“The Virgin Bride” (Conclusion)

The glow from the dim light in the room reflected his rugged handsomeness and the loose-fitting shirt over casual jeans, not quite hiding the taut muscles on his body defining his masculinity. Sarah tried to breathe slowly, the first time her feelings were so affected by a man. From all the stories and poems she had read, every word, every verse like a sweet kiss. 1He came into the room and laid a dress on the bed. “Can you join me for dinner?”
For the first time, a real smile, just a little, touched her lips and he wondered: “Does that smile get any sweeter?”
Dinner in the garden, under artificial moonlight, perfumed scents from the tropical flowers along the borders and French wine relaxed her mind, taking away the nervousness. Later that night, alone in the lounge, she said to him: “Thank you for saving my life and for everything you’ve done for me.”
“Your smile is all the thanks I need,” he said, knowing she had deep worrying concerns.
The deep blue royal dress she wore, her long, lustrous hair draped over one shoulder and her simplicity, awoke in him, something he had never felt before, something he had hoped, one day to find so he would recognise her, a girl of simple sophistication.
“She is no doubt from a decent family,” he thought, “but something seems very wrong.”
Somehow he felt a strong compelling need to find answers.
“Would you like me to contact your family, so you can return home?” he asked her.
She looked up, alarmed, “No, please, don’t.”
He looked at her for a long moment, “What aren’t you telling me, Sarah?”
She took a deep breath and looked at him, a plea in her eyes.
“I don’t want to go back home, just yet.”
“Why?”
“So my father won’t insist I marry a man I don’t love.”
2He stared at her incredibly. “You plunged into a rough river to get away from a marriage you didn’t want?”
She nodded, knowing now what a great risk she had taken.
“That’s real desperation, you could have died.”
“I know but no one would listen to me. Everyone thought he is a great guy and I’m a lucky girl.”
“Why did you think differently?”
“He lives a wild lifestyle with parties and exotic women, but he wants to marry someone pure and innocent, a virgin bride. I’m a simple girl dedicated to God and saying ‘yes’ would betray everything I believe in. I want to share my life with someone my heart desires, in whose eyes I can see pure love.”
The deep passion in her voice, edged with pain and the reason why she risked her life, so astonished Nathan, it left him for a long moment, searching for words. The night had grown quiet, only for the whispering of the wind, for in this wooden cabin on a beautiful resort, a young girl’s prayer would be answered.
“I want to help you,” Nathan told her, regrets in his voice, “But I don’t know how I can because I have to leave in the morning.”
She sighed, resigned to her fate and looked out the window, turning to hold back the tears, “I understand, I’ll have to return home.”
“I leave early in the morning,” he said, “I have my own boat so I can take you to the stelling or…” he paused for a moment, his heart telling him he should not send her back to something she almost died to get away from, “Or you can come with me until you decide what to do.”
She turned to look at him, the tears now evident in her eyes.
“Where?”
“My ranch and my lodge are in the Rupununi-a long way from here. I live alone with a few servants, there’s a school, a church and a market-a beautiful place.”
The tears were now flowing from her eyes and suddenly she broke down crying. It was a bit discomforting for him.
“Okay, don’t cry. I don’t like to see anyone crying.”
He touched her shoulder but she didn’t stop and realising she probably needed this to release her pent up feelings, he held her close to him and let her cry.
Heaven’s plan was working smoothly.
She stopped crying after a long while and turned away from him to wipe her tear stained face.
Nathan brought a glass of water for her to drink and once she was composed, he asked “Feeling better?”
She nodded, “Sorry,” feeling a bit embarrassed for breaking down and crying. She wasn’t sure what came over her, having battled with her emotions so long and her control broke, rushing down a mountain stream.
“So would you like to come with me?”
She thought for a little while, not afraid of being with him, just wondering how much her family would miss her but he was offering her a chance here to become a brave soul.
“I would love to.” She said with a real little smile.
He reached out and touched her face, wiping a tear stain from her chin she had missed, a warm, comforting look in her eyes, “You’ll love it there.”
Nathan had a sleek twin-engine boat, equipped with all comforts, a skilled navigator he was so by dusk they had reached the Rupununi region. The journey to the lodge continued by land with his trail blazing jeep to a beautiful place sitting majestically on top a hill, overlooking the settlements and sprawling savannahs. It was a lodge built from rich woods of the South American forest, a European architectural design but furnished with intricate Amerindian décor. Sarah was so tired that after a refreshing bath and warm meal, she fell asleep, awakening till morn. Nathan had left for the ranch, before sunrise and Sarah was left in the care of maid servants, kind and motherly like the woman at the resort.
At the beginning of this new day, in a place far away from home, she could now see the natural beauty, the backdrop of the forest and the unending green landscape. The lodge was designed in a way so from one patio can be seen the sunrise and the other the sunset. Sarah could almost imagine what the sprawling landscape would look like on a moonlit night. She looked up at the heavens, beyond the clear blue sky and whispered, “Thank you for Dear Lord.” Nathan came home an hour after lunch and as she watched him run up the steps, that new, beautiful feeling within her sparkled a flame that glowed, spreading a warmth through her body. “What is happening to me?” she wondered. He came in calling for her, his tone of voice, anxious, relieved when she answered him, walking in from the patio.
“I was so worried leaving you alone since early morning but there was an emergency at the ranch, are you rested, did you have breakfast, did Mamrie take —“. “I’m fine,” she interrupted him, “I was looking at the view. It’s so beautiful and peaceful.”
“I told you, you would love it here, when you see it all you wouldn’t want to leave”
They sat down for lunch and continued talking, “Is that why you stayed?”
“Yep.” He answered her. “This little unknown part of the world I fell in love with, the ranch is like a lifeline to me and the lodge I designed and helped to build with my own hands. This place is like my own little paradise.”
He took her out to see more of this little paradise, his home, meeting the natives who were like his family and the love and honour she saw they extended to him was evident of the important role he was playing in their lives. She saw the new modelled school, that immediately caught her interest but the one thing that made her gasped and stared at in awe was the church, the replica of an old English church, an invaluable piece of history.
“It was here a long time,” Nathan told her, “Many missionaries travelled here to spread the word of God.”
It made such a deep impression on her mind, tears welling in her eyes.
“You’re not going to cry again, are you?” he asked, moving closer to her.
She laid her hand on his shoulder, laughing a little, “I can’t help it.”
He put his arms around her waist casually and said a little teasingly: “You’re too emotional.” Two weeks went by and the days and nights spent, visiting the ranch, bathing in the river with the children, visiting other scenic locations and dinners just for two brought them closer and closer to each other. It was two people falling in love, sharing time with each other, smiles and laughter. Times when he would embrace her and kiss her lightly on the cheek or twirling her hair between his fingers, yet they said nothing to each other, as though waiting on something.
The second day of the third week, Nathan came home from the ranch, somewhat worried.
“I think you need to see this,” he said to Sarah, handing her his phone.
It was the video of her father crying on National Television, apologising to her and begging her to come home.
Sarah grew a little pale, “Oh my God.”
She looked at Nathan, “When was this?”
“I received it a few hours ago. It seems they reported you missing and have been searching for you.”
She sat down weakly. All the worry had been released from her mind, coming back in a rush.
“I have to go home. I can’t leave them to suffer like that.”
He didn’t answer, turning to look at the window, a dreadful feeling in his heart.
“What if she doesn’t come back? ”
“Nathan.”
He turned, swallowing hard to hide his feelings, “I know you have to go. I’ll send out a message to inform them you’re fine and you’ll be home soon.”
She saw the pain in his eyes and understood his hesitancy for her to leave because she was feeling the same. She got up and for the first time she made that move to put her arms around him,
“It’s just so they know I’m okay.”
He smiled, a smile that did not come from his heart and hugged her close to him, standing there by the window, two hearts beating in unison.
He took her home the next day by air, neither of them saying much during the flight, tense and worried. There was a large gathering at her home waiting for her return-families, friends, colleagues and all the church members and even some of the little children from her class. Sarah was overwhelmed by this show of concern from those whose lives she had touched. Her father was the first one to reach her, breaking down in tears and hugging her. It was a heartening scene, everyone crying and hugging her, wanting to know what had happened and where she had been. Nathan got no chance to say goodbye and left, travelling back that same day to the Rupununi. Nothing was the same anymore. He missed her so much as the days went by-her perfume scent, her smile sweeter than he had wondered it to be, the sound of her laughter and her tears. “I love you so much Sarah,” he said quietly, “but I was afraid to tell you. Will I see you again?”
Sarah hardly had any time for herself for every day there were visitors to the home to see her. Only at nights when she went to bed was she alone to think.
Nathan called late in the night, every night but they couldn’t talk much because of the poor phone reception. She held onto his voice for missing him the way she did, with every breath she took. It was love she had told the Lord she could wait for.
“I have to go back,” she whispered softly as she lit the candles in her church. “I can’t stay away any longer.”
Six days and nights had passed since she went home and never in his life had Nathan felt so empty. She had filled his life with something so special and beautiful, he wanted never to let go. “Please send her back to me, dear Lord.” he prayed, standing and looking at the stained glass cross in his little old church. “You had changed the current of the water and sent her to me, I know that. You knew I would fall in love with her because you know what my heart desires so please don’t keep her away from me. I love her so much.”
“I love you too,” a soft voice said behind him.
Nathan froze for one heartbeat of a second and turned around. She was standing there, a picture of simple elegance, in a little floral dress, her long hair falling loosely down her shoulders.
Sarah had left by air early that morning, the longest journey of her life and ran all the way from the lodge to the church. She was a little breathless when she had gotten there and heard a part of his prayers.
“Sarah!” There was a tremor in his voice when he spoke her name, pure love in his eyes and only such love could bring tears to a man’s eyes. She smiled, wiping his tears, “You’re crying now.”
“The thought of not seeing you again—“
She put a finger to his lips, “I came back to tell you, you’re the one my heart desires, the love I saw in your eyes is what I want.”
With his lips close to hers, he asked, “Will you be my bride?”
“Yes.” She answered.
Words were not needed anymore as they stood there, in each other’s arms, the candles in the church, burning brighter, heaven’s master plan completed.
By Maureen Rampertab

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.