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Istil smiled. “Thank you. This has been difficult, but knowing I have friends here for me makes a huge difference.”
“Yes,” I said. “I owe you all a debt of gratitude for your support.”
Kai clapped me on the back. “Ah, come on. We’re family.” Then he gave me a cheeky grin and raised his cup. “Congratulations…Dad.”
Normally, Kai’s jab would’ve irked me, but now, I couldn’t help but allow a small smile to break through.
Chapter11
Istil
Alittle over a week had passed when, once again, reality bashed me in the face.
I stared at myself in the clouded reflection of my room’s floor mirror, astonished at the swollen bump that sat where my perfect abs had once been. The most astonishing part was that it hadn’t been like this the night before. This baby was growing fast.
Immediately, I felt like I was going to throw up.
I fled to the bathroom but only made it as far as the window next to my door. I flung open the bamboo net shutters and let it all go into the plants outside.
“Fuck,” I groaned miserably.
My stomach felt like it was back on the ship that had brought me to the island, woozy and angry. But at least no one had seen—
Grandma Payaka shuffled out from behind a tree with a basket of mangoes slung on her arm.
“Are you alright, Istil?” she called.
“Yes!” I said with a weak wave. “Just getting some fresh air!”
“It’s a lovely day, isn’t it? Would you like a mango?”
“I’d love one, but…maybe not right now—”
The thought of those juicy, succulent mangos normally would’ve gotten my mouth watering, but instead sounded like the most disgusting thing in the world. I couldn’t stop the sick from coming up again.
“S-Sorry about the bushes,” I muttered. “I’ll clean it up.”
“I didn’t realize you were ill!” she exclaimed. “Let me come inside and I’ll help you.”
Suddenly, as if his grandmother’s concern had summoned him out of thin air, Ari was sprinting towards us from the garden.
“Don’t worry, Grandmother!” he shouted. “I’ll take care of him!”
“Ari, you need to learn how to delegate,” she said. “I’m sure whatever is wrong with young Istil, I can take care of. You don’t need to be everywhere at once. Istil, just wait right in your room.”
“Grandmother,” Ari protested.
“There’s a perfect traditional remedy,” she said as she started for the front of the house. “A belly massage with kuyu oil. That’ll help you feel better.”
“I think I’m already starting to feel better—”
My stomach turned and I slapped my hand over my mouth.
Never mind.
“A belly massage!” she repeated.
“EY! GRANDMA! CHECK THIS OUT!”
