‘I. CAN’T. SAY.’
‘You would screw up my entire family so you didn’t lose a job?!’ said Flora. ‘You would literally risk the lives of people I love so that you could keep on making lots of money?’
‘That’s not how it works!’
‘You let this happen,’ said Flora. She was so white-hot with rage she couldn’t see straight.
‘Actually, I think I’m going to find out how a sick man is doing,’ said Joel furiously, pulling out his phone and heading out of the marquee.
‘Don’t forget to NOT TELL ME, ONCE YOU KNOW!’ screamed Flora after him in front of half of the guests. She turned round to also leave, but of course she then had to walk past everybody she knew in the gardens, all of them looking to her as if she knew. Innes and Hamish were approaching, and her father – oh Christ, her dad – was looking utterly confused standing next to the vicar. What a mess.
Joel reached the other end of the marquee. The helicopter was still circling overhead, but oddly not landing on the clearly marked ‘H’ over to the side of the orchard. Colton was sitting on a chair, his head nodding a little, an obviously deranged Fintan sitting beside him, pleading with him, but Colton was, of all things, on his phone.
Joel moved forward, glancing at Saif who was shaking his head in disbelief. Before figuring out what would be best, Joel turned to the watching crowd.
‘Would you mind …?’ he said awkwardly. Most people had never heard him talk and turned round. ‘I’m sorry. Would you mind … leaving, or going back to the marquee please?’ He looked at the disgruntled and concerned faces and had an idea. ‘Actually, no, hang on – Inge-Britt – can we continue the party at the Harbour’s Rest? Send Colton the bill? And we’ll keep everyone updated. I’m sure it’s nothing, just overexcitement.’
There were a few disappointed faces, but Joel looked smoothly authoritative and they had no choice but to turn away and head back up towards the house. Joel instructed the minibus driver, and let people tell Colton to get well soon, and hopefully they’d be back in time for the famous but terrible 1970s rock band he was rumoured to have flown in for the occasion.
By the time he got back to Colton, they were no further on. The helicopter was still circling without landing. Fintan was still shouting in a way that couldn’t be heard over the din.
Joel moved quietly over to Colton’s other side. ‘What are you doing? You need to get on the helicopter.’
‘I’m not getting on any fricking helicopter, dicks, and I don’t know how to make myself any more clear,’ hollered Colton. He was sweating and looked dreadful and spoke into the phone again.
‘Back off, Jim. I won’t tell you again. Get back to the mainland before you run out of fuel.’
‘Please,’ said Saif. ‘Please.’
‘SOMEBODY, JUST TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON?!’ Fintan yelled in pure frustration.
‘JOEL KNOWS!’ shouted Colton suddenly. The helicopter at that moment chose to peel off to the side, its blades whirring against the blue, taking off over the sea. The men watched it go for an instant. Then they switched their attention to Joel.
‘What?’
‘Joel knows,’ said Colton again, wild-eyed.
Joel froze. Fintan was looking at him, eyes wide with incomprehension and fear.
‘Knows what, Colt? What do you know?’ he asked, his voice bitter and low.
Flora came out from the marquee to see how the boys were; she’d seen everyone else head back to town, but she was damned if she was going. She folded her arms, ready for the fight. Her hair had escaped the bun she kept it in for catering, and it was flapping in the wind behind her back, the pale dress Joel had bought her, what felt like a million years ago in New York, blowing out in the breeze. Joel, glancing up, almost lost his breath. She looked like a fury: a beautiful, alluring avenger.
‘Tell them.’ Colton sounded husky. Saif folded his arms too, absolutely furious even as Flora stepped forwards and Joel found himself surrounded by accusing eyes. All the MacKenzies: Innes, who’d sent Agot back with Eilidh and Saif’s boys; big Hamish, who wasn’t quite sure what was going on but was standing with his family anyway; Eck, trembling a little and quite confused. Everyone was staring at him, except for Colton who was resolutely looking away and out to sea, ignoring Fintan’s hand on his shoulder.
‘What?!’ said Fintan, looking petrified.
‘For God’s sake, Colton,’ Joel swore under his breath. He closed his eyes. For a moment, nothing could be heard except the rasp of Colton’s laboured breathing.
All of this stuff. All of this stuff he had been carrying about for so long. All of this pain. His head tightened and twisted. He felt the snakes again, writhing, squeezing in his head.
As he stood there, Colton stretched out a gnarled hand, the skin tight over the knuckles, took Joel’s long fingers and squeezed them. His watery eyes stared into Joel’s.
And Joel nodded in resignation.
‘Uh,’ he said, standing up straighter. ‘I have legally signed papers in my possession indicating the wishes and living will of Colton Spencer Rogers …’
‘The what?’ said Fintan. And before Joel could get any further he burst into tears and flung himself on Colton.
Flora watched Joel in disbelief. The entire day had cracked like an egg. She saw his hands trembling, even as Colton held on to him with one hand and tried to cover Fintan’s sobbing head with the other.
‘It is his recorded wish that he remain on the island at all times, regardless of his health situation.’
Joel’s voice sounded robotic. Flora looked at Saif. He looked sad, but not at all surprised, and she realised with a jolt that of course he must have known all along too. Her fury rose even further.
‘And you were going to tell me when?’ shouted Fintan in disbelief. ‘We’re married! We just got married!’
Colton looked up at Fintan with terrible sadness in his eyes.
‘Oh my God. You’re sick. You’re sick. You didn’t tell me. You bastard. You absolute bastard. How sick are you?’
Colton sniffed. ‘About a hundred per cent, as it happens.’
‘And you weren’t going to tell me?’
‘No,’ said Colton.
‘Why? So you could trick him into being your carer?’ shouted Innes suddenly, unable to contain himself. Everyone looked at him. Fintan looked up at Colton, tears falling down his cheeks.
‘Did you not think I’d look after you? Did you think I’d walk away if I knew? Did you think I’d ever walk away from you?’
There was silence.
‘Of course not,’ said Colton eventually. He stared at Joel again, who cleared his throat.
‘Mr Rogers …’ he said carefully. ‘Mr Rogers has made it very clear in all of his paperwork that there was absolutely no evidence of coercion or weakened resolve when you agreed to marry and indeed when you did marry.’
‘What? Why?’ said Fintan.
‘So that there wouldn’t be potential complications … later …’
‘Nobody,’ croaked Colton. ‘Nobody could say you married me for money, knowing what you know now.’
‘But I don’t know anything now!’
‘Saif?’
Saif stepped forward, very unhappy to be singled out. ‘The prognosis with this type of cancer …’
Fintan let out a howl of animal misery and buried his head in Colton’s lap. Colton stroked his brown hair.
‘Sssh, it’s all right. Listen to the man. Don’t make him say it twice.’
But Fintan was muttering, ‘I can’t do this again, I can’t do this again,’ and did not respond.
Saif had done harder things than this. ‘… is … We don’t like to talk in terms of time, but months. Depending on what types of treatment are used.’
‘Months for some and years for others?’ said Innes.
‘Some or more months.’
‘But where is the cancer?’
‘It is widespread.’
Fintan raised his head. ‘You said you had the flu!’
‘I had that too.’
‘And when you were always away … and you didn’t open the Rock?’
Colton nodded. ‘I had to … finalise a few things.’