Cruising with the Blakemores

by Olivia Gaines

  Big Sarge was now frowning. “Ahh, hell nawww!”

  Dwight’s parents lowered their heads like they didn’t know their niece.

  Lou Dobbins was an attorney with a very lucrative practice. It was his pleasure to book a shore excursion for the entire group that was a combination of land and sea adventure. It was a private booking for both families that started with a one-and-a-half-hour tour bus ride through the Castries. St. Lucia is a tad bit larger than Barbados. Barbados is roughly a little bit smaller than New Orleans, whereas St. Lucia is about the size of Chicago.

  “It is so beautiful here,” Odessa said to Saxton as she slipped her hand into his. “I see why so many people move to St. Lucia.”

  “Would you like to live here, baby?”

  “It would be nice to have a home here to, you know, just get away on long weekends and holidays. Maybe even spend a few weeks in the summer and maybe the Christmas holidays,” she told him.

  He gently squeezed her hand as the motor coach made its way up the hill into the lush green mountainside of St. Lucia. As much as he did not want to admit it, Saxton was really enjoying himself. Odessa’s family was really nice and he was relaxed.

  At the top of the crest, the motor coach stopped for more photo opportunities and scenic views of green valleys and small villages. Saxton used his phone to snap photos of the Trodats with Odessa, and Dwight took a photo of him with the Trodats and vice versa. The banana valleys stared back at them and he understood what his wife was saying. This was a nice place to get away to for a few days away from their life. He made a reminder in his phone to contact a real estate agent when he got home.

  As the motor coach rolled on, the next stop was to the Botanical Gardens and Diamond Mineral Waterfall. It was not in Saxton’s nature to enjoy plants and foliage. The most he cared about greenery was keeping the shrubs trimmed and the grass cut, but this – this was spectacular. Within minutes he used his phone to snap pictures of the gorgeous, colorful flowers in the gardens. Thoughts of a greenhouse filled his head as he imagined brightly colored orchids, birds of paradise and other radiant flowers that his wife could care for, snip and use in their home to decorate and brighten their living space. His mother loved fresh flowers and kept their family home full of the scent of fresh roses and the like.

  “Odessa, look at this Staghorn Fern,” he told her as he snapped a photo of the plant.

  “Nice,” was all she said and she continued to walk along the nature trail towards the waterfall.

  So much for that idea, he told himself, but he snapped more pictures of the gardens and gravel walk paths and chairs that created a serene resting place. He imagined his wife in their backyard, seated in a comfortable chair, reading to their children. I can recreate the feel of this in our backyard. Saxton stood there looking about, grinning like a fool.

  Big Sarge walked up to him. “When you finish making one for ‘Dessa, come on over and make one in our back yard for your mama-in-law, too.” He patted him on his shoulder and, leaning on his cane, moved forward up the walk path towards the waterfall.

  The waterfall flowed forward waters that were grayish in color from lava and ash from the volcano and sulfur springs. It was a majestic sight to see as the dark waters tumbled over the top, 55 feet from the rock facing, creating a discolored river that nourished the plants. The sulfur waters were also filtered into wading pools. Many of the locals would strip down to dip in the healing waters. Some of the patrons should have remained clothed. Fully clothed.

  Dwight had been quiet and virtually expressionless until he saw the hairiest man he had ever seen in his life walking into the small pool and seating himself like a bear coming out of hibernation taking his first bath. “Oh shit, it’s a Yeti!”

  It was said so low that he thought no one heard him, but Saxton had been standing close by. “Careful, Dwight, you are blowing your cover.”

  His new in-law only smirked as he joined his wife to take more pictures with her in the scenic backdrop. Odessa walked up to Saxton, wrapping her arms around his waist. “This is so peaceful, so beautiful.”

  “I was thinking of recreating something similar to this in our backyard,” he told her.

  “I would like that,” she told him and he lowered his head to plant a feathery light kiss on her lips.

  “Consider it done, Mrs. Blakemore,” he said as he gave her that look. The look that promised later, when they were alone, that he would do more to please her. This was something else that she loved about Saxton Blakemore, he always kept his word.

  The bus ride down the back side of the mountain was even more spectacular as they rode through banana plantations, drove past fishing villages as small children waved to the bus that drove the family to Soufriere Bay. The town was full of French character and Odessa wanted to shop, but the catamaran that was booked was waiting for them to board.

  “The Party Ship,” Dora read off the side of the boat.

  “Yeah, we get off a ship, to get on land, to get on another ship to sail around an island we just drove across, to get on a boat to take us back to our ship,” Big Sarge said with a great deal of sarcasm as he looked at Lou.

  “Daddy, it’ll be fun,” Ryanne told him as she took him by the arm and helped him climb on board.

  It was fun. Once aboard the boat, the music was loud, the staff was cordial and rum punch was flowing. Odessa stripped down to her swimsuit and climbed aboard the cargo netting on the bow of the boat. She looks so relaxed. There were no bad guys chasing them. No stacks of papers, no numbers to crunch, no boxes to unpack, or items to ship to customers. Essentially, there was no stress. Three days ago, he had killed a giant snake that was trying to eat his brother-in-law. A brother-in-law who was laid out next to his sister on a party boat, floating along the back side of one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean Sea.

  Saxton sat down on the seat in the sun, allowing the rays to permeate his head, seep into his soul and infuse him. He watched Dwight dancing with his wife to the music. Big Sarge and Dora were in the party line dancing with the staff on the boat. Lou and his wife, Nita, were leaning against the side of the boat, sipping on rum punch and nowhere to be seen were any henchmen with snake tattoos. Rashad was being flirted with by the staff. He was a good looking young man. Hilda and Agent Roget was chatting amicably and Saxton lowered his head and did something he had not done in years. He began to pray.

  This is how life was supposed to be. It was supposed to be enjoyable with moments of connection with family. No longer was there a need to run back and forth, hunting down villains and bad guys. His mind was made up. It was time to start a family and leave the insanity behind. It was also time for him to work on his relationship with his own family, a family who loved him, but he was hot headed and his wife was right, he didn’t think things through. When they got back to the states, he would take a few days and head to Houston to maybe fish with his father and hang out with his brother. He even thought about showing up at the company and taking his sister, Belva, to lunch. He needed to be a better brother and a more grateful son. He leaned his head back, letting the rays of the sun caress his face as the boat skimmed the waters of the ocean. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for giving me so much.

  The catamaran rounded the bend to come into a secluded cove that dropped anchor. Several men in single man boats pulled alongside the party vessel and Saxton did not overreact. He rose and watched the men pull up with fresh mangoes, coconuts and bananas. Lunch was served as many left the boat to frolic on the beach. In beach shorts that doubled as trunks, Saxton pulled his shirt over his head to reveal a torso covered in scars, healed bullet wounds, and 210 pounds of sheer sexy. Odessa watched him walk down the stairs into the water and his head went under as he swam out a small ways from the boat and flipped over to his back, floating along with the current.

  Odessa joined him, coming alongside, making a small ripple in the water. “This is the life, isn’t it, husband?”

  “Hmm,” was all he said as he c
ontinued to float.

  “I have a question for you, Saxton,” she said as she went to her back and floated beside him, her hand in his.

  “Your question, my lovely wife?”

  Her toes flicked at the waves and she kicked gently to maintain her course in the water next to him. “If you had a million dollars what would you do with it?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think about stuff like that,” he said as he tried to stand up and realized they had floated further into deeper water. He placed his hand on her waist and gently began to swim, pushing her towards the shore.

  “What do you mean? Doesn’t everyone think about money and what they would do if they have a lot of it? Why not you?” she asked out of curiosity. She up righted herself and stood in the now shallow water gazing at him.

  “I have a lot of money,” he told her as he watched her face.

  “You do?”

  “Yes, I have my own oil well,” he told her.

  Her eyebrows shot up. “So you’re saying we are rich?”

  His face was flat as he responded to her. “No, I am rich. But I will buy you whatever you want.” He laughed as she splashed him with water.

  “Great! Then I want a house on this island, so you and I can come back here often,” she said with a grin.

  Saxton kissed her hard on the mouth. “Consider it done, Mrs. Blakemore.”

  “Damn, I love you,” she told him as her tongue slipped into his mouth to mate with his as he returned the kiss. Odessa made a mental note of something else she loved about her husband. He was a man of strong character.

  A lesson in character development...

  It takes time for character to develop. If you are predetermined to be a serial killer who grows up to eat people, it takes time to grow from a child on the playground with a magnifying glass killing ants to actually taking a life. In every step of life there is a logical progression. Sometimes, life can throw a curve ball and everything gets out of sync, or it may be destiny stepping in to change the course of the life you thought you were meant to lead.

  Saxton Blakemore was an oil man. He was the son of an oil man, the grandson of an oilman and several generations before that. The problem was, Saxton Blakemore hated everything about the oil business. The seedy practices, the shady deals, the purchasing of congressmen to do your bidding while screwing the American public on air pollution rights and land dealings. He wasn’t cut out to do it, so after college, he cut out of his parent’s life. He broke their hearts when he turned down his rightful place in the company, yielding it over to his younger brother to be groomed to take over the business. In his heart, he believed what he was doing was making a difference.

  As a covert agent with the CIA, he was able to infiltrate a great number of organizations and take down some bad guys. Each mission, each transaction, each deal was a test of his character. His last mission in Mexico had begun to test who he was and he was feeling uncertain of how he would proceed with his life. That was until Odessa strolled down that side street and spotted him at the Cantina. She had walked into his life and saved him. She was a woman full of personality with a moral compass pointing north. He loved her for that. She always kept him on point and on his toes.

  This morning, Odessa was flat on her back. Gray around the gills and sick. “I think it was that lunch yesterday on the catamaran. I may have food poisoning,” she said as she clutched the pillow.

  “Hold tight, honey, you may just need something on your stomach. Room service will take too long. I’m going to head up the buffet and make you a tray of something. I’ll be right back,” he told her as he grabbed his room key and headed to the Lido deck. He wasn’t sure what she could hold down so he made a small bowl of grits with eggs. On second thought, Saxton chose something a bit blander with a bowl of oatmeal. He grabbed some clear juice, a glass of ginger ale and headed towards their room.

  Somewhere or other, he must have taken the wrong elevator or gotten off on the wrong floor, because he spotted Kevin, Jr. coming out of a room looking crazed. He was about to ask him if he was okay until he saw Mary Jean open the door and hand the young man his underwear.

  Kevin turned to see Saxton standing there staring at him. Saxton turned back to the elevator and started pressing the button in rapid succession. Please open. Please open. Please open. Stairs. Take the stairs, fool. It was too late, his brother in law was coming over.

  “Don’t judge me, man!” Kevin, Jr. told him as he stood next to him, trying to find some place to stick his underwear.

  “I’m just taking some food up to your sister. She’s not feeling well,” Saxton said to Kevin.

  “Neither am I,” Kevin said with a low voice. “Is it possible for you and me to talk for a bit?”

  Saxton saw something in the young man that concerned him as he faced the entryway. “Of course. Um.” He looked about as the elevator doors opened. “Come with me. Let me take care of Odessa first, then you and I can find a quiet place to talk.”

  His head was hung low. “Thanks, Saxton.”

  Trying to convince Odessa that she did not have food poisoning was easier than getting Big Sarge to eat off one of the buffets. Finally, with some coaxing from both her husband and her brother, she began to eat the grits. Saxton, with the patience of Job, explained that what she had was an empty stomach. “Combined with the sailing from yesterday and being back on this ship, you are sea sick. You need to keep your stomach full to reduce the nausea.”

  “Where are you going?” she asked, feeling a bit left out.

  Saxton looked about the room to make sure she had everything she needed for the next hour or so. “I’m going on the Lido deck to join Kevin for a bite to eat.”

  To both of their surprise, Odessa started to cry. “That is just so sweet. You two finally getting along. I knew it would work,” she balled.

  Kevin, Jr. looked at Saxton. “What in the hell is wrong with her?”

  Saxton only held up his hand and shook his head no to his younger counterpart. Holding his wife, he kissed her cheek. “I will be back soon. Will you stay here until I come back, baby?”

  With that, both men left the suite.

  Instead of waiting for the elevator, they walked up the four flights of stairs. Saxton was hoping this would give the young man time to sort through the order of things he wanted to discuss. As they reached the top level and entered the Serenity adults only lounge, they arrived to find Agent Roget cuddled up in an oversized chair with Hilda. Rentería and Antoinette were relaxed in a hammock, and Saxton took a seat in a lounger and leaned back. Kevin reluctantly joined him, sitting close.

  He remembered Odessa’s words. He didn’t think before he acted. Saxton put on his thinking cap. “I’m uncertain why you think I would judge you.”

  Kevin kept his eyes in his lap. “I did it out of pity.”

  “You slept with Mary Jean because you pitied her?” He stared at him with some apprehension.

  “No, I slept with her because I felt sorry for myself. I feel even worse now because it was good and I want to go back for another serving,” he said as he shook his head.

  Saxton wanted to make things a little lighter between them. “Might I suggest this time you either go commando or remember to put your drawers back on.”

  “Oh, you saw that?”

  “How I wish I hadn’t,” he told him as he bit down on his bottom lip. “Something else is bothering you, Kev, what is it?”

  Kevin leaned back in the chair and used his thumb and forefinger to rub his eyes. “How do you do this? How do you handle this and not lose your frickin’ mind?”

  Saxton leaned over in the chair and lowered his voice. “I have a fantastic wife who reminds me every day about what matters. The rest is my job. My job is to get out there and get information. Your sister’s job is to keep me focused without me getting myself killed.”

  Kevin’s eyes were watery. “I feel like such a punk, man. I do. I mean, seriously, I nearly got killed, twice, in a matter of days.” H
is eyes were wide as he shook his head, trying to stave off the horrible memories. “I went to her because I needed to be held, to feel... I dunno, Saxton... alive. In control of something....”

  His words trailed off as he stared off in the distance at the blue water. “Mateo robbed me of something I can’t put my finger on, Saxton. That machete to my jugular...”

  Saxton remained quiet. Listen. Don’t react. Kevin turned to look at Saxton. “You put a tracking device in my butt cheek, man! I don’t even know when that happened.” His face was contorted.

  “It may have saved my life because that bastard was going to feed me alive... alive... to a big ass snake!” Kevin shook his head again. “I cried myself to sleep.”

  It was said in the open. He looked to Saxton for reassurance who thought long and hard about the words he wanted to tell him. It came to him from his father, Bobby Ray Blakemore, when he was called to the police station to pick him up after a night of drinking and driving recklessly. These same words he shared with his brother-in-law. “Kevin, being a man of character is not about what you do when the lights are on, it’s about how you do it when the lights are shined on you.”

  He looked at Saxton with a blank face. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “It means that it’s okay to be scared, even with the machete to your throat you handled yourself well. Dangling that far up in the air with a giant hungry snake waiting for you to fall, you still stayed relatively cool.” Kevin was looking at him. “And as for Mary Jean, it was okay when no one was looking, but what will you do now? Will you show her affection openly in front of your family?”

  “That is a weird question to ask,” Kevin told him.

  “No, it is a perfectly logical question, because the next few seconds will define and tell not only me, but yourself as well, the kind of man you are,” he told him as Mary Jean came up behind him.