Without You I Have Nothing (42 page)

_{“What a pity,” he
said, in a mock mournful tone, reaching across to straighten her skirt and
button her blouse. Lying down again, he pulled her face tight against his chest
as he let out a loud scream to the sky.}

_{“Dear Agony Aunt,
what in heaven’s name do I do now?”  He gave a little laugh.}

_{Keeping her close and
safe, he kissed her neck and her forehead as they both struggled to regain
their equilibrium.}

_{Jennifer looked up. Holding
Peter’s face in her hands, she studied his eyes. “We almost did it, eh?  I’m
glad you had control because I had lost mine completely. Thank you for your
understanding and consideration. It makes me love you even more.”}

_{“Jennifer you are so
sweet, so fragrant, so soft and so passionate. All mine, all mine!  I belong to
you and I’m yours and yours only. You belong to me and you’re mine. Thank you
God.”}

_{Mute and unmoving,
they lay together gazing up at the branches overhead, savoring the moment as
their bodies recovered from their moment of madness.}

_{“Wow!”  The soft
exclamation from Peter was the sound that brought them back to reality.}

_{Then, with the heat
of the moment receding, they dozed.}

_{Jennifer awoke
slowly, aware Peter’s hands were moving tenderly across her shoulders, down her
back and across her buttocks, savoring the sweet curves and the tightness there
before retracing their steps. Knowing he wasn’t trying to arouse her, she smiled
and snuggled even closer to the man who was her love.}

_{“I know you’re awake,
Jennifer - you’ve stopped snoring.”}

_{“That’s not fair!” 
She gave him a quick slap on his chest.}

_{“Jennifer, can I ask
a huge favor of you?  I want to delay telling your parents until after 8 on
Thursday night. Do you think that’s possible?”}

_{“Why?”  Jennifer sat
up, pushed Peter onto his back and straddled him, not allowing him to move. “That
seems so strange. Why Thursday?  Why that time?  You really can be perplexing,
Peter.”}

_{“Well,” unwilling to
reveal his plans, Peter was thinking hard. “I want to make the announcement
really special, so bear with me - humor me - just this once. I want this
surprise to be memorable. Please Jennifer can we wait?”}

_{Jennifer stared at
him for a long time before answering. “You know I’ll find it very, very hard to
keep this to myself, but okay, I won’t spoil your fun. Perhaps I might enjoy
it.”}

_{Showing surprising
strength Peter pulled her over, reversing their position until he was
straddling her. “Thank you!” he smiled, gazing into her shining eyes. “I am the
luckiest man in the whole world. Thursday evening will be special. However,
it’s getting late so we’d better be getting back before they send a search
party.”}

_{Monday rolled into
Tuesday, Tuesday rolled into Wednesday and nothing seemed different to the
family other than the amount of time Peter spent on the phone using a strange
language and a notable increase in Jennifer’s bubbly, infectious mood.}

_{When Peter took off
on his motor bike with a “Got some special business to do,” no one asked a
question or seemed surprised. Since Peter had joined them as a guest in their
home, there always seemed to be something special in the air and the family
accepted it.}

_{Jennifer’s buoyant
spirits didn’t escape Andrew’s notice, however. Over the breakfast table,
Andrew took a good look at his sister.}

_{“Is Jennifer ill or
something?” he remarked to the assembled group. “She seems on top of the
world.”  He adopted his familiar teasing tone. “Come on Sis, what about a frown
so we know you’re alive.”}

_{When Peter asked him
to take the family to town for the day on Thursday and to return promptly at 6
in the evening, it didn’t surprise Andrew in the least.}

_{“There’s something in
the air, eh?  I thought as much,” he said with a look of smug satisfaction. His
expression changed to one of shock when Peter handed him a wad of money.}

_{“All expenses are on
me,” Peter said. “Take the family to a really good lunch.”}

_{At last, Thursday 
arrived on leaden feet. True to his word, Andrew had the family in the car
early. Peter’s excuse that his ribs were sore was enough for Jennifer to
volunteer to stay with him, but Andrew dragged her into the car.}

_{“No you don’t. I
don’t trust the two of you together on a lonely farm. Never know what you’ll
get up to.”}

_{Eventually - so it
seemed to Peter - they left. There was much to do. Hours later, an army bus
rolled up the drive and the driver parked out of sight behind the shearing
shed.}

_{On the farm, the
surprise had begun.}

_{With the traffic light
on the road back from Melbourne, the time quickly passed with constant
light-hearted chatter and laughter.}

_{It was twilight as
Andrew drove into the grounds of what he believed was his home and stopped,
disoriented by the sight before him, unable to comprehend this was their
driveway and their house.}

_{Fascinated, the
family could only stare at the myriad fairy lights bordering the driveway
scattered in the trees and around the garden. The lights took their attention
totally, so amazed were they at the sight.}

_{“What’s Peter up to
now?”  Jennifer exclaimed turning to her parents as if they could supply an
answer.}

_{Twin lines of
brown-skinned, moon-faced, stocky little men dressed in army uniforms stood at
attention at either side of the entrance steps. Each wore a white cummerbund
around his waist and white gloves on his hands.}

_{A tall, imposing,
heavily bearded figure also in uniform and wearing a khaki turban stood at the
top of the steps, and as the car stopped, he barked an order.}

_{Four of the soldiers
ran to open the doors and saluted the passengers.}

_{Introducing himself
in chant-like, heavily accented English as Rajit Singh, the turbaned officer,
with head nodding from side to side, welcomed them. “May I have the pleasure of
welcoming you to Sahib Peter’s Deepavali Party?”  He seemed almost sad as he
continued. “Sahib Peter is absent on special business, but he promised to
return as soon as possible. He should be here soon.”}

_{At first apprehensive
at the strangeness of the situation, the family seemed to relax a little once
this unfamiliar officer mentioned Peter’s name. As well, his imposing presence
and his obvious care for their comfort reassured them.}

_{Patiently he
explained that in Hinduism, Deepavali is perhaps the most well known Hindu
festival - the Festival of Lights. Houses all over India and Nepal twinkle with
tiny lights from clay lamps, lit to welcome the god Rama.}

_{He pointed to the two
statues on either side of their doorway and introduced them. The first was
Rama, one of the most important manifestations of God, and the second, the
goddess Lakshmi the Hindu Goddess of wealth, light, wisdom and fortune and also
of luck, beauty, courage and fertility.}

_{“Please escort the
memsahib and the young memsahib to their places. Bring the sahib and the young
sahib with you.”  Rajit Singh turned to lead the way to the dining room.}

_{A soldier walked with
Elizabeth and another accompanied Jennifer. A third soldier guided Eric and a
fourth ushered Andrew.}

_{Walking silently
behind the women, Eric and Andrew allowed themselves to be guided, unable to
comprehend what was happening. They heard Elizabeth’s whisper to Jennifer. “What’s
going on?”}

_{Jennifer’s offhand
answer didn’t inspire them with confidence. “I think the army’s taken us over
for the night, but which army I’m not certain.”}

_{The hallway and
dining room were ablaze with the flickering lights from small wicks burning in
the miniature clay lamps and there was a strange smell of incense in the air.}

_{It was not until one
soldier bent to hold Elizabeth’s chair that Jennifer saw a Kukri hanging from
his belt under his cummerbund.}

_{Looking around, she
noticed strange goblets on the table - each bearing the same coat of arms. The
tumblers were not the usual and the settings were not the usual - indeed only
the table, the chairs and the room were recognizable.}

_{She picked up a
silver goblet and studied the coat of arms. Her thoughts made her smile. 'Peter
is a bugger. The coat of arms is the same as that on his plaque. What is he up
to this time?'}

_{Her wondering
thoughts went unanswered. No matter how hard she concentrated, she couldn’t
come up with a solution as to why he had arranged this strange party. This was
surely going to be a memorable night.}

_{Deliberately, she
looked around for other clues and noticed the officer studying her carefully. 'Why
is the officer observing me like that?  Peter has left on business or has he?'}

_{She studied the
officer more carefully and noted the Kukri at his waist. Peter was certainly a
loveable rogue, but she was wondering what he’d planned. This game of his, as
he acted the part of a Sikh Officer, would be most interesting.}

_{At least, she knew
the answer to her mother’s question and her heart sang as she leant across to
set her mother’s worries at rest. “I believe this is another of Peter’s typical
surprises. Moreover, guess what?  He will be here soon. Tell Dad and Andrew,
but don’t let any of the soldiers hear.”}

_{Her mother had to
strain to hear Jennifer’s whisper. Grinning, she did as Jennifer suggested. The
haunted look in Eric’s eyes disappeared as he acknowledged the message and the
family sat back to enjoy the party.}

_{Taking up his
position at the door, Rajit Singh clapped his hands. The soldiers immediately
sprang to attention and began singing ‘Abide with Me’. Although the family
recognized the tune, the words were unrecognizable. For the family, it was an
emotional moment.}

_{“That was one of
Mahatma Gandhi’s favorite hymns and it’s played by the combined bands of the
Indian Defense Forces during the annual Beating of the Retreat Ceremony held on
29th January,” the officer announced when the hymn ended. “Please enjoy this
humble meal.”}

_{Again, he clapped his
hands and the waiters - or maybe they were soldiers; by now, Jennifer was
perplexed - served the first course.}

_{Eric and Andrew were
lost for words.}

_{Smiling broadly, as
if they knew a secret, the waiters placed small serving after small serving
before the family members until they had tasted every dish - from a white curry
through to a black curry. Their taste buds reeled from the variety of dishes,
and at last, they sat back, unable to continue.}

_{“I see you’re almost
finished, but I do beg that you partake of a special sweet I have personally
arranged for you.”  Rajit Singh again spoke English to them with that singsong
Indian accent accompanied by his nodding head, although throughout the dinner,
his orders had been in a language no one at the table recognized.}

_{The conversation had
been subdued.}

_{The waiters placed a
bowl of iced water and a single peeled barely ripe banana on a plate before each
of the family. Then a waiter stood beside each of them and dipped their banana
into a bowl of molten toffee before plunging it into iced water. They placed a
Toffee Banana on each plate then stood back.}

_{Jennifer was first to
taste. “Is this your recipe Rajit Singh?  If it is, you will never leave this
farm.”}

_{The tone of her voice
made the others look up from their plates before tasting their sweets. The
twinkle in her eyes boded ill for someone.}

_{“The young Mem is too
kind.”  His eyes glowed as he gave a slight bow in thanks. Then he continued. “My
men are delighted you have enjoyed their endeavors. If you have finished your
meal, would you all be so gracious as to follow me. I believe Sahib Peter will
be joining you soon.”}

_{He led the way to the
lounge that was mellow in the light of numerous small candles.}

_{Jennifer gasped to
see Peter’s altar before the fireplace together with the pictures of his mother
and father on the coffee table. Two of the family’s chairs and the settee were
set in such a way that they faced both altar and pictures.}

_{“Please be seated and
coffee will be brought to you immediately.”}

_{The Sikh Officer
barked an order and four soldiers marched in carrying trays holding coffee for
each member of the family.}

_{Only Jennifer thought
it strange that the waiters had known the preferences of each family member. She
was now positive that the game had progressed to the next stage.}