Page 51 of The Pearl Sister
I listened for the change in breathing pattern to let me know that he was asleep, but I didn’t hear it. Eventually, I heard him sigh and a tentative hand reached out in the darkness to find me.
‘You asleep?’ he whispered.
‘You know I rarely am.’
‘Come here, I need a hug.’
He drew me to him and held me so tight that my nose was pressed against his chest and I could barely breathe.
‘I really meant what I said earlier. I’ll miss you,’ he murmured in the darkness. ‘Maybe I will come out to Australia. I’ll give you my mobile number. Promise to text me a forwarding address?’
‘Yeah, of course.’
‘We are a pair, aren’t we?’
‘Are we?’
‘Yes, both at a crossroads, not knowing where we go next.’
‘I s’pose.’
‘Well, it’s true for you at least. Sadly, I know exactly where I’ll be going. Eventually . . .’
‘Where?’
‘It doesn’t matter, but I just want to tell you, that if things were different . . .’ I felt his lips gently caress the top of my head. ‘You’re the most real person I’ve ever met, Celaeno D’Aplièse. Never change, will you?’
‘I don’t think I can.’
‘No,’ he chuckled. ‘Probably not. I just want you to promise me one more thing.’
‘What’s that?’
‘If you . . .hearthings about me in the future, please try not to judge me. You know that things are never quite what they seem. And . . .’ I knew he was struggling to find the words. ‘Sometimes, you have to do stuff to protect those you love.’
‘Yeah, like I did for Star.’
‘Yes, sweetheart, like you did for Star.’
With that, he kissed me again and rolled over.
* * *
Of course, I didn’t sleep a wink that night. All sorts of emotions – some of them new – were racing around my head. I only wished I could confide in someone, ask their opinion about what Ace had said to me. But the fact was, Ace had become my ‘someone’ . . . my friend. I turned the word over in my mind. I’d never had a proper friend before who wasn’t my sister, and perhaps I didn’t know how friendship even worked. Was Ihisfriend too? Or had he simply been using me to ease his loneliness . . . and had I been doing the same? Or were we more than just friends?
I gave up lying sleepless in the bed and crept out to the beach, though it was even too early for sunrise. My heart started to pound as I thought of leaving the security of the little universe Ace and I had created together. I’d miss him – and this paradise – a lot.
Po was just returning to his post for the daytime shift as I walked back to the gate to enter the palace for the final time.
‘Got your pictures, madam.’ He reached into his nylon rucksack to retrieve some brightly coloured photo envelopes. He leafed through four of them, checking the contents, and I wondered if this was a service he offered on the side to other residents of Phra Nang Beach to make a few extra baht.
‘These yours,’ he confirmed, tucking the other two packs back into his rucksack.
‘Thanks,’ I said, reminding myself to pay him and give him a decent tip when I left, then I walked up the path to my room to pack.
An hour later, I hoisted my rucksack onto my back and shut the door behind me. I stomped miserably down to the terrace where Ace was pacing up and down. I was chuffed to see that he looked as depressed and agitated as I did.
‘You off?’
