It was mid-summer and Sarah’s time was fully taken up with church activities for the children when Vihaan, just back a few days ago from a tournament in the islands, called her parents to say he was coming over for dinner on Sunday. He wanted to discuss with them, something of importance that couldn’t wait. Sarah was worried because Vihaan had become too close to the family and she had seen through his façade of charm, the lust he couldn’t hide when he looked at her. It was something that built a fear in her because she knew he was not the one her heart desired. She was a kindergarten school teacher who nurtured little children and had a deep commitment to church and God’s work. How could she be close to a man of wild exploits with a playboy image?
It would betray everything she stood for and believed in.
No one in the family seriously shared her sentiments and fears and the important discussion Vihaan wanted with her parents was to ask for her hand in marriage. He felt it was time for him to find a bride and Sarah was the perfect one for him.
“You’ll be mine forever,” he whispered to her, “My virgin bride.”
Sarah was dismayed beyond words, She locked herself in her room after he had left, reading her Bible to calm her mind. He had proposed that they get engaged when he returned from an upcoming overseas tour and the wedding date would be in the New Year. Sarah did not answer, her mind burdened with her family’s happiness and expectations and her belief in pure, sacred love.
“It’s what I want, dear God,” she had prayed with deep passion, “It’s what I can wait for.”
She realised she would have to abandon, for a while, her quiet demeanour and speak to her family on a serious note. Her mother expressed her regrets for not listening and decided to stay neutral on the issue of the proposal, so did her brothers, because of the close relationship the family now had with Vihaan. They promised her to be supportive of whatever decision she made, but her father was not too pleased. Though he understood her concerns, he still felt Vihaan was perfect for her. Sarah said no more but things became a bit tense between she and her father.
The time got closer for Vihaan’s return and she still hadn’t given her answer, her compassionate heart torn between disappointing her father and sharing her life with someone she did not love.
But her deep prayers found answers.
The last Saturday before Vihaan’s return, two of Sarah’s friends from the university came to see her. They had something to show her that had been sent to one of the girl’s phones. It was Vihaan at a party, the night before, drunk with exotic dancing girls. Sarah stared shocked at the wild, explicit scenes, the colour fading from her cheeks.
“Oh God,” was all she could say.
He had proposed to her and was just two days away from coming home for her answer. What if she had said ‘yes’? What kind of life would she have with him?
She hardly slept that night, disturbed and scared.
The next morning before she left for church, her father spoke to her with an anxious look on his face.
“Sarah, Vihaan will be home tonight.”
“I know, dad,” she said with a little smile, the tinge of sadness he did not see.
“Have you decided?”
She took a little while before answering.
“Yes, I’ll talk about it when I return home.”

She did not return home.
Sarah went to the river side that afternoon and sat in her secluded place, hurt and confused. She did not tell her father about the video because she knew he would have found a way to defend Vihaan-his hero.
“How could my father who loves me so much, not know what I want?”
For the first time in her life, she felt completely confused, her thoughts in a maze.
“What do I do, dear Lord?” she cried, “Please answer me!”
Today, they wind was stronger, the water rougher and the sunset seemed pale. She stood at the water’s edge watching the cranes leave for their home and she thought, “Maybe I should follow you to that place where no one can find me.”
She knew that little bird’s island, one of nature’s hideouts but was she a strong enough swimmer to go out there? Her confused mind ignited in her a compelling need to be someplace alone, where she couldn’t be touched by betrayal and lust. She took a deep breath and looked up at the heavens, tears streaming down her face: “I’ve served you with heart and soul, dear Lord, now I need your help.”
She walked into the water, further and further, stumbling at the waves hit her, the cranes she could still see the distance. The waves crashed over her head, almost suffocating her and she plunged into its depths swimming towards the bird’s island. Dusk approached and her limbs grew tired but she let herself float as the muscled waves lifted her, like a roller coaster ride. She saw the cranes white illumination on the trees as it grew dark and she knew she was close, then suddenly the water changed course, a strong currant pulling her in another direction, away from the bird’s island. She could see nothing in the dark, as she fought the current valiantly but her arms became numb as she was pulled further and further away. The last thing she remembered as darkness enveloped her senses was something nudging her gently.
Nathan, on a bird watching expedition with his friends from Europe was having after dinner drinks at a resort’s bar overlooking the expansive river. When one of the young native handy-boys ran up from the beach, waving his hands frantically, “Sir, come please, hurry!”
Nathan excused himself from his company, a mock grimace on his face.
“What is it now, Carlos?”
“A girl,” the boy said, trying to catch his breath, “There’s a girl on the beach!”
“There’s always girls on the beach Carlos,” Nathan said impatiently.
“No sir, this girl, she’s not moving, she’s lying on the sand, the water brought her.”
Nathan looked at the boy suddenly alarmed, “What, where?!”
He ran lithely down the steps, following the boy to the beach, deserted at that hour and saw from the lights on the beach, the figure in a white dress, lying face down on the beach.
“Good God!” he exclaimed, “This doesn’t look good.”
Her long hair was covered in sand and gingerly, Nathan turned her over, pushing away the hair that covered her face. For one heartbeat of a moment, he was stunned, “She’s so beautiful.” But in the next heartbeat, he left for a pulse and performed CPR on her. For a few agonising minutes, she did not respond then she coughed, water spilling from her mouth. He pulled her up in his arms and her head fell on his shoulder as she lost consciousness.
Sarah opened her eyes, slowly, everything seemed blurred. Her lips were parched and her head throbbing. She gasped, trying to call for someone but no sound came from her lips. She closed her eyes and reopened them a few, long moments later. Her vision now a little clearer. She heard voices and saw figures moving around then a picture appeared, a young man with chiseled good looks, brown hair and blue eyes, like a Greek God and she heard herself crying, “Oh no! I died and I’m in heaven.”
She drifted off and awoke the next morning with the sun streaming through the window, cool, fresh air and the sound of twittering birds.
“Where am I?” she wondered, “This can’t be heaven, it means….”
The door opened interrupting her thoughts and a native woman entered with a breakfast tray, a motherly smile on her face.
“Good morning, you’re awake.” she said looking up at the heavens and muttering something in her native tongue.
She helped Sarah in a comfortable position, tidied her hair and poured a glass of fresh orange juice for her.
“Just relax, I’ll inform Sir Nathan.”
The door reopened a few minutes later and he entered with a smile of relief on his face. Sarah almost gasped, to see he was a real person, for last night she had likened him to the Greek Gods of her dreams.
“Hi,” he said, “It’s good to see you’re back.” He spoke with an English accent.
She tried to smile but couldn’t. Tears gathered in her eyes-her emotions, fragile at the moment.
“No, no don’t cry,” he said, with concern in his eyes, “You’re in good hands. The doctor will be here soon, Maria will make you an Amerindian healing soup then she’ll give you one of her special herbal baths. I’ll talk with you later.”
She nodded and he left her in the care of his maid servant. The soup did bring the colour back to her cheeks and the bath was so refreshing and she felt reborn. She was sitting in a reclining chair, for once her mind at peace, when he came back. He sat a little way in front of her and smiled appreciatively.
“You look a lot better, like a new person. How are you feeling?”
“Good.” She said with a nervous little smile.
There was silence for a short moment then she looked at him and asked, with a little tremor in her voice, “Where am I?”
“You’re on a resort off the Essequibo River.”
A puzzled look crossed her face.
“How did I get out here?”
“That’s a question I was hoping to ask you.” he said. “I found you washed up on the resort’s beach, barely alive.”
She sighed deeply with a worried look in her eyes, “I was swimming, wanting to get to the bird’s island when a strong current pulled me away.”
“Why did you swim and not use a boat?”
“I had no intent of going there but then….” She faltered, not knowing how to explain to him the real reason.
He did not say anything, just waiting patiently for her to compose herself.
“I..I was confused. I just wanted to be alone for a while.”
He felt she was fighting an inner battle with something that disturbed her and he got up.
“I think you need to rest a little more. We’ll talk again later.”
It was almost dusk when she awoke unaware he had come back earlier and stood looking at her as she slept. She was troubled, that he now knew but how troubled could such a beautiful girl be to take a risk that almost cost her life? He brushed aside, gently, a strand of hair that had fallen over her face and whispered: “Who are you and why do I feel so attracted to you?”
She walked out into the little balcony that overlooked the river and stood there looking at the calm water with a worried thought in her mind, “What do I do? If I go back home now, nothing will change.”
The wind blew cold, ruffling her hair and as she turned to go back inside, she saw him standing at the doorway, looking at her. Sarah didn’t know what but something strange was happening to her, since the first time she saw him, a beautiful feeling from within her heart.
“Is this love? Am I falling in love with this handsome stranger, the man of my dreams?” (To be continued)
By Maureen Rampertab