Chapter 6

After leaving the beach, Louie and Sarah made their way back to the Gold Monkey – they walked slowly, Louie took his time, and it was not because of the heat of the day or how tired he felt – it was because he wanted to make the most of every moment and recall everything, and as he walked with Sarah he held her hand tightly, not daring to voice aloud his regret that they had not been reunited sooner, for he feared if he did, his tears would fall and never stop - and that was the last thing he wanted to do in front of the woman he loved, who believed he was being so very strong.

And then they arrived back at the bar, and there waiting by the locked door was Jake, who bore no trace of anger in his eyes as he looked to Louie.

"I'd like us to talk," he said.

Sarah glanced at Louie.

"I don't think this is a good idea -"

"I will speak with you Jake," Louie replied as he unlocked the door and then opened it, and he glanced to Sarah, "Do not worry, my love - he has not come here to fight."

Then he pushed the door open and made a sweeping gesture with his hand for Jake to step inside, and he did, and then so did Sarah, and then Louie followed and closed the door behind them.

Moments later Sarah was behind the bar pouring herself an iced soda, and then she nervously glanced up at Louie and Jake, who were the only people seated in the empty bar, at a table in the corner, but neither were drinking as Louie talked and Jake listened. For now, it didn't seem as if there would be another quarrel, but she found it hard to relax as she watched them, together alone for the first time since Jake had learned the truth, but still they talked, and there was no sign of rising anger between them...

As Louie finished explaining, Jake found he had no reason to feel anger. He wondered if he ought to, but the anger would not rise up. Instead he thought about all Louie had just explained – about how he had believed he was dying after the crash and felt the need to apologise for what had happened with Sarah.

"I really believed I would not make it off that island," Louie added, "And so my final thought was, I must let Jake know I regret my actions."

As he looked into Louie's eyes, he saw nothing there but sincerity, and didn't want to start another quarrel, but he still had a question that needed answering.

"If you regretted it so much, why start it all up with her again?"

Louie paused for thought and then gave a heavy sigh.

"I tried to be happy with Daisy. I did love her, but not in the way I loved Sarah. I spent so much time denying my own heart, trying to do the right thing – and of course, I failed, because it suddenly became so much easier – Sarah told you everything and Daisy left, suddenly I was thrown together with Sarah once more. I am sorry, mon ami – I truly am, I did not set out intending for this to happen."

Jake took in all he had said and thought about it, and then he nodded.

"I believe you," he replied, and he held his hand out across the table. Louie accepted at once and as the two men shook hands, Sarah, watching from the bar, breathed a quiet sigh of relief, but Louie and Jake had not yet finished their conversation, and as their handshake ended Jake spoke up again.

"It won't be easy for me, but I'm going to try and put the past behind us. I think friendship is too important to throw away over something that was meant to be."

And it was then that Jake recalled how he had grabbed hold of him at the bar, and what Louie had said about not being well, and then he knew he had another question to ask.

"What did you mean last night, when you said you wasn't well, Louie?"

"I said that?" he asked, and genuinely struggled to remember.

"Yes, you did – when I pinned you against the bar."

The memory fell into place at once, and his eyes widened as he recalled once again saying far too much...

"Oh, when I said that!" he exclaimed, "I was trying to explain that I was far from recovered, it will be a long process for me. I am sometimes unsteady and forgetful."

And Jake knew Louie well enough to know he was holding something back.

"Don't do this," he said.

"Don't do what, mon ami?"

Jake gave a sigh as he remembered that this was supposed to be a new start with no quarrels involved, and held back his annoyance as he spoke again, not wanting to start another bitter disagreement with Louie.

"After all the deception. I was hoping you wouldn't lie to me again."

"Lie to you?"

"You're hiding something, I know it. What's going on, Louie?"

"Just tell him," Sarah said, and she left the bar and joined them at the table, taking a seat beside Louie as she took hold of his hand.

"Tell Jake," she said gently, "He won't tell anyone else."

And it was then as Louie slowly nodded, and she got up and paused to kiss his cheek before telling him she would leave the two of them alone to talk, that Jake knew he had been right – something was wrong – and by the frightened look he saw in Louie's eyes as Sarah left the bar, he knew it had to be serious...

After Sarah left the bar, for a moment Louie said nothing as he looked down at the table, avoiding Jake's gaze.

"Come on Louie, talk to me," Jake said, "It can't be that bad -"

"But it is, mon ami, it is."

And as Louie looked up and slowly met his gaze, Jake knew in an instant that all the trouble that had happened between them no longer mattered – this was serious – one glance told him that his friend was desperately worried...

"I am having problems with my balance and my memory," Louie told him, "It could simply be the healing process as I recover – or it could mean I am not recovering at all. Bess told me if that is the case, I may need surgery, and if I do, it is a risky procedure."

Jake knew for certain he had been right to put the past behind them.

"How risky?"

Louie shrugged.

"Tomorrow I go to the mainland to spend one more day and night with Sarah. After that, I either find out I am healing, or I must have surgery that may cure or kill me. All I can do is hope for the best."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Jake offered.

"No," Louie replied, thinking about his secret plans with Sarah – he had been as open with Jake as he felt able, but he still wanted to keep their wedding plans secret, simply because the future was so uncertain.

"But you need your friends at a time like this."

"I want to spend tomorrow with Sarah," he said to him, "She is the one I need the most, I will be strong enough to face anything if she is at my side."

And Jake nodded.

"I can understand that," he replied, "And Louie, I'm sorry about last night – if I'd known -"

Louie dismissed the remark as he smiled warmly.

"It is in the past, Jake. Leave it there, let us part as friends."

Sadness reflected in Jake's eyes.

"I'm hoping I'll see you back here very soon."

And then he got up and so did Louie, and as Jake stepped closer Louie made a move to kiss him on both cheeks, but instead Jake hugged him tightly, and as he let go and stepped back he knew for sure that Louie was terrified of what the future possibly held in store.

"What ever happens, if the worst happens – I'll keep the bar going for you, I promise."

"Let us think positive thoughts for now," Louie replied, "I will telephone you as soon as I know what is happening."

Jake nodded.

"Please do," he said, "And I wish you all the best, Louie."

And then he left the bar and walked off towards the dock, as Jack scampered at his heels, and as he made his way back, Jake's heart felt heavy as he thought about all the trouble that had passed between them - trouble that meant nothing now, not on the grand scale of things...

Next morning, after a night that had granted Louie little sleep as he lie awake while Sarah slept and he worried about the future, Louie and Sarah left for the mainland. And Louie found he was able, for a short while, to put his concerns out of his mind as he used that influence he had as magistrate of Boragora to pull some strings and cut through red tape, and by mid day, Sarah had become his wife, and then Louie had taken her back to the honeymoon suite of a plush hotel that overlooked a beach and glittering blue ocean.

As Sarah sat down with him on a four poster bed and he took her in his arms and kissed her, the day seemed perfect – except for the fact that he had to visit the hospital the next day to find out if the news would be good or bad, and that news, if bad, would most likely be the end of everything – he knew that, but still chose not to think about it as he took his bride in his arms and made love to her.

It was a little later in the day when Sarah woke up as Louie kissed her, and she shifted closer to the warmth of his body as she ran her hand over his chest and rested her head on his shoulder.

"This is perfect," she said, and gave a sigh.

"It would have been better if we had married on the island and invited our friends," Louie added, "But, under the circumstances, if now is the only time we have who would blame us for making the most of that time?"

And Sarah said nothing as she lay beside him, but she did wonder exactly how Jake would react to the news, when he found out – and he would eventually, because she had no intention of hiding her wedding ring – after all the secrets they had kept from him, some of those secrets painful ones, it seemed a little unfair that Louie had held back on telling him about the wedding...

Then Louie spoke up, matching her thoughts:

"I do hope Jake understands why we married today, without telling anyone."

"Don't worry about Jake," she said to him, "We need to enjoy today and when tomorrow comes around -"

"We will hope for the best," Louie told her.

And she saw warmth and confidence in his eyes, and even if he was faking that confidence, it still gave her hope to see he could put on a brave face considering all he was going through, and if her new husband could face this bravely, so would she.

"I think it's going to be okay," Sarah told him, "I think you'll go in there and the specialist will say it's just the healing process, and then you and me will come back here and celebrate."

"With champagne," Louie added, and then he leaned over her and looked into her eyes.

"I have every intention of making love to you for the rest of this day, Sarah," he told her softly, "And then, if the worst happens tomorrow, who knows – perhaps if I have to leave you, at least you will be left with my child."

Suddenly she couldn't hold back her emotion any longer, and as she started to cry, he held her tightly.

"Oh, Louie don't talk like that!" she said tearfully, "You're not going to die, you're not!"

"Don't cry, Sarah, not today, not on the day of our wedding," he said softly, and then he silenced her weeping with a kiss, and as she clung to him he took her again, gently and tenderly as he whispered words of love.

By nightfall Jake was sat by the dock with his dog at his side as he looked up at the stars that glowed in the night sky. Then his gaze shifted beyond the horizon as thoughts of the mainland took over – tomorrow, Louie would find out if he was okay - or not – and he could only imagine the impact it would have on Sarah if the news was bad.

He imagined the worst case scenario – Louie needing the surgery and not making it through – if the worst happened, he had every intention of keeping his promise and running the bar in Louie's memory. He did not know where Sarah would fit into those pans, but he was sure he would never try to rekindle their romance again, because it was clear who she loved, and even if she lost him, she would spend the rest of her life loving Bon Chance Louie.

Jake thought back to the past and wondered if he ought to have spotted the signs, noticed that something was going on – then he wished he could have stepped back in time and said long ago to Sarah that Louie was the man for her, because it seemed so unfair they were faced with the possibility of such a short time together.

Then he thought of another outcome – what if Louie needed the surgery but was unable to recover from it? What if Sarah had to take care of him? He knew instantly that she would, because she loved the guy, and he guessed that if that happened, he would still be keeping his promise to Louie.

Then he patted Jack and looked at him as the dog sat beside him.

"If it's bad news tomorrow," he said, "The plane is going and I'm taking over running the Gold Monkey Bar. But that's only if it's bad news. If it's good news, Louie will come back with Sarah and everyone will be happy."

Then he realised what he had just said and he started to smile.

"Even me," he added, "Yeah, I will be happy..."

And then he continued to sit with his dog as he watched the moon glow and the stars glitter in the inky skies above as night cast its magical spell of beauty over the island of Boragora.

Next day, all optimism had gone from Louie's eyes as he took Sarah's hand as they stood outside the hospital on the mainland.

"If this is bad news, if I need the surgery, I want you to know my only regret is that we did not have longer together," Louie told her.

Sarah stepped closer and managed to smile as she stayed firm in her resolve to hold back her tears.

"I regret nothing," she promised him, "And what ever happens, I will love you forever."

Then she kissed him and they embraced, and finally they broke off from that embrace and then, keeping a tight hold on his new wife's hand, Louie walked into the hospital with Sarah.

For Sarah, it was a long day as she waited while Louie had x-rays taken and then saw the specialist. She waited around trying not to think too much about anything – but the wait was agony and as she sat in the corridor and looked out to the gardens, the sun shone through the window and the light reflected on the gold band she now wore on her finger, and Sarah slowly twisted it around remembering how Louie had put that ring on her finger only the day before.

She had made her vows – in sickness and in health – and intended to keep them. If he couldn't get better, she would take care of him. If he didn't survive the operation – something she was too afraid to think about too deeply – she knew she would never stop loving him, and certainly there would never be another man to put a ring on her finger and call her his wife, because although it had taken a long time for them to finally understand they belonged together, she knew Louie was the love of her life, and no man could ever replace him...

Then finally, Louie had left the doctor's office and walked up the corridor towards her.

Sarah had got up from her seat and looked at him anxiously, but as he reached her, she saw joy sparkling in his eyes.

"I do not need surgery – the dizzy spells and the memory loss will fade in time, it is part of the healing process. I'm absolutely fine, Sarah!"

And then as she blinked away tears of joy, he laughed.

"And now we have a honey moon to enjoy!" he exclaimed, and he grabbed her and held her tightly as he kissed her and they both shed tears of relief at the good news.

And then they left the hospital and went back to the hotel, where Louie took her up to their room and ordered champagne, and announced they would be staying for the rest of the week, to enjoy their honeymoon and to celebrate the good news.

All they wanted to do now was spend time together in the luxury hotel suite , drinking champagne and making love and forgetting about the worries that had weighed them down so terribly.

And neither Sarah nor Louie thought to place a call to Boragora to tell Jake the good news...

Later that night, after finishing the last of the champagne, while Sarah was taking a bath, Louie was relaxing on top of the covers of their four poster bed.

He was partly dressed but his shirt was off, he had a lipstick smudge on his cheek from one of Sarah's kisses and he was definitely drunk, because they had done nothing but celebrate since they had returned to the hotel.

And then as he sat there alone, thoughts turned to home and he picked up the telephone and asked for a call to be put through to Boragora.

While he waited for the line to connect he felt emotional and knew it was down to the champagne, but he did feel bad about not telling Jake about the wedding.

As the call was answered and he heard Jake's voice, he blinked away tears as he thought of how much he had kept from his close friend – far too much – and knew that had to stop, now he would tell him everything...

"Cutter's Cargo," he heard Jake say, "And if you want to book a flight I'm not open until the morning."

"Jake, it is me," Louie said, and as he spoke he guessed he didn't sound at his best, because he was drunk and emotional, but he just had to talk to Jake...

"Louie?" Jake sounded worried.

"I just wanted to let you know that...Oh, I don't know how to say this...too many secrets, Jake, there have been too many and I am so sorry for that. Can you forgive me, mon ami?"

"Louie, you know there's nothing to forgive! Shall I come over to the mainland and see you?"

Louie gave a sigh as the champagne made his head spin.

"No," he replied, "There is no time, I have too much to -" he paused, hearing the bathroom door open, "I should go now. And open up the bar for me, mon ami. Do it for me and Sarah."

Then Louie ended the call, and as Sarah walked into the bedroom wrapped in a towel she looked at Louie suspiciously.

"Did you just touch that telephone?"

"I was going to call downstairs and ask for some dinner to be brought up to our room," he lied, knowing she would not approve of him calling anyone in the state he was in.

Sarah sat down on the bed and lifted up the telephone receiver.

"I'll do it," she said to him as she looked at him fondly, "You've had too much champagne, you're too drunk to call anyone!"

Jake had put down the telephone and then sat in his room with the beside light on as tears welled up in his eyes.

He thought of all the years he had known Louie, of how they had been friends for so long, and were still friends to this day, even breaking up with Sarah could not break their friendship, not in the end...

Jake knew he was weeping as he thought about how tearful and weak Louie had sounded on the telephone. And he had asked him to take over the running of the bar – obviously, the news had been bad...

Jake wanted to get into his plane and fly over to the mainland to visit Louie, but thought better of it, remembering he had wanted to spend what could be his final days with Sarah, and so he stayed there in his room, thinking about the past and how tangled their lives had become because they had both fallen in love with the same woman.

But at least Louie had ended up with her, even if his time with her was likely to be short...

Then Jake began to make some plans – he had a list of bar staff and in the morning, he would contact them, he would cancel all flights that were booked and open up the bar in the morning, he would keep his promise to Louie, he would keep the Gold Monkey running as he had wished him to do...

As for the rest, he did not know – he was sure eventually Sarah would contact the island with news of the outcome, and that would probably be the day the island learned that Louie had passed away. Until that time, Jake had no intention of making any kind of announcement, Louie had wanted it all kept quiet, and he would do everything as his friend had wished – because he had made a promise he intended to keep...

As Jake set about making plans to open up the bar, when morning came on the mainland, Bon Chance Louie woke up feeling well despite his hangover, and briefly frowned as he raised his head from the pillow and wondered if he had made a call to Boragora the night before – but a combination of the champagne and his hazy memory got in the way of the answer, and he just dismissed the idea, and when Sarah slid her arms around him and whispered good morning to her new husband, he turned over and wrapped his arms around her.

And while Jake was on the island thinking the worst had happened, Louie was happy in the honeymoon suite making love to his new wife, unaware that his drunken phone call the night before had been misunderstood by his close friend Jake, who was busy running the bar for him, thinking it was all he could do for his friend, who he believed to have little time left, when that really was not the case at all...