The Dark Side of Paradise

Kate walked around the private gardens of Madam Peri with Marau tagging along. Marau had arrived at the clinic right after school and had insisted that Kate tell her all about her evening out with her mother. Kate had obliged leaving the more personal aspects of the evening out and showed her the ring that Peri had given her.

“It is a good ring, Kate. It is pretty.”

“Thank you. It was very nice of your mother.”

“I wish I’d been allowed to come too.”

“Maybe some other time,” Kate smiled.

“I will have to ask Maman to take me to see the necklace. It must be very beautiful.”

“It is.”

“Maman told me that different people like different colours of pearls. The Japanese only want the very whitest and the Australians like the creams and yellows. And North Americans like the black pearls.”

“Really.”

“Look Kate, there is a butterfly.”

They walked around talking and looking at the gardens. Kate measured off the house with her steps and looked at the windows careful. There were few windows uncovered at the back of the house where Peri’s quarters were. It was also a much bigger area than Kate had realized. As they came around the corner a beautiful woman came out a back door and walked down the path.

“Bonjour Eiaha. How are you today?”

“Bonjour Marau. I am fine. And how are you?”

“I got a gold star for my math today. That’s my third.”

“Well done,” the beautiful Tahitian smiled.

“Eiaha, this is Kate. She lives with us now because of my allergies.”

“Hello Kate. I had heard about you.”

“Hello Eiaha.”

They shook hands and then Eiaha gave Marau a quick hug before she left to catch her ferry to the mainland.

“Does Eiaha work at the house too?” Kate asked casually, although her heart was pounding.

“She is Maman friend.”

Kate could tell by Marau’s tone of voice that Eiaha was not a topic that the usually talkative Marau wished to discussed so she changed the subject. They played hid and seek in the garden before they needed to head up to The House so that Marau could do her homework .

Kate looked up and met Peri’s eyes. She had been standing on the balcony watching them play in the garden. How long have you been there, Peri? Did you see me meet Eiaha? What secrets do you have hidden in the other side of the house?

Dinner was a strained affair. Fortunately, Marau kept the conversation going recounting her day at school and telling Peri of how they had played in the garden. The tension between the two women was just relaxing a bit when Marau entered waters that were clearly muddied by emotion.

“We met Eiaha, Maman. I introduced her to Kate.”

Peri’s eyes darted to Kate’s. Kate studiously drank her coffee as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

“I see and what did Eiaha have to say?”

“Nothing. She just went down to catch the boat.”

Peri seemed to relax. “How about you and I take the runabout to the mainland and I will show you the pearl necklace?”

“Please Maman. Is Kate coming too?”

“I think Kate has things she needs to do.”

Having been dismissed, Kate went to her room and lay on her bed. Who was Eiaha? Was Peri involved with her? What was Peri hiding?

Tears rolled down Kate’s face. For the first time, Kate whispered the words that her heart had known for sometime. “I love you, Peri.”

The words were lost in a flood of tears. The thought that Peri had someone else was just too much to bear.

Breakfast was a quiet affair. Marua was tired and cranky because she’d been up too late the night before. She and her mother had gone to see the pearl and then had visited friends before heading back to the resort on the reef. Peri was tense and sullen. Kate excused herself as soon as she could and with relief headed down to the clinic.

“Who is Eiaha?” Kate demanded before she had even properly greeted Zenie.

“Why you want to know of that woman?” sniffed Zenie, indignantly.

“Because according to Marau, she is Peri’s friend and she has access to Peri’s private quarters.”

“We should make more sunburn cream today.”

“Zenie?”

The big woman sighed and seemed to deflate with defeat. “Eiaha was not a good woman. We don’t speak of her.”

“Not a good - She’s a prostitute?”

Zenie nodded.

Kate paled and sunk into a chair. “Oh.”

“It is nothing. People have needs.”

Kate shook her head too emotionally shocked to deal with this revelation. “Let’s make the sunburn cream.”

Kate got through the day with great difficulty. She felt used. Worse, she felt that she had once again been the victim of lies and was disgusted with herself. She wasn’t sure she could stand to listen to the sounds that came from Peri’s quarters each night now she had a pretty good idea what was going on in there. It made her feel sick to think about it. How could she have thought that she was in love with Peri? How could this sort of betrayal have happened to her again?

Dinner was an ordeal. Peri and her daughter talked about their day. They had taken the commuter flight to Tahiti and had shopped for new shoes for Marua and her first watch.

“See my watch, Kate. I got it because I reached the goal that Maman and I had set to get three gold stars in math in a row. I am happy to get the watch because I have wanted one for a long time but I’m also happy that I am doing better in my math.”

“It is a beautiful watch, Marau. You should feel very proud that you worked so hard to meet your goals.”

“Maman said that goals are important to be successful. But Zenie told me that your successes are the spice in your life. I think this is true. I feel very good because I have done so well.”

“Then you have learned an important lesson, Marau. I’m very proud of you,” smiled Peri.

“Maman, can I be excused to go show Maria my watch before she leaves?”

“Of course.”

When Marua left the room, Peri’s eyes met Kate’s for the first time.

“Would you have coffee with me on the balcony?”

“No. No, I don’t think I would feel right doing that.”

Peri’s face tightened. “Why?”

“I learned from Zenie that Eiraha is a call girl.”

“She was, yes.”

“And she is now your mistress?”

Peri rose slowly like a thunder cloud growing on the horizon. “I can think of nothing I have done that would warrant your compulsive need to always jump to the worst possible opinion of me. Quite the opposite in fact. I have gone out of my way to treat you very well. I think I am getting a little fed up with your attitude.”

Kate stood and faced Peri. “I slept with you. I think I have a right to expect some explanation for why a call girl would be leaving by the back door of your house today.”

“You made it quite clear yesterday morning that you did not wish to continue a relationship with me. I do not feel I owe you an explanation.”

“Damn it, Peri! Why must you always put up walls between us?”

“Perhaps because I don’t feel I can trust someone who rips off my company, tries to break into my quarters and is always thinking the worst of me.”

“I’m also the person who works twenty-four hour days to pay your company back.. Who saved your daughter’s life. Who was concerned that someone in this house might need my help and who has trusted you enough to sleep with you.”

Peri had the decency to blush. “I am grateful for your efforts.”

“Then explain.”

“I won’t.”

They stared at each other with angry eyes. Neither prepared to give. Then the maid came in to clear the table and Peri picked up her coffee and went out onto the balcony alone. Kate headed down to the clinic needing to be as far away from Peri as possible.

Some days later, Kate had locked the clinic for the day and had turned to see a scene that made her blood run cold. It was like watching a TV. The man had Marua by the arm and was leading her down the path towards the docks. Kate could tell the little girl was afraid but didn’t know what to do. Kate was after them in a split second.

“Let her go!” Kate yelled as she drew near. The man turned and smiled. It was Rick. He’d shaved his beard and dyed his hair but it was Rick. “What are you doing back here? Let her go.” Then she saw the gun under the beach towel and froze.

“Kate. I’ve missed you. Do come along with us. I’m sure the child would be reassured by your company.”

Bravely, Kate moved closer and wrapped her arms around Marua. “Let her go Rick.”

“Walk with us. Do not make a scene. I would be very sad to have to kill my beautiful wife.”

“Bastard.”

“Really Kate, not in front of the child.”

Kate kept an arm around Marua as they walked close together to a waiting boat. Rick gestured at them to go below. Kate went first and then lifted the terrified child down and away from her husband. He followed them down.

“There is some duct tape on the navigational desk. Bind the kid’s wrists and ankles and tape her mouth shout.”

“That isn’t necessary.”

Rick raised his gun. “Do it.”

Kate picked the small child up and placed her on the bench seat and then got the tape.

“Don’t you worry Marau. This won’t hurt. Everything is going to be okay. You’ll see.” Carefully, and with lots of reassurance, Kate taped Marau as she was told. Then she gave the child a reassuring hug and stood.

“There. Now the small, defenceless child can’t hurt you. Do you feel braver?”

“Dear me, is this the polite, charming young woman I married? I think you need a lesson in manners.” Rick lashed out so quickly that Kate didn’t have time to react at all. The barrel of the gun caught her on the temple and pain exploded behind her eyes. The second blow caught her shoulder as she crumbled to the sole of the boat. Several kicks to her stomach left her senseless and gasping for breath.

Rick smiled. Then climbed up the steps to the aft cockpit and closed and locked the hatch before starting the engine and casting off.

Peri punched in the code of the combination lock on her private quarters. She stepped inside and looked around. The first room was her gym. She exercised every night to help strengthen her damaged leg and to keep up her body tone. She must remember not to moan and grunt so loudly she thought as she walked on. It seemed to put all sorts of wild ideas in Kate’s head.

Farther on was a small lounge area that led out onto a private garden. A woman sat there reading a book. Peri slipped into the lawn chair beside her and leaned over and kissed her forehead.

“Hello Odette. I’m glad to see you out enjoying some fresh air. Would you like to go out tonight?”

“No.”

“Okay. Are you enjoying the book I got you?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I - Sorry. I need to answer my cell phone. I’ll be back in a minute.” Peri moved out into the garden and flipped her phone open.

“Oui?”

“Madam Peri. Was Kate and her husband to take Marau off the island?”

“What? No! What is her husband doing here?”

“I don’t know. I just observed the three of them heading down the beach path to the docks. They got on a cruiser and just pulled out. I have called security to stand by on l’Explorateur. Should I call the police?”

Peri’s voice was steel cold. “Yes. Report a kidnapping. I am on my way.” She turned and looked at where Odette sat watching her. “Kate and her husband have kidnapped Marau. I’ll be gone for a while.” She limped quickly into her room and from her closet got down a box containing her Berretta 92F. She jammed in the clip , stuck it in her jacket pocket and picking up a heavy cane limped quickly out of her quarters towards the main office.

Peri stood watching the security video of her frightened daughter being led to the boat by Kate and her husband. Her jaw tightened in anger. Without a word, she turned and slammed out of the office heading for her yacht.

The crew and security personnel started to cast off as Peri stepped on the deck.

“Get the radar up and operating. Chances are they are heading for the big island. They have about a half hour head start. We should easily be able to over take them in the open water. I want full speed. They have my daughter.”

“Oui Madam Peri.” The crew moved quickly and efficiently to get their craft under way and through the narrow passage in the reef to the open sea.

Peri watched her security personnel check their weapons. Their eyes stern and focussed.

“The first priority is getting my daughter back safely. Only use your guns if it is necessary but do not hesitate if you have to use them. The Tahitian police will meet us at sea but we should over take the cruiser well before they arrive.”

Her security people nodded. They were good people. All of them came out of the French police force and knew their job. Peri climbed up to the flying bridge and scanned the sea with her binoculars. I have been a fool and it is my daughter who has paid for my blindness. I’m going to catch you Kate and there will be no mercy this time.

Chapter Five

High Seas

L’Explorateur smashed through the rolling sea as it bow came around to head for the island of Tahiti. Peri knew that it was a calculated guess that they would head to the big island but it made sense. The other islands near by were just too small for them to find a good hideout. Even on Tahiti, they would have trouble. The Dubois family was well known and many people would recognize Marau. Peri’s biggest fear was that the kidnappers had a plane that would take them to Hawaii, Los Angeles even Australia. Then it would be much harder for her to get her daughter back. It was imperative that she intercept them first.

She stood on the bridge scanning the horizon for a boat. She tried not to think about what that bastard might do to her daughter. When she did, she felt sick to her stomach. No, Kate might have turned out to be a schemer, liar and kidnapper but she wouldn’t let anything happen to Marau. Peri was fairly sure of that. Still the longer Marau was in their hands the greater chance of her being hurt.

“Madam Peri?” called one of the crew from the deck below.

“Oui.”

“We are picking up a boat on the radar about two nautical miles ahead. We should over take them within half an hour.”

“Are you sure it is them?”

“Oui, we’ve been in touch with another boat that pasted their cruiser, Debauchery, about twenty minutes ago.”

“Bon.”

Peri turned back to the flying bridge, bracing her feet and leaning her body against the bulkhead. Debauchery. The perfect name for a boat for those two. They live the high life and when their money runs out they feed on others. Peri sneered. She didn’t think she had ever been so angry or upset. If anything happened to Marau, she’d hunt those two down to the ends of the Earth.

Peri raised her binoculars. There on the horizon barely visible yet was their cruiser. “I see them!” she yelled down to the crew and watched as her people prepared themselves for the encounter. Two security guards remained hidden in the cock pit. Another moved forward and lay on the bow deck. The last climbed the ladder and stood beside Peri on the flying bridge. They were ready.

Time seemed to stand still. Peri never took her eyes off the blurry dot on the horizon that slowly, ever so slowly, got bigger until the white hull of Debauchery could be made out clearly. Peri waited until she could see a figure in the wheelhouse.

She yelled down to her crew. “Get on the radio and hail them. Tell them to heave to.”

“Oui, Madame Peri.”

Peri watched as they gained on the cruiser. She no longer needed the binoculars to see that it was Rick at the wheel of the boat. Marau and Kate were not in sight.

“No response. The cruiser has speeded up.”

“Damn them!” Pass them and cut them off.”

“Oui.”

The powerful yacht slowly gained on the cruiser until it was along side. Their wakes smashing against each other and causing a back wash.

“Cut your engines,” Peri yelled down at Rick, as she waved to him to stop.

Rick pulled a gun and got off a couple of shots. Peri would have been hit had not the security guard with her, who had seen the gun as Rick was pulling it from his belt, pulled Peri down to the deck.

“Keep down.”

“Like hell,” Peri snapped, pulling herself up so that she could look around the side of the flying bridge. Rick had cut his engines and was now firing on L’Explorateur. The security personnel in the cockpit returned fire. In the heaving seas, it was hard to get a good shot off but one caught Rick and he jerked back crumbling to the deck. Blood smeared across the deck. Then the bow hatch slammed open and Kate pulled herself out before reaching in and dragging Marau up. Kate had a gun in her hand.

“Marau!” Peri yelled, bracing her revolver with two hands on the bulkhead of the flying bridge and taking aim at Kate.

Kate and Marau looked up and saw her.

“Maman. Maman.” Marau broke loose from Kate’s grasp and went to run down the deck . Kate made a grab for her but a bullet stopped her and she dropped to the deck. Peri turned in shock to the security guard beside her.

“She had a gun, Madame Peri. I felt it best to take her down.”

Peri stumbled down the ladder. Already her people were aboard the other craft and had turned off the engine. A man and a woman were tying the two ships together. Rick had been handcuffed and one of her people was using his shirt to slow the bleeding.

As Peri got to the railing, Marau was being passed up to her.

“Marau! Marau.” Peri wrapped the child close to her and tears rolled down her face. “Are you okay?”

Marau was crying too and it was several minutes before the terrified child could respond. “I’m okay, Maman. But Kate is hurt. Rick hit her with his gun and then kicked her.”

Peri looked up. Kate’s body was still on the deck. Blood had blossomed across the white field of her shirt. One of her guards was tending to her. Peri want to go to her but Marau came first.

“Come down into the lounge, Marau. I will get you some ginger ale and you can sip it while our people see to things. Then if you feel up to it, you can tell me all that happened.”

“Kate?”

“They are taking care of her. Don’t worry.” Peri worried though. Her guts churned with conflicting emotions. She held her daughter, comforting her and looked out the porthole window for any sign of Kate. Don’t die Kate. I love you.

That realization came on a sob as tears rolled down Peri’s face.

Kate lay on the swaying deck in pain and shock. Peri had shot her! She had looked up at the sound of Peri’s voice to see her with a revolver trained on her and then she turned to make a grab for Marau before she fell overboard and there had been a crack and piercing pain.

Voices speaking French spoke around her but they spoke too fast for her to understand. Someone was kneeling over her, handcuffing her and looking at her wound. She tried to tell them the cruiser was sinking but the words would not come out. What was going on? Everything was wrong. Where was Marau? Why was Peri doing this?

Deep in shock, Kate struggled to make sense of what had happened. After she had taped Marau up as Rick had ordered. He had hit her and kicked her. She could still feel the throb in her temple and the ache in her gut. She knew for a long time she had laid on the sole of the galley gasping for breath as she drifted in and out of consciousness. Finally, she was able to force herself to her feet only to throw up in the galley sink. Washing her face with some cold water, she managed to clear her thoughts and limped around to where Marau sat on the built in couch her eyes large with fear.

“Don’t scream or yell. I’m going to take the tape off your mouth, okay?”

Marau nodded and Kate eased the duct tape off the child’s face and gave her a hug.

“Everything is going to be okay, Marau.”

“Kate, why is he doing this? I want to go home.”

“He has kidnapped you. He thinks your mom will pay a lot of money to get you back.”

“Will she?” Marau asked in fear.

“Oui. Without a second thought, your mom would give up everything for you. But if I know her, she’ll be looking for you right now.”

“I’m scared. That bad man hurt you.”

Kate held the small child close. “I’m okay. I will never let him hurt you. I need you to be brave now while I look around a bit. Okay? ”

“Okay, Kate.”

The nurse got up and quietly started to search. She needed weapons and options. First, she tried the radio. Rick had disconnected it. Then she looked in the kitchen and when Marau wasn’t looking slipped a carving knife down her sock. In the navigation table she found a flare gun and cylinders. She could use it to send a signal and if need be to keep Rick at bay. She slipped it in her waist band. Then she returned to sitting by Marau.

“He’s probably heading for Tahiti. It will be easy for us to escape there,” she reassured Marau. The child nodded and snuggled deeper into Kate’s arms.

It was barely a half hour later when Kate became aware of the roar of another boats engine and got up off the couch to look out the port window.

“It’s l’Exporateur! Your mom has come for us.” Quickly, Kate got out the knife and cut Marau’s bonds. “Marau, I want you to go up into the V berths in the bow. There is a hatch there that you should be able to open to escape to the front deck. Don’t do anything until I tell you, okay?

“Oui, Kate.”

Kate smiled. Marau was scared but being brave and calm. “Your mother would be proud of you.”

A short time later, Kate was knocked to the sole as the wake from the much larger yacht smashed into the side of the cruiser. She struggled to get her balance keeping the flare gun at the ready in case Rick undid the hatch. Then the gun fire started. Kate ran forward and covered Marau with her own body. The cruiser’s engine choked off and a few more shots were exchanged before silence.

Kate looked up. Sea water was spreading across the sole. Some of the stray bullets had pierced the fibreglass hull.

“Come on Marau, we need to get out of here.” Kate undid the hatch and slammed it back. She pulled herself up and out of the bow compartment and then reached down in and pulled Marau to safety. Keeping her flare gun at the ready, she looked around for Rick.

“Marau!” Kate looked up to see Peri with a revolver trained on them.

“Maman. Manman.” Marau had broken from Kate’s hold and started to run down the deck. Kate had reached for her fearing she would fall or be caught by Rick. Then a crack and a sudden thud of pain. Why?

The next hour was a blur of pain and activity. A ship arrived and she was strapped into a stretcher and hauled up by a crane onto the ship. From there she was lifted into a helicopter and flown to Tahiti. The paramedics aboard put her on a drip and gave her something that made her sleep.

Peri had not slept. Far from it. She, Marau and the crew were all interviewed by the police who had been aboard the Coast Guard vessel. They had been made comfy and then taken to the big island. After farther questioning, they were allowed to go. Peri booked them into a hotel room and got Marau washed, fed and put to bed. By then, Marie had joined them having taken the afternoon plane from Bora Bora at Peri’s request. Marie stayed with the sleeping Marau while Peri had a cab called to take her to the hospital.

She leaned back against the warm seat and closed her eyes for a minute. Everything had gone so badly wrong. She had been so upset that she had allowed her emotions to blind her to any other scenario than the one were Kate and Rick had kidnapped her daughter.

It was only when Marau had calmed a bit and had drunk a bit of ginger ale that she was able to tell Peri what had happened and how Kate had been beat up trying to protect her and how she had covered Marau with her own body to protect her from the gun shots.

Peri had called the hospital. Kate had been hit in her right breast. The bullet had gone through and cracked the sternum as it had exited. She also had a slight concussion from the gun whipping she’d taken and bruised ribs and muscles from being kicked. She was going to okay but Peri couldn’t help but blame herself for what had happened. Rick had taken a shot to his left lung. He too would recover not that Peri particularly cared. He was on his way to jail for a long time.

“Madam? We are here.”

Peri opened her eyes with a start. Groggily, she fumbled for some bills and left the cabby beaming with a significant tip. She entered the hospital and having made enquiries made her way to Kate’s room. Kate was asleep. Peri slipped into the chair beside her bed and waited. It was a long night.

It was actually the nurse who woke Kate the next morning to check her vitals and to make sure that she was relatively focussed and coherent after her blow to the head. Peri waited patiently in the hall until the nurse came out and then returned to stand by Kate’s bed.

“Bonjour. How are you Kate?”

Kaye looked up with frightened eyes. “You shot me.”

“Non. Non. I didn’t. But one of my security personnel did. He saw a gun in your hand. I take the responsibility though. I had told my staff not to fire unless they needed to but not to be afraid to do so to save Marau. I’m sorry.”

Tears rolled down Kate’s face. “I want to go home. Please. Let me go home. I’ll get a job. I’ll send you the money I owe you. Please, just let me go.”

Peri stiffened. “You are not my prisoner. Twice now you have saved my daughter. You do not owe me. I owe you. I will see to arrangements. As soon as the doctor allows it, you can return home.”

Peri turned on her heal and walked out.

Kate tried to wipe her tears but it hurt too much to move. She sniffed and tried to make sense of it all but couldn’t get her mind around what Peri had said. After a while she drifted off into sleep. When she woke later in the morning, she wasn’t even sure if Peri had been there or what they had said to each other.

Peri Dubrois. She loved her. How was that possible? Peri was a woman of so many secrets. It seemed that she shared her quarters with a call girl. There was all the mystery surrounding her father’s death and her lover’s disappearance. And what had happened the day Peri was attacked by the shark? How had she got to the resort? What had happened to Odette and the boat?

Kate felt empty, cold and hurt. She just wanted to be back in her own apartment close to her friends and working at her old job. She just wanted all the madness to end so that she could feel safe and secure again. Most of all, she wanted to be far away from Peri. The woman she loved and couldn’t have.

Kate was in hospital for a week and then released. During that time, Marie visited her on behalf of Dubois Enterprises. She provided Kate with air tickets home and told her that an apartment lease had been provided for her and the rent covered for one year. There was a letter of reference from the company stating how she had preformed her nursing duties well and had been responsible for the saving of two lives by her quick action. She was also given her back pay and a severance pay that was far more than she deserved.

“I can’t accept this. I owe Dubois Enterprises not the other way around.”

“Madam Dubois feels that her debt is greater. You saved her daughter’s life when she had an allergy attack and you risked your life to protect Marau when she was kidnapped. Also, Madam Dubois regrets that Dubois personnel shot you. They thought at the time you were a kidnapper and that you were armed. Our law office would like you to sign this document stating that you do not hold our company responsible in anyway for your injuries.”

Kate felt her skin turn cold. “I’m being bought off.”

“It is just a legal matter. Madam Dubois informed us that you wished to return home and that every effort was to be made to see that you were able to do that easily and successfully.”

Kate nodded, too shocked to speak. She took the document and with a shaky hand signed where Marie told her to.

Later, she lay staring at the ceiling. So it was over. Peri had bought her off. Why was she surprised? Peri had always indicated that it was sex not love.

It was Zenie who showed up several weeks later on the day Kate was released from hospital. Dubois Enterprises had paid for her commuter flight to Tahiti and for a rented car and hotel room. Zenie had packed for Kate and brought her suitcases along. In the morning, she would put Kate on the plane to the States, return the rented car and fly back to Bora Bora.

“This is all wrong,” Zenie stated, over the meal they were having in the hotel’s garden restaurant.

“What do you mean?”

“You are in love with the shark woman and I believe that she loves you. Marau too is very upset that you have left. It is not right that you are going.”

Kate looked up in annoyance. She didn’t feel emotionally strong enough to get into this.

“You were the one who warned me not to get involved. You told me that I would only get hurt. Well, I did. Peri has too many secrets, too many walls to love anyone. I think she is happy enough with her call girl.”

“I do not believe this.”

“Look Zenie, I came to Bora Bora on my honeymoon. I’m not the sort of person to live on a tropical island with some rich, mysterious shark woman. I’m a nurse from a middle class neighbourhood in the USA. I want to go home. I want to live a normal life and try to get over all that has happened to me here. Maybe someday I can love again. But it won’t be a woman or some smooth operator who appears to be a good catch. It will be some average Joe, with an average job and there won’t be any whirlwind romance or expectations. I just want normality.”

Zenie said nothing but her face was set in a scowl letting Kate know that she still felt that Kate was wrong to leave. In the evening, they took a slow walk around the hotel gardens and then sat on their balcony over looking the ocean. Kate found she had a lump in her throat. It was going to be hard to leave the islands. No matter what she had said to Zenie, a part of her heart belonged here.

The next morning Zenie took her to the airport and waited until Kate’s plane had left. Then she turned away. This was wrong, she knew.

Chapter Six

Low Tide

The first few weeks back in the States were just a blur to Kate. Dubois representatives had met her plane in Los Angeles and took her to her new apartment. It was a three bedroom apartment close to several hospitals. It had been furnished nicely with all the basics and even the cupboards and fridge had been well stocked.

Kate leaned her head against the fridge door. That was so like Peri. Her removal from Bora Bora had been run with military efficiency and her arrival in L.A. with an attention to every detail. She supposed she should be grateful. This is what she had asked. She was home. But her emotions boiled over when she thought of Peri safely behind her emotional walls, tucked up in her safe house, on an island in the middle of ocean. Damn you Peri. Damn you.

That wasn’t fair and Kate regretted the thought as soon as she had it. Peri had made it clear that it was about sex not love. And it had looked like Kate had been Rick’s partner in the kidnap. Peri had always treated her fairly. More than fairly really. It wasn’t her fault that she didn’t love Kate. Perhaps she wasn’t capable of loving anyone. There were too many secrets, too many walls between Peri and her emotions for Kate to break through.

Come on Kate, be realistic. You are a little nurse from a middle class background. Who got conned out of her inheritance by a sweet talking crook. Did you really think that someone as rich and powerful and so cosmopolitan as Madam Peri Dubois was going to fall for the likes of you? No, you would have been a fling and then Peri would have moved on. You were right to end it before you got really hurt.

Kate looked down at her pearl ring. It might not be the finest pearl in the world but Peri had given it to her and she cherished it. She brought it to her lips. Peri was like this pearl. She was made of layers and layers and underneath there was some secret irritant that had coloured her life. On the surface she was beautiful but underneath, down deep, she was damaged.

Kate was back at work five weeks later. She’d found two student nurses to share her apartment with her and was banking their rent plus half of her own salary. By working double shifts when she was needed and on holidays, she was quickly building up the money that she owed Peri. No matter what Peri said about her debt being paid, Kate meant to pay back the money that she owed plus the cost of the apartment. She wasn’t a taker and she wasn’t going to have Peri buy her off just for doing her job or worse still for one night of love. It was a matter of pride.

The weeks turned into months. Kate recovered physically but the ache and loneliness in her heart never left. All her time and energy went into paying Peri back. Nothing else mattered to her. She might not have been able to win Peri’s love but she at least wanted her respect.

A year went by then two. Kate worked on. Although the nursing students were much younger than she was, they had over that time become friends. Gale was tall and practical and Annette short and fiery. They looked on Kate as their big sister and role model. She’d guided and comforted them through exams, offered practical advice when they started their practicums on the wards and been there to pick up the emotional pieces through a series of boyfriends. They in turn, filled the void in Kate’s life.

She was not surprised then to find the two of them waiting at the kitchen table with coffee cups in hand to talk to her. Naturally, it was Gale who got Kate her coffee and started the conversation.

“We need to talk. Annette’s older, half brother, Joe, is coming out west on business.”

“He’s nine years older than I am,” Kate put in. “From my dad’s first marriage but he’s really nice.”

“He works in an engineering company. And we think he’s perfect for you.”

“Oh no, you two. No blind dates,” Kate objected

Annette protested. “It’s not a blind date. He’s my brother. His first marriage didn’t work out. We warned him she was a flirt but you know what guys are like. Anyway, he’s divorced and well over her and you are divorced and we think you two should get together.”

“No.”

“Yes,” stated Gale. “You need to get out. You make wall flowers look exciting. Life is passing you by. We won’t take no for an answer. Besides, we’ve talked to Jason and Ron and all six of us are going to a movie and then dinner. Come on. It will be fun.”

Kate smiled. She knew the two young women only wanted the best for her. It wouldn’t hurt to have a night out. “Okay. Thanks. I’ll go.”

To Kate’s surprise the evening had been great fun. They’d had a few drinks and snacks at a local bar and then gone to see an action packed movie. After, they’d had pizza and beer and sat for a few hours laughing over stories the Gale and Annette were telling about their experiences as student nurses.

Annette’s brother Joe was exactly what Kate had said she wanted. He was of average height and had pleasant features and was clearly just a nice guy. He had a good, steady job and was reasonably intelligent. Kate knew that he was the sort who would be loyal and supportive in a marriage. He’d make a good father and would always be there for them. He was normality.

The other two couples had gone bar hopping but Kate had asked to go home as she had an early shift the next day. Joe had drove her back and they had walked hand in hand up the her apartment door. Then he had kissed her. It was just a brushing of lips but Kate knew immediately it was all wrong. The roughness of his skin, his scent and feel. It was not want she wanted.

“It looks like my company will be transferring me out here. Can I see you again?”

Kate stepped back. “Joe, you are a great guy and I like you a lot but, well, there was someone else and I’m just not over them yet.”

He nodded sadly. “Well, I’ve been there. I know what its like but you do get over a bad relationship. If you don’t mind, I’ll keep in touch.”

“Sure. That would be okay. We can be friends. Thanks for a great evening Joe.” She hadn’t invited him in. She probably never would. How could you explain to someone like Joe that you were wrong. It wasn’t a normal life in a middle class neighbourhood that she wanted. She wanted to be on a South Pacific island, swimming with sharks, looking for that perfect pearl and loving a shark woman as the dawn broke over the ocean.

Unable to sleep. She had written a letter to Zenie. Although Zenie’s English was pretty good, she couldn’t read it. But Peri had paid for Zenie’s children to go to good schools and they had all studied English as a second language. Zenie’s oldest daughter would translate the letters into French for her and then would write back for Zenie.

She wrote Zenie all about her date and how he was just what she thought she wanted and then had discovered that she was wrong.

Zenie, Joe is just the nicest guy. He has a good job and he is just one of those men who wants to be married and settled down with a family. He would be a kind and caring husband and a great dad. And his sister is one of my best friends. We are going to keep in touch but I had to tell him that my heart belonged to another. Oh Zenie, how can I ever get over my love for Bora Bora and that special person who came into my life?

For Peri, the troubles of the last few months were just the beginning. She found she couldn’t sleep or focus on her work. She felt guilty that the smile she wore around Marau were not true and that she took little pleasure out of the time they spent together. Everything seemed so hollow without Kate.

“I miss Kate. Don’t you Maman?”

“Oui.”

“Why did she have to go? I thought she loved us.”

Peri looked up in surprise and saw young eyes with a depth of wisdom. “Kate loved you very much Marau. But Bora Bora was not her home.”

“She loved you too, Maman.”

Peri sighed. The child just couldn’t understand. “Kate only came here on a holiday and the stayed on for a while when her husband left her.”

“He is a very bad man. Kate should not have married him.”

“Oui. He is a very bad man but he is in jail now and Kate will divorce him and find someone nice back in the United States. Then she will have children of her own.” Just saying those words sent a lance of pain through Peri’s heart. The thought of Kate with someone else was just too hard to bear.

Life now was hard to bear. Peri had thought when she found out that Odette was having a relationship with her father that she had felt the worst emotional pain imaginable. She now realized that what she felt was betrayal. She thought back to that day. They had taken her dad’s boat out at dawn because Odette had wanted to get pictures of the sharks in dramatic lighting. When Peri thought back on it, Odette had been trying to tell her that their relationship was over for sometime but Peri had been in denial. On the boat that day though, Odette had made it clear.

“Peri, I’m sorry. You will always be special to me but I’m not a lesbian. I realize that now. It is not women I was attracted to but you.”

“So you are attracted to me and not other women. I can live with that.” She’d tried to end the conversation picking up the bucket of chub and climbing down the stern steps to the diving platform. She started to throw pieces of fish into the water.

“You’d better get your camera ready. I see three black fin sharks coming.”

“Peri listen to me. There is someone else.”

Peri froze then turned to look up at Odette.

“Someone else?”

“Peri, I’m so sorry. I never meant it to happen. It just did. I love him.”

“Who?” She’d managed to get out through a tightening throat.

“Your father.”

“That bastard! I’m going -” The sentence had not been finished. In her shock, Peri had tripped over the bucket of chub. The pieces of fish slipped from the bucket and fell into the water along with Peri. The sharks moved in.

Even now Peri could feel that bite as rows of razor sharp teeth sunk into her. Then the shark had shook her like a rag doll trying to tear off her leg. She could do nothing to save herself.

It had been Odette that had saved her. She’d climbed down onto the diving platform even though the sharks were all about and in a feeding frenzy. With the boat hook, she’d stabbed at the shark until it had let Peri go. The she’d reached down and helped Peri pull herself up onto the platform. The sharks were snapping at the platform as blood from Peri’s leg washed overboard. Odette kept hammering at them.

“Peri, you have to get up the ladder. I can’t hold them off.”

In a state of shock, Peri had managed to pull herself up the two steps and collapse into the cockpit. Odette had not been far behind her but it had been long enough for Peri to arm a spear gun.

“Take me to the resort.”

“No! Peri, you need a proper doctor. I need to take you to the clinic. They can stop the bleeding and call the air ambulance from Tahiti.”

Peri raised the spear gun. “Take me to the resort or I’ll take myself.”

“Peri, you’re in shock. You are not thinking straight.”

“Do it.”

Perhaps realizing that precious time was wasting, Odette ran to the wheel house and started the engines heading their craft for the ring of reef that surrounded the island of Bora Bora. Peri lowered the spear gun and pulled off it’s rubber strap. She used this to wrap around her leg to slow the bleeding. Then she wrapped a towel around the wound and taking her flippers, she placed them on each side of her knee and used the cord from a canvas bag to hold the joint in place. She’d been lucky. The shark had not been big. The bite itself was extensive but not as deep as it might have been with a bigger shark. But the jaws had caught her lower hip and knee and she knew bones had been broken. She had been unable to move her legs on the ladder and had to pull herself up by her arms as she balanced her good leg on each rung.

Odette slowed as they got close to the resort.

Peri raised the gun again. “Don’t take me to the dock. Get as close to the clinic as you can. Pull into the beach.”

“Peri this is craziness. You need to see a doctor.”

“I can take care of myself. I don’t need you. And I don’t need my father. If you come ashore, I’ll shoot you.” She had pulled herself up and had rolled over the gunwales into the water as Odette brought the launch in as close as she dared. The impacted with the water had almost caused Peri to blackout. Shock and anger alone kept her conscious as she swam weakly to shore.

“I’m going to get help. I’ll find someone you’ll listen to,” Odette yelled, as she sped away in the boat.

Peri pulled herself up on the beach. Slowly, painfully she dragged herself to the clinic and passed out of the floor.

Now, she was able to see that Odette had been right. She hadn’t been thinking straight. She had been lucky to survive. Luck that Zenie had come and knew what to do until the air ambulance could arrive. She had repaid Zenie by paying for her children’s education. But there was another debt. A bigger one that she was still paying.

Weeks went by then months. Peri’s heartache went from an unbearable stabbing to a dull ache and mild depression. There was a terrible loneliness that never really left her. After diner while Marau did her homework, Peri went to sit with Odette.

“How was your day?” she asked bending over to drop a light kiss on the scarred tissue.

“Okay,” Odette managed to wheeze out form her damaged lungs and burnt lips. “And you?”

“Okay. Business as usual.”

“Eiraha, is getting married.”

“Really? The man who owns the small, general store?”

“Oui.”

“He is a good man. He doesn’t care about her past. He will be good to her.”

Eiraha had been one of a huge and poor family. At fifteen, she had been working the streets. She had made the mistake of trying to come on to Peri who had dragged her home, cleaned her up, fed her and had offered her a job caring for Odette. It had worked out. Eiraha understood pain and had quickly bonded with Odette. It was her chance at a new life and she’d taken it doing her best to live up to Peri’s expectations and to live down her past.

“Would you like me to take you for a walk or a boat ride tonight?”

Odette would not let herself be seen. Only at night and even then covered up would she venture beyond her walled garden sometimes allowing Peri to wheel her around the more isolated areas of the resort or taking her for a boat ride. Not that she wanted to go out very often. She was so weak that even such small excursions took her days from which to recover. But Peri always asked.

“Non. My lungs hurt tonight.”

“Do you need to see a doctor?”

“Non. Just rest.”

“Okay. I’ll help you to bed before I do my exercises. If you are still awake later, I’ll let Marau pop in to say good night.”

“Thanks. Peri?”

“Oui. When I die can you bury me with your father?”

“Of course. You belong at his side. But not for a while yet.”

“Maybe. I love you, Peri.”

“I know but not in the same way you loved my father and that’s okay. I understand now,” Peri admitted as she helped the crippled woman get ready and into bed.

“Because of Kate.”

“Oui, because of Kate.”

“Don’t grieve. You have loved.”

“Oui. I have loved.” With a sigh, Peri turned out the light and left Odette to sleep. She went to stand on the balcony looking not at the garden and the sea beyond but into the past.

Peri had been weeks in the hospital. Her knee joint had been shattered and her pubis bone cracked and there was extensive muscle and tendon damage. It had taken 286 stitches, and eight pins to put her back together again. It was almost a week before she was told of her father’s death and Odette’s burns even thought the fire had started the same day.

He father had got up and joined them for coffee before they had left. They had left him eating a croissant and drinking his coffee in the living room.

In their absents, her father had gone back to bed leaving the cigarette he had been smoking smouldering on the edge of an ashtray. It had fallen off onto the wicker table. The dry, varnished wicker had smouldered for a long time before it caught and spread to the curtains, the ceiling tile, rug and so on. By the time Odette pulled the boat into their dock, the house was a blaze.

She had loved him. She had loved him more than herself. She’d run into the burning house and slowly, painfully dragged the man she loved from the building. He was already dead, over come by smoke. Odette was nearly dead too with burns to 90% of her body. They didn’t think she would live but she had. Her skin was distorted and scarred, her fingers welded and claw-like and her face hideously burnt. Her lungs too had been damaged and cataracts had to be removed from her eyes.

Peri had buried her father and scuttled his boat. Odette, she had cared for, building an addition on her own quarters for the woman. She owed her that. She might not have loved Peri but she had loved her father. Loved him above her own life. Peri wondered if her father had really loved Odette. She doubted it. She suspected that he was using Odette to hurt her as she had hurt him when his wife had died giving birth to her. Still, she liked to think that maybe he had. That maybe at the end he had found happiness.

“Maman?”

“Out here, Marau.”

“I went to see Tante Odette. She is breathing funny and isn’t answering me.”

“Phone Marie, Marau. Have her send a boat to fetch the clinic doctor from the mainland.”

“Oui Maman.”

Odette never regained consciousness. She slipped away in the night with Peri at her side. A few days later Peri saw that she was buried at the side of her father on the old estate where once their home had stood.

“Maman, is Odette happy now in heaven?”

“Oui. She is with the man she loved. This is good, non?”

Marau nodded and snuggled into her mother’s arms. Sadly, they walked hand in hand back to their boat. There was just the two of them now.

Zenie waited on the doorstep of the clinic working on an inventory list in her slow, methodical manner. She missed Kate’s company. Yesterday, she had got a letter from Kate and her daughter, Taupoa, had translated it for her. In it, she had said that over the last two years she had raised the money that she still owed Peri. Then she had gone on a described her date with Joe.

Zenie, Joe is just the nicest guy. He has a good job and he is just one of those men who wants to be married and settled down with a family. He would be a kind and caring husband and a great dad. And his sister is one of my best friends. We are going to keep in touch but I had to tell him that my heart belonged to another. Oh Zenie, how can I ever get over my love for Bora Bora and that special person who I love?

Zenie waited. She knew that Marie would have told Madman Peri that a letter had come to her from Kate. Sometime this morning, Peri would find a reason to come by the clinic and Zenie would tell her about the letter. This had happened every time a letter had come over the last two years.

This time it was different though. Zenie too had her sources. Kala, who brought the mail from the mainland, had told Zenie that Madman Peri had also got a letter from Kate.

“But it was much thinner than the one she sent you Zenie. I do not think she had much to say to Madman Peri.” Kala had told her.

Zenie looked up. Here came Madman Peri now.

“Bonjour, Zenie. Comment allez-vous?”

“Je vais bien. Et vous?”

“Tres bien, merci.”

“I have had a letter from Kate.”

“I have too.” To Zenie’s surprise her boss lowered herself awkwardly to the step and leaned her cane against the wall of the clinic. “She sent me a cheque for the money she felt she owed me.”

“No note?”

“Just a small one thanking me for my understanding and explaining that the cheque was for the debts she and her husband had run up plus the cost of the apartment.”

“She is an honourable person.”

Peri nodded. “Oui. But I hadn’t wanted her to pay. She saved my daughter’s life.”

“Oui, she did. But also you gave her money because you two had been together.”

Peri blushed deeply. “Non. Well maybe. It was the least I could do. It was a moment of weakness. A special moment.”

“Humph! Do you think me a fool? Do you think I have not seen you watching Kate from your balcony? You are in love with her.”

Peri smiled but the light did not reach her eyes. “Oui. I am. I am not very lucky at love.”

“You can not find love if you are not prepared to take the chance of being hurt.”

“She didn’t love me. She told me that it couldn’t happen again.”

“She does love you.”

Peri looked at Zenie. “Why are you so sure?”

“She told me so.”

“She did?”

“Oui. But now it is too late, I think.”

“What do you mean?”

“In this letter she writes to me she talks of a nice man who will make a good husband. She doesn’t love him but she will be satisfied with him.”

“Maybe being satisfied is enough for her.”

“Non! It is a mistake. You two are very silly. You must go after her. I will keep Marau while you are gone. I am teaching her about herbal medicines. She wants to be a doctor.”

“I can’t do that.”

“You could if you were not afraid.”

“I am not afraid.”

“Oui. You are afraid to be hurt again. Kate would never hurt you. You must go before it is too late.”

“I can’t. She would say no again.”

“You can if you are prepared to tell her the truth. You must share your secrets about Odette and Eiraha. I do not know what you have been up to but if you love Kate you must love only her.”

Peri looked out at the ocean for a long time. Then she turned and looked at Zenie. “I do love only Kate. Zenie, Can you take Marau for a week?”

“Oui. It is no problem. She is a good girl.”

Peri struggled to her feet and picked up her cane. “Thank you. Thank you very much.”

Zenie nodded. “I will look forward to seeing Kate again. We have much to catch up on.”

Chapter Seven

Risking Hurt

Peri found flying hard. Even in first class, there wasn’t enough room for her leg or space to get up and walk. Her leg tightened up and ached so that by the time she arrived in L.A., she was limping heavily. She called a cab and booked into her hotel. Then she took a hot bath and went to bed to recover. That is what she told herself anyway. The truth of the matter was that she was scared and she was delaying calling Kate.

It wasn’t until the next morning that she picked up the phone and called.

“Hello.”

“Kate?”

“Hang on a minute, I’ll get her.”

A cold sweat spread across Peri’s skin. Why was another woman at Kate’s house this early in the morning? Who was she? Then with relief, she remembered that Zenie had told her that Kate had two student nurses staying with her.

“Kate here.”

“Kate. It’s Peri Dubois.”

There was a shocked silence. Then a shaky voice asked, “Peri. Where are you?”

“I’m in town staying at the Bel-Air. I was wondering if we could have dinner tonight?”

“At the Bel-Air?”

“Oui. I’ll send a limo to pick you up about six if that is okay.”

“Yes.”

“Bon. I’ll see you then.”

“Okay. Good bye.”

“Au revoir.”

Peri sat for a long time after trying to slow the beat of her heart. Kate had sounded surprised, then distant. Maybe she’d made a mistake coming. No. No, she wasn’t going to be a coward about this. Love was worth risking getting hurt. Why had she made the invitation sound like a business meeting? Why couldn’t she let how she felt show in her voice?

She picked up the phone again.

“I would like to make reservations for two for diner tonight on the Terrace. A table that affords a good view of the bougainvillea garden and has some privacy. For eight this evening, please.”

Peri’s soft voice with its sexy French lilt had turned Kate’s insides to jelly. She had sunk down on to the kitchen chair and turned white. Gale, who had been making her breakfast and had answered the phone, turned to look at Kate with a worried frown.

“Are you all right?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. That was Peri.”

Gale stopped what she was doing and turned to lean on the counter. “The shark woman from Bora Bora. I told Annette that you were gay.”

“It’s - I mean. I don’t know what I mean. I’m not even sure what I said to her. I only got home from a double shift a few hours ago. My brain just won’t function. That was Peri. It was Peri.”

Gale smiled. “So you have told me a number of times. Are you getting together?”

Kate nodded. “Tonight for dinner at the Bel-Air. She’s sending a limo to pick me up at six.”

“A limo? The Bel-Air? Is that were she is staying?”

Kate nodded as she absently turned the pearl ring on her finger.

“You didn’t mention that your shark woman had money.”

“Yes. She owns a resort, a pearl farm, a jewellery shop and vanilla bean plantations.”

Gale smiled and joked. “Okay, if you decide you don’t want her give her my phone number. I’m willing to change my orientation for a resort in the South Pacific.”

‘What should I do? Maybe its just about the money. Maybe she doesn’t think I’ve paid her enough? She sounded all business but she always does.”

Gale took charge. “Well, first of all, you are going back to bed. I’ll wake you at two. That will give you four hours to go from Cinderella to fairy princess. Then, we’ll pack you off in the limo. If she doesn’t offer to take you back to live in a life of luxury, you can slip some Ecstasy into her drink and blackmail her after a night of wild passion.”

Kate laughed. “As if. You won’t forget to wake me?”

“Of course not. I’m hoping for discount holidays at the resort,” Gale joked, pulling the exhausted Kate onto her feet and propelling her in the general direction of her bedroom.

At five to six, Kate was dressed in the same red evening dress that she had wore in Bora Bora and was waiting in the lobby of her apartment building flanked on either side by her two friends.

“I hope you understand, Annette. I mean, Joe is a really nice guy but -”

“He is about as exciting as watching paint dry. I love him and he’ll make a get husband and father but, he not for you.”

Kate blushed. “Thanks.”

“Wow, check out the limo, Cinderella,” joked Gale.

“Cinderella,” grumbled Annette. “Didn’t we spend hours making our friend here into the belle of the ball?”

The two student nurses smiled at each other and looked at Kate. “We did good,” Gale announced with pride.

“I think I’m going to faint,” Kate gasped.

“Not on my watch,” protested Gale. “Deep, slow breaths.”

“Good luck.”

“Break a leg.”

Her two friends waved good bye as Kate sank into the leather seats of the limo and watched L.A. drift by in the silent, calm cocoon of the limo. She was anything but calm. Her heart was pounding and her stomach was twisted in a knot. Why am I going? I’m getting my hopes up about nothing. It probably has to do with the money. Kate, you are going to get yourself hurt again.”

Peri stood in the lobby waiting. She’d dressed carefully wanting to look her best. Why am I here? I’m only going to get hurt again. She hasn’t contacted me in almost two years and when she did it was just to pay me back. I’m a fool.

The limo pulled up and Kate and the driver held the door open for Kate to get out. She was wearing the same red evening dress that she had worn the night they had made love. Peri’s heart skipped a beat. Kate looked lovely.

Peri stepped forward to meet her.

“Bonjour Kate.”

“Bonjour Peri.”

“I thought we might have drinks first in my suite.”

“No! I mean - ”

“It’s okay. I understand,” Peri cut in quickly. “Perhaps you would prefer a walk in the gardens. They are really quite beautiful here.”

Kate nodded. She hadn’t meant to blurt out the no. It’s just that Peri had taken her by surprise. Peri had said she understood but she didn’t. Kate could tell by the way her jaw tightened.

“Yes, a walk would be nice,” she agreed, and then realized that Peri did not have her cane with her.

“Oh. I’m sorry do you need to get your cane first. I can wait.”

Wrong thing to say again. “I am not an invalid. I can walk around a garden without the aid of my cane.”

“Oh course,” Kate agreed quickly. She’d been with Peri less than five minutes and already it had turned into a disaster.

“This way.”

Peri gritted her teeth as she walked down the stone steps to the Bougainvillea garden. The steps put a great strain on her knee without her cane for support. But she wasn’t going to leave Kate waiting in the lobby while she returned to her suite. She managed to walk one step behind Kate. Without her cane, her limp was more obvious.

They walked silently neither knowing what to say. Finally, Peri sighed in frustration.

“Can we sit here in this bench by the swan pond? I have some things I need to tell you.”

“Okay.” They sat at opposite ends of the bench and looked out on the white swans that glided around the yellow lilies on the pond.

Peri gathered herself together. It had been wrong to come but she was here now and she was going to do what she’d set out to do. She might be going back to Bora Bora with a broken heart but she wasn’t going back with regrets.

“You accused me once of having secrets. Of putting up walls between myself and others. You were right. Although I have done so partly because I had given my word to another. But things have changed and I feel free now to speak.”

“You don’t owe me any explanation, Peri.”

“Please! I need to say this. It is a painful story for me. And I do not think you will enjoy it either.”

Kate felt a weight pressing on her chest. She didn’t want to hear about Peri’s intimate secrets. She didn’t think she could bear it.

Peri looked at her hands afraid to look at Kate.

“I did not have a good relationship with my father. He provided for me but he couldn’t love me. He resented that I had lived and my mother, who he adored, had died in child birth. As I got older that wedge between us widened because he did not approve of my lesbian ways.

“It came to ahead one summer when he told me he would not leave the family business to me if I didn’t have an heir to pass it on to. I think he hoped he could force me to marry and have a child. Truthfully, I liked the idea of having a child of my own. Someone to love. But I did not want a husband. Instead, I arranged for artificial insemination. I had gone to Hawaii for the first attempt. I was well aware that the odds were high that it would not be successful and I would have to try again. While I was there, I met a woman, Odette Bondy. She was a former model and a professional photographer.

“We had a relationship. I thought I was in love.” Peri shrugged. “I do not think I knew what love was then. I confused it with desire.”

“Peri, I don’t think I want to hear this.”

“Please. I must go on.”

Peri seemed so earnest that Kate nodded woodenly and clutched her hands tightly while the woman she loved talked about another.

“I took her back to Bora Bora with me. When I think back, she tried to tell me it was over several times but I just chose not to understand. Then one early morning, we went out so Odette could take pictures of the sharks. She took that opportunity to tell me that she was in love with someone else. My father.”

Kate automatically reached for Peri’s arm. “Oh no. Peri, I’m so sorry.”

Peri nodded and cleared the lump form her throat. “ I was shocked. I hadn’t seen it coming. I thought Odette and I would raise my child and we’d be happy together. I was on the dive deck throwing chub to the sharks and I tripped and fell in. That’s whe

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 586