Read Online Walking the Tree by Kaaron Warren - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kaaron Warren
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to be lonely. Without me."
"He'll have plenty to do with the baby. He's a great help to us."
Lillah shook her head. "Don't let that be his existence. Promise me? He is more than grandfather. Make sure he travels to the markets sometimes, sees others his own age. Make sure he has a hobby, not just holding your child."
"Yes, yes," Logan said. "Come on, eat, then I have to get back to Magnolia and the baby."
They walked together outside. Their father had set up a picnic amongst the roots of the Tree. Eggs, sliced boiled cassava, diced salted fish. He waited impatiently.
"Sit down, sit down, hurry up. We need to eat. Magnolia needs us. That baby won't let her sleep."
"Why don't we take breakfast to her?" Lillah said, piling egg and fish onto cassava. "Let's eat while she's feeding the baby."
Lillah's father made himself a pile of food, too. "All right. I can't concentrate, thinking of what's going on."
Already the wrens were hopping about pecking up crumbs, and the ants were lining up for their feast.
"I think we'll let nature have the rest," her father said. He rose, dusted his lap.
They heard a distant wail. Logan dropped his food and ran.
"It always sounds worse when it's your own," Myrist said. "I'm sure the baby's fine." Nevertheless, they walked quickly. Myrist spoke, out of breath with the exertion. Lillah didn't feel it in the least. Training for school was intense.
"Now, Lillah, you have a very exciting and challenging time ahead of you. The things you'll see will stay with you forever. We forget a lot of our schooling; the knowledge is there without us remembering exactly where it came from. But when you do the trip, as an adult, it is with you. You have the power to leave your name on many places in the Tree. You will see many people, meet many men. Not all you meet will love you. Some will want to hurt you. Be careful of those people. There are killers about. You have heard the stories from other teachers. Killers to be wary of."
They reached the house. Logan fixed a drink for Magnolia. He said, "Should I be listening to this?"
"You've just become a father. That's your great adventure."
"It wasn't enough for our mother. Why will I be any different?"
Lillah poked him. Her brother was a genius at turning the attention to himself.
"Um, you two can talk about fatherhood once I'm gone. I want to hear Dad's true confessions."
"I don't really have any true confessions. It's nice to see the children your mother taught grown up and starting to have children of their own. I re member every last one of them as children. Cleaned them up. I remember what they wouldn't eat. Helped me with you two a lot. You know, understanding how each child likes different dinners."
"Mother always made the best dinners, didn't she?" Logan said.
"Your mother was very clever. You're a good cook too."
"Come on, Dad, tell more about what I should know. Teach me everything now. I can take it. Tell us about Mother's lovers," Lillah said.
"You don't really want to hear that, I'm sure."
"Come on, Dad. I'm not squeamish."
"I'm squeamish. I'll just say this; you are in control. You have the power. Never say yes to anyone you dislike, and approach anyone you do like. Compatibility is obvious, even from the first kiss. Sometimes you'll kiss a man and your stomach will heave. Truly. I don't know if it's a smell they release, or a chemical reaction between the two of you, but it will be obvious. Some say it's because there is an unknown blood connection, that like blood abhors the smell of like blood. These ones you will push away."
Lillah nodded. "Thea can't stand the smell of Dickson. Is that what you mean? So did you know when you kissed Mother?"
"I did. All other thoughts left my mind and I knew this was it."
Logan said, "You should ask about our Uncle Legum along the way. Perhaps he was washed up along the coast." He touched
"He'll have plenty to do with the baby. He's a great help to us."
Lillah shook her head. "Don't let that be his existence. Promise me? He is more than grandfather. Make sure he travels to the markets sometimes, sees others his own age. Make sure he has a hobby, not just holding your child."
"Yes, yes," Logan said. "Come on, eat, then I have to get back to Magnolia and the baby."
They walked together outside. Their father had set up a picnic amongst the roots of the Tree. Eggs, sliced boiled cassava, diced salted fish. He waited impatiently.
"Sit down, sit down, hurry up. We need to eat. Magnolia needs us. That baby won't let her sleep."
"Why don't we take breakfast to her?" Lillah said, piling egg and fish onto cassava. "Let's eat while she's feeding the baby."
Lillah's father made himself a pile of food, too. "All right. I can't concentrate, thinking of what's going on."
Already the wrens were hopping about pecking up crumbs, and the ants were lining up for their feast.
"I think we'll let nature have the rest," her father said. He rose, dusted his lap.
They heard a distant wail. Logan dropped his food and ran.
"It always sounds worse when it's your own," Myrist said. "I'm sure the baby's fine." Nevertheless, they walked quickly. Myrist spoke, out of breath with the exertion. Lillah didn't feel it in the least. Training for school was intense.
"Now, Lillah, you have a very exciting and challenging time ahead of you. The things you'll see will stay with you forever. We forget a lot of our schooling; the knowledge is there without us remembering exactly where it came from. But when you do the trip, as an adult, it is with you. You have the power to leave your name on many places in the Tree. You will see many people, meet many men. Not all you meet will love you. Some will want to hurt you. Be careful of those people. There are killers about. You have heard the stories from other teachers. Killers to be wary of."
They reached the house. Logan fixed a drink for Magnolia. He said, "Should I be listening to this?"
"You've just become a father. That's your great adventure."
"It wasn't enough for our mother. Why will I be any different?"
Lillah poked him. Her brother was a genius at turning the attention to himself.
"Um, you two can talk about fatherhood once I'm gone. I want to hear Dad's true confessions."
"I don't really have any true confessions. It's nice to see the children your mother taught grown up and starting to have children of their own. I re member every last one of them as children. Cleaned them up. I remember what they wouldn't eat. Helped me with you two a lot. You know, understanding how each child likes different dinners."
"Mother always made the best dinners, didn't she?" Logan said.
"Your mother was very clever. You're a good cook too."
"Come on, Dad, tell more about what I should know. Teach me everything now. I can take it. Tell us about Mother's lovers," Lillah said.
"You don't really want to hear that, I'm sure."
"Come on, Dad. I'm not squeamish."
"I'm squeamish. I'll just say this; you are in control. You have the power. Never say yes to anyone you dislike, and approach anyone you do like. Compatibility is obvious, even from the first kiss. Sometimes you'll kiss a man and your stomach will heave. Truly. I don't know if it's a smell they release, or a chemical reaction between the two of you, but it will be obvious. Some say it's because there is an unknown blood connection, that like blood abhors the smell of like blood. These ones you will push away."
Lillah nodded. "Thea can't stand the smell of Dickson. Is that what you mean? So did you know when you kissed Mother?"
"I did. All other thoughts left my mind and I knew this was it."
Logan said, "You should ask about our Uncle Legum along the way. Perhaps he was washed up along the coast." He touched
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