“Why?” She couldn’t keep a note of hysteria from creeping into her voice. “Why are you leaving tomorrow?”
It was a bad joke. It had to be
Ben’s eyes were serious. It was no joke.
“Abraham called this morning. Violet is sick. He’s terrified of losing her, but she’s worried about leaving the Yahnowa without someone there who can stabilize things. I speak several tribal dialects. I need to go and try to help.”
“Can't the Yahnowa be left alone for a while?”
“Of course, they can. They aren’t children. They’ve been taking care of themselves for centuries, but you don't know Violet. That tribe is her family. She fusses over them like a mother hen. I promised I’d come immediately because I was afraid they would delay their departure until I did.”
“But what about the work here?”
“I finished laying the final run of stone on the tower this morning. You can take it from here, Moriah.”
She could finish the tower, but she could not lose Ben. Not now. Not ever. She needed his presence in her life like she needed oxygen.
“What if I said you had to make a choice, the Yahnowa or me?”
Ben looked at her a long time before answering. “You’d never do that.”
“I would, too.”
“You’re only saying that because you’re hurting.”
“You already know the language.” She knew she sounded desperate, but she couldn’t help it. “You could finish it here and find someone else to relieve Abraham and Violet.”
“You are right. I could finish the translation here. What you don’t understand is that, until I created an alphabet for the Yahnowa, theirs was a language that was a spoken language only. I still have to teach them how to read and write that language. I can’t just drop a Bible translation on them and walk away. It would just be a bunch of pages with marks on it. Plus, there is the problem of teaching some of the leaders the other languages they need to know to protect themselves in the future, like Portuguese, which is the language of the Brazilian government. I’ve already made a lot of progress with some of the young adults, who are eager to learn. My friend, Fusiwe, is already proficient in spoken English and learns fast. Soon, he will become a real leader for the Yahnowa, and as the miners and timber companies encroach, the Yahnowa are going to need men and women who can communicate enough to stand up for themselves. I can’t drop the work, Moriah. I just can’t.”
It was all so much more complicated than she’d imagined. He really was going to have to go back.
“What if I never get any better? What if I can’t ever go with you?”
“That won't happen. Someday, you'll leave this island, and you will come to be with me. You are too strong of a person not to overcome this.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I know you. I know how determined you are. How strong you are. And I'll pray for you. My prayer will be that we can be together, without you having to remain imprisoned on this island.”
“And if God chooses not to answer those prayers? If I can never leave?”
Ben stood and drew her to him. He held her tightly and kissed her. It was not a tentative kiss. It was not a gentle kiss. It was the kiss of a man laying claim to the woman he had chosen.
When they broke apart, she gasped.
“If you can't come to me, I'll come to you,” Ben said. “but only after I've fulfilled my promise.”
“How long will that take?”
“Too long, Moriah. For my sake, promise me you’ll fight.”
“I’m already fighting.” Her chin trembled. “It’s not working.”
He glanced at his watch. “It’s past midnight. There will be very little traffic. You’ve been going to the bridge alone. Go now—with me.”
Moriah gave him a long, measuring look. “I don’t think it will help, but I’ll go one more time. With you.”