The Native and the White Man (boyxboy)

(13) Back to London

Parijat's pov:

“Do you really have to go? Why can't you just stay here? Our healers will be able to heal you,” I say as Jack lays on a cot the white men call a ‘stretcher’. There was a white cloth not made of any animal skin securely wrapped around Jack's waist from where he had been shot by that vicious and evil white man.

Jack and his people told me he has to go back to their homeland, London, to see their healer to fix Jack up. It was understandable to bring him back home because the healing process would be faster, but my people have some experience with gun wounds as well. I didn't want Jack to leave for fear of him never returning to me again. Why did he have to go?, I wondered. Our healers could do the same and heal him from his wound as much as his people can. Jack could tell what I was thinking through my sad eyes of those that reflected the river or the dark gloomy sky. He placed his large hand on my face, wiping away my tears with his thumb. I leaned into his palm and clasped it with my own, trapping his hand in between my face and my hand. Softly my tears drew down my face as I pursed my lips, holding any whimper that threatened to leave from my throat to convince Jack to stay.

It really is selfish of me to act like this, I thought. Jack is hurt and he needs to go back to his people to get better. I tried filling my thoughts with those of Jack returning to me, but it seemed so far out of my reach. My father has told me of the unfaithfulness of the white men. Jack will go back to London to heal his wound, but will he come back to me once he is healed? I couldn't know. Maybe he would find another to satisfy his needs. He must think I cannot bear child because I am male when in fact I can and will go search for a white woman instead to bear him child.. Those thoughts hurt me and made me cry harder like the rains in a storm. Jack pulled me down to his chest, rubbing my back. I be careful not to place all my self onto him so I may not hurt his wound. Jack petted my hair with his other hand then and entangled them in my black locks. I looked up to him, my eyes full of sorrow.

“Please don't cry, beautiful, it ails me even more than this bullet wound,” Jack says in hopes to comfort me. “You know I have to go back to London, Parijat, it is the only way I will ever be able to heal fast. I might die within a few days if I don't go back immediately.”

“I know, Jack, I-I am just distraught...,” I mutter, wiping my tears and sniffling.

“Tell me, why you are distraught?”

“I fear you may not come back to me once you have healed. I love you, Jack,”

“And I you, beautiful. I promise to come back to you as soon as I am healed.”, he promises, making my heart beat and my soul at ease.

“If you search for a white woman, remember that I am able to carry your child,” I tell him.

He just chuckles as if he does not believe me and says, “That is impossible, Parijat, you are a man.”

“I am a man, Jack, but believe me, I am able to conceive,” I tell him, worried now he'll leave because I've told him I could bear child.

He just smiles and bends me down so he can capture my lips in another of his kisses. I kiss him back immediately and place my hands beside his head to support myself. He then pulls away and my lips turn down in unhappiness, making him laugh. “Good,” he said. “I promise to come back to you, Parijat, and once I do, I'll ask your hand in marriage and when we get married I'll make you round with my child.”

“P-please...,” I say, my cheeks heating up. I believe this is the term the white men call ‘blushing’.

I see one of Jack's people approach us. He has black hair and came along with another one with red hair. The white men are indeed strange, I thought. “It's time we get Jack onboard now, my lady,” the dark haired one said.

“He's a man, Brent,” Jack said.

“Oh, whoops! Sorry, you just looked like a woman!”, the black haired man known as ‘Brent’ said.

“Don't stare at 'im, Brent! He's Jack's!”, the red haired one said, hitting Brent at his arm.

“Don't hit me, ya lunatic!”, Brent exclaimed, glaring at the red haired one.

“Brent, Lonnie, that's enough. We need to go,” Jack said sternly to Brent and the red haired one known as ‘Lonnie’. He then looked at me, a look of regret strewn in his eyes. “I'll come back with you and I'll stay with you here, Parijat, I promise. I love you,”

“I love you too, Jack,” I said, another tear slipping down my eye. Brent and Lonnie then picked up the ‘stretcher’ and carried Jack to their boat which they called a ‘ship’. I could see Brent and Lonnie place down on the ‘ship’, and my heart ached. It felt like it was clawing and aching to get out of my chest to run after Jack. I knew why. Saying goodbye and ‘I love you’ wasn't enough. I ran after the ‘ship’ as it sailed across the ocean. I got to the cliff near the tree Jack and I met, and I waved. In the distance, I could see him on his ‘ship’. He was waving back at me like how my people did it. I smiled, another tear escaping from my eye.

I then felt the touch of a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see my father with a smile on his face. “I am proud to have you as my son, Parijat. You really have grown.”, my father says. “Let us go back to the tribe now.” I nodded, following him. I then look back one last time, seeing as the ‘ship’ sailed away back to London. Please, I think, come back to me already.