Jewel of the Pacific (7 page)

W
hen the news spread among friends and family that Rafe had awakened from his coma, Pastor Ambrose led a thanksgiving service at the mission church.

Eden was overjoyed. When Keno brought her the news she had literally danced about with him in celebration on the front lawn, only to find Candace watching them afterwards, arms folded, an auburn eyebrow lifted, pretending feminine suspicions.

Eden laughed and ran to her. “Rafe is awake. He can talk and remember everything!”

“Thank God!” Candace hugged her.

Eden realized it was too soon to know if Rafe would be left with any debilitating trials and blindness, but at least her darling wouldn’t die.

The celebration ended as Keno, Candace, and Eden saw Ambrose arrive. After the thanksgiving meeting he’d gone into Honolulu to talk to Dr. Jerome. Ambrose stopped his horse and buggy under a large kiawe tree. A breeze blew and the yellow blossoms showered down like snowflakes. Eden hurried to meet him with Candace and Keno close behind.

“Any further news?” Eden called.

“Well, that depends, lass. Your father asked to see you. You can meet him in Rafe’s rooms at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.”

The request startled her. “Is Rafe there?”

“No. Jerome’s been spending all his time at the medical ward so Rafe suggested he sleep there instead of going back and forth from Kea Lani. It does show that Rafe is thinking well. Either Keno or I can take you there.”

She noticed that Ambrose did not seem as joyful as he’d been at the church before going to see Dr. Jerome.

Candace looped an arm through Eden’s. “I’ll go with you, Eden,” she offered.

“You and Keno are expected for dinner at the Hunnewells’ tonight. I don’t want to ruin that. No, I’ll take my own buggy. I wanted to see Aunt Lana anyway. She sent me a note this morning about Molokai. Is everything all right, Ambrose?” Her eyes searched his.

“We’re over one big hurdle,” he said. “That is something to be pleased about.”

As she caught Keno’s eye he looked away.

He knows what Ambrose is concerned about—and he’s unhappy about it
, Eden realized.

“I’ll go and send for your buggy,” Keno said. He and Candace hurried toward the house.

Eden turned back to Ambrose. “Something has happened, hasn’t it?”

“I’ll let your father explain the rest, lass. Stop by the bungalow on the way home tonight. Noelani will have some refreshments.” He tried to look cheerful. “I also have some other good news to share with you then.”

He turned the horse and rode down the road toward the church.

Eden sat on a rattan chair by her father and hardly tasted the crushed golden-yellow papaya fruit drink her father had ordered.

Eden watched her father slump in his chair, sipping his fruit drink. Dr. Jerome’s once dark hair and his long sideburns were tipped with gray. His lean face was tanned, leathery, and haggard from years of traversing the tropics.

Although Rafe was recovering, Eden had learned that Dr. Bolton and her father still didn’t know if he’d suffered any permanent physical or mental impairment. Eden knew setbacks were possible. She’d discussed Rafe’s condition with both Ambrose and her father.

She was dancing near a cliff’s edge where her emotions were concerned.

“I don’t understand about Rafe,” she said. “He can talk, and you said his memory seems normal. Why would he refuse to see me?”

Especially after we’d decided to marry at once
, she thought, frustration igniting her temper.

“Rafe isn’t sure about himself or his future. Don’t look so upset, my dear. It’s only reasonable after what’s happened that he should give second thought to what’s ahead. We both would do the same.”

“I understand, but it’s not just his future—it’s our future. I told you we’d decided to marry now.”

“Yes, you did tell me. But it’s rather unwise to marry so hurriedly. Especially now, when Rafe’s future is on uncertain ground.”

“When can I see him, Father? Tomorrow morning?”

“Rafe remains in critical condition. If anyone can understand how critical, it should be you, dear. His emotional level must be calm. If a blood clot forms …”

“I can help him.” She leaned forward, setting her glass on a rattan table. “After all, I’m a nurse. I’ll look after him. You can marry us—or Ambrose can—and then I’ll move here and become his nurse.”

Dr. Jerome sighed, stood, and shoved his hands into his white trouser pockets. He paced about, frowning.

“This is painful for me to explain, Daughter, but Rafe has requested I do so.”

She looked at him. “Rafe asked you to explain what?”

“I’m getting there. I’d have preferred that Ambrose tell you, but he said no. So, it’s left to me.” Jerome gazed at her with compassion. “Making you unhappy is the last thing I wish to do!”

Eden stood and walked toward her father. “Ambrose refused to tell me a message from Rafe?”

That just did not sound like Ambrose, and yet earlier at Kea Lani he had acted as if he wasn’t telling everything he knew.

“I know you have a wonderful, loving heart to help Rafe,” Jerome said. “Even so, the decision is not mine to make. I must respect Rafe’s right to discover, on his own initiative, the direction his life should take should he be permanently blind.”

She searched his troubled expression. “What did Rafe tell you that he can’t—or
won’t
tell me?”

“He does not want to discover himself blind, or immobilized, and obligated by marriage plans. He made that quite clear. A man’s pride can sometimes prove difficult. Especially Rafe. He’s always felt a responsibility to protect you. He cannot accept having the shoe on the other foot. He doesn’t want to burden you.”

The strange words sent her emotions reeling.

“Burden me?” she finally repeated. “Are you saying Rafe’s changed his mind?” She looked into his eyes. “That he doesn’t want to marry me?”

Worry filled his tired face. “Rafe does not want to get married
now.
Keep in mind that he remains ill. What he needs now is as little emotional disturbance as possible. He needs rest and time to heal his bewildered feelings.”

Eden fought for words. “Doesn’t he understand that I love him, no matter what?”

“Oh, I think he does. If he’s unsure of anyone, it’s himself. He doesn’t want to enter marriage as a liability to you. Given time, however, the outlook might change.”

“If anyone can take care of him, I’m the most skilled person to do so. If we married now—”

Jerome sighed. “You know Rafe. If he’s robbed of his sight, Eden, he won’t be an easy man to get on with. He’d rather wait to know what his new calling is.”

“I’m beginning to wonder if I know him at all.”

“I’m sorry, my dear.”

Her father’s firm hand rested on her shoulder.

She rubbed her forehead and turned toward the cool breeze from the sea.

“Still, there seems something I can do, or should do,” she stated.

“He’s made it clear he doesn’t want either of you to have the strain of seeing him just now.”

So, was that the way he wanted to handle their relationship?

“I should be part of the decision, whatever it is.” She grew angry. “So my opinion simply doesn’t matter. To exclude me is to assume I have a child’s mentality.”

Eden walked to the lanai and gripped the rail. Her heart pounded.

“Rafe is a born leader. He can’t make peace with the idea of being dependent, even if it’s your hand, Eden, he must take to lead him.”

“It’s just plain pride,” she said, frustrated.

“I think he knows that, but it won’t change his decision. He needs to go to San Francisco.”

She gasped and turned toward him, simply staring at him.

“San Francisco?” Her anger evaporated as fear took the reins.
This is dreadful! I must see him and tell him I will always love him, not for his appearance, nor for his physical abilities, but for whom he is, Rafe Easton
.

“This is for the best, my dear Eden. I’ve recommended a doctor there, Dr. Kelly. A month or two under his specialized care should give the answer Rafe is looking for. Ling will go as his valet. Rafe will stay at Parker Judson’s home on Nob Hill. Celestine will see he’s well provided for. Don’t worry.”

Yes, Celestine was staying at the Judson mansion in San Francisco. And Eden knew that Kip, the young child who would become Rafe’s legal son—and whom she’d also welcomed into her heart, mystery about his parentage or not—was with Celestine. Perhaps Rafe wished to explain to Celestine about Townsend. And where was Townsend?

“Zachary will also go with him,” Dr. Jerome explained.

So Rafe would be staying in the Judson mansion. Even though she knew Zachary was eager to see Parker Judson’s niece, Bernice Judson, Eden suspected the fair “Bunny” was looking at Rafe, admiring, and considering …

“In the meantime, it isn’t as though you have no calling of your own,” her father said. “You have your own mission on Molokai. Your mother wants to see you. I need your assistance, too. You have more than enough to do to find life worth living.”

Eden remained silent.

“I’m sure he’ll contact you when possible,” he said. But it wasn’t enough for Eden to be given secondhand assurance, even if it did come through her father. The painful reality that Rafe would not meet with her held her captive. This behavior wasn’t like the Rafe Easton she knew—or thought she knew.

She could understand his pain and his inability to put his feelings into words, for she felt the same. But to set aside marriage without speaking to her about it—

Then again, maybe it was her fault, she thought with a sudden self-incrimination. Rafe knew what she would do if they were alone together—
cry.
Yes, she would want to splash warm, salty tears all over the front of his shirt. She would promise her love, and put him in a predicament, and he didn’t want to deal with that extra burden.

But I’m mature enough to not cry if he doesn’t want tears
, she thought irritably.
If he can be unemotional about our relationship, so can I!

The pain was deeper than she thought she could bear. Far worse than losing Rafe was the truth that he could push her away with that cool determination.

She turned on her father and exclaimed, “If loss of the physical means an end to love, then what do couples do when they grow old together? Do they stop loving each other as the hair turns gray and their strength weakens? Is the ‘burden’ of failing flesh too much for one to be true and faithful?”

Dr. Jerome’s eyes watered. “If so, every marriage would end up on the ash heap of decay. And in answer to your question, my daughter, that is why I’ve searched so long for some way to save my beloved Rebecca.”

She stared at him as if meeting a stranger. Suddenly she understood her father’s motivation for traveling to far places searching for a way to rescue his Rebecca from physical corruption.

Her tears gushed, and she threw her arms around him.

A
fter taking her buggy to Honolulu, Eden had not felt up to meeting with Aunt Lana at Kalihi hospital. She needed the emotional support that only Ambrose and Noelani could give.

They warmly welcomed her at the bungalow.

No one mentioned her meeting with Dr. Jerome, so she kept silent. She was sure they already knew Rafe was going to San Francisco and that the marriage was off. The fact that Ambrose preferred not to mention it that morning, and that Keno had looked displeased, told her they were already privy to the information.

“What’s the good news you promised?” she asked Ambrose after cake and Kona coffee.

“Ah, the printing press, my lass. I’ve word from Miss Nora that she’s willing to sell us the new one in the
Gazette
warehouse.”

Before Rafe’s injury, he had arranged with Great-aunt Nora to buy the press ordered almost a year earlier, not by Nora, but by an exuberant Zachary who helped Nora and had “big plans” for the
Gazette.
Nora had expected a smaller and less expensive press to arrive from San Francisco, and already on the verge of losing her paper to spiraling debt, she had been furious with Zachary for buying it. The next best thing to returning the printer was to sell it to Rafe, who had offered her a fair price. Ambrose and Eden had wanted a printing press to use on Molokai to print Sunday school materials and perhaps, even some Bibles. Ambrose would give a young Hawaiian lad from the church training on how to run the press.