Bride Flight Page #3

Stop or he'll get too big for his boots.

What brings you here?

- We live here.

Yes, in Khandallah Village.

Esther?

Esther.

Frank lives near here.

You haven't changed a bit.

- We met him at rugby a few years ago.

Now I'm training this little fella.

- My son, Bobby.

Bobby.

Hi Bobby. I'm Esther.

Do you like rugby?

- He doesn't speak any Dutch.

Esther?

We're leaving now, okay?

How long are you planning on staying?

Christchurch was getting too small.

Wow.

- We have a three bedroom house.

Hans built it himself.

It's gorgeous.

- You should drop by some time.

Look at us.

You're busy. Let's go.

Lovely to see you again.

Such a surprise. Good luck.

Do you remember Ada?

Ada van Holland?

We write to each other.

Call me.

Bobby, darling.

Esther.

What's the story with the drive?

I've saved up. I have the money,

but the council won't sell the land.

And I won't build a road for the council.

How long has this been going on?

- I got a letter.

From Marjorie, two years ago, I think.

She bumped into him in Wellington

and they became friends.

Then, out of the blue,

I got a letter from him.

It's perfectly normal.

The things he writes

to a married woman. Is that normal?

He was very friendly back then.

On that air race.

He helped me.

And you wrote back.

Was that normal too?

We don't mean anything by it.

''When I close my eyes, I can still see

your shoulders shining in the Karachi sun.

Your feet dancing on the hot asphalt.

I remember how you

tossed back your ash blond hair...

like a Greek goddess.''

Empty, bombast words,

meant to seduce you.

A true friend would have written

his letters to both of you.

You have lost your way, daughter.

You have failed in your duty as a wife.

You should never, ever desire another.

Ask the Lord for forgiveness

and mend your ways.

Do you have anything to say?

The tea's getting cold.

Your husband can only become an elder

if his house remains beyond reproach.

I might not be the best...

- I'm sorry.

So, here you are.

I was in the area.

An aunt in Wellington. She's not well.

She asked... Derk's aunt, she asked...

So I thought...

It's not as bad as I thought.

I'll need to go back soon. But...

I thought...

As you were in the area.

Yes.

That's nice.

- I'll have to go soon.

Time for a cup of tea then?

Yes.

You haven't changed.

Yes I have.

How?

- My hair.

Oh, that.

Suits you.

- It's modern.

Ada van Holland.

Who's that?

A Maori?

- That's Mozie.

Why don't you stay?

What's wrong with her?

I happen to have the same thing.

Get undressed.

Go on, get undressed.

It's warmer here than where we live.

- Keep going.

We have the Barber Cloud.

The Barber Cloud.

It always appears

when I'm hanging the washing.

Don't.

I want to see you.

- I've got three children.

Let me see then.

It comes down the river,

with cold air from the mountains.

Sometimes it rains for days on end.

It's cold, dark and wet.

But it's beautiful too.

Sometimes I go up

into the mountains with the children.

There are

some magnificent birds of prey.

And I love the ocean.

Derk doesn't,

because the sand flies drive him mad.

They bite.

Sometimes I walk all the way to Hokitika.

And then...

I feel kind of happy.

I'm quite happy then.

That's me. That's the farmer.

And that is Mozie.

Yes, me again.

Rugby.

They...

They are all sick aunts.

All these girls?

Yes. But not the right one. Not yet.

It's lovely.

He will wash his garments in wine,

his robes in the blood of grapes.

Genesis 49, verse 1 1 .

Druivebloed.

Druivebloed. Call it that.

You will have to answer to God

for what you have done.

Running away

from your family is a terrible sin.

I've come to get you for the children.

There can be no forgiveness for you.

The sin remains, in the eyes of God.

- That's criminal.

I'm willing to take you back.

What kind of God doesn't forgive?

- Satan.

If you stay,

you'll never see the children again.

It will be my duty to God

to keep you away from the children.

Ada.

Ada.

You.

You.

I'll stay with you.

Coffee.

Ada?

Is that Ada?

- She was in the area.

Do you know Derk's aunt? She lives

somewhere around here. She's poorly.

What's she called again?

Druivebloed?.

How did you come up with that name?

It's from the Bible.

- Since when do you read the Bible?

Someone suggested it.

I liked the sound of it.

No doubt one of your girlfriends.

One who knows the scriptures.

Such a nice man. He ought to

get married and have a family.

He was in a Japanese camp as a boy.

- How do you know that?

He saw his father die

and his sister died too.

His mother couldn't handle it

and hanged herself later in Holland.

He never tells me anything.

Giving it all she's got, isn't she?

What nonsense.

Where's Bobby?

Bobby?

- Keep calm.

Hello?

Bobby?

Bobby?

Bobby?

Bobby?

Forgive us.

Here he is.

Here he is.

Forgive us. Lord, have mercy.

Ada.

Here.

Bobby?

Was he supposed to die? Was that it?

I need some fresh air.

Okay.

You don't know, you've got no idea...

You don't know...

He has three bruised ribs,

second-degree burns on his torso...

and a third-degree burn just here

that will leave a scar.

Are they keeping him in?

- A few days.

To rule out internal injuries

or an infection.

He's feverish. And he's in pain.

So much pain.

What about you?

- I can sleep here tonight.

Can I do anything for you?

- No.

We'll come back tomorrow.

We'll camp here.

Just go home.

Hans will come and pick us up.

Okay.

Can we look in on him quickly?

No, he can't have

any strangers around his bed.

But I'm not a stranger.

- Just his mother and father.

Come on.

Ada.

Ada.

Ada.

Ada.

Thank you.

- Enjoy your Sunday.

I hope you have a nice Sunday.

- Thank you.

Esther?

How is he?

- Fine. Kids take no time to recover.

Can I see him?

Just for a second.

- He's upstairs.

Have a bit of faith.

They were always looking

for people like us.

And one day it was simply our turn.

We had to wait in a large building,

and suddenly my father told me

to follow some man,

and he walked out the door

with me and all the children.

I only realised later

that Sal had not come with us.

I couldn't work out why.

I still don't get it.

Didn't he want to come?

Or did Mum want him to stay with her?

Then why not me?

They were all murdered.

But why wasn't I with them?

Frank.

I thought we were friends,

for God's sake.

I was supposed to train Bobby.

I didn't even get to say goodbye.

Where's this headed?

- To the harbour.

It's going overseas.

- Overseas?

Back to Holland.

They're going by plane, via Auckland.

They've just left.

Why do people

always let each other down?

Marjorie, you coward.

Marjorie?

Frank.

Damn it, Hans.

What do you think you're doing?

And you?

- You don't want to go.

Leave it.

- Do Hans and Bobby want to go?

Stay out of it.

- This is a present for your son.

What is it you want?

- This is a family heirloom.

What else can we expect?

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