Page 134 of The Pearl Sister
Finally, the key was turned and Charlie entered to find Cat staring at him with fear accentuating her beautiful eyes.
‘For God’s sake!’ Charlie fell through the door, panting. ‘Have you been there all the time? Did you not hear me try the lock?’
She lowered her eyes from his gaze.
Charlie closed the door behind him, locked it, then went towards her to take her in his arms. She did not yield to him; it felt akin to holding a plank of wood.
‘What is it, my darling? What has happened?’
She pulled away from him, then turned and sat down on the blanket. She said something, but he couldn’t hear because the thunder was right above them now, drowning out her low voice.
‘I’m sorry, what did you say?’
‘I said that I am pregnant. I am having a baby.Jalygurr.’
Charlie watched as Cat stuffed her fist into her mouth to stop herself screaming. She was shaking from head to foot. There was yet another crash of thunder and the rain began to pelt down onto the tin roof above them.
‘I . . .’ He went towards her to embrace her, but she backed away, terrified. ‘Cat, my darling Cat . . . please, don’t be frightened of me. I’m not the enemy, really, I—’
‘If my mother finds out, she beat me, throw me out on the street! I promised her, Ipromised. . .’
‘My love.’ Charlie took a couple of tentative steps towards her. ‘I can understand why you’re so distressed, and yes, it is a little premature, but—’
‘I promised her, I promised not to do same thing she did,’ Cat wailed, backing away further. ‘Never trust them white-fellas, never trust ’em, never trust ’em . . .’
Charlie watched her bring her knees up protectively in front of her. ‘And your mother was right,’ he said, taking another step towards her. ‘But I’m not just any old “whitefella”. I’m your Charlie, and you’re my Cat. Just think of the times we’ve imagined we would be married and have a family.’
‘Yes! But we were children, Charlie. It was playing games. Not real life. And now it is. I wanta get rid of it, drown it as soon as it born. Then I won’t have this big problem.’
Charlie was horrified at her words. ‘Please, Cat.’ He took the last two steps towards her. Thunder continued to crash directly above their heads as though the full force of the heavens was voicing its displeasure. ‘Here in my pocket I have something for you.’ He crouched down next to her and drew out the amber ring. ‘Everything is all right, my love. Listen to me.’ Charlie took her small right hand in his. ‘My darling Cat’ – he reached for her fourth finger – ‘will you marry me?’ He slipped the ring onto her finger, then watched her eyes move to the ring and study it silently.
‘It’s made of amber, and there is some kind of insect caught inside it. I thought it would match your eyes. Do you like it?’
‘I . . .’ Cat bit her lip. ‘It a beautiful gift, Charlie.’
‘See? Everything will be all right. We will be married as soon as possible, my love.’
‘No.’ Cat looked up at him. ‘I can’t marry you, Charlie. I am your maid.’
‘You know I don’t care about that! I love you. I’ve wanted to marry you since I was a small boy.’
Cat tipped her eyes up to the heavens. When her gaze returned to him, it was full of sorrow. ‘Charlie, in twenty-four hours you become most important whitefella in Broome. You inherit the Mercer Pearling Company and become the big bossman. You know lotsa things I don’t know, because you had good education. You belong to the whitefellas’ world, but I don’t.’
‘I can teach you, Cat, just as I’ve taught you in the past.’
‘No! No one would come ta eat at our table with me being your missus. You will be . . .’ Cat’s eyebrows drew together as she searched for the words. ‘A laughing pot.’
‘Stock,’ Charlie corrected automatically.
‘Stock, yes. And our stock is not the same. No.’ Alkina shook her head firmly. ‘You needa white woman, not me. I cannot make you proud, be something I not. I don’t want dem whitefellas laughing at me behind my back, saying I’m stupid. And theywouldlaugh at me. I’m good person, just different.’
‘I know, but . . .’ Again Charlie dug deep to find the words. ‘Inside there’ – he pointed to her stomach – ‘is something that both of us made with our love. Surely, we must put that first? If we marry quickly, no one would even know, because the baby would just come early, and—’
‘You dreamin’ again. Everyone would know why you marry me. It’s been four months already.’ Alkina withdrew her hand and rested her head back on her knees. ‘They would never believe in our love.’
‘But I do,’ Charlie said, his voice strong and clear above the thunder. ‘I understand that you’re all that’s kept me going for the last ten years. That there haven’t been more than a few minutes – not even during my final exams – when I’ve not thought of you. Do not . . .’ He cupped his palms to her cheeks and lifted her head from her knees. ‘I repeat,do notever put me in the same category as other men. I love you with all my heart. You are myjarndu nilbanjun– we are promised to each other. My life would be nothing without you and our baby to come.’ He reached for her, drew her into his arms and kissed her roughly, passionately, but she pulled away from him.
‘Marlu!No! Stop it! Please stop! For all education, you don’t understand! I cannot be your wife. Thereisno future for us.’
