Chapter 8

The store was still open and I picked out some new clothes for Esperanza and a few for Lusa. This time there was no hesitation from the saleslady. Lusa and Esperanza invited me into the changing rooms and I admired the view and gave my assessment of their choices.

Esperanza needed a bra and I selected one and brought it to her. With a little suck on her buds, she held me to her and groaned. When she relaxed I put the bra on her and admired the flushed look on her face.

"Why did you do that?" She managed to stammer.

"Because they looked delicious. One day a man then some children will find those beauties irresistible."

I paid for the new clothing and we headed for the bridge. Stopping in passenger's area I again asked to speak to the Captain if he were free. The gentleman came out sooner than before and said, "Hello Shawn," then looked at the people with me. "I see that our new guests are getting better. What can I do for you today? It isn't another turn on my bridge is it?"

I laughed out loud and said, "No sir. The room next to ours is vacant. Our guests will be leaving in a few days. Would it be possible for these two to stay in that room. I will stay with them to ensure that the ship is not holed."

The captain thought for a moment then said, "You are quite a man Shawn Boz. I think I will allow this. We need to place them somewhere and where better than near to your father who will be next door."

"I understand completely. Thank you very much."

"I will send the purser to you with the key. I trusted you with the ship and I hope you won't get into too much trouble with just a cabin."

Only Lusa knew of our talk and I explained it to Esperanza and to Emilio too. In a way I would have to be the child's parent for the short time until he left the ship. The boy kept looking around for his mother and father but all the excitement kept him occupied and so he did not try too hard to find them. I knew soon it would be otherwise and he would have to deal with it in the usual way of a two-year-old.

Mom, dad and Japera were waiting for us and I gave them the information. Dad was pleased that I was taking the responsibility and that it was at least temporary. If I did poorly the problem would leave. If I did well the same would happen, but I would learn from the success.

Before the meal I asked the steward, the same one that first came to the bridge, for a booster chair. He was in a joking mood and said, "Would you like two sir?"

I laughed out loud and said, "One day I will get even if I can. I am not so big now but one day when you are old and feeble I will leave you in a dirty diaper for longer than needed."

"That won't be possible. I plan to meet a different fate before that time."

I could read his mind and said, "You will be too old to use it very well anyway."

I placed Emilio in his seat and he came a little higher at the table than I did. I ordered for Emilio and suggested things from the menu for Esperanza. I put a napkin at Emilio's neck and another on his lap. He got kind of fussy then and I told him to be good because we were going to eat some nice things.

When the food came I made sure it wasn't too hot before feeding some to him and eating from my own plate. It wasn't very long ago that I was the one being fed when I was a baby. I preferred to do the deed myself and become independent sooner.

The meal was fairly short and I found it a busy time trying to keep a conversation going, feed or help feed Emilio and enjoy my own food.

In the far corner I saw Miss McIntyre talking to the steward and I remembered the painting of Lusa. It now made sense to have one more dramatic painting to commemorate this trip.

I explained aloud that I needed to do some more painting and mom agreed that it would be good to develop this skill. We all went to see Miss McIntyre and I found her having coffee just outside the kitchen. She was quite ecstatic that a new painting was to be done and asked if the Captain would be allowed to watch. She left unsaid that she too would be watching my technique.

With Esperanza present I was presented with a problem. One was that she would become very upset at the painting of her rescue. I corrected this by deciding to make two paintings and not let her see one.

I picked a scene in my mind of Esperanza standing at the rail of the ship while holding her hand on her hat and the other firmly attached to Emilio as they watched the horizon.

We left for the studio with the family and guests. I started painting fast but kept the speed down to something that was possible. There was no need to destroy all the good will I had accomplished by doing something that was impossible.

I took almost three-quarters of an hour and I invited everybody to come closer. The Captain said, "That is beautiful Mr. Boz. What are your intentions for this piece of work?"

"The owners may have his work; the work I did a few days ago; and the one I will do soon for a period of twenty years. During this time they will ensure that they stay physically on this ship. At the end of that time you will get the first painting, Esperanza will get this new one and the last will belong to Emilio. If those people have not survived the paintings will go to their estate. They may not take the paintings before that because they will still be my property."

"You are very generous Mr. Boz. I am sure that the owners will ensure that the paintings are being well looked after."

"I am sure as well. We can make the contract in writing and get it signed by the owners." I turned to Esperanza and explained all that I had said and she broke down and cried at the thought.

Dad took Esperanza and Emilio away and I started on the next painting. This was to be much larger work with men and lifeboats picking up survivors among the flotsam of the 'Hidalgo II'. I tried my best to get the faces in of each of the individuals. In the background our ship with the name proudly showing on the hull stood ready to take the survivors on.

This painting took two hours because of the details. Mom, Japera, the art teacher or the Captain never even fidgeted during that time. Miss McIntyre and the Captain even had tears in their eyes at the conclusion because of the recent loses out previous guests had suffered.

In the next two days the rest of the patients recovered as we came close to the Virgin Islands. An official boat came out and asked questions and took depositions before accepting their nationals back. Emilio and the Esperanza gave Lusa and me a big hug and then later the others that had helped in saving their lives. Esperanza was being brave but started to cry as soon as she descended the steps to the lighter far below.

It felt as if I had lost some of my family. To read the inner workings of a mind brought me closer and tighter than most people would imagine. I knew Esperanza would never forget me but Emilio being so young was a sure thing. In a way his memory would be a blessing considering the losses he had just endured.

That night Lusa and I stayed in the now frightfully empty cabin and made tender love and cried.

Eventually the ship pulled into Southampton. Two tugs took us to the dock and we were quickly tied off. Before anybody could get off, six men in expensive suits came running up the gangway and were greeted by the captain. They were all ushered into his office and I knew they were talking about the paintings and the rescue. Dad and mom prepared to leave but I knew it would be a while getting through the line up to the customs.

An hour later the first mate came to our room and asked if we would all accompany him to the Captain's office. We locked up our belongings and took the jewellery with us. It had just been stored in a sealed box in the care of the purser. We came up the carpeted deck and the mate knocked on the door for us and stepped aside.

We were ushered in and asked to take seats with the six men the Captain and lastly the second mate, MacAndrews. On the back wall were the three paintings I had made with special lighting over each. The captain began by looking at dad and saying, "I asked you here to personally thank you and your family for all that you have done to assist this ship. You were instrumental in the rescue, treatment and care of the survivors of the 'Hidalgo II'."

The presentation went on for quite a while. The shipping company had reaped much favourable publicity in the rescue and as a matter of good faith gave dad and Japera a certificate telling that this shipping line would grant them two free passages for a family of five. MacAndrews being an employee was given his citation and a hefty bonus that made him happy even if he had to share the limelight with me.

One of the six gentlemen was a lawyer and handed dad the contract that I had verbally given to the captain the day before. Dad looked it over for a few minutes then handed it to me. I went over it in a few seconds and placed it on the captain's desk. "There is the matter of having the painting evaluated every three years and adequate insurance placed on them. I dislike the wording. It is not definite enough as to who pays for the evaluation. The shipping company has to pay the premiums in a similar way that any museum or gallery would."

The lawyer started to retort knowing that he worded it that way to avoid the cost. Before he could get a word in I started again, "The captain, though your employee, will still fall under this clause and you gentlemen must bear the burden of the entire expense. The portion about inconsequential damage has to be stricken and the company must ensure that the paintings are adequately protected from the elements."

This time the lawyer said nothing so I continued, "Gentlemen, don't despair. Eventually my works will appreciate in value causing you an expense. The good point is that you have my very first three paintings. This alone should bring you some people that would have to sail with you to view them."

The oldest brother and majority owner said, "Your first paintings? Or your first paintings viewed."

Dad answered for me, "They are the first paintings Shawn has ever made. He has been working on other media and oils are just a new sideline. I personally would like to see what he does with water colours and charcoal."

Their minds were active and now I worried that they would overwork themselves trying to find a way to make a profit from my labours. Dad figured the same thing and put a stop to it. The lawyer asked what changes I wanted and I said, "Loan me your pen and I will put them in."

The startled lawyer did just that and I wrote in my best legalese at the bottom of the document and crossed out the offending points further up. Dad had to do the initialling and then handed the form to the lawyer. He went over it carefully and saw almost twenty changes. They were all the supposed loopholes he had put in to protect his clients from a lawsuit.

"These are preposterous. We can't protect three paintings from an artist that has no name and incur all these expenses."

Dad had been given some hints and said with his doctor voice, "You will do as my son stipulated or the paintings will be removed. The cost is minimal and the gains you make will be major. Don't bother trying to hoodwink us just for a few measly pounds. You get three major works of art for a period of twenty years and one of them signifies how your ship had a major role in the successful completion of the rescue."

It didn't take long then and both dad and I signed the papers then the four owners and their accountant as a witness.

After the meeting the captain expedited our departure by getting deck hands to get all out luggage and allow us to leave through the crew's gangplank and through a smaller customs check. Dad and the captain shook hands then he did the same with me. Mom was told how lucky she was and both Lusa and Japera were wished a happy journey.

Outside the customs shed, sleet was starting to fall. I had heard of it but this was the first time I saw solid water falling from the sky even if it was in small pieces. Dad reopened his luggage and gave us each a sweater to put on. They were meant to keep us warm on a cool night in Rhodesia not in a snow storm in Britain.

Dad had to call two taxis to take us and the luggage to the train station. The driver had an odd accent even for an Englishman. The name Cockney came from his mind. He had been offered a better job with more money further from the hustle and bustle of his native London. Soon we were crossing a bridge where we could see up and down the shipping channel.

With the tickets purchased dad and I stowed our belongings securely and looked for some place to acquire warmer clothing to suit the unaccustomed dampness and the equally unaccustomed low temperature. The ticket agent gave us directions and both dad and I ran down the street like children through the wet snow and rain. By the time we made it to the men's store were both thoroughly wet and laughing.

We went back to the station in a taxi we should have taken first but found the exercise good even if we were soaked to the bone. Mom, Japera and Lusa went in a much more civilised manner to a shop dealing in woman's apparel. After a good meal where dad reacquainted his taste buds with the local beer we headed back to the station to await our train to London.

In a few hours the train then another taxi took us to a hotel in London that Dad had booked before we started the trip. In that time dad and I dried out and both looked a little odd in our by now rather wrinkled clothing. The exterior of the hotel had seen better days. Because of the war it had little spare money to bring it up to its old standard. Two bell hops helped dad take the luggage upstairs. The hallway was wide with a rich red carpet but it was worn down the middle and not been replaced yet, although much effort had gone into rebuilding the bomb damage. The current labour government kept the taxes high to pay for all the necessary repairs. This left little money for the more frivolous things.

Our rooms were large and fairly comfortable. In any case we would not be here long. Tomorrow we would be travelling to the other side of London actually to one of the older towns where dad's parents lived. Dad spent a few minutes down stairs using the public phone to phone an old friend that would brave the current storm to carry the message to his parents. The war had caused many shortages and knowing they were helping in the fight could compensate for the loss of a phone.

The next day was hectic. We went out for breakfast and found that portions were much smaller than home and the people accepted this as proper. Dad even said that this was the usual way that the British ate. With a final two cabs we travelled across London. There was still a great deal of damage from the bombing and it would take years and many thousands of pounds to fully repair.

We pulled up to a fairly small Tudor home with a wooden gate and the remnants of last year's garden in the front and similarly in the back too. An old woman with white hair and a man going bald came out the door and hugged dad and mom. My grandparents were very happy to see the adults again, but it seemed they were even more interested in me.

Grandma saw me as almost a girl with my long light blond hair tied back with a thong. She saw my face as too symmetrical and much more beautiful than handsome. Even though I was a little larger than average they still saw me as a child and there was no way to burst their bubble. I ran to her and said, "Hello grandmother I have waited a long time to see you."

Granddad listened to my voice and inflection and correctly saw that I was more advanced than the usual three-year-old. The infrequent letters had talked about me but not in too great a detail.

"Hello Shawn," she said as she bent down and wrapped her arms around me. I could feel her crying for joy in her mind and held her tight as well.

I pulled away after a moment and said, "Grandma this woman behind me is Japera. She was my nanny, friend to all of us and my teacher in the Bantu language."

Grandma was not used to black faces as there were few even in London at that time, but she shook Japera's hand then pulled the woman close and gave her a hug too. Before they had too much to say I added, "And this young lady is Lusa. She is Japera's daughter and my best friend."

While grandpa gave a little hug to Japera, grandma hugged Lusa as tightly as she did her mother.

Granddad mentioned to dad, "Your brothers and sisters are all over the country and did not have the ability to make it here now, but they will all be here tomorrow."

The rest of the day we caught up on family history and the increase in members and sadly the decrease of some of the older members. Dad regained his old room and insisted that Japera accompany him and mom. Lusa and I shared a small bedroom and snuggled under the blankets in the cold. It felt good to squirm up against Lusa's warm body to keep warm or even for mental comfort.

The next day was completely taken up with meeting relatives and old friends of dad. Word had even reached here about how good dad really was. Part of the reason was two proud parents that were not too shy about telling a great many people of his accomplishments.

The next day was Sunday and proved to be a bright day. From what dad said this was a rarity. We all went to church. I looked up at all the massive stone supports and the stained glass windows and felt a sense of awe. The building was very old and not even the bombing had managed to damage it much. The pews were of oak and very old and had turned a darker richer colour over the centuries of hands and bodies touching them.

After church we had a large meal with people from all over the place. I found I had cousins and more cousins. The house was almost like an ant colony in the way it was functioning. I joked to grandma about this being almost like an 'aunts' colony and she laughed so hard she had to sit down then go to the bedroom to change her panties. Later she told the joke to all her relatives and friends that would stay still to listen.

I was not used to all the activity and told dad I was going out for a long walk with Lusa before our next meal. Dad would have worried about his three-year-old son going but not when he knew what I was capable of. I put on my sweater and coat to make grandma happy, even though I found I could alter my own metabolism to keep me warm.

The buildings changed little as I walked and I looked for the older ones to peer into their styling. Lusa was amazed that there was no obvious segregation and all the people we walked by were nice to both of us. Later while looking in all the closed shops we heard sirens from all around. It reminded me of the radio when they were chasing some bank robbers.

Lusa talked about how strange the buildings looked and how odd the people talked. We walked further down the cobbled streets and saw a large park. I scanned above and saw an unoccupied swing and headed Lusa for it. Dad had visions in his head of pushing a much younger mom on a large swing and mom loving the attention and the ride itself. We were very careful getting across the street as a few cars raced much faster than they should. The sirens did not abate too much but now seemed all around us.

We came to the swings and saw nobody around. I encouraged Lusa to sit and I gave her large pushes with muscle power alone. She laughed and called, "Higher," many times.

After ten minutes of hearing her loud laughter I spotted a boy of about my age with a bloody white shirt wandering around in a dazed state. I stopped Lusa and ran to the boy. He was obviously in an accident and had been hurt. His face was bloody and he was holding his arm protectively.

I talked to the boy but he didn't seem to understand very well. He was in a state of shock. Lusa ran over too and I took off my coat and sweater and put the coat over the boy's shoulders and told Lusa to get some damp towels from a nearby public washroom. I washed his face and checked the arm and found a six-inch laceration on his left arm. Lusa reached into her large pocket and brought out a small assortment of supplies that I used the same way dad used his bag.

I reached into the boy's brain and shut down his consciousness and laid him on a nearby table. I cleaned the laceration and sutured it as well as I could. With a piece of the boy's damaged shirt I made a larger bandage to cover the gauze I wrapped about his arm. His forehead needed a three more sutures and he had a slight concussion but nothing that was serious.

My patient was awoken and taken to the nearby restrooms and Lusa came in with us to help as I cleaned the boy up better. I could tell he needed to use the facilities and I took him into a stall and helped. When he was done I cleaned him up and dressed him as warmly as possible. I washed my own hands and then looked into the boy's mind to see who he was and what happened.

I saw him in the back seat of a car with a large man and a driver. A truck going the other way avoided a car pulling out of another road. The truck veered into the path of the boy and they collided. The two adults were hurt and that was probably the ambulance siren we heard earlier.

The boy's name was Charles and he lived in a large home with lots of people running around. Digging around I finally found his name to be Windsor, or a variant. Looking at the boy critically now I could see his identity from some of the pictures printed in the Rhodesian papers.

"Lusa, this gentleman here is Charles Windsor, or better known as Prince Charles."

Lusa was not a monarchist but she could not avoid some of it wearing off in the British colony of Rhodesia. She gasped a little and wondered what we were going to do. I was a few moves ahead and considered a good way to further mom and dad's efforts to help the native population of our country. I combed the boy's hair and saw that he looked very handsome. The girls would sure chase him even if he weren't the next in line for the throne. I sympathised with him a little for I was pestered the same way and it was just for my looks.

"Charles, Charles. We are going to take you home. Do you understand?"

I got a bit of a response and knew he was recovering. Lusa took one hand at my urging and I took his other and we walked to the other side of the park to find a taxi. Five minutes later we were coming to the gates of the park when seven boys aged about fourteen or so entered. The first one stopped and held out his arms to stop the rest of his friends. I knew we were in trouble now. They wanted Lusa and for a while wanted me till the leader saw that I was probably male. This did not stop his rising lust and figured he would take us both.

"Where you going girls? You want some love from us?" The leader said and his gang snickered. They had done this before and had got away with it. They also figured to do it one more time. I could argue or use logic but I would get us nowhere.

I said to Lusa's mind, "Take Charles and back up a few feet but don't go away."

Lusa forgot herself and said aloud, "I am afraid Shawn. What are we going to do?"

I psyched myself up. There was much too much opposition and I had to fight much more diligently to protect my family. I raced forward faster than I believed any person has done before. I punched, kicked and elbowed all the tender places I could find on all of my antagonists. There was no need to hurt myself and in seconds all of the gang were on the ground vomiting and/or bleeding. I took pity on some and moved them so they would not choke on their own vomit.

Charles was wide eyed but said nothing. Lusa was equally amazed but she had seen me do this on the ship. "Ok Lusa, Charles let's go." We walked around the boys and crossed the street to find a vacant taxi in front of a pub. I put Lusa and Charles into the back and walked into the pub to find the driver. After scanning the minds of the patrons I found him standing at the bar with an empty plate in front of him and an almost empty glass of stout beside it.

I walked up and waited for the man to finish part of his conversation with his mate. I asked, "Are you for hire?"

The man looked at me and saw only a young boy. "I am sorry..." Immediately, in front of his eyes a fiver appeared. "Where do you want to go?"

"I am a tourist from Rhodesia and I want to see Buckingham Palace. Will you take me there?"

The man swallowed his stout and said to his mate, "I have a fare and need to go. See you here later."

We walked out and I got into the front. The driver looked in the back and saw Lusa holding a boy to her. He turned to me and asked, "What's with them?"

"They are my friends. Can we go now?"

We drove across the city and found the palace easily enough. I looked into the clearing brain of Charles and the driver and got the vehicle to circle the palace a few times to get the feel for the people and where and what they were doing. The queen and her mother were very distraught at the disappearance of their son. The father, in another part of the complex, was directing the police. There were many coppers out on foot now searching around the area of the accident. It wasn't so surprising that I had found Charles, as I now learned that the driver of the car had died and the bodyguard had not yet regained consciousness.

I stopped the car and paid the full fiver for the service. The driver was very happy at such a good turn of events. With nobody looking our way I slipped between Lusa and Charles and directed them to the high wrought iron fence. A small opening not large enough for an adult but big enough for a child presented itself to us. We slipped through one at a time when nobody was looking then moved quickly across the grass to the wall of the building and close to the kitchen entrance. The nearby door was unlocked and I left it that way.

Checking for people on a fairly quiet Sunday, I was able to get us into unoccupied rooms when needed. About ten minutes later we found ourselves in front of large double doors. Behind them I could hear crying and self-accusation. The father was there too and pacing the floor worried about his only son. I combed Charles hair again then straightened up Lusa as best she could be. "We are going to see your mom, dad and grandma now Charles. Try to keep your back straight and speak with a clear voice. There is no sense in worrying them further." After wiping his nose with a remnant of his shirt I knocked on the door.

"Enter," came from within.

I pushed the handle down and then the heavy door inward. I walked in with Charles in my hand and Lusa holding his other one. To say that his parents were shocked was an understatement. His father ran forward and was about to pick up his son when I stopped him by getting in the way. "Be careful he has a nasty laceration and it has only just been sewn up. "

Prince Philip stopped, as I knew he would and said, "How is this?"

"Lusa and I were in a park and found your son wandering around dazed. I assessed his needs and used some of my supplies to close the wounds. Let me take his coat off and you could see what I have done."

The queen and queen mother came forward and looked at Charles. He just smiled a bit and I removed his coat carefully and draped it on a chair which had been in the palace before Rhodesia as a country even existed. The sweater came next and they saw his bruised and bare chest. I unwrapped the bloody cloth to a few 'ahs' in the background to show that his gauze had no seepage. "If you want you can call your physician to check but I doubt that he could have put them in any better."

His dad knelt in front of Charles and tilted back his head to see the neat and small sutures on his forehead and just below the hair line.

"I doubt if there will be much scarring, I was very careful," I said.

Charles mother was worried and wondered whether to call the police or the physician. Luckily the latter idea won out, so while the mother talked I offered my hand and said, "By the way I am Shawn Boz and this is my best friend Lusa."

Prince Philip did not understand any of this but he did shake my hand then shake Lusa's too. He was going to go to his son again when I said, "Aren't you going to introduce us to the rest of your family?"

He turned and thought for only a second before introducing us to the boy's mother and grandmother. After a few words I turned to Charles and brought him over to a chair and picked him up and set him into it. "Lusa, will you stand beside him till his doctor comes. He is starting to get a little woozy."

"Sure Shawn. When are we going to get something to eat? We missed our meal and I bet Charles is hungry too. Do you want to go out and eat at that pub? I never get to go in a restaurant with only you."

"Sounds fine. Dad will be a bit angry at having to drive all the way over here to get us."

The physician came in and was immediately told what happened. I broke in during a pause and discussed in medical terms what I had done and why. I added, "The wounds were cleaned well and sulfa was administered. If you remove his stitches to put your own in there will be scaring and then Charles will have to undergo some remedial action to correct your actions."