Harmony (Part 4 Of 16)
“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped. “Do we wait for the next bus?”
“No.” No more buses. Eduardo texted Javier , asking for a pick up. “We will walk for some minutes.” Parallel to the road. “My friend will get us.” He ignored Javier’s wise-ass reply about interfering in other people’s problems.
“If he is going to get us, shouldn’t we wait here where he can find us?”
That would be easier, if men weren’t dying just up the road. “It is safer if we walk far from the shooting.”
$
“What kind of plant is that?” Stacy had started asking questions to distract herself from her aching feet. She continued asking because they propelled a stream of imaginative nonsense out of Eduardo’s mouth.
“It is a Kapok tree.” That could be true. “Pea pods from the Jolly Green Giant’s garden.” That was not. He knocked the giant pod and launched into convoluted song about the Jolly Green Giant and spinach.
They marched along. Eduardo continued to sing softly. Stacy continued to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. They’d been walking for what seemed like hours, people had died today, she was exhausted and sore and… happy. She touched the hidden ring.
“What is in Dangriga, little dove?” Eduardo paused to ask her.
Nothing or everything, she didn’t know. “They have a hostel there. The rooms are cheap.” And clean. She was told they even supplied a traditional Belizean breakfast.
“So nothing.” He stepped over a fallen tree. “You should not sightsee on your own. It is dangerous.”
“I’m not sightseeing.” She didn’t like how he put that. This trip wasn’t a trivial tourism whim. “I’m searching.” She balanced on top of the log.
He stopped, turning. They were almost eye level. “What do you search for?”
She touched the ring again. “Myself.” It sounded hokey, like some new age nonsense.
“You are here.” He put his giant hands on her waist. Stacy caught her breath. “I have found you.” He chuckled.
“You don’t understand.”
“I do understand.” He shook his head. “You are not lost, Stacy. You know who you are. That is not why you’re here.”
What did he know? He hadn’t spent the past months cast adrift from himself, swept away on a sea of plans he had no interest in. “Why am I here?” She straightened, bracing herself for another joke.
“You are here searching for permission to be yourself. That only you can give.” He tapped her chin. “And…,” He grinned. “You are here to find me. Here I am.” He spread his arms out.
She laughed. This was when she should tell him. But then he swung her to the ground and the moment was lost. They continued walking, his hand gripping hers. That was wrong too. She should tell him.
“You…,” Live close to here, she was about to ask but didn’t. That would sound like she wanted him to take her home. “Your family,” Better, “lives close to here?”
His smile faded. “No family.” Then he brightened again. “But I live two hours away. Javier too.” Javier must be the friend meeting them. “Many friends. A good boss. A happy life.” He started to sing again, an upbeat Spanish song about the simple things.
She had so much more yet she wasn’t as happy. No, that was no longer true. She hummed along to the tune. She was happy. She was extremely happy.
on July 28th, 2010 at 8:29 am
Had some catching up to do but it was worth it
on July 28th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Oh honey, this gets better and better!
Hope all is well!
Cecil