Back on the island, Biron’s delusions were NOT going away.
Try as he might, he couldn’t quite get his head on straight and Young Kim was still there.
Right there — PAINTING in her underwear! And every once in a while, she would stop and wave to him! It was utterly insane how REAL this dream was!
“Come over here, Biron…” Young Kim called to him.
He wasn’t sure how long he’d stood there staring at the dream girl but since was so insistent that he talk to her, he figured that he might as well.
“When are you going away, so I can awake up?” he asked her.
She looked confused. “Go away? Wake up? What are you talking about?”
“You. You’re a dream. I have been stuck on this island The Creator only knows how long and I’ve made you up in my head. But now I need you to go away so I can get on with my life. Such as it is.”
Young Kim grabbed him by the shoulders. She started talking nonsense about her brother finding him on the shores of the river that he fished from, in “that little boat of yours.” She pointed to the boat moored a little ways away. “We nursed you back to health… or at least I thought I did.”
“You’re REAL?” he asked, still very confused. Some Young Kim was real? “I didn’t dream any of that? Even… the part where we got married?”
“No, no Biron, you didn’t. You told me you loved me. We got married… and we vowed to find a way for you to get home, together. Don’t you remember? You said that if you got to China by boat, you could make to your real home, too.”
“The, what happened?” he asked.
‘I guess… trade winds? I don’t know. But you were very upset to see this island again.” She hugged him tightly. “I’m so sorry, Biron. In my heart, we already are home, because we are together.”
She hugged him again, and then kissed him softly.
The kiss was nice… soooo nice… but Biron was still very confused. He told her as much. “I’m not even sure I know your real name,” he admitted.
“I’m Sun,” she said. “Sun Young Kim… well, Prescott, now.”
Sun… not Some. That… made sense. Finally. Something made sense.
Later,after Biron had a chance to reconcile his dreams with reality, he and Sun consummate their marriage.
Life settles into a routine for them. Sun paints. Biron fishes. They eat burnt fish over the fire pit. And go to bed in their little shack.
Soon, however, Sun begins to feel the effect of the burnt fish. Or perhaps the hot, burning sun which beats down on them.
At least, that is what they think. But soon her stomach starts to grow large and they realize that it’s not the fish or the sun, but new life growing inside her.
And soon… the day comes when their baby is to be born. Not in a hospital, or even with the midwife from her village, but in the little hut on the beach.
Biron has been collecting everything that washes up on the beach. He’s even ventured out on a raft, trying to find what he can — or find rescue.
In the months of Sun’s pregnancy, he is able to construct a decent little hovel. It’s enough for the two of them and a baby.
And it’s complete by the time Sun delivers their son into the world.
Welcome, Jie Kim Prescott. Who is thankfully not a dream and not going away.