Chapter 13-A Merry Morning Indeed

The bright morning light, streaming through a window above me, forced me to finally open my eyes the next day. When I opened them, I found myself staring into a large, smiling face. It startled me and I jumped up with a shout. To my surprise, it shrieked as well and a rain of pastries fell around me. A flaky croissant, oozing strawberry jam, bumped into my nose before rolling down my body to the ground. I quickly rubbed away some drops of the jam that had found there way onto my shirt from the day before. Then I turned to see who it was that had woken me up.

The big man who had carried me the night before was hastily picking up an assortment of pastries that had fallen around me. Now that it was day I could see him fully. He seemed a bit older than the other faces that I had made out but couldn't have been more than his late 20's. His bald head and the rest of his skin were a dark shade of brown, much like many of the islanders, adding to my image of the teddy bear. He was very rotund but carried it well. "What's your name?" I asked while he picked up the fallen food.

"Ah!" he shouted when I spoke, dropping all he had managed to gather. He turned back to me and waved his arms while saying, "Do not scare me! I sorry but I did not scare you on..purpose." He looked so funny that I giggled in spite of myself and a wide grin spread on his face. "In answer of question," he said. "I am Ted."

"Ted?" I asked in shock.

"Yes," he said with a confused look. "Why?"

"That isn't a nickname or anything?" I asked, still unable to believe.

"Nickname?"

"Something people call you. Not your real name," I explained.

He peered at me for a moment and shook his head slowly. "Noo.." he replied. "It is my name. I am Ted. These are my pastries." He gestured at those on the ground. "You want breakfast?"

I looked at them. Some were quite clean but others had literally rolled through dust. "Well," I said. "I'm not that hungry."

"You no like Ted's cooking?" he asked, sounding hurt.

"Of course not," I said. "Though I'm not hungry, I'll try one because I'm sure you're a great cook." I picked up the croissant that had landed on my blanket and took a bite. It was wonderful. The thin flakes literally melted in my mouth and the strawberry mixed well with them. "Wunderfule!" I said with a full mouth.

He beamed, his large chest puffing out even more with pride. "I knew you would like," he said. "You're friends liked it to." My friends. I had completely forgotten about them and noticed now that the room was clear of them.

I swallowed the remnants of another bite and asked, "Where are they?"

"They are outside with the others," he said. "Kios and me are the only two that speak English very well. Though he is much better than me."

"I think you speak it very well," I said. "Much better than I speak Patois."

He beamed again. I loved making him do that. He looked so funny. "Thank you," he said. "I came to see if you are awake because Kios is-" he thought for a moment then continued, "entertaining, yes, entertaining Kat. Plus, I bring breakfast."

"Well, thanks very much," I said. "It was a very good breakfast." I had finished the croissant in the little time that he talked.

He beamed some more, causing me to giggle. Then he reached down a large hand and helped me to my feet. "We go see your friends," he said. "Yes?" I nodded with a smile and we headed out the door.

Outside there was a detectable air of cheeriness-a complete change from the night. The sun hung in the sky and smiled down at us. Joseph's wearing a pair of dark glasses denoted that he wasn't quite as cheery but he still wore a smile at the antics of two of the islanders who were imitating some sort of animal. When he saw me, he began walking toward me but not before Kat.

She ran over to me, Kios at her heels, the moment we came out of the door. "Morning Mel!" she said brightly. "Boy did you sleep in! We started to get worried. That's why we sent Teddy in for you." She leaned toward me and whispered, "Isn't it absolutely perfect that his name is Ted?" I nodded and she continued babbling. "It's been a great morning," she said. "Simply great, too bad you missed it, but we can still have more fun!" By this time Joseph had walked over and she glanced knowingly at me. "I'll leave you too alone," she said, pulling on Kios' arm.

He managed to speak before being dragged away. "G-good morning Melanie," he said, before tripping after Kat.

"A tropical leash now," I remarked, thinking out loud. Then I remembered Joseph and turned back to him. "Good morning."

"Good morning or afternoon more correctly," he began, then removed his glasses, looking at me sadly. "You must not have slept well." Then he touched the spots where tears had rolled down my cheeks. I found myself pulling away a bit.

"Yeah, well," I said with a shrug. "I just didn't fall asleep until late. Not as late as you though."

He chuckled a bit. "Actually, I probably fell asleep before. I woke up in the middle of the night and found I had fallen asleep on the porch. Listen, I'm really sorry. I overreacted, but I guess I wished that you had helped me a little."

I sighed, not being able to resist his apology. "Well," I said. "I wanted to agree, I did, but-"

He put a finger to my lips. "Shh, now," he interrupted. "I think we all were a little stressed last night. Said some things we might not have entirely meant." He turned toward the others. I did too. Mitch and Kyle were pulling on Ted with the others watching them and laughing. I gathered they were trying to bring him down but the big man just sat and laughed. Every once and awhile he would toss one of them aside like they were little children. Kyle actually came close to getting him unbalanced once but Ted ended up using him to balance by squashing him onto his knees. Kat was feeding Kios pieces of one of Ted's pastries and flirting outrageously. Joseph grinned at the whole spectacle said, "These guys are enough to make us remember that there are good people everywhere. I think we're all in considerably better spirits."

I smiled, part from his remark and part from the fact that, simultaneously, Ted had put Kyle on his shoulders and was spinning about with him and Mitch had stolen Kat's pastry. She quickly abandoned Kios and chased after Mitch, shouting angrily. They sped past us and Mitch tossed a piece of the pastry, which I now saw was a large donut, at me. I grinned and tossed it back. After one lap around the yard, Kat went up to Ted, who had set a dazed Kyle down, and talked quietly with him for a few moments. Mitch stopped and stared back at them but shrieked and began running faster as the rotund-bearman lumbered after him. He soon had Mitch backed up into a corner and snatched the donut.

"Squash it on him!" shouted a laughing Kat from the opposite side of the yard.

"You do not want it?" asked Ted, confused.

"Not after Mitch's dirty hands have been handling it for so long!" she returned. That sealed Mitch's death warrant. In the next minute his face was covered in smeared dough. Kat ran over to them and hung off Ted's arm.

"My hero," she said to the blushing man. Poor Kios wandered over to us.

"She drives me crazy," he said, looking at Kat.

"No doubt in more ways than one," I said.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh nothing," I said with my own smile. "She has that way with guys."

"You do not?" asked Kios with a smile.

"I don't need to," I replied, sharing a smile that said all was forgotten with Joseph.

Kios looked between us and said, "I see. I thought so." He dipped his head with a large smile and wandered over to his buddies.

Mitch, rubbing off crumbs and followed by Kyle, wandered over to us. "Mornin' Ma'am," he said to me.

"That looks tasty Mitch," I said. "Is it?"

He glared a bit and replied, "Yummy."

"Sleep well?" asked Kyle, a mass of bruises.

I nodded. "I had a little encounter with Mr. T when I woke up," I explained. "Mine was pleasant though, not like you two's."

Kyle started to say something but he was interrupted when all the islanders shouted, "The publico!" Then they began running down the path toward a dirty bus that had pulled up in a mass of dust and feathers. Crates and luggage were literally piled on top of it. Many of the crates contained chickens that squawked loudly and still others had small shapes that barked excitedly. Various appendages were hanging out the windows, their bodies packed inside.

"What in the blazes," asked Kat, who had stepped up next to us. "Is that?"