The soldier took up his position by the door. Any minute now the smoke should begin curling its way up through the bushes, rising above the tops of the banana trees. He could almost set a clock by the fire his brother lit every evening to drive the mosquitoes away.

Edgar dragged the old stool from behind the door and sat down. He could no longer stand as long as he used to. Not like when he had left Lowland as a young man to fight for the cause he believed in.

"Edgar!" somebody yelled.

He looked around, startled.

"Why you like sneak up pon mi so, Maud?" he asked irritably when he saw her. "You frighten mi you know!"

Maud burst into girlish, bell-like laughter as she came up to face him. That was about the only thing she had in common with Ann. The laugh he could never forget.

"Big, bad soldier man like you so easy fi frighten?" she chided.

Edgar gazed sullenly at her but said nothing.

"When las' you see you nephew?" Maud asked him.

"Steve? Good while now. Why?"

"Him comin to see him daddy today," the woman answered.

"Oh," was all Edgar said.

Maud watched him silently before she said,

"Is like you survive one war just to come back and start a new one wid you bredda!"

"Why you come here botherin' mi dis evening eh?" Edgar asked.

"Why you didn't married an have you own family?" Maud continued, heedless. "My sista wasn't di only woman who did like you."

"Once bitten twice shy!" Edgar said drily.

Maud seemed lost in thought. Then she said,

"I know it hurt you but Annie dead now. Is full time you meck peace wid Kent."

Edgar answered nothing.

"Well, I goin down dere now," she said moving away. "Him send come ask mi fi bring dinna fi dem."

"Walk good," Edgar told her.

Later that same evening, Steven got off the bus at the gate to his father's house. He knocked and went in. He was shocked at the change in his father. Kent lay like an emaciated effigy of himself, among the dishevelled sheets.

"Dad!" Steven said, failing to keep his voice normal. "What's happened?"

Kent smiled weakly.

"Not feeling too good, son," he explained. "Dat medicine docta give mi not workin' too - "

"You want me to take you to another doctor?" Stephen asked.

"Maybe but not tonight."

"Are you eating okay, Dad?" Steven asked.

"No," Kent admitted. "Mi stomach kinda get bad you know. I want you to do something for mi, son."

"What?"

"You see dat big Bible?" he asked pointing to a shelf on the wall.

Steven looked and nodded.

"Bring it here fo' mi,"

When he had brought it to him, his father took a letter between the pages and handed it to Steven.

"I want you to give it to you uncle tomorrow," he told him.

"Uncle Edgar?"

"Yes. You promise?"

"Yes, Dad. But you need to rest now."

"Yes. Go eat you dinna now," Kent said, pulling the covers around himself. "You Auntie Maud leave it on di table."

"OK," Steven said. "But you going to the doctor tomorrow."

"Aright, son."

But when Steven went to check on the father the following morning he found him dead.

He took the letter to his uncle after the funeral.

"So you goin back to school now?" Edgar asked him.

"Yes. I am on a scholarship, remember?"

"You is a bright boy," Edgar said. "How much longer now before you turn docta?"

"About a year."

"Wha! What a way time fly!"

"Talking bout time," Steven said, "I need to get going. Take care of yourself Uncle Edgar and remember to read the letter."

"A'right Steve. Travel good an' keep in touch."

Edgar came out to his usual spot by the door that evening. He looked over to where the smoke from his brother's fire usually came and his eyes welled up with tears. Hurriedly, he brushed them away. He wasn't about to go soft now. Kent had done him out of his chance for love, marriage and family and no way was he about to forget that. Then he remembered the letter and went back inside.

Edgar adjusted his spectacles, opened the letter and read:

My Dear Brother,

This is to tell you something which you should have hear long ago. The reason why Ann and me get married so quick after you leave was because she was pregnant.

Edgar nearly fainted. This was adding insult to injury, he thought. He wished he had wrung the neck of that little brother of his! He continued reading:

When we get the telegram that you was missing, Annie come to me. She tell me the situation and I have to married to her. Lowland people would scorn her if she did have a baby without married. We tell them that Steven born premature.

Eddie, I love Annie and she ask me not to tell you. But she was not pregnant with my baby. My Steven is your son, Edgar. I am asking you to please take care of your son for me when I am gone.

Please forgive me and Annie also Eddie.

Your loving brother,

Kent

His tears fell like rain. The letter fell to the floor. Edgar's soul was in turmoil. He gazed at the letter and the picture of a white flag sprang to his mind. Kent had raised that flag and now he was at peace.

He, the soldier, had yet to find peace.