Storymania - An Island Unto Himself, The Novel by Tony Mossor

An Island Unto Himself, The Novel (10)
Tony Mossor

CHAPTER 22

The next day Stu and Tawni went for a swim at the waterfall. After yesterday, the creek was about the biggest body of water Stu wanted to tackle for awhile.

While Stu waded in waist deep water, Tawni climbed the craggy trail to the rocks overlooking the falls. Her long strands of brunette hair waved and separated in the breeze as she stood erect and prepared to dive. She looked especially fetching in her buckskin bikini, a stark contrast to how goofy Stu looked in his now, cut off britches.

Tawni looked like an expert as she executed an elegant, arched dive through the air, parallel to the falling waters. She vanished under the surface of the pooled, creek water about fifty feet from Stu.

When she didn’t reappear right away, Stu was concerned. After all, there were big rocks in the creek as well as on the banks and the frothy water made them impossible to see. Still she didn’t surface and Stu started to wade further into the creek in her general direction.

Without warning, Stu was pulled under! He came splashing back topside, gasping for air. Tawni followed immediately. She was waving Stu’s captured cut offs in the air and holding them teasingly just out of his reach.

Each time Stu grabbed for them she would move them just out of his grasp. Stu never claimed to be a genius but, he was a quick learner so, after three misses he lunged for the shorts. He missed and went under water again.

When he came up, Tawni was laughing and making for the bank.

"That’s not funny!" he said, taking chase.

Tawni beat him to the creek bank and kept on running. Stu grabbed a giant, elephant ear leaf that hung over the water’s edge on his way out and awkwardly wrapped it around him. He held it in place with one hand as he chased after his run away shorts.

Tawni headed up the rocky hillside toward the top of the falls again and Stu followed, trying not to drop his leaf. The angle of ascent slowed Tawni down considerably. Seeing that Stu was gaining on her, she decided to buy some time and left his shorts dangling on a branch about halfway up the hill.

Stu snatched his hanging shorts and clumsily pulled them on under his wrap around leaf. At the same time he continued his pursuit up the craggy incline, determined not to lose ground on Tawni.

"Now you’re in for it," he threatened. "Just wait till I catch you!" he yelled causing Tawni to laugh all the harder.

She got to the top of the falls ahead of Stu and he figured she would surely make her escape by again plunging headlong for the water below. But, she surprised him when she continued running and veered off onto another incline. Stu chased her higher and higher.

Suddenly, a sharp crack of lighting zig zagged across the sky overhead. It was so close that there was no interim between the flash of electricity and the accompanying thunder. Reflexes made Stu duck instinctively.

The sky opened up and poured down upon them. They were drenched in seconds. Tawni ran under an overhanging rock ledge that jutted out from the hillside and Stu followed.

Torrential sheets of rainwater ran off the ledge like a curtain, separating the twosome from the outside world. They stood against each other, eye to eye. Tawni’s devilish laughter subsided. They held hands.

Tawni laid her head against Stu’s chest and closed her eyes. Likewise, Stu closed his eyes... fighting temptation.

Then, there was another crackling of thunder and the rain subsided as quickly as it had begun. Humid steam rose from the sun baked rocks that had been cooled by the tropical rain as Tawni led Stu out from under their shelter.

Tawni spoke first. "We had better go home. It will be dark soon."

CHAPTER 23

Tawni was right, it was starting to get dark by the time they got back to her bamboo abode. The wet pair entered through the front door. Stu used his lighter to set fire to a couple of the tiki torches while Tawni fetched them some dry wraps. She draped one lightweight, tropical print blanket around herself and handed another to Stu.

"Put this around you," she said.

"Thanks." Stu paused. "Tawni..."

"Yes, Stu Stu?"

"Tawni, I want to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"I want to tell you..." Stu paused again. "This week... here on the island... well, this week with you has been just about the most fun I’ve had in a very long time."

"Me too."

"Really?!" Stu was delighted.

"Really... It is too bad my husband is coming back tomorrow."

"Yeah", Stu started to agree. Then he realized what he had just heard. "Husband! You have a husband?!" Stu was taken aback.

"And a son," Tawni added.

"Oh, great! That’s just great! That’s just peachy," Stu ranted. "You mean to tell me after all we... After these last few days... After the way I... And the way you..."

Stu was so perplexed he couldn’t complete a sentence.

Finally, he said, "A husband and a son?"

"And you have a wife and children," Tawni reminded him.

Then, she turned and climbed the ladder to her bedroom, leaving Stu alone and speechless.

"A husband," Stu said to himself.

He turned and saw Squawker atop his perch, eyes closed.

"What’s the matter featherhead, lost your sense of humor? I would have thought you’d be loving this!"

But, Squawker just kept his eyes closed and feigned sleep. Even he didn’t find this funny.

Stu walked outside. He got his last remaining cigarette from the crumpled pack in the van. He had left it there for safekeeping while they went swimming. He went back to the porch and sat down on the steps and lit up. He stared off in thought. He drew a long drag and exhaled. The smoke rose above the bamboo balcony overhead.

Unbeknownst to Stu, Tawni was on the balcony. She watched the smoke rise past her and she watched the setting sun... by herself. It was another brilliant sunset but, somehow it had no zeal. A tear trailed down her cheek.

CHAPTER 24

"Hurry, I must not be late," Tawni told Stu as she ran down the jungle trail toward the beach.

Tawni wore her prettiest drape, a linen like material died a brilliant blue. Stu struggled to keep up.

"Help me out here," he said, "I’m just trying to form a mental picture of this whole husband coming home scenario. You know, kind of playing it out in my mind. Your husband... what’s his name again?"

"Zuell," Tawni answered.

"How original. Okay, old Zuell has been gone for like a week, right?"

"Right."

"Now he’s coming back."

"Yes, Zuell and my son Yobo."

"Yobo?! Now that’s a funny name! No offense but, I mean Yobo?"

"It is no funnier than Tiffy."

Tawni’s simple inference stymied Stu but, not for long.

"...Anyway, it occurs to me that ole Zuell may not be too thrilled to find me here."

"Do not worry, Zuell will not stay. He never does. None of the men stay."

"Wait a minute, you mean there are more people here besides you, Zuell and Obo?"

"Yobo."

"Whatever."

"Yes, there are many of us."

"How come I haven’t seen anyone else?"

"It is a big island. Most of the women live scattered throughout the jungle."

"Most of the women? What about the men?"

"The men do not live on Nooki Nooki, just the women and children."

"I know you didn’t say Nooki Nooki. Who came up with that one?"

"The men I guess... and quit making fun of our names."

Stu was perplexed.

"I don’t get it," he said. "None of the men live here?"

"Of course not," Tawni stated. "They have their own island. They come to Nooki Nooki for three reasons and three reasons only; to take the male children for training, to return the male children home and for the Festival of the Full Moon."

"The Festival of the Full Moon, when is that?"

"Every time there is a full moon."

"No kidding."

Stu felt stupid for asking a question that had such an apparent answer but, that didn’t stop him from asking another.

"What happens during this festival?"

Tawni blushed and laughed.

"Oh Stu Stu", she said, "it is a festival of fertility and procreation. Why do you think the men call this island Nooki Nooki?"

"So, the rest of the time they live on an island full of men, no women? What do they call their island?"

Tawni had lost interest in the conversation and picked up her pace as they were nearing the beach. She was too focused on the task at hand to pay attention to any more of Stu’s questions so, he answered this one himself.

"...Probably the Isle of Palms" he wisecracked.

Tawni stopped just before the jungle pathway emptied out onto an especially wide strip of beach. She watched the bustling commotion on the ocean front and waited for Stu to catch up.

Dozens of primitive outriggers were landing on the white expanse of sand. Each was paddled by a duo of island men and carried two or more young sons. Throngs of women and girls were combing the beach, looking for their returning loved ones. Like Tawni, they also wore their brightest drapes or two piece, island dresses.

Stu caught up to Tawni.

"Wait here," she instructed.

She left him under cover of the foliage and ran toward the outriggers where the returning menfolk were greeting their wives.

The reunited spouses hugged and kissed. The men turned over the sons to their mothers and they also hugged and kissed enthusiastically.

After handing over their male charges to their wives, each father returned to his outrigger and unceremoniously returned to the open sea working in tandem with his paddling partner.

One particularly weary soul was especially eager to take his leave after handing over six young sons ranging in age from infancy to ten years old. On the other hand, his rotund wife was overjoyed to have her brood of babies back. She smiled broadly and hugged and kissed each one happily.

Stu watched Tawni as she searched for her husband’s boat. Finally, she spotted Zuell and his boating partner as they landed on the beach with their two young sons. Even from his distant vantage point, Stu could see that Zuell was male model handsome.

"Great," Stu thought to himself.

Zuell jumped out of the outrigger, grabbed his son under his arms and lifted him out of the boat. Likewise he tried to lift the other little boy out but, Yobo’s chubby companion proved too heavy for Zuell to pick up and the boy had to tumble out on his own.

The boys looked to be about the same age as Stu’s son Brad, eight or so.

Yobo spotted Tawni running toward him.

"Mama! Mama!" he exclaimed.

The two boys ran to their respective mothers and embraced them with vigor.

The other boy’s mother was round and jolly like him. She was Tawni’s sister, Tootawni.

The mothers looked at each other and smiled as they hugged their returning sons. Then Tawni turned her full attention to Yobo.

"My Yobo, I am so glad you have come home to me. Did you have a good time with your father?" she said.

"Yes Mama, I learned much," Yobo answered. "But, I missed you. I worry when Yobo is not here to protect you."

"My big, strong Yobo," Tawni said.

After securing his outrigger, Zuell took time to flirt with some of the unattached island girls. The young women batted their eyelashes as Zuell swaggered past. Some were even so bold as to reach out and rub his arms and chest. They offered giddy salutations to the comely, young man saying things like, "Zuell, hi Zuell" and "Zuell, come see me".

This made Tawni furious on the inside but, she didn’t let it show on the outside. She kept up a charade of confidence and poise. She was determined that the other young women not detect any glimmer of insecurity on her part.

Anyway, she should have been used to this by now. Zuell didn’t exactly have eyes for only her. But, who could blame Zuell the way women threw themselves at him. Didn’t they have any pride.

"There is nothing more deceitful than a desperate woman," Tawni thought to herself. She held her head high as Zuell approached.

"Zuell," Tawni greeted him matter of factly.

"Tawndalayia," Zuell answered in like manner.

Tawni took Yobo’s hand.

"How are you Zuell?" she said.

"Zuell is good. Zuell is very good."

Zuell didn’t bother inquiring about Tawni’s state of welfare.

"Can you stay?" Tawni asked. "I miss you when we are apart."

"Do not start this again, Tawndalayia. Zuell cannot stay. You know this. It is the way. It has always been the way."

"But, you are our chief, Zuell. It is in your power to change the way."

"Do not fret little Tawndalayia. Zuell will return soon for The Festival of the Full Moon."

"But..." Tawni began.

Zuell cut her off.

"Zuell will return," he said sternly.

"...Of course, as it always is," Tawni conceded.

"It is the way," Zuell reiterated. "Be good Yobo. Take care of your mother. I will see you soon, my son."

With that, Zuell turned and headed back in the direction of his beached craft. Any remaining men who had lingered to say lengthy good byes to their loved ones followed his lead, leaving their families behind.

Tawni, Tootawni and the other women watched as their men left the island as quickly as they had come. However, Zuell did not leave alone. One of the young unattached island women joined him in his outrigger. The girl looked back at Tawni defiantly, then climbed aboard and paddled out to sea with the help of his boat mate and newfound female companion.

Tootawni looked to her sister. The disappointment showed in Tawni’s face but, she kept her head held high. Putting her hand on Yobo’s shoulder, she and Yobo and Tootawni and her son turned and started walking toward the unseen Stu who had been watching all the while. Yobo brandished a little knife, drawing it from a leather sheath on his hip.

"Yobo, where did you get a knife?" Tawni asked her son.

"Father made it for me," Yobo told her. "He said I am becoming a man and it is time for Yobo to have manly things. Soon I will go to live with Father and the other men."

Yobo turned to the other little boy.

"Come cousin Tawnawki, let us hunt game for the table," he said.

"Oh no, little ones, not until you tell us all about your visit with your fathers," Tawni said.

"And have a bath," her sister added, taking note of the boys’ recent lack of attention to hygiene.

The pudgy, little Tawnawki moaned at his mother’s suggestion.

"Aunt Tootawni," said Yobo, "you sound more like my mother with every new day. Must we have a bath?"

Tawni intercepted her son’s plea to his aunt, "A bath indeed. Listen to your mothers boys. You are not grown men yet, you know."

"I hope I will be grown soon," Yobo said. "Then I will never take a bath again."

The group reached the edge of the jungle and laughed and talked as they continued. Tawni extended an invitation to her relatives.

Go to part: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17