by Kira Blakely
“What’s going on inside?” I asked, snapping myself out of my thoughts as Audrey started swinging from my neck restlessly.
“They’re just getting their things, I think,” Bonnie said, looking back toward the aircraft.
There were more movements inside, and we could hear loud voices now. They’d be emerging any minute now and our vacation could finally begin.
I felt an urge to reach for Bonnie’s waist, and with one arm still holding Audrey, I encircled her in my arm and pulled her close to me. Bonnie allowed herself to press against my body and she rested her head on my shoulder.
The three of us stared at the beach before us, just a few feet past the runway. The sand was silver, even in the sun, and the water sparkled with different shades of blue. Light near the beach and progressively darker as the waves slushed away. No one else was in sight, save for the few who were on the runway, assisting our pilot with the aircraft’s formalities.
Some palm trees swayed listlessly, surrounded by huge gray boulders dotting the edges of the beach.
“Can we go for a swim, Daddy?” Audrey asked, turning to me first before looking at her mother eagerly.
“Maybe later, honey, and I’m sure our hotel has a pool,” Bonnie said, hooking a finger under Audrey’s chin to stop her from pouting.
Audrey huffed, not satisfied by the response, but I knew Bonnie would relent soon enough. As long as we kept a strict eye on Audrey at all times and didn’t stray to more than a few feet from the beach.
I leaned in to plant a soft kiss on Audrey’s cheek, before turning to Bonnie, who I kissed on the lips.
“Get a room, you two!” Vincent said from behind us, but I lingered for a few moments longer, savoring the taste of my wife’s mouth on mine.
Vincent
I winked at Audrey, who was swinging from Nash’s neck ahead of us. I’d arranged for three separate stretch limos to take us from the runway straight to our hotel. I stood, holding the door open while the others got out of their own cars. Then I felt Gemma’s hand in my outstretched palm and I turned to look at her.
She had just managed to plonk her feet on the ground and was now trying to gracefully haul herself out of the car. I was quick to help. With one hand still gripping hers, I reached over to wind my other arm around her waist and assist her out.
Up until the last minute, I’d insisted that we didn’t make this trip. Not in her condition, but she’d only smiled and shaken her head indulgently at me.
“You worry too much. I’ll be fine. I’m just five months in,” she had said.
Now I watched her as she straightened up beside me. She had started to show, and was just about getting used to the baby bump. She was in a long floral maxi dress that stretched over her belly where our son was. She caught me staring and broke into laughter.
“Don’t worry, he’s still in there,” she said and reached out to graze my jaw softly.
I couldn’t look away from her. Her dark thick curls were much longer now, and she let them hang loose around her hips. She wasn’t wearing much makeup, just her usual soft pink lipstick and a light smattering of mascara, but she was as magnetic as ever. I wanted to be as careful as possible with her as I led her toward the others, who had congregated at the entrance of the hotel.
“Are you feeling all right?” I asked, and she looked up at me.
“You’re worrying too much, let’s just enjoy ourselves before the baby comes,” she said and gave me a quick peck on the cheek.
I sighed. I couldn’t help but worry. My first child. Gemma was going to be the mother of our son. We hadn’t even picked a name yet. We hadn’t painted the nursery or thought of schools… I couldn’t wait to be a father, and it showed.
Gemma and I walked slowly, I was careful to guide her and she remained clinging to my arms. This was her first time in Seychelles, and she seemed excited.
“It’s so beautiful here,” she said suddenly as she caught sight of the beach beside the hotel. I could see that she was looking beyond me, her mind elsewhere. Almost as though she couldn’t believe how lucky she was to be here. I wanted to shake her, scream it out from the rooftops…
I am the lucky one.
Gemma
How did a girl like me, from a small town in Washington, end up in a place like this? I couldn’t drag my eyes away from the palm trees swinging softly in the breeze, the way the sun shone on the clear aquamarine water like diamonds, how incredibly sunny and happy it was all around us. This seemed like a completely different world, and surprisingly, I was in it!
Vincent hadn’t had the chance to take too many vacations like this since we started dating. Other than our honeymoon in Switzerland, and the time I accompanied him on his business trip to London, we had taken no other vacations. There was no time. I had medical school and Vincent had his work, and the free time that we did have, we were happy to spend together, alone in the cabin back home.
Now that I was out of med school and we were having a baby, I was home more often and Vincent had taken time off work as well. Casper had planned the whole trip out in great detail for us and even though Vincent was apprehensive at first, he couldn’t say no when he saw my eager eyes.
We were being given the tour of the hotel now, and Vincent was walking ahead of me with his arm around Casper’s shoulder. They were talking in whispers, clearly up to their own plans. Nash had gone up to check out all the rooms and to make sure everything was in order. Audrey was walking between me and Bonnie, her hands in each of ours.
“I hope she has no idea,” Bonnie said, and her voice interrupted my thoughts. I realized that I hadn’t heard a word of what she was saying.
“Lily?” I asked, and Bonnie nodded. Lily was going to fly in two hours after us. Casper had arranged his private jet for her. She had been caught up in litigation against the building of a dam in Nairobi and had decided to meet us here directly.
“No, she definitely doesn’t know. I spoke to her last night and she was clueless,” I said, exchanging mischievous smiles with Bonnie as we walked around the edge of the infinity pool.
My hand went instinctively to my belly, and I stroked it, catching Vincent’s eye when he turned to look at me. His dark eyes sparkled as they caught a ray of the sun, and I noted the way his thin cotton khaki shirt outlined the broad muscular build of his torso.
Not in a million years would I have imagined vacationing in a place like this, with a man like Vincent. He smiled and turned back to Casper, and my heart skipped a beat. It had been five years since we first met, and even though he was going to be the father of my child, I still felt like the luckiest woman in the world.
Lily
My feet tapped anxiously on the floor and I drew in a deep breath. Beside me, through the large oval window of the aircraft, I could see the crystal-clear water of the Indian Ocean. I was struck by its calm beauty and yet I was fretful to see Casper.
This trip to Nairobi had kept me away from home for the past two weeks. Other than five-minute video calls every alternate day using a slow-as-hell internet connection, I had been completely cut off from Casper and our life in San Francisco. I knew he was keeping himself busy with the company, and he was doing everything he could from his own end to stop the dam. And now that it was done and we were successful, I couldn’t wait to throw my arms around him and bury my face in his chest.
Casper was the only person I allowed myself to be weak with, and this was the very private jet we had first made love on. I looked around the room I was sitting in and couldn’t control the heat that rose to my cheeks.
Two weeks without being in his arms had driven me to desperation. I was sure that I was going to pounce on him and strip off his clothes the moment I saw him. I reminded myself that Audrey was going to be there, and a certain degree of decorum would have to be maintained.
My fingers drummed the arm of the chair, and I pulled my phone out of my purse. At least we were on time. Fifteen minutes more, and I could expect Casper to be standing in fron
t of a rented car on the runway, smiling up at me.
I couldn’t help but look at the photos of us on my phone. The latest ones were from our trip to Sri Lanka. I had gone there two months ago, to work on a clean waters initiative and Casper had surprised me a few days later. The photographs were of our happy shiny faces. His sandy blond hair looked striking in the harsh sun as it fell boyishly over his eyes. His blue-gray eyes stared directly at the camera as his arm was slung around my neck. His usually bronze skin was tanned even more in the picture.
My smiling face was turned to him, while he was the one taking the picture. I realized that I couldn’t stop staring at him even when a photograph was being taken. I shook my head.
I looked at the clock again, ten more minutes. The aircraft was going to land soon. Monica, the new flight attendant, emerged from somewhere outside the room and brought me a tray of lavender-scented rolled-up napkins. I thanked her, smiled and took one.
“We’re about to land, madam,” she said, and I looked out. Even from high in the sky, I could see Casper on the runway, his head facing upward in my direction.
Casper
My heart beat accelerated when I saw Lily stepping out of the aircraft. I’d dropped the others off at the hotel, fixed up our room and had been back on the runway, waiting for her, for the past twenty minutes. I was anxious to see her again. It had only been two weeks since she’d left for Nairobi, but that was long enough. Even a day was too long to be without her, and I was yet to get used to her busy work schedule.
Lily got out with a skip in her step. I could see that she was excited. Probably because she had been successful in stopping the dam from being built. I could see the victorious glow on her cheeks, and I instantly wanted to take her into my arms.
She wore a pair of linen shorts that barely reached the middle of her long slender thighs. Her oversized blue cotton shirt billowed in the breeze as she stood at the top of the metal stairs and stared at me.
“Hi!” she yelled, over the breeze and the roar of the aircraft’s dying engines. She was waving at me as well, and I laughed. When she was away from me, I felt like there was constantly a part of me missing, and now that she was back, I could be whole again.
We rushed toward each other, and I pulled her into my arms. We were kissing in moments and my hands found their way under her shirt and searched out the shape of her bra strap.
“Where’s Audrey?” Lily asked, pulling away from me with a jerk.
“At the hotel, don’t worry,” I said with a laugh and pulled her back in to kiss her again. Her fingers were in my hair, clutching a fistful as we kissed some more. My tongue parted her lips and searched her mouth hungrily. It was crazy that I was aroused by her in a matter of seconds, after all these years.
“How is everyone else?” she asked, when we parted for breath.
“Waiting for you,” I said as she wriggled out of my arms and then caught my hand. She swung it gently as we walked side by side, toward the waiting limo.
“I’m so happy about everything, Casper,” she said and leaned toward me. I kissed the top of her head and I felt a rush of nervousness for a second. Even though we were happy together, I still couldn’t be entirely sure if my plans would go smoothly.
“I’m happy that you’re happy, love,” I said as I popped the door of the car open. Her unruly auburn waves buffeted in the breeze as she turned to look at me for a moment before getting into the car.
“Come in here quick, so we can make out again,” she said, the sides of her lips lifting in a smile.
Lily
I left the room, walking slowly down the beautifully hall of the hotel. Despite it being peak season, the place was charmingly quiet. Casper had booked the most expensive hotel on the island so we could all get some privacy. All three men, and me, too, were quite frequently in the news, and we needed to stay away from prying eyes as much as we possibly could.
I’d taken a quick shower before changing into a black lycra bikini with a purple ribbon tassel hanging from the center. I’d wrapped a purple chiffon sarong around my waist and now it trailed behind me as I walked. Casper had knocked on the bathroom door earlier to inform me that he had something to attend to and that he’d meet me out on the beach.
“Lily, wait up!” Gemma called, and I turned to find her walking toward me from the end of the hallway. She was showing now, and I rushed forward to embrace her in a hug.
“You are glowing!” I said excitedly and placed a hand on her baby bump. She looked at me like a proud parent, and we started walking together.
“I heard Nairobi was a success,” she said, as I tried to match my steps with hers. Gemma, who was always so quick on her feet, fidgety and active like a little pixie, had slowed down now ever since the pregnancy.
“Yeah, it was great,” I said as we stopped outside the gilded elevator doors. A soft ping heralded us in, and we stood beside each other. She was in a one-piece bathing suit that stretched over her belly, and a thin floral shrug.
“Is Vincent still fretting over you?” I asked her and she laughed, then rolled her eyes.
“He’d happily be pregnant instead of me, if he could. That man needs to chill,” she said as the elevator came to a stop on the ground floor. We both laughed, I knew exactly what she was talking about. Ever since they gave us the news that they were expecting, I had noticed the change in Vincent. He had pumped himself up to be a father.
“First time dad, he’s just nervous,” I said, as we crossed the impeccably polished marble foyer of the hotel.
Gemma turned to smile at me. “What about you?” she asked.
I licked my lips nervously. I knew exactly what she was asking, but I wanted to bide my time before replying.
“What do you mean?” I asked and looked away from her. When I turned back, I saw that she had been staring at me with a twinkle in her eye.
“Have you thought about motherhood?” she asked and I took in a deep breath. I knew I could be honest with Gemma, and Bonnie both. The three of us had spent a whole lot of time together in the past five years, and at this stage, we were as good as sisters. While Gemma and Vincent were Audrey’s godparents, they had already spoken to Casper and me about making us their baby’s.
“I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t been thinking about it,” I confessed, as I pushed open the glass doors that led out into the pool area, beyond which the sparkling beach beckoned to us.
I could see the others on the beach already, Audrey kicking a ball around, Nash and Vincent chasing after her. Casper and Bonnie were sitting on the sand, talking.
“Have you spoken to Casper about it?” Gemma asked.
I shook my head without looking at her. “It’s not that I don’t want to, or that I can’t. I just haven’t found the right moment to,” I said, and I sensed her reach out for my hand.
“I’m sure he’d be delighted to hear it. He’s great with Audrey,” she told me.
I pursed my lips and nodded. “I know he is. I just don’t know if he’s ready to settle down, you know? I don’t know if he’s thought about it. Getting into a serious relationship with me was a big step in itself for him,” I said, as we crossed the pool area, heading to the beach.
Gemma was silent for a few moments and then she looked at me, fixing me with a firm gaze. “That’s what I thought about Vincent, too, that he would never settle down. The three of them just don’t give you that impression. But they are happy,” she said and I saw the way she looked out toward Vincent. Her hand was stroking her belly; she was thinking about the child they were going to have.
We had approached the group now, and the moment Audrey saw me, she came running, abandoning her ball. At three years old, the girl really knew how to pack a punch. I caught her in my arms and lifted her up in the air, just as Casper walked over.
“You’re here!” Audrey squealed, and her proud mother smiled at us from where she was sitting on the sand.
“Yes, I am. Do you want to include me in you game?” I as
ked, setting her down again as Casper placed a hand on the small of my back.
“Hi, Lily. We’ve been waiting for you,” Bonnie called out to me, looking from under the shadow of her straw hat. I smiled wide at her and waved at Nash and Vincent in the distance. It was so great to see them all again; a trip together was a long time coming. But my recent conversation with Gemma had put me somewhat on edge, and as Casper led me with his hand on my back, I couldn’t seem to shake the feeling.
Casper
I was nervous again. I was keeping an eye on Lily from the corner of my eye as she played with Audrey near the gentle waves. Vincent and Nash were with them, while I sat wedged between Bonnie and Gemma, who were there with me for moral support.
“She looks so happy, Casper; this is the right time,” Bonnie said, slowly dragging the sunglasses off her face. Both the women had noticed how restless I was getting, and they had sat me down between them.
“I spoke to her earlier, and I’m sure that she’s thinking along the same lines, so don’t worry,” Gemma assured me.
I turned to look at Lily nervously again, and my right hand found its way into the pocket of my pants. The velvet box was still safely in there, and I toyed with it.
“I don’t know if I can wait that long,” I blurted, and I noticed the way the two women exchanged knowing smiles.
“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. We have the band set up, all the arrangements made, it’ll go smoothly,” Bonnie said, and patted me affectionately on my shoulder.
I took in a deep breath as I kept my eyes on Lily. She looked sexy as hell in her black scrappy bikini. She’d discarded the sarong already, and I watched as she took quick athletic strides as she chased after the ball. She’d tanned a little on her trip to Nairobi. Her usually porcelain clear complexion was now a healthy shade darker, which only made her red wavy hair pop to a brighter color. My eyes were immediately drawn to the way her perfectly shaped breasts bounced as she ran.