If she’s too exhausted for anything else, missionary style is okay by me. I shifted, ready to roll on top of her and start over.
She started laughing and pushed me off her, rolling me back onto my back. She was up in a crouch, climbing nimbly over my legs to stand on the carpet.
My hopes for Round 2 wilted.
“I want dinner before we do any more. I’m hungry.” She snatched up something white from the bunk on the other side, pulling it over her head. The filmy cotton dress didn’t fit her as tightly as the t-shirt she’d worn earlier, but its transparency made up for that, leaving nothing to the imagination.
Meanwhile, my imagination spun out of control.
She started up the steps. “You go get cleaned up and I’ll start dinner. I’m going to need all the energy I can get if you plan more of this tonight.” She reached the top and disappeared from view.
More? She wants more. Oh yes, thank you God!
49. Belinda
We watched human television programmes and despaired of the humans ever noticing that their world was changing. There was lots of singing, dancing, cooking and house maintenance. There were simplified pictures with simple stories for human children. Maria bored of these quickly and found a channel that played longer movies, with only minimal singing, dancing or cooking.
She watched this for most of the day, as one movie would finish and another would start.
One movie bored her and she changed channels again. This time, the channel was showing a news programme. Humans were killing each other in one country and people from Australia were being killed by the humans from another country where the Australians were dressed in mottled clothing. There were pictures of large numbers of people on small boats, low in the water, wearing life jackets. These people were leaving one country to come to Australia and their vessel was not safe, so humans from Australian vessels were assisting these people to transfer to the Australian vessels and taking them to a camp much like those at the Abrolhos. These camps were in much better repair and not in such bright colours as Abrolhos camps. The programme concluded with a short feature on how a human became injured whilst wearing very small tight shorts and carrying some sort of ball on a grass field, as he collided with another human. This was portrayed as a very grave event.
“They are interested more in their society than the world which permits the society to exist. This may explain why they seem to know so little about the changes to the sea floor that will reshape their lands.” Maria’s words surprised me.
I tried to defend them, as Vanessa might. “Perhaps it is simply that they do not know. They have technology to detect the changes; once the humans know, perhaps they will take more interest in changes to more than their society.”
Maria snorted. “Vanessa is too optimistic. Does she not know that the humans are too preoccupied with themselves to see?”
“I suspect she knows more of human preoccupations than we ever could. I think she will save our people and theirs as well, if she can,” I said fondly.
Maria shook her head. “What you say is an impossible task that she cannot accomplish.”
“For us perhaps, but not for her,” I replied slowly. “You will see. We will bring our information back to our people and they will send her to obtain more, even as she reports that there is not yet more. On land, she will inspire the humans to find what she needs to ensure the survival of our people. She will even strive to help the humans, if she can.”
Maria was incredulous. “Why? Is not doing her duty to our people enough?”
Maria did not know Mother. I tried to explain. “Not for her. She cares for our people, above and beyond simple duty. I think she cares for the humans, too. It is not in her nature to allow life to be lost when she could save it. Even a human life.”
Maria voiced the dread that we both felt. “I still feel she works toward an impossible goal in which she cannot succeed.”
I tried to see hope. “Yet I feel she will succeed, despite our doubts. She understands humans better than any of our kind ever has, yet she is one of our elders. She will accomplish what none of us could. In her own way, she is the ocean’s gift to humans, ensuring their survival when their world will be irrevocably changed.”
Maria’s shock was written plainly across her face. “She would reveal the ocean’s gift to humans? It is because we are hidden from humans that we survive!”
I made my voice soothing. “No, she protects our people above all, above even the humans’ interests. You will see.”
The television blared a musical advertisement about a singing and dancing programme that would soon be broadcast. In annoyance, I pressed a button that silenced the sound and bright images. “I have had enough of what humans consider entertainment. I think we should venture to the hotel bar, consume some alcohol and watch some real humans for entertainment.”
Maria hesitated. “I do not wish to become drunk. I would prefer one of those cold coffee drinks.”
I agreed and we both left the hotel room to go to the bar downstairs. There were a few humans there, including one behind the bar who sold the drinks. Maria chose a table whilst I went to order drinks.
I had learned that whiskeys varied as much as humans did, and poor whiskey was best with ice to dull the taste. “I would like a whiskey with ice. What do you have that is cold and tastes of coffee?” I asked the man behind the bar.
“We have coffee cocktails,” he told me.
I didn’t know what he meant, but I asked for two of these and brought all three drinks to the table where Maria was seated. I placed the two coffee ones in front of her and kept the whiskey for myself. We were thirsty and finished our drinks quickly. I ventured to the bar to purchase more.
50. Joe
When I went up the stairs to the main cabin, Vanessa was going through the kitchen cupboards, stretching up to reach the high ones. Her hemline rose tantalisingly to the tops of her legs. I forced myself to look away so I didn’t trip on my way to the shower.
I shut the door and hung the towel on the back of it. I turned the shower on and looked around for the soap. Lined up on the soap dish were three bottles of brightly coloured shower gel, but no bar of soap. A girl’s bathroom, all right.
While the water cascaded down over my body, I examined the bottles. Lavender, sea minerals and pomegranate. I grabbed the sea mineral one, wondering why anyone would want a sea mineral shower when you could just jump over the side and have as many fresh sea minerals as you liked, and lathered up. I washed the foam off, hoping I didn’t smell too girly, and towelled myself dry. Wrapping the towel around my waist again, I returned to the bunkroom.
Vanessa was intent on shaking the fillets in a bag half full of something that looked like breadcrumbs. She barely noticed me walk past. I wondered if I should have left off the towel – maybe she would have noticed me then. I hung the damp towel over a spare railing in the bunkroom and looked for my clothes. I found my shorts first – she’d thrown the boxer shorts somewhere – and decided they’d do. Especially if they’re coming off soon for Round 2, after dinner. Already turned on at the thought, I reached for the condoms on the top bunk and stuck them back in my pocket.
I took the stairs two at a time, then stood by the table. She looked up and smiled, holding out a baking tray full of fish, covered in something that looked like flour flecked with green. “I found some fish batter in the top cupboard, so I covered some of the fillets in that and I’ll bake them all together. I also found a mushroom pizza, so I stuck that in the oven, too. Do you think that will be enough?”
“Plenty,” I replied. I watched her lean over to put the baking dish in the oven. The white skirt rode up again. It would have revealed the bottom of her underwear, if she’d been wearing any. Instead, I caught a glimpse of pussy between her legs, before she straightened up again. I blinked, trying to hold onto the memory.
Time for a drink, I think. Is there anything stronger than beer? I moved into the kitchen, starting to look through t
he cabinets. Behind me, Vanessa reached for a sponge in the sink and started cleaning the bench. I found breakfast cereal and a few cans of vegetables, but most of the cupboards were empty. Vanessa’s crew must have gone to do the food shopping, too. Beer it is, then.
I stood behind her, waiting for her to get out of the way so I could get to the bar fridge under the bench. She finished wiping the bench top and threw the sponge back into the sink. The remaining fillets were still in the box on the draining board, so she spun on the spot to lift up the box, then leaned over to put them in the fridge.
Standing right behind her, I got more than a glimpse this time. The light glistened on her skin, she was still so wet. I couldn’t do anything else but stare.
Her head still in the fridge, oblivious, she called over her shoulder, “What would you like to do while we wait for dinner to cook? Would you like me to get you a drink? What do you want?”
She stayed bent over, waiting for my answer, as I was mesmerised by the wet dark cleft between her legs, right in front of me. What do I want? “I want to bend you over that bench, drop my shorts and fuck you from behind,” I blurted out.
I should have asked for a beer. At least I’d get that.
51. Belinda
“These coffee milks make it difficult to think.” Maria’s words were not entirely clear, but I still understood them.
“Yes, they do,” I agreed.
The man who had been behind the bar came to explain to us that the bar would soon be closed, so would we like to order a last drink? I ordered two more for each of us. He brought these to our table and we drank them quickly.
Maria stood up to go and she seemed to have difficulty with her balance. I stood and attempted to support her, but this pushed me off-balance, so that I found walking difficult, too. We chose to go outside of the hotel, to the beach nearby, instead of straight back to our rooms.
“I feel terribly hot and unwell. Are you sure you did not order hot coffee instead of cold?” Maria said, sounding worried.
“The drinks were all cold,” I assured her. “Perhaps you should immerse yourself in the ocean, to better regulate your body temperature.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Maria slurred. She removed her clothes on the beach, walking into the water without them. She took a shallow dive under a wave and I sat down to wait for her, beside the pile of her human clothing. She surfaced almost immediately, clearly still human. “The coffee drink has taken my tail!”
I found this amusing and joined her in the water, to demonstrate that she was mistaken. I left my clothes on top of hers on the beach. I ducked under the water and concentrated on my form, willing my legs to join together to form my tail once more. The flow was slower to start, but I could feel my tail flukes lengthening. I savoured the sensation of water flowing over my skin and lost focus. I could see not flukes but feet. I was bewildered.
Maria’s words alarmed me. “I am going to swim to Vanessa and inform her that this drink has taken my tail.”
Maria dived again, but her form remained human. I dived for her to pull her back, catching her foot. She fought to free herself from me as I fought to retain my hold. If she tried to swim to Vanessa’s cursed islands from here in her human form, she would drown like a human. If she managed to shift to her tail and survive the swim, she would interrupt Vanessa’s water sports with the young fisherman, in contravention of our orders. I could not permit either of these.
I pulled her into the shallow water, where she gave up, sitting on the sand and letting the waves break over her legs. I sat down beside her.
“Excuse me ladies,” an apologetic human male voice said from behind us.
I turned and stood.
The human from behind the bar looked embarrassed and averted his eyes from me. “It’s not a good idea to be out here without your clothes. It’s not safe. You really should get dressed and return to your hotel room.”
“Thank you, we will,” I replied, leaving the water to put my clothes on again. “Maria?” I called.
I heard the man make a wordless exclamation. I turned in concern, to see Maria finish a passionate kiss with the embarrassed human. She left wet streaks down his clothing. “It is a pleasure to meet a kind man,” she mumbled.
I snatched up her clothes and caught her arm as she stumbled away from the poor human. I passed her the human clothing she had left on the beach and she struggled to put it on. In the end, I had to help her into her t-shirt and shorts.
Together, supporting each other, we returned to the hotel and our room, where I locked the door behind us. Maria keeled over, face down on her bed, wet as she was.
Her voice was quiet, mumbling and slurred, but I could just discern the words: “Human men are not all bad.”
I smiled. Our people do not hide anything from one another, but I would like to hide the events of this evening. I hoped Vanessa’s water sports were so enjoyable that she did not think to ask us for details of our leisure activities.
Less incapacitated than Maria was, I chose to remove my damp clothes and take a hot shower before I retired. Thanks to the human inventions of hot running water and alcohol, I could not think of a more memorable time.
Except, perhaps, one weekend in the past, which also involved whiskey, with water and fire…
I brought my thoughts back to the present. I can only hope Vanessa will never know of it.
52. Joe
In my dreams, I heard the dolphins again, distantly, but I ignored them. My dreams were filled with Vanessa. Everything ached from too much swimming and sex yesterday, so I resisted waking for as long as I could, savouring even the thought of her. Oh my God, on the kitchen bench, then the dining table, carpet burns from the floor, those raspberries…
I reached over, to where I was sure she’d slept beside me, but the bunk was cold and empty. The blankets and sheets were made up with almost military precision, I saw in the dim light filtering through the half-closed hatch above.
I looked around for my clothes. They were folded neatly on top of my backpack, in the corner of the floor by the stairs, with my boxer shorts on top.
I dressed and went upstairs to the kitchen. I made myself a cup of black coffee. I’d learned to take my coffee black on my first trip out to site three years ago, as fresh milk and bread were always the first supplies to run out. At the Abrolhos, it was the same. Even Vanessa’s organised vessel was not immune to the lack of fresh staples.
Where was Vanessa? This was her boat, moored off an uninhabited island. Where else would she be?
The kitchen was as clean as when I’d stepped aboard yesterday, so she’d certainly been up. A packet of frozen croissants sat on the sink draining board, the cardboard box damp from melted ice.
I heard footsteps on the deck outside, so I left the cabin to stand on the main deck, coffee in hand.
She stood dripping on the main deck, wearing a fresh, clean bikini in a darker shade of blue. In one hand she held a baldchin groper and in the other a huge rock lobster. “I caught breakfast!” she told me cheerfully. “So, do you want fish, lobster or croissants?”
The lobster snapped his tail menacingly and dropped a leg on the deck. I looked down at the dark red limb.
Lobster for breakfast? Shit, before I came up here I wouldn’t have eaten one and now I hate them more than ever.
“Croissants,” I answered.
She held up the lobster and glared at him. “YOU can be lunch.” She dropped him over the side, back into the water.
Vanessa slapped the fish on the filleting board and started cleaning it. In a very short time, the fish was nicely filleted and she was looking at it thoughtfully.
“I’d like croissants, too,” she said, taking the fish into the cabin. “But I don’t think we have enough butter for lunch, if we have croissants for breakfast. Do you mind if we head back to Rat in a few hours, so we can be at my house by noon? It looks like the only food we have left on the boat are the fillets from yesterday and today.”
/> “Sure.” I shrugged. This bikini was skimpier than the one she’d worn yesterday. It was occupying a considerable share of my attention as she bounced around the kitchen, ripping open the packet of croissants and putting them on a tray in the oven. She set the timer before turning to face me again.
“Thank you so much for coming up to the Wallabis with me!” She wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me, pressing her body against mine. She was still cold and wet from her swim, so I was a little hesitant about holding her too close. She immediately noticed and took a step back.
“I’m still dripping wet,” she apologised. “I should take my wet bathers off and do something about that.”
She grabbed a towel from the dining table. My heart leaped and then sank as she headed down to the lower cabin. I sat at the table to wait.
When she came back up again, her t-shirt covered her boobs completely.
The dream’s over. At least she was mine for a night. And what an incredible night…
I was startled out of my reverie by the oven timer. Vanessa was already in the kitchen, shifting plates and cutlery around.
She put everything on the dining table in front of me. She sat down across from me and started buttering a croissant for herself.
I shoved half a croissant into my mouth. With my mouth full, it was harder to ask her if I’d ever get to sleep with her again.
She nibbled on the end of one, looking thoughtful. “It’s just after eight now. We have two to three hours before we have to head back down to Rat for lunch. Did you want to have another snorkel, or maybe try another fishing spot? If you’re still tired from yesterday, you can always go pick a bunk and sleep till then. What would you prefer?”
I’d prefer to pick up where we left off last night. Fuck swimming, snorkelling, fishing or sleep, all I want is you.
Ocean's Gift Page 12
