Alright, who's ready to find out what happened between Penina and her sister?
Chapter 25 – Moon and Pearl
Samoa, 1973
Penina could feel the mud splashing up onto her legs as she ran through the village. Rain pelted against her, soaking her clothes as she raced to the small fale she shared with her sister. Looping around the building, she jumped over the few stairs to the entrance, kicked off her flip flops outside and pulled aside the woven door covering it. Finally, she stood on the mat, breathing heavily and moved the loose strands of hair plastered to her forehead. "It's really coming down."
Masina was busy securing the last of the woven blinds to a post to keep the rain out of the open structure. "Obviously."
Penina accepted a towel from her sister and patted her hair and face with it before wiping her feet. Masina picked up her sister's bag and purse, moving it to the side before sitting cross-legged on the matted floor. Her floral lavalava slipped up above her knee, giving a glimpse of her intricate tattoos and a patch of white skin. "I brought in a plate of food for you as soon as it started drizzling."
"Thanks, sis." Penina hung her wet clothes from a line stretching between two wooden poles and changed into a loose-fitting T-shirt. She wrapped a dry lavalava around her waist. The traditional sarong was comfortable and familiar after being in her uniform all day. She plucked the woven leaf plate from where it sat on a bench and gave silent thanks before digging into the perfectly cooked fish. "Did you catch this?"
"This morning. I still love fishing even though almost no one will eat anything I catch."
Honestly, Penina had her own hesitations. No one knew why Masina's skin had started changing four years ago. It was subtle at first, just a few spots here and there. Now it had spread, mostly on her face and hands turning her skin ghostly white along with a few mottled areas on her arms, legs and torso. The general consensus was that she was cursed – that God was punishing her for something. Penina, being a nurse, knew there had to be a medical explanation, but she was unsure what it was and even the doctor she worked for had never heard of such a thing. She hoped the condition was not dangerous to her sister…or contagious to anyone else.
"How was work?" Masina asked.
"Good. There's exciting news – we're going to have a visiting doctor from Australia helping us for a while. I've been chosen to work with him. I have so many questions about where he's from." Penina smiled softly. "Maybe someday I'll go there. I want to see the whole world. Don't you?"
"Well…I have traveled." Masina was one of the few people in the modern world to sail a traditional vessel from their village to Tonga and then to Fiji and back again. Despite not really wanting to venture too far, she knew her way around in a canoe. "And I was never more relieved to come home. I don't have a need to see the world. Samoa is my world. I want to stay and have my adventures here…including maybe someday getting married…if anyone will have me."
"What? You're beautiful." Penina paused to savor the side of taro cooked in coconut milk. "Besides, it's not like I'm getting a lot of offers. I think they're threatened because I work instead of just caring for the home and watching children."
Masina sighed. "Well, none of the men in the village look past my skin."
For twins, the sisters could not be more different. Both had long, black hair and full lips, but that was where the similarities ended. Penina was short with a round face and eyes that sparkled with joy. She was a naturally happy, optimistic person. She had a tendency to put on weight easily if she didn't watch herself. However, now her job had her on her feet most of the day and her body had a slightly plump, but curvy frame with ample breasts and hips that swayed with ease when she danced. Masina was a whole head taller, her face longer and her eyes an almost golden-brown color that were sometimes bright and warm or could be dark and mysterious. She had curves, but was leaner, her muscles defined from her time on the ocean, walking around and hiking up around the waterfalls. The truth remained that aside from her disfigurement, her sister was one of the most beautiful women in the village.
The next morning at work, Penina changed into her white dress and pinned the paper cap on her pulled back hair. She was one of three nurses at the small clinic helping Dr. Afoa. After four years of working there, she was quick, decisive, smart and compassionate – plus, her English was the best – for these reasons, she'd been chosen to work primarily with the visiting physician. Penina didn't consider herself a shy person, but he was young – maybe a few years older than her with golden blond hair and skin bronzed by the sun. He shook her hand and flashed a smile of teeth so perfect Penina wasn't sure they were real. "G'day. Call me Dr. Bruce."
His accent was so dreamy, she almost forgot how to speak and her voice came out soft and thin. "Talofa…I mean, hello."
"And what's your name?" His soft blue eyes were busy studying her face.
"Penina Levea."
"Now it's first name first here, right?" When she nodded, he continued. "And what does 'Penina' mean in Samoan?"
"Pearl…like from the sea."
"What other ones are there?" he asked with a laugh. "Can I call you 'Nina'?"
He could call her whatever he wanted as long as he kept talking. "That's fine."
"So, what do you know how to do?"
"I can take vitals and dispense medicine. I'm very good at keeping children calm – oh, and I help deliver babies."
"And you were trained here?"
She nervously licked her lips. He was probably used to much more modern facilities and nurses with more training. "Not in this clinic. I did a year of training at the hospital in Apia, followed by a year of working there."
"That's the capital, right? On the other island?"
Penina nodded. "It's a big hospital…well, bigger than this clinic anyway and they have surgical facilities and x-ray technology…"
"You don't have x-rays here?" Disbelief tinged his voice.
"There are a lot of things we don't have. If someone breaks a bone, we set it as best we can, splint it and tell them to go to Apia."
"There can be a whole host of complications with broken bones if they're not treated quickly."
"Oh, believe me I know, but we just don't have the resources. We also don't have IVs."
"If you got them, do you know how to start them and time the drip?"
"Yes. I also know how to draw blood and give injections."
"Perfect. So, with all your skills, what made you want to come back?"
Truthfully, there were times she missed Apia. There had been a few Friday nights she wished she could just go out and see a movie with her friends from back there, but… "I missed my family and my village. I heard Dr. Afoa was in need of another nurse, so I said goodbye to the capital and came back. You're an awfully long way from home. What made you want to come here?"
Dr. Bruce walked with her down the short hallway, looking quickly at the three exam rooms. "The hospital I work at is being renovated, so we were encouraged to volunteer to help people in under-developed countries. I'm sorry, but how many people do you see here?"
The way he called Samoa 'under-developed' smacked of arrogance, but she kept her cool. Perhaps they weren't as modern as Australia, but they didn't need to be. Well, she had to admit that maybe in the medical field, some modernization wouldn't hurt, but that aside, she knew most were content with simple living. "Sometimes seventy or eighty a day."
"With three exam rooms and one doctor?"
"Easy things the nurses can treat – scrapes, simple fevers, things like that. We also practice traditional medicine – natural cures and massage. As I said, I help deliver babies when mothers are close, but most women give birth at home." She recalled that Masina was also trained to help laboring mothers, but since her skin started changing, the women didn't want her help fearing their babies would be cursed.
"Well, you'll have to show me how things work because it sounds a lot different than where I'm from. How old are you, by the way?"
"Twenty-Four." Practically an old maid. She wondered if he was married. He didn't wear a wedding ring, but that didn't mean anything. She knew plenty of people who were too poor to afford them. Of course, this probably didn't apply to doctors in foreign countries. He likely made more money in a year than she'd see in her entire life.
Over the course of the day, she found him easy to work for and he appreciated her help in navigating how things worked here. He marveled that they had a fridge, which caused her to roll her eyes behind his back and explain that some of the medications needed to be kept cold. He laughed heartily. "Sorry, I tried to prepare as much as possible, but I honestly thought you all lived in little huts with no electricity."
"Not all of our fales," she emphasized the word, despising that he called it a 'hut', "have electricity, but many buildings do. We may not have all the fancy things you do, but we are a civilized society, Doctor."
"I meant no offense. I guess perhaps the book I read was outdated. It had all these black and white photos of topless women and people covered in tattoos."
"We are a Christian nation, so you won't find women wearing anything too scandalous here, however tattooing is still a very important part of our culture."
"You don't have any tattoos."
Penina looked down at her white dress and tights, smoothing out her skirt. "Not that you can see." Oh geez, was that flirting? She willed herself to tone it down. He might be handsome and have an accent that made her weak at the knees, but he'd also said a few insulting things. He didn't need to be wondering what was under her clothes. Besides, there was no way this could play out. Her grandfather was a matai – a chief, and not just a family chief, but high chief of the village. How would it look if she got involved with a palagi…a foreigner?
Still, his friendly eyes and smile stayed in her mind on the bus ride back to her village. The rains had gone and the weather was once again sunny and warm. She was fortunate enough to have a window on the open-air bus that looked out toward the sparkling ocean. What would it be like to cross that ocean…to set foot in a foreign land? She had a passport she'd acquired in Apia, but money was the problem. She didn't make much and what she did make went mostly to help the family.
Her mother intercepted her as soon as she got off the bus. "Penina, go home and put something nice on. We have visitors in the village."
She always left her uniform at work during the week so it would keep clean, so on the ride home she'd worn a plain lavalava and T-shirt. She ran to her fale and quickly changed into a green puletasi. Skillfully, she took her hair down, brushed it and then pulled it back again. She wondered who the visitors were – foreigners, other Samoans, family they hadn't seen in years? The smell of delicious food hung in the air over the village as she made her way to the communal fale and greeted her father and grandfather. Her grandfather led her over to a mat near the front where two young men sat wearing button down shirts and shorts. They weren't family and she didn't know them, so she figured they must be from another village or even another island. Her grandfather introduced her and she sat down, smiling at them. "Talofa."
"Talofa. I'm Josh Matua," one of them said, shaking her hand. "We're visiting from American Samoa. I have family in the village, but my friend here is just tagging along."
The other young man smiled. He was a little husky, but she knew he'd be tall if he stood and he had a pleasant face with lively brown eyes. "Fetuao Palamo. It's nice to meet you. So, your grandfather is the high chief?"
"Yes," she answered with a humble expression.
Instruments started playing lively music as five dancers took their place just outside the fale in an open area where everyone could see. Masina was in the middle, dressed in a ceremonial outfit, dancing flawlessly, her feet hardly moving as though she were a spirit. Her hands, her fingers, capturing every move, telling a story with her body, which glistened in the late afternoon sun as her skin was covered in a thin layer of coconut oil. She looked regal while wearing her crown of shells and feathers. Despite her skin, she was still their taupou – charged with performing the taualuga for their guests, among other duties. Penina watched her with a smile. They were both talented dancers, but Masina had the perfect body type for it. Her sister glanced in their direction, smiling softly, her eyes lingering on the young men before the music beckoned her to turn.
"Who is that?" Fetuao asked.
"My sister, Masina." Penina had to hold back a chuckle as she noticed the longing in his eyes.
Penina would later hear Fetuao say he'd just seen the woman he was going to marry.
One of Masina's favorite things to do was to walk on the beach after sunset, away from the village, letting the quiet of the night surround her – and on lucky nights, like tonight, she was bathed in the light from her namesake. She'd heard people had actually been there, as impossible as it seemed – human beings had stood on the moon. Part of her wondered what that would be like, but as she felt the sand below her bare feet, she knew home was where she wanted to stay. Now her sister, well, Penina would likely jump at the chance to fly to the moon if she could.
The sand now squished up between her toes as she moved closer to the ocean and she inhaled that fresh scent she'd come to love. Why would she ever leave Samoa? It was paradise and despite some of the things said about her, she had no desire to leave. The visitors seemed nice enough and surprisingly didn't regard her as a freak. Especially the one who couldn't take his off of her – Fetuao – didn't seem bothered by her marbled skin.
Masina took her hair down, grateful to be free of the headdress that had been woven into it. She shook her head and sighed as the ocean's gentle waves kissed her toes. A light breeze caused her lavalava to flutter around her legs. Being the taupou was hard work, but it was her position until she got married, which at this point seemed like it may never happen. The village was full of children and she wondered if she'd ever get the chance to bring a few of her own into the world.
The sound of sand shifting underfoot caught her attention and she turned to see one of the visitors standing there. "Did you follow me?"
"No…yes…kind of…I just wanted to introduce myself. Fetuao Palamo and you're Masina, right?"
She eyed him suspiciously. Despite her desires, fear always crept in trying to ruin any chances she had with men. "Yes. I saw you sitting with my sister."
"She seems nice, but I…I wanted to say you dance pretty girl…pretty good – very well. Yes."
A smile tugged at her lips, but she fought it. Perhaps he thought her skin's mottled appearance was a trick of the torches back in the village, or the moonlight now reflecting off the water. When he saw her in the daylight, she knew he wouldn't find her nearly as pretty. "Thank you. Well, bye."
He reached out his hand, but before he could say anything, she ran off, leaving behind only the sound of the ocean.
"When are they leaving?" Masina asked her sister a few days later. "I turn around and there he is again…"
"Why not go for it? I thought you wanted to get married."
She sighed. "He's going to leave eventually and go home."
"You realize that Samoa and American Samoa are only separated by a border, right? If you did hit it off with him, it's not like you'd go far." Penina shrugged. "Same people, same culture – different flag."
"I heard they're a little more modernized than we are," Masina said, looking out of the fale at the ocean. "Would I have a canoe there or do they only have western boats? I don't know how to drive a boat like that."
"Modern isn't always bad. It would be nice to be more up-to-date at the clinic, that's for sure. Dr. Bruce keeps grumbling about how we have nothing here and, compared to first-world countries, he's right. We could treat so many people with better equipment and medicines." She picked up her bag and purse.
"How long have you had that coconut purse?"
Penina ran her fingers along the smooth, brown shell held together with a clasp. A red flower was painted on it. "Years, since grandma gave it to me." It had been a gift on the last birthday her grandmother had been alive. "I know it's a tourist-y thing, but it reminds me of her." She opened it briefly, seeing a few tala inside along with a perfect pink shell she'd found one day shortly after her grandmother died. "Well, I have work. Have fun on the ocean."
As Masina made her way through the village, a few people said hello to her, but most eyed her suspiciously. The sound of hurried footsteps found her ears and in a moment, Fetuao was walking beside her. "Hey, Masina. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine," she replied simply.
"Word around the village is you're pretty good at fishing."
"Yes."
"Mind showing me? I used to go as a kid, but it's been a while."
Masina turned and faced him when they'd reached the shore. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"
"Should I be?"
"Surely you've heard the others say I'm cursed." She picked up a fish trap and set it in one of the canoes. "I mostly catch for my family. No one will eat it if they know it came from me."
"Lucky for you, I don't believe in curses. We're all different, right?"
She gave him a slight smile. "I just wish there was a reason – an explanation. It started when I journeyed to Tonga years ago and I thought it was from spending so much time in the sun or something. We've tried traditional cures, but we don't know what it is. No one else has it, so I'm pretty sure it's not contagious."
"Well, I'm not scared, so tell you what, you take me out there and catch some fish, I'll make an umu and cook it up for you."
"You know how to cook in an underground oven?"
"Yeah. I mean, we don't do it all the time, but when there's a village celebration, all the men get together to cook a traditional meal."
Masina stepped up into the canoe and grabbed a paddle. "Okay, get in."
The weather that morning was perfect for fishing and Masina was able to fill up the basket with small fish and catch larger prey with a wooden pole. "As much as I love tradition, if I could, I'd get a modern rod – you know, the kind you can reel in."
"Oh sure, lots of places sell them in Pago-Pago. Say, in a boat like this, could you go there?"
"It would take a while. A canoe with a sail would be much faster provided the wind is with you."
"And that's what you sailed on your journey?"
"Yes." She paused for a moment, listening only to the sound of the waves lapping against the canoe as the warmth of the sun surrounded them. Despite her fears, she was comfortable around Fetuao. Did she dare hope maybe this would work out? Masina took a breath as his eyes studied her with no hint of judgment in them. If she didn't do this, her dreams of a family might never be realized, so she smiled and finally took down the wall around her heart.
The days at the clinic were long and Penina found herself putting in more time as Dr. Bruce insisted on keeping notes on every patient who came in. "If something goes wrong, it's important to pinpoint what happened. Back in Australia we have a charting system. What happens if someone sues and you can't prove what you did or didn't do?"
Penina shook her head. "That's never happened. The attitude is different here. The patients understand we do everything we can, but sometimes everything isn't enough."
"So when someone dies, they just accept it?"
"We understand that death is a natural part of life, Doctor." She laid her finished papers on a counter in the exam room. "If we're done, I should get home. New family chiefs – matai – are being named today and my sister is in the ceremony."
"What does she do?"
"She's the village taupou, so on this occasion, her job is to mix a drink called 'ava. It's very important and…"
"I'm sorry – she's a what?"
"Taupou – it's…" Not a princess, but how could she explain this in English? "Usually, she's the daughter of the high chief who helps in certain duties around the village, but my grandfather has no daughters who are unmarried and being a virgin is a requirement."
"Like a ceremonial virgin, then?"
"Yes, I guess so."
Dr. Bruce sat back in his chair. "So, if a volcano is about to blow, then…she's the one you sacrifice?"
"What book did you read? We don't do that." Penina chuckled at the ridiculous statement.
He laughed. "And are you?"
"What? A taupou?"
"A virgin."
Penina's cheeks flushed with heat at such a personal question. "I am not married."
Another laugh escaped him. "That's not what I asked. Marriage is not prerequisite for sex."
As a nurse, the word 'sex' shouldn't have shocked her, but she wasn't used to discussing it so openly…especially with a man. "It is for me. I should be going."
Penina ducked into the small employee room and changed her clothes. It was Friday so she slipped the white uniform in her bag so it could be washed over the weekend. She made sure her time card was filled out before heading to the station and climbing up into one of the colorful buses she knew would take her straight to her village. She felt fortunate to have a window seat where she could watch the scenery go by and have a light breeze to cool her…that was until there was a large pop from upfront followed by the bus wobbling as the driver pulled over and rolled to a stop. She sighed as the driver got out to assess the damage and waited until he told everyone it could be an hour or more before another bus came by.
Some people grumbled softly, having come from further away, however Penina realized they were only one town away, so she decided to go the rest of the way on foot. It took almost an hour and a half to walk the distance, but she felt more productive walking than she would have waiting around. Plus, she was able to stop at a small shop on the way and surrender some money for a coconut, out of which she drank the water to quench her thirst. The shop keeper took pity on her when he heard she still had a ways to go and filled her coconut shell with tap water for the journey. "Faafetai," she thanked him.
By the time she arrived, she could tell the 'ava ceremony was over as people were sitting in the communal fale sharing a large meal together. She glimpsed her sister on a mat with Fetuao and smiled at seeing Masina laugh about something. He was handsome and there was no doubt that she might have pursued him herself if he and her sister weren't hitting it off so well. After all, Penina was cute enough with unblemished skin, so she might catch someone's fancy.
"Hey, Nina." One of the young men nearby clicked his tongue and winked.
"Bug off, Tanielu." Penina retreated to her fale, tempted to put down a sleeping mat and simply curl up for the night, but to do so would be disrespectful. She needed to at least make an appearance and congratulate the men recently named chiefs of their families. Plus, her stomach rumbled at the delicious smells wafting over the village from the feast reminding her she hadn't eaten since lunch. As she changed into a puletasi, her thoughts turned back to Dr. Bruce and she smiled. Maybe…just maybe…if she played her cards right, he'd fall for her and take her back to Australia with him…perhaps he was the ticket to making her dreams come true.
Penina was roused early by her mother who told her that her assistance was needed immediately. "Several of the matai are sick – including your grandpa."
"What's wrong?"
"Throwing up, mostly – probably just some kind of food poisoning."
She quickly got up and followed her mother, finding exactly the same thing at each house. "I'm not sure if it's from food or water," Penina said, "but, I have something to ease the symptoms." She gave each family an herbal remedy and instructions to try and keep the afflicted men hydrated.
"You know why this is happening, right?" the wife of one man asked her. "It's that sister of yours – she mixed the 'ava and now every man who drank it is violently ill."
She raised an eyebrow skeptically and she wouldn't say 'violently ill' – more like a small stomach upset. "I don't think it has anything to do with her. Most likely there was a problem with the 'ava root or the water used."
"It's her," the wife insisted. "She's cursed and now she's spreading the curse to the entire village."
Penina wanted to tell her to stop being ridiculous, but the woman was her elder, so she bit her tongue. The last fale she visited was her grandfather's where she mixed the herbs into water and gave it to him to drink. The men recovered quickly within a day, but whispers had spread around the village about Masina, who walked around with her head held high as though it didn't bother her.
"Why should it?" she asked Penina that evening as they were preparing to sleep. "I haven't done anything wrong."
"People are saying it's because you're together with Fetuao…that maybe you two have…"
"That's crazy!" Masina plunked her brush down and began pulling her hair up into a bun. "We haven't even held hands!" She huffed angrily and lay down on her mat. "I'm still capable and worthy of being a taupou."
"I believe you. I'm on your side – forever."
And Penina meant it, even as she noticed a definite romance blossoming between her sister and Fetuao over the next few weeks. Masina seemed not to care what the villagers thought, but suspicion had been cast on her. One evening Penina came home to find the two sitting in the fale talking. She knew her sister wouldn't do anything, but just the two of them being alone together wouldn't look good to others.
"So, you've never even considered it?" Masina asked.
Fetuao laughed lightly. "It's a huge undertaking."
"I'm just saying, you're worthy of one – you've been to war."
"And you'd find me more attractive with one?"
Masina shrugged. "I mean…it's the mark of a man. I feel if someone is willing to take on the responsibility of his own life…and the lives of others…he should have one."
Penina sat down on a mat. "What are we talking about?"
"She's trying to convince me to get pe'a." He passed a plate of food to Penina. "I've been on the fence about it. I mean, my dad didn't get it; neither did my brother. If I ever moved, I'm not sure how well it would be received."
"Why would you ever want to leave?" Masina asked.
"Well, my brother lives in New York and I've considered going there myself." Fetuao cleared the last bit of pork off his plate before continuing. "I mean, it's not set in stone, but there are more opportunities to living in the United States. Plus, any children of mine would be citizens instead of nationals, which comes with many more benefits for them. Sure, they'll let me fight in a war, but voting for president, not so much. Especially for girls, if I had them – so many more opportunities."
"There are opportunities here," her sister countered. "Penina's a nurse. That's a good job."
Fetuao nodded. "Yes, being a nurse is a respectable profession, but what if my daughter could be a doctor? Even in American Samoa, people are very traditional, so their options are limited. On the mainland – man – women are making a fuss about equality and I believe they'll get it. Even for me – I finished school with a degree in accounting and I'm doing nothing with it here."
Masina looked down at her hands clasped in her lap. "So…you like educated women?"
He put a hand on her shoulder. "I like who I like."
Penina knew Masina wasn't stupid; after all, she'd had the same basic education through high school that was required, but nothing beyond that, aspiring to live a traditional village life. After Fetuao had left and they were settling down for the night, Penina asked: "How would you feel about moving away?"
"I think I'd be lonely. I wouldn't know anyone and I'd be so far away. If I were just going to his island, it might be different, but he's talking about New York."
"It could be an adventure."
"Who knows when I'd be able to come back…"
"You could see snow." Penina had only seen pictures of it and tried to imagine what it would be like – like cool spring water, she thought, but even colder. "You want marriage, right? Children? This might be part of it…following and supporting your husband."
Masina hugged her knees to her chest and sighed. "We're not married and I would have to know he's really serious about me to even consider it."
This gave Penina something to think about as well. If she hit it off with Dr. Bruce and moved to Australia, she and her sister would be worlds away. She suspected he liked her as he was very complimentary on her work and seemed to find excuses to keep her after work to chat. One weekend, Penina took the opportunity to ride the ferry to Apia where she spent a few of her hard earned tala on some mascara and lipstick. She tucked it away in her coconut purse next to her pink shell, not wanting anyone to ask who she was trying to impress. As she walked into the village after work one day, she wondered how her parents would react to Dr. Bruce. Certainly, they had no problems with foreigners. In fact, their village had often welcomed many tourists from other countries. Marrying one, however, may cause them to react differently.
The familiar tapping sound coming from a fale caught her ears and she looked over to see who was getting tattooed now. Her own tattoos had hurt and though she was proud to have them, she wasn't itching for more. She was surprised to see Fetuao lying stomach-down on a mat while the tufuga ta tatau skillfully tapped an intricate design into his skin. Masina sat by his head, one hand on his hair and the other holding his in support. Her eyes locked with Penina's as the twins both smiled at each other. Well, Penina thought, I guess he's really serious…
"What seems to be the problem today?" Penina asked as she led an older woman and her daughter back into the exam room.
"I hurt – it started a few months ago under my arm and now my chest and legs are hurting," the woman explained.
Her daughter helped her mother onto the table. "She's been tired and gets out of breath very easily."
Penina took her vitals and then gently felt under the woman's arm, her brows furrowing at what she found. "I'm going to have the doctor take a look." This was not something for a nurse to handle, in fact, she was pretty certain she knew what it was. Her new makeup made her feel bold and confident as she presented her findings to Dr. Bruce.
"And what does it look like to you, Dr. Nina?" He asked in a joking tone.
"Cancer," she said. "And it's probably spread to her bones and her lungs."
Dr. Bruce followed her down the short hallway. "It's hard to diagnose without better technology, but if it's spread there's nothing we can do. Even in the modern world, advanced cancer is terminal."
She stood to the side taking notes while Dr. Bruce examined the woman and then had her translate exactly what they'd suspected. "He's going to prescribe some pain medicine, but there's nothing we can do." She put a hand on the daughter's shoulder. "Keep her comfortable. He says it won't be much longer."
The sadness reflected in their eyes stuck with her all day right up until the moment she placed her finished notes on the counter in the exam room Dr. Bruce also used as an office. "I can't stop thinking about that poor woman."
"It's hard to see cases like that. The cancer likely started over a year ago. There was quite a large tumor in her breast and another in the tissue under her armpit." He looked over her notes. "You're a very good nurse, Nina. You would do well helping others in a more developed country. Have you considered it?"
"Well…perhaps. It would be hard to leave home, but it would be nice to live somewhere I can actually help people beyond what we have here. I mean, maybe if she'd had testing earlier…"
He sighed and tapped his pen against the counter. "Cancer is a difficult disease to treat. We're making progress and sometimes if it's caught early enough we can remove the tumor before it spreads and hope for the best."
"You must have all sorts of technology for that."
"There's a machine that's fairly recent for imaging breast tissue looking for changes, but honestly the best thing a woman can do is her regular self exam." He sat back when he saw her confused expression. "You're telling me you don't even teach women to do this?"
Honestly, she'd never even heard of it. "Um…I'd need some training, then I could…"
Dr. Bruce stood and started washing his hands. "Unbutton your dress and lay down on the exam table."
"What…me?"
"How else did you expect me to train you?"
"Um…" Penina felt heat creep into her cheeks. She pushed her worry aside; he was a doctor after all. However, she couldn't ever remember needing to undress so much even for a doctor and no man had ever seen her chest. Her heart pounded as she undid her buttons and unhooked her bra, sliding it off before she took her place on the table.
"Raise your arm and put your hand behind your head. That's the best position for this."
She felt her nerves melt away as he touched gently below her armpit, pushing in a little further. She wasn't even sure what she'd been concerned with as she realized that he was being professional about it. "That's where her tumor was."
"There's breast tissue in this area too. Now, you'll have to palpate a little deeper because your breasts are…well…bigger than most."
Penina winced a little when he pinched her nipple lightly. She could almost hear her mother's disapproving voice telling her to get dressed – that this was not appropriate – but she pushed it out of her mind. Of course it was appropriate – he was a doctor and this was just an exam. She gasped when his hand covered her other breast and squeezed gently. His thumb swept over her nipple causing heat to pool below her stomach. She was absolutely certain this was not part of the exam anymore and she knew she should ask him to stop.
Before she could, however, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, coaxing her mouth open. It wasn't as if she'd never kissed anyone, but she wasn't used to this kind of kissing…or this kind of touching. Her heart sped up as her lips tingled and he made the kisses more aggressive. She should pull away and tell him to stop. This was not right or appropriate…and, God, he had broken the kiss and his lips her on her neck now, teasing a spot that sent electricity shooting down her spine.
This was okay…right? As long as she didn't completely give in…she could fool around and keep herself pure. She knew plenty of girls who did who were still virgins…or were they? His free hand was in her skirt now, fingers ready at the waistband of her tights…
Present Day
"Okay, Mom…before we go any further…ew, gross." Jasper had never thought of her mother being with anyone…not even her father…she hadn't wanted to. "I mean, I get lots of women want to get it on with some hot Aussie bloke…is that the term…yeah…but I don't need to know what happened down under."
"You don't even know what happened," Penina countered.
Jasper tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "I have a pretty good idea. Wait…all these years you told Amethyst and I to save ourselves for marriage and…you didn't?"
"Well…I told him I was waiting…"
"I remember."
"I told him we should stop…but I don't think he heard me."
Her hand, which had been resting under her chin fell onto the table as she got that sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "What?"
Penina waved her hand dismissingly. "I told him I didn't want to, but maybe I was too quiet…or I wasn't clear enough."
"I'm sorry – in what way is the word 'no' unclear?" And Jasper could see a flicker in her mother's eyes…a hint of that young, naïve girl truly believing that this man would listen to her…that he wouldn't have…couldn't have…done that to her. Her silence was a scream of pain from a secret she'd held for fifty years. "Did…did you tell anyone?"
"Only your father."
Jasper reached over and covered her mom's hand with her own. "I'm so sorry, Mom."
She shook her head as though banishing the memory. "Anyway, when the time comes I forget that, I won't mind."
"You never went to therapy or…nothing? You just kept it in?"
"It was over and done. Women didn't broadcast all their business back then." She took a shaky breath and released it slowly. "Besides, I put on all that makeup and unbuttoned my dress…and even if I let him do the exam, I should have stopped it right when it started."
"Mom, I want you to listen to me." Jasper squeezed her mother's hand. If her mother weren't on her way to forgetting it, she'd tell her to consider therapy – to be able to deal with this trauma she'd kept hidden for so long. However, she'd likely quickly forget the therapy sessions themselves…soon enough she'd forget she even told her daughter. At least in this moment, Jasper could offer some words of comfort. "You did nothing wrong, okay…and you're not alone. He did something wrong – very wrong – to you – HE did. It had nothing to do with what you were wearing or how you were acting."
"I don't want to talk too much about it. I just pretended it didn't happen and moved on…"
"That's not moving on – that's suppressing it…" Oh God, she never wanted to bring this up with either of her parents, but her mom needed to know that Jasper really understood the pain she was feeling. "That's what I did and it nearly drove me insane."
"You…? Oh, Jasper…when?"
She'd leave out anything that happened in the prison – that was a very different situation, but instead focused on her assault by Sergeant McCoy. That seemed like so long ago now, but she could still remember how hard it was to breathe with him on top of her. She remembered the fear that engulfed her like cold water and the shame that consumed her afterwards as she believed she'd done something wrong. "I was twenty-two. I told Lacy, but it took about eight months before I ever brought it up in therapy. You know why it hurts so bad? Because someone you trusted hurt you. A doctor…a fellow soldier…people who should care about you and help you…and when they do shit like this, it's a huge smack in the face. And I thought it was my fault too because he knew I was sleeping with other soldiers, but it wasn't. You're not alone and it wasn't your fault."
Penina pulled away and threw her hands up. "I don't want to talk about it! I didn't talk about it then and I don't want to now!"
Jasper sat back in her chair. "Okay, we don't have to. Where do you want to continue your story?"
"Well, let's see – that next month or so is really unremarkable except your father finishing his pe'a…it got infected…"
Samoa 1973
"It's been red and swollen just around the belly button," Fetuao told her as Penina examined it at the clinic.
Masina stood off to the side, leaning against the wall. She wore a puletasi she only reserved for going out. There was also a flower in the left side of her hair signifying her changed relationship status. "We've been using coconut oil to keep it moist and ocean water to clean it."
Penina pressed on it, pushing aside her nausea as some pus leaked out. Usually it didn't bother her, but she'd been feeling off for a few days now. "Okay, I'm going to get Dr. Bruce to take a look. You may need antibiotics." She turned to her sister. "I'm also going to give you a bottle of sterile saline – clean salt water is good for cleansing; ocean water is full of bacteria."
She walked down the hall and informed Dr. Bruce of her findings. His brows furrowed together. "Why on earth do they think washing their wounds in ocean water is a good idea?"
"It's what's been done for centuries and some of them…" like her sister, "…are resistant to change."
He followed her to the exam room and looked at Fetuao's stomach. "It's not terribly bad – keep it clean, but dry – stop with the bloody salt water – and I'll write you a script for an antibiotic ointment." Dr. Bruce looked at Penina with raised eyebrows as his way of telling her to translate.
"He speaks English. He understood what you said."
"Sorry about that, mate. Not all of you do."
"It's required learning in school," Masina interjected.
Dr. Bruce gazed over at her for a moment, his eyes scanning up and down before he pulled a prescription pad from the pocket of his white coat and scribbled on it. "Apply this twice a day for the next week. If it doesn't clear up, come back. I leave on Friday, but I've made notes so if you need to see Dr. Afoa, he'll know what's going on." He unceremoniously handed the paper to Fetuao and left.
"He…uh…he's interesting," Fetuao commented as he pulled his shirt back on.
Penina sighed. "I heard him muttering something the other day about 'this whole backwards place' and how he couldn't wait to go home." She couldn't believe she'd had a crush on him. She wouldn't wait for him to leave either – then she could push aside the wrong he'd done to her and forget about him. She said goodbye to them and took a few deep breaths before calling back the next patient who was from her village. The heavily pregnant woman seemed relieved to sit on the exam table. "What seems to be the problem today, Samaria?"
"I haven't felt my baby move. He's due any day, but I worry something is wrong."
"That's not uncommon when you get close; there's not much room in there for him, but let's check for a heartbeat." Penina grabbed a stethoscope, putting it to her ears and moving the other end around the woman's belly until she finally heard the rapid heartbeat. "There it is and timing it on my watch…it's 140, which is normal, so I don't think your baby is in distress, just cramped."
"Thank you, Penina. Anything to get labor started sooner?"
"I've heard spicy food and walking can help." She lowered her voice. "Rumor has it sex can get it started too."
Samaria laughed. "You think I'll let my husband on me when this is what happened?!"
After she was gone, Penina's thoughts turned to her own stomach and how queasy she'd felt the past few days. She knew Masina's flow had come and gone two weeks ago, but Penina hadn't had hers. With her training, she was pretty sure she knew what was going on. She knew there were ways to test for it, but not here. They had a lab at that hospital in Apia, but that was a long journey to confirm what she already knew. However, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to relocate to Apia for a while – get lost in the capital where she could have her baby and give it up for adoption. Provided no one from her village saw her, she could get away with it and she was chubby enough to be able to hide it for four or five months before she really started showing.
She'd become accustomed to leaving her notes on the counter of the exam room at the end of the day and Dr. Bruce not usually saying much more to her than a simple 'good night' or 'see you tomorrow', but tonight he asked: "How long has your sister had vitiligo?"
"What?"
"Her skin. How long has it been like that?"
"About four years." Vitiligo…it had a name. "What is it exactly?"
"It's a disorder where the immune system attacks the cells necessary for making pigment – that's what gives your skin its color – making it turn white."
"Is it…dangerous? Or contagious?"
"Neither, though some evidence has pointed to it being passed on genetically."
"And is there a cure?"
"No, but it will usually stop spreading on its own at some point."
Penina breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. My village thinks she's cursed."
Dr. Bruce laughed. "That's ridiculous. You know, Nina, for one of the natives, you're very bright. You should look into moving abroad and pursuing real medicine – not this witchcraft, voodoo nonsense."
Her cheeks flushed with angry heat, but she kept her tone level. "I like it here and natural medicine is not witchcraft…or nonsense. Good night, Doctor." She left before he could reply. 'For one of the natives' he had said – as though she was so different from him. They were both human with the same capacity for knowledge. As much as she did like it here, maybe she'd do it. Maybe she'd find the means to move away, become a doctor and show him just how smart she was!
Moreover, she couldn't wait to get home and tell Masina what she'd found out. She'd have to tell her grandfather too so he could let the people know once and for all that she was not cursed or dangerous. As soon as the bus stopped outside her village, she ran for her fale, only to be stopped by Fetuao. "What's up?"
"They could probably use your help. Samaria's in labor."
"Really? That was fast."
Fetuao laughed. "Well, apparently you told her to walk, so she walked all the way from the clinic and when she got here, her water broke. Masina and your mom are with her."
Penina giggled and shook her head. "That crazy woman – I didn't mean from the clinic!" She went to their fale where the blinds were drawn and Samaria's husband was standing nervously outside with a few other men who were telling him it was normal to feel anxious, but this was also a happy day. She heard the woman's pained groans as she pulled back the blind covering the entrance. She knelt down by Samaria. "How are you doing?"
She panted and her face contorted in discomfort. "Is it usually this painful?"
"That's normal."
"How long does it take?"
"It's different for everyone, but first babies can take their time."
Samaria let out another groan and leaned her head back. Penina would take care of the medical portion of everything while the other women took turns keeping Samaria comfortable – rubbing her back and stomach, giving her sips of water and speaking calmly to her as the evening progressed into night and her labor intensified. Finally, in the darkest part of the night, just before dawn, Penina helped deliver her baby. "It's a girl!" She wiped the baby's mouth and gave her a firm slap on the behind causing her to belt out a healthy cry.
The new mother got to hold her and comfort her before Penina's mother washed her. She turned and motioned for Penina to come over, speaking quietly. "I've seen it take babies a few days to get their full color, but this baby is really white."
And it was true, from the hair on her head to her perfectly formed toes, the little girl was as white as the sand on the beach…or some of Masina's skin. But Dr. Bruce had said Masina wasn't contagious…that no one else could get it…that it might be genetic, but she knew no one in Samaria's family had vitiligo. It was possible this was something entirely different, but it didn't bode well for her sister especially when the infant was handed to Samaria and she frowned. "Why does she look like that?"
Penina put a hand on her shoulder. "We don't know, but I can ask the doctor where I work…"
"I know why." Samaria looked accusingly at Masina. "You rubbed my belly – you rubbed it with your pale hand and now my baby has your curse!"
"I-I didn't do anything wrong," Masina stammered.
"What did I do to make you curse me and my baby?! Get out of here!"
Penina wanted to go after her sister as she ran from the fale, but she had to stay and ensure everyone stayed healthy and massage Samaria's abdomen to help her uterus shrink down. It was a few hours later before she was able to leave. She would have to walk to the main road, to a store in order to call her work from a payphone and let them know she wouldn't be in. She didn't want to take a day off as that meant she didn't get paid, but after that night, she was in need of rest.
She ran through the village and toward the shore where she knew Masina might be if she weren't already out on canoe. She tripped and fell, her coconut purse opening and spilling its contents on the grass. Penina quickly scooped the money and makeup back into it and walked slowly until she passed by a shaded part of the beach, keeping her presence discrete as she heard her sister and Fetuao talking.
"I just can't believe she thought I cursed her child," Masina said. "I'd never do that…I don't know what I did to deserve this."
"Nothing – there has to be an explanation. You know – and I know you've been reluctant to talk about this – but if we moved, there might be someone who could figure out what this is."
Masina sighed heavily. "I know you want to go to New York and be close to your brother, but I don't want to live that far away."
"We don't have to go to New York," he told her. "Look, I want to move to the United States, for all the reasons I've said before and I know you like island living and a tropical environment. We can compromise on this."
Masina laughed. "How? We can't both get what we want."
"Hawaii," he said simply.
"Hawaii?"
"It's still far, but not as far as New York and it's part of Polynesia. It's also a state, where our children will be born citizens and have every opportunity I want for them." He wiped his palms on his lavalava as though he were sweating nervously. "I love you, Masina. I want to be with you and to realize my dreams – I want my dreams to be your dreams…"
"Fetuao, I…"
"No, let me finish. I don't have a lot to offer you – I realize that – and I know I haven't known you very long, but I can't imagine being without in my life. Wherever I go I want you with me – I want to build a life with you and have children with you…"
"But my face…my skin…"
"Is beautiful – it's you. I wouldn't change a thing. You're unique and special and wonderful and I want to marry you!"
Masina paused, gazing at him in stunned disbelief. "What was that?"
Fetuao took a deep breath and released a sigh. "I don't even have a ring to give you, and I know it's a lot to ask, but will you marry me, Masina?"
Penina didn't wait to witness her answer, undoubtedly knowing what it would be. She quietly slipped away and began walking toward the main road winding along the coast. Everyone thought her sister was cursed, but now she was getting exactly what she'd always wanted – a husband with the promise of children. She was getting what Penina wanted too – an opportunity to get off the island and see the world. She was left wondering what she had done so wrong as to end up pregnant and unmarried.
When she returned from the store after making her phone call, she rolled out a sleeping mat in her fale to try and get some rest. She thought about the make up in her purse and how she'd put it on to make Dr. Bruce think she was beautiful. Well, she didn't feel beautiful now and had no one else to blame but herself for her predicament. It rang in her head that her sister had followed the rules and her dreams were coming true, while Penina's life was being plunged into a nightmare. She opened her purse and took out the makeup, putting it in the bottom of her trunk where she kept her clothes. She counted through her tala, making a mental note to give most of the money to her family later. Something was missing and it took her a moment to realize it was her shell…the perfect pink one she'd kept for years. It was a ridiculous reason to cry, but the tears started anyway. She hugged her knees to her chest as she thought about the makeup in the trunk and the baby growing inside her…and of her shell…her perfect, pink shell she'd lost forever.
She slept most of the day, returning to the beach later on. It was quiet and the only people there were a few tourists tanning in the sun and a few families from the village. Masina and Fetuao sat in the sand talking softly. Penina sat down beside them. "How are you guys doing?"
"I spoke with Grandpa," Masina said. "He told me the council is probably going to give the taupou position to one of our cousins. Even he's having trouble explaining how Samaria's baby came out white."
"Did she cheat on her husband maybe? With a palagi?" Fetuao suggested.
"I have a hard time believing she would, knowing her, but even if she did, the baby wouldn't be completely white. Even foreigners have some color to their skin," Penina pointed out as she watched one of the tourists rub sunscreen onto their bronzed arm.
"I didn't even get a chance to tell him we're getting married." Masina sighed. "But since we are I guess I'd be losing my position soon enough."
"When were you thinking of having the wedding?" Penina asked.
"Well, I have to return home for a bit because I'm reaching my sixty day limit here," Fetuao explained. "So, I'll be going tomorrow – I'll tell my family and we'll set a date when I return in a couple of weeks. Probably by the end of summer."
Penina wondered when they were planning to move for good. No doubt they might spend some time in the village after the wedding, but Masina would probably follow him back to American Samoa and eventually to Hawaii. Suddenly, her sister got up and ran towards the waves, reaching out and catching the small hand of one of the children who was wading in a little far and had slipped beneath the water.
"Come on," Penina heard her say. "Let's take you back to your mom."
Fetuao smiled as they watched her walk off with the toddler. "She'll make a great mother someday."
"Yeah." Penina pulled her knees to her chest and looked out at the ocean.
"You've been quiet lately. Anything you want to talk about?"
"I hardly know you."
"Now that's not true. I'm going to be your brother in a while anyhow." He nudged her with his elbow. "So, what's going on?"
Her eyes wandered to the others on the beach who were too far away to hear and the foreigners who didn't speak their language. She'd wanted to keep it in, but couldn't do it anymore. She shut her eyes, squeezing out tears. "I'm pregnant."
"I-I didn't even think you were seeing anyone. Are you getting married?"
Penina shook her head. "It's Dr. Bruce's…I told him to stop, but he didn't…"
"Did you tell him about the baby?"
"No. He wouldn't care. He thinks we're stupid – he's said as much and I doubt he'd step up and do the right thing. He wouldn't know the right thing if it came up and bit him on the butt." She wiped her tears away. "I think the only thing to do is to go to Apia and have the baby and give it away. If I have it here, there goes any chance I'll get married."
Fetuao put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry that happened to you. If I got a woman pregnant, I'd do the right thing. In fact, if I wasn't with Masina, I'd offer to marry you – to spare you that shame."
And despite bringing up her trauma and her delicate situation, she found herself laughing a bit. "You're too good for this world, but I wouldn't ask you to do that. Masina has been worried for years she wouldn't find anyone and it's obvious you two love each other. It would break her heart."
He nodded and smiled. "I couldn't do that to her. I can't wait to marry her. Can you keep a secret?" When she told him she could, he pulled something from his shirt pocket. "I found this in the village and the pearl I found shucking oysters."
A lump rose in her throat as she stared at the perfect pink shell and pearl in his hand. "It's…"
"Beautiful, right? My aunt carves and sells wooden combs. I want to have her put these on one and give it to Masina as an engagement gift."
"I don't know – it'll be pretty, but Masina is practical. She'd probably appreciate a modern fishing rod more."
Fetuao chuckled. "Well, maybe I'll buy her one of those too."
"She'll love both, I'm sure."
He slipped the items back in his pocket as Masina joined them again. He intertwined his fingers with hers. "Did you get the child back safely?"
"Yes, thankfully his mom had nothing bad to say about me returning him. She was just relieved he was back as she should be. He almost got pulled out by the undertow." She squeezed her fiancé's hand as the sound of a conch shell being blown rose above the village signaling curfew. "Time for prayer…then dinner…I'm starving."
Penina stayed behind for a moment, looking out at the sea and knew all her prayers from now on would be asking for help out of this situation…or strength to endure it.
A piercing scream from one of the houses cut through the evening sometime after prayer and dinner, alerting everyone in village. One of the women ran toward Penina and Masina's fale with a limp child in her arms. "Help! Penina help me! He's not breathing!"
"Lay him down," Penina told her. She took a look at his blue face and wiped away the foam from his mouth, but more frothed out. He was cold and…familiar…she gasped. He was child Masina had pulled from the water. Penina pressed her fingers to the toddler's neck and had to fight back tears when she found no pulse. "I…I…"
The mother knelt beside them, her voice cracking. "No…"
"What happened before this?" Penina asked.
"He was sleepy – couldn't keep his eyes open – so I lay him down for a nap and then when I checked on him…" Tears slipped down her cheeks. She turned and slapped Masina's hand away when she tried comforting the grieving woman. "Not you! You…" She simply shook her head and scooped her child into her arms, holding him gently.
Masina rose slowly, looking around at the crowd who had gathered…who were all eying her suspiciously. She caught sight of Samaria, her eyes shooting daggers as she held her pale baby. She saw her grandfather sigh as though even he may not be able to save her now. She ran off, past all the fales, into the woods, trying hard not to let it get to her as her throat tightened and she burst through into a clearing she knew well where a waterfall crashed down into a swimming hole.
It took a moment for Fetuao to catch up with her. "Masina…"
She whirled around and faced him. "I know I was hesitant about leaving my home before, but now I'm not! I'm not sure I'll be accepted wherever we go, but anyplace is better than this! I'll go anywhere with you!" Masina broke down into tears and fell into his arms. "Please…just take me away from here…"
He firmly hugged her. "I leave tomorrow, then when I return in a week, we'll get married and I'll take you away – as far as you want, okay?"
Masina nodded and wiped her tears away. "Just stay with me tonight."
"What will the village think?"
"Let them think what they want. They're already replacing me as their taupou…I don't know what they're thinking after this whole thing…all I need and want right now is you."
Fetuao kissed her softly and held her close, easing the pain in her heart and the worry in her mind and she surrendered to simply being with him in a place where all she knew was his love and protection.
Penina was unsure if Masina had stayed out all night, or crept back into the fale for a few hours of sleep before heading out for morning fishing. Either way, she wasn't on her mat when Penina woke up. After getting dressed and eating a quick breakfast, she made her way through the village, noticing the matai up early having a meeting with her grandfather. She had no doubt it was about Masina and her heart pounded as she knew full well whatever it was, it couldn't be good. But…her sister had done nothing wrong…surely they had to know that.
She arrived at the bus stop to find someone familiar waiting. "Fetuao…talofa."
"Hey, Penina."
"Is Masina okay?"
He nodded, sorrow clouding his eyes. "She went fishing. I have to get to the ferry so I can go home, but I promised her I'd return in a week. How are you doing?"
"Fine, though I'm starting to feel a bit sick in the mornings," she said, keeping her voice low.
"Does your sister even know?"
Penina shook her head. "No one does…except you."
"Well…I don't know what I can do, but…I'd recommend telling Masina. I mean, she'd want to help however she can…I do, too."
"Thank you."
"I mean, obviously I haven't discussed it with her yet, but if adoption is what you're thinking, I'd be willing to help. I don't have a lot, but I could love any child."
"That's…you don't have to…"
"We're family – or we will be soon – so any child of yours, regardless of how it came to be, is also family and we take care of each other."
She gave him a small smile as they boarded the bus and sat next to each other. The bumpiness of the road didn't help anything and he rubbed her back as she leaned out the open window during a stop and spewed her breakfast out on the side of the road. Penina sat back in her seat as the bus took off again. "I'm sorry you had to see that."
"It's okay."
Tears sprang to her eyes. "No, it's not okay…how dare he…"
"Hey, hey…" Fetuao hugged her. "He shouldn't have done that to you, but you have me and your sister and your parents if you open up to them. I'm sure they'll understand."
"They won't. I acted inappropriately. I was wearing makeup and flirting…"
"No, Penina, stop." He put his hands on her shoulders. "This was not your fault. Looking pretty and flirting were no reason for him to…"
"Don't say it…please." Her eyes looked around to other people on the bus, though they seemed not to be paying attention to them.
"You didn't give him permission and he shouldn't have done it. I have half a mind to go in there and he should be thankful he's a doctor because when I'm done, he's gonna need one!"
She gave a weak, half-smile. "Wow, I feel sorry for any guy who messes with Masina."
"Oh, anyone does anything to her, there's no doctor that can save him. They'll be taking him straight to the graveyard."
The bus rolled to a stop in the small village where Dr. Afoa's clinic was located. "Thank you…for talking to me. I, uh…I guess I'll see you in about a week then."
He stood to let her out and gave her a hug before she walked off the bus. She slowly made her way the short distance to the clinic where a few people already lingered outside the entrance. She changed into her uniform and took a few deep breaths to calm her stomach before she entered the exam room. "Good morning, Dr. Bruce."
"Morning. How is that young man doing, Nina?"
"Oh, Fetuao? His tattoo is healing well and he's on his way home." She kept her eyes cast down, hardly able to look at him now that her pregnancy was progressing. Three more days…three more…and then he'd be gone and she'd never have to see him again. She could have the baby, give it away and move on with her life. She heard the front door open and murmurs of conversation.
"You were gone yesterday. Everything okay?"
"A woman in my village had a baby, so I was helping." She paused remembering the baby's pale skin. "Are you sure that vitiligo disease isn't contagious?"
"Very sure."
Still avoiding his eyes, she told him about the baby. "I mean my sister helped and the baby is completely white."
"Okay, Nina, you have an obligation to make these people understand medical conditions and I won't be here much longer for you to ask. Can't you go to the library and look it up?"
"The closest library is in Apia."
"Of course it is." Dr. Bruce sighed. "It sounds like the baby has albinism. The conditions are similar in that the skin doesn't produce pigment, but albinism is a genetic mutation. Neither are contagious; it's just a fluke coincidence." He listened as she told him about the other child, shaking his head. "I thought you were smarter than that, Nina, but I swear you believe in this 'cursed' nonsense too. It sounds like, from what you described, he died of dry drowning – water got into his lungs, but suffocated him slowly over hours instead of killing him immediately. The fact that your sister touched him is irrelevant."
"You're positive?"
"Yes." His tone brimmed with annoyance.
She thanked him and walked to the waiting room to call back their first patient. As she flashed a fake smile and brought them back, one thought kept her going: three more days…
As soon as she arrived in the village, her mother met her at the bus stop and grabbed her arm. "Penina, come with me."
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"They're having a village meeting…I'm afraid they're going to try and banish Masina, but they're putting it to a vote."
"Why would they do that? She didn't do anything." Disbelief consumed her…they could do that. She recalled what Dr. Bruce had told her…none of these tragedies had been due to Masina or her vitiligo. Then something else crept into her mind…Fetuao…if Masina was banished, they likely wouldn't get married and Penina would have to bear the shame of being an unwed mother. Over the course of the day, she'd gotten comfortable with the idea of her sister and Fetuao caring for the child, rather than give it up to someone she didn't know. Now she'd either have to raise it herself – alone – or say goodbye forever.
The communal fale was crowded by the time Penina arrived and sat cross-legged on a mat near the front with her extended family. Her mother gave her hand a squeeze and whispered: "We have to keep the family together."
As usual, the counsel of chiefs sat in the front, representing the five families that made up the village. Masina was seated off to the side, her head down, awaiting to hear what her fate would be.
"We are here because a curse has descended on this village and the chiefs believe the best way to rid us of this misfortune is to banish the person who has brought it," the Chief Orator said. "While we realize Masina Levea is diligent in her work and skilled at both sailing and fishing, God has seen something in her that displeased Him. As we know from Biblical examples, He has cursed her skin and we cannot let that blight spread as it already has to the Leasiolagi family. Please, Samaria, show us your baby."
The new mother stood, her eyes fixed on Masina as she pulled the blanket away from her baby's white face and pale hair. "It's only on some of her skin, but my baby is completely white…what place will she have in society? Who will want to marry her? Can she even go in the sun? What if she has to live at night in darkness?" She pointed a finger at Masina. "She should be cast out!"
"Thank you for your testimony. It will be for the village to decide. Teuila, tell us what happened to your child."
Another woman took a shaky breath from somewhere in the room, but didn't stand. "She grabbed my son's arm to pull him from the ocean and later that day…" She choked back a sob. "…he was dead…just like that…"
"Masina, do you have anything to say to defend yourself?" The Chief Orator asked.
Her sister took a moment before raising her head. "I never meant to cause anyone harm, but I don't believe my skin is a curse…" her lips shook as though she were trying not to cry and she looked over desperately at Penina. "There has to be a medical reason."
Tell them, something in her mind said. You asked Dr. Bruce – he said it's called vitiligo. It's not contagious…she's not dangerous and she's certainly not cursed…
But thinking about Dr. Bruce also reminded Penina of her own delicate situation. It also reminded her of Fetuao saying he'd marry Penina to spare her the shame if he weren't already attached to her sister. If Masina were banished, then when Fetuao returned, he'd marry her instead. In this instance, pain begat pain and she pressed her lips together, concealing the truth as the Chief Orator asked who would vote for Masina to remain in the village. She took a quick glance around noticing about half of them would stand by her.
"And who votes in favor of banishment?"
She briefly caught sight of her sister's face – her mouth open, her brows knitted together in disbelief as Penina slowly raised her hand in the air. Beside her, Penina's mother gave a quiet sob.
"Then it is decided," the older man said. "Masina Levea, from this moment on, you are no longer a member of this village. You may move to another if they will accept you. We will give you until sunrise to leave."
Masina stood slowly, politely, and walked to the exit – then she sprinted. Penina rose and ran out after her. "Masina! Masina, wait!"
Her sister skidded to a stop once she'd reached the beach and whirled around. Hot tears shone in her eyes. "How DARE you! I'm your sister! YOUR SISTER! Does that mean nothing to you?!"
Penina put a hand on her stomach, panting from the exertion. "I-I can explain…"
"Go ahead…explain." Moments passed with the only sound being the ocean lapping at the sand before Masina's voice rang out again. "EXPLAIN!"
Her words failed her…no explanation…no amount of apologies or regret could undo the way she'd betrayed the person she was closest to. In the distance, the sky was painted shades of pink and orange as the sun prepared to sleep somewhere beyond the mountains behind them. Masina stared at her with hardened eyes before finally turning.
It may have been her sister's voice…it may have been the wind whispering…Penina wasn't sure. "I never want to see you again…"
Sand kicked up under her feet as Masina ran to the nearest canoe and pushed it into the water before jumping on board and dipping an oar into the waves. Penina's throat clenched so hard it hurt and tears rolled down her cheeks. "Masina…"
Present Day
"It was the last time I saw my sister," Penina said softly.
Jasper had to craft her response carefully. On one hand, she felt for her mother…to go through such an assault was horrible, as was getting pregnant from it. She understood her mother's sense of shame and panic. Well, I guess we have more in common than I thought, she bitterly admitted to herself. Jasper looked at her hand…the mottled skin in alternating white and tan…she understood her aunt's pain too. To live in a part of the world…in a time when no one understood what was happening. They had thought she was cursed. "So, do you know where she went?"
Her mother shook her head. "She headed East. I got a letter from my mother about two years later saying that Masina was living on Apolima and that she was married with a child – a boy, I think, I can't remember clearly."
"Apolima?"
"It's a small island in the strait between Upolu and Savai'i. There's one village there of maybe eighty people. I never talked to her again, but my mother wrote letters, so I know she had four or five children. Of course, my mother died when you weren't even three years old, so after that…"
"She may not even be there anymore."
"I don't think she would leave Samoa and she likely wouldn't leave Apolima once she was established there, but I can't be sure."
"She was going to leave with Dad…" And Jasper was hit with another realization. "Did you and Dad even love each other?"
"Of course we did! He came back and we got married – I told him I'd go with him anywhere. It started as a friendship, but eventually we did grow to love each other. Your father was an incredibly good man."
More than she knew apparently. "And the baby?"
"I lost it…about a week after we were married. It could have been the stress…I don't know. I was so certain he would leave me, but he didn't." She rested her head in her hands. "No matter how hurt I was, I should have never done that to my sister. She deserved to be happy and I took that from her."
Perhaps their love, in time, had been true, but her parents' whole story, what she thought she knew – it had all been a lie. "I need to find her…I need to tell her that nothing was her fault."
"I'd give anything to apologize, even if she wouldn't see me…to try…but I can't promise that will happen."
"It has to – when we go to Samoa, we have to go to Apolima and see her."
"And if she won't talk to us? If she won't even acknowledge our presence?"
"We have to try, Mom. She deserves to know what her condition is and if she's feeling any guilt, that needs to be put to rest."
Penina sighed and nodded. "There's one other thing we need to consider…it's been fifty years and she would be seventy-four years old…"
"Well, yeah, but…"
"…if she's still alive."
That was intense! Next chapter we'll catch up with Jasper and Amethyst and then we'll see Jasper and her mother go to Samoa to find out if Masina is still alive and how that story plays out with the extended family.
Note here - I took a little creative license with the banishing process. While it IS a real thing on Samoa, generally it would only be a counsel of the chiefs (Matai) who decide whether someone should be banished or not - the accused would not be there, neither would the entire village, but in order for Penina to really betray her sister, I fudged this just slightly to make it an entire village affair.