34Eagerly, I press my face against the cabin window. At last. The island is coming into view. The pilot’s voice over the intercom gives the height, ground temperature, local time and the usual warning about smuggling drugs. Soon, very soon, Ah-ku will be there, waiting for me, leaning at the rail, peering anxiously through the glass barrier, no doubt, with John or Kit by her side. Fool, I chide myself; the thought of her waiting for you is making you excited as a kid. Are you still yearning for her maternal love and affection? Stop being ridiculous. It’s just the start of your sabbatical, i***t. But still my eyes remain glued to the window because our last phone conversation has changed things somewhat between us. Ah-ku had sounded different. More vulnerable, less hostile.
Outside the pla
