|
Synopsis
The book is a contemporary novel in which the sexual mores and prejudices of society are put under scrutiny and the reader, like the characters in the book, is confronted with events where the line between the real world and the world of the imagination, shifts and blurs.
Set on a tropical island in the Caribbean, the book focuses on the disintegrating life of Phil Matthews, a teacher whose marriage has recently ended. After a few disastrous encounters with women, his life seems to take a turn for the better when he meets Laura, the mother of one his students. However, just when it looks as if he might regain some stability in his life, things become
complicated when Jade, Laura's daughter, begins to compete with her mother for Phil's attention. The harder she presses her
interest, the more confused Phil becomes until their relationship culminates in a climatic revelation for them both.
Intertwined with this story of illicit love are events that expose the prejudice and hypocrisy that exist towards homosexual relationships, amid a sub-plot of blackmail, the occult, ambition and revenge.
Extract from 'In the Wake of a Full Moon'
They sat on the upper deck, where the excited chatter of locals returning home and people taking well-earned breaks, mingled with the sound of the low hum of the ship's engine and the sea breaking on the bow. In the late afternoon sun, it was a heady
experience. For the most part of the journey, they sat in a silence that was pregnant with expectation, locked in a communion of thought. The perfection of the experience continued into the evening when they arrived on the island and drove in a golf buggy, the half-mile or so, to the house situated on a small hill overlooking the opposite shore. As they stood on the terrace looking out to sea, they drank in the vista. The fading light made the sands appear pink and the darkening sea looked like an island that had fallen from outer space. Shortly afterwards, on the balcony of the restaurant, the magnificent orange and inky blue-black sunset, confirmed
nature as the artist whose work was too perfect to capture in any form other than being there. Later, back in the house, the
lovemaking that took place was free from the violation of comparison. And to Phi's relief, free from anything other than normal
discharge. It had been a beautiful evening, filled with frail and transitory pleasure.
The next morning was spent lazily sunbathing on the powder-fine beach, punctuated with swims in a warm ocean. Lunchtime rolled around and they found themselves on the wooden-decked balcony of a restaurant overlooking the beach where they had
previously been bathing on sand and in water. Time was drifting like a slow, lazy tide. Whole moments hung in the air so complete, that to speak was like bursting soapy bubbles blown by a child. When a cloud floated in front of the sun, dulling the edges of its rays, it seemed to Laura less wanton to break the silence. "I'd like to apologise for Jade's behaviour last Saturday."
Phil laughed out loud, causing one or two diners to look over.
"Phil what's so funny?" Laura asked barely moving her mouth to speak.
"I'm sorry. It's just that I think there must be something that is passed on in the female genes of your family."
"Well, if that's supposed to make any sense to me."
"This apologising business. First of all it was Jade, apologising about her mother.."
"What?" interrupted Laura.
"Jade apologised on your behalf, for the way you behaved when you came into the rehearsal that first time."
"Oh, she did, did she?"
"Yes. And now it's you apologising for her for the way she behaved last week. Anyway, you already did."
"Did what?"
"Apologise."
"Yes, but not properly."
Phil wondered what that really meant - 'apologise properly'. It was the sort of thing teachers usually say.
"Anyway, I do. It makes me feel better. That dress she was wearing, my dress, it was totally inappropriate for her. And the way she behaved at the end of the evening was also not right. So, I apologise on her behalf." She looked straight at Phil, before
continuing. "Of course, you know why she did it?"
A little niggle arrived to disturb Phil's peace of mind. He was not sure if it was his conscience or the rather odd way Laura was looking at him that caused it. He gave what he thought was the expected answer.
"No."
"She has a crush on you."
"Really." The niggle was preparing for onslaught.
"Yes, I am afraid so."
"No, surely not. Does she know how old I am?"
"It's true. And she sees me as a competitor. That's what the dress thing was all about and that is why we fell out about me coming away with you this weekend."
"Oh, you did?"
"Yes. But you must have noticed the way she behaves around you." Phil wondered if she was testing him.
"Well, I must admit, I do seem to have a knack for attracting the young - " he paused.
"There see. - puppy dog, kitten and there was that time once, in the petting section of the zoo," he thought that making light of it was the best policy in the circumstances.
"Oh, very funny. But I am being serious. I don't want there to be any problems between us, Phil. And I don't want there to be any problems between Jade and I either, though there's probably not a lot you can do about that. But take care. Don't let her get away with anything at school. Don't let her get away with any stupid behaviour. I don't want her to get you into any trouble."
Was that last statement as loaded as Phil thought, or was it just his imagination? The niggle already seemed to have grown into a cancer. Phil treated it with his customary denial.
"There's nothing to worry about. Jade's no problem at school. I'll let you know if there is. But don't worry. If she does have a.." he could barely bring himself to say it, "thing for me, then it's, you know, an adolescent thing." His inarticulacy surprised him.
"Well, I am glad that you know now and I am glad that I got all of this off my chest. It has been bothering me ever since last week. It probably started long before then but I only really noticed last week." Laura was looking beyond Phil as if to some distant point on the horizon. She broke her gaze to look back at him. "Anyway, if you say there's no problem at school, then that's
fine by me and we won't talk about it anymore."
There was something about the way she said this, that made Phil feel that Laura in fact, would have liked to say more. And it was at this point that Phil almost owned up and told Laura the truth. But it was also at this point that the cloud drifted away from the sun allowing its rays to transform all they touched. Everything looked pristine again and the moment was lost.
Although for the rest of the weekend, Jade was never again the major topic of conversation, she was nevertheless, never far from his thoughts. A number of things were going on in Phil's mind. Laura's enunciation of Jade's feelings for him precipitated all the nuances and signs in Jade's behaviour, into something real and tangible. At the same time, a fusion had taken place, melting and mingling together the distinction between mother and daughter. The purity of the lovemaking with Laura on the first night, was never recaptured...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|