window.
‘I love you Jake.’
‘Love you too, bye,’ he said, hanging up.
Gina was glaring at him as she sat up in bed.
‘Ya love someone do ya?’ she said, getting up and putting on her short kimono, walking towards him. ‘Ya woman I take it?’
‘You shouldn’t be listening,’ he said, going back to the bedroom and putting on his clothes. ‘I better get back.’
‘Ya girlfriend obviously not know about me,’ she smiled and Jake noticed a little glint in her eye. ‘Not to worry. Me lips sealed.’
‘Thanks,’ he said, wanting to leave quickly.
‘But it not be a good idea to bring her to dis island. Ya know how people talk.’
‘I know,’ he said gently. ‘I’ve had a lot of fun with you.’
‘It ain’t over. We got another week,’ Gina said, while moving closer and hugging him from behind.
‘I might have to spend more time with my dad, that’s the only problem,’ he grumbled, feeling relieved at his excuse then realising he had to say the next thing. Jake turned to face her. ‘You know I’m really fond of you but this isn’t going anywhere.’
‘Ya tink?’ she smiled, pushing her fingers through his hair.
‘I know,’ he said seriously, seeing she was thinking something over.
‘At least me save ya from Mad Ha Ha Hatty,’ she laughed and hugged him tightly, resting her head on his chest. ‘Me saw from the day she spot ya, she like ya. Same when we were children.’ Gina laughed out loudly. ‘But she never get dem boys.’
‘How come?’
‘Me, dat how come,’ said Gina gently. ‘It was a game. She liked someone an’ me take ‘em away.’
‘That’s not nice,’ Jake replied, seeing what Ethel said was true. ‘And what about Hatty? Obviously she got upset.’
‘Who care!’ laughed Gina looking up at him. ‘She gat everytin’.’
‘She lives a solitary life with only a handful of friends. People continually speculate about her background but no one tells her a thing. I think she’s unhappy but she makes out she’s fine.’
‘Good she unhappy!’ spat Gina. ‘She kill me brother!’
‘She didn’t,’ he half laughed. ‘Your brother died in an accident and you just want to blame her for everything.’
‘Ya think it funny!’ raged Gina. ‘Everyone love Hatty, everyone let her get away with tings we can only dream of. I have to work to pay me bills but she, she live in a house and play all day. Ya tink me should care about ‘er? If life fair, she should die young like she mother! Pity she not die when she fell in the sea.’
‘That’s a really nasty thing to say.’
He felt sick and angry at the comment which had taken him by surprise.
‘Me only sayin’ ow it is! She a child born of hate. Ya know her father rape her mother on de wedding night? Everyone know but no one tell Hatty. Then she flaunt she nasty self and look down ‘er nose at me.’
‘How do you know?’ he said, sitting down on the bed reeling from this new piece of information.
‘Me hear,’ she said, trying to calm down. ‘Hatty mother same self was born the same way. White man rape her mother in England an’ she was born. The sins of the mother cast on the child. Only reason her mother came ‘ere was she find out she mother born on da island.’
‘I see.’
‘Dat why Hatty mad. People talk about her fallin’ in de sea is some accident. It not an accident.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘The child tried to take she own life,’ Gina said, knowledgably. ‘She own self jump in. Ten year old child tryin’ to kill herself an’ Mister Murray and Delores coverin’ for her. She not right in the head. We call her Ha Ha Hatty because she mad. Doctors come in from all over da place to speak to her. She not hurt herself, it all here.’ Gina slammed her finger to her head a couple of time. ‘Mad!’
‘She says she can’t remember.’ Jake noticed his hands were trembling. ‘All she knows she fell in and came out again.’
‘Me hear they say she traumatise. Not able speak. Mister Murray spend a long time with her. He so afraid she do it again. He still is. We not allowed to tell Hatty anytin’ because if Mister Murray find out, it bad. Man a few year back, Peter, he drunk and ask Hatty if she sleep with ya father. He lost his job and left the island, that how serious ya father is about keeping tings away from Hatty. It only a matter of time before she do it again. She not afraid of the sea. She just afraid it calling her to jump into it again.’
Jake couldn’t sleep and sat at his window watching the house on the other side. he walked out, down the stairs and sat at the edge of the pool, overlooking the beach. He looked at the waves and walked on the beach towards the sea, seeing the old house and bay in the distance.
‘Why’d you do it?’ he mumbled to himself, noticing the drop and knowing she must have been washed up.
He then remembered what she said about the sea talking to her and a cold shiver ran down his spine, truly worried she’d do it again. Jake sat on the beach and watched the calm water lap up against the sand. Something twisted inside him and he wasn’t quite sure what it was. He realised why his father wanted her to stay put on the island, so he could keep her safe.
Whistling happily to herself, Hatty got on her bike, satchel wrapped around her body and a rucksack strapped to her back as Jake spied on her early the next morning. He waited for her to leave then checked the time. It was five thirty.
‘What the hell are you up to now?’ he mumbled, sitting up in the jeep after bending down to hide.
He waited ten minutes then slowly proceeded to follow her down the road, stopping every ten minutes so she wouldn’t see him. Keeping a distance behind her, she approached the old house. Jake parked in a different place. Just as he was about to walk closer, he saw her disappear into the old house.
Slowly, he went around the boarded up home until he heard some noises coming from the side and saw she removed a blind to expose the light. He peeked through the window and she was standing looking at something before she bent over and started chiselling. That’s when he realised why she was covered in wood chippings and saw dust. Hatty had a room of boxes, mirrors and bowls, all carved out of wood. He wanted to laugh as she looked up at the window and he ducked.
Jake walked quietly towards the bay and looked up, seeing she would have had to go to the edge, which was now cordoned off with barriers and greenery to stop anyone going through. He felt scared for her and wondered why a child would be so unhappy to try and commit suicide.
Then he thought about not seeing Hatty again and felt more anxious than before. It was a beautiful morning and the sea looked tempting, so he took off his t-shirt and walked into the aqua blue waters, swimming out as far as he could and turning to look at the old house. It seemed so pretty on the rocks, with the lush greenery around it. Jake saw the fishing boats coming in and thought it was the most beautiful place in the world knowing why Hatty wouldn’t want to leave it.
Then he realised he didn’t want to leave her.
Eleven
She laughed at all the work she’d done, including the bowls which she knew would sell well on Sunday. Hatty stretched before deciding to go for a swim. Tidying things away, she placed a few items in her rucksack, locking up and walking down the path, round the house.
Throwing her bags to the ground, she stripped off and started to walk towards the water when she saw Jake standing inside, looking at her.
She wavered, shocked by his appearance, hoping he wouldn’t come back. Then she found her steely resolve and walked in, ducking underneath then promptly doing breast stroke around the side of the pool. When she got to the small water stream, she stood up with her back to him, letting the soft water wash her hair. Hatty realised he was swimming closer as he rested against the rock and looked at her.
‘I said all I had to say last night,’ Hatty shrugged. ‘I don’t know what you’re doing here.’
‘I wanted to see you,’ he said quietly, and she didn’t recognise th
is new gentle tone.
‘You’ve seen me, take a mental picture and go away.’
‘Like I said to you seven weeks ago, I think you’re the most beautiful girl on the island.’
‘Me hear syphilis makes you mental. Gina Glory Glory must ‘ave slipped ya some,’ she laughed and closed her eyes, ignoring him before sighing. ‘That’s funny.’
‘Tell me why you don’t like Gina.’
‘I don’t want to talk to you,’ she said, admiring his innocent, expressionless face as he sat watching her. ‘A week tomorrow you’re gone. Go and play or whatever you do.’
‘I want to ask you some questions as I need to piece together a few things.’
‘I don’t need you to look into my history,’ she said sharply, remembering what he said last night about her mother and Murray. ‘Just forget I ever asked.’
‘This isn’t for you, it’s for me. Your life and background’s interesting.’
‘Who’ve you been talking to?’ she said, feeling her anger rise. ‘You’ve obviously heard something probably from Gina Glory Glory.’
‘Is it because she stole all the boys you liked?’ he asked quickly. Hatty held her breath for a moment. ‘Someone else told me that and she confirmed it.’
‘She’s better looking and more fun to be with, so that’s your answer. All people have someone in their life who wants what they want and usually wins.’ She felt something in the pit of her stomach making her feel sick, knowing nothing had changed. ‘And, as you know, there’s too much talk about me.’
‘Are you in love with my father?’ he asked and Hatty noticed he was being deadly serious.
‘I’m not going to have sex with a man who’s forty six, twenty three years older than me! And I don’t want to be your step mum,’ she laughed and dunked into the water, moving away so she could take a better look at what was lurking behind all this.
‘That’s not what I asked,’ he frowned.
‘I love your father very much since I was a small child but not in the way you and the others think,’ she snapped, disgusted with his question. ‘You know Gina Glory Glory tried to make a move on him? Auntie saw it and put paid to that but god only knows why he lets that woman still work in his company.’