The smell of jerked pork escaping from the barbeque engulfed the entire area. everyone within miles was being tortured by the distinct aroma that came only from our home when my father got to practice his findest treat. It was summer, and as was the tradition for as long as I could remember, all the entire family was gathered to party, eat and reminisce. There were at least four generations there, and as we got drunk inhaling the commingled smell from the delightful assortment of foods, we also found every chance to relax and swallow the fresh freedom of the country air. Our family home, Dreamview, was built over forty years before on a sprawling plot, which bordered the Dove Bay lake on the east and the PDC Farms to the north. Over the years, one of my greatest delights was the resplendent effect of the sun on the still waters of the lake. The lake held many fond romantic memories for me. It was where I had some of my first sexual encounters. As I sat there and watched my siblings, uncles, aunts and all the others, I was taken swiftly back to the summer holidays when I would eagerly grab all my stuff and rush to the bus depot to get away from the city for my six-week summer break.
"The pork is ready," my dad shouted in his usually jovial way, initiating more consumption, which was the main theme of the day. It was always a pleasure to watch him soak in all the excitement that came with having so many people in the yard. Just as like the meat simmered on the grill while magically creating the distinct aroma, he was oozing with happiness and sweat as the warm summer sun took effect. Deep in my mind I could not but wonder what memories the lake held for him and so many of the others that had enjoyed their holidays and childhood at Dreamview, as I had.
It was the first family day for Karen. We had only been married for four months and everyone was still dealing with the novelty of the new bride in the family. She had accompanied me to Dreamview before on many occasions, but we were always pressed for time and never got to totally relax and explore the area. On our last visit I had given her a cursory tour of the area, including a quick lap around the lake. It was my intention to use this visit to expose her to many more of the special places around Dreamview, especially since we had the luxury, unlike almost all the others, of being able to spend an extra two days. We both opted to use some vacation time to relax. What better place to do it than in the arms of tranquil Dreamview.
"Let's eat, honey," Karen suggested, breaking my thoughts, as she strode past me on one of her many trips with trays of goodies. She had blended well. Karen was good at that. There were lots of things that she was good at and it did not take long for everyone to do the assessments of her that they had missed due to the euphoria of our wedding. Uncle Dave was busy sharing all his naughty jokes with her at every chance he got. Not to be outdone, my dearest cousin Tanya was ensuring that revealed every possible detail about everyone. Good old Jim, with Audra, his girlfriend, in tow, was keeping the bar stocked for the drinkers. It was hilarious to watch them all jostle for her attention. As dusk descended on the festivities, the groups that were leaving made their preparations which included packing lots of food to take back to their urban dwellings. It was the norm. Going back to the city without leftovers was almost a sin. Nightfall brought with it an eerie quiet that typified the farms in this area. The moon was slowly making its presence felt, in spite of the challenge from the bright street lamps scattered all around. We sat on the verandah sipping rum and coke while engaging in our free spirited laughter when suddenly an idea grabbed me. I acted.
"Karen, Karen!" I shouted with childish glee. I had an urge.
"Yes dear," came her response from the kitchen. Her face was painted with curiosity. What could be so urgent was the question jumping from her short deep stare.
"Come with me, I want to show you something," I said as I grabbed her by the waist and ushered her through the back door. There was no resistance, but the weight of her questions was obvious as I swiveled past the doghouse en route to the edge of the lake. I stopped beside a huge family of coconut trees and sat on a wooden bench that I had helped to build many years ago. I summoned Karen to sit on my lap. Her warm body was comparable to the calm of the moonlight on the lake that I had taken her to see.
