The Island of Ted

by Jason Cunningham

  10

  Ted reached the porch first and flung the door open to let the villagers enter, one by one. He felt like Noah gathering people into his ark. The house was serene inside, a huge contrast from the fury that raged outside. Ted noticed, as the last person entered, that the villagers were all looking around in amazement. It occurred to him that these people had probably never even seen a place as large and spectacular as this mansion, which he had considered, as of late, to be a monument to his failure as a man – as a son. But things seemed very different at that moment.

  Then his heart sank and he ran through the house, looking for any sign of Lanie. Rene found him in the bedroom, looking ill from worry. He dropped Lanie’s Bible onto his bed and sat down with his face in his hands. He looked up and saw the wind and rain pounding against the deck outside.

  “I need to find her, Rene.”

  “I will go. You stay here.”

  “No,” Ted demanded. “Stay and take care of your family. I can do it.”

  Rene looked into Ted’s eyes and saw that there would be no bargaining with him.

  “We’ll be in prayer for you until your return.”

  Ted put his hand against Rene’s shoulder – a gesture of gratitude – then hurriedly made for the door.

  Once outside, Ted sensed that he had leaped into harm’s way. His head turned back, very briefly, and saw the villagers through the window. They were all inside, and safe.

  Ted quickly surveyed the land as palm leaves and pieces of bark snapped and whistled past his head. He ran into the rice field and over the terraces. The lightning was constant, allowing him to see despite the driving rain. He fought forward with every ounce of strength in his body. Ted was determined not to fail.

  “Lanie!” he shouted.

  He ran like someone under water. The scene in front of him was a dreamlike maze of debris and downpour. Snapping branches echoed the violence of the story around him.

  “Lanie!” he yelled until his lungs hurt.

  His shouts sounded like whispers against the typhoon. He screamed for the girl with all his might and soul, the veins in his neck standing taut against the skin.

  Thunder boomed and felt like it shook the island. Ted staggered through the forest on wobbly legs, knowing Lanie was not on the path.

  “I would have seen her,” he thought.

  Just then, a faint voice resonated in his ears. He looked in all directions, waiting for the lightning to give him sight. He heard it again – a whisper.

  Another boom!

  Ted focused his eyes in the direction of the sound – waiting for a flash of lightning.

  A single crackle, met with a flash, gave him a vision that would be burned in his mind forever. He saw her in the distance, fighting to move toward him. He saw her mouth open, screaming his name in silence. He ran for her.

  They moved toward one another in flashes of light until he grabbed her hand and pulled her in. A coconut shot through the forest on a gust of wind and Ted moved her out of the way just as the coconut smashed against a tree with the force of a speeding bullet. Ted led her by the arm as they made their way back toward the house.

  Rene was kneeling with a few others in a semicircle when the door opened. They all turned with some measure of anticipation and saw Ted and Lanie, drenched and bloody, enter the living room. The villagers jumped to their feet and ran to them, greeting them with profound joy. A loud applause erupted! Ted looked around the large room, with Lanie by his side, and saw that all of the villagers were safe. The emotion was overwhelming.

  Ted led Lanie upstairs into the loft and turned to face her, both of them looking worse for wear.

  “What happened to you?” he asked.

  “I go to see if you’re safe. We can see a storm is coming.”

  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” he said. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if…”

  She put her finger to her lips to quiet him.

  “We are not so different.”

  They both looked over the second-floor railing and saw the entire south beach village engaging in a prayer of thanks. Ted was moved as they thanked God for protecting him. He looked into her eyes and she winked.

  “Is reason for you be here, kano.”

  Ted let that sink in for a moment before conceding. “I know.”

  The storm beat against Ted’s house for three days with tremendous force, but not even a window was broken. Wind and wave attacked the mansion but it stood under the pressure. Ted’s mind was drawn back to the first time he’d laid eyes on the place and Nako had told him, “The roof is reinforced with a special oak for rainy season. You’ll need that.”

  Ted could only smile.

  As the fog lifted, a weary drizzle fell on the mushy ground where the south beach village once stood. There wasn’t a house or tent in sight – nothing but broken wood, leaves, and large puddles of water. The ocean was at peace; a village, gone.

  Part Three

  “He who is not every day conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.”

  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

  One

  I woke up to hear a house full of chatter. Peering up through the blanket, it took a moment to understand what was going on.

  Oh, yes, I remembered. New housemates.

  Lanie and the kids slept on a pallet on my bedroom floor. Before you judge, I offered valiantly to take the floor instead, but Lanie would not hear of it. She said a man must sleep in his own bed. She was soft-hearted but hard-headed.

  I freshened up a bit and then introduced the smaller kids to Pop Tarts, although they preferred drinking coconut water. Weirdoes.

  Rene cooked up a big batch of adobo, which is a salty dish of sautéed dark-meat chicken in a bath of vinegar and soy sauce. With forty people living downstairs, the man had his work cut out for him.

  After lunch I found Lanie alone on the bamboo deck. Not wanting to disturb someone in deep thought, I was relieved when she turned to me and smiled. Seeing her brought up many memories; some pleasant, others painful. It had been a few days since the typhoon hit and I had had ample time to think about my situation. It seemed something was drawing me away. I no longer felt like a loner in the world. The south beach villagers were my friends and I genuinely liked all of them. When Manny died I felt like I had lost my own son, prompting a level of guilt which led to a bout of alcohol poisoning. I loved them. But I had a painful decision to make, the most painful of my life.

  • • •

  Nako tied off the boat as I ran up the dock to greet him.

  “I can finally meet your friends now?” he teased.

  “I’m glad you’re safe, Nako.”

  I climbed up onto the bow and gave him a hug. He was surprised but I think he worried about me too.

  “Listen,” I said. “Before you come in and meet everyone, can we talk?”

  Nako gave me a funny look and said, “Why so serious, bossman?”

  “Here’s the thing – I haven’t told the others yet so keep this quiet. But I’m going home.”

  “What?” he said. “It’s just a storm, Ted.”

  “No, not because of that.”

  I paused, knowing I owed him the truth. “It’s the girl.”

  Nako raised an eyebrow. “She break your heart?”

  “She deserves better,” I confessed. “She deserves someone who isn’t… me.”

  “I don’t understand. She love you, yes?”

  I sat against the side of the boat, feeling like I was in a confessional booth with Priest Yoda.

  “Nako, I’ve been selfish all my life. Everything has been all about me and what I want. But not this time. I refuse to ruin her life.”

  He looked confused.

  “Why ruin?”

  “Nako, there’s a world of difference between me and Lanie – a lot more than language. She might have feelings for me but if I don’t stop this now I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

  “That’s stupid reason,” he s
aid candidly. “Why regret?”

  I spoke more slowly than usual. “Because I need her.”

  “That’s not selfish if she love you back.”

  “It is selfish. Because I know what she deserves. And it’s a lot more than I can offer.”

  I stood up and continued. “I’ll pay you to continue coming here every two weeks. Bring them whatever they need. I’m turning the house over to Rene.”

  Nako looked like he was almost in tears.

  “I’d also like to thank you for being my friend,” I told him. “My first real friend.”

  He shook my hand once more and said, “I will miss you, Ted.” I knew he meant it.

  • • •

  I took Lanie out onto the wooden deck outside my kitchen so we could be alone. Her hair smelled like coconut and lavender as we sat down together and gazed at the lagoon.

  “I want to thank you for what you did,” she said. “You save us.”

  “Listen,” I said, clumsy as ever. “I just…”

  Her eyes narrowed, teasing me.

  “What’s matter, cat has eaten your tongue?”

  I smiled and said, “This is hard.”

  “What – are you courting another girl?” she said, grinning to ease my nerves.

  “Have dinner with me tonight.”

  “Someone is asking a date?” she said.

  “Yes. A date.”

  She offered a quiet, nervous laugh and said, “I accept, kano.”

  • • •

  Nako steered the boat over peaceful waters. Below deck I sat on a rice bag in an undersized suit. Hey, in a place like this you get what you can get. Lanie sat across from me in a black evening gown. We looked so out of place on this dirty boat and I had a hard time not staring at her. I could tell she had no idea how amazing she looked. And how strange, I thought, that she’d ever taken the slightest interest in me.

  She shouted to me over the noise of the motor. “Where we going to again?”

  “It’s a surprise. You look nice, by the way. I wasn’t sure if Nako knew what I meant by ladies’ evening wear.”

  Lanie struggled with a stringy shoulder strap, as if she wasn’t used to formal clothes. I looked up and saw Nako on the bow drinking noodles and steering with his free hand. He shot me a wink.

  I‘d planned this date with great care but it was a sad moment for me. This would be the end of our courtship and I knew I wouldn’t see Lanie again after tonight. That’s why I wanted this evening to happen: at least once we’d get to be two people in formal clothes, having a grown-up moment.

  Looking at her across the boat, my heart broke. She gave me a cute grin, not having a clue that it would be our last night. I’m sure in her mind this was the beginning and not the end, but it wasn’t for us. I loved her. Deeply. But I knew that her calling was here, helping the needy and making children smile. I wished so badly that I could be a man worthy of her, but it seemed selfish of me to pretend that I was. The truth is, I hadn’t changed much. I was still the same guy I was when I first set foot on the island, except for a new appreciation for the human race. But other than that, I was the same Ted who wanted everything his way and was still more comfortable around Hollywood people than the genuine folks I’d met here. At least in the movie business I could feel morally superior at times. But not here. Not around these people. Not around Lanie.

  A chunk of my heart lay in the Philippines and much of it belonged to the girl sitting across from me, struggling to get comfortable in that dress.

  • • •

  As the sun faded into the horizon, we stepped off the boat and I offered Lanie my hand. She staggered a bit to master her high heels and gave me an embarrassed grin.

  We sat across from one another in a five-star restaurant overlooking the water. This part of the islands hadn’t seen much damage, so it was business as usual. I scanned the menu, recognizing nary a thing on it.

  “Oh, this sounds good. What is balut?”

  “It’s duck egg with baby duck on the inside.”

  Ok – moving on. I turned to the waiter.

  “I’ll have a steak. Medium rare.”

  Lanie smiled and said, “That’s okay for me too.”

  The waiter nodded and went on his way, leaving us with two glasses of pinot noir.

  “Ted, what is your place like?”

  “Chicago? Well, it’s noisy and crowded… harsh winters…”

  Lanie began to dab at her eye but I just figured she wasn’t accustomed to wearing makeup.

  “I like it, you know. It’s home.”

  My voice trailed off as I noticed tears.

  “Hey, don’t do that,” I said softly. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t like goodbye,” she said.

  She was more perceptive than I thought.“How did you know?”

  “In your face. I can see.”

  I handed her my handkerchief.

  “Listen,” I said. “Please… don’t be sad. This is the best thing. I know it doesn’t make sense now but this is something I have to do.”

  She paused while dabbing her eyes. “If that will make you happy.”

  Watching her cry was hard. She then smiled unexpectedly and looked at me with warmth.

  “Ted, can I ask?”

  “Of course.”

  “Why did you find interest in me?”

  I fiddled with my silverware, thinking of how silly it was that she thought to ask. Anyone with eyes and ears would take an interest in her. So I bluffed.

  “I liked your boobs.”

  She laughed and threw the handkerchief at me before I decided to become serious.

  “It’s because of the way you see people. You are somehow able to look past everyone’s faults. Even this idiot kano who says all the wrong things.” I took a breath, wondering how much truth I should be sharing. “It’s like you see a version of me that doesn’t really exist.”

  “Like what? How?”

  “Like the way you’re looking at me right now. Even in my darkest moment you told me I had a purpose on that island, and I didn’t believe you.”

  “You should learn to listen to me.”

  I felt like she was making an appeal, and it crushed me.

  “If I had more time.” It’s all I could say.

  She immediately stood up, crossed over to me and gave me a tight hug. It was quick. Then she was back in her seat.

  “I will miss you, kano.”

  “Same here. But they need you. The Island of Ted needs you. And take my bedroom. I insist on it.”

  “I prefer the sitting chair,” she said. “Suits me better.”

  Lanie folded her napkin and placed it in her lap, then sat up straight and smiled through watery eyes.

  “You will write to me,” she said, not asking. “A lot.”

  “Of course I will. You’re my girl.” My face felt warm as I took in her reaction. “Always will be.”

  Lanie and I waited outside the restaurant while Nako went to fetch a taxi. We tried not to look at one another.

  “I hope your flight is safe,” she said.

  “It’s the ferry I’m worried about.”

  “Ferry is so fun. It’s adventure, kano.”

  Nako pulled around with the taxi driver and waved us over.

  Standing still, I told her, “Nako’s going to take you back. I didn’t want to draw this out too long. You understand.”

  She nodded yes.

  I touched her shoulders and said, “My mind is saying goodbye but my mouth can’t seem to say it.”

  Lanie touched my lips and said, “Goodbye.”

  And with that, she crossed the street, got into the taxi and drove away. I stood frozen, for what seemed like ten minutes, with my hand in the air, waving at the car as it got smaller and smaller in the distance. It was the hardest moment of my entire life.

  Two

  Los Angeles looked like an alien planet as I stepped off the plane. Thirteen hours of sleep in a posh downtown hotel couldn’t even c
lean out the cobwebs. It wasn’t all bad news though: I needed a job and Roger Graham had one waiting. His alien movie was in post production and Roger had already set up meetings for me to supervise the edit and get things locked up and ready for a summer release. I sat through a three-hour cut of the film and almost lost my mind. It was tedious, to say the least.

  Everything here in the States felt like it was moving at warp speed and my phone never stopped buzzing. I was constantly on the run, checking my e-mail and text messages, in and out of meetings – I was already worn out after just two weeks back on the job.

  One such meeting brought me to an upscale Greek restaurant, where I was to meet with a market analyst. However, I very quickly found out that Roger had called this meeting just to set me up with someone – his way of saying, “Welcome back.” I sat at the table, uncomfortable and bored, as the conversation wore on.

  “Ted, it’s like so cool that you got to go overseas and visit those poor people,” my chipper twenty-five year-old date said with a faux LA accent. “Rog like told me all about it.”

  “Yeah. It was actually…”

  “Totally. Hang on for two secs.”

  The girl then giggled as she read something on her Blackberry and decided to type out a lengthy response as I looked around the room.

  “You writing a book over there?” I joked.

  “Nah, just my girl, Jen. We were supposed to hang tonight but I think she got an STD from some New Jersey douche with a tacky tongue bolt. She like wanted me to meet up with his boy later but I was like… you freak! I’m not hooking up with some house-painter who thinks he’s an actor. What a loser!”

  “Listen, I’m not sure what Roger told you, but I’m not looking to get into a relationship with anyone. I just got back into town and…”

  “No probs. If you just want to party, I’m down with that. Hey, do you know if they are casting for the new Toby Maguire flick yet?”

  The girl then turned her attention to some chipped paint on her nail and almost fell into hysterics.