‘Hey. You could have something there, Takatau,’ said Milne. ‘I’ll run it past the Lan Laroi race relations board when I get back to the office.’
‘And who’s in charge of the race relations board?’ asked Brian. ‘You, I imagine.’
‘Of course,’ answered Milne. ‘You don’t think I’d let one of the local boongs run it, do you?’
‘Of course not.’ Brian finished his coffee. ‘So what’s doing now, Sawi?’
‘How about the late at Windmills, me old?’
‘Nnnyyhh. I’m glad it shouldn’t be on, anyway.’
In a fairly jubilant mood, they got changed and left the temple. It had rained while they were whizzing around the world, but now it was sunny again and quite warm with very little breeze. They threw their bags in the back, Ron got behind the wheel and with New Radicals crooning ‘You Get What You Give’ through the car stereo, headed back to Key Harbour.
The industrial estate had finished for the day when they drove past and when they arrived at Key Harbour, it was fairly quiet also. Milne went to his room, Brian had a look in the office to say hello to Keleu, but she wasn’t there. Seeing he couldn’t find his grunter, Brian did what any other waxhead would do: got straight into his board shorts and headed for the stick rack to find some choice surf. Milne was waiting for him. Brian felt he couldn’t hog the Tracker all the time. So he opted for the Gordon and Smith. Milne chose the Tracker. They put the boards in the back of the Jackaroo and, with Brian sitting next to them, drove straight to Windmills.
It was working, but only small; about a metre. They paddled straight out on the rights and Brian had made a wise choice with the Gordon and Smith; it handled the small surf better than the Tracker. Brian swapped with Milne for a while, two tiger sharks came around to get a feed of trevally and Brian and Milne surfed till the sun was sliding down over the mountains getting ready to disappear into the sea. As they waited for the last wave, Brian looked around at the sun and the warm water and found it hard to believe that only a few hours ago he’d been looking at a freezing blizzard in Antarctica. They went in, put the boards in the Jackaroo and drove home.
After the boards were hosed and put away, Milne said he’d meet Brian in the kitchen. Brian had a shower, got into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and went down to the kitchen. Lengi was standing over the stove, Milne was seated, also in a pair of shorts and T-shirt, having a beer. Brian said hello to Lengi, got a beer himself and joined Milne.
‘Where’s Keleu and Airu?’ Brian asked. ‘They having dinner with us? I had a look for Keleu earlier, but she wasn’t around.’
‘They’re going to meet us in the bar,’ said Milne. ‘They’re in the house at the moment helping the carpenter.’
‘A carpenter? What needs fixing?’
‘The lounge. After you almost demolished it last night.’
‘The lounge?’ Brian impassively sipped his beer. ‘All I did was fall asleep on it watching TV. I think somebody’s telling lies about me.’
‘Yeah. You can’t trust anybody on this island,’ said Milne, just as impassively.
Lengi served up spicy fish cakes with creamed spinach, stuffed zucchini and a side salad, sticky rice with mango, bread rolls and coffee. The fish cakes brought tears of delight to Brian’s eyes.
‘What’s doing tomorrow?’ asked Brian between mouthfuls.
‘Same as today,’ replied Milne. ‘Breakfast at six then out to the temple and off into the wild blue yonder again.’
‘So another early night for Takatau.’
‘Till you get your wings,’ nodded Milne. ‘I think that’s the best idea.’
‘It’s funny, Ron,’ said Brian. ‘But I’m getting used to these early nights and mornings.’
‘I know,’ said Milne. ‘They get to you. And the best part is, you see more of life and you feel better.’
They finished their coffee and rolls, thanked Lengi for the meal, then walked down to the Key Bar. A handful of people were seated having a drink, soft music was playing and Keleu and Airu were sitting in the VIP area wearing floral wihros and flowers in their hair and also having a drink. They both smiled as Brian and Milne came over; Brian said hello then sat down next to Keleu and gave her a quick kiss.
‘Hello, Brian,’ she said. ‘How was your day?’
Brian looked at Milne for a second. ‘Fast, I suppose you could say.’
‘That’s a good enough way to put it,’ agreed Milne. He turned to Airu. ‘And don’t give me an Edgar about doing the woo moo. Or I’ll give you a Woolloomooloo-moo uppercut, right where the feathers are thinnest.’
‘Yes, Sawi,’ said Airu. ‘I understand.’
Milne turned back to Brian. ‘I’m going to have one rum. Then another beer. And that might do me.’
‘Yeah. Me too,’ said Brian.
‘All right. I’ll get them.’ Milne headed for the bar.
‘I called into the office to see you earlier, but you weren’t there,’ Brian said to Keleu.
‘I was in the power station. One of the men cut his hand.’
‘Is he all right?’ asked Brian.
‘Yes. It did not need stitches.’
Brian told her about having a surf in the afternoon and the beautiful meal Lengi cooked. He apologised that he couldn’t elaborate on what he and Milne were up to at the temple. Maybe later.
Keleu bowed her head. ‘I understand,’ she said. ‘There are things you are not to tell me. And there are things I am not to ask. But I know it is for the good of the island. And I love you for your honesty with me.’
‘Thanks, Keleu,’ said Brian. ‘I’m glad you understand. But I think it’s all right if I tell you I love you, too. A little bit.’
‘Only a little bit?’
Brian held his hands apart like a fisherman describing the one that got away. ‘About that much.’
Milne returned with two papaya rum punches and sat down. He and Brian clinked their glasses and each took a mouthful.
‘What are your plans for tonight, Ron?’ asked Brian.
‘I’m going to bed early. Airu’s going to give my back a rub. Aren’t you, mate?’ he said, planting a kiss on Airu’s cheek.
‘For you, Sawi,’ said Airu, returning his kiss. ‘It is both a pleasure, and an honour.’
Milne sniffed back a mock tear. ‘You tear my heart to shreds when you say that, Airu,’ he sobbed, burying his head in her breasts.
‘What about you, Keleu?’ Brian asked her. ‘You got any plans? I have to be up early again.’
‘I am going for a swim,’ she said. ‘It was very hot today.’
‘That sounds like a good idea,’ said Brian. ‘How about I get a towel and join you?’
Keleu patted what looked like a white blanket on a seat next to her. ‘We can use mine.’
‘Okay.’
They all sat around and talked and cracked corny jokes while the music played. No one got drunk or out of it. It was just a nice, quiet night amongst friends. There were just two other people in the bar and the barman towards the end. Milne drank half his beer then said he was taking the bottle to his room. He and Airu said goodnight, leaving Brian and Keleu to their own devices. It was a lovely warm night and Brian would have loved to have told Keleu what the weather was like in Antarctica. Keleu finished her rum at the same time Brian finished his beer.
‘Would you like to go for a swim now, Brian?’ she asked
‘Okay,’ said Brian. ‘Whereabouts?’
‘At the jetty. There is a shower on this side.’
‘Okey doke. Let’s go.’
Brian waved goodbye to the others left in the bar and followed Keleu across the road and down to the sand. The sky was full of stars again and the moon was spreading gold and silver across the glassy surface of the harbour. There was the faintest light coming from the lamp on the jetty and where it sloped down to the beach were a number of flat, grassy dunes hidden in the darkness. Keleu spread the beach towel out then got down to the altogether. Brian did the same
and they dived in alongside the jetty.
The water was inky blue and mysterious, but felt like velvet. Brian dived and swam around for a while enjoying himself immensely. After a while he stopped and trod water and found he’d lost Keleu in the dark. He had another look around then called out to her.
‘I’m over here on the landing,’ she called back to him.
Brian Australian-crawled over to the jetty. Keleu was sitting on one of the steps leading down to the landing at the end. The water was just above her navel and she had her legs apart with her hands bobbing by her side. Brian swam in between her legs and floated on the step.
‘I wondered where you went,’ he said. ‘I thought for a moment the boogeyman might have got you.’
‘No. No boogeyman tonight,’ said Keleu. Brian floated in a little closer and put his arms around Keleu’s waist. ‘What are you doing, Brian?’ she smiled.
‘I was thinking very seriously of giving you a little kiss on the lips,’ replied Brian. ‘Is that all right on a balmy night in Lan Laroi?’
‘If Takatau wishes,’ said Keleu. ‘Takatau can kiss whatever he likes.’
Brian rested his knees on the landing, put his arms around Keleu and kissed her like there was going to be no tomorrow. He gently rubbed her breasts and under the sea’s cool caress her nipples felt like two tiny, smooth pebbles. Brian kissed Keleu’s neck, slipped his tongue in her ear then kissed her nipples feeling them soften under his tongue. Keleu was running her hands up and down Brian’s back, stroking his hair and sighing at Brian’s tenderness. Brian stopped what he was doing and smiled at Keleu in the soft glow of the jetty’s lamp and the light from the moon.
‘Okay, Keleu,’ he said. ‘I think its time I paid you back for throwing me to the sharks.’
Brian took a deep breath, squeezed the cheeks of Keleu’s backside then ducked his head under water and pushed his face into Keleu’s mwanga. Beneath the water, it felt warm and firm and delectable, all at the same time. Brian licked and sucked and pushed his tongue in till he felt like his lungs were going to burst. He came up for air with a wild look in his eyes and shook his head, sending a spray of water round the jetty.
‘How was that?’ he said, flicking water from his lips.
Keleu was lying back against the steps with her legs apart, her eyes rolling round in the dark like soft boiled eggs. ‘You don’t have to ask,’ she gurgled.
‘I was just making sure,’ smiled Brian, taking another deep breath.
Brian had to submerge five times before Keleu got her rocks off. It felt good when she finally let go, except she had Brian’s head grasped firmly by his hair and almost drowned him. Brian came up gasping for air and looked at Keleu lying back against the steps in the moonlight. Her chest was heaving and she looked like she’d just run a close second in the city to surf. Brian was looking a little jaded himself. He also had a roaring boner beneath the water, that hot it was sending up bubbles of steam.
‘How about we go over and lie on your towel for a while?’ he suggested.
‘Yes,’ panted Keleu. ‘That would be a good idea. But you will have to help me. I do not think I could swim that far.’
‘Okay. Put your arms around my neck,’ said Brian. ‘Me and my winged keel will have us there in no time.’
Keleu placed her hands gently around Brian’s neck and he breaststroked back to the beach. He took Keleu’s hand and led her over to where she’d placed her towel in one of the dunes. She knelt down on the towel, then reached up and gave Brian’s knob a polish before she lay on her back and Brian got between her legs. The cool water had Keleu very tight and Brian had to push hard to get in. But once all the juices started pumping, it was all Thunderbirds are go. Keleu moaned and groaned as Brian kissed her and pumped away, his white backside going up and down in the dark like a fiddler’s elbow. The sand beneath the towel contoured to Keleu’s body perfectly and Brian went for it, giving Keleu everything he had. Keleu was choking off screams when Brian finally gripped her under the shoulders, straightened his back and poured himself into her, before coming to a shuddering, heaving halt. Brian rolled off and Keleu rolled over on top of him. After a while they got their breaths back.
‘It gets better all the time,’ said Keleu.
‘I’ll second that,’ replied Brian. ‘Why don’t we have a quick swim? If we fall asleep we could finish up with pneumonia.’
‘Good idea, Brian.’
They had a swim and a quiet frolic then got out and had a shower next to one of the piers. There was no one around. The bar was closed and the only light was from the moon peeking behind the clouds and the lamp on the jetty. They dried off, got into their clothes and walked arm in arm to the backyard. Keleu stopped at the trail.
‘I will be all right from here,’ she said.
‘Okay.’ Brian put his arms around her. ‘I’ve had a fantastic night, Keleu,’ he smiled. ‘But boy, am I looking forward to bed.’
‘Yes. It was a good night,’ said Keleu. ‘And I will see you tomorrow when you get back with Sawi.’
‘All right. I’ll see you then.’ Brian gave her one last kiss. ‘Nightie night.’ Brian waited till she went inside, then dragged himself up to his room.
After he dried off and put on a clean T-shirt, Brian went out onto the balcony with a bottle of mineral water and watched the stars again. Shit, he thought, I’m certainly doing it tough on Lan Laroi. I buzz around the world all morning in a machine people would kill to get hold of. I come home. Have perfect surf. Eat beautiful food. Drink grouse booze. Have sensational sex with a little glamour. And it costs me bugger all. I don’t think it gets any better than this. Brian saluted the stars with his bottle of mineral water. Brian Bradshaw. You have cracked it. Brian went inside, turned out the light and climbed into bed. In minutes he was sound asleep, looking forward to tomorrow.
Lengi woke Brian early the next morning. He had a quick shower, got into his shorts and met Milne in the kitchen. They had breakfast over with a minimum of chit-chat, then got the esky and their bags and without wasting any time climbed into the Jackaroo and headed for the temple. The sun was just coming up as they drove down Key Street and Milne turned to Brian.
‘Looking forward to another day’s flying?’ he asked.
‘Yeah,’ replied Brian. ‘I can’t wait.’
‘That’s good. Because we’re going to Russia.’
‘Russia. Now there’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to go,’ said Brian, with more than a hint of sarcasm.
‘I thought you would.’ Milne came to where the trail turned off. ‘So how did you sleep last night?’
‘Like a top,’ said Brian.
‘They reckon some poor sheila got eaten by a shark off the jetty last night. I didn’t hear anything myself. But they say the noise was awful.’
‘Really?’ said Brian. ‘I didn’t hear a thing.’
‘Poor bloody sheila,’ said Milne. ‘What a way to go.’
Brian fingered the little shark around his neck. ‘Serves her right for not wearing her mutami.’
‘That’s what I thought,’ said Milne. He handed Brian a packet from under the sunvisor. ‘Here. I got you another present.’
‘What’s this?’ Brian opened it and found a blow-up plastic globe the same size as a medicine ball, complete with a little stand.
‘I found it in a cupboard at the school. Blow that up and put it next to you in the disc. It’s better than that fold-up map.’
‘Okay,’ said Brian. ‘Thanks.’
Milne turned off into the jungle while Brian inflated the plastic globe. Brian slotted it onto its plastic stand and spun the globe around. Milne was right. It was much better than a paper map; it also made the world look very small. Milne seemed preoccupied as they drove past the farming area and through the gorge, so Brian left him to his thoughts. Next thing they were approaching the temples and the morning sun was slowly brightening the stone logs when they pulled up in the usual spot. They got their bags from the back and before he knew i
t, Brian was once again in his flying uniform and seated at the controls of the MeG 21. He flicked the globe sitting on the seat to his left, then pushed the speaker on and waited for Milne’s instructions.
‘Can you hear me all right, Brian?’ came Milne’s voice.
‘Loud and clear, big daddy.’
‘Okay. Start her up and follow me out the front. I’ll tell you what to do.’
‘Affirmative,’ said Brian, pushing the crystal forward in the dash. ‘Initiating main thruster rocket, auxilliary boosters, on your mark, mission control. Ten … niner …’
‘Brian. Fuck off will you and just start the rotors.’
‘Roger that, Sawi.’
Brian powered up, uncoupled the disc and followed Milne along the tunnel. They reached the deep blue of the reef then burst through the surface and hovered. Milne got his bearings and told Brian to follow him to the North Pacific, near the Tropic of Cancer. Milne took them straight to thirty kilometres before speeding north-east at maximum speed. When they got there, Milne hovered and said they were going to play Top Gun. Milne was going to zoom around at mach speed, like a jet fighter, and Brian was to stick with Milne’s disc while Milne tried to lose him. They started, and at the speed and acceleration he was used to, Brian found it easy and stuck to Milne’s slower moving disc like superglue. Milne kept Brian at it, however, and they practised most of the morning. Milne showed Brian how to angle the reflection inside the cabin as a rear-vision mirror and to use the hands of his watch to position things around them, above and below. When Milne was satisfied Brian had it all together, he took him under the ocean to practise chasing submarines.
‘Submarines are going to be a bit hard to find without any sonar or radar, aren’t they, Ron?’ asked Brian.
‘Don’t worry, mate,’ assured Milne. ‘I got a secret weapon back at the island.’
They slipped beneath the surface and Milne took Brian straight down, then levelled off. It was inky and gloomy where the colours of the spectrum couldn’t penetrate and up in front of him, Milne’s disc looked like a ball of dull fluorescent light gliding through the depths. Brian thought he’d see all kinds of weird sea monsters. But apart from a few whales and some dolphins closer to the surface, he didn’t see a great deal at all. They did this for some time, then resurfaced and hovered above the water. Something in the ocean caught Brian’s eye.
The Ultimate Aphrodisiac Page 27