by S M Mala
Hatty turned around and noticed he had a good view.
‘I don’t think you do.’
‘I think we best change the subject,’ she said quickly, not wanting to get into a jealous spat again. Then she noticed he pointed out and she followed his finger to the herb garden. ‘You like watching herbs grow?’
‘I liked watching the gardener who was later sacked for cruelty to plants,’ he said, leaning closer. ‘You are the worst gardener in the world and I’ll never let you loose in our garden.’
‘I’m not that bad. Murray said I was, what did he say, ‘remarkable’ when gardening. Thomas said I should stick to the herb garden as I had a talent growing them but keep away from all other living plants or something.’ She had to laugh. ‘I had to do something to pay back Murray for letting us live on his estate.’
‘And all the time he’d adopted you and you never knew.’
‘I wonder if he'd have told me if it wasn’t for you.’
‘I expect he was waiting for you to turn twenty five.’
‘Why?’ said Hatty, scrunching up her face as she noticed Jake grimace for a second. ‘You think he thinks that’s the age when I’ll be able to handle it?’
‘Ask him tomorrow,’ Jake said gently and she watched him examine her face. ‘You’re beautiful, do you know that?’
‘So are you.’
‘Other than Delores a few doors down, it’s only us on the estate.’
‘And the security man at the gate.’
‘I forgot about him,’ Jake said and reached over to pull her up. ‘But he’s far enough and can’t see us.’
‘See us?’
‘Come here.’ Jake took the sheet and covered himself as he sat her facing forward on his lap, her legs dangling from side to side before kissing her gently.
Hatty kissed him back with a little bit more passion, all the while making sure the sheet didn’t slip. She ran her fingers through his hair and felt his arm around her waist pulling her tighter.
‘This is nice,’ he sighed.
‘It’s lovely but I can hear mosquito,’ she sighed, feeling him squeeze her buttocks while his lips traced her neck.
Hatty pulled away and kissed him again, feeling his tongue in her head which was making her head swirl. His hand started to caress her back then he cupped one of her breast before pushing her back, letting his tongue travel all down her throat until he put a nipple in his mouth and sucked. She held onto his shoulders as he squeezed the other one hard, pulling it as Hatty pushed her head back in ecstasy.
‘Are you ready?’ he whispered and his hand went down as he gently stroked her pubic hair then parted her lips.
Jake’s fingers travelled forward and backwards on her swollen lips then he started to rub her harder. She could feel the pulling of her thighs while hanging either side of his legs, it quickened and intensified the growing orgasm.
‘I’m going to come, I’m going to come!’ she wailed loudly as Jake put his hand across her mouth, the explosion inside her happened.
Even she couldn’t stop moving her hips frantically as she groaned into his skin.
Within seconds, he thrust his dick inside and they moved slowly as they ground into each other’s hips while looking at each other. She was trying her hardest to catch her breath. Hatty heard a mosquito and automatically clapped her hands to kill it before wrapping her legs around Jake, as he held on to the back of her neck while they humped happily on the chair.
‘I love you,’ he said gasping.
‘I love you too.’
Delores heard sounds which woke her from her light sleep. She then realised where they were coming from and opened a door to the balcony. It stunned her to know the couple were making love so loudly. She listened intently to what was being said and felt an almighty pang of jealousy hearing their words of passion and the sounds coming from their mouths. Jake was groaning in delight as Hatty panted.
Slowly she peeked out to find them on the balcony, both naked, having sex on a chair. She put her hand over her mouth seeing their bodies entwined as they kissed and moved together in a magical rhythm which reminded her of Murray. Jake grabbed Hatty’s breast and squeezed it as her head went back. From the moonlight, you could see he was absorbed in her. Their words of love made her yearn for someone to say the same to her. Delores grabbed her own breast when she saw him put Hatty’s in his mouth and the sharp shot of desire grew in her body, yearning for the same touch.
She stepped back quickly and went into her bed, pleasuring herself to their noises before silently weeping into her pillow.
Thirty one
Delores wasn’t around in the following morning when Hatty woke up. Then she realised her car had gone. Quickly, Hatty got showered, all the while inspecting her body for mosquito bites. Jake lay asleep in bed as she smiled when returning to get dressed. He’d packed her sensible blue police dress, as he called it, so she put it on and tied some of her hair back before examining him. She didn’t want to wake him, so quietly left the room, taking the keys to the jeep and drove to the hospital.
On her journey, she noticed the boards going up but people seemed calm, as if it wasn’t important. She wanted to stop and tell them they should be careful but saw the police going round speaking to locals. To her surprise there was more traffic on the roads and she could see they were heading in land or to the airport. The evacuation had begun. Her phone started to ring so she stopped the jeep seeing it was Frederick.
‘Don’t say a word,’ she immediately said. ‘I’m not getting on a plane so you can forget about it.’
‘Harriet,’ he said in his deep voice. ‘Jake and you have to leave. Louisa is going this morning with her mother.’
‘Mister Murray is sick in hospital. He can’t fly out so I need to stay here. You need to get Jake’s aunt and Delores off the island plus Ethel and Monica’s family. I’ve not seen Thomas today. You have to-.’
‘Philip is going to call all Murray’s employees and offer refuge in the hotels and houses further up. I’ll speak to Caroline and Delores today but you need to go and-.’
‘Jake’s not going and neither am I,’ she said defiantly. ‘I know you’re thinking of me Uncle Freddie but I can’t leave Murray and I won’t.’ Hatty gulped. ‘You could make Jake go, I think that would be a good idea.’
‘Who do you think asked me to call you?’ he laughed as Hatty felt momentarily furious at her fiancé. ‘Murray and Jake want you safe.’
‘I’m safe if people will stop harassing me,’ she said quietly. ‘I’m on the way to the hospital. Why isn’t Philip flying out this morning?’
‘He’s stubborn, like you.’
After parking the jeep, she walked into the hospital to see a lot of movement. People were being transferred out and she knew this meant Murray would be too. Hatty ran down the corridor and was relieved to see he was still there but sleeping.
‘Logan men, lazy,’ she muttered, walking into the room and sat in the chair.
People were rushing past as she sat and observed the panic then looked into the clear blue sky, not understanding what was going on. She helped herself to a glass of water and thought about making love to Jake, which in turn made her grin.
‘What’s so funny?’ she heard him croak to see him smiling.
Murray looked better than the day before but still very pale.
‘Thinking,’ she replied, smiling brightly back, getting up and giving him a gentle kiss. ‘Are you feeling better?’
‘Waking up to your smiling face is not such a bad thing,’ he said and let out a little sigh.
‘Want a drink?’
‘Would you like a drink?’ he corrected.
‘That’s depends on how you define ‘drink’ and personally I could easily down a bottle of rum,’ she smiled, feeling she couldn’t put up a front anymore. ‘I was scared yesterday. I didn’t know what to do. I don’t think I saved your life just got you breathing, maybe you were winded.’
‘I can’t talk too muc
h but what did you hear when I was with Delores?’
‘Quite a lot.’ Hatty bit her lip for a moment. ‘Why don’t you tell her you don’t love her and put her out of her misery? You know Murray, I’ve found out more about you in the past year than I ever knew.’ She smiled. ‘A womaniser.’ He let out a weak laugh. ‘Like your son.’
‘He told me you’re getting married,’ Murray said as she stroked his hand. ‘When were you going to say something?’
‘When have I had you to my own?’
‘You could have rung.’
‘I thought he was joking then he gave me this,’ she said, holding up the necklace watching Murray’s face light up. ‘I think we’re too young but I love him.’
‘He wants to get married next year,’ he said quietly, as Hatty let out a little sigh. ‘Are you going to talk him out of it?’
‘We’ll see but right now we have more pressing things on our mind,’ she said moving closer to his bed. ‘What do you really want to talk to me about?’
‘What did you mean yesterday about you’d forgive me for anything even if I did something bad?’ Murray looked at her quizzically as she flicked a sideways glance at his heart monitor. ‘Don’t worry about that, tell me.’
‘What if you have another heart attack?’
‘Then I’m in the right place, aren’t I?’
‘I’ll say it quickly and briefly. I was at the yard and heard you talking to Uncle Freddie. You said you accidentally killed my father and was worried Caroline or Delores were going to tell me.’ She saw his heart was racing. ‘I’m not going to tell on you. I know it was an accident and you were angry.’
‘Oh Jesus!’ he said, closing his eyes as she stood there, stiff with fear he was going to have another attack. ‘Can you get me a glass of water?’
She quickly poured one out and held it to his lips as he stared at her for a while, taking a sip. Hatty couldn’t fathom out what he was thinking as he lay back on the pillows.
‘I haven’t told a soul,’ she lied, trying to diffuse his reaction.
‘Are you angry with me? Do you hate me for it?’ he said anxiously.
‘I’m a bit shocked you’re a murderer,’ she said, then smiled. ‘I never thought you’d have it in you. Did you strangle him? Hit him on the head with a brick? A gun?’
‘This isn’t funny,’ he said glumly. ‘It’s very serious.’
‘I know,’ she said, sitting next to him. ‘I won’t get you into trouble but you think aunt told Caroline to do the exact opposite.’
‘They’re going to try everything to push you two apart for very different reasons,’ he said sadly. ‘Do you want me to explain what happened?’
‘He wanted money and you were worried he’d do something awful to me. You killed him in the house and made out it was in a police station.’
‘That’s not true. He came to the house and we got into a fight. He accidentally died when I punched him. Hit his head on the stairs leading into the house.’ Murray closed his eyes for an instant and she knew he was recalling the image. ‘I called Frederick as he was in the police at the time. We made out he was killed in the cell. Your father was-.’
‘He’s not my father!’ she angrily snapped. ‘You’re my father.’
‘Carlos was very drunk and probably high on drugs. There was no reason to doubt the story. I was so angry with him when he came to the house. You were a baby and inside with me. Ethel had gone home and I was due to fly out the following week as Jane was pregnant with Jake. It seemed as if everything came crashing down the moment I realised I’d killed him but Frederick helped me. We did a bad thing.’
‘You did a good thing.’
‘Someone dying is never a good thing Hatty and the guilt, the guilt takes over you. Every time I looked at you I felt bad but I knew I was protecting you, and that’s all that mattered.’
‘And protect me you did,’ she said, letting out a large sigh. ‘And you produced a wonderful son who fell in love with me as he has fine taste.’
‘And in love with you he is. Are you going to tell him?’
‘I don’t want him to read too much into it and he has to be protected as he is a young twenty two. You know what he said last night? You were going to tell me I was your adopted child when I was twenty five. How comes?’
‘I see,’ he said and she noticed he winced. ‘Well I might as well tell you now, just in case I have another funny turn.’
‘It wasn’t funny.’
‘Hatty you have some money in trust which I’ve-.’
‘How much?’ she said, excited by the news. ‘Enough to get a proper saw and a bigger work room?’
‘Yes and to pay me back for lending you money for the house,’ he smiled. Hatty then realised it must be quite a lot. ‘With interest.’
‘Seriously?’
‘You’re not getting it until you’re twenty five so stop ticking over what you’re going to spend it on. It’s in trust, which is a good thing for you and a bad thing for me as I have to compensate your spending until then. And the other thing is, I don’t know why I’m telling you this, the house belongs to you as it was Eloise’s and she left it to you along with some money.’
‘The house is mine?’ Hatty gulped for a moment, her heart beating faster. ‘I think I’m having a heart attack.’
‘Not another one, that’s all I need,’ said Jake, walking in as she looked at him then at Murray, unable to wipe the smile off her face.
‘Can I tell him? Can I say?’ she said excitedly, jumping up and down clapping her hands then saw Frederick walking in and stopped. ‘You can’t force me to go as it will be called kidnapping!’
‘I come in peace,’ said Frederick cheerfully. He walked towards Murray and gave him a gentle tap on the shoulder. ‘I tried and failed.’
‘Logan men stop sending your henchman to sort me out. I’m staying here as I have property on the island so I can’t leave,’ she said smugly.
‘You told her?’ Jake said, his mouth gaping and Hatty wanted to immediately kiss his pink lips.
‘You knew?’ she said and walked up to him. ‘How long?’
‘For ages,’ he said, looking at her up and down. ‘Your subservient dress.’
‘I wanted to be kind to Mister Murray,’ she scowled seeing he’d been playing tricks. ‘Even when you moved in telling me it was your father’s house?’
‘All that matters is I was with you,’ Jake smiled, kissing her forehead and going to his father.
‘I’ve been tricked! And I’m not penniless, well not until I’m twenty five and after I pay Murray back.’ Hatty thought hard for a second. ‘Will I have any money left afterwards?’
‘Enough,’ smiled Murray and she could see he looked weak again. ‘But you’re staying in a hotel until the hurricane passes. No way in hell will you stay in your house.’
‘But-.’
‘Hatty,’ Frederick said calmly. ‘Listen to him.’
‘Fine,’ she said, seeing Jake glare at her for a second. ‘I’ll do as I’m told but only because you’re ill. They’re moving people out of here so you can’t stay.’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ said Jake, looking at his father and stroking his head. ‘We’ve got it all under control.’
‘Fine,’ she shrugged and smiled at Murray as he shook his head from side to side. ‘What?’
‘Are you happy now?’ he said.
‘Depends on how you define ‘happy’, doesn’t it?’
Jake stood in the corridor, watching the beds being moved about as he waited for the private ambulance to turn up. He’d managed to send Hatty on an errand to get some clothes for his father as he tried to get a signal on his laptop. Again the skies were clear. Even he couldn’t believe the hurricane would be coming to them in at least three days. Eventually the ambulance turned up as his father was transported down the corridor.
‘I can’t fit in with you as you have to travel with the nurse,’ said Jake apologetically. ‘I’ve made sure you’re in a r
oom which is safe and-.’
‘I know that hotel. It’s solid, though it wouldn’t be my first choice,’ said Murray, calmly holding onto his son’s hand. ‘You need to make sure Caroline and Delores leave on a plane today, do you hear me? Elena and Louisa are going at the same time.’
‘I will,’ he said and noticed the concern etched on his father’s face. ‘I’ll do it as soon as you go.’
‘And move to the hotel tonight. I know the house is safe but it’s close to the beach and I expect it’ll be flooded or damaged by water.’
‘I’ll make sure all is safe before we leave, I promise.’
‘And-.’
‘No more worrying. It’s all being sorted. Trust me.’
‘And look after Hatty.’
‘As always,’ Jake replied, seeing his father lifted into the ambulance. He poked his head around. ‘We’ll see you later. I have to go into work and sort some things out. A journalist’s work is never done.’
Putting the light on in her bedroom, Hatty opened her chest and looked at the belongings. She was worried where to leave it as she examined the contents. Then smiled at the picture of Murray and her mother, noticing she was wearing the necklace currently dangling around her neck. Hatty put the picture back, taking out the recipe book and putting it in a plastic bag before throwing it in her satchel. She saw the mobile phones and also put them in her bag, closing the box and pushing it under her bed and covering it with blankets. Hatty took some more clothes, checking everything was safe for her return.
Slowly, she went round the house, taking down things which could break if the house vibrated with the bad weather. Every room was checked over twice and left in a tidy state.
‘House, be safe until I return,’ she said, locking the doors and walking to her bicycle. She’d been to the estate, got Murray’s clothes then made Thomas take them to the hotel so she could stay and examine her property. ‘My house!’
Then she noticed the path towards the fresh water pool and felt in need for a dip. It was her usual time as she walked towards it, checking on her wood work hut and seeing it was all boarded up.
