Chapter 30
The sunlight shimmered over the wavelets clapping against the boats of the marina. Talya was waiting for Aziz to return with their hamburgers. She was ravenous, and the prospect of eating what she considered the best hamburgers she had ever tasted was making her hungrier. Yet her impatience was soon allayed when a young man in jeans and T-shirt approached her. He sat on the bench near her. His dark hair, bronze complexion and gorgeous blue eyes aroused Talya’s senses.
“It’s a nice spot, isn’t it?” the young man said to her, jovial.
Talya was not surprised with the man’s forwardness. People on Bowen Island felt at ease talking to strangers. They often did away with formalities. “Yes, it is. Have you been here before?”
“No, this is my first time....I’m sorry, I haven’t introduced myself. The name is Jay, Jay Kravitz.”
“Talya Kartz.” She extended her hand.
He took it and brought it close to his lips, which gesture made Talya burst into laughter.
“Oh, I see you’re not used to gentlemanly manners.” He let go of her hand, smiling.
His remark had her melt into a stammer. “It’s not that… it’s just that… well… no, you’re right. I haven’t had my hand kissed before… I mean not in a long time.” Talya blushed.
Coming back, his hands full with hamburgers and pops, Aziz noticed that Talya was chatting with the man he had met already. He grinned. He was pleased to see her enjoy someone else’s company.
“Hey, you two… I see you’ve met Talya,” Aziz said to Jay. “Here’s your soda, and lunch.” He handed Talya a hamburger and a can of Coke.
Talya put the Coke in her lap and unwrapped the hamburger avidly. “Thanks. So you two know each other?” She looked at each man in turn.
“Yes,” Jay said, “we’ve met on the stairs this morning. I’m staying at Mrs. Allison’s B&B, same as you guys.”
“Oh, you’re the other guest then,” Talya said, biting into her hamburger with visible delight.
Aziz took a seat beside Jay and opened his can of pop. “What brought you to the island?”
“I just needed a break. I’ve been working six, seven days a week this winter and I had to take a breather.”
Talya looked at him appreciatively. He must be an athlete of some sort, she thought, with these muscular arms and legs. “What do you do?” She was full of curiosity.
“I’m a physiotherapist. I work in Whistler at the skiing clinic.”
Aziz’s ears perked up. “Wow! No wonder you’re busy. Skiing is not a sport that comes without injuries.”
“You’re right, but it’s not the sprained ankles or dislocated shoulders that give me the most work, it’s the training before these guys go down the slopes.”
“Are you telling me that you get people in shape before they tackle the mountains?” Aziz asked.
“Sure. That’s the bulk of my clientele. I’ve got dozens of people in training before the season starts, and dozens more throughout the winter months.”
“That must be tiring,” Talya put in, munching on her hamburger.
“More demanding than tiring really. When I get guys who exercise year-in and year-out, that’s okay, but when I get the old-fogy wanting to get on his skis after lazing around the pool all summer, I’ve got my work cut out for me.”
“Yeah… I... hear what you’re saying,” Aziz said, biting another mouthful.
Both arms on the back of the bench, Jay watched Aziz eat away for a moment, a smirk on his face. “You know, Doc, these hamburgers are not really good for you?”
Aziz tried to laugh, but could only mumble, “Yeah... You can blame our lady for that. She insisted on coming here especially for this particular luncheon delight.”
“Oh no, I didn’t!” Talya giggled. “You wanted it as much as I did. You know how good they are.”
Putting his elbows on his knees while they were bantering, Jay focused discreetly on Talya’s legs. “Can I ask you something?”
His attitude immediately reminded Talya of Hassan taking the same position when he was embarrassed to put a question to her. “Sure, what?”
“What brought you down to a wheelchair?” Talya’s face froze. Aziz saw her flinch. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have asked... It’s just... Well, I’m curious because… because it’s my profession.”
Talya lowered her gaze to her legs and then lifted her eyes to Jay with a timid smile on her lips. “How I got in the chair is not important anymore…”
Jay raised a hand to stop her. “Okay… no problem…”
“No, what I mean is that what happened cannot be undone, but I want to walk again and maybe there is a chance I will... I’m not sure.” She looked at Aziz for an explanation of some sort or a way to get out from under Jay’s gentle but questioning stare.
“Yes... You see, Jay, Talya’s spine was slightly damaged but when the inflammation receded, her x-rays showed that there was perhaps a chance to replace a vertebrae and she would regain the use of her legs, much like removing a vertebrae that has been damaged by an invasive tumour.” Jay nodded and waited for the rest of the explanation. “But the operation is risky. The surgeons have not agreed yet on what should be the best course of action.”
The lines of Talya’s face receded into outward sternness. “And you didn’t tell me about this…?”
Jay saw annoyance turn into sheer anger in her eyes.
Aziz shook his head. “I didn’t tell you, because nothing has been decided yet.”
“You people are all the same,” Talya flared. “You’ve got my life, my very existence into your hands, and you don’t even tell me what the score is! I can’t believe you’ve kept that from me.” She put her chair in motion and turned it in the direction of the path along the water at full speed.
Jay tapped Aziz on the knee, saying, “Stay here, I’ll get her back.” He ran after her and halted in front of her chair, grabbing the handles and switching off the motor.
“Get out of my way,” Talya yelled, wanting to reach for the switch.
He pushed her hand back. “No, I won’t and you’re not going anywhere until you hear me out!”
His resolute stance got Talya to return her hands to her lap. She looked up at him.
“Okay, Talya Kartz, as I see it, you’ve got a heck of a stubborn streak in you, and Dr. Hendrix didn’t want to get into a battle of wits between you two before the surgeons had made a decision.”
“But, it’s my body, for heaven’s sakes,” she argued angrily. “I’ve got the right to know.”
“Yes, you do. But you don’t have the right to treat your friend the way you do. He’s your physician and he knows where shattered hopes would send you, right?”
“I guess so.”
“So, stop being so petulant about it, and come back.” Bending down to her ear, he whispered, “Let him know that you’re sorry, for once.” She looked up at him, obfuscated. “Yes, you’ve probably been blaming everyone around you for what happened to you, and in that blame there’s no place for remorse, is there?”
She glowered. His blue eyes were penetrating. Talya felt as if she was sinking aboard a boat without a rudder, engulfed in his captivating eyes. “No there wasn’t…,” Talya said quietly.
“Let’s go then.” He walked around and without looking back went to regain his seat beside Aziz. The two men observed Talya manoeuvre her chair around and come back to face them.
“I was doing it again, wasn’t I?” Talya said, looking at Aziz ruefully.
He smiled and shook his head. “Yes, you were, milady, but that’s okay…”
“No, Aziz, it’s not okay! Jay here is right, I’ve got to recognize when someone’s trying to help before I insult you.”
“Let me ask you something else, Talya,” Jay interrupted, “would you mind if I had a look at your legs, back at the B&B, of course, so I could tell you how much work we’d have to do to get these pins of yours back in shape, if or when the surgeons make up th
eir minds.”
“But don’t you have something else to do?” Talya objected. “I mean aren’t you supposed to go back to Whistler sometime?” She was trying to avoid an examination that would reveal how much she had neglected herself for all these months.
“No, I mean yes, I’ll have to return to work sometime, but I’m free for the summer. I’m only on contract for the winter.”