Risking All for Love (Wattpadprize14)

Chapter Eighteen

The next morning Felicia and Lisa got up early and cooked breakfast over their kerosene stove. They prepared powdered eggs covered with grated canned cheese packed specially for the tropics. Felicia then fried sliced Spam in lard in a second skillet. On one of their back burners a pot of filtered water was heating for tea.

Because Lisa and Felicia had guests, they had to prepare extra drinkable water. Therefore, they emptied their crock filter, which sat on their small refrigerator, of its fresh water into ice trays and into their extra bottles they kept for drinking. Their remaining burner was devoted to preparing more boiling water to be filtered. They kept this up until their crock water filter was again full. They then prepared one more pot of boiling water for rinsing the dishes after they were washed and one more pot to cool on the stove for filtering later.

So during the day, they kept making extra ice for guests for that evening. Preparing for a party on Friday night required preparing freezing and saving ice all week to be kept in the kerosene refrigerator. Missionaries often shared their duty-free liquors with the Peace Corps Volunteers for parties. For soft drinks they had to make do most often with Mission Fanta and Canada Dry Cola, which was a passable substitute for Coca Cola. Now and then Masri had real Coca Cola for sale, but he was sold out within a week.

Across the road, David would also be preparing extra water and ice during the day to help the girls out.

When all was prepared, Lisa left the house while Felicia kept watch over the food. Had she not been there, insects might have been on the table enjoying breakfast before anyone else had a chance. Their cat kept most tropical pests at bay downstairs while lizards were always pitter pattering above their ceilings. But they feasted on small creatures there, thus keeping their attic clean.

"Bok, bok, bok!" Lisa hollered instead of knocking. "David," Lisa said, "time to get up."

David came to the door without his shirt on. "Lisa, I can't wait to wake up next to you some day and tell you that you look as beautiful as you do now standing in my doorway." He took her into his arms and gave her a long kiss. "Sweetheart, give me ten minutes, and keep Gary from eating up all the food." They laughed.

Returning across the road, Lisa paused to allow men, children, and women in colored lapas--some women were bare breasted--carrying goods from Mosambolahun to sell in Bolahun Market. Children passed, grinning because they assumed Lisa was leaving the house after having just spent the night with David.

Returning, Lisa asked Felicia to wake up Margaux and Gary. They heard her approaching through an adjoining room. While they had not had sex the night before, they nevertheless slept without clothes under their mosquito net. Smiling together, Margaux climbed on Gary as he pulled the sheet down. She then lay with her bare breasts somewhat spread against his chest. They both then closed their eyes with their heads turned toward Felicia.

"Wake up, you t---". All Gary and Margaux could hear after that was a sudden gasp and half a screech as Felicia drew air in, surprised to see Margaux lying against Gary with but her legs covered. "Oh! I. I don't want to know!"

She ran back into the living room and stood next to the dinning table. "Lisa, you get them up. I'll watch the food!"

Felicia's face was flushed all through breakfast.

"May we help you clean up?" Gary addressed that question to all but shot a quick glance at Felicia. She avoided his eyes and wide grin.

David, who had heard Felicia's panicky cry from his small house across the road, sat up. "Take your rest, Felicia. You've had enough stress for one day."

With water for dishes having boiled on the stove, they made fast work of cleanup. Feeling like a fifth wheel, Felicia told the others to enjoy their time at market. She had to prepare lesson plans for school and would join the nuns at the Convent of St. Helena in the afternoon.