The Island, Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Morning dawned cool and windy, with clouds in the air again. It didn’t look like rain was imminent, but I wondered if we were entering a rainy season or something. Time would tell. I walked the beach for a while, then strolled over to the medical hut. Uncharacteristically, Joelle was awake, reading a book. I plopped down next to her with a mango for each of us.

“Hey, sunshine. What’s up? You’re up early.” I handed her the mango and began munching on mine.

“Thanks,” she said distractedly. “I didn’t sleep very well.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, I’m in a bit of a quandary,” she admitted.

“Tell me about it. Maybe I can help.”

She looked away. “Telling you about it is sort of the problem. I don’t want you to get mad at me.”

“I promise, unless you are torturing the goats at night, I won’t get mad at you.”

She chuckled, then sighed. “All right. Well, I was. Um. I was walking over by your sleeping area last night, on the way back from the latrine. And, uh, I overheard you and Janie talking, and, um, doing other things.” She was blushing furiously and wouldn’t look at me.

“Hey, no worries. If we really wanted privacy we would have gone somewhere else. Did it bother you?”

“Not the sex, although I’ve never seen anyone doing it before.” She looked away again, obviously mortified by her voyeuristic instincts.

I tried to defuse the situation. “It’s kind of erotic watching, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” she said almost inaudibly. “Have you ever…?”

“Yes, I’ve had sex in front of others before, and watched others have sex, too. It’s OK. I kind of like that you saw us. I like the idea of you getting turned on.”

She was beet red by now. “I’m glad you’re not mad at me. But it wasn’t what I saw that I wanted to talk to you about, it’s what you were saying. I can’t believe I’m asking you this. Did Janie have sex with some of the field hockey players?”

I misunderstood her concerns. “Yeah, but it was all consensual. These girls are pretty grown up. She didn’t force anything on them if that’s what you mean.”

“Oh, no! That’s not what I meant to imply,” she reassured me. “It’s just…. It got me thinking…. Maybe I should try to have an … encounter with another woman. Is that bad?” She looked up at me, obviously worried.

“No! Not at all. Janie and I are pretty free spirits. She’s had a lot of experience with women and men. It doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, if you want to talk to her about it, she can give you some insight into her experiences. I’d be happy to help you arrange something if you’d like.” I eyed her speculatively. “In fact, I think the whole idea of you with another woman is pretty exciting. I’d like to participate or even watch.”

“Oh my God! I couldn’t let you see that! I’d be mortified!”

“Why? I’ve seen you in more compromising positions than that.”

“I know, but…it’s just…I don’t know why it bothers me. I’m still such a prude.”

“Hey, you’ve lived your whole life believing certain things to be right and wrong, and in the last few days that’s totally been turned upside down. I’m more surprised you aren’t having more issues than you are. You’ve been remarkably open-minded considering the sheltered life you’ve led up until now.”

“I guess so.” She sat silently, considering what I had said. “You would really like to see me with another woman? It wouldn’t make you feel possessive?”

“Why would I feel that way? I don’t possess you now. I think you are terrific, and unless you suddenly grow a sadistic streak, I don’t see that changing. I want you to enjoy life. The more I can be a part of it the better, but I’m not foolish enough to think I can be your all. I don’t want to be your all. You need variety to keep things interesting. If you have to stifle your urges in order to not make someone jealous, you end up resenting them in the end.”

“I’ve never thought of things that way.” She seemed to find this whole line of reasoning alien.

“Most people don’t,” I said. “We had a conversation the other day, when I told you I’m not like other people. I don’t have the same world-view. I just want to have fun, and I want everyone else to have fun, as long as nobody gets hurt. That should be the real golden rule.”

“Let me think it over. This is a little scary to me.”

“No worries. Tell me when you know what you want to do. Or you can talk to Janie about it.”

I was just about to leave her to her thoughts, when Gabrielle arrived at the hut.

“Bonjour, Dave! Bonjour, Joelle! ‘Ow are you today?”

“Tres bien, Madmoiselle,” I said, harking back to high school French.

“Fine,” said Joelle. “How are you?”

“Comme ci, comme ca,” she answered, waggling her hand. “I am well but my problem has returned.”
She looked at me meaningfully.

“What problem?” asked Joelle.

“Since Dkembe has awakened, I no longer have an outlet for le lait.