The Skipper sat down by the waterfall, visiting Johnny's grave. He had thought long and hard about the discussion he and Doris had the night before. Jolani did need them. She needed someone to come along side her and offer care and comfort. He realized that not only had her parents been killed, but she had been sent away from her home by her own parents. He understood why they had to do such a thing, but was sure being sent off on her own had to have been very frightening for Jolani. He still didn't know how much Jolani had seen of the attack, she still hadn't said much about the incident. Everyone agreed not to pressure the little girl to say anything unless she wanted to. The Professor had said that forcing her to talk could make her trauma worse. As it was, Jolani had a terrible nightmare the night before. The Skipper and Doris both woke up, but the Skipper insisted that Doris go back to sleep. She needed the rest, given everything her body had been through.
...
"Come on, Jolani. It was just a bad dream. You're safe," the Skipper said, timidly putting a hand on her shoulder.
"I want mommy and daddy. I miss them. They hurt them bad," Jolani said, as she leaned on the Skipper's chest for comfort. This time, the Skipper wrapped his arms around her . His heart broke for her. He knew how painful it had been to hold his dead son in the palm of his hand. In a way, they did have that in common. They had both seen something horrific and both were grieving.
"Jolani, I can't bring back your mommy and daddy, but I want you to know that Doris and I will do whatever we can to make you feel comfortable and at home here. If you ever want to talk, ever need a hug, we'll be there." The Skipper's words surprised him. He had a softer heart than he realized. This time, he didn't feel guilty over the compassion he had shown Jolani.
"Mr. Skipper, will you tell me a story now? I'm afraid to go back to sleep," Jolani said. She studied the Skipper's eyes to see what his reaction would be.
"Well... I've got some dandy stories, but honey, some aren't meant for little ears," he said.
"What?" Jolani asked confused.
"Never you mind... what kind of story do you want to hear?" The Skipper asked.
"Oh! Tell me about Queen Esther! I love that one!"
"Queen Esther?"
"Yeah, it's a Bible story. My daddy used to tell me one every night."
"Honey, I'm not all that familiar with this Esther person." Gee Jonas, ya think you should have paid more attention in Sunday School instead of pulling Betty Harper's pigtails? He thought to himself.
"You pick one," Jolani said.
The Skipper rubbed his chin, thinking what story he could tell her. Then it finally came to him.
"I know, I'll tell you about Noah and his ark. That one is my favorite, since I'm a sea captain," the Skipper said with a smile.
"I like it too," Jolani said.
"Ok," he began, "once upon a time, there was a man named Noah. Noah was a good man and did what God told him. All the people around him were very mean and nasty, and it made God sad."
"And he told Noah to make an ark so him and his family and all the animals would be safe from the big flood," Jolani said with excitement.
"Hey now, who's telling the story?" the Skipper said, teasing Jolani, "Anyway, God asked him to build an ark."
As the Skipper continued with the story, Jolani settled into her spot next to him. He was barely to the middle of his story, when he noticed Jolani had fallen asleep again. He had laid her back and gently tucked her in.
...
As the Skipper recalled that tender moment between him and Jolani, he thought about how nice it would have been to have been able to tell stories to Johnny, if he had lived. He stared at the grave marker in front of him and began to speak.
"Well Johnny, your mom and I have a little visitor staying with us, as you know. She... she's been through a real hard time. She's gonna need lots of TLC and support. It was awkward to show her compassion at first, but she's a really good little girl, and a sweet little girl. She misses her parents terribly, just as much as your mom and I miss you... maybe more. Her young little heart has been broken much too soon in her life. I hope you understand the position your mom and I are in. She needs someone to care for her. Oh, we could ask the Howells, or Ginger and the Professor, or Mary Ann and Gilligan to take her in... but she seems to trust us. She is content to be with us... or as much as she can be, given her situation. Later on today, Gilligan and I are going to sail over to her island and see if we can't make some sense out of what happened. Not only that, the Professor seems to think we may find a working transmitter. If that's the case, all of us may be rescued. I'm troubled by the idea of leaving you here by yourself, son. Oh, I know this is just a resting place for your body, but the thought of it still seems strange and just not right." The Skipper sat there in silence for a few minutes. "Perhaps we'll find nothing, but I know how much that will upset everyone else. Of course, there is always the option of me trying to row that canoe to the mainland... but your mother would have a fit. She nearly got herself killed in a storm out at sea. Knowing Gilligan, though, he would put himself at risk before he would ever let anyone else attempt something so dangerous. That's just the kind of man he is."
The Skipper turned, as he heard rustling in the brush. Jolani appeared before him, wide-eyed. She stared curiously at the grave in front of her.
" Who are you talking to?" She asked. "Who is John Jonas Grumby?" The Skipper held out his hand and led her closer to his side. Kneeling, he got at eye level with her.
"John is my son. He's my son and Miss Doris'. You see, Jolani, before you came here Miss Doris and I were expecting a baby. Um... you do know where babies come from, don't you?"
"Sure I do... Heaven," Jolani said proudly.
"Heaven, um yeah... that's exactly right," the Skipper said, scratching his head a little, "but you know babies live in their mommies for a while, right?"
"I've seen many women with babies in their bellies," she replied.
"Well, Miss Doris had a baby in her belly... but the baby was sick and he was born too early. He wasn't strong enough to keep living," the Skipper explained to her. Jolani looked up at him and squeezed his big hand with all of her might.
"It's ok, Mr. Skipper. My daddy always said when you go to Heaven, you are always well and you never get sick. That's where my mommy and daddy are. Do you think they are taking care of your baby to thank you for taking care of me? My mommy was so sure there were nice people on this island. She was the smartest mom in the world... but I don't know much about the rest of the world," she said.
"Goodness sakes!" The Skipper yelled, springing to his feet. "Does Miss Doris have any idea where you are?"
"No. I'm sorry," she said sadly, "I was picking berries with Miss Mary Ann, but I was sad. I wanted to be alone to think about mommy and daddy. I was pretending they were with me."
"Jolani, we have to get you back now. You must never wander off by yourself. You don't know this island well enough. I'm sure everyone is worried sick," without hesitation, the Skipper lifted Jolani up and carried her back to camp.
...
"Oh Doris!" Mary Ann wailed, "I'm so sorry. She was right beside me. I wandered to another bush for two seconds, and then I couldn't find her."
"She's got to be close by," Doris reasoned, "take me to where you were picking berries. We'll find her... we just have to." Doris was filled with worry over this little one who had already been through so much. She certainly didn't need to be lost now on a strange island.
"Don't worry, Doris," Gilligan said, "Professor, Mr. Howell, and I will find her. I know all the hiding spots on this island." No sooner had Gilligan spoke, when the Skipper came through the clearly. Jolani was on his hip and her arms were around his neck. Doris ran up to the both of them.
"Oh Jolani! I was so afraid," Doris said, wrapping her arms around her, "all I could think about was you being lost and being afraid. Are you alright?"
"Yes, Miss Doris. I was pretending that my mommy and daddy were taking me for a walk," she said, her eyes beginning to tear up, "daddy told me I would see them again, but I just want to see them now. Why wouldn't they let me stay? I'm scared. I'm scared of the warriors. I thought they would catch me. I could hear everybody screaming. I prayed as I rowed my canoe. I kept looking back to see if I was being followed." Doris held the broken hearted girl, allowing her to grieve as much as she needed to. Everyone looked on, their hearts going out to her as well.
The Skipper thought about his trip that he and Gilligan were getting ready to make. It was decided that they would sneak off after lunch and head out. Their wives were aware of the trip, but no one was to say a word about it to Jolani. Everyone agreed that the thought of someone going to that island might be frightening for Jolani. Perhaps she would fear that danger would await the two visitors, or worse yet, it would tip off the rival tribe of her whereabouts. To be honest, the Skipper himself was afraid. His palms sweat and his heart rate quickened. He knew that more than likely, his little buddy was feeling a similar fear. They had no idea what they would be facing. What if they did come across some survivors? Would they be able to trust them? How would they know if they were natives of that island, or if they were natives from the island who had attacked Jolani's people. The Skipper pushed his fear down. This trip could mean the difference between being rescued and not being rescued. Not only that, but the Skipper truly wanted to know what happened to Jolani's parents. Perhaps he could bring back some personal trinket for Jolani to remember her parents by... that is if he felt he could identify her parents.
...
Lunch wasn't quite over when Mary Ann and Gilligan, and Doris and the Skipper excused themselves quietly from the table, using the excuse that they all were going to take a stroll together. No one questioned the statement, for those two couples seemed to have spent many times together. They made their way in silence. Though having faith in their husbands, both women were terrified to see their men row off to some island they knew nothing about. Once they reached the waterfall, each wife wrapped their arms around their husband, talking softly to them.
"You be careful, William Gilligan. I love you. Be on your guard, listen to the Skipper, and please come back to me soon," Mary Ann told Gilligan. Gilligan held Mary Ann close to him and kissed her passionately. Gilligan thought if something were to happen to him, he wanted Mary Ann to remember how much he loved her.
"Give Grace a kiss for me, ok?" Gilligan said, as he began to load some knives and canteens into the canoe.
"Jonas," Doris whispered, "you'll be on my mind the entire time you're gone. Please be safe. I love you." She leaned toward his lips and gently kissed him. The Skipper cradled the back of Doris' head and pulled her in closer.
"If Jolani asks, tell her Gilligan and I went to the other side of the island to hunt for wild boar. If we don't come back, I want you to remember that you are my whole world, Doris Grumby."
"Don't talk like that, you'll be back," Doris said confidently.
After a few more kisses, Gilligan got inside the canoe as the Skipper shoved it away from the shore. Once in the water, the Skipper climbed in as well, sitting towards the middle to balance out the weight difference. They headed due south, since Jolani had said she came north to get to their island. Mary Ann and Doris stood on the shore, waving to their husbands until they were nearly out of sight.
As Gilligan and the Skipper took turns rowing, the Skipper realized what real danger Jolani had been in. Certainly it would have been a difficult task for such a small girl to row a boat in the ocean's currents. He himself was beginning to get tired. They were only about halfway to their destination. Surely Jolani would have had to have taken many breaks. The Skipper wondered if each time she stopped was she afraid of every shadow she saw in the ocean? Did she fear those warriors would catch up to her. She indeed was a special child. She was brave beyond her years. She was smart and sensible, doing whatever she had to for survival, in spite of her fear. He still couldn't get over the way Jolani trusted them. Jolani had told him that her mother believed with all of her heart that kind and caring people lived on the island to the North of them? Was Jolani's mother some sort of soothsayer? A witchdoctor? Perhaps it was just blind faith, like Jolani had told them. Was it possible for a mother's constant prayers to show her how to protect her child? "Why not?" The Skipper thought to himself. He grew up knowing there was a force bigger than himself. After everything he had been through in his life, it was a miracle he was still alive. After all, if it wasn't amazing enough to have survived World War II... he had also survived a fierce storm at sea, a shipwreck, headhunters, cannibals, bug bites, and that dreadful hornet's sting. The same God that had been looking out for Jolani had been looking out for him as well... been looking out for all of them.
"Hey look!" Gilligan said and pointed, "There's the island! We're real close now."