Breaking All Their Rules

‘You sure you weren’t a caveman in a previous life?’ She laughed.

‘Weren’t we all?’ He unravelled the line and threw it as far as possible.

‘I don’t know. This whole “me man, me like hunting-gathering thing”—it’s like men are born that way. I prefer going to a supermarket.’

Winding the line in as Donny had taught him, he grinned. ‘The urge lurks below the skin, waiting for opportunities to show our women what wonderful providers and protectors we are.’

‘So when women fish or hunt, what are they proving?’

‘You’ve just flipped the argument. If I said that women are trying to prove they’re as good as us I’d get my head knocked off, right?’

‘I’ll go and get my club.’

‘Before you do, I admit that there are females who love all that outdoor activity as much as their menfolk, and some of them are very good at shooting deer or pig and catching a fish.’

A soft punch was delivered to his bicep. Olivia nodded along the beach. ‘The score so far is locals three, visitor none.’

Zac tapped his chest with his fist. ‘She wounds so easily.’ He loved it when she was being cheeky and not considering every word before uttering it.

‘If you can feel anything on the end of your line it’s probably a pebble. There’s your hook.’ She peered at the water’s edge, her grin wicked, making his toes curl with longing.

‘This time.’ He hurled the line out once more and began winding it back in.

‘I don’t think so,’ Olivia said beside him.

‘How do you know?’

Throw it out, bring it in. There was a timeless rhythm to this and, yes, he was enjoying fishing with the men.

‘You’ve got another pebble.’

It took a second but he finally remembered where he was and what he was doing. ‘This time,’ he assured the disbelieving woman.

‘Hey, Donny,’ Olivia called. ‘Zac’s last fish must’ve been beginner’s luck.’

Glancing over his shoulder, Zac nodded to the Fijian. ‘Donny, don’t listen to a word she says. I’ve got this.’

He was relieved the man had shown up. He and Olivia had agreed this might be the best place to talk to Donny about Josaia. Olivia had also suggested that he do the talking at first, man to man, so to speak.

Zac heard Olivia say, ‘Hello, Josaia,’ and his disappointment rose. They could not talk about surgery in front of the boy. Damn.

But Olivia had her ways. ‘Josaia, can you help me find a shell to take home? One of those small conches would be good.’ She waited for Josaia’s reply, looking at him as she would any other child.

‘I know where the best shells are.’ He spoke hesitantly, as though expecting Olivia to withdraw from him any second.

‘Cool. Let’s go. Hopefully, by the time we get back Zac will have finally caught a fish.’

‘Granddad catches them all the time.’ Josaia bounced along beside Olivia, looking up at her so often he tripped over his own feet.

Donny watched them walk away. ‘She’s kind.’

‘She is. She’s also genuine.’

‘I can see that. So can Josaia. He wouldn’t have gone with her otherwise. He’s learned to be wary of people’s empty gestures.’ Sadness lined Donny’s statement.

Flicking the line out again, Zac said without preamble, ‘You know we’re doctors?’

‘I wondered. Neither of you flinched when you saw Josaia, like you’re used to seeing disfiguring scars.’

Zac was relieved. He’d thought he might’ve shown his feelings for the kid’s predicament far too much. ‘Olivia’s a plastic surgeon.’

Donny turned to stare after his grandson again. ‘What about you? Do you work in the same field?’

‘I’m an orthopaedic surgeon.’

The man spun around to stare at him. ‘Are you pulling my leg? Because if you are and my grandson learns…’ He spluttered to a stop, unable to voice his anger.

Placing a hand on Donny’s arm, Zac said, ‘I am speaking the truth. We want to help Josaia.’

Donny gasped a few deep breaths, rubbed his forearm across his face. ‘We don’t have enough money. That’s why our son-in-law works in Australia. He’s trying to save for an operation for Josaia but…’ Donny shook his head.

The line was getting into a tangle since Zac had stopped winding. Concentrating on sorting it out, he told the proud man, ‘Let’s start at the beginning and work from there. If it’s okay with you, we’d like to look at Josaia’s injuries and request copies of his medical records.’

His statement was met with silence. Could he have approached Donny differently? Might as well lay it all out. If he’d got it wrong then he had nothing to lose. ‘We think it’s probably best if Josaia has surgery in Auckland, where both of us practise.’

‘You make it sound so easy.’

‘I do know a thing or two about the New Zealand health system.’

Donny gripped Zac’s hand. ‘Thank you. I am glad you caught that trevally. It has brought my family much good luck.’

Zac grinned. ‘Maybe that’s why I haven’t caught one today. There’s only so much luck out there and we’ve used up our share for a while.’

*

Once Donny had talked with his wife and daughter, and explained everything to Josaia, he brought the lad to the bure.

‘At the time of the accident we were told by a visiting doctor that plastic surgery would make the scar less visible and the lumps could be removed.’

‘Has Josaia seen anyone else about this?’

‘There aren’t any plastic surgeons in Fiji. But, please, you can look today. Josaia likes you, he won’t be a problem.’

‘He found me a shell to take home.’ She’d treasure it, as long as she could take it through quarantine at Auckland Airport. ‘Hey, Josaia, can I touch your cheek?’

The boy nodded solemnly.

The muscle was tight and knobbly under her fingers. ‘Open your mouth wide,’ she instructed Josaia. Inside there was further scarring. ‘I can do something to improve this.’ She stepped back to allow Zac space.

‘Josaia, show me how far you can move your arm,’ Zac instructed.

Donny talked as his grandson moved his arm back and forth. ‘It’s tight. He can’t move it far. Tendons were severed by the arrow of the gun and sewn back together shorter than before.’

‘Will you make me better?’ Josaia asked them, his eyes wide with hope.

Olivia answered, ‘Would you like us to try?’

He nodded. ‘Yes, please.’

‘You would have to go to hospital again.’

‘Will it hurt?’

Zac nodded. ‘Yes, I’m sorry, but we’ll give you something to stop most of the pain.’

Donny spoke quietly. ‘I would like to accept your help, but how do we pay for this?’

Olivia wanted to wrap him in her arms and say Don’t worry, everything will be all right, except she didn’t want to trample on this family’s pride. So she dodged some of the question. ‘If we go ahead, would it be all right with you if we did the operations as a gift to Josaia?’

Donny blinked, ran a hand over his face. ‘Why would you do that?’

‘Part of what I like about being a doctor is helping people, giving them second chances, and Josaia deserves one.’ Goodness, she’d be crying next.

Zac must’ve sensed her problem because he leaned closer so that his arm touched hers, and told Donny, ‘Children shouldn’t be disadvantaged because of someone else’s mistake.’

‘What can I say?’ Donny asked in such a strangled voice Olivia smiled.