Chapter 5
The men began bringing out their drums and guitars and the women their tambourines. This was everyone’s favorite day; the work week was done, and everyone was dressed in yellow and white.
Pamela stood at her door dressed in her long yellow dress with a white wrap on her head. She heard the horses’ hooves coming up the mountain.
No one paid any attention. When the horses and riders came into view, Pamela stepped from her home, waited, and greeted them as they got down off their horses.
Saul handed Pamela another bag of books and squeezed her hand. She looked at him, smiled confidently and gave a slight nod.
Gracie came to the door and, with a shout, immediately ran to David and Ruth. She hugged them tightly and accepted their gifts of more books. And as if by magic, grand Rahjah style, they were surrounded by Rahjahs running from their homes to welcome their prodigal son back into the fold. They touched him and hugged him and cried and leaned their heads against his shoulder. Saul looked at Pamela as she gave each person a chance to greet him and he grinned. She’d felt his hesitation before, but now she saw the true man, the vulnerable man.
Then came the best part of all. The crowd parted as Myah walked towards them with her child and husband at her side. Tears streamed down her face. She ran into his outstretched arms and they both cried and talked and apologized to each other.
Pamela stood and watched them. She knew he was handsome, but now she saw how devastatingly handsome he was in the full light of the many tiki lamps around the village circle. With tears streaming down his cheeks, an unchecked grin on his face, his emotions all out in the open, she thought he was the sexiest man she’d ever laid eyes on. She moved away from the crowd to give them a chance to love him and banish his insecurities at being there.
Myah’s husband, Samuel, who’d known Saul his entire life, brought their daughter Isha to finally meet the uncle she’d never known she had. As if she’d always wanted to meet this man, Isha hugged Saul’s neck and wouldn’t let go. Tim was among the crowd of greeters, and noticed the connection between Pamela and Saul. How did he know to bring books? Why did he give them to Pam and not to his sister or anyone else, and why was she now in the back with this satisfied smile on her face? He went to her and folded his arms. “Did you have anything to do with this?”
“This warm, exciting gathering? Not at all.”
“This is the beginning of the healing,” Tim said.
She nodded. “This is beautiful.”
The band never played before supper, but tonight it did. The Rahjahs celebrated everything with food and music, tonight was no different. While the food was being brought out, Samuel handed Saul a guitar.
Samuel broke into a song of the prodigal son returning from far away and, with much nudging, Saul joined in.
Pamela stood looking at him. He hadn’t told her he had the voice of an angel. She placed a finger to her lips and smiled. Myah hugged her and whispered, “Why do I think you had something to do with this?”
She smiled innocently. “Me?” She shook her head. “I don’t think I’ve ever really seen him before.”
Myah kept looking at her, but Pamela wouldn’t give her secret away. She loved seeing Saul secretly and wasn’t ready to give that up just yet.
Before they all sat down to eat, Myah finally got to hug her niece and nephew. Gracie hugged her mother and said, “Is this the power of Jah, or did you have a hand in it?”
Pamela laughed. “Okay, why do you and Myah think I had something to do with Saul and his children coming here tonight? Maybe he was tired of being away from his family, maybe he thought it was time. Remember, he and his sister were once extremely close. Maybe he longed for that closeness. And don’t forget, the Elders have been talking. And you, my little one, maybe your thoughts influenced it. Who knows.”
“Uh-huh,” was all Gracie said.
Saul ended up sitting beside Pamela with Myah beside him. Tim sat at the far end of the group looking at the exchanges between Saul and Pamela. Even if they’d never met before and she happened to be the first one he’d seen on entering the village, he still didn’t like what he was seeing.
The children were all curious about David and Ruth, but they couldn’t help looking at Saul and listening to his constant laughter. No, he didn’t look anything like an ogre.
Saul wanted to hold Pamela’s hand. He wanted to thank her again. He wanted to say a lot of things. His knee touched hers and neither attempted to change positions. No one noticed but Tim, or if they did, no one said anything.
Esther gave the prayer and thanked Jah for bringing Saul and his children back to them and for once again reuniting the island.
The platters came around. The fishermen had had a good day at sea. Escoviched and brown stew fish were passed around. Bammy, boiled bananas, yellow yams, white yams, fried plantains and of course, what would fried fish be without fried dumplings made from their own corn and flour. Then the vegetables and fruits were passed around.
Myah asked Saul about their parents.
“They miss you,” he told her.
“I’m so glad you came. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you to ride up here and hug me the way you did.” She leaned her head against his shoulder and tears came to her eyes once more.
He placed his arm around her shoulders and leaned his head against hers. “A little voice asked me if I could do this without apprehension, and I wasn’t sure how to answer. I didn’t know what to expect. As a Rahjah, I know the past is the past. As your brother who loves you very much I didn’t know how ready you were to welcome me back into your life. I did a foolish thing...”
“Don’t,” she said. “Don’t go back. The past is the past and I’m... I’m, I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’re here.”
Saul’s hand brushed against Pamela’s when she passed him a bowl of fruit, and their eyes met. He thanked her without words and she understood.
The music began again, but the evening of dancing didn’t quite begin until three Elders from the village came down by buggy to welcome Saul back to the fold.
“How did they know?” Myah whispered to Pamela.
“How do they know anything? They are the Elders. They would like us to think they know and feel all, but I think one of our mothers or fathers went for them.” She looked and saw Mary’s father leaving the buggy.
Myah laughed. “I don’t really care who had a hand in it. I’m the happiest I’ve been in a very long time.”
The music got louder. Saul danced with his sister and his niece, then with Pamela. If he hadn’t, some would have been suspicious. After all, she was the first one to greet him. There were no slow songs, but very upbeat pocomania that didn’t stop him from holding her hand just for a little while. Unable to help himself, he leaned close to her and whispered in her ear, “Thank you so much.”
“I didn’t do anything at all. You rode in like a knight in shining armor and swept us all off our feet.”
Without warning, the music slowed. Pamela looked over at the band and saw her grandmother and grandfather standing there. Pamela shook her head, but Jane just smiled.
Saul did what any red-blooded Rahjah would have done. He pulled her close to him. She didn’t resist, and their bodies touched for the first time in front of Jah and everyone. That was too much for Tim to take; he walked away.
In order not to embarrass the couple too much, Jane and Solomon walked beside them and began dancing. Everyone joined in.
“What are they doing?” Saul whispered.
“Let’s pretend we have no idea. Just enjoy.”
He smiled. “Did I ever tell you that you’re the smartest woman I’ve ever met?” he whispered in her ear.
“No,” she said.
“You are.”
She didn’t answer, but bit into the corner of her lower lip.
Pamela excused herself from him and took the tambourine from her cousin. Slowly the women took over the band, allowing the men to enjoy a dance or two with their wives or girlfriends. Mary played steel drums, and Myah surprised everyone by playing the guitar and singing.
As the night wore on, the Elders said their good-nights and were taken back to their village the way they’d come, by buggy, this time driven by Samuel.
Ruth left her friends and came to tug at her father’s shirt sleeve while he played dominos with the other men. “May I stay with Gracie for the night?” she whispered in his ear.
“If Gracie’s mother says it’s all right then you may stay, but what about your brother?” he replied, distracted by the game.
“He wants to stay, too.”
“With Gracie?”
“Of course. We can all sleep in the same room. It’s okay, Dada, he won’t see us naked.”
He didn’t know whether to laugh or scowl at her. He pointed to Pamela. “Ask Pamela.”
The children were trusted to do almost anything and go anywhere on the mountain they wished, but not at the imposition of another family. At an early age they were taught to make decisions for themselves, but with consideration for others.
Gracie was standing by her mother. She had already asked if the twins could stay and received the same answer Saul had given Ruth. When Ruth asked the question of Pamela, she glanced at Saul. He gave her an “it’s up to you” look.
Pamela quickly sized up the two girls. They were the same size, but it really didn’t make any difference because the clothes they wore were never form-fitting. David would have to wear the same clothes tomorrow that he wore today. “It’s fine,” she told the children. Looking into those innocent, happy faces, there was nothing else she could have said.
Pamela watched as Gracie, the twins, and more than six other children filed into her cottage. She smiled and shook her head. She looked around for Tim but he was nowhere to be found. It wasn’t like him to go away like that or miss a domino game. After saying goodnight to her parents, Pamela walked to Mary’s cottage with Myah.
Myah was still so excited about her brother’s visit she could hardly contain herself. Sitting in the living room sipping a calming brew, she still thought Pamela had something to do with him being there. “How can you explain it? Your daughter begins asking to go to Jahyah Mountain. She meets with the Elders. We three sit and talk, and then he shows up after so many years.”
Pamela shrugged. “Does it matter how he got here?”
“I guess not.” She took a sip of the brew, but still kept looking at Pamela.
“Are you going to visit your parents soon?” Mary asked Myah.
She sighed. “I have a feeling they don’t know that he came. Maybe he wanted to test the water so he could tell them that he’d made peace with the rest of his family.”
“That’s all right. I think he did the right thing. I think it’s our turn to visit them,” Pamela said.
“Should we just show up like he did, or should we send a note of our intended arrival?” Myah asked.
“Somehow I think they’ll be very glad to see us, especially you and your little family. Mary and I will come with you when you’re ready.”
Myah nodded. She wasn’t afraid to go back to see her family, but was a bit embarrassed that she had not been in contact with them over the years. “Why don’t we go on Sunday?” She looked from Mary to Pamela.
They both nodded. “We’ll take the children with us,” Pamela said.
“I’m so excited. I have a feeling Saul will apprise them of his actions tomorrow. I’ll tell him to say we’ll visit on Sunday.” She again looked at the other women.
“Good idea,” Mary replied.
Pamela suddenly remembered that Saul would not be there on Sunday. As if being summoned, he showed up at the door.
Pamela beckoned him in. He came in and sat on the floor. “Are you having fun? Can we get you some tea?” Pamela asked.
He smiled and nodded. “Yes, and no. I can’t tell you the last time I’ve ever felt so comfortable. Coming here was the best thing I’ve done in a very long time.” He held his sister’s hand. “I should have come a long time ago. Pride is a horrible thing. We shouldn’t keep ourselves from the people we love.”
Myah shook her head. “If you go on like that you’ll make me cry again.”
He hugged her. “Sorry, I can’t help it. I’m just so damned happy.”
She laughed and kissed his cheek. “We want to visit on Sunday. Will you tell them?”
He nodded. “This is good, very good. Unfortunately I won’t be there to celebrate the continuation of the reunion. I’m sorry.”
“Why?” Myah asked with a sad face.
“I have to travel.”
Pamela chose her words carefully. “That’s a shame, we’ll miss you. Will you be gone for long?”
He looked directly at her. “Just a couple of weeks. I wish I could be there to entertain you all, but I can’t get out of my commitment.”
“No, it’s all right,” Myah said. “I’ll see you when you get back, but I think it’s important now for me to reach out to them the way you did to us.” She nodded as she spoke.
“Yes. I’ll try my best to hurry back.” He got to his feet, and so did Myah.
Pamela walked with them to her cottage so that he could say goodnight to his children, but they were already asleep. Quietly he pushed open the door to Gracie’s room and saw both girls in bed while David slept on a blanket on the floor. He tiptoed in, kissed Ruth and pulled the sheet up to her chin, and then knelt and kissed his son’s cheek.
“They won’t give any trouble. I’ll come back for them in the morning,” he whispered.
“After breakfast,” Pamela said, smiling at him.
Looking directly into her eyes, he touched her hand. “Thank you for welcoming me back.”
She smiled shyly and looked away from his gaze. “Anyone would have done what I did.”
“But you did it.” This time he held her eyes until he saw that he was making her uneasy. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes.” She walked out the bedroom door with him still holding her hand. She gently eased her hand from his as they entered the living room.
He touched Mary’s hand and said goodnight, then walked with his sister to where his horse stood grazing. He would have loved to take that walk with Pamela but it wasn’t appropriate or the right time. He looked back and waved to the two women standing on the verandah.
They both waved and didn’t turn away until he hugged his sister and mounted his horse. Myah walked back to the two women. “I thank you, Pammy.” She smiled. “I haven’t seen him so relaxed in a very long time. Of course I haven’t seen him in a long time.” She hugged the two women and walked the short distance to her cottage.
Mary went to her cottage, and Pamela closed her door and quickly went through the bag of books Saul had brought for her. She sat on the floor in her bedroom and looked at each book. Among them was an American magazine with the caption The Sexiest Men Alive, but to her the sexiest man had just left her house. Not having seen a magazine like this before, she flipped wide-eyed through the pages and laughed softly at the half naked bodies.
She remembered when boats used to come to the island with foreigners. They were forbidden to climb the mountain, but they did bare themselves as they swam in the ocean. After it was declared scandalous, the boats stopped coming. The council of Elders had complained and banned the boat owners from bringing the foreigners. “It’s bad for our community, especially the very impressionable children, to witness such behavior,” they’d told them. Out of respect for the Rahjahs, no more boats of that kind ever came back to the island.
Pamela opened a novel written by Ian Fleming, From Russia with Love, and didn’t put it down until her eyelids began drooping. Even then she still persisted until the book fell from her hand and she crawled into bed.
She fell asleep with Saul’s image etched in her brain.