After three minutes, Isaac saw no improvement in Bailey waking up. Plus, the tea still wasn't ready since the water had just been boiled and the loose leaves had to brew for another five minutes. He looked over at Cody who was now preoccupied in watching over Bailey's slumberous form. Isaac could sense a deep connection between the two young adults. He knew of Cody's feelings but had an inkling that Bailey held a secret attraction for Cody even she did not know it yet herself. Isaac figured that Cody was actually the one who was sick but Bailey took on his illness in a different form. Isaac needed to walk around to stretch out his aged limbs and felt that he should give Cody time alone with Bailey. If things worked out well, Cody would be able to wake Bailey and she would get better thereafter. Isaac stood up from his sitting position and shortly addressed Cody.

"Cody."

Cody whipped his head toward Isaac as he stayed kneeled by Bailey's side.

"Yes, Isaac?"

"Maybe you should try to communicate with Bailey. She is asleep but she is like a cat."

"How so?"

"She is taking your illness and forcing it upon herself in a different form. You are the ill one, boy. You are ill in that you will not confess your love to the outside world. Even if you have to profess your love to Bailey while she sleeps then so be it. At least then you have spoken to her soul."

"But—"

"She is ill because she lacks love. Her soul needs to be filled with love. She does not love her betrothed but she still yearns and needs love. Feed her and nourish her, Cody. Do you what you must so that internally Bailey will know that someone loves her and cares about her deeply."

"But how I am going to that?"

"You can figure that out yourself. I will out for a short while taking in some fresh air and stretching out my limbs. If you need my assistance I won't be far."

"But Isaac-"

Isaac left the house. The door clattered against the door frame. Cody turned back toward Bailey. Feeling his knees getting achy, he stood up and rubbed his knee caps. Once he was all good to go, Cody sat down on the bed next to Bailey.

"Bailey, are you really acting as an emotional sponge? Are you subconsciously reacting to my love for you? Do you know how I feel, but you haven't accepted the fact that my love is true and will be good for you?"

Cody then looked down at his lap and twiddled with his fingers.

"I guess it must be scary for you to realize that I'm right here in front of you loving you. Maybe you try your hardest to ignore the voice inside your mind knowing full well that you could release your true feelings for a man who truly and deeply loves you, a man like me. You must ignore your inner voice because of your marriage arrangement with Jake. For you, it's not just about the principles of love and duty to your family, but also about your integrity and fidelity to Jake. You may not love him, but you will be faithful to him until you're released of your promise. Bailey, you must know that you stand tall with integrity, but it's not easy for me to follow the path of integrity as you."

Cody took a moment to pause and looked at Bailey.

"Bailey, you have no idea how badly I want to love you. I am absolutely desperate to touch you and hold you and kiss you. I want to make love to you. I want to have the privilege to call you mine and have children and a life with you. I want to grow old and die with you."

Cody went back to stare back at his twiddling fingers. They stopped moving without warning. Cody turned his head once again toward Bailey's direction. He felt compelled to hold her in his arms. He felt that maybe she would feel his warmth and love radiate onto her body and wake up. Cody was starting to seriously consider what Isaac said. Cody crawled over to Bailey's left side and laid down on the bed. Then he wrapped his arms around her body and pulled himself close to her. He rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Bailey, please wake up. I need you to wake up. We need to get off this island and return to our jobs and loved ones back home in America. You belong in Kansas and I belong in Massachusetts."

Cody then rubbed his stubble covered cheek against Bailey's smooth cheek. He could smell the scent of pine and strawberries emitting from her hair. He couldn't take it any longer. Cody leaned in and kissed Bailey on the cheek. The taste of her skin was an instant addiction. Cody wanted more of it. He had to have more. Cody peppered Bailey's skin with soft kisses. He trailed down from her cheek to her neck and collar bone. He even left a few kisses on her bare shoulders and arms. He kissed her hands and palms and wrists as well. Then Cody slid a hand underneath Bailey's gray tank top and carefully massaged her firm stomach, but he would not dare to go any higher than her stomach. After a few consecutive rubs, Cody pulled his hand away from Bailey's stomach and put the tank top back in place. Then he rested on his side propped up on an elbow and brushed his fingers up and down Bailey's arm. He could feel his eyelids drop halfway being sedated and seduced by the simple vision of Bailey sleeping. He leaned down once more and kissed her on the forehead and on the tip on her nose. Cody was afraid of kissing her on the lips. He was afraid that it would cross some sort of line if he kisses her on the lips. For him, it was okay to do the other things he did in hopes of waking her up and feeding her soul with love. But Cody also wanted to kiss her on the lips. He wondered if he did kiss her on the lips that Bailey would finally wake. Cody tilted his head toward Bailey's face and left no space between his and her lips. Oddly enough, he did not feel guilty. If Jake found out later, he could kill him when he had the time to. Cody decided to let go and gave his all in the kiss. Before Cody could pull away, he could feel Bailey's lips warm up and move under his own. He opened his eyes and pulled away just as Bailey's opened her eyes. He moved away from above her. She saw him resting on her left side.

"Cody?"

"Hey, Bailey."

"Where are we?"

"We're in Isaac's home. He just recently left to stretch out his limbs. He should be back soon to pour us some tea."

"Who's Isaac?"

Before Cody had a chance to explain to Bailey who Isaac was, Isaac came in. Bailey saw him walk through the door and could see for herself who he was. Isaac saw Bailey up and happily walked over to his bed.

"I see that you're awake, Bailey. Cody must have done what I suggested to wake you up."

Bailey pushed herself upper half forward and sat up straight.

"And what would that be?"

Isaac smiled at Bailey and then looked at his sundial.

"Oh! The tea is ready. I'd better get some cups out and pour the tea. Pardon me."

Isaac walked over to the kettle and got out some cups from a cupboard. Then he poured the tea in the cups and brought the three tea cups on a clay tray. Cody and Bailey both took a cup and thanked Isaac. Then Isaac had set down the tray and grabbed his cup and walked over to his bed. He sat at the edge of the bed and took his first sip. Without looking at Cody or Bailey, Isaac spoke up.

"Drink up, you two. Tea is good for you. Drink now."

Cody and Bailey looked down at the golden-green liquid in the clay cups and smelled it. The tea had an aromic scent to it. Bailey took a sip of her tea before Cody had chance to drink his. When they all of them had a few sips of their tea, Isaac broke the peaceful silence.

"So, do you two feel better?"

Bailey smiled. "Yes. Thank you, Isaac."

Cody blinked once or twice before he had processed the question.

"Yes. Thank you for the tea. It's delicious."

"That's good to hear. Drink up and I will tell you everything that you need to know and what you want to know about this island. I'm sure you will be wondering why I am the only one left on the island. So, drink the rest of your tea and we will talk."

Cody and Bailey looked at each other with slight confusion and then shrugged their shoulder at the other and went back to drinking their tea. As he heard the soft slurping sound behind him, Isaac also drank the rest of his tea. When the three adults were done drinking their tea, Isaac got off his bed and took Cody and Bailey's cups and brought them to the sink along with his own. Then he walked back to the bed and joined Cody and Bailey on the mattress.

"So, do you two want to know what happened on this island?"

Cody and Bailey simultaneously nodded their heads yes.

"All right. I'll tell you. If you two have any questions, please refrain from asking them until the very end."

"Sure, Isaac."

"Okay. Here goes…"

Isaac took a deep breath and then began his tale of how the village used to be and how everyone was happy how life was. As he went on with the story, he told Cody and Bailey of an evil witch doctor who lived among the village people and how he had put curses on certain families. The farther the madness went on, the more determined the village people were to get rid of the witch doctor. The witch had escaped the village and hid in the rainforest. While many other villagers abandoned the island for their safety, some village warriors stayed behind and went on a manhunt to kill the witch doctor. They eventually cornered him and did away with him, but to a terrible cost to their own lives. Isaac explained that he was part of the manhunt party and that he was the only one left alive on the island. From the day that he was left alone, he vowed to protect the rainforest and welcome lost souls and help them return to their homes. Once Isaac was done with his tale, Cody and Bailey took a few moments to let everything sink in. When they were ready to speak, Cody was first.

"So Isaac, how many people have you come across who were lost at sea?"

"Over the years, I have encountered at least five people per year and I've been alone for forty years."

"So, you've met two hundred people in the last forty years?"

"Well, two hundred and two because of the two of you, but yes. That's how many people I have met since your arrival."

"Did people get lost on this island in some seasons more than others?"

"Yes. People commonly come in the spring, summer and fall seasons. I hardly have seen anyone during the winter season. But they will come year-round and I help them back to their home lands."

Bailey frowned. "But don't you get lonely? Don't you ever consider leaving yourself?"

"I have thought that after my first ten years, but I figured that I know how to live on the island and it is where I was born and raised so I decided to stay. Besides, I wouldn't know how to function well in a modern setting."

"It's too bad. You could be around more people and not be so lonely."

"Yes. Well, we all must sacrifice something for the greater good."

"I see."

Cody looked over at Bailey when she uttered 'I see'. He was worried that she was sacrificing her happiness for her family. Maybe it wasn't that. Maybe she was simply stating that she understood Isaac's general perspective of things. Cody just hoped that she was sympathizing with Isaac rather than saying that she was sacrificing a part of her life for a greater good. Cody then looked back at Isaac.

"So, Isaac, how did your people leave the island?"

"They left by boats and launched off the western shore."

"Do you know where they went to?"

"To the nearby island that is northwest of this island."

"Did you ever consider visiting your people?"

"I did once or twice before but by the time I had the nerve to visit them, I was fifty and I knew that they wouldn't recognize me and I wouldn't recognize them. So I stayed here."

"That's terrible. I'm very sorry for your loss, Isaac."

"At least I can protect the rainforest and I can be at ease when I grow too old to move and eventually surrender my body to the earth."

"I guess when you put it that way that it doesn't sound so bad. But it still can't be the most exciting life."
"It's not, but I have all that I need to lead a comfortable life."

Cody gave Isaac a sad smile.

"I almost don't want to leave you. I'll feel bad when we leave."

"Me too, Isaac."

"Don't worry about me, you two. You have lives to continue back in America. That is your home and where you belong. This is my home and this is where I belong. It's only natural that you return to your home."

"I guess you're right, Isaac. But-"

"No buts, Cody. I'll be fine. You two need to go back to America."

"Cody, Isaac's right. We have to eventually return to our homes and lives."

Cody turned toward Bailey and saw reassurance and determination swirling around in her beautiful brown eyes.

"Okay. We'll leave the island."

Then Cody turned back toward Isaac.

"How should we make a boat?"

"I can write down instructions of how to make a sturdy boat. Excuse me for a moment."

Isaac got off of his bed and went to another room. Cody and Bailey looked at each other.

"I guess we'll be on our way to going back to America."

"Yeah."

Bailey looked down at her lap.

"Cody?"

"Yes?"

"Will you still come to my wedding when I give you an invitation?"

"Yes."

"Even if it's far away?"

"Yes."

Bailey looked up back at Cody. Her cheeks turned a rosy color.

"Thank you,"

"No problem."

Cody looked down at his lap for a brief moment and then glanced back up at Bailey.

"Um, Bailey…"

"Yeah?"

"I want to tell you something."

"What's that?"

"I have", Cody paused, "this confession to make."

"And what would that be?"

"It's been bothering me ever since we became friends."

"And?"

"Well, I want to clarify something with you."

"Please, get it out of your system, Cody."

Cody looked up and straight into Bailey's eyes. He got his heart stuck in his throat and then swallowed it down along with his courage. He chose a less revealing confession.

"I apologize, but it completely slipped my mind. I had forgotten that Zack had transferred from the Marines to the Navy about a year ago."

Bailey's eyes dropped down to the bed sheet. It suddenly became more interesting than Cody talk about Zack. Cody leaned over the bed.

"Bailey? Will you say something?"

Bailey turned around from Cody and played with folded over sheet.

"Did you anger you? Is it because I hadn't mentioned that he was in the Navy sooner that maybe he could pick us up? Would you have rather left this island sooner if you knew that Zack could pick us up?"

A hush breath escaped Bailey's mouth. Latent poison threatened to surface her tongue. Cody gingerly reached over for her and placed a steady hand on her right shoulder.

"Bailey?"

The tips of Bailey's ears were getting dangerously red hot. Cody leaned even closer to her so that his arm had no over choice but bend toward her backside and drape over her shoulders.

"Bailey? Are you mad at me? Please, at least let me know how you feel. I'm not sure the true extent of your feelings, but I do know that I have displeased you some way."

Bailey turned her head away from Cody's. Just then, Isaac came back into the room with a piece of paper in his right hand. Cody heard Isaac come in and turned his head toward his direction. He dropped his hand from Bailey's shoulder and hopped off the bed. Isaac gave Cody the piece of paper that had instructions for building a boat. Cody thanked Isaac and asked what some of the short-hand words meant and Isaac gladly explained. When Isaac was done explaining how to make a boat, he wished Cody and Bailey luck. Cody gave Isaac a hug and thanked him. Then he turned around toward Bailey.

"Bailey, come and say goodbye to Isaac. We're on our way to return to America. I have instruction on how to make a boat."

Bailey grumbled something about Zack and then got off the bed. She walked past Cody and gave Isaac a cheerful and sincere smile. Then she gave him a warm hug goodbye and thanked him for all that he had done. Once she bid Isaac, she began to walk out of the house. Isaac looked over at Cody.

"Is she mad at you?"

"Yes. But I don't know exactly for, though."

"Don't worry. She'll turn around. You just got to be patient. When it comes to emotions, women couldn't farther from men. They like to let the pain be noticed, simmered, and then correctly patched up. They don't want to sweep it under the rug. They want to work out things so that they are assured that everything is okay."

"I know. I learned that from my mom."

"Give her time. She'll let everything out in due time. There is a reason why women are compared to flowers."

"Why is that?"

"They take a long time to bloom, but when they have the chance to bloom, they are very beautiful with delicate petals and strong stems."

"Oh. I get it know."

"Now less talk, she is waiting for you and getting angrier with each passing second."

"Okay. Thanks again, Isaac. Bye!"

Cody was jogging away as he uttered the last word.

"Bye, Cody. Claim your true love before it's too late."

"I'll try."

Then Cody left. He walked five feet outside of the house until he saw Bailey waiting for him by an additional ten feet. Cody approached Bailey.

"Stay close to me so we can get back to the hut for our stuff."

Bailey didn't say anything.

"Okay then."

Cody walked toward the hut and Bailey followed close behind as Cody had suggested. During their walk, Cody felt uneasy. He could feel Bailey piercing his backside with a scornful stare. The tension broke into sharps pieces like broken glass when they arrived at the hut. Bailey had put on her shoes and buttoned up her pink shirt without looking at Cody. She then grabbed her backpack and swung it over one of her shoulders and went outside. Cody watched Bailey get her belongings and then proceeded to put on his hiking shoes and green shirt as well. Then he grabbed his camelback and placed each arm through the straps. Afterwards, he picked up his spear from the ground. As soon as he left the hut, Bailey looked at him.

"Bailey? Will you please say something?"

"Leave me alone right now."

"Bailey, please, I value our friendship too much to let it fall. I don't want to lose you."

"Cody, be quiet. I'm not in the mood for speaking to you right now. Let's just get back to our camp so we can make a boat and leave this island."

"You know, if you have something to say, you should say it now. I don't think that it's worthwhile dragging it out for much longer."

"You really want to know what's bothering so much?"

"Yeah."

"It's not about Zack being in the Navy."

"Then what is it about? I'm confused because I thought that you would be mad about that."

"I wouldn't be mad at you forgetting that Zack got promoted or transferred from Marines to the Navy."

"Then what are you mad about?"

"I guess you didn't learn from the first time we spoke of the topic. Shut up about Zack! You know, I'm starting to get really annoyed by you belittling yourself. Do you really want to know what I think of Zack?"

"No…"

"I'm going to tell you anyway. I think that he's a fucking asshole who doesn't deserve to be in the armed forces, shouldn't have graduated high school when he did and shouldn't have even went to a freaking community college! He's a leech of your life! And you are a self-loathing, self-pitying man! For crying out loud, Cody, what's wrong with you?! Do you realize how much you have to offer to society? If women knew how wonderful you were they would be flocking to your side and want to be your girlfriend or wife. Heck! Even a woman like me would want to try to your wife. Why can't you fucking see that for yourself?!"

At first Cody was shocked then he was offended and hurt. But he knew what Bailey had said was true. And then something wonderful caught his attention. He looked at Bailey and smiled at her. Bailey was confused and took a cautious step backwards.

"Do you like me more than a friend, Bailey?"

"No."

"You must be or else you wouldn't lash out at me like that. You said that you would like to be with me."
Bailey began to stutter and blush.

"I did not say that. I said that a woman like me would want to be your wife. I didn't say that I, personally, would want to be your wife. Don't try to twist my words, Cody. You know what I said so just leave it alone."

"But you meant what you said, didn't you?"

"Yes. So what?"

"Bailey, do you have secret feelings for me? You must since you had put so much effort in feigning intense anger towards me. Maybe some of your anger was real, but you just made yourself believe that you were fed up being around me so you added it onto your existing anger."

"I don't know what you're talking about. At any rate, I am sorry for being so harsh with you, but I do want you to know that I'm more than tired of hearing about your brother. I also want you to know that I don't hate you. I could never hate you, Cody."

"Why?"

"I don't know why. But will you forgive me?"

"If you will forgive me for being so insufferable when I talk about Zack."

"You're not insufferable, Cody. You just need to have more self-confidence and respect for yourself. You're a great guy, Cody, and any woman would be happy to be called yours."

Cody raised a mocking eyebrow. "Any woman?"

"Would you give that a rest?!"

"Fine."

"So, are we okay? Do you forgive me?"

"Yes. Do you?"

"Yes."

Cody sent a soft smile to Bailey. She returned the favor. Then Bailey extended her right hand out for Cody to shake. He didn't take her hand. Instead, he walked up to her and cocooned her in his caring arms and gave her a warm hug. Bailey was caught off guard at first, but then she reciprocated Cody's action and wrapped her arms around his body. Cody gently and tenderly rubbed Bailey's back and softly spoke in her left ear.

"I'll always be there for you, Bailey, because that's what good friends do."

Bailey slightly pulled away from Cody and corrected him.

"That's what best friends do."

Cody realized what Bailey truly meant and smiled. Then he releases her from his arms.

"So, we're okay?"

Bailey flashed a giddy grin to Cody and happily hummed in agreement.

"Great. Shall we head back to camp?"

"Yes."

Cody smirked and then walked in front of Bailey to lead the way. Bailey faithfully followed close behind Cody and had put her trust in him to lead them safely back to their camp. Halfway through their way to the camp site, Cody and Bailey were travelling down a hill. Cody looked back at Bailey to make sure she was okay. As he looked after her, Cody had not realized where he was going. Before he knew it, he fell down a hole. Bailey raced toward the edge of the hole and knelt down looking for Cody.

"Cody!?"

No response. Bailey thought that he heart had stopped. She didn't know what she should do.

To Be Continued…