Chapter 48

Sally and I stood around talking about the village and how much she liked it, until Kat finally showed up to rejoin us. She was accompanied by several of the village women and they were talking and laughing as they walked. I could only stand and marvel to myself when I looked at her this way. For some reason I felt humbled and a little guilty because she was so beautiful. Sally must have been having the same thoughts because she had a comment for my ears alone.

"She is really beautiful, isn't she Dad? I hope I am half as beautiful as she is when I get older."

"I don't think you will have any problem, Sally. You're only thirteen, and you're already a beautiful young lady. When you get old enough to go to college, you will be beating the boys off with a club. You know sweetie, I still haven't figured out how I got lucky enough to have her to fall in love with me. Sometimes I feel like I am living in a dream world."

"Well duh! You're my dad, and even if you don't know it, you're a handsome man. All the girls at school are jealous because you're such a hunk. If I didn't love you as my dad, I would make you promise to wait and marry only me. Jeesh, Dad, Kat is a perfect match for you, even if you don't know it yet. You know I love you, but I think Kat loves you almost as much as I do. I just want you to promise me that you won't forget I'm here once you get married."

I laughed and picked her up and kissed her soundly as she giggled and struggled to get down.

"Sally, how could I ever forget the one person that means so much to me? You are my heart and I love you and always will."

I got a smile and kiss and was immediately told to put her down, 'cause I was embarrassing her in front of the whole village. I kissed her again, laughing, and put her down. I got kicked on the shin and she laughed at me the whole time as I stood on one foot rubbing it. It came to me that she was still as much of a tomboy as she ever was. Kat came over with a smile and quickly kissed me with Sally sniggering in the background as she did. Two more days, I was thinking, and I'll be married to this beautiful childlike woman who never ceased to amaze me. When we headed for the golf cart, Sally ran ahead and got in the drivers seat. When I came up she was looking for the key, which I held up for her to see.

"Aw, come on Dad, let me drive! That way you and Kat can sit in the back and play kissy face all the way to the house."

I looked at Kat, who was laughing that little girl laugh of hers at Sally's antics. I just shook my head wondering which one was worse, trying to twist me around their little fingers.

"No way, young lady. I do not want to end up rolling on the ground again or being scared out of a year's growth by your driving. I don't know who's worse, you, or Kat for encouraging you. Kat and I will sit in the front and you in the back. As far as our kissing, I guess you'll just have to close your eyes, or you can sit up front and I can kiss you all the way back."

"Eww, that's disgusting, Dad. I'll sit in the back, thank you."

Kat and I both broke out laughing at her, sitting there pouting with her arms folded. She was trying to keep from smiling, but her good nature got the best of her. She leaned up and kissed me on the cheek saying that was the only one I was getting from her until she decided to give me another one. I thought Kat was going to roll out on the ground, she was laughing so hard. I started the cart moving at an easy pace and Kat looked at me then at Sally, smiling the whole time.

"God, I love the both of you so much. You know, Jon, in a few more years when her vocabulary catches up with her education, she is going to be able to out match you in an argument. I think our children will fall in love with their big sister, just like I have. You two are great together and it amazes me to think that she is adopted. I bet when she has her own kids, dad is going to be the babysitter of choice. Sally, after your dad and I get married, will you let me adopt you as my daughter?"

Where that came from I didn't know, but it shocked Sally as much as it did me. Her mouth fell open and tears started running down her cheeks. She didn't answer, just leaned forward and hugged Kat, and then they both were crying and hugging each other. My eyes were moist too, and I again wondered how I had ever gotten so lucky in my choice of a woman to fall for. Like Sally, she had been through the flames and had come out the other side with her soul still pure and loving. To be truthful, I felt almost humbled that I had the love of both of them. I had come to this country with a lot of preconceived notions about its people and how they would react to me, but every day I saw all of my ideas and notions shattered. It came to me, watching the love these two closest to me were sharing, that this country was like any other I had been in. There was good and bad everywhere you went, and the only difference was the people involved.

When we got to the house, I was told to go ahead, as they wanted to talk some more. I was glad to head for the tub of sweating beers sitting on a table. I grabbed one, and went over and sat down with the rest of the crowd. I felt the tension almost immediately, and looked around at everyone sitting there. Myrna had tears in her eyes, and Tiny looked like he was about to explode. Maggie had a hand on his arm and was quietly talking to him. Quanta and his wife were sitting in silence, and she was staring at Carver like she wanted to kill him. I had never seen this mild mannered woman look this way before, and to be truthful, it gave me a start.

"Would someone like to tell me what's going on? All of you look like you are ready to have a fight."

They all stared at me and then Carver spoke up with a venom that had my inner wolf up and growling.

"I am taking Myrna with me, and we will be married in the states like we should be. I got news for you, Jon Morgan. She is no one's servant, and you will not influence her decision about where we will live. I suggest you mind your own business from now on, and leave Myrna out of your ideas of whom or what she should do."

I sat back in shock for a second, and then almost exploded across the table at him. I saw the silent plea in Myrna's eyes so I sat back to see where this was going to go. I did know he was out of here as soon as I could arrange transportation for him. If he didn't go, promise or not, I would beat his ass for acting this way in front of everyone. I watched as the tears in Myrna's eyes went away, and I could see she was getting ready to explode. I sat and waited to see what he would do when she did. It wasn't long in coming either.

"Carver, that's it. I have had enough of your antiquated ideas and your insults to my family. We are not getting married, and I will have Jon call for a helicopter to take you off the island so you can go home. When you get there, move your belongings off our property immediately, and find somewhere else to live. Neither you nor any other person talks to my family that way, and I won't make any exceptions for you, even if I do love you. I told you last night that I wouldn't move and I make my own decisions. I have never let anyone tell me what to do, and you're not about to be the first. I tried every way I could to talk this out with you, but you seem to think just because we were getting married that you own me. That has not happened and never will. Now, I suggest you go pack your things and move to an empty room until we can call for a helicopter for you. When you leave here, I don't ever want to look at your face again for any reason. To clarify a point, I am no one's servant, and if you had bothered to ask me or Jon, we would have told you that the house we live in belongs to us both. His grandfather set it up that way in the will, and both Jon and I are happy with it. He and Sally are my family, and now that Kat is getting married to him, so is she. We have always been happy together and I feel sorry for you, because you will never know the love we have for each other. You will spend the rest of your life alone and unhappy because you don't have a family to love. Think about it while you travel back, and you will see that I am right. Now, get out of my sight until you leave!"

All of us were watching the play of emotions across his face as what she said was processed in his mind. I saw his eyes narrow and his arm tense. Tiny must have seen it too because he turned toward him a little, and took Maggie's hand off his arm. He looked at Tiny, then at me. I narrowed my eyes, waiting for him to move. He tensed up again and I did too, getting ready to go after him. Then he just seemed to deflate and got up, heading for the house. Myrna watched him, and I could see in her eyes something I had never seen before, hate. She took a deep breath and motioned with her hand to someone out of my sight. I hadn't realized Kat and Sally had come up, and I wondered how much they had heard. My question was quickly answered when Sally ran up and hugged Myrna, crying on her shoulder, saying how sorry she was. I watched in amazement as Myrna got up, and she and Sally walked away from the table, headed for the path toward the village. Kat came over and sat down beside me with a sad look on her face, as she too watched Myrna and Sally walk away with their arms around each other, talking.

"Jon, remind me never to get on her bad side. Her words cut through me like a scalpel, and they weren't even directed at me. I know it's none of my business, being the newcomer here, but that's a side of Myrna that I hope never to see again."

"Kat, I have seen Myrna in just about any situation you could think of over the years, but I have never seen her like this. I am so proud of her I could hug her for standing up for herself like that. If Carver was acting the way she said, she would have been miserable, married to him. Although I never mentioned it to anyone, she is right about the house belonging to both of us. It was written up in the will that way, and since she is considered family by me and all my relatives, I never gave it much thought. Quanta, call for a helicopter immediately, and let's get him out of here before Tiny or I get into it with him. Other than a few incidents, I think we all have enjoyed our time here and I won't let him ruin the rest of our stay. I just hope that he hasn't ruined Myrna's visit here. I wonder why he changed so much about their relationship. He never gave a hint he was so bitter while we were at the house in Virginia."

Quanta's wife got up and came over to me and kissed me on the cheek. She whispered in my ear that she was about to put a curse on him until I showed up. I turned to her in shock, and asked her out loud if she was a witch before I could stop myself.

"My people, especially the women of my blood, have always been great witches. That is why the Kings of our people only married into my bloodline, so they would be more powerful. Quanta and I were different though, as we fell in love when we were small children. I have prayed and thanked our Gods for our safety, ever since you came along and kept us from being killed by the rebels. Jon Morgan, we owe you our very existence and our lives because of your selfless actions. I have never forgotten since I looked up from the ditch we were hiding in, and saw this white man reaching out his hand to help me and my children to safety. For that we will be forever grateful, and I have asked the Gods a hundred blessings upon you and your family since it happened. Due to the fact that all of our bloodlines are centuries old, all the women of our order know of you, and will always pray for your health and the health of the ones you love. When you complete the ceremony tomorrow with my husband and Koma, you will become one of us. We always look out for our own, regardless of where you travel in this world. In exactly eight months and ten days, your wife will have triplets and they all will have the blood of our ancestors flowing through them. They will be blessed with wisdom and knowledge that you will never begin to know about. I have been told this by the Gods, and they do not lie to one of their favored ones. By the time you and Kat grow old; you will have saved and helped more people than any army on this earth. You will have many trials, but will always triumph in the path you have chosen. I, Sylveen Mutamba, have spoken and will discuss this no further. Kat, you have chosen a very strong man to live your life with, and he will always be there when you need him because it is part of his life as a protector."

She went over to Kat and held her hands, kissing both of them and made a sign on her forehead before resuming her seat by her husband. This was the most I had ever heard her say, and to say I was shocked would be an understatement. I looked over at Kat and she returned my look with wonder in her eyes and a smile on her face. I was choked up so I took a drink of my beer. I tried to settle my feelings and make sense of what she had said. Tiny and Maggie were looking at her like she had a third eye. She smiled and took Maggie's hands in hers and looked at the palms of them, then stared into her eyes. Her next statement almost floored me and Tiny both.