Sacrifices of the Siren [Sirens and Sailors 6] (Siren Publishing Allure) (11 page)

“Thank you so much, Yuli,” Farris said as he shook his friend’s hand.

“You’re welcome, my friend. Anything else you need, just ask.” Yuli gave them both a big grin as they left.

The sun was still shining and it had become quite warm today. The two sailors made their way to the hospital, chatting happily. It had been a successful day so far.

Dr. Jay met them in the corridor as they neared the little side room where they had left Melantho last night. Blandon frowned when he saw the look on the young doctor’s face.

“What’s wrong?” He felt his heart pound as myriad scenarios flashed through his mind.

Dr. Jay beckoned them over to a quiet corner. “She doesn’t want to see anyone.” He explained with a sigh. “She’s very depressed and won’t speak, not even to me. She’s been crying but won’t cry in front of the staff. The cops wanted to discuss the way she was abused by the old crones but she refuses to say anything.”

“She can’t let them get away with it!” Farris was clearly horrified.

“I’ve spoken to them. They’ve seen the marks on her body and they’ve spoken to the women. They know damn well the old hags beat her up. Neighbors heard what went on yesterday and they told the police it wasn’t the first time they’d heard the old women yelling at her. They heard Mel crying in the attic, too. Don’t worry. They won’t get away with anything. Seems there were plenty of witnesses in the street too, when Mel was hurtled out yesterday—they saw one of the women thrash her on her way out. No way was it self
-defense
. They know the women are lying.”

“What happens now?” Blandon asked in a quiet voice.

Dr. Jay smiled. “She’ll come ’round,” he promised. “It’s very early days. We’ll give her all the time she needs and I’m sure she’ll talk when she’s ready. The cops won’t give up either, and it’s not like the old biddies will be going anywhere.”

“Does she know
we
know about the baby?” Blandon asked with a frown.

Dr. Jay nodded. “I told her. She went whiter than white and she looked like she was about to cry again but she didn’t. She’s very withdrawn, but I needed her to be aware that we knew in case she was afraid of telling us herself. I was hoping it would help.”

“So she hasn’t told you anything about it?” Farris asked.

“No. But we heard back from the Midcounty Maternity Hospital this morning. She had a real hard time with the labor and had to have an emergency caesarean to save both her life and the baby’s. It was a boy, by the way. They’ve got the details of the adoptive parents, who live a couple of hours from here, or at least they did when the adoption took place almost two years ago.”

“Can we visit them?” Blandon asked hopefully.

“No, not really, bro,” Dr. Jay said sadly. “Besides, what good would it do? What could you say to them?”

Blandon felt himself go cold from the inside out. He hadn’t actually thought of that. Despair washed over him in a chilling wave as he realized that, yet again, Dr. Jay was right.

“We’ll pop in and see Mel for a few minutes and then we’d better head home,” Farris said, getting up from the table in the canteen where they had stopped by for coffee.

“She doesn’t want to speak to us,” Dr. Jay warned him.

“I know. That doesn’t mean we don’t want to speak to her, though,” Farris replied adamantly.

Blandon followed the two large sailors to the little side room. They could see Melantho through a little window in the door. She was awake, staring into space, as tears ran down her beautiful face. Blandon felt his heart wrench.

Dr. Jay slowly opened the door, and Melantho quickly wiped her face. “Hi, sweetheart, we just want to say good-bye before we head back. That OK?”

She nodded slowly and her eyes widened as the three sailors filed into the tiny room.

Farris strolled right over to her and bent down and kissed her cheek. “Hi, beautiful. How’re you doing?” His voice was light and cheerful.

Melantho managed a weak smile and she nodded. “I’m OK,” she whispered.

Blandon hesitated before nearing the bed. She looked so lovely and so fragile. He leaned over slowly and gave her a light kiss on her forehead. He noticed a bruise which was beginning to swell there. “Hi, love. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.” It was his turn to whisper.

“I’m fine,” she whispered back.

“I’m so sorry about everything you went through,” Blandon murmured. He saw tears begin to well in her beautiful eyes again and his breath hitched.

“We’ll give you two a minute,” Dr. Jay said, indicating to Farris to leave the room.

“Mel, I heard about the baby,” Blandon whispered when they were alone.

The tears spilled down her cheeks and she wiped them away with the back of her hand as she sniffed. He wiped the back of his finger gently down her red, swollen cheek.

“It’s all right, love,” he said softly. “You must have gone through hell. Did you want to keep it?”

Melantho’s eyes widened even more as she stared up at him. “I c–couldn’t,” she whispered, shaking her head sadly.

“It’s all right,” he assured her as a torrent of tears escaped her gorgeous eyes. “We’ll get through this.” He put his arms around her tense shoulders and held her. Her body wracked against his as she tried to hold back the sobs which threatened to overtake her. Blandon wanted to cry too.
This is all so unfair!
He held her, whispering into her ear, trying to reassure her.

The door opened a couple of minutes later and Dr. Jay poked his head around it. “Time to go, bro. She needs her rest.”

Blandon reluctantly loosened his grip. “I’ll come back and see you soon,” he promised as he laid a kiss on her dry lips. “And I’m taking you back home just as soon as you’re well enough, OK?”

She nodded slowly. Blandon stood up, choking back his own emotions.

“I’ll see you soon, darlin,’” Farris told her as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“We’ll be back in a day or two. You get plenty of rest, d’ya hear?” Dr. Jay squeezed her hand gently and kissed the top of her head before they all left the room.

“I can’t just leave her here!” Blandon exclaimed as they strode down the corridor.

“There’s nothing you could do if you stayed,” Dr. Jay reasoned. “She needs to rest and so do you. Let’s get back and discuss the way forward after a good sleep. Things might look differently then. Besides, that counsellor’s going to try to see her again later so maybe there’ll be some news after that. Dr. Ernaut’s off duty until tonight, but he’s promised to keep me updated.”

Blandon knew it all made sense but it didn’t make it easier to handle. He felt Farris’s big arm swing around his shoulder as they made their way back to
The Refrainian
. Once they set sail Blandon sat quietly on one of the bench seats which ran the perimeter of the well. Farris was chatting merrily about his plans to dig irrigation furrows around the crops in the top field, and lay the plastic piping. The soil was dryer there, and this would save them constantly having to water the crops.

The young sailor’s mind whirled as he sat thinking. Melantho hadn’t been given the choice whether to keep her baby or not. He was sure she would have wanted to keep it if she had been given the option. He made up his mind to find out where the baby—or rather, toddler—was living now and go and see him. Even if he could report back to Mel that her son was doing well and she needn’t worry about him, it might help her somehow. As he planned his next move the waves gently lulled him to sleep.

* * * *

Blandon woke to the sound of the engine as Farris manoeuvred the ship into the little harbor at Refrainia. He sat upright, realizing he must have been asleep for a couple of hours. That hadn’t been his intention at all.

“You OK?” Dr. Jay asked with a smile as he reached for a bag which was under the seat.

“Yeah, sorry,” Blandon replied with a big stretch.

“No problem. You obviously needed some sleep.” Dr. Jay took the bag and Farris cut the engine.

Ademia was waiting for them as they disembarked the massive ship and Farris and the doctor immediately threw their arms around her. She was a very pretty blonde-haired girl with a bright smile and twinkling eyes.

“How is she?” Ademia’s face was full of concern as she enquired about her friend.

“She’ll be OK. She’s very down at the moment but she’s got a counsellor going to see her later today so we’ll know more then,” Dr. Jay told her as they walked toward the big house.

“When will she come home?” Ademia wanted to know.

“As soon as she’s fit enough,” Farris told her with a smile.

“Can I go and see her? They’re taking more flowers over tomorrow.” Ademia’s eyes were wide as she looked hopefully at her men.

“Let’s see how she is tonight,” Dr. Jay replied with a chuckle.

Ademia spun around and looked at Blandon who was walking slowly behind them. “Are you OK?” she asked him kindly.

Blandon took a deep breath. “I’m fine.” He managed a smile.

“I’ve been cooking. Come back with us and have some,” she offered.

Blandon sighed, suddenly realizing how hungry he was. He nodded gratefully and followed them up to the big house. On their way they passed Rechavia and Aitan, who were on their way to load up the next batch of flowers to go to Eastland tomorrow. They stopped for a few minutes to ask how the patient was.

“Do you need to go back tomorrow?” Rechavia asked the doctor.

“I’m not sure yet. Dr. Ernaut’s going to Super-Skype me later. Can I let you know then?”

“Sure. We’re planning to take the order over first thing if you need to join us.” Rechavia replied with a nod.

Dr. Jay thanked him and they soon arrived at the big house where Ademia lived with her two men. They slumped onto the two large sofas in the front room while Ademia handed around tea and warm griddle scones.

“Are they going to arrest Hermandine and Solon?” she wanted to know as they all tucked in. Dr. Jay had filled her in on some of the details when he Super-Skyped her last night from Dr. Ernaut’s office. He had, however, omitted the news about Melantho’s baby. There were some things which were best discussed face-to-face.

“Not yet,” Farris replied flatly.

She stared up at him and frowned.

“The cops still need to speak to Mel about what happened,” Dr. Jay explained calmly. “They’re pretty sure they know from all the witness reports, but they need to clarify it with her before they can actually act on it.”

“She’s not up to talking to them yet,” Blandon explained.

“Will they go to gaol?” Ademia was wide-eyed as she asked.

“We’re not sure yet.” Dr. Jay replied.

“They will if there’s any justice!” Farris snarled.

“Is she really poorly?” Ademia used to live with Melantho and Sapphire before she moved in with her men, and they were very close. Melantho now worked at the big house, so they still saw each other every day.

“She was beaten with a stick several times,” Dr. Jay explained, putting a comforting arm around her, as she sat in her usual position between him and Farris. “The wounds will heal.”

“Those ones might!” Farris couldn’t hide his anger.

“There’s something else we found out, baby,” said Dr. Jay as Ademia stared at Farris. Her head snapped back around to face the doctor. “Melantho had a baby a couple of years ago. Hermandine arranged for him to be adopted on the mainland.”

Ademia gasped, putting her hands in front of her mouth in astonishment. “A baby? A boy? But how? I mean…how could she have? How did we not know?”

“Hermandine took control of the situation. She obviously thought it best to keep it a secret. Or maybe Mel was ashamed, we don’t know. Mel doesn’t want to discuss it at the moment. She had a nervous breakdown—hardly surprising really. Anyway, she’s getting the best help possible at the hospital. A counsellor is going to see her today, so we may know more later,” Dr. Jay told her calmly.

“I want to see her!” Tears filled Ademia’s big blue eyes as she stared up at the doctor.

“Let’s just wait and see. She didn’t really want visitors today.” Dr. Jay squeezed her tightly as she sobbed into his chest.

Blandon stood up, placing his cup on the table. “I’d better be going,” he whispered over to Farris, who nodded as he got up and followed him to the door.

“We’ll let you know as soon as we hear anything,” Farris promised as Blandon left. The sun was already beginning to set as the young sailor made his way to the small hut he shared with his friends, Marinos and Delmer.

As he opened the door to his home, Blandon heard gasps and groans and was stunned to find that his housemates were “entertaining” their girlfriend, Sapphire, in the front room. All three were naked and he could just make out the pretty dark-haired girl lying on her back on the rug in the middle of the floor, with her legs on Delmer’s shoulders as he pounded into her, and she was sucking on Marinos’s thick cock. The room smelled of sweat and sex and he knew they wouldn’t have heard his arrival as the moans and whimpers became louder and louder. He stood rooted the spot. He would have to pass them in order to get to his own room, and he knew it was a bad time to interrupt them. Common decency dictated that he should leave the house altogether, but somehow he couldn’t move. He was mesmerized at the sight before him. Suddenly there was an ear-piercing scream from Sapphire, followed shortly afterward by a deep groan from Marinos and a hefty grunt from Delmer, as they all reached their peak.