Humiliation in Paradise

Sweat coated my forehead as the sun burned high above. Being a Brit abroad, I wanted to be shirtless with a cold beer, but was instead to wear a dark funeral suit with black tie. It was the first time I had visited the small Island paradise that my wife of seven years grew up on. I had wanted to come earlier but my wife had always had reasons not to go. Studies, money, then work.

To be honest I always thought it was a little strange how she always had an excuse not to return to her native land… not even for a holiday. It got to the point where I never thought I’d visit.

But a in the close family had finally brought us to this small spot of green in the southern reaches of the Indian ocean. {name omitted deliberately]. It’s beauty is undeniable as is that of the people. However, although it’s far from being lawless, corruption is rife.

Anyway, back to the funeral. There was lots of tears of course. Everyone around were sobbing. However, having never known the deceased aunty apart from speaking on the phone once or twice I didn’t feel the closeness the others did, but remained quiet and respectful.

The in-laws being a Hindu family cremated the elderly woman in in a traditional bonfire in front of a hundred or so relatives. The heat came in waves and the smoke stung the eyes. Bajan songs were sung by a group of old ladies led by the priest.

I held my wife’s dainty hand. Mia is everything to me and I couldn’t help but take frequent glance at her. Her doe eyed face was filled with sadness but no tears had yet fallen. Her coffee skin still clear and make up immaculate. A model of perfection.

So far on this holiday she had never been out of her shorts and t-shirt. But today she was wearing a green and cold sari. It was figure hugging... it was magnificent.

Mia was my rock. She had given me direction when my life was at risk of drifting after leaving university. We had met as students and both now enjoyed comfortable careers in insurance. She was of average height and slim. Packed a small but firm set of breasts and had long silky black hair. Her face was of a refined beauty that could have bagged her a handsome modelling contract if she wanted, but she gave it up once she graduated.

I still wank over her lingerie portfolio from time to time.

On the other side of my wife was my father in-law called Yannick. A pleasant man who had once enjoyed a successful career in accounting but had recently turned to religion after falling on hard times. Whenever I saw him on old family pictures he was always wearing a richly tailored suit and possessed a fresh haircut. But now he was sadly a shadow of his former self. But, most importantly, his character wasn’t broken.

The funereal finished and it suddenly became a meet and greet frenzy. Yannick guided me from relative to relative introducing me. Their English was broken but the pleasantries were understood. It would have been a pleasure if it wasn’t for the fact that it was a funeral and not the mention the searing heat. I must have kissed a hundred sweaty faces.

Eventually, we made it back to the carpark and waved off fifty relatives or so.

Dying to get home I rushed to the car but it soon became apparent I was alone. Surprised, I looked over my shoulder to see Mia and her dad locked in a quiet but serious looking conversation. It was the sort of conversation that you gave them the space they clearly wanted.

So i found a shady spot under a nearby palm tree… and waited.

Every minute felt like an hour. The carpark had mostly emptied but for our car and an expensive looking Mercedes that was carrying four men. I glanced at my watch when it became clear that this conversation was not a normal one. Wanting the apply some subtle pressure, I once again walked over to our rented car and opened the passenger door, but as I did, two men from the Merc stepped out and waved at Mia and her father.

The driver was a small, slim rastafarian dressed in an oversized t-shirt and baggy cargo shorts. However, the passenger was a mountain of a man dressed in sportswear laden with heavy gold jewellery. His black hair slicked backwards and tied into a ponytail. I thought he had the appearance of a retired professional wrestler.

It soon became apparent that Mia and her father both knew the men, greeting them with cautious smiles.

I stayed back and observed.

The rastafarian followed the large man a step behind as if he was the giant’s subordinate. Within range, the giant reached out to shake Yannick’s hand he then embraced him with sinister confidence. He did the same with Mia but left his heavy arm lingering on her slender shoulders for a moment longer than was necessary.

I had a flashback to a conversation I had with a relative back home in UK. He had told me to be weary of getting too involved with Yannick’s business. That he was a black sheep in the family. I had dismissed it as jealous nonsense at the time. But this current gathering had all the trappings of a meeting of crooked minds.

Yannick looked flustered and Mia looked angry but determined. As if she had made up her mind on a difficult decision. In contrast, the giant looked very pleased with himself, his smile coming complete with a gold tooth.

Dread corsed my veins as I tentatively began to walk towards the group. Mia then looked at me. Her face full of dejection and worry as if she knew the game was lost.

The giant looked at me, his weathered face cracked with a smile. “Bonjour, Daniel.”

He knew my name. I nodded back. “Hi.”

“I see Mia has an English husband.”

“She does.” I shook the giant’s hand which held mine in a vice like grip.”Who are you?”

“They call me Six.”

“Six?”

“That’s the number of people i’ve killed.”

I froze. “Really?”

“No. I’m joking.” The giant laughed heartily. Then paused. “ One of them was an accident.”

“Oh.”

“No need to worry. I’m a reformed man.”

“Good to hear it.“

“Listen. We’re all friends, here. Me and Yannick go back a long time. He was my accountant.” Six glared at Yannick. Didn’t we Yan?”

“That’s right, Six.”

“We were like family until a dark cloud came and pissed all over us.”

I asked, “What happened?”

“Come. I’ll tell you all about it at my house.”

I protested. There was no way I was going with them. “Are time is limited, Six… we fly back tomorrow.”

“Please… you don’t want to upset me. Believe me.“

“I know. It’s just…”

“Mia.” Six shrugged his shoulders. “Tell your white boy, here. That we want to get together, and party like the old times.”

Mia gazed at me with with an empty stare. “We’ll go.”

I didn’t want to be left stranded on this strange and foreign land. And I’m sure as hell don’t want to leave my wife alone with this seedy looking man. I agreed and said to Six. “We’ll follow you in our car.”

“Mia rides with me… and one of my boys will ride with you.” He winked. “Don’t want you getting lost. Can be dangerous for a guy like you.”