At the urgent request of little artist, I'm whacking you all with a few more chapters tonight. I'm happy you are all enjoying it so far and one of my favorite parts are coming up in the next few chapters so enjoy! There's much more to come, I just wrote chapter 23 and am starting to wind the story down so I'll keep posting as fast as I can. Enjoy!

Chapter Seven
People Acting Strangely

As more months passed, Noa was about to turn 18. She was becoming excited. She would be considered a woman soon. And maybe, Obi might make his intentions clear. She talked excitedly with Mua about this as they spent most of their days at the research table. Noa was still determined to find another method of gathering food. She still helped Obi harvest coconuts at times but he still refused to say anything and just merely smiled at Noa while she worked with him. But to Noa, this was still enduring. It was this mysteriousness about Obi that made her realized she was truly, deeply falling in love with him.

The tribe continued to prosper together, and the new hut was nearly complete. In a matter days Bibi and Piku would finish the hut and start on the broken down hut. Everyone was excited. These advancements together as a tribe were proving to be rewarding for everyone and drew the tribe closer as a family.

One day, while taking a break to eat some food, Noa overheard Bibi and Piku sitting by the lagoon talking. She hadn't meant to overhear, it just happened. She just suddenly heard Piku say "Really, you think we could actually finish the hut in 3 months? That's a tight deadline Bibi. We'll really have to push it!"

"I know Piku, but I really want to have it done it time. It'll be our gift" but Noa heard Mua call her and went to her before she heard Bibi add "a perfect gift to match to Obi's"

Back at the research table, Noa was perplexed. What on earth were they talking about? 3 months, a gift? A hut as a gift? And then it dawned on her. She was turning 18 in 3 months. But to give a hut as a gift, that didn't make sense. She brushed the thought away, thinking she must have misunderstood and returned to her work.

But over the next few weeks everyone started acting strangely. Bibi and Piku were working harder and faster than Noa had ever seen. Mua couldn't seem to make eye contact with her. And Obi seemed to be taking more frequent breaks than usual, swimming in the lagoon and diving deep down for minutes at a time. He would resurface and then disappear into his and Bibi's new hut for a while then go back to work like nothing happened. And the little ones, Coen and Jem, were bringing fewer treasures to Mua and Noa. They seemed to be taking them to Obi's hut.

Noa tried not to notice. The fact that everyone seemed to have a secret was bothering her. Maybe she was just playing tricks on herself, she thought one day. She was probably imagining things. But as her 18th birthday drew nearer, everyone just started acting stranger.

Coen however, now 12 and soon to be of age, was starting to spend more time with Noa and Mua. He was showing interest in science and research and hoped to work with them in 2 years. Whenever Jem was keeping herself busy, catching butterflies, Coen would sit by the research table and watch the girls. Taking in everything he could and learning as much as possible without actually working. Noa was amused by this and would sit and talk with Coen by the lagoon for hours, encouraging his interest and helping him along.


Chapter Eight
A Woman Emerges

The day before her 18th birthday, Noa started to worry. She had not seen Obi all day, except at breakfast. He disappeared into his hut after breakfast and as far as Noa could tell, never came out. In the afternoon, Noa approached Bibi and stopped her.

"Is he alright?" she asked Bibi, "Should I go and check on him? I know how to heal him".

"Who?", Bibi asked, truly confused.

"Obi! He hasn't come out all day, he must be sick!"

Bibi laughed, understanding finally. "Oh, no. He's not sick. He's just taking the day off. He had something to do today."

"Oh, well, that makes sense then." Noa said turning back towards the research table and thoroughly not understanding. She was so distracted that by the end of day, she didn't even notice that Bibi and Piku had nearly completed the hut. Feeling exhausted, she ate dinner in silence, noticing the absence of Obi. As she wondered if she should take him some dinner and check on him, she noticed Bibi get up and take a plate of food over to the hut. She emerged a few minutes later and Noa felt resentment. She really wanted to see Obi. Sad, she went to bed early that night and had a fitful sleep.

When she awoke the next morning, she found herself alone in the hut. She was groggy from her bad sleep and not feeling much better. She stepped outside the hut and her mood changed immediately. Everyone was by the fire, waiting for her. Apparently, everyone had awoken early to prepare her birthday breakfast, including Obi, who was smiling from the back at her. She didn't need to see the fire, she could smell it from the hut.

"Where did you get crab from? We haven't been able to fish for ages!" She exclaimed.

"Obi saved the last few especially for this day" Bibi explained. "Once we realized we couldn't fish, Obi took them from the storage bin, just in case we still couldn't fish by this special day. He was up early to cook them."

"And you finished the hut!" shrieked Noa, noticing for the first time.

"Yup, up at dawn working on it. We were afraid the banging might wake you but you were out cold." Said Piku.

"Everyone, this is wonderful! You really shouldn't have!"

"Oh yes we should have!" said Mua stepping forward to hug her friend. "Today you become a woman, it's a special day. And just look at everything you've done here for all of us! You learned to fish when we were starving. You figured out how to get the coconuts when we couldn't fish. You learned medicine to save Coen. Should I go on?" Noa beamed and looked at her friends, her family. She knew it was going to be a great day.


And now... the Creme de la Creme!

Chapter Nine
The Surprise

Mua took Noa's hand and led her to the fire for her breakfast. Noa was shocked to see the food. There was the succulent crab, fresh coconuts, even berries and fruits that the children found in the forest. Everyone pitched in for the best breakfast their little tribe had ever seen.

"If I may have a word before we eat"

Noa stopped and looked around. The voice was unfamiliar; she had never heard it before. Where did it come from? And then she saw Obi emerge from the small crowd and approach her.

"Did... did you say something?" she asked him.

"I asked if I may have a word before we eat". His voice was deep and smooth and it sent shivers down Noa's spine.

"You spoke!" she gasped.

"Yes, of course" he said laughing.

"But you never talk!"

"I like to mean what I say and choose my words carefully. And, well, between my chatty sister," he glanced at Bibi who blushed, "and your wonderful stories, there was never really any need to talk, was there? Until now." Noa's heart leaped into her throat and she forgot how to breathe. "I've been waiting three years to ask you this. I wanted to wait until you were 18 but simply can't wait another day more. In my old tribe, when two people were in love, the man would give the woman a gift. This gift would act as a symbol of love and eternal union. It would be a means to propose. To propose marriage."

"Yes?" Noa squeaked.

"So," Obi continued, reaching into his pocket "This is my gift to you." And he pulled out of his pocket the most beautiful necklace that Noa had ever seen. It shimmered in the sun. It was made of colorful carved stones, seashells, and what appeared to be jewels. "They are sea stones, from the very bottom of the lagoon" he explained.

"You made this?" Obi nodded. "That's what you were doing yesterday?"

"I've been working on it for many months. I wanted to ensure it was ready in time for today. Jem and Coen helped collect the shells and stones." He knelt down. "Noa," she shivered when he spoke her name, "I have loved you know for many years and I can tell from your eyes that you love me as well. I would like to ask you, in front of all of our friends, if you would be my wife." Noa opened her mouth to reply but no sound came out.

"You're turning blue Noa" laughed Mua "you may want to breathe before you respond!"

Noa found her breathe and threw her arms around Obi "Yes! Yes! Of course I will!" Obi leaned forward and kissed her for the first time. It was a beautiful, passionate, loving kiss. Noa's knees gave out but she didn't care. She knew that in Obi's arms, she could never fall. The tribe cheered and clapped and Noa had completely forgotten they were still there. Obi pulled back but kept his arms around her.

"And the rest of us have a gift for both of you!" said Piku excited. They all parted to give Noa and Obi a clear view of the newly rebuilt hut by the sea.

"I don't understand." Noa said.

"The hut is for the two of you. If you are going to be married, I'm sure you would like a little privacy. It only seemed right to follow tradition of Bibi and Obi's old tribe and give couples their own hut. Besides, after 18 years, you must be sick of sharing a hut with me!" he jeered.

"Are you serious? You're giving us the hut!" she exclaimed. And as she took a good look at the hut, she realized that they had all gone too great lengths to make it special. It was a beautiful hut, decorated in flowers and shells. Noa kissed Obi again and then rushed to hug the rest of the tribe and thank them. Every sat down to enjoy the wonderful breakfast and Bibi said that it seemed only fair that everyone had the day off.

Noa and Obi spent the day together, relaxing, talking and truly getting to know each other. She found out that unlike elaborate weddings back at home, on the island, weddings were small and intimate. A simple ceremony, where a loved one and a witness united two people forever. Noa suddenly became sad. She hadn't thought about home or her family in so long. And now, she was going to be married and her parents wouldn't be here. Obi asked what was wrong, sensing her sudden change in mood. Noa hesitated. She had not told anyone on this island about her sudden appearance. They thought all her tales of electronics and inventions were made up stories. But Obi was the love of her life, surely he would understand. She poured out her heart to him and he listened with nothing but love in his eyes. When she finished, she looked at him, scared of his response.

"Well," he said "it's quite possible really! If you had truly wished to be somewhere else, and wished it with all your heart, maybe you did go somewhere else!"

"You believe me?"

"Of course I do, I love you! That doesn't mean that that's really what happened but I believe that you believe it and that all that matters. Besides, you're here now and we have found each other. I wished to find the woman of my dreams and before I knew it, I fell down and waterfall with my sister and there you were!" With his arm around her, she leaned into him a cried. Cried from relief of finally telling someone her thoughts, her fears, and not being judged. He held her tight and they sat in silence for a long time.