“Yeah, he’s as good as gold, mate. Sadie’s keepin’ him occupied, plus I got ‘em both copies of The Godfather, all three movies. They’re watching them right about now.”
“Good, that’s terrific.”
“Lucy, love, how did Dudes hold up?”
“Nothing that can’t be fixed easily, my friend. All the damage was outside. Those shutters we put in worked perfectly.”
“All the guests gone back their separate ways?”
“No, no, most of ‘em stayed. They are all helping out with clearing up the debris. And Tristan and Jack have gone out on croc patrol with the teams. No big dramas, but a few disorientated crocs needed relocating.”
“Bugger it. I’m missin’ all the fun. Still, the Yank bloke reckons I can probably head home in a week or so.”
“Yep, no more lazin’ around doin’ nothin’, mate.”
The four of them enjoyed a good laugh, then they were shooed away by the sister in charge.
“I’ll take real good care of Cyril, so no worryin,’ okay?” Rebecca called over her shoulder as they were ushered out of the room.
“It’s all good. Thanks a lot. See ya soon.”
Skeet was asleep again before his friends even got to the lift.
Chapter 37
Jack and Tristan were happily exhausted when they came back off patrol. The Aussie team had been pleased as punch to have them along once they realized that these guys were damned good shots and willing to take risks. The comments were rude and crude, a clear indication that they had been accepted.
Max greeted them on arrival back at Dudes with ice cold beers and hamburgers.
The crew tucked into the food and drink, happy to be off shift.
Tristan looked around but couldn’t see Izzy anywhere. Max caught the look and pointed in the direction of the pool outside the nearest entrance. “The sheilas are doin’ a great job, fellas. They have already cleared the rubbish out of two of the pools. All on their own, bless ‘em.”
“Our ladies are cleaning pools?” said Jack in a disbelieving tone. “You have got to be shittin’ me, man.”
“No way, mate. The women have been workin’ their bum’s off, true as I stand here.”
“Well, what do you know? I gotta get this on film.” Tristan hurried off to his bungalow to grab the recorder.
* * *
“Well my friends, I think we can call it quits for the day. I don’t know about you lot, but I’m buggered. We’ve all done a bloody good day's work. So what do ya think, knock off time?” asked Didi.
“If that means we can stop now, you got my vote,” Sidney said with a swipe at yet another fly that found her enjoyable company.
“Amen to that idea. Let’s start again early tomorrow. Rright now I need a long cool drink.”
“Would you settle for a long cool man instead?” said Lana, pointing to the edge of the pool where Tristan and Jack were both busy with the camcorders. “You boys better run, and fast. I for one don’t want to see what I look like right now.”
Lana and Izzy both clambered out of the pool and headed determinedly towards the guys. “Oh no you don’t, Tris. Come back here with that camera.”
“No chance, honey. The kids are not gonna believe this.” He ran off, dodging his wet lady as he did so.
“Jack? Oh, Jack, honey. C’mon, don’t fool around. Give me the recorder. Play nice. I must look a sight. No film, okay?
“Lana, you look wonderful, in a messed-up, tired sorta way. You want this … ” he dangled the recorder in front of her, “you come get it, m’lady.”
“Well, girls,” said Vanessa with a shake of her head, “looks like it’s just the three of us for drinks.”
“Okay. Can someone please help my ass outta this pool,” Sidney asked as she draped her tired body on the edge.
Vanessa and Didi both giggled at the sight she made. They took an arm each and dragged her up and out, then the three of them headed off to have burgers and beer.
Sidney was part of something good for the first time in a very long while. It sure felt different and nice, she admitted to herself. Yeah, it felt real nice.
Kylie and Ginny headed in to join the others when their croc patrol returned. It was a large, happy and tired bunch of people gathered around the bar which had been set up in a freshly cleared area outside. The aroma of onions cooking drifted on the air and the hungry crew made short work of the delicious burgers.
A chopper flew overhead and everyone paid attention, waiting for news on Skeet.
The Doc and Lucy joined the group. Rebecca went off to check on Cyril and Sadie.
Lucy headed up to the microphone. “Hey, folks, we have wonderful news. Skeet should make a complete recovery. Please give a warm round of applause to Doc for doing it right, yo Ginny for being Annie Oakley with a gun, and to Ed for his generosity in flying in the best of the best spinal cord injury specialists in the world. Let me introduce you to him right now. Professor, up you come!”
To say that the American surgeon was a little amazed at seeing so many well-known faces in the group would be a massive understatement. He acknowledged the applause, said his thanks and made his way over to Ed Guest.
Lucy came over and gave the businessman another hug of thanks.
Ed responded with an embarrassed laugh. “Careful now, Lucy honey, you wouldn’t want to ruin my reputation as an asshole.”
“Glad to ruin it. You’re all right, Ed. Underneath all that arsehole behavior, you have a heart. Who would have guessed it?”
The man had the grace to laugh at the comment.
The professor insisted everyone called him Rodney. Lucy said, “So, Rodney, you wanted to meet Cyril?”
“Well yes, yes, I would like that.”
“Come with me.”
Lucy led the way to the movie screening where Cyril and Sadie were munching happily on popcorn and drinking beer while watching The Godfather Part 3. They were in heaven having already sat through The Godfather Parts 1 and 2 twice. The grunting and tail wagging was disconcerting to the man who had never seen a crocodile up close and personal before.
Rebecca had just joined her two charges and hadn’t interrupted the film. She would give the babies the good news about Skeet when the movie ended.
Lucy pointed out Cyril to the professor. “I won’t interrupt their movie. You can be formally introduced later, okay?”
The man looked utterly confused. “Formally introduced? But they are crocodiles.”
“Sssh! You don’t want to offend them, do you?”
“What? I, um … you’re pulling my leg, aren’t you?” He looked into Lucy’s face and realized that she was absolutely serious. “Well I’ll be damned.”
Chapter 38
“Oh, Sadie, that was so good. I swear I almost cried again when Al died. He dies so beautifully.”
“Yes, sniff! I cry every time I see it. The ending never changes, though. Sigh! Perhaps they should try cryogenics or something and then defrost him at a later date.”
“Hmmm, that could work, although he might like dying better than the deep freeze. Oh look, there’s Rebecca. She promised news about my Skeet.”
“Hello, you two, come give me a hug,” Rebecca squatted on the floor next to the pair. “So you have been good babies, Max tells me. I’m happy that you ate all your dinner despite the huge amount of popcorn he made for you.”
“It was so yummy, and I’m extra hungry at the moment. I need chocolate, ummm, chocolate would be good here. Yo, Bec, chocolate munchies, I need munchies. Cyril, my dear, how do I let her know I want munchies?”
“You’re still hungry? Wow, I’m impressed. I know how to get munchies. Watch this.”
Cyril made his way across the room and into the foyer off the reception area. The vending machine, filled to the brim with munchies, sat there waiting.
Okay, I can do this. Please give me munchies. Don’t play dumb with me. I’ve seen plenty of the people you give munchies to. Um, you can. They're not for m
e. It’s Rebecca, she wants munchies.
“Cyril, sweetie, what’s the matter, hon? You want a candy bar? Well I got some change here. Let’s see … yep, I can do this. What would you like?” Sidney asked.
Oh, tummy-tickler, thanks so much. It’s for Rebecca, you see. Umm, I think cherry ripe or wagon wheel, or no, maybe not. Peppermint crisp. Hmm, I can’t decide.
“How about I get one of everything. You are a growing boy, you can manage all of them.”
Rebecca will get fat. Oh, no matter, she can slim down in black. All of them would be good.
Sidney piled the change into the machine and took out the eight candy bars, trying to decide if she should unwrap them or not. “How do I do this, Cyril? I should take the wrapper’s off for you but then they are gonna melt everywhere.”
Hmmm, that’s a good point. We need something to wrap them in. But what? How about that thingy you’re wearing? It will do nicely, and it’s simply not your color anyway. You should never wear red. You are too blonde to get away with red.
“Cyril, what are you doing? No, honey, don’t tug on my sarong. What? Oh, oh ... I get it. Smart crocodile. I’ll keep this on and pop out and see if Max has got anything we can use. Wait here.”
Please don’t be long, Sadie is hungry, and I have to find out about my Skeet. I do love my human. Red is so not your color. Are you sure you need it? I’m not good at waiting. Pacing up and down, this is boring. Pacing, pacing. Oh, here you are finally. So what have we got?
“Max came through with this bag, Cyril. I will unwrap the candies and put them in it for you, okay?”
Oh but it’s pink. Pink! What is it with you guys and pink? Oh, very well. Rebecca will return it. Now, if I can just get back without anyone noticing that it clashes dreadfully with my apricot t-shirt.
* * *
“Cyril, there you are. Where did you scurry off to, you naughty boy?”
I don’t do scurry. I was merely exercising my free will. I’ve always wanted to say that. So, Rebecca, let me just give Sadie her goodies. I’m so worried about Skeet but everyone is smiling, so I guess it’s all good.
“Cyril, you are forever. Did you get them? Oh, oh, marvelous. Yummy. Why are you carrying a pink bag? It clashes dreadfully with the t-shirt. Who unwrapped the chocolate? I like the wrapping. Still, you weren’t to know.”
“My God, Sadie, you can’t have all that chocolate, you’ll break out.”
“If you try taking it away, I’ll do more than just break out. I must have munchies. Must, must, must.”
“What on earth, all at once? You will get positively porky. You don’t usually like chocolate. This is very strange. Oh ... oh my. Unless? Are you? Already?”
“Is she what already?’
Yeah, what Cyril said.
“Cyril, Skeet sends his lov, and he will be back here with us all in no time at all. He'll be all better, I promise. So keep being a very good croc for me, 'cause I’ll be looking after you till he gets back.”
I knew my Skeet would get betterer. He’s too pig-headed to be sick. What are your favorite colors, Rebecca? Not pink. Never pink. I’ll be ever so good. Can I have a drinkie now?
* * *
The days began to form a pattern - a pleasing one for all, well almost all. The effort put in by the guests, combined with the large number of extra workers from the mainland, showed within the first week. Lucy had made certain that the privacy of her guests was maintained, putting them at the other end of the resort away from the day workers.
The superstars were looking tanned and very fit after a week of exercise and sunshine. The deal was that four hours a day was the maximum assistance Lucy would permit. These folks had agreed, and worked their collective bums off in the allocated time.
The evenings had become a festive event, with large Bar-B-Qs on the edge of the lagoon and sing-a-longs around the bonfire.
The staff and guests were all tired, but happily so, and any formality had long since disappeared.
“Everyone, listen up. I have an announcement,” said Lucy. “Skeet will be coming home in three days; time.”
“Whoo-hoo! That's marvelous, Lucy. Good ol’ Skeet.” Everyone was clearly delighted at the news.
Lucy returned to sit with Charlie and Jack. Lana had gone to take an important call from the States. Ginny and Sidney had become friends and were sitting regaling Ed Guest with stories of their intention to misspend their adulthood.
Ginny had accomplished what many others had failed to do. Ed Guest was a different man from the one that arrived at Dudes. He could still be a total bastard, and Ginny was only too delighted to point that out for him, but he had allowed people to care about him, and he found himself caring right back. “You girls do know that when I get back to NYC, I will revert to type.”
“If that means you’re gonna be an arsehole again, I don’t wanna hear it.”
“Ditto,” Sidney chimed in.
“Well, there is one way to guarantee I remain Mr. Almost Nice Guy.”
“What?”
“You could come back with me, Ginny.”
“Yeah, ha-ha. Very funny, Ed. What do you need me for? You got enough gophers.”
“I do indeed but I wasn’t thinking of hiring you.’
“What then?”
“I was thinking we might get married.”
“To each other?”
“Yes, Ginny, to each other.”
“Oh my God!”
“Ginny. Don’t you dare. Ginny!”
“Lucy! Lucy, grab the smelling salts. Ginny’s done it again.”
“What the … ?” Lucy came over and Doc ran off to get the smelling salts.
“What happened?
Sidney was laughing fit to bust a gut. “Nothing much, Luce, Ed just asked Ginny to marry him is all.”
“Say WHAT?”
“Don’t you dare faint, Lucy.”
“I … no. I won’t. What was her answer?”
“I have no idea. She keeled over before she said anything except ‘Oh my God'.”
Doc came running over. He knelt down next to Ginny and wafted the salts under her nose.
“What … what happened? Did I? Did you? What did I say?”
“Nothing yet.”
“Oh, well then, okay.”
“Okay? Okay what?”
“Okay, Ed, I’ll marry you.”
“You will?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Doc, don’t go too far with that bottle, buddy. Ginny, hon, are you sure?”
“'Course I’m bloody sure. Besides, who else is game enough to tell you to wake up to yourself. I've got used to havin’ you around.”
Lucy was gobsmacked. The look on Ginny’s sweet face was unmistakeable; she had fallen in love with this man. She looked from one to the other and smiled in relief. Ed Guest was wearing the same goofy look. ‘Well I’ll be damned. Just wait till Skeet hears all the news.”
“We haven’t made any announcements yet. We wanted Skeet to be here, but Charlie and I are getting married as well.”
“Can we make it a double wedding?” asked Ed.
“Oh, yes please. Please, Lucy. We can do it right here, at Dudes.” Ginny was radiant.
“I’ll talk it over with Charlie. Don’t tell anyone about Charlie and me. We want Skeet to give me away, and he doesn’t know yet. Okay?”
* * *
Lucy and Charlie decided a double wedding would be wonderful, and didn’t waste time telling the other two lovebirds.
“Lana, is everything okay, girlfriend?” Lucy asked her friend as she returned to the gathering around the fire.
“Hell yes! Terrific, in fact. What on earth has gotten into Ed Guest? I swear I just heard him singing to Ginny over by the pool.”
“Um, er, well, you'd better ask him.”
“What’s goin’ on? Something is. I can scent a story a mile off.”
Sidney maintained a calm demeanor – almost - then ruined it by spluttering with laughter. “Must be something in
the water supply, hey, Lucy?”
“Yup, Sidney, that must be it all right.”
“Might be a damned good idea to keep the smelling salts handy, I think,” Sidney said.
“Smart idea, Sid.”
“Uh-huh. I’ve been getting a few of those lately. Daddy will be pleased.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll bite. What the hell is happenin’ around here? You lot are drivin’ me nuts,” Lana exploded.
“Short trip, eh, Lana? Sidney said.
“Cheeky minx. Give you a little attention and look what happens. You turn into one of the good guys.” Lana put her arm around Sidney’s shoulders and gave her a hug,and a smile.
Ed and Ginny wandered over again to join them. Ed was holding Ginny’s hand as if his life depended on it, which was exactly how he felt.
“What the … ?” Lana squeaked.
“Oh hi, Lana. You might want to clear your calendar for the last Saturday on the island,” Ed said with a delighted grin.
“Lana, isn’t it wonderful? Ed and I are getting married, with Charlie and Lucy!”
“Uh-oh. Doc, get over here, fast,” Ed called, seconds too late.
Lana Peters fainted for the first time in her life.
Ginny was suitably impressed.
* * *
Charlie and Lucy had both decided on the exchanging of personal vows, whereas Ed and Ginny wanted a more traditional service. A celebrant was found who was able and comfortable to do the first, and a Catholic priest who had known Ginny since childhood was stunned, on meeting the groom to be, but pleased to perform the traditional service.
Once Lana had recovered from her shock, she became hell on wheels in the I-can-organize=anything-and-fast stakes. Her crew in Chicago were working overtime on a few of the specifics of her requests, as they charitably called the 101 ways to have a breakdown challenges she threw at them from the other side of the planet. This woman did not know, or ever want to learn, the meaning of the word can’t. Both couples agreed that her film crew would do the exclusive coverage of the preparations for the weddings and the ceremonies themselves. Honeymoon destinations were kept secret. Lana tried every trick in the proverbial book to scope the locale but she drew a blank, deciding finally that they must be staying at Dudes for the honeymoon. Why not? It was perfect.
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