Without You I Have Nothing (62 page)

_{It wasn't long before
Peter's Tamil Father approached Jennifer. "You're a worthy wife to our
Peter. If only my wife had lived long enough to be here tonight. Now off you go
with my daughters and don't let them get you into too much trouble."}

_{With the three women
leading the way, Peter and Andrew followed and slipped into the limousine
beside the driver while the girls prattled incessantly in the back.}

_{At the nightclub,
Jennifer was astounded when two young men joined them and Peter introduced them
as the twins' husbands.}

_{"But I didn't
see either of you at the banquet!” she exclaimed.}

_{With broad smiles
they replied, "Of course not, you only had eyes for Peter."}

_{Andrew was still busy
dancing with young women who were demanding his attention when, many hours
later, Jennifer and Peter left.}

_{Peter looked quite
pleased when his sisters lightly kissed him on the cheek. "Tomorrow
morning's transport is arranged, Peter” was Nethianie's whispered comment.}

_{When he turned to see
if Jennifer had heard, he found her watching her brother with his arms around a
particularly elegant young Indian and was unaware of the conversation.}

_{A limousine waited to
take them back to the hotel. As they drove, Jennifer silently cuddled into
Peter.}

_{Back in the hotel
room Peter laughed, "Come here my sexy wife."}

_{He sat on the bed
arms, his outstretched calling Jennifer. Getting no response and hearing
nothing he walked into the lounge area to see Jennifer standing patiently,
hands at her side, grinning and waiting for him.}

_{"No, you come
here my sexy husband!”  Giggling, she stared at him as her hands began removing
his clothing while Peter struggled to hold her hands. "Oh, no you don't,”
Jennifer laughed as she pushed his hands aside. "What's good for the
gander is good for this goose."}

_{They stripped each
other, with more attention to kissing than to removing clothes, playfully
pushing and shoving each other until they were under the shower and washing the
heat of the evening and the tiredness from their bodies.}

_{Then, exhausted after
the long, difficult day they lay quietly in each other's arms talking over the
day's events.}

_{"I'm going on
strike - yes, truly, a big strike too,” Jennifer sounded annoyed as Peter's
eyes opened wide in surprise, "if you ever, ever, ever put me in a
position like tonight again!  Fancy, not warning me about the banquet!  Banana
leaves and fingers. Listen boyo, this farm girl gave up such things when she
put away her dollies and her doll's house!”}

_{Kissing her hair,
Peter dragged her against his shoulder.}

_{"I was sworn to
secrecy by my father and my sisters were threatened with death if they warned
you. The banana leaves were a mark of great honor to the pair of us and you won
everyone's heart, even if you didn't have much success scooping up the liquid
curries."}

_{A punch in the arm
was the reply to his comment.}

_{"I didn't even
have time to talk to Mum, Dad or Andrew very much. Your Tamil father
manipulated me all night, but it was a wonderful way of welcoming us -
different, very different - but still considerate."}

_{Soon their voices
dimmed and they slept.}

_{In the darkness of
early morn, Peter lay awake, thinking of the day ahead. 'Yes, my sisters said
that they had arranged transport to take us up country. I am prepared yes and
yes, I am with my wife.}

_{Looking at the clock
he realized it was almost time to leave. He nudged Jennifer until she groaned,
"Let me sleep, I'm so tired, just let me sleep."}

_{"Sweetheart,
I've been a demanding arrogant husband - bossing you around - buying your
clothes - being a real male chauvinistic pig. Please tolerate me today and I
promise you that after today you'll choose what we're to do.}

_{"However, I'm
claiming today as mine, and it will be the last time I boss you. We're equals
in this marriage, although right now you are probably thinking otherwise. Today
we're flying by helicopter to visit my father's grave, my mother's grave and
then the Malay aborigines who gave me a life.}

_{"Our day will
finish in Penang - the island where my horror began. We'll be staying at one of
the great Hotels of the East. The 'Peninsular and Orient', the old P&O as
it's lovingly called. I'll take you to my old school. Then we'll go to where I
lived.}

_{"The ghosts will
finally be laid to rest. Just put up with my emotions today. It's really going
to be most difficult for me, but with you beside me I'll gain the strength I
need."}

_{Within the hour,
Jennifer sat between the pilot and Peter in the bubble cockpit with seemingly
nothing between her and the soft greens below. Clinging tightly to Peter's
hand, Jennifer felt the chopper swivel and swoop. She listened to Peter's
reassuring voice in her headphones as he calmly navigated their route.}

_{Then, with a
stomach-lurching drop, the chopper landed on a wide expanse of green where a
road swung around in a big loop. As soon as the blades hissed to a standstill,
Peter helped Jennifer to the ground, and hand in hand, they walked across the
road to the jungle's edge.}

_{She felt the tension
building up in him as his hand tightened in hers. They approached the solitary
white cross which had almost disappeared into the foliage around it. She found
it hard to read the brass plaque. 'Wing Commander... shot... No trace of his
wife or son...' was as far as she got before tears began streaming from her
eyes.}

_{Peter sank to his
knees.}

_{With her hand on his
shoulder, Jennifer wondered how she, who was overcome by the heat, the silence,
the tranquility and the words on the plaque, could possibly be of any comfort
to her husband.}

_{Neither moved until
the distant sound of a truck painfully crawling its way up the mountainside
broke the silence.}

_{Only then did Peter
stand, and with his arm around Jennifer said, "Dad, this is your
daughter-in-law whom I love most deeply."}

_{A sudden puff of air
plucked at Jennifer's hair and in spite of the intense heat, she shivered.}

_{"Thank you Dad. I'm
glad you're pleased."}

_{Mutely they stood
until the noise of the truck faded into the distance.}

_{Jennifer jumped as
Peter's voice broke across the jungle. "Guide me Oh Thou Great Jehovah...”
and the words seemed to come from his heart with such intensity that Jennifer
wept as she put her arm around his waist hugging him to her.}

_{Slowly and pensively,
they walked back to board the tiny chopper again.}

_{Spiraling into the
clouds before dashing northwards, the chopper eventually swooped low over the
jungle rooftop once more. Soft, lush green seemed to stretch forever until
Peter leant across to tap the pilot's leg, pointing down.}

_{Jennifer couldn't see
any break in the trees - any clearing - but still the chopper began to float
carefully and gently downwards until, with a slight bump, they landed, and the
oppressive heat and peacefulness replaced the noise of the engine.}

_{The pilot hastily
left the cockpit to stand beside the chopper with a rifle.}

_{"Tiger country
Mem,” he commented.}

_{Realizing the danger,
Jennifer shuddered at the words.}

_{Peter - a different
Peter - dropped to the ground. Crouching low and ignoring Jennifer, he ran
towards the derelict huts, virtually covered in undergrowth. He didn't stop
running until he reached a spot that would once have been in the center of the
group of buildings. There he dropped to his knees, ignoring the mud.}

_{Jennifer could hear
the wail of his agony as he looked at four wooden faded white pegs still
hammered into the ground and showing signs of loving care.}

_{Not wanting to
intrude in his sorrow, yet knowing, as his wife, she was now part of his
experiences, she slowly walked to join him.}

_{The oppressive heat,
the cruel humidity, the absence of any sound and the absolute dearth of any
breeze made Jennifer wonder how he had managed for all those years. The air
seemed to be pushing down on her and very quickly, she was perspiring freely. Her
clothes clung to her skin like wet rags and her hair hung lankly to her
shoulders. The jungle distressed her, but this day was not about her. She had
to stand by her husband and comfort him in his misery.}

_{"Mum!  Why, why,
why?  Why didn't I save you?  Why, why, why?”  He threw his head up and
screamed his agony to the heavens as tears streamed from his eyes.}

_{A quick puff of air
seemed to be tugging at Jennifer's skirt and didn't die until she was standing
with Peter's head pulled against her legs, holding him tightly and allowing him
to weep in the security of her presence.}

_{The only noise was
the soft sound of Peter's sobbing.}

_{The light filtering
into the clearing was almost eerie. Shadows and light seemed to be vying with
each other and Jennifer felt a strange presence in the air. Still holding Peter
against her body, she strained to see past the far hut. In that unnatural
light, she was positive there were two people carefully studying her.}

_{One was a blonde
female, the other a man in an Australian Air Force uniform and they were
smiling at her. To clear her mind she shook her head and looked again. Only the
eerie shadows returned her gaze. She was sure that two hands, one male and one
female, patted her shoulder.}

_{Realizing she had
been hallucinating in the overpowering humidity, she looked again but was
startled to a wizened old man - brown and weather-beaten - kneeling in front of
them.}

_{Gently the old man
lifted Peter's head and to Jennifer's amazement, he motioned for her to step
back. Although he said nothing, Jennifer knew she must obey. He peeled Peter's
sweat-soaked shirt from his body as he seemed to order him to stand.}

_{Following his
directions, Peter stood and turned.}

_{Seeing Peter's
heavily scarred back, the old man let out a joyous whoop and the clearing was
suddenly full of sarong-clad men.}

_{Obviously the leader,
the old man extended an arm towards Jennifer, and with his palm facing
downwards, waved his fingers from his wrist outwards in a gesture of dismissal.
He watched her walk backwards, her eyes on him the whole time until his hand
went up to stop her.}

_{The men lit a fire
between Peter and this tribal elder. Once the fire was well ablaze, the men
piled green leaves on it. Pungent, acrid smoke rose and even at her distance
from the fire Jennifer's eyes began to water and her head spun from the pungent
odor of the burning leaves.}

_{The chief studied
Peter's fingers and the palms of his hands, and stared hard into his eyes as if
trying to read his soul before he spoke.}

_{Only Peter and the
sarong-clad men understood his words.}

_{"Little One,”
croaked the chief, "you have done well and the gods are smiling on you. You
are truly blessed to have this woman, as your wife.”  Disdainfully the chief
nodded towards Jennifer. "You and she will grow old together with your
children, and will be very happy."}

_{Then he thrust his
head up and squinted hard at Peter. Taking Peter's face in his hands he stared
silently at him for whole minutes until Jennifer wanted to scream at the
silence.}

_{"But,” he
continued in the same unknown language, "the gods demand a payment, and a
harsh reckoning it will be. Don't ever forget that you and she love each other
and that you are together through eternity. However, you will be trialed, and
the ordeal will be extremely demanding and dangerous. It may last for the next
few months or maybe even years... I cannot tell. The suffering ends when I learn
to fly."}

_{His cackling laughter
caused Jennifer to strain her eyes, peering though the misty grey smoke that
concealed him and Peter, trying to see more.}

_{"Peter, we
trained you to be a man. Now we tell you this: do not struggle against my words.
They outline your destiny. There is death, many deaths, many violent deaths,
but your woman loves you and is always yours no matter how it seems. Make
certain The Little One never turns away from her or lets her down.}

_{"To assist
you...,” he paused and held out an elaborately carved gold ring, "take
this. It is a weapon to use in the jungle you know as civilization."}

_{As he did so many
years previously he began teaching Peter how to use this new weapon.- a deadly
cobra ring.}