Sweet Delights

by P. L. Harris

  He walked into her spacious kitchen and saw her pounding away at a pile of dough. Her sweet face moist with tears, and cheeks flushed with anger. He frowned. It devastated him, seeing her upset.

  “Ginger, I’m sorry.” And he was. He’d been resisting putting his hands on her, since the day he’d arrived. Since that day, his head had been crammed with kind words spoken from a town filled with people who respected and loved this woman. She was generous and passionate and helped anyone who needed help. No questions asked. In his eyes, she was perfection. The laughter and conversations they’d shared, were the most profound he’d ever had with another living soul.

  “Did I go too far?” His voice was filled with despair. He never wanted to hurt her.

  “Yes, you did!” she cried angrily. “What’s the point of starting anything if you’re leaving tomorrow!” she threw her small fist into the innocent dough.

  He adored her fire, her passion. He held his hands up in surrender, before taking her flour-coated hands and slowly drew her towards him.

  “What if I don’t want to go tomorrow?”

  “What do you mean?” she sniffed. “The job’s finished.”

  He raised a brow. “Darling, that was a four-week renovation, I stretched it out to seven, because I haven’t wanted to leave you.”

  “Really?” Her eyes filled with hope.

  “Really,” he said softly. She looked more beautiful in that moment, as hope danced behind her sky-blue eyes.

  She stepped closer, closing any possible gap between them. “Well, if that’s the case, please put me out of my misery and kiss me now.” She said, breathlessly.

  “It would be my absolute pleasure,” he whispered, bending his head towards hers, watching her lips part in anticipation. “Sweet Ginger, my sweetest delight.” He watched her eyes darken, as he placed his lips over hers, and had the sweetest kiss of his life.

  Tourist Attractions

  Valerie Latimour

  Melody was shooting a white-bellied sea eagle when she heard the scream. With the brisk sea breezes whistling in her ears, it was hard to determine what the sound was. She raised her head from her prone position behind her camera, and listened intently.

  Yes, there was definitely someone shouting for help. Packing her camera into her bag and shouldering it, she left the rest of her gear and followed the sound towards the sea and the rocks. As she crested the hill the ocean appeared, afternoon sun glinting off the dazzling blue. She shielded her eyes and peered down along the shore, looking for the source of the cries.

  There. A figure sprawled on the rocks at the base of the cliff. Melody took off her hat and waved it to get the figure’s attention, then started down the path. She picked her way carefully but confidently, familiar with the path and having experience in hiking, which the sprawled figure obviously didn’t have.

  “Damn tourists,” she muttered as she walked. “Don’t know any better than to go hiking alone on wet rocks in an unfamiliar area.” She glanced at her watch. Still a few hours until she was due at The Sweet Spot, but if this tourist was in serious trouble she could be late for work.

  As she drew closer, the figure resolved itself into a young woman probably in her early twenties, about Melody’s own age, with long bare legs between her hiking boots and her denim shorts. She sat next to a backpack that looked fairly new, but also looked like it was intended for serious hiking and camping. She had struggled into a sitting position and was clutching her left ankle, the discarded sock and boot lying nearby. She was bleeding from grazes in several places, and Melody deduced that she had slipped on wet rocks. Nothing too serious, as long as that ankle wasn’t broken. Maybe she wouldn’t be late for work.

  “Oh, can you help me? I’ve hurt my ankle,” the girl called. She looked up at Melody from under the brim of her hat. She had the biggest, brownest eyes Melody had ever seen, with tears streaking the dirt on her face. A long blonde braid fell over one shoulder. Melody was moved by a sudden, fierce urge to help and protect the girl, an urge completely at odds with her earlier irritation with this ‘damn tourist’.

  “It’s okay, I’ll look after you,” she reassured the girl. “What happened?” She crouched at the girl’s side, carefully setting her camera bag down. “Are you hurt anywhere else, or just the ankle?”

  “It’s the ankle and the foot, it all hurts. And I tried to stand, that was agony. My leg just buckled. I didn’t know how I was going to get out of here...” The girl’s voice trailed off and she put her head down on her knees. She sobbed once, then took a deep shaky breath and raised her head, wiping her eyes with both hands. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  Melody took refuge in brisk practicality, brushing off the girl’s emotion. “Okay, then I think the best thing to do is get you up to my car and I’ll drive you into town to the doctor’s. Do you have a car nearby? How did you get here?”

  “I hiked along the beach. I’m staying at Gannet Bay Bed and Breakfast, it’s not far.” She pointed across the rocks. “My phone fell out of my pocket. It’s over there somewhere.”

  “Oh, I know the B & B. I work there sometimes. I’m Melody, by the way.” Melody scoured the rocks where the girl had pointed, and retrieved a mobile phone, the screen smashed beyond repair. “Here it is. Not much good now! There’s bugger all reception down here anyway, much better up by the road. Now, let’s see if you can walk with my help.”

  The girl took Melody’s offered hands and pulled herself to a standing position. “I’m Heather, and I am very pleased to meet you.” There was a hint of humour underlying the gratitude in Heather’s voice. Melody positioned herself under Heather’s left shoulder to take the weight off the injured leg. An odd thrill of pleasure ran through her as Heather’s arm settled across her shoulders, a sense of rightness, as though it belonged there.

  “Okay, let’s try a few steps.” Pushing away the distracting sensations to concentrate on the job at hand, she put her arm firmly around Heather’s waist. “Lean on me.” She walked slowly forward as Heather tried a few hobbling steps. “Well, we won’t win any races, but we can make it back to my car if we move slowly. Once we get to the top of the hill I should have mobile coverage, and we can let the doctor know we’re on the way. And I can let work know I might be late.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to make you late. I really appreciate you helping me. Will your boss be mad?”

  “Steph’s okay,” Melody replied. “She knows I wouldn’t be late without a good reason. I can just work late to make up for it.”

  Melody considered logistics for a moment. “Right. I’ll take your backpack, and you can put my bag around your neck. It’s lighter, so it won’t weigh you down too much. Just be careful with it, that camera’s expensive.” Always a woman of action, Melody was loading them up as she spoke. Then she slipped back under Heather’s shoulder and they made their slow way down from the rocks and across the beach to the path.

  A whimper of pain escaped Heather’s lips as they hobbled. Wincing, Melody tried to distract her.

  “Tell me about yourself, are you on holiday? Where are you from?” Her initial curiosity about Heather’s presence on her beach deepened to a burning desire to know everything about this intriguing stranger.

  “I’m just a wanderer, really,” Heather admitted between hops. “Mum says I should get it all out of my system while I’m young. She thinks I’ll travel for a while, get homesick, then come home, get married, give her lots of grandchildren. She thinks I’ll grow out of it...” Heather stopped abruptly. “So, what were you doing out there? Just waiting to rescue random strangers?”

  “I was bird-watching. Well, bird-filming actually. For my YouTube channel.” They had reached the edge of the path, and Melody indicated a fallen log. “Do you want to sit down and rest for a minute?”

  “Yes, please.” Heather sank onto the log with a sigh and a grimace of pain. “What’s your YouTube channel about?”

  Melody sat next to Heather. “I take videos of the local wildlife. Th
ere’s some amazing stuff around here. Birds, animals, plants, even insects.”

  “That sounds really interesting! I’ll have to check it out.”

  They chatted for a while as Heather got her breath back, until the sun dipping towards the ocean brought Melody back to an awareness of time passing. “Far out, look how late it’s getting! We’d better get moving.”

  They resumed their journey, climbing labouriously through the rough track up to the road. Melody’s scarlet Honda CR-V stood where she had left it in a small parking area at the top of the path.

  “Wow, nice car,” Heather said.

  “Thanks. It’s getting old now, but I love it. It gets me out into the bush and along the coast to shoot.” Melody frowned at Heather’s ankle. “That’s swelling up pretty quickly. We’d better get you straight to a hospital. There’s no hospital or X-ray in Gannet Bay, we’ll have to go to the next town. It’s about thirty-five minutes south of here. Unless you want me to call you an ambulance?”

  “Oh, I don’t think I need an ambulance. But that’s a long way to drive, are you sure you don’t mind? If you take me back to town, I could probably drive my car to the hospital. It’s an automatic, I don’t need my left foot.”

  “Don’t be silly! As if I’d leave you to drive yourself to hospital. Here, get in the back seat and you can put your foot up, it’ll be more comfortable.”

  Once she had Heather settled in relative comfort on the back seat, Melody made a hurried trip to her blind, retrieving her picnic blanket and the rest of her bird-watching gear. In her cooler bag was an ice brick, which would do as an icepack.

  “I should probably strap it,” she told Heather, “but I don’t have any bandages in my first aid kit at the moment. I used them last week on a dog that had got its leg stuck in some wire. I’ve been meaning to replace them. Are you okay? Is it hurting very badly?”

  “Not as much now I’m sitting down and on the way to medical help,” Heather replied. “I hate to think what would have happened if you hadn’t found me.”

  “Oh, you would have been found fairly soon,” Melody assured her. “Christina would have raised the alarm if you didn’t appear for dinner. She keeps a pretty close eye on her guests to make sure they’re safe.”

  Heather caught Melody’s eye in the rear-view mirror with a small controlled smile. “Well, I’m glad it was you who found me.”

  MELODY RUSHED INTO the bakery. “Sorry I’m late, Steph,” she called. With only minutes until closing time, The Sweet Spot was almost empty. Janine looked up from where she was sweeping in the corner.

  “Steph’s gone home,” she said. “Heard all about your rescue on the beach. ‘Local hero saves tourist’ hey? Steph says I should stay back and help you tonight, and she’ll still pay you for two hours even if it doesn’t take us that long.”

  Melody stopped short, her mouth dropping open. Steph was great to work for, but she wasn’t known for handing out extra money without cause. Janine laughed.

  “I know, I was shocked too. Well, let’s get on with it.”

  Although she considered her YouTube channel her ‘real work’, Melody had a number of part-time jobs around Gannet Bay. Twice a week she helped out at The Sweet Spot, cleaning and organising stock. Her jobs paid for rent and groceries, and the all-important internet connection, vital to stay in touch with the world. Melody saved every penny she could, with her eyes on better camera equipment, and the freedom to travel further and for longer in the Western Australian wilderness she loved, documenting its beauty for her viewers.

  As they worked, Melody couldn’t stop thinking about Heather. Every time she closed her eyes she could see Heather’s big brown eyes looking up at her from under the hat brim. She moved her shoulders, still feeling the pressure of Heather’s arm, her warm body pressed firmly against her side.

  “Right, that’s finished,” Janine announced. “What are you up to tonight? Wanna grab a burger and tell me all about your daring rescue?”

  Melody started and looked around. Yes, the place was clean, although she had no clear memory of doing any work. “I can’t,” she answered. “I’m heading back to the hospital to pick Heather up and bring her back to the B&B. She’s got no other transport, and her mobile phone’s smashed. They should be finished with her at the hospital by now.”

  “No worries,” Janine replied cheerfully. “Gee, she was lucky you found her. Not many people would drive all over the countryside for a stranger. Is she cute?”

  Her face hot, Melody muttered, “I don’t know,” and turned away. “See you later.”

  With a teasing laugh, Janine said, “Bye! Saye hi to Heather for me.”

  MELODY EXPECTED HEATHER to be sitting in the hospital’s waiting room, ankle strapped and ready to go home, but the waiting room was empty. She scanned the room, breathless and lightheaded. Where was Heather? She approached the triage window, assembling her scrambled thoughts to ask a coherent question.

  “Yes, Heather Lindsay. I think she was admitted. Let me check ward number for you.” The triage nurse wore little round glasses on his small nose. He tapped at the computer, then smiled at Melody. “Ward four. Second floor. Okay?”

  “Ward four. Thank you.” She turned and headed for the elevators.

  HEATHER SAT PROPPED up in bed, the covers tented over her legs. She was gazing at the TV screen suspended from the ceiling, but her eyes were unfocused. Melody paused in the doorway, unexpectedly shy.

  “Hello again, how are you doing?”

  Heather started. “Oh, I didn’t hear you come in!” A smile lit her face momentarily, then it wavered and tears welled in her huge brown eyes. She dashed them away with the back of her hand, and forced a smile again. “You’ve driven all this way for nothing. I can’t go home tonight, they want some specialist to look at me in the morning. Something about cracked small bones in my foot. They’re deciding if I need to have it pinned. I’m sorry to waste your time.”

  Melody grinned reassuringly. “No problem, I’m happy to help. Are you okay? What’s on TV?” Pushing aside her shyness, she entered the room and put her bag down, pulling the visitor’s chair into a better position beside the bed. She looked around. It was a small ward; the only other bed was unoccupied.

  “You don’t have to stay, you must have better things to do than visit with a stranger,” Heather protested weakly.

  “Nope, not a thing. This is exactly where I want to be.” Melody took Heather’s hand and squeezed it gently. “It sucks being all alone in hospital. I’ll stay until they kick me out, and I’ll come back tomorrow to pick you up.” She smiled at Heather, captivated again by those glowing brown eyes. Heather’s fingers tightened on hers. The silence stretched for a moment as their glances locked.

  A warm sweetness welled up in Melody’s body, unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Her face grew hot, all rational thought evaporating. Her breath caught and she coughed, her throat suddenly dry. She pulled her gaze away from the limitless depths of Heather’s eyes. Seeking something, anything, to say, her eyes lit on the dinner tray.

  “Oh, hey, hospital food. What did you get? Was it any good?”

  Heather gave a low chuckle. She reached for the dome covering her tray, lifting her hand away from Melody’s.

  “The dinner was okay, some kind of chicken pie. But the dessert was dreadful, I couldn’t even eat it.”

  Melody laughed, the tension broken. She moved to sit in the chair next to Heather’s bed. “What is that supposed to be?” It was a sad-looking thing, greyish peaks covering a pale yellow filling, resting on thick, doughy pastry. “Is it lemon meringue?”

  “That’s what they called it on the menu,” Heather laughed. “I suppose I should have known better. I love lemon meringue, but this is so bad, I couldn’t force down more than a bite. It’s all cardboardy, no taste at all. ”

  “When they let you out, I’ll get you the best lemon meringue in the world. My boss, Steph, runs a bakery in town, she makes amazing desserts. Her lemon meringue is
so light and delicious, full of tangy local lemons.” She settled back into the chair, looking up at the TV. “So, what’s on?”

  “Some old movie,” Heather said. She adjusted her pillow, wincing as her foot shifted. “Ignore it, I’m fine,” she smiled in reply to Melody’s concerned glance. “Just watch the movie.”

  Melody made a show of turning her head towards the screen. “Oh, Vanessa Redgrave. Isn’t she beautiful?” she exclaimed. “Dad used to watch old movies. I always thought she was so elegant.”

  They watched the movie together, chatting during the commercial breaks.

  “Did you contact your parents?” Melody asked at one point.

  Heather grimaced. “Yes, I called Mum. She’s not happy. She’s talking about coming to get me and take me home.”

  “But what about your car? And all your stuff at the B&B?”

  “I’m hoping Dad will get her calmed down and make her see sense. I kept trying to tell her I’m not really injured, and there’s nothing she can do anyway, but I don’t think she was listening. I might have to cut my trip short and go home for a while to reassure her.”

  Disappointment cut through Melody, hot and sharp. “Oh, that’s a pity,” she said impulsively. “I was hoping you could stay around here for a while. I wanted to show you around.”

  “Perth’s not that far away. I can always come back,” Heather said slowly, with a sidelong, questioning glance at Melody. “If you want me to?”

  Melody grasped her hand again, warmth welling up inside her and a broad smile spreading across her face. They shared a smiling glance full of promises.

  AS THE CLOSING MUSIC signalled the end of the movie, Melody glanced over at Heather. Her head lay back against the pillows, her eyes closed. She watched Heather sleep for a moment, revelling in the unexpectedly sweet sensation of connection.

  Heather stirred. She opened her eyes and blinked around in confusion. When her glance found Melody, her face relaxed into a smile, the tension leaving her body. “Oh, I’m so sorry. You came all this way to sit with me and I fell asleep. I just felt so safe with you sitting beside me...” Her voice trailed off, sleepy relaxation evident in her face. Her hand moved slightly on the blanket.