Chapter Nine
Vuela lead the horde of men to the lake in my t-shirt. They constantly commented that she looked like us foreigners in it.
"She likes it, I don't have the heart to tell her 'no'." I defended.
All of the men eased into the lake and started to swim around, dunking thier heads and shaking thier hair out like swans did.
"So we just get naked and bathe with a bunch of other guys? okay." I said to myself.
I groaned when James took his boxers off ran into the lake mooning us. Eric went in with just his shirt off.
"Aren't you going in?" Vuela asked.
"Uh…I think I'll stay here with you and go in when there's less people."
"Alright."
I sat next to her, though not right next to her, and looked up at the sky. Life here was so simple, they lived to eat so they could live another day. Though it was the smae thingso ver and over, hunting was always fun and a different experience. I've hunted and killed an animal to literally 'bring home the bacon', and since I don't need to hunt back home I think I have the strength and bravery to 'hunt' excitement for my life now.
As for living with James, Eric and Vuela. It reminded me of my siblings and having to be taken care of by the community as orphans made me miss home and my parents. I remember how it was like when I was a kid. I felt like that kid again and I wanted to be home. Having worked my ass off for a wife who didn't act like my family for seventeen years I realized I have forgotten what family was really like.
"You seem more a peace now, more like us." Vuela said softly.
"Mm?"
"Aid-heart or Ailing-heart is your name. You might have accidentally be condemned to suffer."
"I don't think so, it actually means wealthy protector."
"Are you wealthy?"
"Not anymore. She had taken everything."
"Then…"
"I've decided to go live with my parents again and slowly begin again."
"…what are they like?"
"Very loving. They worry for me even though I don't live with them and haven't since I was eighteen, when I got married."
"Do you live far from them?"
"Not at all, I was just always working to make sure we had enough of everything because she wanted a new necklace everyday." I explained. Here necklaces are as 'special' as loubitini heels.
"I'm actually an orphan myself back home, my parents adopted me. Being here and living with you reminded me of them and reminded me what family is like again and I realized I missed them."
"Your heart is still ailing."
"I guess but…being here made me experience peace and I'm ready to become a boy again, a blank slate and start over." Vuela smiled.
"I think it is time you became more like us then,"
"You mean…get naked?" She nodded.
"…You know what, yeah I'll do it." She clapped her tiny hands.
"Why not?" I felt comfortable now, what with my secrets completely protected by Vuela, I wasn't exposing anything when I exposed my skin.
"Na na naheyna, naheyna anna, naheyna heyna o-oh, naheyna o-o-o-oah.." she sang softly as I pulled my tank top off.
"Is this a special occasion?"
"It is your rebirth."
As I marched down the bank into the water, Vuela belted her voice.
"Hay-zehhhhhh! He-ey-zahhhhh!" Her voice rang clear and strong.
"Hey-zehhhh! He-ey-zahhhhh!"
Shadows swept over us and we looked up, I was wondering if it was an eclipse. It was a flock of swans.
"Hey hey!" The men yelled and ran out of the water.
"Your rebirth happened on the day of the new year!" Vuela cried.
"It's kind of nice, this is really cool…" The swans touched down on the water and it was like a sea of white, feathers rained on us along with white fluff.
Everyone lifted their arms and 'aw'd trying to catch the fluff. This was the only time I've seen Vuela happy, absolutely glowing.
"Hey, we have to leave," James broke the dream I was in. All of the men were going back into the forest.
"The women can't miss seeing this,"
