In the little bits of spare time they had, Astrid was busy showing Ben – Jacob’s eldest son – round the island. Today they’d had the whole day to themselves, and gone right up into the hills at the top of the island.“I really like this place,” Ben said. “I’m going to miss it when we leave.”
“But your life must be really exciting. And you can go to so many other places.”
“Yes – but they don’t have you there.”
“Astrid – you really are something really special, you know.”
Astrid’s first kiss took her totally by surprise.
Her second one though, didn’t – and lasted a bit longer too.
And then they both stood there and stared at each other, wondering what on earth they’d just started.
“But what are we going to do? You’re going to be leaving soon.”“I don’t know Astrid, but we’ll find a way to make things work for us both. If that’s what you want?” he finished, suddenly unsure of himself.
“Oh yes! That’s what I want!” Astrid’s reassurance was incredibly prompt, and Ben was happy again.
“Look, I’m fishing!” Anders didn’t look much like Lars in colouring, but every so often Penny would catch a glimpse of her late husband in her son: the way he held his head maybe, or even just the love in his eyes.
Their house had been extended to the full size of the original foundations.“It doesn’t matter if you’ve got nothing to put in the rooms,” Jacob had said. “Let’s just get the building done while we’ve got so many people to help.”
Ben had made them a table and chairs – a bit rough and ready, but this was something they hadn’t had before – as well as extra beds. For the first time in ages, no-one was having to sleep on the floor!
There was lots going on at Thorold and Perdita’s house as well. They’d cleared a new patch of ground for a vineyard. Between them all, they’d scoured the island and found some old vinestock – now they were hoping to be able to grow their own grapes.
They needed to get the new walls plastered too, and to help Joshua and Brigit build their house. The days were just not long enough, but there was a new sense of optimism about them.
In the evenings, they would sit and eat together and discuss the future of the island.“We’ll bring your goods as soon as we can, but it’ll be a while.”
“I know. But there’s plenty for us to do – and hopefully you’ll see a real difference when you return.”
“We’ll still be here. Hannah, I am so glad you came.”
“So am I, you know. It wasn’t what I was hoping for – but I’ve proved myself right. I wasn’t just holding on to some fantasy – Nils did get here. And I can’t help him, and never could have, but I’ve helped all of you. I feel like I can go on to something new now – does that make sense?”Both Thorold and Perdita nodded.
“And I’ll pass the word to the other traders – you might get some more visitors, even if it’s only for re-watering or repairs, or shelter.”
Before the crew of the Waverider left, they did some serious building work for Joshua and Brigit – and everyone helped clear the garden for them too.
Joshua went back up to The Hut and spent a day there gathering fruit, seeds, cuttings, rootstock – anything he could find that would help stock their garden.
There wasn’t much inside their home yet – just the bed that had been Jon and Nell’s – but Brigit wasn’t worried. They would get there.
She went and joined Penny, Petranella and Anders, busy fishing by the old mill.“Life – and getting enough to eat – doesn’t feel quite so urgent now,” she thought, watching the water slide by beneath her. “It really is beginning to feel as though we’ve got a proper future here on this island, rather than just surviving day to day.”
They sat by the fire in the starlight that night, having eaten the fish Brigit caught that day. All Joshua could think about was how beautiful Brigit was, and how glad he was that she’d come to the island, even if it had been such a sad arrival.
Anders had really enjoyed having the company of other children.
“I wish you didn’t have to go,” he said to Jake. “I’ll miss you and Sal.”
“We’ll be coming back. And when you’re old enough, you could always come with us on a voyage.”
For some reason, Astrid was really sorry to see them all go as well. Anders wasn’t quite sure why, but everyone else seemed to know all about it.
“I’m going to miss you so much,” he said to Sal, just as Astrid was saying the same to Jacob and Ade.
Astrid’s farewell to Ben was more private – and quite tearful.“Astrid, I will come back.”
He held her close against him, feeling her tears wet on his face.
“Don’t cry, my love. I won’t forget you. We do faithful, in our family!”
Then they clung to each other for a last, long passionate kiss before Ben went off to where the boat was waiting. Astrid couldn’t bear to go and watch them sail away.
She missed Ben quite dreadfully. She threw herself into work – which there was always plenty of – gardening, tending the new vines they were hoping would give them some wine.
She travelled back to The Hut, and harvested what she could from Nell’s garden. Joshua had weeded it when he’d been there, and she did the same. No-one could quite bear to let it become a wilderness again.
Astrid roamed the island, checking in the gardens of the deserted houses, in the hope that there might be some plants they’d overlooked.
“I wonder if we’ll ever see people living in these houses again?” she thought, as she wandered through the ruins. After all, three of the houses were being re-built, so maybe one day more would be.
As Astrid worked in the fledgling vineyard, she began to understand the appeal. The garden ceased to become a job that needed doing, and became something she loved, something she wanted to pour herself into. Now she understood so much more about Nell, and the things Nell had told her as she gardened herself.
Astrid wasn’t the only one feeling the loss of the Waverider’s crew. They were all subdued in the days and weeks that followed their departure.
Thorold looked sympathetically at Astrid. He was impressed with how well she was handling Ben’s leaving. She could so easily have gone into a fit of the nobody-understands-me glooms, but she hadn’t. She’d applied herself to what needed doing, and done it well. His heart ached for her: he knew what it was like to lose someone. And though Ben had said he would return, they all knew you couldn’t guarantee anything with the sea.
The next news was that Brigit came round, complaining of feeling sick in the mornings. Perdita listened to her carefully, and then went and had a word with Thorold, who went and rummaged around among their stored goods.
“I think you might be going to need this,” Perdita said to Brigit.
It was Brigit and Joshua’s turn to be excited by a growing life.
The cot was tucked neatly away in the corner of the room. Brigit couldn’t quite believe that they’d have a baby soon, but the growing bulge was quite a convincing argument.
“When Waverider comes back, we might get a wood-burning stove. You never know!”“And how surprised they’ll all be, to meet our baby! More people for the island!”
Brigit went into labour in the middle of the night – and Joshua went into panic mode!“What shall we call her?” Brigit asked, tired but happy, as the sun rose the next morning, and Joshua cuddled their new-born daughter.
“Bella, because she is so beautiful. Just like her mother.”
Generation 3, chapters 1-5, Generation 4, chapters 1-6 are at the beginning of my blog posts.
Generation 5, chapters 1- …not quite finished yet, are there as well.
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