Risking All for Love (Wattpadprize14)

Chapter Twenty

While Sam, Hilary, and Felicia were helping the monks prepare for a New Year Bash at Principal Willie's large house, Lisa and David made their way hand in hand to their favorite hideaway, the original, small wooden mission church where she first kissed him. There they found Gary and Margaux already sharing affection on benches by a window. Margaux herself had long loved the peaceful view of the rice farm in the distance.

"Would you guys mind moving over for friends. We can all make out and watch the farmers driving away the rice birds?" David said as Lisa hung on his arm, kissing his neck.

"Oh, excuse us!" Margaux got up. "I often played in this old church as a little girl when my foster parents would come up here on retreat from Cuttington College."

"The more lovers, the merrier!" David kissed Lisa, holding both arms around her.

"David and I love it here, please stay to enjoy what we've also come to love."

"Lisa, remember why we call this village by the name of Bolahun?" Margaux said.

"Wasn't it called Bolahun before being destroyed in a tribal war?"

"Do you think there's still evidence of it on this hill?" Gary said.

The four then stepped out of the old wooden church, which was no longer used for worship, but for school plays and dances. They checked the areas covered with vines. It was necessary to be careful in order to avoid disturbing any snakes that might be lurking. At length they uncovered a few long-forgotten mounds that were once the foundations of a small village.

Further down the hill was a small but regular-shaped mound covered with vines. After pulling away the vines, David said, "This is the remnant of a mud rampart. It was once part of a wall that once surrounded the most defensible part of this old forgotten village."

"This place must be an archaeological bonanza for someone studying Liberians in the nineteenth century and earlier." Lisa said.

"Yeah," Gary said, "there's no radios buried here."

"Hah!" Lisa was amused. "I thought it was just me who was struck by how they love their boom boxes blaring as they pass between here and Masambolahun!"

They all had a good laugh.

"Perhaps some day young people will be able to carry a small device that contains an infinite number of songs, not like the feeble Walkman that plays one cassette tape at a time."

"After tea at the monastery we need to get ready for this evening for the New Year's Eve Party," Margaux said.

"Gary, I gotta leave soon to finish my dinner for Lisa. Would you like to visit my house as I prepare dinner and before you are off to the New Year's Party with Margaux?" David said. He gave Lisa a hug and kiss on her cheek. "We could talk before I get too busy, you can shave at my house. I will have hot water on for one thing or another."

"Sure, David."

"Margaux, Jen is back to help me with my hair, but I'd love for us to talk a while before David comes to take me to the big candlelight dinner he has planned for me," Lisa said.

"I'd love to Lisa."

"Well, David, I will see you after tea, inna?" Gary said.

Gary sat in David's kitchen folding cloth napkins and wiping down silverware while Hali, the houseboy, was in and out helping with the real cooking. The meat had been well marinated, and the vegetables and fruit salad were put in a safe place. David had things well in hand with donated monastery candles that had seen only an hour's use.