She thought about whether she should share the news with her husband.
“You know, Julia, on days like today, I wonder what the hell we are doing here. I know they pay me well, but I’m beginning to get tired of the cuts, the quinine, the imaginary illnesses and snakebites . . .”
It was definitely not the best day to bring up Kilian.
“You’re exhausted. Once you can get away to the jungle, you’ll forget about it.”
Manuel smiled. “Kilian was just telling me the same thing!”
Julia bit her bottom lip. So Kilian was at the hospital once again.
Although, she thought, if Sade’s claim was true, that chigger would be the least he deserved.
In the infirmary, Bisila finished giving Kilian’s toes a very thorough examination.
“You don’t have any chiggers, Kilian.”
“No? Believe me, it’s very itchy.”
Bisila gave him a skeptical look. “Then we’ll wait a couple of days and see what happens.”
“Bisila, I . . .” Kilian leaned toward her. “I wanted to see you. Before, we used to bump into each other everywhere.” His voice became a whisper. “Don’t you like talking to me anymore? Have I said or done something to upset you?”
Bisila diverted her eyes to the window.
Someone knocked gently on the door and opened it without waiting for an answer. Julia entered and addressed Kilian directly.
“I need to speak with you . . . alone.” She turned to Bisila. “Have you finished?”
“Not quite,” Kilian responded rapidly. “But if what you have to tell me is so important, we can continue later, if that is all right with you, Bisila?”
Bisila nodded, picked up her implements, stood up, and walked to the small adjacent bathroom. When she had finished washing her hands, she clearly heard the voices of Julia and Kilian through the wall. Was she imagining it, or had they mentioned Sade’s name? She listened closer.
“Sade asserts,” Julia said, “that you are the father and when you found out about it, you decided to end it with her.”
Bisila held her breath.
“In the first place, Julia, I have just learned from you that Sade is pregnant.” Kilian’s voice was level. “And second, it’s impossible I could be the father.”
“Yes, I know she’s a . . . I mean, you’re not the only one . . .” She clicked her tongue, a little uncomfortable. “But she’s sure about it.”
“And what do you think, Julia? If you have come here so quickly to tell me, it’s because you have doubts.”
“Kilian, even I know that during all these years, you have only wanted to be with Sade. It’s reasonable that . . .”
“You should ask Gregorio. Or didn’t you know that she has become his favorite mininga in the last few months? Maybe both of them thought that this would make me jealous, but it hasn’t worked. Sade has made up this story out of spite.” A long silence followed. “Julia, I give you my word that the last time I was with Sade was before I went on vacation to Spain. When I came back, she came to see me one afternoon, and that was when I made it clear to her that . . . well . . . our friendship . . . was over. It’s impossible that I was the one to get her pregnant, and I will not put up with any blackmail. Is that clear?” His voice was hard.
“I’m sorry for having doubted you.” Julia lowered her voice. “I don’t know what to say. If Sade’s reasons are what you suspect, I don’t think she’ll miss the opportunity to defame you.”
“No one can say they have seen me with her in the last few months.” Kilian paused. “You know me better than anybody, Julia. Were you really able to believe, even for one second, that I would have shirked my responsibilities?”
Even through the wall, Bisila noted a tone of reproach in Kilian’s voice. Seconds passed, and Julia did not answer. She heard the door close. She waited a bit longer before returning to the infirmary.
Kilian’s face lit up when he saw her. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come back.”
“You asked me to wait.”
Bisila knew now that Kilian had not been with Sade for months, but she did not want to get her hopes up again. The possibility existed that he had exchanged her for another friend. Even so, the relief made Bisila as daring as the first nighttime shadows.
“And what do you do after work? You don’t have any woman to keep you company?”
“Of course I do,” Kilian responded forcefully. Bisila looked at him, surprised by the clear and swift response, and he, with a gleam in his eyes, stared back at her for a long moment before continuing in a hoarse voice, “I’m never alone. Not for one second in the day. For months, you’ve been the only one in my thoughts.”
When Bisila got to the entrance to the dryers, she saw her father, Simón, and Kilian, and a smile lit up her face. The secret shared between the two of them accompanied her at all hours. She held her breath. They would probably have to make do with their intense and fleeting private encounters while offering casual greetings in public for the rest of their lives. Unless the spirits had pity on them and changed the course of things. For the moment, she consoled herself, the day had begun well.
That morning, Simón was impatiently moving across the metal sheets where the cocoa formed an uneven carpet, making sure that everything was working properly.
“What has you so nervous, Simón?” asked Kilian, drying the sweat that was blinding him. It was terribly hot. “The beans won’t roast any quicker no matter how many times you go round them.”
“I don’t want any delays, Massa. I don’t want the big massa to force me to be here on Saturday.”
“And what’s happening on Saturday?”
“My father is going to become the new chief, or botuku, for the Bissappoo area.” Simón puffed out his chest.
“Wow, congratulations, Simón,” said a surprised Kilian. “I have before me the son of a chief.”
“Yes, a real chief,” Simón specified. “And not like yours, who tried to be one without earning it.”
José shot a severe glance at Simón. The young man liked Kilian, but he was also a Bubi who sought independence for the island, separate from the continent. He never missed an opportunity to criticize the white colonists. José shared many of his ideas, but was very careful not to offend Kilian.
Kilian had heard stories about how the Bubis were going to name the governor their abba, or spiritual leader. The idea had seemed ridiculous to him. In Bubi culture, abba was the name given to the spiritual leader of the Moka region who had a sacred influence over the whole island. It was a hereditary title; not just anybody could be named abba. For that reason, he had taken it for granted that it was only a malicious rumor. No Bubi would ever think of bestowing the honor of being the supreme spiritual leader on a white man.
“He was a whisker away from becoming it.”