Tears of the Moon - Di Morrissey [175]
Tyndall shrugged and didn’t answer. The sight of Olivia, the knowledge she was watching them come in, that she was here, had stunned him. A faint, excited stirring in his heart gave his skin a tingling sensation.
He busied himself with the moorings and didn’t look up again until they were ready to go ashore in the dinghy.
With his pants rolled up his legs, Tyndall stepped over the side of the dinghy and squelched through mud and onto the shore where Olivia, now alone, waited.
It was a walk that seemed a thousand miles. Tyndall locked eyes with Olivia and was drawn to her as if in a trance. She’d had time to prepare for this moment and smiled gently and appeared calm, trying not to show the physical pull this man had over her. He took her hands but didn’t embrace her, afraid he’d crush her to his chest and never let her go. ‘Olivia … your turn to surprise me. What are you doing back?’
The years dropped away, each ignoring the small physical changes in the other.
‘How are you, John?’
‘Good … good. All things considered.’
‘How was the trip?’
‘Better, but I’m afraid it’s going to take another season—and decent prices—to make up our losses.’
They turned away and walked towards the shed and crews’ camp.
‘Ahmed will be in shortly. He’ll be pleased to see you. We all are.’ He glanced down at her. ‘So why are you here? Who was with you earlier?’
‘She’s the reason I came up.’ Now the moment was here Olivia was at a loss for words. How was she to prepare him, or should she just blurt it out? You never really knew how Tyndall was going to react. ‘John … this might come as a shock … well, surprise … ’
Struck by the serious tone of her voice, he cut in. ‘Olivia, I tend not to like your surprises … ’ His voice trailed away as they came around the corner of the shed and he saw Maya sitting on an upturned dinghy a little distance away. He frowned slightly, narrowed his eyes against the sunlight trying to see her better.
Olivia linked her arm through his. ‘John … ’
Maya stood and walked towards them. Olivia said nothing as the gap narrowed between them. Each studied the other and as Maya drew close, Tyndall stiffened, halted for a moment and then saw Maya’s carved pendant worn outside her deep red blouse. Her hair, her eyes, the lithe shape of her body, the small smile …
‘Niah … Maya … ’ he whispered.
For Maya, the tall dark man with the teardrop pearl at his ear, was suddenly achingly familiar.
Olivia reached out and took Maya’s hand and placed it in Tyndall’s. ‘Yes, John, it’s Maya. It’s been a long time, a long journey … for both of you.’
‘How … ’ he began, the stunned expression giving way to a broad smile and then suddenly both of them were laughing and weeping and Maya flung her arms about his shoulders, burying her face in his chest. Watching him stroke her hair, a look of such softness, longing and tenderness on his face, Olivia had to turn away. Her eyes were filled with tears and the gladness she felt for both of them was tinged with envy—an envy she didn’t want to think about.
Later over cups of tea on the rickety verandah of the office above the shed they pieced the story together. Olivia added the further news about Hamish, and Tyndall gave Olivia such a look of possessive love. ‘It seems right, doesn’t it? That this is how it should be. We are joined, you and I, Olivia, by our children.’
Maya looked at them strangely, recognising there was an interplay of great intensity beneath the surface.
‘We also share a granddaughter, John,’ said Olivia, a smile lurking at her mouth.
‘Oh, this is too much,’ Tyndall laughingly clutched his head.
Olivia stood. ‘Speaking of that little rascal, I’ll go back and see how matters are at home. You two spend a little more time together. You’ll come to dinner tonight, John?’
He rose and gave her a quick hug. ‘Of course. With champagne. It’ll be the best dinner ever. How can I ever thank you, Olivia? I thought my world ended when I lost you … finding Maya