All that glitters is not Gold
Thanks for sticking around and reading this – special thanks, as always, to samcamstargate1, goldeneyegirl and Broken Bells, and to all who leave a comment.
Chapter 3: Spanish Lessons
Shortly after noon, 12.10pm
The sun was scorching the earth. Everything that had been soaked this morning, has been dried up by now – including Lily. She, Mina, and Charlie were sitting underneath a huge coral tree, with its spiny bark and bright red flowers. Hummingbirds hurried from blossom to blossom, and looked like big insects.
"So, what's the name of this tree again, Charlie? In Spanish?" asked Lily, her hair neatly tucked away in a tight bun, while her headband kept loose strands from falling into her eyes. She had a bottle of water lying beside her, as her vision trailed into the enormous tree above her.
"El ceibo o el bucaré," repeated Charlie, and handed her a banana. Charlie liked spending time with the doctors. Here, he was able to become more proficient in English, as well as learning something about medicine. Plus, he liked being around Lily. He had a bit of a crush on her. Mina and Lily were having their daily lunch break under 'un ceibo', and it had become quite a habit for Charlie to join them, especially since Lily had told him that she wanted to learn Spanish as fast as possible.
Lily didn't know about the kid's crush. To her, Charlie reminded her of her younger brother, Tom. She and Tom had done almost everything together when they were small. They had been partners in crime. Lily leaned back onto her elbows, with her feet being stretched out in front of her, and smiled at Charlie. She was grateful that he was here to help her improve her Spanish.
Mina, on the other hand, was slightly bothered. But no one could really blame her today. She hadn't slept very well last night, and wanted to use her lunch break to relax, and maybe doze off in the shadows of this beautiful, tropic tree.
"Es un ceibo o un bucaré," repeated Lily, and took a first bite from her banana, "and how do I introduce myself again, as a doctor, and ask what the problem of my patient is?"
Charlie smiled and repeated the phrase she wanted to learn – at least, she wanted to learn. Tommy, his first 'student', had been neither as interested, nor as talented as Lily, "¡Hola! señor / señora, yo soy un doctora, me llamo Lily Brenner. ¿Cuál es el problema?"
Lily nodded and knew that she was far from being fluent in Spanish, I have so much to learn. "Right," she grinned at Charlie and shook her head, "you make this look and sound so easy, Charlie."
"That's because it's my mother tongue, Lily! And someday, it will be easy for you to use, as well. You just need to practice, and togive it time."
"Let's hope so!" she replied, and knew that although she was a patient personwith other people, she was her own worst enemy. When it came to her, she strived for perfection, and wanted to learn as much and as soon as possible.
Tommy Fuller crossed the greens and slumped down next to Lily, Mina, and Charlie, "Hey guys, what's up?"
Mina, whose eyes were closed, answered Tommy without looking up, "Not much, just relaxing. Have a banana," she said, holding the fruit in Tommy's direction.
"Thanks," answered Tommy as he took it, and noticed Lily's intrigued look, "you want some?"
Lily shook her head, her eyes still being fixed on that fruit, as if he held the Holy Grail in hishands.
"Come on, Lily – you are not mad at me anymore, are you?" Tommy asked, and underlined his comment with an apologetic smile, "I am really sorry for not respecting your shower schedule – I'll try to …"
Lily chuckled, "You'll try? Oh, Tommy …" That's so typical, Lily thought, and inwardly smiled. When Charlie replaced her younger brother Tom, it was becoming clearer with every second that somehow Tommy had been given the role of her older brother Peter. As much as Peter had always driven her crazy, she couldn't stay mad at him long.
"What?" the young man asked, still holding his banana in hands.
"¿Esto es una banana, no?" Lily asked in Charlie's direction, while pointing towards the fruit in Tommy's hand.
Charlie smiled pleased, "Si, e ¿cuál color ha esa banana?" She was learning fast.
Tommy stopped chewing and frowned – wasn't Charlie supposed to be his Spanish teacher? "Hey, guys … wait a second," he started with his mouth full.
Lily smiled, totally ignoring Tommy, "Es una banana amarilla."
"Muy bien, Lily! Estoy muy orgulloso de te!" Charlie applauded, sharinga laugh with Lily, before reaching for a green papaya from the fruit basket, "¿Esto es una manzana blanca?"
"Wait, wait, wait … you're teaching her Spanish now?" Tommy asked in Charlie's direction, "What about the deal we had?"
Charlie grinned, and switched his gaze between Lily and Tommy, "Just join in, Tommy. There's always room for more students."
"If you can keep up," Lily teased with a mischievous smile plastered over her face.
Tommy's eyes widened at her comment, and he playfully shoved at her right arm so that she landed on her back, "Oh, you bet I can keep up!" And with that the three started laughing, which even caused Mina to crack open her eyes.
Dr. Ryan Clark stepped onto the veranda in this exact moment, approaching Ben from behind. His muscular arms rested on the banister, supporting his weight. His eyes lay on the group underneath the ceibo. Ryan came to a halt next to him and copied his stance, letting her elbows rest on the banister, as well, casting her eyes over Charlie and his students. "So, what are the 'kids' doing?"
Ben knew Ryan was referring to the new doctors. He turned his head and looked at Ryan's profile, before he brushed a hand through his dark, brown hair, "Charlie's teaching them Spanish."
Ryan nodded, somehow pleased with the new doctors' interest in the language. They would be even more helpful around here, if they became fluent in Spanish. Ryan saw Ben turning back to look at the group, which now gave her the opportunity to study his profile – the prominent, but handsome features of a man, whose rough edges were softened by a bit ofstubble.
Ryan wondered if he was looking at her. She had sensed Ben's heightened interest in the brunette, but couldn't quite explain it. It can't be just her looks, can it? Sure, she's beautiful, but in a fairly normal kind of way, isn't she? But then again, Ryan didn't know what Ben knew. About how Lily's fiancé had been killed in a car crash. Ryan only knew Ben's story, and therefore couldn't understand that it was this piece of shared tragedy, which had led Ben and Lily to connect in a way Ryan would never be able to. For her, Ben's changed behaviour was just another piece of evidence that he wasn't hers, and would probably never fully be. Sure, they've had their good times together, and she was convinced that they were not really through with it, either, but Ryan was intelligent enough to sense that something was up.
Ryan looked back towards the group under the tree herself, not missing the expression on Ben's face. His eyes seemed lighter, more aware. Even his gestures became more relaxed when he watched her … and Ryan had to admit that she hadn't had this effect on him in a long time. As of now, her bonus was her shared past with Ben Keeton. It was Ryan's and Ben's mutual history that guaranteed her a place in his heart and mind, although Ryan knew that she would loose the heart spot eventually. Ryan carefully sighed, watching Ben, and the light smile playing around his eyes. He's been haunted by his past for so long … if it's her who can scare those demons away, then it's probably worth it, even though the thought still hurt. Ryan cleared her throat, "Well, let's hope Charlie is a good teacher, then!" With that she elevated herself into an upright position, feeling Ben's eyes on her skin and shouted, "Hey, Fuller!"
Mina, Lily, Charlie, and Tommy looked up to see Dr. Clark standing next to Ben Keeton on the veranda.
Ryan loosened her ponytail only to tie it anew, "I could use your help. You up for it?"
"Su-sure, Dr. Clark!" Tommy replied and was up the veranda in no time, following Ryan into the clinic.
Mina and Lily got up, too, officially ending their lunch break. There was work to be done. They got up and made their way over to the clinic, while Ben was still standing on the veranda, gulping down the last drops of water from a bottle.
"I'm gonna get me a real good case now – something extraordinary!" Mina said, and played with her stethoscope while ascending the stairs. "Maybe that will help to keep me awake!"
"You do that," Lily smiled. Upon passing Ben, their eyes briefly met – lingering a moment longer than necessary. What is it with me and not looking away when he's looking? Lily mused, and felt a heat rushing through her body, You should drink more water! She told herself, you act as if you're dehydrated, Lily! Get a grip. But Lily simply couldn't help it. She sensed that something was there, something between them. She just couldn't quite say what it was. Lily slightly nodded her head in a way of saying 'hi' as she passed him, while Ben tried to bear up against the open look of her blue eyes.
And then she was gone, had entered the clinic. Ben inhaled deeply, looked towards the flowers of the coral tree, and slowly shook his head before he started smiling slightly. What was so special about her? His balled fist hit the banister, and with that he turned on his heel, heading into the clinic. He would simply have to find out.
Leave a comment , if you feel like it. Thanks, K.
* Spanish translations and additional info in Chapter 3:
"El ceibo o el bucaré" - Charlie is teaching Lily some Spanish; Here, Lily asked what the name of a certain tree is - and Charlie answers. "El Ceibo" or "el bucaré" is the Spanish name for a Coral tree, Erythrina crista-galli. They are sitting underneath it, because I wrote that such a tree is standing on the clinic's grounds.
"Es un ceibo o un bucaré" -Lily just repeats what Charlie has said: "It's a ceibo or a bucaré".
"¡Hola! señor / señora, yo soy un doctora, me llamo Lily Brenner. ¿Cuál es el problema?" - Charlie teaches Lily how to introduce herself as a doctor when dealing with a patient. He says: "Hello, Sir/ Ma'am, I am the doctor and my name is Lily Brenner. What's your problem?"
"¿Esto es una banana, no?" - Lily is asking towards Charlie, trying to form sentences of her own. Here she asks: "This is a banana, right?"
"Si, e ¿cuál color ha esa banana?" -Charlie answers her and says: "Yes, and what colour does the banana have?"
"Es una banana amarilla." - Lily repeats: "It's a yellow banana".
"Muy bien, Lily! Estoy muy orgulloso de te!" - Charlie is pleased with Lily's answer: "Very good, Lily! I am very proud of you!"