But Teuila and her grandmother were still nowhere to be seen. As the singing and dancing slowly increased in pitch and volume, I recognized some movement on the front porch of their cabin. Nona swept the front door mat aside, then Te' stepped out onto the portico looking like an angel from heaven. Wearing a white tapa dress dyed in a pretty floral motif, she wore a long wreath made of frangipani and jasmine around her neck and a crown of orchids atop her head. Her face shimmered in the moonlight, with a greenish-yellow dusting of turmeric powder and flower pollen coating her upper eyelids. I gasped at her beauty as her grandmother took her arm and escorted her down the front steps of their cabin.
As they strode toward the trellis marking the entrance to the reception, Te' glanced in my direction and I slunk back toward the rear of my cage. For some reason, I didn't want her to see me watching her as she prepared to get married. Whether it was from my own sense of dread at losing her once and for all or from some misguided feeling of not wanting to ruin her big day, I lurked in the shadows, closing my eyes listening to the chanting of the wedding participants. But after another minute or so, I couldn't resist the urge to see her one last time, and I pushed my screen aside to see the two of them walking under the trellis toward the fire in the direction of Manaia, who was grinning in front of her father like a Cheshire Cat.
So this is the way they do it here in Anuta, I thought, nodding at the similarities between the Polynesian wedding and those in the West. The groom waits patiently by the altar, while his bride-to-be tantalizes him by slowly walking up the aisle as their loved ones eagerly look on. The only difference was that the mother of the bride, or in this case her grandmother, gives the girl away. Typical male-dominated culture, where the patriarch sits on his high horse as he watches his daughter given away.
The two women walked together through the floral-covered trellis, then Nona disengaged and joined the rest of her family as Teuila approached the raging fire.
How appropriate, I thought, watching the shadows flickering over Manaia's smug face. From the mother's arms into the fire.
I half-expected Teuila to leap into the flames and self-immolate to escape the clutches of her treacherous groom. But then I realized that her father still had me to use as leverage to force her to go through with the ceremony. It was probably no accident that he'd placed me in the middle of the courtyard for everyone to see as a reminder of his absolute power over the rest of the village. He’d probably threatened to kill or torture me if Teuila didn't abide by his wishes and marry Manaia.
When Teuila got to within arm's reach of Manaia, he reached out and took her hand then they both turned around to face the chief as a hush fell over the crowd. Her father muttered a few words to them both, then he threw up his hands in exaltation, shouting to the rest of the crowd. Suddenly, the women and children poured off their benches, as they joined the tribesmen in excited dancing around the fire. At first, Te' seemed reluctant to join the festivities, but Manaia grabbed her hand and swung her boisterously around the fire with all the other celebrants. Whenever she came back around facing in my direction, I could see her glancing at my enclosure, but I squinted through the narrow breaks in the leaves, remaining hidden. I was too ashamed for her to see me trapped like a rat in my dark and dirty cage.
For the next two hours, the entire village sang and danced and feasted in celebration of Teuila and Manaia's union. After a while, I could no longer bear witness to the tragedy of the spectacle, and I curled up on the sandy floor of my cage, holding my hands over my ears trying to block out the sound of all the merrymaking. Eventually, the cacophony began to subside and I pulled my curtain aside, noticing the villagers slowly returning to their huts. Manaia and Teuila sat with her siblings finishing the plate of food laid out on the buffet, then her father said something to them, nodding toward one of the huts next to his own.
As the bride and groom stood up and began walking hand-in-hand across the sandy courtyard, I couldn't help noticing the bounce in Manaia's step as Te' dragged her feet through the sand. He seemed determined to consummate their marriage as quickly as possible, pulling her by the arm as she lagged two feet behind. They stopped at the base of the steps leading up to the cabin next to her own. Like the chief's, it was elevated much higher above the ground, signifying their newly elevated status.
Unbelievable, I thought, shaking my head in disgust. All he has to do is marry the chief's daughter to elevate his status to second-in-command within the tribe. It’s only a matter of time before he finds a way to take over command of the entire island.
Manaia pulled Teuila reluctantly up the steps of their cabin, and just before they disappeared inside, she turned and glanced in my direction. My heart leaped out of my chest, and for a moment I considered flinging my drape aside and crying out to her to tell her how much I loved her. But Manaia yanked her inside and within minutes I heard the sound of pounding floorboards as he had his way with his new bride.
I closed my eyes and prayed forgiveness for ever having planted the seed of doubt in Te's mind. If it hadn't been for me, she'd never have known any other way than that of a man. I'd ruined it for her for the rest of her life. Teuila would forever pine for my tender touch as long as she remained on this far-flung island. I collapsed to the ground and sobbed, watching the tiny rivulets of tears roll away over the sand.
30
The next morning, I woke early with a sick feeling in my stomach. I'd dreamt Te' and I were swimming in our lagoon when a sea monster breached the surface and pulled her underwater. I reached out trying to grab her arm, but all I could do was watch the sad look on her face as she faded away into the depths. Realizing how accurately my dream mirrored the reality of our situation, I leaned over and retched into my wooden toilet basin.
Looking for a bit of light to pull me out of my depression, I pulled the blind across on the south side of my crate and noticed another guard sleeping in the sand a few feet away. I checked the other side and saw that my original guard was lying still on the sand with his eyes closed. The sun was starting to peer over the horizon at the far end of the lagoon, and with the village still quiet, I began to think about an escape plan. If I could just find a way to break out of my pen and sneak past the guards, I could return to our hiding spot and wait for Teuila to rejoin me. Once she knew I was free and safe, there would be nothing holding her back from escaping on her own.
I surveyed the construction of my cage and pushed it firmly on the side to see if it would give. But the heavy posts embedded deep in the sand at the four corners meant it wouldn't be as simple as toppling the tightly strung structure onto its side. I kneeled down and burrowed under the base of the enclosure with my hands, but the soft sand quickly backfilled into the hole. The guards were beginning to get restless, and I didn't want to take any chance at the digging sound pulling them out of their slumber. My only chance would be trying to untie the straps holding the poles together and slip out before they woke.
As I dug my nails into the cords and began loosening the ties, I kept a close eye on the guard on the south side of my crate. There were fewer huts between me and the forest on this side, plus I could use the shelter of the lagoon if necessary to hide underwater as Teuila and I had done at the swimming hole. But my finger slipped while untying one of the knots, and I squeaked in pain as it twisted against the wooden pole. The guard suddenly stirred and when he saw what I was trying to do, he leaped up and yelled at me, flinging a handful of sand in my direction. Some of the grains landed in my eyes, and I staggered back against the other side of my cage as they welled up in pain.
I batted my eyelids as tears streaming down my face, and within a minute or so I was able to recover my sight. The drapes had been pulled to the side of my enclosure, and the two guards barked at me as they thrust their spears in my direction. I slunk back onto the sand at the base of my pit while the guard on the lagoon side refastened the loosened ties, pulling them extra tight with double knots.
A few minutes later, Teuila emerge
d from the front of her hut and she began walking toward me carrying a few items. I smiled at her as I wiped the tears from my face, throwing a handful of sand into my bucket to cover up the smell of my vomit. As she approached my enclosure, she noticed the redness in my eyes and furrowed her brow with a worried expression.
"Good morning, Jade," she said, trying to cheer me up. "I brought you some fresh food and other provisions. How have you been holding up?"
"As well as can be expected under the circumstances," I smiled weakly.
Te' pulled the shades back across my enclosure, glaring at the guards for not giving me enough privacy. For a moment, I considered telling her about my failed escape attempt, but I figured it would just inflame their already raw emotions even further.
"Are you finding the drapes I made for you are keeping things a bit cooler in here?"
"Yes, thank you," I said, happy to hear that at least she wasn't being tied up in her hut.
"I thought you might like a bit more protection against the sun and the prying eyes of the villagers," she said, handing me a folded white cloth through the bars.
I unfolded the garment and smiled, seeing that it was a dress similar to the one she'd replaced from the previous night's wedding ceremony. I pulled it over my head then pressed against the bars, desperate to feel her touch. She reached out and squeezed my hands as we pressed our foreheads together.
"Te'," I moaned. "I've been thinking of you so much. I watched the ceremony last night, then I heard you with Manaia in the hut—"
"Don't pay any mind to that," she said, pulling back to peer into my eyes. "He may possess my body, but my heart will always belong to you. We just have to wait a few more days until things quiet down, then we can find a way to escape this god-forsaken place."
"What about the two guards?" I said, noticing the tribesmen still scowling at me. "How can we hope to escape with them watching me twenty-four hours a day?"
I glanced in the direction of her hut, fearful that Manaia or her father would see her with me.
"And what about Manaia? What if he finds us? I have a feeling that he and your father won't be as lenient if they were to catch us again."
"Let me worry about them," Te' said. "I know how to keep Manaia distracted. He's sleeping right now. We'll have plenty of opportunities soon enough. They'll never find us on the other side of the island."
I shook my head, remembering how easy it had been for the other tribesmen to catch me.
"Have you seen any sign of my sailing crew? The sooner we get off this island, the better. I think I've had quite enough of the tropics for a little while."
"There's been no sign of them. But my father says a cargo ship is due to pass by any day now. We won't have long before you're sent away."
She lifted a bowl full of figs and sliced pineapple, and I closed my eyes, breathing in the heavenly aroma.
"Are you hungry?"
I nodded, and she pushed the bowl through the hole in the bottom of my crate.
"This reminds me of our first day in the lagoon," I said, lifting the sweet fruit to my parched lips. "I remember waking up to the fresh scent of these hanging above our treehouse after we made love that night."
"It's all I can think about too," Te' said, squeezing my hands so tightly they began to turn red. "It's the only thing that keeps me going."
I looked at Teuila with sad eyes and frowned.
"I'm sorry, Te'. I should never have come to this island. If you had never met me, you'd never have known anything different—"
"I'd still know what it feels like to be abused by a man," she said. "If it weren't for you, I'd have never known what it feels like to be truly loved by someone."
"Oh Te'," I cried, thrusting my body against the front of my crate and throwing my arms around her. "I don't want to lose you. I can't imagine my life without—"
Suddenly, the flap covering Teuila's hut swung open and Manaia turned to face us, glaring angrily in our direction. He quickly descended the steps and began running in our direction, and Teuila turned around and began running toward the woods. But he already had a healthy head start, and he quickly closed the distance, tackling her in the sand. Then he picked her up and threw her kicking and screaming over his shoulder, snickering at me as he strutted back up the steps of his hut. Soon after, Te's father emerged from his cabin and nonchalantly sat down on his rocking chair.
Teuila wasn't kidding about the men on this island, I thought.
As the thumping sound resumed in Te's hut, the chief leaned back in his chair and began to rock it slowly, nodding to my guards to keep a close watch over me.
31
For the rest of the day, I didn't hear from Teuila and wondered if Manaia had tied her up in their cabin to prevent her from communicating with me. Fortunately, Nona kept me well fed and hydrated, emptying my toilet bowl every few hours to keep my enclosure tolerable. I had plenty of time to ponder my situation, and the more I thought about it, the more hopeless I realized our predicament had become.
It would be nearly impossible to escape from my cage under twenty-four-hour guard. And with Manaia keeping a short leash on Teuila, she'd be hard-pressed to find a way to slip away before the cargo ship arrived. Almost as worrisome, I wondered why my sailing crew hadn't yet returned for me. It had been almost two weeks since they'd abandoned the island, and I couldn't understand why they'd left in such a hurry.
Had they run into members of the other tribe who threatened to harm them if they didn't leave immediately? Had they aborted the search once they realized how large the island was and how much ground they'd have to cover to search all of it? Had Teuila's father convinced them that I was likely dead after they'd stopped by the village? Or were they going to get reinforcements to search for me more thoroughly?
Either way, I didn't have much time before this was going to be out of my hands. There'd be very little I could do to salvage my relationship with Teuila once I left the island. It wasn't like I could come back with a team of mercenaries and forcibly abduct her. For all intents and purposes, Anuta was a sovereign nation and I'd be flaunting the rules of maritime law by interfering with their right to privacy.
And once I left, what chance would Teuila have escaping the island on her own? Even if she managed to evade Manaia's clutches, he and the rest of the tribe would hunt her down until they found her. With hundreds of miles of open ocean surrounding Anuta, there'd be no way for her to navigate to friendlier waters using one of the few remaining outrigger canoes.
The isolated beauty of the island was both a blessing and a curse. It was the tropical paradise where I'd found the love of my life, but it was also a refuge from which few could ever hope to escape. What right did I have invading their personal space, thinking I could steal away their most important daughter? Anutians had lived for centuries in peace and tranquility until I arrived. Teuila wouldn't even have known what it felt like to experience lesbian love if I hadn't contaminated their culture with my promiscuous Western values. I was acting like the typical arrogant American, thinking I could impose my superior Western mores on their backcountry civilization.
I slept fitfully that night, tossing and turning while trying to reconcile my selfish desire to hold on to Teuila with my knowledge that I had no right to intervene in the tribe's personal affairs. I awoke the next morning to the smell of fresh sea breeze wafting under the curtains of my hut. I pulled the blinds aside and watched the sun gleaming off the pristine waters of the lagoon as children ran playfully across the sand. Their mothers and grandmothers looked on from the porches of their huts as they prepared another healthy breakfast of fresh fish and locally harvested vegetables. On the beach, a team of young tribesman were busy chipping away at the trunk of a felled breadfruit tree, hollowing out a new canoe.
I smiled at the bucolic scene, realizing I had no right trying to interfere in their tranquil life. Suddenly, I noticed movement in the direction of Te's hut and I saw her grandmother walking toward me with a heightened sense o
f urgency. She had a strange look on her face, like she knew something foreboding was coming. When she approached my cage, she glanced at the guards nervously as she passed me a handful of fruit. A curl of bark fell to the sand and she gestured for me to pick it up. I leaned down and unfolded the husk, noticing some writing had been etched onto the inner skin.
"Mai Teuila," she said, placing her hands over mine. Then she turned around and hurried back to her hut past the imposing figure of Manaia, standing on his veranda with his arms crossed.
I unfurled the parchment and read the message scrawled into the pulp.
Cargo ship on the horizon. Will be here within two hours. Manaia is not letting me leave the hut. If I don't see you before you leave, find your way back to our treehouse. I'll meet you there as soon as I can. Thinking of you always, love Teuila.
As I stood reading the message, my heart beat a hundred miles an hour. I wanted to scream out across the courtyard to tell Te' I loved her and would never forget what we'd shared. But that would betray the vow that I'd made not to meddle any further in their affairs. But I couldn't just leave without saying goodbye. I had to let her know what she meant to me. I ran my fingers through the sand at the base of my enclosure and found a small stone. Then I peeled off the top layer of the bark and placed Te's message in my pocket. I sat down in the sand and began to scratch a new message on the parchment.
Polynesian Pleasure Page 14
