A Simple Deception

XXXVI

"One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world." Malala Yousafzai

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XXXVI.

Alex could not quite believe that he had just witnessed a conversation between his parents. Plural. Never in his wildest dreams would he have ever imagined that he would have both a mother and a father.

He had not known what he had been expecting upon their meeting. Alex, perhaps, had not had an opportunity to imagine what he would expect. His mother had been shocked, and his father had been cordial and courteous. There was a little awkwardness and uncertainty, but his father had complimented his mother immediately on how well their son had grown up.

They spoke for several minutes about their lives in general over the past near three decades, and Alex wondered if their conversation would have deepened had he not been standing with them. But he couldn't will his legs to move. Besides, his mother had asked that he not leave her side.

But the first meeting was done. What would become of them, Alex didn't know. But their conversation concluded with Captain Whitfield asking Amélie if she was accompanying them back to England, to which she replied that she was.

"Let us get off of this island, then," Captain Whitfield murmured in French.

"First," interjected Amélie, finally looking on ahead to their small waiting party. Alex, too, looked up for the first time, and met with Susanna's inquisitive, sympathetic gaze. "I must meet her."

"Susanna," whispered Alex.

"I must say, you managed to find quite the extraordinary young woman," complimented Captain Whitfield.

"I know," replied Alex, knowing completely that he would have to spend his life working to deserver her after what she had done for him. Alex offered his mother his arm, and Amélie took it, before he began to lead her over towards the waiting Susanna. Captain Whitfield followed.

Alex watched as Susanna suddenly knitted her fingers together, before biting down subtly on her bottom lip in a clear act of nervousness. It amused him. But it also deeply moved him that she cared so much to make a good first impression.

Susanna was flanked by her brother, and upon noticing his presence, Alex felt his mother tense. It would have been years since she had laid eyes on a white man, with, of course, the exception of his father. And dressed as he was, Adam Beresford looked every bit the grand blanc that the people of these plantations had once been all too familiar with. His mother, like so many other women, had suffered great humiliation at the hands of the grand and petit blancs.

"It is alright, it is safe," he uttered to her as they approached. Amélie nodded in understanding. "Maman," he said in a louder voice once they were with Susanna. Alex gave Susanna a reassuring smile. "Please allow me to introduce Susanna Beresford. Susanna, this is my mother, Amélie Archambeau."

"I am delighted to meet you, Madame," greeted Susanna in shaky, accented French. She spoke well despite her nerves. "Your son speaks so very highly of you."

"I am honoured to meet you, Susanna," Amélie replied in a tender voice. In hearing Amélie's soft, warm tone, Susanna smiled brightly. Amélie made a noise of pleased astonishment. "You have a smile like the sunshine, beautiful girl."

Alex watched as Susanna thought over Amélie's words for a moment, translating them in her head, before she could smile as warmly as his mother had described.

Susanna's blue eyes fell upon Alex, and she met his gaze of admiration. He knew that it should not surprise him, but her tolerance, her kindness, her respect, affected him greatly. Susanna did not judge colour, but people. She saw people for who they really were, and perhaps for who they could be. Such was the case with him.