by J. J. Kapka
Yet another Thai woman entered wearing exactly the same silk pajamas he had on. She was petite, and her thick bobbed hair perfectly framed her finely featured face. Smiling, she advanced toward him.
No way, Becker thought, panicking. Maddie couldn’t possibly be thinking that this woman and I… As the woman got closer, Becker inched away toward the other side of the bed. This is a test. Maddie’s going to walk in, in a couple of minutes, and if she catches me in a clinch with this woman, that’ll be the end of it.
Just as he was ready to bolt off the bed, the woman stopped. “Massage,” she said.
“Wha…? Becker turned toward her.
“I do you massage. Very good massage.” Patting the bed, she instructed, “You lie down.”
“Massage my…” Thinking twice, Becker stopped, remembering the woman who had bathed him and the fact that there hadn’t been any hanky-panky involved there. So he lay down with his face buried firmly in the pillows, tensed to spring up and make a run for it if things got dicey.
The woman climbed up on the bed and straddled his legs. Then she leaned forward over his back and pressed it with both hands. For such a tiny woman, her hands exerted an amazing amount of pressure, but not in a painful way. As she kneaded and pulled and stroked, Becker felt like he was going to melt, any tension remaining after his bath swept inexorably away.
The rhythmic movements had a lulling effect, and he was nearly ready to nod off when she moved down to his legs. Again alert, he waited to see how far her reach would extend. Once reassured she was indeed discreet, he relaxed and abandoned himself to the pleasure of her expert hands.
After she finished rubbing his legs, she picked his feet up and bent the legs back, just enough to give him a good stretch. She then did the same thing with his arms before once again moving down to the bottom of the bed and working on his feet.
Becker sighed. Oooohhhhhh. This is actually the best part of all. He’d heard of reflexology, where every part of the foot is associated with another part of the body, but he hadn’t given it much credence. So much for my skepticism. He marveled as a sense of well-being washed through him from the simple manipulations she performed on his feet.
By the time she walked up to the head of the bed and tapped him on the shoulder, he felt as loose as a rubber band. Half sitting up, he watched as she walked over to a closet, opened the door, and pointed to clothes hanging there. “You change, please,” she said. She picked up a basket from the floor of the closet, carefully spread more flower petals leading from the bed to the door outside, and left.
Becker walked over to the closet and pulled out the items on the hangers. First, there was a short-sleeved shirt like the locals wore, but this one was made out of beautifully embroidered Thai silk in a golden amber hue. The embroidery at the bottom, done in golden thread, encircled the entire shirt with a native design about three inches in height.
Next, he pulled out a pair of white linen slacks and noticed something else had been draped over the handle. Looking closely, Becker realized with a blush that it was a white silk thong. “Hoo-boy.” He exhaled, his heart racing. She didn’t forget one detail.
Last, on the floor of the closet, he found a pair of comfortable-looking leather sandals.
Pulling off the silk pajamas, Becker carefully dressed in the new clothes, which seemed to fit him as perfectly as if they’d been tailor-made. He stepped briefly back into the bathroom to run the comb through his hair again. Then, taking a deep breath, he went back into the bedroom to follow the petals to the outside door.
He opened the door and stepped outside, unsure whether to turn left or right. Just then, music started up from somewhere close by, music unlike any he’d ever heard. If he weren’t mistaken, it was live, not a recording. Taking that as his cue, he turned left and made his way up to the front of the boat. Arrayed on the deck, close to the bow, four musicians played what appeared to be Thai instruments. One of the items looked like a very small xylophone made out of hollowed-out bamboo.
Just as he was about to look at the other instruments, a movement caught his eye. Looking to his left, he saw Maddie slide into view from the other side of the deck. This was a Maddie out of a dream: she was swathed from her shoulders to her feet in deep tangerine-colored Thai silk that had somehow been wrapped around most of her body as though it were a second skin. The gold embroidery at the bottom above her bare feet, around her waist, and on the swatch thrown over her shoulder was the same color and pattern as his. Her hair had been pulled back and knotted to the side, leaving a few curls to frame her face, with white orchids tucked into the knot behind her ear. Her eyes were rimmed with black kohl, and her lips were the same color as her dress. Long brass earrings dangled from her ears, and several more brass bracelets encircled each of her wrists.
Becker felt his heart stop in his chest. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined her like this. Normally, she wore very little makeup, but in this setting and with those clothes, with the percussive music playing in the background, the effect was breathtaking.
Finally gathering his wits about him, he started to rush over to her, but she held up her hand as if to say stop. Putting a finger to her lips, she turned her head to the right, from where she’d just come, and nodded.
A Buddhist monk appeared, barefoot and draped in flowing saffron robes. He positioned himself in front of the musicians and smiled at them both.
Only then did Maddie walk softly toward Becker and touch her hand to his elbow, guiding him to stand next to her in front of the monk. The monk then began a melodic chant, the words of which were definitely not English. At the same time, the musicians changed their tempo to match the chant, building to a light crescendo. Suddenly, there was complete silence as both the monk and the musicians stopped.
Maddie gazed lovingly up at Becker. “Will you marry me again?” she asked.
Becker’s knees nearly buckled as he reached over to caress Maddie’s face. “Yes, with all my heart,” he whispered.
“I bless this marriage,” the monk said, in halting English. “May you walk a path of love and friendship and keep each other safe.” He smiled broadly and held up his hands.
Maddie turned Becker around in time to see two young men approach, one bearing two large pillows and the other carrying a round table with very short legs. They put down the table and pillows, and Maddie motioned Becker to sit down, while the monk discreetly returned from whence he came, followed by the two men.
Shortly, two young women appeared. One placed a bowl of floating flowers in the middle of the table, and the other laid before them plates and brass cutlery. As Becker watched, the men again appeared carrying trays of food. Becker recognized nothing other than a bowl of rice, but that didn’t stop him from taking small samples of everything and loading his plate. He kept looking at Maddie and shaking his head in wonder, while she gazed back at him with a soft smile playing across her lips.
The musicians took up their playing again, but it was soft enough so that when the attendants finished and retreated to wherever it was they came from, Becker clearly heard Maddie’s voice. She looked over at Becker and said tremulously, “I missed you.”
Becker dropped his fork and reached over to grab Maddie’s hand. “Oh God, Maddie, I missed you, too. You don’t know how I felt when we thought you were…gone. I felt like someone had reached into my chest and pulled out my heart.”
“I’m so sorry for that.” Tears poured from Maddie’s eyes, tracking the black kohl in rivulets down her checks. Within seconds, she was transformed from Oriental princess into a mime with a bad-face day.
Becker couldn’t help chuckling.
Startled, Maddie looked at him askance.
Becker picked up one of the napkins and dabbed at the streaks, explaining that tears and kohl just didn’t mix.
Realizing what she must look like, Maddie laughed, too. “This is why I hate to wear makeup.”
Becker had her back to rights in short order, and they both
picked up their forks and started sampling the many dishes before them. There was a wide variety of flavors and textures, but nearly everything came loaded with chilies. A hot flush crept into their cheeks, yet the food was so delicious, they kept on eating. Soon chili-induced tears poured from their eyes, and the little kohl left on Maddie’s eyes made its way down her cheeks. Looking at the food’s effects on each other, they doubled up with laughter.
Taken by surprise, the musicians paused, wondering if, perhaps, it might be them that Becker and Maddie were laughing at. But when they saw the two fanning their mouths and pouring glasses of ice water, they whispered knowingly among themselves, grinned, and recommenced playing.
Eventually, Maddie and Becker discovered that rice and prawn crackers were a better sop for the heat than water, and they soon emptied that bowl. When the attendants came out to remove the plates, they replaced them with a dazzling array of tropical fruits. Calling one of the women back, Becker politely asked, “What are these called?”
Pointing to each one in turn, she recited the names. “Rambutan, mangosteen, lychee, jackfruit, papaya.”
But the real treat was yet to come, when one of the men came back bearing what he called mango with sticky rice. Luscious, ripe halves of mango were drizzled with coconut cream and laid next to glutinous rice that had been cooked with coconut milk and sugar and salt. Pairing each bite of mango with some of the rice made a sensuous combination on their tongues.
“Mmmmm,” Maddie murmured, closing her eyes with pleasure.
“Mmmmm,” Becker replied, staring intently at Maddie.
~~~
July 27—Late
Upon hearing Becker’s “mmmmm,” Maddie opened her eyes to find him staring raptly at her. That’s when she knew for sure he wasn’t referring to the dessert. Or at least not to the dessert on the table. The thought of what he was thinking sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. Still, she couldn’t resist drawing out the delicious suspense as long as possible. She dipped into her dessert again, but this time directed the forkful into Becker’s mouth, letting her eyes speak volumes.
It was becoming increasingly clear that her well-laid plans, with a great deal of help from the concierge, had had their desired effect. Looking at Becker’s bronzed body in those white linen pants and silk shirt sent quivers through her insides. The quiver turned to a tremor when Becker reached into his own bowl with his fingers and brought a glistening slice of mango to her lips. She parted them ever so slowly and encircled the mango and the edge of Becker’s finger, gently drawing the mango onto her tongue.
The new flush that rose on Becker’s cheeks had nothing to do with the spice in the food. Clearly, Maddie knew, it was time. She slowly rose and stood looking down into Becker’s eyes. “Are you ready?”
Becker unfolded himself and stood smiling with his back to the musicians. The answer to Maddie’s question was quite evident, but he still replied, “I thought you’d never ask.”
Holding hands, they walked over to the bedroom door. When Becker reached out to open it, Maddie could see that his hand shook. Lightheaded herself, she could barely contain the impulse to rush on in. After they’d stepped across the threshold and closed the door behind them, they turned to face each other and were so overcome with emotion that they wrapped each other in a tearful embrace. Gradually, the tears died out, and desire again took hold.
Several more candles shimmered on the bedside tables, but the petals had miraculously disappeared. In their place, a new trail quickly formed from the door to the bed: sandals, pants, dress, shirt. Shortly afterward the bed reverberated, as they both fell onto it together, and two thongs went shooting off into the air. But not the bracelets. The bracelets jangled long into the night.
~~~
The Becker Chronicles—Bangkok
The smell of flowers permeated Becker’s semi-consciousness. Funny, he never remembered being able to smell things in his dreams before. Then came a soft jangle: noise had never been so clear before in his dreams. The sensation of a hand moving across his hip was the final kicker. His eyes opened, and he found himself gazing at Maddie’s sleeping face only inches away from him. The rest of their bodies were somehow all tangled together in a very pleasant fashion.
Seeing Maddie across from him this way for the first time in over a month jogged his sleep-dazed memory into trying to recall how she had gotten there. Oh, now I remember, he thought with a blush. Thinking back over the previous night’s adventures sent a warm glow all through his body. In fact, from the minute he’d stepped into the Rolls, it had been one long, agonizingly pleasurable day.
She felt so right here in his arms, and he was so glad that he’d come to his senses before he’d lost her completely. He was glad, too, that she’d made him work so hard to win her back. It made the climax of last night all the sweeter. He was so content, he just couldn’t resist raising a finger and running it along her cheek to once again feel her skin.
Maddie’s eyes fluttered open, and a soft smile pulled up the corners of her mouth. “Remember how I mentioned I’d learned a few things in France?” she whispered.
“Yes, I believe you did an excellent show-and-tell last night,” Becker said with mock chagrin.
“There’s just one more thing I forgot to show you…”
~~~
July 29—Late Morning
When they finally emerged from their cabin late in the morning—sated, happy, and hungry—they walked back to the area where they’d had dinner the night before and found that the table had been set for breakfast. They’d barely sat down when one of the servers appeared with a beautifully prepared tray of fruits, local sweets, and coffee. Depositing the items on the table, the young woman smiled slightly and bowed before disappearing.
“You know,” Maddie mused, “I could get used to this kind of life.”
“Me, too,” Becker avidly agreed.
“Of course, they’ll want to get paid at some point, so I guess we better quit while we’re ahead and still solvent.”
“Yeah,” Becker agreed. He cocked his head for a moment, as he seemed to be considering something. “You know, I’m a bit tired of all this running around from city to city. It sounded great on paper, trying to see as many places as we could fit in. But now, after all that’s happened, I’d be happy to just stay still for a while.”
Maddie nodded in agreement. “I know what you mean. Maybe we can skip Hong Kong and Singapore and Tokyo and just find a beach somewhere away from it all and hang out for the rest of the vacation.”
With a twinkle in his eye, Becker leaned forward and cupped Maddie’s chin in his hand. “Of course, we’d need to compensate for all the lying on the beach with a lot of exercise…”
“Oh, of course.” Maddie laughed. Then she pulled his palm up to her lips and gave it a gentle kiss before placing her hand into it. “In fact, we’ve been way behind on our exercise and need to make up for a lot of lost time.”
Becker grinned and squeezed her hand. “What are we waiting for?” he asked. “What do you say we get out of here? I have to admit, Bangkok’s been my favorite place, even though I haven’t seen any of it. But knowing there’s a big, white beach somewhere with our names on it just makes me anxious to get there and start…exercising.”
Chapter 11
Broome, Australia
Shrimp on the Barbie—Perfectly Cooked Inside and Out, Bronzed but Tender
August 14—Late Afternoon
Though the Indian Ocean surf crashed loudly and storm clouds gathered on the horizon, Maddie and Becker had a hard time gathering up any enthusiasm for packing up and leaving the beach for the last time. Cable Beach was absolutely stunning: fifteen miles of pristine white sand, with the turquoise waters of the ocean offsetting the vivid blue of the sky. Somehow, the air itself had more clarity Down Under. Because of the remote location of Broome on the far northwest coast of Australia, the beach was practically deserted compared to what they were accustomed to on the East Coast of the U.S
.
Aside from the gorgeous scenery, the locals couldn’t be nicer. They were down-to-earth, friendly, and always had time for a chat. There was none of the hustle and bustle of the other cities they’d been to. In Broome, they were just laid-back and loving it.
Taking it easy was what Maddie and Becker’s vacation had become all about. Once they checked into the hotel across the street, with its collection of pearl-diver-style bungalows, they shed their previous habit of rushing out to see and do things. It had taken little time for them to become accustomed to a lazy routine of early mornings and late afternoons at the beach, interspersed with meals and the best times they’d ever spent together as a couple.
True to their intentions, they’d burned off many calories. It didn’t matter if they stayed up all night loving each other, because then they would happily spend the morning napping under umbrellas at the beach. Sometimes they came back to the bungalow to change for lunch at a restaurant and happened to get distracted long enough that they missed the serving times for the relatively few restaurants in town. But that was all right: they’d just reach into the stash of snacks they’d learned to keep in their little kitchen and lazily feed each other in bed before heading back to the beach for another nap and a swim.
The more unhurried their schedule became, the more invigorated they felt. Relieved from the stress of always planning the next step, they reveled in the joy of doing absolutely nothing. The lack of any other distractions led them to have plenty of time to reconnect with each other, relearn everything that had drawn them together in the first place, and find even more reasons to appreciate each other than they’d ever expected. The simple pleasures of cappuccino at a beachside restaurant or a game of Yahtzee by the pool now meant so much more to them after all they’d been through.
It was hard to think they’d have to pack up and leave this place to get on the long flight home tomorrow. But there was one more thing they had to do, which was why they’d specifically chosen tomorrow as their departure day. With a worried glance over their shoulders at the clouds on the horizon, they headed back to their room to change and go out for a bite before settling in for the highlight of the night.