Brian Ottomas Ch. 7 Twikkii Island Pt. 2

Outside their new hotel as they were on their way to the Whitesands Mineral Springs two things happened. One, a native girl stopped Brian and began to teach him the native gesture of "hang loose" and, two, it began to rain. Softly at first and then in seconds it became a thunderstorm. Brian thanked the girl and looked around for Meadow. He only saw a strange-looking woman with her hair going in all directions and who evidently had not bathed in a while, considering her sooty skin. And sooty was definitely the word because it was Meadow and she had just been hit by lightning. Brian rushed over and hugged her, possible electrocution notwithstanding. Meadow was in shock, literally and figuratively, but Brian's embrace brought her out of it. She quickly showered and they headed to the spa. It had stopped raining for the moment.

When Brian headed to the sauna, Meadow followed him. He paused and looked at her speculatively.

"Sweetheart, are you sure you should go in here after everything--your bad sunburn and this last accident with the lightning?"


Meadow had always been an extremely healthy, strong woman and she resented the implication that she had weakened somehow. She'd been thinking and realized that, after having children, her hormonal balance had changed and that could also change the way the sun affected her. As for the lightning, that was just a freak accident. She thought the sauna would be good for her so Brian left it up to her.
About midway through the time, though, she suddenly began to feel a little queasy and much too warm, even for a sauna.


"What's up?" Brian asked as she made a face of discomfort.


"I don't feel so good," she murmured.


"Okay, let's go back to the room," he said decisively, "You can have a cool bath and rest a while."


"No...no, you finish here and I'll go get a massage, that will probably help and can rest on the massage table."


"Are you sure?" Brian looked worried.

"I just need to get out of this heat and I'll be fine."

So Brian spent a little more time in the sauna while she went off to have a hot stone massage. When he was done he changed back in to his clothes, found a hammock and dove into the second chapter of the book he'd been reading. It began once more to rain and there wasn't much shelter available at the springs unless you wanted to hang around the restrooms, so Brian headed over to where Meadow's massage was still going on under a sheltering roof.


She'd actually already had one massage and now was getting instruction on how to give the massage to someone else. Brian sat down cross-legged to observe. When her lesson was done, Brian paid for a massage and a lesson for himself while Meadow watched.

 
The rain stopped again and they went to have some Luau ribs at the food shack on the premises. Just as the sun went down and they were about to leave, Meadow was feeling much better. In fact, so much better that she remembered this was her honeymoon and jumped up into Brian's arms whispering,


"I love you, Brian."


Returning to the hotel they played part of a game of Chess in the lobby and then went out on the beach. It was dark and someone had lit a small bonfire. They sat and just enjoyed the salty breezes and stayed up quite late before they retired for the night.

The following day they planned to go to South Beach where a long-deserted pirate ship lay on the sand like a beached whale and was there for the exploring. But while they waited for a taxi Brian tried to teach Meadow the "hang loose" gesture. She was getting it, but it was a slow process.

On the ship Brian fooled around with a cutlass and a dummy pirate while Meadow revisited the crows nest. She'd been to Twikkii a dozen years before. Brian was suddenly like a small boy playing "let's pretend" as he stood at the helm of the ghostly ship.  

Speaking of ghostly, Meadow made the acquaintances of the ghost of Captain Edward Dregg who seemed utterly charmed by her--and by her lovely, but scanty, island costume.  They joked a while and then he taught her his sea chantey.

When they were finished on the ship, Brian dug for treasure while Meadow searched for gifts from the sea. Years ago she had found the beautiful earrings and bracelet she wore to this day. But this time she found only shells, although some were quite beautiful and she kept one or two. To the surprise of both of them Brian had actually acquired a tan; nothing as dark as Meadow's skin was naturally, but nevertheless a tan and not a burn. Meadow's burn had only faded away this morning.

For supper they had Chicken Teriyaki at the South Beach Shack, where an islander tried to flirt with Meadow. She didn't pay him much attention but Brian, who was normally not the jealous type, was losing patience with the man. Another admirer of Meadow's native attire, Brian thought with a flash of irritation. He'd not given much thought to what she was wearing this morning--she always looked ravishing in his opinion--but now he wished he'd asked her to find something less revealing. She was not flirting with the man at all though, so Brian saw no reason to say anything as they headed back to the hotel. Anyway, it was their last full night at Twikkii and romance was in the air. Once back in Pleasantview they would not have as much time or privacy as this, so Brian planned to take advantage of it.

Meadow was of the same mind and she put some romantic music on and smiled seductively at her husband. That was all it took.

The next morning they were both in a great mood--they planned to spend the rest of this last day enjoying the beach at the hotel and maybe they'd hit the boardwalk one last time. At breakfast, though, Meadow admitted to Brian that she was a little worried,

"About what?" he seemed mystified.

"Well, Brian, we were a bit careless last night. I mean, you don't think--"

He interrupted her,

"We're not supposed to worry on vacation, remember? I mean, it was just this one time--surely we're safe."

She just looked at him and he admitted,

"Okay, one time could do it, but that doesn't mean it did."

Meadow tried to forget it for now since Brian didn't seem to be bothered at all.

They sunbathed on the beach below their room and swam in the ocean most of the day and then as the sun went down they headed to the boardwalk. Brian wanted to master the fire dance this time--he'd learned it but had not become really proficient. Meadow cheered him on. When he went to play pinball she followed him and once more was anxious.

"Brian, I'm serious--what if I'm pregnant?"

He looked at her--for a moment he seemed to share her worry--but then he said, 

"What if you are? We're married, we love each other; we'll deal with what comes."

"But you were so cautious when I wanted to have a second child--and, of course," here she looked down, feeling guilty, "I tricked you so I could have Willow."

He smiled,

"So you did, but what special girls Brook and Willow are--what would we do without them? So I think we should just be philosophical about this if it turns out that you're pregnant. Of course, I realize you are the one who has to go through the pregnancy, not me, but, if you're concerned about my opinion; don't be. I'm fine either way."

"I'm fine, too, now that you told me this," Meadow smiled.

"Not too worry, Sunshine," he squeezed her arm.

Midnight came and they boarded the shuttle bus. They were on their way home to their children and happy to be doing so.

Next update: The Lomax Family Ch. 7 Larry Max Moves On

Brian Ottomas Ch. 8 Back From Twikkii Island

 

Brian Ottomas Ch. 7 Twikkii Island Pt. 1

Brian and Meadow Ottomas were finally getting to take their honeymoon after 10 years of marriage. As the shuttle arrived so did the school bus. Once Heath and Brook were safely aboard, Brian and Meadow got into the bus and they were on their way to Twikkii Island.

They arrived safely and registered at Castaways Bungalows, where Meadow had stayed years ago. They had a bungalow built just for two with its own patch of beach. Immediately upon arrival Meadow called home and gave their room number to Brian's mother and then spoke for a moment to both of the older kids. She didn't want to confuse Willow by letting her hear her mommy's voice over the phone when she would not be near for a few days.

Brian had worn his usual "dressed up" look of jeans, turtle neck and sport jacket on the plane. Once at their bungalow he changed--it was very hot out--into a muscle shirt and jeans. Both of these "looks" were ones he wore at home when he wasn't wearing his "uniform" of jeans, boots, t-shirt and leather vest.

The first place Meadow wanted to go was to the Twikkii Beach Boardwalk. She left Brian to shop for trinkets and souvenirs to bring back to the children while she went down to watch the Fire Dance.

It was not too long before Brian came down to join her and, after observing the the show, paid to learn the basics of the dance. He seemed to be a natural. Meadow went upstairs then to shop for native clothing for Brian and herself. That night they slept well in the small bedroom with amazing views of the beach.

Doing the tourist bit at Jumbok was the the plan for the next day, where they could also sample the mineral springs. Meadow was truly amazed when Brian wore one of the lightweight light-colored shirts and cargo pants she'd bought him. Even when she purchased these things she figured he would not veer from his usual attire. He felt best in those and usually wore dark colors as well. But she wanted to have them available just in case. After a day of heat he was evidently ready to dress in this relaxed fashion even if it was not the style he usually wore. She was afraid to even tease him about it right now in case he got self-conscious and reverted to leather, studs and denim. After Jumbok Brian checked with a guide to find out what else might be interesting and he mentioned a few tours that were available. The couple decided on the glass bottom boat tour and the guide summoned a shuttle to take them to the dock.

They went back to Castaway's and as they crossed the beach Meadow sighed and said,


"Wouldn't the kids love staying here--I mean with the beach so close?"


"I know," Brian agreed, "We have to come back again and bring them with us."


The sun was still shining and they decided to spend some time on the beach, swimming and sunning. Brian even got into making a sandcastle.

 

Brian definitely had to watch it in the sun--he was very fair even though his hair was so dark. Meadow asked him once about his black hair (which no one else in his family had except his twin sister, Bridget) and he suddenly frowned a moment, looking down. Then he recovered his good-nature and said,

"Ahhh, m'darlin', that's the "black Irish" in me."

"Wait, 'black Irish'? What does that mean?"

"There is a certain coloring among some Irish peoples; coal black hair, light blue or gray eyes and very fair skin that is referred to as "black Irish". Of course, it's mainly people outside Ireland who refer to it that way. My mother's maiden name was Duffy, you know."

"Actually, I didn't know. Anyway, I love your coloring, babe."

So that day Brian wore heavy protection sunblock. Meadow had naturally dark skin and usually used some sort of Hawaiian Tropic oil with a SPF of 6 or 8. She was very perturbed and somewhat embarrassed, not to mention uncomfortable, when it was she who sported the sunburn that night.

"I just don't understand it--I never burn, never."

Brian just shrugged and kept smoothing aloe gel on her back.

After supper a strange phenomenon occurred. As they were getting ready for bed a hotel employee walked through the door--which Brian could have sworn he'd locked--and was about to use their shower. Brian put an end to that and evicted him, but as he was leaving someone else came through the door, they couldn't tell if it was an employee or a guest, then suddenly there were three strange people in the living room of the bungalow.  They went to the front desk to complain and two of the people followed them. Brian didn't even say "leave us alone"--it seemed obvious these people were a little out of their minds.

"Look, I don't know if they used a passkey or jimmied the lock when we weren't looking but you need to do something about it," Brian told the guy there.

"Yes, well, we've had complaints, but we don't know what is wrong," he said helplessly, "So we don't know what to do about it."

"That's it, then? You don't know what to do so you aren't going to do anything? Okay, then we're gone," easy-going Brian was furious, "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever encountered. Meanwhile I suggest you start out by calling the police."

Using the desk phone, Brian called another hotel and miraculously was able to get a room at the last moment.They went back to their room and packed as fast as possible since there were still two unknown people in their room watching the TV, then left for the new hotel.

They checked in at the Royal Palm where they had a nice big room on the first floor with a large balcony. It was definitely a balcony rather than a deck because the first floor was raised up about ten feet above the beach).

They were so keyed up that, even though they'd been about to go to bed when all this happened at Castaways, Meadow turned on the TV for a bit so they could just relax and calm down. They did relax but this led to other things...

The next morning while Meadow showered and dressed, Brian was on the floor working out to the TV. Breakfast was out on the balcony and featured a Polynesian style omelet, with a sweet and spicy filling. They they discussed plans for the day which would include the Whitesands Mineral Spa. Meanwhile they enjoyed the sights and sounds of the surf pounding the beach, the sea gulls squawking and diving and the scent of the sea.

Next update: Brian Ottomas Ch. 7 Twikkii Island Pt. 2