Merzan, the Destiny of an Artist Read online

  They continue turning pages in the album. There is a photograph of Matahina sharing flowers from a basket to a group of young girls just like she would when Captain Bell brought tourists to Mo’ore’a.

  29 It will End Now

  On the other side of the world, in Mo’ore’a, Amura and Toanui, along with Temaru and Élise are turning pages in the same album collection.

  Toanui is openly annoyed to see Matahina wearing regular clothes and posed in the various foreign scenes.

  Amura comments, “These are good Temaru and the campaigns have been fruitful.”

  Toanui thinks to himself, “... with tourists growing out from our gardens.”

  Temaru tells his wife, “Our daughter looks happy Eeva.”

  Élise adds, “These photographs make me think about the time we met Temaru.”

  She sighs, “Paris is a breeding ground for young love.”

  Temaru agrees, “It was for us.”

  They caress and kiss.

  Toanui is not pleased with any of this and builds up more discontent. It’s difficult for him to keep it private.

  Élise realizes, “It’s time for the Princess to come home Temaru.”

  Toanui perks up with new hope in his eyes.

  Temaru agrees, “I am sending an official document to the school arranging her return. Please prepare a letter for her Eeva. The semester ends next month. Matahina will be with us again very soon.”

  Temaru and Élise hug again and smile.

  30 Mother, what has Happened?

  In the dormitory of the Lycée Michelet, Merzan is having a bad dream. In the dream he is on his imaginary clipper ship, from his youth, on the tropical seas. There is a terrible storm. His sister, Geneviève, is trying to secure the lines that are fraying in the storm. A boom suddenly swings around out of control and to avoid being hit, Geneviève is forced over the rail.

  Merzan wakes up terrified in a sweat – wringing wet.

  Tears are pouring down his face. He’s genuinely, horribly frightened.

  The dead silence of the evening dormitory is interrupted only by the sound of Merzan gasping to catch his breath and compose himself.

  Also, there is a banging of a loose shutter caused by a slight wind at an open window. Light is flickering in and out of the window with each rhythmic clang – as if it were lightening from the storm in his nightmare.

  Merzan sits up in his bed, panting and trying not to wake others in the dorm. He puts on his robe and heads into one of the halls of the school.

  He gets to the phone near the cafeteria to make a call.

  Merzan picks up the phone and dials. He puts the phone to his ear.

  He hears the phone ringing while the panic on his face ensues.

  The phone rings a second, then a third time. Merzan is calling home.

  Merzan’s mother, Lily, wakes up, alarmed and goes to the front room to pick up the receiver.

  She answers, “Oui! Who is calling in the middle of the night?”

  “Mother?”

  “Merzan!, Are you okay son?”

  Merzan voice sounds weak. He says, “Oui. Mother. I’m mean no. I don’t know. What about Geneviève?”

  His mother Lily asks, “What about Geneviève?”

  “Mother how is Geneviève?”

  Lily calms him, “Well I hope she is still sleeping Merzan.”

  Merzan is not calmed, “Mother something is wrong.”

  Lily now is very concerned once again, “Merzan! What is wrong with you Merzan? What has happened? Are you okay son?”

  Merzan explains, “I was afraid something was wrong with Geneviève.”

  “Why would you think this Merzan?”

  “I had a bad dream Mother. There was a terrible storm.”

  Another shutter bangs loudly located close to the phone from where Merzan is calling. Merzan jumps, reacting to the sudden noise adding more drama to Merzan’s story.

  Merzan details the dream, “... and I could not control the ship. Then a big wave turned us the other way...

  Lily interrupts, “Merzan! What ship?”

  Merzan reiterates, “It was a dream. It was my ship, as a child, when Geneviève and I would play in the garden and the field.”

  Lily, no longer taking him seriously tells him, “Merzan, une minutes.”

  “Mother?” Merzan wonders what she could possibly be doing.

  Lily tells him calmly again, “I am looking at the garden and the field and I’m afraid there is no ship. But there are many things growing. Merzan, I think you are feeling just a little homesick no?”

  Merzan changes course, “But there is a girl Mother?”

  Lily gets more cozy with the phone and rolls her eyes expressively. She cuddles in to take more time to hear about this information.

  Lily, interested, fishes for more, “A girl?”

  “Oui Mother. She is a Princess.”

  Lily deflates as another piece of Merzan’s dream is obviously unfolding. She says, “And let me guess Merzan. This girl is the Princess of a tropical island, no?”

  Merzan sensing his mother finally understands says, “Oui Mother that is exactly right and I am afraid she will leave now.”

  “Merzan. Why would your Princess leave her tropical island?”

  “No, Mother she is going to leave Paris. I just know she will.”

  Lily is about as confused as she cares to be with this mad dream, “So, Merzan, let me understand everything. You have a ship from the garden that is in a terrible storm and somehow this worries you about your sister Geneviève.”

  Merzan tries to interrupt, “... but Mother...”

  Lily instead interrupts, “But really the problem is you are worried about this Princess of a tropical island leaving Paris.”

  Wanting to get things clear now she asks Merzan directly, “Merzan. Why do you think your Princess will leave Paris?”

  Merzan tells her without hesitation, “Because they do not need anymore photographs.”

  Lily, shakes her head clear trying to make sense of anything she is hearing. She tries to pass it all off as a fantasy that will work itself out.

  Lily decides to simply advise her son, “Merzan. I think everything is going to be okay. I am sure your ship will be safe. Your sister is fine. And, Merzan, I think your Princess will stay in Paris with you so many people can take her photograph.”

  Merzan struggles to obtain any amount of resolve in the conversation, “Mother you don’t understand.”

  His mother tells him, “Merzan, I understand. Now listen carefully. I want you to go back to bed and tomorrow after your classes call back so you can speak with Geneviève. She misses you very much Merzan. Your father and I love you son. We will sort all of this out. I am certain.”

  Merzan knows he has not expressed himself well.

  Merzan unwillingly, but defeated says, “Good-bye mother.”

  Merzan knows there was unfinished emotional business with his call home.

  Lily goes back to her bedroom to find her husband Vincent has been awoken by the commotion.

  He asks her, “Lily. Who is calling here at this hour of the night?”

  “It is your son.”

  Vincent turns on the bedside lamp. Eagerly he asks, “Merzan? How is my boy?”

  Lily nonchalantly tells Vincent, “I’m afraid he is gone completely mad.”

  Lily lay down certain this conversation needs no elaboration and tries to go back to sleep. Vincent sits up sideways on the bed. He yells, “LILY. What are you saying Merzan IS MAD?”

  “Oh it’s nothing Vincent.”

  Lily cuddles deeper into her pillow and pulls the blankets in tighter to go back to sleep.

  Lily is yawning and running out of steam. She adds, “His ship is sinking and some Princess is...” she yawns again, “... going to leave Paris.”

  Geneviève, unnoticed, comes to their bedroom door, also awoken by the middle-of-the-night noise, and stands there quietly rubbing her sleepy eyes.

  Lily,
yawning yet again continues to tell her husband, about the princess who is going to leave Paris, “Because she does not need to take a photograph. But, go to sleep Vincent, Geneviève is fine. Turn out the lights. There is nothing to concern you.”

  She yawns and snuggles deeper into her blankets.

  Geneviève speaks out, “Mama?”

  Lily sits up in bed when she hears her daughter’s voice and shows instinctive concern. The look on her face suggests that perhaps Merzan was having a premonition.

  Lily jumps out of bed and gets down on a knee near her daughter, drawing her in to protect her.

  The father runs over too – confused and now worried that something terrible is wrong.

  Lily, extremely worried, asks, “Geneviève, what has happened my little girl?”

  Lily holds her away to study her face looking for clues to the problem. Lily touches, then squeezes her daughters face to hold her steady. Vincent also is inspecting Geneviève for signs of trouble.

  Geneviève tries to talk but her face and mouth are being squashed by her overreacting, worried mother.

  Geneviève mumbles, “Maathh waa ezz ronnnn?”

  Lily questions her again with such concern, “What is it Geneviève? What is wrong?”

  Still squeezing her face too tight.

  Geneviève, with cheeks being squished out of shape, tries to answer, “Maathham waa ezz ronnnn?”

  Geneviève pulls her mothers hands away and forces them into her own hands and repeats, “Mama? What is wrong?”

  Lily, now an expert at changing from frantic to calmed moods tells her, “Nothing is wrong. What is it Geneviève? What is wrong?:

  Geneviève hopes to get passed all these unanswered questions, “Nothing is wrong mama. I woke up and heard you talking.”

  “Yes, my little girl. You heard me talking to your brother.”

  Geneviève lights up to hear mention of her brother. Between yawns, but with excitement she asks, “Did he tell you about the Princess?”

  Vincent, lets go of his grip on Geneviève’s shoulder. His hands drop with frustration trying to make sense of any of this, he shakes his head, defeated and gets back in bed.

  Lily takes Geneviève back to her room.

  “Yes, honey I know all about the Princess and the ship and the storm.”

  Geneviève cocks her face and looks at her mother with confusion, knowing nothing about a ship and a storm.

  Geneviève preoccupied with the Princess says, “Mama. She sounds very beautiful and I think Merzan loves her.”

  Lily raises her eyebrows twice indicating, “woo! woo!”

  Lily just wants to placate her daughter and call it a night, “Of course he love her Geneviève...”

  Lily tucks her in, “... and I’m sure there will be plenty of photographs of Merzan’s Princess. Your brother tells us nothing of his time at school and his studies of art history, but we know everything about some Princess who is going to leave Paris.”

  Lily looks up to the ceiling and speaks to the sky, “Oh Merzan! You HAVE gone completely mad!”

  Lily starts to head to her own bedroom and hears Geneviève imagining, “Mama, I bet she is very beautiful.”

  Lily now looks up toward the sky to speak again, “And now your sister has gone mad!”

  In the morning, Merzan jumps up from his pillow. Startled. He feels his heart racing. He takes a moment to recollect his disturbed night’s sleep. He looks at the window and the same shutter is slighting tapping caused by a lesser breeze.

  At the farm, Lily is preparing breakfast when Geneviève comes running in from outside yelling, excited.

  “Mama, Papa, it’s from Merzan. Look, look! It’s from Merzan. He sent it to me, Mama.”

  There is a thick brown paper-wrapped package with string and postal stamps. It’s sent from Paris addressed to Geneviève L’Granaré.

  In the corner, the return address includes Merzan’s name in his typical signature styling. Geneviève strokes the signature to further enjoy the package. She caresses it to her chest like it’s the most precious thing she’s ever held.

  “Geneviève! Open the package. What has Merzan sent you? Careful. Slowly. Don’t spoil anything inside.”

  Geneviève listens to her mother and pulls the strings away and finds a safe way to open the package. She is enamored with it like it is a wonderful birthday present.

  Inside is a letter in its own envelope with “Mother” written on the outside. Geneviève hands this to her.

  Geneviève overly excited says, “Mama this is for you.”

  Lily is delighted and proud. “Oui! A letter from my son, Merzan.”

  She steps over to the sink to read it in privacy.

  Geneviève continues to take other contents out of the package. She starts with a letter addressed to her.

  She hears Merzan’s voice as she reads the letter.

  “Bonjour my little sister. I think about you everyday. I hope you are giving Papa zee bread and zee wine and everything else he needs from zee cow. I am busy with my classes but even more busy with my camera. I told you I would send pictures of the Princess so you could see her. Finally, I have done so. They are wrapped in the protective folder for you, special. Her name is Matahina. She is the Princess of Mo’ore’a, a tropical island in the South Pacific. Sometimes she calls me Tauarii. I don’t know what it means but I think it is my name in Tahitian. I have been offered a scholarship to attend the Sorbonne University in Paris. I think they give me this only to trick me into teaching art history there one day as a professor. But now, I feel more interested in photography. I don’t know what I will do. Mostly I think about Matahina. I think about you and Mama and Papa also. Remember, to me, you are always my little princess.”

  Geneviève reflects on his every word. The letter is signed, “Love Merzan.”

  Next, Geneviève discovers the well-protected folder in the package and opens it.

  She pulls out a small number of these amazing looking photographs and spreads them on the table. She’s just speechless.

  Lily is just finishing up her private letter and you can see the joy in her eyes from her son’s message. She finishes and folds the letter, pulling it to her heart to cherish it. Lily wipes a happy tear from her eye.

  “Geneviève, your brother tells me that he is the official school photographer.”

  “I know Mama. He wrote to me about this before.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us? This will make your father so proud.”

  Lily starts walking over to the table. As she gets closer her curiosity gets the best of her.

  “What is this?”

  Geneviève explains, “She is a real princess mother from a real tropical island. Isn’t she beautiful? I told you she would be beautiful. Merzan has taken so many photographs of her. I think Merzan loves her Mama.”

  Lily’s face loses all color and she looks as though she’s seen a ghost or has gone into shock. She understands that her son has not gone mad and wonders what more there is to know.

  31 This can’t be Happening

  We’re back at the high school. The Headmaster buzzes the school secretary. She comes into his office.

  He explains, “I have a letter from the King of Mo’ore’a. It contains a sealed note for Matahina. Have her come to my office at once s’il vous plaît.”

  Matahina is with Merzan outside near the classrooms. As always, and they are engaged in small talk, while other students pass by, some exchanging niceties.

  A student brings a call slip to Matahina to come at once to the Headmaster’s office. Merzan tags along.

  They walk in through the outer door with its squeaky hinges.

  Matahina says to the school secretary with royal protocol, “Bonjour mademoiselle. My presence is requested?”

  The school secretary responds with grace, “Oui. Princess Matahina won’t you please go into the Headmaster’s office? He is expecting you.”

  Merzan starts to follow.

  The school secretary
strongly tells him, “Merzan, you should wait for the Princess here.”

  The school secretary stops Merzan with her hand to his shoulder.

  The Headmaster sees Matahina stepping into his office and says, “Oh! Matahina! Welcome Princess. Merci.”

  He sees Merzan. He calls out through his open office door, “Merzan! Is that you? Come in young man. Join us. Won’t you?” Merzan follows Matahina into the office.

  The Headmaster begins speech making, “You should both be very proud of the work you have done. Each series of photographs in the collection is more stunning than the next.”

  Merzan is grateful, “Merci monsieur.”

  Matahina nods in appreciation.

  He continues, “Now, Matahina I have an official letter addressed for you. I believe it is from your father, the King. It’s from Mo’ore’a.”

  Merzan sinks back in the room and falls out of the light that was landing on him while he was standing next to Matahina.

  The Headmaster hands Matahina the royal-sealed letter.

  For a moment, the room is quiet and still. Matahina reaches for Merzan’s arm as if she needs to hold on to him for support but finds that he’s no longer by her side. Her expression changes to one of loss.

  She opens the letter. Matahina only peeks at it enough to recognize her mother’s handwriting.

  Matahina indicates with a dispirited tone, “It’s from my mother, monsieur.”

  The Headmaster walks over to Merzan and puts his hand on Merzan’s shoulder, but he looks at Matahina.

  “I have received a letter from the King and he is very pleased with the work that we have sent to your Island. We all are very pleased and very proud of you. Fine job. Fine work.”

  As he escorts them from his office nothing more is spoken of.

  Matahina has only glanced at her letter without reading it and puts it away abruptly.