Transition Plan Chapter 72: In His Majesty's Service Part 22
Authors Notes: Well, holiday vacation is over, so I'm back to my real job and back to my writing hobby with a weekly publication schedule. Sorry to those who want more frequent updates! Haha…We could spend a lot of time on Jeanne and Jack enjoying the deep jungle playing as childhood sweethearts, but we have other plot lines to pursue too. I hope you enjoy this series of vignettes of their time together, and with their mothers. We will be able to expand these stories in another time and place…
Near the border of Togoland, far northwest Dahomey
Tarzan and the men were waking and enjoying breakfast for another long day's trek. He bit into a succulent tropical fruit unknown to modern science, with juice, vitamins, and fiber all in one fruit. It was the jungle equivalent of a fruit smoothie protein drink. Plus it tasted delicious. The men were doing the same.
Armand said, more formally in front of the men, "Count Clayton, you Nigerians really know how to eat well."
A chorus of 'oui's' and 'merci's' followed from all the men.
Tarzan acknowledged their appreciation and added. "We need as much energy as we can get. But it won't be far now."
The procession through the jungle had slowed necessarily, and became very stealthy in the ways Tarzan taught them personally. They were not only avoiding contact with the Germans, but also the French regular Army troops that were massing on the border between Dahomey and Togoland. Colonel Jacot knew the leader of the French Army in Dahomey, Major Maroix, personally. He was a great tracker and had a keen sense of when things were amiss. Jacot's men would have to keep a wide berth from the Major or be discovered. Lying to him would be a tough assignment.
Avoiding several enclaves of French troops bivouacked along the border, Armand and Tarzan knew that the war hadn't started yet. They could not contact anyone about their clandestine mission. It was a complete secret to everyone but the French Army High Command. Their mission to destroy the German radiotelegraph in Kamina was deniable that way. If any regular French troops were caught and interrogated by the Germans, there was no knowledge to divulge and the Germans would not reinforce their defense of Kamina. The French High Command gave every regular platoon orders to not engage the radio station, and they readily accepted the orders. No one wanted that mission. That was an impossible assignment. But Jacot always made the impossible possible.
Colonel Jacot said to his men, "In the next few days we will infiltrate Togoland, get to the vicinity of Kamina by the end of the month, avoiding all contact with anyone, and we get in position to watch the guards' patterns at the station. When the shooting starts between the French regulars and the Germans, we move in when the Germans are distracted by battle.
The Sergeant warned his Colonel, "The regular Army won't be far behind."
"Oui, Sergeant. I am counting on you to keep us one step ahead of them at all times."
"I was born to do that sir," the old warhorse said with pride. He took his Special Forces duties very seriously, and had served the Colonel for many operations all over the world.
"Move out!" called the Colonel.
With hardly a sound, the Special Forces started their next leg of the journey to Kamina. The low rising sun angle would make it hard for anyone to observe them backlit from the west, and it would not be any cooler today. It seemed oppressive already.
Tarzan and Jane's Treehouse, coast of western Nigeria
Both families were awakening to the sounds of a gentle ocean breeze and the crashing of the surf against the rocks and beach.
Jeanne threw her covers back, leaped out of bed completely refreshed, looked out the window at the churning surf, beach, and rocks below and smiled broadly. She closed her eyes and drew a lungful of the fresh, cool, salt air. It was exhilarating. The French girl enjoyed the thrill of having goose bumps form over her entire body, and grinned. She tiptoed over to Jack's mattress. Like a typical boy, he was still asleep, and sprawled all across his mattress. She sat on the bed, leaned over him noiselessly, touched him lightly, and kissed him intently enough to rouse him from a dead sleep to wide awake instantly. He sat up immediately and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed with the secure feeling. Her goose bumps returned.
"Whoa, Jeanne, what a way to wake up!" he smiled. She gave him a happy look, blushed, and snuggled deeper into his hug.
She rationalized, "Well… our mothers did say we could kiss goodnight and good morning. You said 'goodnight' so… I just figured it was my job to wake you up."
Jack suggested, feeling that familiar tingle on his lips, "Maybe just one more just to make sure I am really awake."
She giggled and winked, "Sure. But remember. You asked."
They kissed again but this time she cradled his face in her hands. She broke it first. He was cross-eyed, and she snickered, "Awake now?"
He could barely nod 'yes'.
Very satisfied with her sneak attack payback, she explained, "So. We're even now. About our day. Guess what I want to do first? You have to kiss me each time you're wrong."
Jack had to work his way back from the fog that second wake up kiss caused, thought about that for a moment, and then realized, "I don't see any punishment in being wrong, Jeanne. I could guess wrong all day," he said with a mischievous smirk.
She grinned back, "Um… well… yes. That's right. Do you like my game or not?"
"Oh, yes! But it's not Nigerian. Or French," he kidded.
"But it's 'Jeanneian'," she grinned and he gave her a wry smile, "So… start guessing… jungle boy."
The mothers were aware the two were awake, teasing each other as usual, and pressing the limits of their 'wake up kiss' arrangements with their mothers, but let their harmless game go a little while longer. Josephine had a kissing game with her husband when he was a boy.
"Sacre bleu do those two kiss a lot," Josephine whispered to Jane, and further realized it was her Jeanne who often started it.
Jane observed, "I have to admit, that's a pretty good game."
"All kidding aside, Jane. Look at them. Even at eight they are irresistible to each other. No wonder they kiss so much. We need to slow them down a bit."
"I think they'd keep kissing even if they were tied up neck deep in canvas sacks if they could crawl over to each other."
Josephine chuckled and suggested, "Well… maybe their fathers can threaten to really punish them."
They just looked at each other with disdainful 'Nahhh… that's never happening' looks and snickered.
"Let's face it. They just like kissing."
"Well don't you like kissing?" teased Josephine .
Jane sighed wistfully, "That's the problem with the Ape Man. I can't kiss him enough…"
"Same with the soldier boy," noted Josephine with the same feeling.
They just sat for a moment and gave each other knowing smiles about their spouses. They were really cementing their friendship.
"We're hopeless, Josephine. And they're like chips off the old block over there. We just have to channel all that 'energy'."
"Wow, are we headed for trouble when they are teens."
"But it's all worth it. They will be a lovely couple some day."
The women smiled.
But then they heard a really long, drawn out fake slurp clearly made by Jack, and a couple of much-exaggerated lip smacks and a whole lot of laughter.
Jane just grinned, "Now they are just being a silly couple with their kissing game."
Josephine observed, "Silliness is just fine by me. Quiet is not good."
Jane nodded her head, "Can't disagree. How many is that anyway?"
Josephine rolled her eyes, "Seriously? I lost count after a dozen. Those long ones count double."
"Just double?" Jane joked. The two mothers couldn't help but laugh about the situation, particularly since the kids' affection had transformed into a game.
The next kiss included two much louder slurping sounds in chorus and a pair of tongue-wagging 'raspberry' sounds, followed by a very healthy belch from Jack and another even louder one from Jeanne. Uncontrollable laughter ensued. A round of competitive flatulence was suggested with the next kiss. By Jeanne.
Jane and Josephine gave each other looks of amused annoyance at their children's antics, and shook their heads. Josephine was more than ready to intervene, "OK. They had their fun. They're done."
"They will get a lecture about this at bed time."
Josephine noted, "Bet you a fresh croissant they forget by morning…"
The two mothers knew that was a lost bet, rolled their eyes, helped each other stand, and walked to Lily's bedroom doorway. Both crossed their arms and Jane announced, "OK, kids. Enough."
They realized they were having way too much fun with their intentionally humorous kissing game. They both giggled nervously and blushed, but were pretty proud that their new 'game' agitated their mothers in an entertaining way. Lily was sitting in her bed, completely absorbed in the big kids' kissing game, laughing and wondering what silly thing they would do next.
Jane half-scolded, "You two obviously don't have enough to do. Jack, I have a chore for you. Go gather food for breakfast for all of us. Remember they don't have the exotic tastes we have. Go easy."
Josephine added, "Jeanne, you may go with him to learn what is good to eat in the deep jungle. And remember both of you: more food, less kissing."
The pair snickered but exchanged glances, and said in unison, "OK."
They went out to gather breakfast, finding a wide variety of fruits and nuts, but they couldn't avoid a few more kisses. Soon, they were all gathered around the kitchen table. The food disappeared pretty quickly and conversation flowed freely.
"Thank you for breakfast, big bruver and sister," Lily said.
"Good people food and good Mangani food," Jack observed with satisfaction, patting his belly.
Jeanne smiled, having learned another important lesson about the jungle from her boyfriend. Jeanne and Jack were ready play together for the day.
"Who wants to go swim?" she asked, getting up and spinning a pirouette of joy in the middle of the kitchen floor, making swimming motions with her arms and legs.
Jack nearly swooned. His mom caught him and steadied his shoulder, "Easy there, tiger…"
They all made it carefully down the trail to the beautiful white sand beach.
Josephine was awed, "Jane… this is prettier than any beach on the French Riviera. And it's yours!"
"We can't take credit. Tarzan's parents built their original home you can see in the big tree on the cliff. Tarzan's father wanted to be able to see pirates from miles away in case there was more treachery against him. And to search the seas for help to rescue them."
On the trail, Jeanne had gathered some oil pods and showed her mother how to protect herself from the sun once they were on the sand, especially covering her belly and breasts. Both mothers accepted Jack and Jeanne helping each other slather on the protective oils, realizing they'd been doing it for weeks at the pond.
The day at the beach was amazing fun for everyone, and the two mothers got to see the full extent of how they vigorously played with one another and Lily. Just watching the kids made their mothers tired. Their recreation time was full of running and splashing and jumping into the water from the beach and from the rocks, constantly tossing water at each other, and letting Lily ride piggyback on their shoulders. Jack's baby sister was ecstatic with all the attention from the big kids. Jack and Jeanne discovered a sponge bed in the surf zone and tossed a couple of helpless sponges at each other like flinging water balloons, but afterwards carefully put them back.
Despite the kids' relative gentleness, the sponges were upset at being manhandled, nearly suffocated, and dehydrated by the son of Tarzan and his mate, but lacked any way to defend themselves. Once the other sponges found out, they were angry too, and if they could have grown feet, they would have all walked to deeper water and greater safety from those thoughtless humans. A couple of sponges vowed to evolve poison sacs or spines, but knew it would take generations to get even with Tarzan's family.
All five of the humans played catch with a dried gourd, with a lot of happy teasing and laughter. Jeanne made kelp necklaces for Jane, Josephine, Lily, and herself and they paraded like fashion models in Paris or London, bringing much laughter to everyone and gentlemanly applause from Jack as the sole member of the 'audience'. Afterwards, Jack buried Jeanne and Lily up to their necks in the cozy warm sand to their great enjoyment. Later, they body surfed to rinse all the sand off, which amazed Josephine. She'd never seen that before, and thrilled Jeanne because of the tremendous fun it was. Lily tried a few times with limited success, but when she sputtered on a lungful of water that Jack had to help her cough up, she was just content to watch the big kids in the comfort of her mother's lap, at least what was left of it. Lily made some sand castles at the water's edge and yelled at Jack when he threatened to stomp one of the structures. He got a stern look from his mother and he shrugged sheepishly.
During a rest on the rocks with their feet dangling in the water, Jeanne sat next to her boyfriend and leaned against his shoulder. He put his arm around her in response. The children knew their mothers had a clear view of their embrace, but it was simply sweet. Jack scanned the ocean waves and said, "I wish you could meet the dolphins, Jeanne. We could ride them. They love that. I guess they're busy today. That's why there are no sharks here. We're protected on this beach."
"Another day, Jack, we will," she said softly, savoring the moment of the power of surf crashing all around them, the taste and coolness of the water and spray, and being close to Jack.
For dinner, Jeanne waded into the shallows near the rocks, and he showed her how to catch a fish with just her bare hands. He came up with a seven pound grouper and she was gleefully excited when she yanked a five pound sea bass from under another rock. Jane already had a beach fire going to roast their fish. Lily trapped a couple of smaller fish on the surf/sand line, and was very proud of herself. The big kids praised her. She watched Jack intently gut and clean their catch. Lily ate her fish raw like sushi, and Lily offered Jeanne a piece. The French girl was uncertain at first, but really liked the fresh flavor. Jack knew that one day Lily's jungle skills would exceed his in every way but brute strength.
Jane gasped at the déjà vu moment in watching Jeanne learn from Jack. Had it really been more than a decade right here on this beach that she'd taught Tarzan to bare-hand fish the way her father had taught her?
After dinner, near dusk, the mothers spent most of their time just wading or sitting in the water and watching the three play together before it was time to leave. Despite being completely exposed all day to the tropical beach sun, no one was burned because of the protection of the oil pod lotion.
Josephine observed, sitting cross-legged by the fire, "They have everything together, don't they?"
Jane replied, "We just have to help guide them so they'll always do the right thing."
Josephine put a hand on Jane's shoulder and noted, "That will be quite a journey as mothers, my friend. They're already mostly doing the right things."
Finally it was time. Jane called out over the ocean noise, "Kids! Time to go home. It's about dark."
Lily asked, "Mommy, can we stay and watch the stars by the fire?"
It was rare Jane ever needed to say 'no' to her daughter about things in nature, and this wasn't one of those times.
The stargazing was incredible that night, with no moon to obscure the starshine. It was far better viewing than any night sky in France or England. The Clayton's tended to take their night sky for granted. To newcomers, it was miraculous. Jeanne and Jack lay side by side on the beach hand in hand away from the fire but in sight of their mothers. Meteors flashed by with their white and green and blue trails. The stars they saw in their own eyes kissing while skywatching were almost as gleaming as the real stars above them.
…
Happy and alone together in the deep wood, every day Jack showed Jeanne something new – tracking, rock climbing, exploring the caves, perfecting her vine swinging, hunting and cooking, and eating many new kinds of fruits and vegetables, animals, and insects. She took on most every challenge toe-to-toe with Jack. She especially liked learning to fish and hunt, using her slingshot and his bow, something she was denied in France, but her mother allowed it to learn survival skills in the jungle. Jack's teaching helped hone her marksmanship. She learned how to use his knife for basic protection skills.
…
At noon one day, the pair sat in a small jungle clearing, sharing a jungle hare they had stalked, shot, prepared, and roasted. It was a lot of work and they were very hungry.
Jeanne noted, "Yum! This is delicious. Those wild seasonings are tasty, Jack. But Mangani don't really hunt, do they?"
"Everything tastes better when you hunt it yourself. No, Jeanne, Mangani are vegetarian mostly and gather food like we've done. But humans hunt, and we can't forget we are human too. Some animals are for eating. They understand their place in the jungle, as long as you honor their death, and do not waste or hunt just for sport."
Jeanne took in the lesson, "Oh. I see… Is that what you were saying over the kill in lapin language?"
"Exactly."
"Boyfriend, you are just amazing," she grinned and ruffled his dreadlocks.
She leaned over, stole a kiss, and went right back to eating her portion, but she reached for a juicy piece left in his makeshift carved-out gourd plate, "You gonna eat that, jungle boy?"
Jack saw an opening, and smiled mischievously, "Well… no… but you have to figure out a way to get it from me."
She guessed what was going to happen. Another game. They proceeded to play keep away intensely with the last piece of hare like two wild animals fighting over a kill, including growling like gorillas and other animals. They battled over that last piece of meat, climbed trees and rocks, and swung on the vines, until she shocked him with a short cut she took under a big root, and tackled him hard, knocking the wind out of him. Bested by his girlfriend in the chase, he was compelled to feed her. But in appreciation, she gave him a really soft kiss and a long lingering hug that resulted in both children taking a nap in the jungle at the base of a huge tree. A gentle rain soothed and cooled them as they slept. Jeanne was becoming as comfortable in the environment as any creature of the jungle.
…
But one day, Jeanne didn't get up first thing in the morning and give Jack their greeting, albeit toned down quite a bit after the mothers lectured them. Jack heard her moan painfully in her bed. He went over to her quickly, and felt her hot, sweaty forehead. She was quite pale.
Jack immediate called out, "Mom! Madame Jacot! Something is wrong with Jeanne."
Both mothers rushed to the room.
Josephine sat by Jeanne while Jack paced and wrung his hands, and she got all the details of how Jeanne felt and where all the aches and pains were. For awhile, Josephine had been a French Army nurse and served with Armand in most assignments before she resigned her commission to raise her family. Jane listened carefully.
"I think I see what's happening," Jane observed.
Josephine was very worried, as this tropical fever was beyond her nursing experience, "Is it bad, Lady Jane?"
"Well it's a strong fever but not anything terrible. Nearly everyone new to the jungle gets this one."
"But we've been here for months. Why now?"
"I don't know, Josephine, but we'll cure her."
She asked hopefully, "So you can help her?"
Jane smiled, "I think I have just the thing."
She turned and summoned her nerve-wracked son, taking his hands in hers for reassurance, "Jack. Stand still. Listen to me."
"Yes, Mother," he stated anxiously, looking past her and toward the sick girl in the bed before him.
Jane grabbed his chin and caused him to focus on her, "Pay attention. I need the following things. Right away. And Jack…"
"Yes, Mother?"
She squeezed his shaking hands, smiled, and said softly, "If you do this, she'll be all right."
He tried to smile. Jane listed the ingredients she needed, and Jack leaped into the trees to quickly gather all the items. He returned and laid all the items out before his mother on a table Jane had set up in the bedroom to prepare the cure.
"You know what to do, Jack," Jane smiled with confidence, taking a mental inventory of his gatherings. Lily watched too. She was teaching both of their children how to do organic cures.
Jack took several of the spongeberries full of their own water, smashed them into a bowl, and then he beat the herb leaves he'd gathered with the heel of his knife, adding them to the mixture. He crushed the various seeds with the flat of his knife blade; a number of them were very oily. He squeezed a syrupy, sticky, musky smelling pod over the mixture, and added some flower petals and a few berries.
Jane noted, "You need a little more of those crushed seeds Jack, and more of this pod pulp and bark. And don't forget those black mushrooms."
"Yes Mother," he responded. Jack was diligent at formulating the cure for his girlfriend. Jeanne watched everything he did.
Lily took mental notes for her own education, and Josephine simply watched with absolute trust in the Clayton's cure. She knew full well that a few months ago she'd have never let such a thick, slimy black-gray jungle mixture pass her daughter's lips without asking a physician.
Finally, he wrapped the entire concoction into a deep green plant leaf, and started to chew it all to make a pulp. It tasted awful. But it was supposed to.
"Eww," said Josephine and Jeanne.
Between chews, Jack said, "Jeanne. You need the spit from someone who had the fever to cure the fever. Would you rather my mom or Lily do this for you?"
Jeanne said weakly but with a smile, "Oh. No, Jack. I want you to do it."
When the poultice was well-chewed, he offered the masticated pulp to Jeanne. She grimaced, but let him feed it to her and she swallowed. She really screwed up her face at the taste, "Blehhh…"
After Jeanne forced down the entire poultice, Jack took one of the coconuts he'd gathered, dug out one end with his knife, and offered, "Have some coconut water, Jeanne. It helps wash that taste out. And the meat will settle your stomach."
She took it, and tentatively swallowed, smiled, and then hastily consumed the rest of the liquid and slowly chewed on the coconut meat. It did make her feel better nearly immediately.
"This is yummy. I've never had coconut before," and she gave him a beautiful smile and kissed his forehead, which made him blush.
The mothers smiled at each other regarding Jack's care of Jeanne.
"Nice job, Jack," Jane praised her son.
"Thanks Mom. But I only mixed your recipe."
"Gramma Kala's recipe."
Jeanne reached for him and she looked at both mothers for permission, which they acknowledged. She kissed him gently. While it was short, the kiss was still very soft and tender, and their eyes shown with the depth of feelings each had for the other. The maturity of their relationship revealed by that tender kiss surprised their mothers.
With an unsteady voice, Jeanne said, "Thank you Jack and Countess Clayton. I am grateful. I think I feel better already."
The mothers knew it was mostly because of Jack's heartfelt care for her that she felt better.
Jack announced, looking intently at her, "I will stay here to guard you."
Josephine observed, "Thank you Jack, but she just needs to nap and rest today."
Jane added, "The medicine just has to take its course now, dear. Guarding isn't needed."
Jeanne pleaded, "Mama? Please?"
Josephine saw the need for support in their faces, "Let him stay with her, Jane. She wants him to watch over her."
He stayed by her the entire day, seated in a chair, simply reading stories, talking, watching her as she slept, and when they both needed the silence, he just held her hand or gently stroked her hair while she rested. When the mothers brought food and drink to her, he fed her. Jack's vigil continued through bed time and he refused to leave her for his own bed or sleep. In the morning they found him where he had tried his best to stay up all night for her, his knife sheath protectively by his side. He had fallen out of his chair and over the covers across the bottom of the bed at Jeanne's feet.
The two women just glanced at each other silently, looking at the extent of devotion of their children to each other. "Let's come back later," Josephine whispered.
…
In the days that followed for her recuperation, they played some French and British two-player board and card games the Clayton's had in the game room. They competed mentally with the same zeal as in their athletic games, at least judged by the volume of laughter and number of snarky insults emanating from Lily's bedroom. It was clear Jeanne was getting better by the day.
When her dizziness had subsided and Jeanne felt like she could get up for awhile, Lily offered to play dolls with Jeanne. The little girl had a very fancy dollhouse and doll collection in the children's game room down the hall. The collection was a fraction of the size of her doll collection at Castle Greystoke.
"Do you want to play dolls with me, big sister?" she asked Lily innocently. Jeanne loved that appellation.
Jeanne smiled and squatted so that she was eye level with Lily, and said, "I would love to play dolls with you Lily. Most of my dolls are all the way back in France in a storage box in my grandmother's attic."
The room almost couldn't contain Lily's smile.
Despite Jeanne's rough, active nature, she loved playing with dolls and pretending, often just to escape, especially on days that the other French children snubbed or insulted her. She tried to forget her dolls that got burned up in Morocco.
The girls had been playing for about a half hour. Jack returned from some food-gathering errands and some minor repairs of the treehouse structure, went to the game room, saw them playing, and interjected, "Can I play too?"
He leaned against the doorway to the play room with the doll house her grandfather made for Lily. His arms were crossed nonchalantly and one leg was partly crossed across the other. The pose emphasized his physique. Jack couldn't be any more attractive to Jeanne and the sight of him made Jeanne gasp and her heart skip a beat. Her mother took note of Jeanne's reaction and just smiled. Armand often had the same affect on Josephine as a girl and later as a teen too. The second-time-mother-to-be was gently swaying in the rocking chair in the play room, massaging her rapidly moving stomach, cuddling the baby within her. The French woman knew Jane had used the rocking chair the same way, and many days after their births nursing infant Jack and Lily, lulling them into naps. Jane was still in the kitchen, preparing afternoon tea.
Jeanne was pleasantly shocked, but she asked, "Jack? Korak the Killer playing dolls with girls?"
Jack simply shrugged, "Sure, Jeanne, I play dolls with Lily. What's the big deal? French boys don't?"
He really didn't know.
Jeanne grinned and teased him at his naiveté, "Of course they don't, jungle boy. No boy I know would ever play dolls or even say they did."
Jack's eyes narrowed for a moment and then he explained, "Then they're all jerks. Lily loves her dollhouse. None of her little Mangani friends understand how to pretend and play with dolls. So I'm the only one who can. She gets all sad if I don't. I like to. Mom doesn't make me. Besides I like pretending. Lily's dolls get to play with all sorts of jungle creatures and things I make up. Like dragons and monsters. That makes her laugh. Like my Grandpa Porter says, 'your mind can take you anywhere you want to go if you think it hard enough'. He's a professor at Oxford. He knows that stuff."
The impact of that statement burned brightly inside of Jeanne, as if she needed any more reason to adore Jack.
Jeanne asked, "Do you have a doll?"
"Yeah. It's right here," he said as he pulled it off Lily's toy shelf and showed it to her, "It's just straw and sticks and seeds and twine. And a few stray buttons for the nose and eyes. Mom made it."
It even had dreadlocks from a kind of dry tree moss.
"He's cute, Jack. Well… it must be yours because your boy doll doesn't have a loincloth either," she teased and raised an eyebrow.
He laughed, winked at her, and continued to explain, "Umm… yeah... Besides, sometimes I'm the doll. I pretend I'm the giant ape friend to her dolls. I protect them from evil creatures and bad men from the outside of the jungle that we make up. I get to smash all the bad things. It makes Lily giggle and cheer. Plus it really annoys Mom."
He stomped around, exaggerating every one of his movements and growling ominously, holding his arms up in pretend claws. It made Jeanne and Lily both giggle.
Jane called up from the kitchen, hearing the commotion, "Jack! Stop that. You're shaking the rafters again!"
Jeanne laughed, hearing his mother's scolding, "I can see why. That sounds very kind, Jack. My dolls back home could use a 'giant ape protector'. We've had a rough go of it here in Africa until we met your family."
Josephine just continued to rock and listen to the children interact, taking it all in. Her eyes were closed just resting; she was particularly tired today, but the rocking had put her developing baby to sleep.
Like so many times before, Jack's doll became the friend and ally of the dolls with his sister, but this first-time doll play with Jeanne's borrowed dolls caused both girls to cry happy tears. For a moment, Jeanne took her doll and pretended to kiss and hug Jack's doll, after he saved both girls' dolls from some kind of hairy, fanged wood beast breathing fire on their village.
"What was that?" Jack grinned.
"You know exactly what that was," she smiled back at him.
"But why?" he asked innocently.
"Because my girl doll loves your boy doll," she said softly.
"Oh… that's nice, Jeanne," he noted and thinking fast, he added, "Mine loves yours too," felt his face flush, shared a special glance with Jeanne, and they returned to playing.
Jane arrived at the room with a tray of tea and snacks for all of them, but she noticed Josephine crying also, watching it all play out. especially what the two had said to each other. The sight of Jack playing with his 'hero' doll protecting the two girls' dolls moved her. Jane started to cry herself, and was never prouder of her son.
…
When Jeanne had fully recovered after a few more days, they were very anxious to head into the mountain foothills where the gorillas lived normally. He'd just finished asking and receiving permission for another day's play with Jeanne from Josephine.
"OK kids, we'll see you at dinner," Jane stated.
Josephine emphasized, "Be good," which they clearly heard as: 'don't kiss so much'.
Jack put his bow and quiver over his shoulder and strapped his knife over his other shoulder, and Jeanne donned her slingshot in a leather sheath he'd made while she was still feverish. She adjusted her friendship bracelet and unconsciously smiled at it, the only Nigerian bauble she wore, which none of the other three humans missed.
Jack asked, "Ready?" and Jeanne vigorously shook her head 'yes'.
He asked, "Jeanne, do you trust me?"
She answered, "Always."
He instructed, "Then hop on my back and hang on tight."
Too late, Jane saw what was coming and tried to stop him.
He grabbed his girl and swung her around on his back and she eagerly gripped his neck and shoulders, pressing her legs against his sides to secure herself. She shrieked in excitement as he took off at a dead run, leaped off the kitchen balcony railing and flung themselves into 50 feet of open air, falling below the balcony at first, causing Josephine to scream, but then the mothers saw the arcing swing of Jack and Jeanne receding into the trees on one of a multitude of vines that hid the house from all but the most prying view.
He called out his jungle yell that reverberated in the tree canopy, the intensity of which rattled the dishes in the cupboard, and instantly the young people were gone.
Jane just shook her head with a deep sigh and pursed her lips, "I just hate it when he does that. I nearly have a heart attack every time."
"You must have Tarzan talk to him to make him stop. He can't ever do that again with her. I thought he killed both of them," Josephine said, nearly apoplectic at the shocking leap, gasping for breath.
"Who's going to make Tarzan stop doing that with me?" Jane grinned slyly.
Josephine was momentarily shocked in reaction to that, but they had a hearty laugh.
…
On another day in the jungle doing their favorite activity – swimming in another deep jungle crystal clear pond, Jack and Jeanne were resting side by side, looking up at the clouds with their arms tucked behind their heads, letting the breeze and the sun dry them. She rolled over on her side and put her arm across his chest, with her head propped up.
"So, Jack, what kind of games do the Mangani play?" Jeanne asked, with mischief in her eyes. Jack didn't notice.
Casually, he answered, "Oh, they like to chase each other a lot. Like tag."
"Oh… like this? Tag!" Jeanne got up suddenly, smacked the top of his head not so softly with her hand, and ran off into the jungle, her black hair streaming behind.
Jack immediately got up and gave chase. As always, she was very fast on her feet. He was a little worried that this deep into the forest there might be some unforeseen danger.
She was beautiful running naturally ahead of him, and turned around, backpedaled, and made a face at him with a giggle. He was momentarily distracted by her prettiness, but refocused and accelerated. He closed on her and reached out.
Just before they touched, she suddenly tripped and fell headlong into a big puddle of mud. He tripped on her and fell into the puddle with her. They tumbled over and over through the mud, drenching themselves in deep dark brown goo. When they finally came to a rest, they were dripping mud from every part of their bodies.
They clutched their stomachs and laughed as hard as they possibly could. They flung mud at each other making things even sloppier. They were completely brown from head to toe. They could not stop laughing at each other, pointing, making silly comments, and finger-painting designs on each other. Jack drew a heart on her tummy with their initials. It was a tender moment and she was more than a little bit ticklish there. She sighed and smiled.
"I love Mangani games, Jack," taking his slippery brown hand in hers after he finished the heart.
"Well… this isn't a Mangani game, Jeanne. You kinda discovered this mud hole on your own," Jack stated in mock disgust, prompting another round of chuckles, and a few more well aimed gooey splashes at each other.
Jeanne held her muddy arm next to his, and grinned with a shout, "Hey look! We're both the same color brown. We're Mangani!"
Even their hair was completely brown. She tried to stand up to try to wipe some of the slime off, wringing her long hair as best she could, and flicking some of the muck at Jack and teasing him. It was hopeless. She slipped in the shin-deep muck, "Whoa!" she exclaimed, regaining her feet and balance with her legs and arms spread far apart to keep from falling. Jack reached out to steady her, but had his own balance problems.
Both kids were stable for a moment, but she caught a movement in the slime, jumped back and pointed, "Ohmigosh Jack! There's a snake in the mud."
She panicked and wanted to leave the puddle immediately, but he took her mud-caked hand in his, "Nah. Stay calm, Jeanne. Mom says it's a Caecilian. An amphibian that doesn't have legs. They love mud puddles."
It made a kind of growl and hiss at them, angrily slithered out of the mud water, coiled on to a rock, and scolded, "Would you two human mates please get out of my home! My mate just laid her eggs over on the other end, and I was… well I was doing what I needed to. If you'd fallen there, well…"
Jack turned and apologized profusely, "We're so sorry. Give us a few more minutes, please. We'll be gone soon. You have a nice home. It's fun to play in."
"Thank you, son of Tarzan. Well. All right. Yes. It is fun to play in as well as live in. But you should have asked first. Your dad is going to hear about this rude intrusion on our privacy."
Jeanne patiently observed them talking, but had to ask, "Jack? Is everything OK?"
Seeing Jack engage the Caecilian – or any other animal or creature - in conversation simply failed to surprise her any more. Nor Lily, whom Jack said was better at animal languages than he was. She just waited for translation.
Jack smiled, "Yes. I'm sorry. This mud puddle is the Caecilian's home. We uh… sort of intruded on him and his mate and their… um… egg-laying."
"Oh dear. I'm sorry, Jack. We didn't mean to," she fretted.
"I told him that for both of us. It's OK now. We can play a little longer on this end of the puddle."
"Well… all right then," she said still a little uncertainly.
Snakes were one of the few creatures that really bothered Jeanne, and an amphibian that looked like a snake was not reassuring. But Jack and his mother were very smart. She was a degreed biological research scientist after all. She knew a lot more about animals than just gorillas and anthropology. It made her a little more secure.
"Think fast!" Jack shouted, and then Jack tackled her instantly and a big splash erupted from their impact in the mud.
"Well jungle boy...you got me that time. I guess I wasn't fast enough," she conceded, wiping mud out of her eyes and leaned up with elbows propping her.
Jack was expecting they'd wrestle and tickle each other, but he was struck by her simple beauty. Her hair was streaming down into the mud, as was most of her body, and her pretty muddy face stared back at his. Rather than play, Jeanne embraced him. The slippery wet hug actually felt incredibly good, and they kissed, but quickly spat out mouthfuls of mud.
"Plgh, plgh, plgh! Well, Jack… you don't taste as good this way," she smirked, but wiped her lips and his and kissed him again anyway before he could protest. They embraced, just savoring the hold of the other.
They heard a noise. When she opened her eyes, her jaw dropped, and she immediately let go of Jack, sat up and looked around. The two humans were surrounded by ten jungle creatures. All were about the same shade of brown as them, only furry.
And all gorillas.
One primate crouched low and peered down at Jeanne within inches of her face, still seated waist deep in the shallow mud, and said very seriously - but distinctly - in the language of apes, "Human girl. Did you call the Mangani?"
Then Jack's cousin Jana grinned and winked at both of them. Jack stifled a laugh.
Understanding every word, Jeanne fainted, and Jack barely caught her on the way back down into the mud puddle.
…
Authors Notes: Hmm… A ragged start for Jeanne's first meeting with the Mangani. Let's see what happens next. Oh yes, the angry sponges were Nickelodeon Sponge Bob's ancestors. And Major Maroix? He's the actual Dahomey French forces commander in World War 1. Look for more mixing of fictional and real historical figures from that time as we go.