Ch. 11
I was so flustered. How could Captain laugh like that? It was not my fault it was so awkward to have the man who had just been Hyde be almost naked in front of me! I did not even realize where I was walking until I heard Dr. Jekyll say, "Um, excuse me-?"
I stopped, where were we? Stupid question, we were three halls over from where we needed to be to get Dr. Jekyll new clothes. I grudgingly looked down the hall as I thought of the best way to get back to where we needed to be without Dr. Jekyll realizing I had made a mistake. "-Ahem… Marina?" I looked at the doctor and tilted my head to show I was listening. He seemed flustered too, and for a moment, I did not know why. Then I saw it.
I was still holding his arm! I had not dropped it and had been leading him down the hall like this the whole time! With a gasp from shock, I pulled my hands back and clasped them behind my back. I could feel my face heat as I smiled awkwardly at him, hoping he was not too mad about it. How I wished for the anger-squashing giggles girls with a voice had. It certainly would come in handy…
Dr. Jekyll seemed surprised as I abruptly pulled away, and gave a small, timid laugh when I smiled. "Where exactly are we headed?" he asked, and a small smile traced his features. It really was amazing how different his smile was from the one Mr. Hyde had sarcastically made before. His was so… kind.
I smiled back, not the over exaggerated fake one from before, but a small real one. I opened my bag and pulled out my new book and ink quill. I quickly scrawled my note to him, "I'll be showing you your room, and getting you some new clothes." I turned the book so that he could read it, and he looked confused as he did. He looked up and met my eyes, "Do you choose not to speak, or can you not?" he asked me earnestly. I smiled softly at this; at least he did not beat around the bush. "I do not choose not to speak, Dr. Jekyll," I wrote, and I did not have to turn it, for he came to stand next to me and read over my shoulder.
"I see," he said, and I nodded. With a motioning hand, I started once more to lead him to his new room, but first, clothes. We walked in silence until we made it too the laundry room. I made a rough guess of Dr. Jekyll's size and pulled a dry, white Indian garb from where it hung to dry. I walked over and held it out to him with a smile.
He took it gratefully, and my shawl slipped from its knot as he grabbed the clothes. "Oh," he muttered as he quickly leaned to catch it before it hit the ground. He looked up at me from his crouched position and smiled, "Sorry." He stood up and handed me the shawl, was he going too walk to his room naked? I must have looked panicked, because he quickly said, "Don't worry; I'll change in this room, is that alright?"
I nodded quickly and departed, shutting the door behind me. I could feel my heart in my throat, and I swallowed hard. What was going on? I had seen several men even more exposed than Dr. Jekyll; in fact, I had walked in on Maitreya bare once! Which is how the marriage jokes started, claiming he had taken my innocent eyes, and that it was his duty to marry me now. He always found ways to ask me to marry him, just like before Hyde was captured.
Sure, I had been embarrassed and had avoided him for a very long time, but it was never this bad… Maybe it really was because Dr. Jekyll was so different from the men on the ship. He was so pale in comparison, his hair so much brighter. His eyes were so clouded…
That was it, wasn't it? It was the novelty of seeing a new body. I did not get embarrassed seeing the men because I was used to seeing them, they were nothing new. Dr. Jekyll was, that was why it was so awkward! I smiled in relief as I finally realized what was going on. It would be over soon, and things would be fine again!
The door opened and I looked up to see Dr. Jekyll looking odd in Indian garb. I grinned at his unsure look and felt a laugh slip out. I slammed my hand over my mouth to stop it, and Dr. Jekyll looked confused. "Is it that awful?" he asked. I removed my hand and settled for a smile. I quickly wrote in my book, "Not at all, you just look so," how could I put it nicely, "unsettled." I showed him my book and tried to stifle my grin.
He read my note for a moment, before he let out a soft laugh. "It's not really what I'm used too," he told me, and I had to laugh at that. Not many are used to the garb of an Indian, at least not around here, on this continent. I closed my book and waved for him to follow me. Which he did without further motivation.
We made it to his room silently, without any trouble. I opened the door for him as I had with all the others and smiled at him in departure. "Ah, Marina, do you know if I'll be getting, well, my clothes anytime soon," he asked with an inoffensive smile. I grinned and looked past his shoulder, pointing to the end of his bed. Ishmael must have already picked up his things. "Ah," he said and I saw him rush to a small case on top of his trunk. He opened it, but I could not see what was inside it as he moved in front of it.
I heard it click shut after a minute of staring at him, and he turned around looking anxious. "Ah, yes, sorry. Thank you, Marina." Without thinking I signed, "You're welcome." Oh dear, I quickly grabbed for my book and scrawled, "Sorry about that, force of habit. You're welcome." He read my note then looked at me, "'You're welcome,' is that what that sign meant?" he asked, and I nodded my head. I watched in amazement as he imitated my sign almost perfectly. "Was that right?" he asked, and I shook my head slowly, and showed him what he had done wrong. He repeated it again and I smiled, for he had done it right.
"Very good," I signed, and then wrote it in my note. He grinned with a laugh, and seemed embarrassed. "Sorry, I find it interesting though," he said with an embarrassed sounding voice. Indeed his cheeks reddened slightly. I grinned and wrote quickly in my book, "If you want, I'll teach you some signs." I signed it before showing him the note, and I saw his eyes spark, "Will you really?" I nodded happily. "Tomorrow, when I'm done with my rounds I'll teach you some Dr. Jekyll," I signed, then wrote in my book for him to read. He nodded with a smile, "Thank you Marina. Could I also ask you a favor?" he asked, and I nodded. "Will you tell me about the others?" he said, and I saw his cheeks go red. Why would he go red from that? I wondered, but nodded anyway.
I packed my book and pen and waved goodbye. I was only a few steps away when he called; "Marina?" and I stopped and turned to him, tilting my head to show I was listening. "Please call me Henry; I'm sure it's much easier to write then Dr. Jekyll." He was smiling, and I nodded back, before turning around quickly and all but running to my room. I shut the door quickly behind me, and felt my burning face. 'What is going on?' I thought in shock, for my chest was tight and my heart was in my throat again. Why was this happening?!