"Where in the hell did he bugger off to?!" Elizabeth said stunned as she
walked from the workshop.
Abby arrived at the front gates of the barnyard, out of breath and struggling to stand.
"W-where did he go?!" She panted.
"What did you do to him Abby?!" Carter said in disbelief.
"I.. All I remember is him saying some prayer in Croatian.. Then he started freaking out and screaming his kid's names and then ran off.." Abby sniffled.
"Just like that? He ran off? Where in the hell would he go with a truck full of manure!?"
******
The fertilizer filled truck careened down the road, the blinding tears slipping down his cheeks as he pulled into the cemetery.
Jasna Kovac, Marco Kovac, Danijela Kovac. The three graves lined side by side, Luka stumbled from the car and collapsed on the ground against the cold stones.
Pulling his knees up to his chest, he wrapped his arms around his legs, weeping softly. Tracing a finger along the writing in the carved stone, Luka wished he was with them.
****
"Two thousand dollars?! Why Ms.Weaver? You in trouble?" Mlungisi said worriedly.
"They've booked me a flight home.. I don't know where I'm going to get that much money." Kerry sniffled.
"Why that much!?"
"It's s-short notice and they need two seats to fit the gurney.."
"You need to leave now? What about your family? Can they raise the money?" He pulled up a chair and clasped her small hand in his.
"My insurance has run out.. I don't know what I'm going to do!" She collapsed against his strong arm and wiped her eyes on his shirt sleeve.
"What about your family?!" He asked again, more urgently.
"I.. I haven't told them.. They don't know." She admitted quietly, pulling away from him and staring at the thin blanket on her bed that nary hid the extensive damage to her leg.
Mlungisi nodded firm. "You stay with me. I will look after you until you are well." He offered.
"Oh... I.. I couldn't do that.. I was breaking the law going on your father's property... My boyf-" Kerry broke off and stared at her hands convinced they'd still be covered in blood, she slowly wiped her clean hands on the sheets. "I can't... You're very nice, but I don't know you."
"Fine then.. You will stay with me. When you are well enough, you can work for me on my farm, and pay for your passage home."
"I.. I couldn't Mr.Naeem.." Kerry trembled. It was hot in here, thick and humid, even the air conditioner could not mask that.
"I insist." Mlungisi said firmly. "And call me Mlungisi."
"I was going to take Finnegan home.." She blubbered.
"Oh.. Your boy.. friend.." He stared at the ground. "I am truly sorry for your loss.. Most of Africa is free of mines now.. You picked my father's field of all places. Why?" Mlungisi queried sadly.
"We were looking for caverns."
"Caves? There are many public caverns, Ms.Weaver. You are very lucky that my father didn't press charges. However, he thinks you've suffered enough."
Kerry sniffled, her bottom lip quivering. Mlungisi's eyes widened. She was going to cry again.. No more crying.. He stared at his hands and grasped hers again. "It is okay miss.. Tomorrow. We will go tomorrow."
********
A mud covered shoe poked at the soft flesh beneath Luka's ribcage, causing the doctor to grunt sleepily. "Stop, Dan.." He muttered thickly, rolling over on the green grass and wrapping his coat tighter around himself.
"Danijela is not here Luka.. You are laying on her grave.. On the graves of my grandchildren. Go home Kovac." Nikola said sadly, clutching the sick bouquet of flowers in his wrinkled grasp.
"I.. I am home.. I belong with them." Luka started to weep openly and his father in-law shifted uncomfortably, turning away.
"You are not dead. You are not the only one who has lost a loved one. But you are the only one to have found love again. You have to move on." The man held out his hand and helped Luka up.
"You have a new woman in your life.. A good woman.. Be with her. Be grateful that you have found love twice in a lifetime. Cherish that. Go home Kovac."
********
"What about bilingual? Both English AND Croatian?" Carol offered.
"Do you KNOW how to spell 'Croatian Sunrise' in Croatian?" Doug muttered crabbily.
"Well... No.."
"Do you see any Croatian/English dictionaries laying around?" He glared at her.
"Well... No."
"Then it's settled. It'll be in english." Doug grumbled. "Hand me the mitre box."
******
"I've finished painting the upstairs, maybe we should camp out tonight.. Sleep under the stars or something." Benton walked down the stairs and outside. He looked at his friends staring down the lane. "What's wrong? Where's Kovac?"
"He went that way." Dave mumbled, his arm outstretched and his finger pointing down the road where he'd disappeared a few hours ago.
"You're kidding me. What happened? Where's Kerry? Did she relapse? He took her to the hospital??!"
"No.. I think I saw her sleeping in the orchard. We don't know where Luka disappeared to." Elizabeth sighed.
**********
"Come on get up, Luka." Nikola said crossly, his boney, arthritic fingers wrapping around the man's arm and pulling him upwards. "Come on.. I'm taking you home dammit.. Get up.."
Slowly Luka allowed himself to be pulled to his feet and lead to the truck. In his grieving stupor he hadn't noticed the smell.. It wasn't prevalent then.. But it was now... His uncle's pickup truck smelled like shit.
***
"Ms.Weaver.. Are you okay? Ms.Weaver?" Mlungisi prodded the woman's shoulder and Kerry moaned softly in her sleep.
"She will be okay in the truck with her leg like that?" He asked worriedly to the doctor who nodded slowly.
"I'm sure she will be fine.. We've given you a pair of crutches.. Although.. Her leg.. I'm sure she will need some sort of orthodic piece to help her walk later on, or maybe a cane.. We will discuss this later. It will be good for her to get outside of the hospital for now." The doctor urged, more worried about not getting paid than the well-being of his patient.
The nurses helped the drugged, sleeping Kerry into a wheelchair and Mlungisi drove it down the corridors slowly as he pondered what in the hell he was doing.
It was true.. His father hadn't wanted to press charges. But he hadn't exactly invited the woman into his home.. This was a surprise of sorts. A surprise that Mlungisi prayed wouldn't blow up in his face like a landmine.
******
"You sure you will be okay, Luka?" Nik said worriedly.
"I will be fine. My friends are there.. I'm sure they are very worried about me. That will either work in my favour or against me.. We will see if I am alive in the morning." Luka said dryly.
"They will be angry? Why?"
"I was burying Tonto.. My uncle's dog.. I.. I couldn't do it.. I couldn't be there.. Doing that.. Doing that again. I had to go.. I had to go to the only place I felt safe.." Luka murmured sadly.
"That truly is sad, Luka.. Sad that you do not feel safe in the arms of the woman you love. You *do* love her don't you? You told me you loved her. You said she was your girlfriend."
"Yes! Yes I love Abby very much." The younger man admitted, staring at his hands.
"Don't you feel safe in her arms?"
"I.." Luka paused before dropping his head chest and shaking it. "No.. She poisoned herself. Was an alcoholic.. How can I trust someone like that."
"Trust them?? Is she still a drunk?"
Luka looked out the window and shook his head slightly.
"Well then.. If she's straightened herself out and if you love her." Nik prompted.
"I.. I just miss Danijela so much."
"FOR FUCK'S SAKE KOVAC!" Nikola yelled angrily, wrenching the wheel to the right and peeling to the shoulder before putting it in park.
"My daughter is DEAD! So are your children. Please.. For their sake.. For my sake.. For YOUR own sake.. Put them behind you.. Do not forget them.. Love them in your heart, but Luka... They are not with us anymore. Love them with the region of your heart reserved for your parents.. For your brother.. For those who are not with us any longer.. Do not love them as if they were still here. If you do that, you will drive yourself mad with anguish.. Do not do that." Nick said sadly before putting his hands back on the wheel and driving down the road to Croatian Sunrise.
******