Dancing with Fire (unedited)

Chapter 10 Winter Rains

Rebecca and Gabriela were laughing as they cleaned off their muddy feet in the basin on the porch before entering the house. They both were wearing their pink saris and had the drape wrapped around their hips as a sash. They were a rich colorful paisley design. With the wrap around their hips their midriffs were bare and they were wearing their new red choli with very short sleeves and deeply plunging open back. It had been raining quite heavily and they had worn a very wide brimmed hat to keep the rain off. It was made from woven straw and tarred and held on buy a thin adjustable hemp rope. The hat had a very low crown that came to a peek and worked extremely well at keeping them dry. They both were carrying packages.

"I've never seen so many books in one place Aunt Minnie, thank you for taking us to the book store, I love books, and all those strange shaped fruits we saw at the market," Rebecca said. Gabriela carried a large sack holding it close to her body in an apparent hug.

"Aunt Minnie can I show Grandmother my gift?" Gabriela asked and Wilhelmina nodded. Gabriel dashed into the house shouting in excitement, "Grandmother, thank you so much for the puppy! Aunt Minnie helped me pick it out." She presented the dog to Hermione. The puppy's antics running around and tripping over its overly large feet had everyone laughing. "I want to name her Boo!"

"It's for you girls so you get to name it," Hermione replied, "It's so good to have a dog in 'Green House' again. Gabby I expect you to take care of it and train it, Becka will help."

"Can it sleep with me too?"

"Yes it can," Hermione answered laughing. "Did Wilhelmina tell you she slept with her dog when she was a little girl?" Boo quickly became the comic relief of the house. The dog grew very quickly reaching over seventy pounds by the end of winter. The dog had long brown hair mixed with black and a square wrinkled face with a massive jaw. Rebecca noted that Boo looked a lot like the dog she had as a child, except her dog was missing one leg. The dog often accompanied them when they walked about the island or ventured into the village.

"How big do you think Boo will get Becka?" Gabriela asked one morning as they were dressing for a walk up into the mountains.

"My dog was a similar breed and was double Boo's size, besides she's still a puppy. I got us both theses sari pants to wear today, what do you think?"

"There so baggy two of me can fit in mine!" Gabriela mused.

"Watch me." Rebecca stepped into her pants, they were indigo blue, pulling them up until they reached her rib cage. She then folded the left side over in front or her than the right side tying them with a cord sewed into the pants in bow at the front tight around her hips then folded the top of the pants over leaving her tummy and navel bare. "That's how you do it Gabby, they're a soft cotton and will be warmer at the higher altitudes we are visiting today. Gabriela followed her example and was able to get her's on easily. They were both wearing matching blue choli and had their hair in a single long braid. The choli buttoned at the front, had short sleeves and although cut close at the neck was open at the shoulders exposing both shoulders.

"These are so comfy Becka, I'm never wearing my old style again...ever!"

Rebecca laughed, "We will bring a jacket with us as it might be cold later, and Boo can carry then in her backpack." They then descended the stairs for breakfast. Nathaniel was already discussing their planned visit with Hermione and Wilhelmina as he served himself from a platter of eggs, sausage and kidneys.

"You both look so lovely!" Nathaniel said as he hugged them both kissing them. "We will be gone all day and walking on very hard ground so you may want to wear sandals." Rebecca added sandals to Boo's backpack after breakfast. "I'm visiting Gus's farm as I thinking of a business venture with him, I will definitely want your opinions." The breakfast conversation centered on the refit status of the ship and on island dress. Gabriela taking four eggs, four sausage and two kidneys on her plate as well as toast.