Later that day, the chief returned to the hut, and he and Teuila had a calmer discussion. His countenance seemed to have changed completely toward both of us, and he nodded as he made eye contact with me before leaving to attend to other business. Not long after, the old lady entered the cabin carrying a platter of food and some fresh water. She spoke with Teuila briefly, then she kneeled down beside me and felt my forehead, encouraging me to drink the cool water. I was beginning to feel stronger, and I was able to sit up as the two women tended to me.
"Your father seems less angry," I said. "Should I thank your grandmother for that?"
"Probably," Teuila nodded. "When she explained the circumstances of your arrival and reminded him of our longstanding tradition of giving refuge to wayward travelers, he softened up. In fact, he insisted on holding a ceremony this evening to celebrate the rapid recovery of our honored guest. Do you think you'll feel well enough to attend the festivities?"
"Will it require my active participation?" I said, still feeling a bit sore and lightheaded.
"Not unless you want to. It mostly involves a lot of singing and dancing. My father has asked that we prepare a special feast for the occasion. There will be lots of local dishes for you to sample. All you really have to do is watch and eat. You haven't had anything in over twenty-four hours. It will be good for you to regain your strength."
I looked at the large platter of food that the old woman had placed on the floor beside me and smiled at her.
"I'm beginning to feel my appetite coming back. Is this all for me?"
"Ai meaai," the woman nodded, holding the platter up and motioning with her hand toward her mouth.
The tray was filled with pieces of sliced banana, papaya, fresh fish, and some kind of shaved gourd. In the corner of the board sat a hollowed out half-coconut shell filled with the same creamy brown fluid the woman had administered to me earlier.
I looked at the plate, inhaling the rich fragrance of aromas, then peered up at Teuila.
"Is it okay to eat it with my hands?" I asked, not seeing any utensils.
"Of course," she said. "That's the only proper way to enjoy good food. Dig in!"
I picked up a slice of papaya, and when I bit into it, I closed my eyes, humming in appreciation.
"Oh my God," I said. "That is so good. It's so much more flavorful than the fruit I buy at my local grocery store. Do you grow all of your food on the island?"
"Absolutely. We have a great variety of fruit, vegetables, and seafood. The gods have blessed us with an abundance of natural resources to allow us to be self-sufficient."
I picked up a piece of white fish and sucked it slowly into my mouth. It appeared to be raw and marinated in some kind of citrus seasoning. Unlike the fresh snapper our charter chef had cooked up on the beach yesterday, this seafood was far more tender and juicy.
"You're spoiling me," I said, purring as I savored the succulent flesh. "This is the most tender seafood I've ever tasted. What kind of fish is it? And what's the seasoning? It tastes so simple and pure."
"We call it fa'aipoipo, but I think you call it halibut. It was fresh-caught today by my father and his fishing crew. We've added nothing but fresh lime juice to season it."
I shook my head at the simplicity of the native diet. I'd always felt that the best food needed little extra embellishment if it was truly fresh. And you couldn't get much fresher than this—from sea to plate in a matter of hours.
I took a sip of the coconut milk, then picked up the large pear-shaped tuber and took a small bite off the tip. It tasted a bit like sweet potato, but I also detected traces of the fresh seafood and papaya juices that covered the wooden board.
"What's this interesting fruit? It's got a delicious texture and flavor. I've never seen it before."
"It's one of our staples," Teuila said. "The taro root is actually a vegetable, not a fruit. We use it in much the same way that Westerners use potatoes. It's a very nutritious side dish that soaks up the flavors of other foods it's paired with. Do you like it?"
Holding the curved tubular vegetable in my hand, it reminded me of one of my favorite sex toys that I’d use on lonely nights to stimulate my G-spot.
"Mmm," I said, sucking the rich seafood juice from the tip of the bulb while raising a suggestive eyebrow at Teuila. "I'll definitely have to try more of this. I can imagine all sorts of ways it can be paired with other delectable dishes."
After I devoured the rest of the food on the serving plate, the old lady smiled at me and said something to Teuila.
"We should probably start getting you ready for the celebration tonight," she said, glancing at my soiled hiking clothes. "You must be looking forward to a bath. Let's get you cleaned up and into some fresh clothes. There's a private section of the lagoon where I can take you if you're strong enough to walk. Then my matua and I will prepare you with our local costume for the festival."
My pussy suddenly pulsed at the thought of bathing privately with Teuila.
"You're really having me go native, aren't you?" I said. "I think a swim in the lagoon would be very refreshing. I shouldn’t have any trouble walking as long as you stay close by my side."
"I wouldn't think of
leaving you," Teuila smiled. "Besides, I saw the way some of our young tribesmen looked at you when you came into our village. I need to make sure they don't get any ideas about the sexy white girl in their midst."