Marta says that the swelling’s gone down on Gerra’s ankle so now we gotta put it in a solid bandage to keep it from moving while it heals up. First we have to clean and oil the skin and then wrap it in the softest cotton.
So she has me with a pan of warm water trying to wash the most painful part of Gerra’s leg and I don’t dare hurt her the least bit coz I’m trying to get her trust. But I’m a doer, and my hands is still rough and blistered from too much doing, and I wish it was someone more gentle than me taking on this job.
‘You’re gonna have to work faster than that,’ Marta says when she sees me wiping tiny gentle strokes down Gerra’s shin. Gerra’s looking on and hasn’t flinched once.
‘I gotta be careful. Hasn’t she been through enough?’ I ask.
‘I was hoping to get to a few other jobs today,’ Marta says.
But I don’t speed up. I wipe away dirt and salt water whiteness gentle as I can, then I spread on oil that smells like flowers, and makes the fine hairs of her leg shimmer in the sunlight, then I wrap the softest cotton carefully, around and around.
‘More around the ankle and foot,’ Marta calls. ‘We don’t want no bones rubbing on the cast.’
Then Marta moves in with packets of something that she managed to salvage from some hospital by the looks, and starts soaking lengths of bandages in a bowl and wrapping them around and around Marta’s foot and right up to her shin. She works fast and a bit rough and still Gerra does not flinch or moan. Staunch!
The bandages set hard as Marta works, and she smooths the outside, and goes to wash up before her hands set hard and white too.
While she’s washing, I sneak into her house and fetch Gerra a cup of that special rice wine Marta keeps in a big jar on her table. I hold my finger to my lips when I give it to her, so she knows it’s a secret.
Gerra don’t take it. She jus’ stares at me with hard dark eyes, and my stomach turns. I’ve made a mistake. I’m s’posed to be making her trust me and now, jus’ by trying to be extra kind, I’ve proved myself a thief!
I duck back into Marta’s cottage and pour the rice wine back into the jar, leaving the door open so that Gerra can see me do it, if she cares to turn her head. She don’t. And I’m thinking that she could be a bit more kind to me after I was so careful cleaning her leg, and don’t she know I’m the one who hooked her boat to be towed back?
I’m standing next to Gerra trying to be good, when Marta comes back.
‘Why are you standing there looking like a possum stole yer apple?’ Marta asks.
‘I’m jus’ sad for Gerra losing her sister,’ I say.
‘Well it’s probably for the best she don’t remember it happening,’ Marta says.
‘But what if she remembers half of it, and what if she gets it muddled and the Valley of the Sun come here with a war to kill the ones who killed their royalty?’ I ask.
‘The siblings weren’t royalty,’ Marta says. ‘They all get a sun crown when they turn eighteen, Gerra told me.’
‘But how do you know she jus’ din’t say that, so that we don’t panic about having royalty here when all this trouble is happening and try to hide it, like Jacob tried to hide them ever being there?’
‘Neoma! You just accused Gerra of lying, us of being capable of deceit and Jacob of worse, in one sentence!’
I did! There’s no way I should be around Gerra. Nobody trusts someone who don’t trust them! I try to play it down. ‘I’m jus’ s’posing,’ I say.
‘Well, words is dangerous. We need to keep Gerra a secret until we can help her get home, and any rumours that she’s even here could get out of control, real quick.’
I nod. I been seen stealing, and now I get told off in front of Gerra, even though she can’t speak the language, a telling-off is a telling-off. ‘I think I should go check on the little kids, help them do their chores,’ I say.
Marta nods.
‘Tell Gerra that’s what I’m gonna do,’ I say, coz I wanna look like I’m good and useful. Ma always says you can be stupid and grumpy, but if you’re useful you’re worth your weight in gold.
Marta speaks that strange language and Gerra lifts a hand and waves. This is the best response I got for all my efforts, so I grin, and wave and take off. So much for being on her like a tick. I should maybe jus’ stay away before I ruin everything.
