The next day marked a transition to a new normal. Aziz and Marianne did the morning farm chores before they walked the half kilometer to the site for his future house and barn. There was already a pile of building and farming supplies there, under a large sheet of orange plastic.

  Marianne spent a few hours with him explaining how everything would work. He had received a message yesterday with a list of tasks he needed to do and dates they were expected to be completed by. Marianne warned him that they monitored all the settlers progress against their targets, putting pressure on as needed. Given the hearing, he needed to hit every one of his milestones, even without Rania to help. She figured he could get it done in eight to ten hours a day of solid work. No breaks in there.

  While Rania could still help with the kids, Marianne could give him a pass on doing much with her. But when Rania was no longer up to that much, he would need to spend several hours a day working on Marianne’s farm, too.

  He showed Marianne the list. The first task was easy, staking the outline of his foundation and the barn. That was supposed to be done today, along with inventorying the materials delivered.

  “They start you easy, so you feel good about getting the work done,” she said.

  Tomorrow’s task was building the fence. She peeked under the plastic. “Yep, lots of fencing. Some steps of that will need two people. And for part of this fence, you’ll need an armed escort. I’ll ask Eleanor to join us tomorrow, so I can keep guard while you two build the fence along the cliff.”

  Building the fence took most of the next day, with three of them working, or more accurately, two working while Marianne kept the rifle at the ready while she watched the edge of the cliff. Aziz helped Marianne do all the mandatory daily chores before they went and after they returned.

  Each day was largely the same. Aziz would help Marianne for a while then do his mandated tasks at his homestead before returning to help with dinner and then bedtime. Typically, he and Marianne would eat after the kids had eaten. She was amazed at how well he was holding up to an enormous work load, especially giving his obvious and well-founded concerns for his wife. Rania would eat lightly with the kids then with them, as much for company as for nourishment.

  ++++++

  Three weeks after the hearing, Marianne noticed Rania shuffling out of the bedroom towards breakfast. She no longer seemed able to walk with a comfortable stride. Looking more closely, Marianne now noticed just how gaunt and drawn the young wife’s face had become. The change was gradual, so it had gone unnoticed, by her at least. If Rania or Aziz had noticed, they had chosen not to say anything. She was pretty sure they wouldn’t say anything, even if they had noticed.

  Marianne vowed to keep a closer eye on her guest’s decline.

  Rania’s deteriorating condition had to be taking a toll on Aziz, but he never complained. Marianne was finding growing respect for his work ethic and his determination. He really had been dealt a crappy hand, but he worked hard to make the best of his situation.

  ++++++

  A few days later, Rania was watching the children. Genevieve was spending more and more time walking. And falling. Today, the fall was bad enough to bring tears. No real injury other than the toddler’s pride, but enough to warrant some consolation.

  Rania leaned down to pick Genevieve up and realized she couldn’t.

  “Genevieve, can you show Aunt Rania how well you can walk when I hold your hand. When we get back to my chair, you can climb up in my lap and show me everywhere it hurts.”

  Through some lingering tears, the toddler said, “Okie. Me do that.”

  Rania offered a hand to the toddler, saying, “You are getting so good at walking! Pretty soon, you’re going to be keeping up with Pierre.”

  Once Rania had made it back to her chair, Genevieve crawled up into her lap and told her all about the fall. By this point, the pain and the indignation were forgotten and the fall had become a bit of an adventure. Rania put an arm around the toddler; they sat together quietly for fifteen minutes before Marianne came back in to check on them.

  Marianne walked over to take Genevieve from Rania, as she did every day. But today, Rania did not hand her up. Marianne quickly lifted the child on her own. She looked at Rania, who shook her head sadly, a tear forming in her eye.

  “I’m not sure I should be left alone to take care of them much longer.”

  ++++++

  The next morning, Marianne was watching Rania closely. As Aziz was cooking breakfast, she said, “Rania, Aziz didn’t get fined from what happened at the hearing, did he?”

  She carefully watched the African woman speak. “Not that I saw. How would I know?”

  Every word spoken was an effort. Her system was close to shutting down. She dared not leave the children with her today. “Once Aziz is back to the table, I will show both of you where such things would show up.”

  Rania nodded to show her acknowledgement of Marianne’s realization. Once Aziz sat down with the porridge, Marianne pulled out her device and brought up where her accounts are shown. “They’re kept on a household basis. Even before the house exists.” She pointed at the screen. “There would’ve been a charge here if Renee had actually managed to fine me. I assume you don’t have a charge either.”

  Rania laughed, “I guess we don’t have a balance to fine yet.”

  “Hmm, I thought they’d have given you a starting credit. You’ll need to buy things for your house once it’s ready to move into. I wonder if there’s an issue with the funding? I should ask Eleanor. She keeps track of the colony’s financial state much better than I ever did.”

  ++++++

  Aziz offered to clean up after breakfast as well. He could see that Rania was struggling this morning. His excuse was to give Marianne more time with her kids before their chores. He was surprised when she said, “Pierre and Genevieve, you’re coming with me for the chores. We're going to let Aunt Rania rest today.”

  He realized that his wife must be failing more than his loving eyes could see, would see. He could feel the tears welling in the corners of his eyes, but he wouldn’t let the children see. He wondered if Marianne had thought how to tell them.

  He determined to be even more productive this morning, to pick up the slack that arose with her having to care for Pierre and Genevieve while she worked. And help keep an eye on each of them while he was working here.

  ++++++

  After dinner that night, Marianne took the kids in for baths, badly needed after being out on the farm all day. While she bathed them, she considered Aziz. She considered herself a strong and stoic person. But Aziz was every bit her match, probably even more so.

  Once her kids were clean, Marianne settled them into their beds.

  ++++++

  While Marianne worked on her family duties, Aziz was cleaning up after dinner. Rania interrupted his work, asking, “Can you come over and talk to me for a few minutes Aziz? The cleaning can wait.”

  Aziz turned back towards the table. Tears formed in his eyes as he sat down. No words came to his voice, none could possibly express the enormous dread he was feeling.

  She picked up the dialogue for him, with a voice that could barely carry past the table. “We both know what’s happening now. I don’t have much longer.”

  That was all Aziz could handle and his sobs came pouring out.

  Rania reached a hand across the table to touch his cheek. “Please don’t cry right now. I know I’m leaving you. You’ll grieve for me. I don’t know what I believe will happen to me. If I exist, I’m sure I'll grieve for you as well. I know nothing will ever be able to stop me loving you. But right now I need to talk to you. While we have a chance to do it.”

  Aziz slowed his sobbing and wiped his eyes, looking at her, the love in his eyes trying to overcome the sorrow in his soul.

  “Thank you. I know this is hard on you. But you’re not alone here. Just like you, Marianne lost her love. She never even got a chance to say goodbye to him. And she has Pierre and Genevieve that she has to stay strong for, no matter how beat down she feels.”

  Aziz looked at her strangely. This is not the conversation he expected Rania to be having with him right now.

  “She seems so strong, but that is half show. She is very strong, both physically and emotionally. She couldn’t have raised her children by herself here if she wasn’t. But she needs moments to regroup. And she needs support. Please offer that to her when you can. She’ll never ask for it. She can’t; that would be expressing her own weakness, which cannot be allowed. You don’t always watch people carefully enough. Watch for what she needs. She’s done so much for us, we owe her. But she’s also a good person and you should always try to help good people.”

  Aziz nodded his head.

  “And she has other needs you may be able to help her with. I know that’s going to feel awkward; believe me, it’s awkward saying this to you. But you both deserve someone who can fulfill those needs. If you’re honest, you know you have some interest. I suspect she does too, but probably isn’t willing to admit it yet. Don’t try to force something, but don’t avoid it either. Especially not on my account. Can you promise me that? If not her, keep looking for someone else.”

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Aziz nodded his head, as much in disbelief as promising.

  “Pierre and Genevieve need a father. As much as you can provide that, do. They are as close as I will ever have to my own kids. Care for them like they were mine.”

  Aziz nodded again, this time promising.

  Just then a noise came from the hall as Marianne emerged.

  ++++++

  Marianne had heard much of the conversation between Aziz and Rania. She couldn’t believe she had really heard what she thought she did. Rania had definitely told Aziz to be a father to her children. Rania is right that her children would be better off with a second parent. So far, they have Momma, Aunt Eleanor, and briefly, Aunt Rania. She’ll let Aziz do as much as he can there.

  But did Rania also encourage Aziz to be willing to sleep with her? That came as a total shock to her. She must’ve heard that wrong. Or misunderstood what was being said.

  She made a noise entering the hallway to make sure that Aziz and Rania knew she was now in easy listening range. She would take her eavesdropping as a strategic advantage in the days, months, and years that lay ahead. She'd presumably have interactions with Aziz for the foreseeable future, both as her neighbor and as someone trying to help her with her child rearing.

  “Aziz,” Rania said, “Would you mind checking on the goats or something in the barn for a few minutes. I need to talk to Marianne.”

  Aziz looked at his dying wife then looked at his host. She nodded to him and he left without a word.

  As soon as Aziz had shut the door behind him, Rania spoke, “I’m assuming you heard much of the conversation we just had.”

  Marianne nodded. Rania was amazingly perceptive about people, she thought. And brutally honest at times. But she’d never seen Rania be wrong about people.

  “You have your needs and will continue to. I’m sure you’re too tired to think about them very often. Raising those two kids by yourself for the last year has to have been exhausting. And you know I think you've done a spectacular job. But find the time somewhere to take care of yourself, too. If that should involve Aziz, you have more than my blessing. I think you have some interest, probably more than you’re willing to admit to yourself. But I’m not going to ask you to do anything you don’t want to.”

  Marianne nodded her acknowledgment. A few nights over the last month, she’d had thoughts of Aziz. As much as she wanted to hate him, he tried so hard and was so earnest that it was hard to do. And she’d never forgotten that hand on her breast.

  “Aziz will never start anything with you. I know he thinks about you. I know about the accident on the horse going to the hearing. He remembers that intensely.”

  Marianne opened her mouth to say something to defend herself and Aziz. But she wasn’t sure what to say.

  “You don’t need to defend yourself and I don’t blame Aziz. I know that incident was truly an accident. I also heard you threatened to break his hand if it happened again. But it happened, probably for the better, and you both are in desperate need for sexual release.”

  Marianne could not believe that Aziz’s dying wife was talking this way to her. To be honest, Rania was one of her two trusted confidants in the world. And the only one she had seen much of in the last month. She just never really realized how much she trusted her until this moment. When Rania is telling her something seemingly unbelievable.

  “If you want to have sex with him, you’ll need to be the instigator. He’ll always be too polite, and to be honest, too afraid, to start anything. But don’t try to have a quick fling; if you and Aziz take your friendship to the next level, he’ll be very dedicated to you for the rest of your lives. I guess that’s my one ask. Don’t toy with him. I think you two could be very happy together. But it has to be all or nothing. Anything else would be too hard on him. And be patient with him in the coming weeks. He has a lot of grieving to come yet.”

  Marianne nodded one more time as the door started to open.

  “Thank you for listening to me. Do what’s best for you as well. I do care immensely about you, too.”

  “Am I back too soon?” Aziz asked as soon as he was in the house.

  “No, your timing was perfect. Why don’t you finish up your cleanup while I have a few more words with Marianne. Then I think it’s time for us to go to bed.”

  Aziz finished the cleaning that Rania had interrupted earlier. Rania spoke to Marianne again. “I want a chance to say goodbye to Pierre and Genevieve. Lunchtime should be about right. I apologize, but I think I may be disruptive to your afternoon schedule.”

  Marianne finally found the words to speak. “It’ll be alright. I want to thank you for everything you’ve done. I feel blessed that I was able to host you for this month. The kids will never forget you.” Tears began to flow down Marianne’s cheeks. It cannot be possible that she’s losing Rania only fifteen months after losing Andre. Life should not be this cruel.

  ++++++

  Rania leaned against Aziz as they walked back to their bedroom. He doubted she could walk there by herself at this point.

  “Just hold me tonight. No sex at all. You will need to find your own outlets from now on. But I want to be held tonight. I want to spend as many of these final hours just holding on to you.”

  “Should I stay home tomorrow?”

  “NO! You need to keep making every deadline they set for you. They’re going to try to take away everything you worked for. You can’t give them an excuse. No matter how hard it is, no matter how they mistreat you, you show them you are better than that, better than them. You are a proud man. Never lose that.”

  She coughed from the effort of her diatribe. Aziz held her while she calmed down. “Do you need me to take off your clothes?”

  Rania nodded and he gently removed her shirt and her skirt. She’d not managed to put on any undergarments this morning. He gently lifted and carefully cradled her frail and failing body on his chest. She quietly hummed a Tunisian lullaby to him until she drifted off to sleep. He was glad she’d said she would say goodbye to the kids tomorrow; otherwise, he’d have been too afraid that she might pass overnight to sleep at all himself. He knew her determination would guarantee that she would make it to that.

  She was already awake when he woke in the morning. “Can you help me get my dress on? I think I will stay in bed today. You can bring me a cup of the spiced tea, if you will.”

  He nodded his acknowledgement and set about to his chores. Her dress was her one luxury she’d allowed herself for the trip. It was made from silk, red and white like the Tunisian flag, with a single blue strip, to recognize their French citizenship she always said. It was too loose now, but it brought her happiness. It was the first time she’d worn it on Dorado. He suspected she‘d wear it here for eternity.

  ++++++

  Marianne took the children with her again and, with Aziz’s help, she got all the mandatory chores done before lunch. Aziz left mid-morning to do as much on his house as he could. He had a quarter loaf of bread and a chunk of cheese with him, he didn’t plan on taking a lunch break.

  At lunch, Marianne went back to the house to check on Rania. She got Pierre and Genevieve eating their lunch at the table before she went back to check on Rania. She didn’t want the kids to discover her dead if she hadn’t been able to wait for them.

  Seeing her lying motionless on the bed, Marianne feared the worst. But Rania opened her eyes and spoke softly, “Can you help me sit up and then bring the kids in?”

  Marianne gently got her seated on the edge of the bed and then went out to bring the children in. “Set your lunches down for a minute. Aunt Rania can’t come out to the table today, but she’d like to see you both.”

  Marianne held each of their hands as they went into the bedroom. She could feel the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She tried her hardest to be brave for the children, but this was nearly impossible for her. She’d always resented not being able to say goodbye to Andre, but at the moment, that seemed easier.

  Genevieve spoke as soon as she saw Rania. “I like your pretty dress,” she said. “Why don’t you wear that all the time?”

  “I’m glad you like it. I was saving it for a special occasion. Come sit on the bed on each side of me,” Rania said. "Let me put an arm around each of you."

  Pierre climbed up on one side of her. Marianne lifted Genevieve up, setting her on the bed on the other side of Rania.

  “I need to talk to you. I want to say goodbye, because I’m about to go away.”

  “Are you dying?” Pierre asked.

  “Yes, I am Pierre. I’ve been sick since our ship arrived here. But you two have made my time here among the happiest in my life. I love you both very much.”

  “I love you, Rania,” Genevieve said.

  “I know that and it means the world to me, Genevieve,” Rania said. “And I know you do too, Pierre, even if you don’t want to say it out loud. It’s okay to feel that.”

  She gave each of them as much of one armed hugs as she could.

  “I know we have different beliefs. But they aren’t that different. And they both say that good people go to what you call heaven. I hope to wait for you there. And while I wait, I’ll watch over you. Still trying to keep you safe as best as I can. And your Momma’ll be here to take care of you. And Aziz will start to do more to help take care of you. But you need to promise me that you’ll be good for your Momma. She works so hard for you.”

  The tears are now rolling down Marianne’s cheeks.

  “Pierre, I wish I could play hide and seek one more time with you. But I think I need to lie back down. Hop down and be a brave big brother. You’re too young to have lost two family members already, but you need to show Genevieve how to behave without me.”

  Pierre slid down off the bed and stood against his mother, who put both hands on him.

  “You can lay against me if you want, Genevieve. And it’s probably time to get Aziz.”

  “Pierre,” Marianne said calmly but firmly, “Run as fast as you can to where Aziz is building his house and tell him he has to come right away. We need to count on you right now.”

  Pierre looked back at Rania and then went running away as fast as his legs would carry him. Marianne pulled out her device, typing out a quick message to Eleanor.

  Several minutes later, they heard Aziz charging into the house before he burst into the bedroom. Pierre ran in shortly behind him.

  “Aziz, is that you?” Rania asked.

  “I’m here, Rania.”

  “I can’t see any more. Can you hold my hand?”

  Aziz holds her hand, “I love you, Rania.”

  “I love you too Aziz.”

  Marianne starts to pull the children out of the room.

  “Please don’t. If you don’t mind, I would like all my family here for the final moments. All four of you.”

  Rania closed her eyes that no longer saw. A moment later she stopped breathing.

  Marianne gathered the children and left the room as Aziz leaned his head against hers and sobbed.

  ++++++

  Marianne left Aziz to mourn in peace, while she got Pierre and Genevieve back to eating the rest of their lunch. As they ate, Eleanor came into the house.

  “Is she?” Eleanor asked.

  Marianne nodded, wiping her eyes. But she did nothing about her two tear stained cheeks. “Can you contact the authorities? And maybe take the kids for a while? I think Aziz needs his grieving and I think I need to be here to comfort him.

  Eleanor looked at her with great surprise. “I know,” Marianne said, “My feelings have changed quite a bit. At some point, we should talk, but not today.”

  Eleanor got out her device and sent the appropriate notification. She turned to Pierre and Genevieve and said, “How are you two doing?”

  “Aunt Rania went away,” Genevieve said.

  “She died. Just like Poppa,” Pierre said. “I had to run all the way to Aziz’s house to fetch him before she did.”

  “She wore a very pretty dress for it,” Genevieve added.

  Eleanor looked up at Marianne, who nodded.

  “I bet you ran really fast, Pierre. That was an important job,” Eleanor said. “What did her pretty dress look like?”

  “It was all red and white. Oh and some blue. And it was soft and shiny. I liked lying against it.”

  “I think it was silk,” Marianne said. “It was the first time I’d seen it.”

  “Pierre, how would you like to come over and play with Jean-Luc for a while? I will come back later for Genevieve.”

  “Don’t take too long. And probably keep them all night if that’s okay.”

  Marianne sat quietly with Genevieve in her lap while Eleanor took Pierre back to her place. They were still sitting in the same place when Eleanor returned, taking Genevieve with her this time.

  A short time later, Aziz emerged. He said, “I should finish the task required today. I promised her I would not fall behind. She was afraid they’ll try to take my farm away from me.”

  “And they might. Let me come help you. As Rania told each of us, we will need to help each other a lot in the coming months.”

  Their first task was digging a grave for Rania. They buried her not far from the barn, near a tree with red leaves. A red that almost matched the color of her silk dress. Aziz said a brief prayer for her at the site before they went to his house site. That evening, they made dinner together and ate together, largely in silence. After everything was cleaned up, he stood silently. She waited to see what he was going to do, but he remained motionless. She finally asked him, “Are you okay?”

  He shook his head no and started sobbing. She walked around and held him as he cried. They stood there for two hours, holding on to each other, as his tears flooded out. When he seemed cried out, she sent him to bed before retiring herself.