The Bit In Between by Claire Varley

everyone told her it was the right thing to do, and besides, they were trying for a baby. Sera was from Isabel province and had beautiful open features with the most amazing smile Alison had ever seen. It lit up her entire face and made her big brown eyes sparkle when she laughed, which was often. Her thick dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun that sat at the nape of her neck. Sera spoke mostly English but reverted to Pijin every so often when she got excited or when she couldn’t find the expression she wanted.
    Alison was mesmerised.
    â€˜What does your husband do?’
    Alison was expecting her to say computers. Lots of young men in the Solomons seemed to work with computers. Sera looked away shyly and lowered her voice. ‘He’s a minister.’
    â€˜Like a priest?’
    Sera didn’t look up. ‘No. A government minister.’
    â€˜Oh. Wow.’
    Sera looked up. ‘Yes.’
    Alison thought about the photos of the stout old men she had seen staring back from the pages of the newspaper.
    â€˜Is he, um, old?’
    â€˜Older than me but not like an old man. He’s thirty-five.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Alison wanted to ask so many questions but didn’t know if she should.
    Sera took a sip of her coffee. ‘He was married before but his wife died in childbirth. So did the baby.’
    â€˜What’s he minister of?’
    â€˜Aid coordination and planning, at the moment. His father was a minister too, so it was easy for him to get voted in. He is a good man. He cares about his people.’
    Alison nodded. She knew what Sera meant by ‘at the moment’. Politics was a very transitory place in the Solomons. Members shifted parties easily and cabinets were constantly being reshuffled due to various alliance shifts, rule infringements, court cases and votes of no confidence, not to mention to constant accusations of corruption. Alison didn’t ask all the questions she was dying to, instead spearing a piece of cake with a fork. She somehow managed to lose it down her top en route to her mouth. Embarrassed, she debated whether to fish it out or leave it there. She didn’t want to get boob ants so she tried to subtly stick her hand down her top. She continued talking whilst doing so, hoping Sera wouldn’t notice.
    â€˜And is he from Isabel too?’ she asked.
    Sera watched Alison root around for the cake, a small smile on the edge of her mouth. ‘No. Makira-Ulawa.’
    â€˜And is it a happy marriage?’ Alison wondered why she was suddenly talking like a nineteenth century etiquette book.
    â€˜So far.’
    Sera leant forward and took Alison’s hands. ‘Alison?’
    â€˜Yes, Sera?’
    â€˜Will you teach me English?’
    Alison made a face. ‘Your English is pretty good. I reckon it’s better than mine.’
    Sera scrunched up her face. ‘No. It must be better. It must be best.’
    Alison thought for a moment. What else did she have to do?
    â€˜I would love to, Sera.’
    When Alison finally arrived home that afternoon she skipped through the door of the little blue house and found Oliver hunched over his laptop, typing furiously. She tossed a plastic bag at him. ‘I brought you cake, darling Oliver.’
    Oliver stopped typing and looked in the bag. ‘It’s half-eaten . . . Is this your leftovers?’
    â€˜Could be, could be.’ Alison smiled, pulling a beer from the fridge. ‘Guess who I saw at the Lime Lounge?’
    â€˜Who?’
    â€˜The young woman who saved me from the crazy kwaso guy.’
    â€˜Really?’ Oliver sounded distracted.
    â€˜Yes. And guess what she asked me?’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜She wants me to teach her English. Now I have something to do, Ollie! Isn’t that superb?’
    Oliver’s face lit up. ‘English lessons! Yes! That’s an excellent idea!’ He started typing again, fingers racing over the keyboard,