When the two men finished unloading, they walked over to their audience.
“Hey there!” addressed one of the men, stopping as he reached us. “It’s a nice day to be down here at the beach. You both look like you’re enjoying yourselves.”
I muffled a giggle, eying both men to try and determine if I was going to use Daniel’s story to get us both on board.
I didn’t have time to answer because Jasmine’s voice sang out through the trees.
“Daniel! Daniel! Are you there? Where are you?
Holy crap! This was not happening. This just was not happening. We were so close.
Daniel moved in beside me and clung on as we both swung around to the direction Jasmine’s voice had come from.
We could see the bushes rustling and then the familiar figure of Daniel’s mother strode through into the clearing, a look of shock on her face that we were both standing next to the pilots. After all, she hadn’t seen her son in a month.
I tried to read her face behind the shock. Any emotion that might let me know that she cared. I was a little too far away to tell, so when she walked forward, her eyes focused on Daniel, I stared her down, looking for any motherly emotion.
I was surprised to see her eyes glassy with tears.
The two men next to me moved forward to greet Jasmine but she shunned them as she grabbed Daniel, pulling him to her.
“Daniel! Where you been? I was worried!” Her gaze lifted and found mine and I saw blame there.
“I’m okay, Momma. I’ve been looking after Dakota. She had a fight with Dad and left the village. I found her over the other side of the island and took care of her.”
Okay, he was good. That sounded plausible. Keep going, Daniel.
Jasmine still peered at me skeptically. “Where your father?”
My heart nearly erupted out of my ribcage as I looked away.
“I don’t know. We haven’t seen him,” Daniel said into his mother’s bosom.
“Well, you okay now. You come with me.” She started pulling Daniel away and he turned his head to me, pleading with his eyes for me to do something, all the while the pilots were watching us, probably wondering what the hell was going on.
“Everything okay here?” one of them asked.
“Yes!” I sang as I turned from them back to Jasmine, who was retreating with Daniel. “Wait! Jasmine! Please, I have to talk to you! Stop!”
Daniel pulled on her arm to get her to halt and begrudgingly she did so.
“What?”
I looked at the pilots. “Can you just give us a moment? Daniel and I are going to be traveling with you to Sapphire Island, but I just need to speak to Jasmine first.”
It sounded lame. They looked at their watches and nodded. “Five minutes and then we have to be out of here.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
I reached Jasmine and Daniel, desperate for the woman to let her son go. I pulled out all the stops, hoping she would see the logic in what I was saying.
“I realize Daniel is your son and has been raised here on the island, but I was wondering if he might travel with me to America for a while so he can further his English studies and attend school. I promise I will look after him and give him everything he needs.”
“You want to take my boy away?” She looked horrified and grabbed Daniel’s arm tighter.
“No! I mean, I don’t want to take him from you forever. I just want to give him the opportunity that others on this island haven’t had. I’ll pay for school and all the other costs such as clothing, food, and medical.” I wasn’t thinking as to how I would pay for everything. I just had to get her to let us leave.
Her eyes narrowed as she tried to weigh my words. Before she had a chance to knock me down, I kept going. “I’m sure as a mother, you want Daniel to succeed. He’s been learning English for a while now, but unless he leaves this island, he’s never going to get to use it. It’s pointless. He’s so smart and can achieve so much. Please? You won’t regret it. I’ll even bring him back to visit on holidays if you like. Or organize for you to come visit.”
My voice was pleading with her. I didn’t know what else to say to convince her and I knew the clock was ticking away.
Her eyes found Daniel’s. “You want to go, boy?”
He nodded frantically. “Yes, Mamma. I really want to go. I promise I’ll be good. Dakota will look after me and give me a real education. We’ve spoken about this. You agreed with helping me learn. Please!”
“Okay, folks!” called one of the pilots. “We have to get this show on the road.”
Jasmine looked at me and then at Daniel, and then back at me. “You sure you look after Daniel?”
“Yes. I promise. I won’t let any harm come to him, and if he doesn’t like it, I will bring him back to you. You have my word.”
Come on. Say yes. Say yes.
She slowly nodded. “Okay. You can go. I only do this for Daniel and not for you.”
“Sure. No problem. Thank you, Jasmine.”
She turned to her son and wrapped her arms around him. He showed no emotion but returned the gesture before releasing her and stepping towards me.
I took his hand and looked at Jasmine one last time, giving her a nod that spoke volumes. I couldn’t believe she had agreed. Maybe she cared after all and only wanted what was best for her son. Whether or not she knew about the way he had been treated didn’t matter now. He was going to get the life he deserved.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. We’re ready now.”
Both men nodded, one stopping to look up at Jasmine. “You’re okay with this?”
“Yes.” She shooed her hand towards us as if to get us away already.
And so it was settled. We were on our way.
Daniel fisted the air in triumph and I couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement.
We all made our way to the helicopter, where I was helped on board.
Daniel was already inside, sitting awestruck by the modern machine, poking his head through the cockpit to look at all the buttons and lights.
“Wow!”
Both men laughed at his naivety.
“By the way, my name is Philip Tyler and my copilot’s name is Tom Jenkins. Now, who are our passengers?” he inquired after we’d all buckled up.
“I’m sorry, how rude of me. My name is Dakota Livingston and this here is Daniel Manui.”
“Nice to meet you both. We hope you’ll be comfortable in the back there. Sing out if you need anything.”
Once we were off the ground Philip turned the helicopter around and we headed out to sea. There was no turning back. I felt free for the first time in two months. The past ordeal would become nothing more than a memory now. I would be talking to my family on the phone shortly and seeing Ramah and Hayden again. They certainly wouldn’t be expecting to see me return from the dead.
Daniel focused on the window, looking down at the ocean. Sporadically he’d turn and look at me, beaming like it was way better than he had imagined.
“How long will it take to get to Sapphire Island?” I asked, not entirely kosher flying in a giant bubble, or flying at all, for that matter. It would be hard to relax until we were on dry land again.
Tom turned around. “About one hour. We’ve got a tail wind that will gain us about half an hour.”
Thankful for the tail wind, I kept my eyes facing the front so that I didn’t have to look at the ocean below.
The inside of the helicopter was small. The back consisted of six seats with a couple of storage shelves filled with safety equipment. A fire extinguisher was hanging off one of the doors and on the back of the cockpit seats were small pockets brimming with paper and maps.
The control panel in the pilot’s cabin displayed a complicated array of buttons, switches, and lights.
Tom broke the silence. “So what happened to your leg and what are you doing on Ragged Island?”
“I was involved in a plane crash a couple of months back. I survived by some mi
racle and was taken to Ragged Island by some fishermen, where I’ve been recovering ever since. My family all think I died in the crash, so I need to get to Sapphire Island so I can let them know that I’m very much alive. There is no form of outside communication on this island so I haven’t been able to make contact. You’re my only hope of returning to a normal life.”
Both men looked at me in disbelief.
“That’s incredible! I heard something about the crash you were in. They said on the news there were no survivors. It’s an absolute miracle that you made it. You’ll no doubt be something of a celebrity when people find out your story. The television and newspapers will get wind of it and want to do interviews with you. You better prepare yourself.”
It hadn’t dawned on me. Was I ready for all that? I just wanted to find Kyle and spend time getting to know him again, not be hounded by the media. Well, that was just something else I’d have to deal with in my drama filled life.
Philip and Tom chatted away, talking a little about themselves. Philip owned the helicopter and Tom was an old school friend of his who shared his passion for flying. They worked in the Pacific Islands most of the year, delivering supplies to various islands. Their families were based there, and after this last drop they would be returning for a two-week break.
“We love it here. After spending a big chunk of your life in the hustle and bustle of a big city, you really appreciate the peace and quiet that comes with living and working in the Pacific. My family wouldn’t live anywhere else.”
“I’m the complete opposite.” I laughed. “After spending two months on a small island with no modern conveniences, I know I’m definitely looking forward to returning to civilization. Daniel doesn’t know any different, but once he experiences things he’s only ever dreamed of, he’ll be hooked.”
“I’ll give it six months and then you’ll be sick of it.”
If only he knew. I’d never be sick of my new life with Kyle. Ever. I couldn’t speak for Daniel, but there was no way on earth I would consider moving permanently to a place like Ragged Island.
Tom handed Daniel and I both a bottle of water, which I took graciously. It was the most heavenly thing ever as I swallowed greedily. No more coconut milk. No more coconuts full stop.
Daniel drank a small amount and then recapped his bottle, not seemingly thirsty, just content to take in the experience of flying.
The trip seemed to take no time at all and before long we spotted land up ahead. I knew it was Sapphire Island and I could barely contain the buzz in my blood. I nudged Daniel, who had started to doze off beside me. He twitched awake, looking at the land ahead.
“We’re there! Do we get to go on the big plane now?”
“No. Tonight we’ll be staying on the island with some lovely people. This is the island that I told you about earlier. You remember, the one where I met Kyle?”
He nodded. I’d chewed the poor boy’s ear off in the cave from morning till night. He knew as much about Kyle as anyone did.
Two small aircraft sat on an otherwise deserted runway, chocks of wood wedged under the tires.
“Where are you headed?”
“We’re going over to the main resort on the eastern side of the island. I know the hosts Ramah and Hayden from my previous stay on the island.”
Philip sounded surprised. “Really? You know Ramah and Hayden? Fancy that! I’ve stayed at the resort on a number of occasions with my family and have known them for years. Why don’t I drive you both over there? I’m sure Tom can do without me for an hour or so. What do you say, Tom?”
“Sure. Take one of the jeeps sitting around in the hangar.”
“Great then, that’s settled!”
Tom showed off his unsullied manners and opened the door for us once we were on the ground.
I thanked Phillip as he helped me to my feet, leading us over to the hangar that was partially open at the front.
In a way it was a homecoming. My heart overflowed with delight at the prospect of seeing Hayden and Ramah again. They were in for the surprise of their life.
We walked inside the large hangar and discovered two jeeps sitting side by side inside.
The keys were in one jeep, ready to go, but rather than just take it, Philip called out to see if anyone was around.
“Hello! Rick? Are you here?”
A short, stocky, middle-aged man came out from under a small aircraft that was being worked on. His grey overalls were covered in grease and his hair was ruffled and unkempt. He walked towards us, smiling, wiping his hands on a rag that dangled out of his pocket.
“Hey Phil, you son of a gun! How are you?” He looked from Philip to Daniel and I and then to Philip.
“You have some passengers this trip, eh?”
“Tom and I brought them here from Ragged Island. Dakota here was in the plane crash that was on the news a while back. She survived. No one knows yet though, because she’s been living on Ragged Island ever since the accident. She’s had to wait there for Tom and me to drop the supplies off. I could hardly believe it, either. It’s quite a story.”
The stranger looked at me with skepticism in his eyes.
“It’s true,” I confirmed. “I’ve lost the use of my leg and have to use these crutches. I’m longing to get back to my boyfriend, who thinks I’m dead.”
Rick shook his head, never having heard such a grand story, but having no reason to doubt me or Phillip.
“Anyway,” started Phillip, “we’d better get them over to the resort so Dakota can call her folks. We don’t want to delay that any longer than necessary.”
We marked our departure with a wave and a puff of white smoke from the rusted exhaust. Phillip stepped on the gas, high-tailing the jeep towards the resort. I was alive with rapture and skittish with nerves.
I was coming back from the dead. I had no idea how that would be received. With joy, hopefully.
Driving through the small township, the clothing store where I’d purchased the beautiful navy dress came into view. That dress was now at the bottom of the ocean, along with all my other possessions. It seemed surreal that I had lost everything. That I had even been in a plane crash and survived was beyond reasonable comprehension. I still don’t think it had sunk in yet.
The hills looked dry and burnt, like there hadn’t been any rain in a while. The grass was brown and the gardens lacked luster. A good downpour was needed.
“How does it feel to be back here, Dakota?” asked Philip, having to yell to be heard above the noise of the wind that engulfed the jeep.
“It feels a little weird, actually. I didn’t expect to be returning here quite so quickly. I must admit though, it’s good to see society again. You take things for granted until you have to do without. I’m even looking forward to taking a long hot shower and eating a decent meal.” I hated to think what I looked like. In fact, I didn’t even feel like me anymore. Too much had happened for me to remain the same person. I was dealing with things that I shouldn’t have to and putting a child under my care. I had no idea how to be a parent or carer. I only hoped I could be the role model that Daniel deserved and needed.
He’d barely said two words. I wasn’t sure if it was the multitude of new experiences being thrust upon him or regrets at the past. I left him to his thoughts.
The resort remained unchanged. It was as if I’d never left.
Within seconds of stopping, Daniel was out the car, champing at the bit to get inside and see what a holiday resort looked like. He had so much to learn and see and it excited me to think that I would be the one teaching and showing him.
“I’ll take you inside.” Phillip was as wound up as we were.
“Thank you so much, Philip. You and Tom have been absolutely wonderful for bringing us to the island. You really have saved my life. I just can’t thank you enough.”
“If my wife was in your situation, she’d want somebody to help her find her way back to me.”
He was one of the good guys. Blind Freddy could
see that. Eager to please and help others. I liked him tremendously. He would be a lifelong friend to anyone that got to know him. His wife was a lucky woman.
The expectation was killing me. I had no idea if Ramah or Hayden would even be able to identify me in my current state. My dress was a little ripped from the struggle with Daniel’s father and my hair was unwashed and oily and I had lost a huge amount of weight.
Daniel held onto my arm for his own security. He had stepped into another world. I reassured him quietly by squeezing his shoulder.
As we stepped into reception an explosion of sensations tore through me. Memories that had been trapped inside since I’d left last time. The smells of food cooking. The familiar tables and chairs and outdoor scenery I could see through the large glass windows. I was suddenly feeling incredibly emotional.
Scoping the entire room, I spotted Ramah coming out of the kitchen. She didn’t see us at first as she was busy with an armful of plates. She whistled as she worked without a care in the world, unaware that I was about to change all that.
With a stomach full of nerves, I teasingly called out, “Excuse me! Can we have some service around here?”
Ramah flinched, juggling the tower of plates, using her chin to help steady them.
Her radiant, dark eyes went to all three of us and then back to me. A blank look robbed her face of any expression.
“You might want to put those plates down, Ramah.”
Easing the crockery down, the surprised woman’s eyes held mine. She rubbed them to make sure it wasn’t an illusion, turning her head to one side as her mind worked overtime, coming to grips with the vision standing in the foyer. The silence was eerie.
“D-Da…Dakota? Is th-that y-you? I th-thought you were d-dead?” the stunned woman stammered, using the back of a chair as support.
“It’s okay, Ramah. It’s me. You’re not seeing a ghost. I survived the crash. Some fishermen found me and took me to Ragged Island. I’ve been living and recuperating there for the last two months. I haven’t been able to communicate with anyone apart from those on the island. Philip takes supplies to the island every six months, as you probably already know, and he was kind enough to bring Daniel and me here. I hope you don’t mind, but we need a room for the night. We have no money and nowhere else to go.” Tears started to fall but I couldn’t wipe them away because I was gripping the crutches so tightly, watching Ramah’s face pale.
Losing You (Finding You Series Book 2) Page 14
