Visions of Blue: Book I in the Visions Trilogy

by Inia Jardine

  'Omar will help too, but he could not make dinner tonight unfortunately. Henri suggested that we eat inside as it looks like we may have a storm brewing, but we usually dine on our lanai porch. With the Jamaican heat it is wonderful to have that cool breeze from the ocean flowing through the room. Your house has one too, have you explored yet?'

  'I saw that, it is lovely. We have not really had time to explore properly but tomorrow, after a late lie in, we will do so. I must say that I am quite tired and the idea of a storm fascinates me, I sleep better when it rains. It would most probably be a thunder storm if this heat is any indication. Back in South Africa we always had a nice thunder storm to cool off after hot, hot days.'

  'Let's say grace Henri and thank the Universe for the safe return of your son and his wife. You have made us very happy Jonah and Lilia. Thanks so much for coming to stay.'

  After the very pleasant meal and some informal plans for the next day we walk home in the dark. They have promised to respect our privacy at all times, and we agreed that we will do the same. I have never liked people 'just dropping in'.

  Henri gave us a strong torch to light the way to our cottage and it is not far. As we near our house the skies open with a sudden flash of lightning and the rain starts pouring down. We run the last fifty metres or so and arrive soaked to the skin. Good thing we have the torch because the electricity is not working and it is pitch dark inside the house. Kiki is howling and we find Flower and Rainbow but have to look for Willow as he is petrified of thunder. After a frantic few minutes Jonah finds him in our closet.

  I hug him tightly to me. 'Come my baby, Mommy is home now. I will put some music on to drown out the thunder and let's close all the curtains to make it darker. Will you then join me for a bath by candle light Jonah?'

  'Of course my dear, I am soaked. Henri gave us the carafe of red wine that was left over after dinner and I think it is best drunk in a warm bubble bath with a gorgeous woman. Don't you agree?'

  'Gorgeous man for me any day, I am so over women.' I grin naughtily.

  As Jonah lowers himself into the bath carefully, he says 'that remark about women intrigues me. Have you ever been attracted to a woman?'

  'Eew Jonah, no! It was only a witty come back to your remark. Eew. No. What other people do is their business but for me it will always be big dark men. I find them irresistible.'

  'All big dark men?' He shifts around finding a comfortable space in the bath. This bath is big enough for both of us and we are not small people. 'No my love, only this one.' I reach for his magnificent member and feel that familiar tingling in my nether regions.

  'God, I don't know what it is with you. I just always want to make love to you. Am I a nymphomaniac?'

  'I am irresistible. All my lovers have said that.'

  He ducks as I splash him. ' Watch out, I don't like bubbles in my wine.'

  'Well unfortunately for all of them I am an excellent shot and you have to put up with just mean old me.' I climb onto him and lower myself until he fills me completely.

  'No jokes Lilia, I feel the same as you do. From that first day it was as if all other women, yes all of them including Olivia Newton John, ceased to exist for me.' He has had a thing for her ever since he first saw Xanadu. I must say, she is one beautiful, perfect woman.

  'Oh my God you turn me on. For an old couple it may be dangerous, the amount of sex we are having lately. Yet, you are so tight and wet and always available. I love you so much.'

  'It's funny you should say that. In my past I have been unable to achieve orgasm with any of my lovers and I was repeatedly told that I was frigid. It truly takes a perfect lover to turn you into the perfect lover yourself. We were made for each other Jonah, oh yes do that thing again, hmm, and when I die you will become a celibate old man, OK?'

  'Yes anything for you. Oh Lilia you will be the death of me anyway.'

  'What a way to die. This old sex pistol of a woman is bushed now. I want to sleep for a week. Let's dry off and get into that fluffy pile of luxuriousness with the babies.'

  I awake with the smell of coffee in my nostrils and a cat on top of my face. 'Hey Willow, the thunder is over, my dearest catten. Come, I need to wee, let me get up. ' I kiss him and the other two lying further down on the bed and make a beeline for the bathroom. When I glance in the mirror a curly haired witch looks back at me. Hey, I have straight hair, who is that looking back at me?

  'Like the new look wifey. What happened to your hair?'

  'Gimme, gimme, gimme oh Jonah you are my hero. I wondered where you and Kiki were. Coffee!' I take a sip and sigh. 'Jamaican Blue Mountain. Yes. Hmm. What are those?'

  'When I opened the door to let Kiki go for a wee it was on the porch. They are Johnny Cakes. Here try them.'

  'They're nice. The hair, well I think it is the sea air and humidity. But I always admired people with curly hair as mine have always been so dead straight. I like these new curls. I will save a fortune on hair products! Let's go eat these delicious things and have our coffee on the lanai. It is just through that alcove.'

  We walk through to the back of the house and come to the beautifully furnished lanai. Rich jewel colours and tons of pillows. 'Oh wow, I love it! And look, you can see the gazebo from here! Down there is where I want to put the frog pond. Then we will have the ocean on one side and the gazebo and frogs on the other. How lucky can you get!' I am in love with this house.

  'I will ask Henri for a lopper or secateurs and trim back just a little bit of the wisteria. I love the lushness of it, but if we trim back a tiny bit we will actually be able to go inside and see if it can be fixed up for use. The lady will approve of that I'm sure.'

  'Just ask Henri for the use of his gardener Lilia. It's not necessary for you to do it.'

  'I want to. This, I want to do myself. Maybe she will visit me again.'

  'Do you feel like walking down to the beach first? Henri added the land there to my original estate so I have to explore that and see what we actually have to work with. You can play with Kiki while I explore. I will take my walking stick with and we should both take our mobiles in case of emergency.'

  'I would love to and Kiki, I'm sure, can't wait to go down to the cove again. She loves the quiet water but is a bit afraid of the waves. It looks flat on the ocean today, no wind, no white horses. A beautiful calm day. Are you sure you want to explore on your own though? Don't you think you need to take Henri with?'

  'I don't know, on the one hand I would love to check things out on my own and on the other hand I guess it would be a good time for us to bond. You're right Lilia, I will give Henri a call.'

  A few minutes later after dressing for the beach in shorts and tank tops we meet Henri at the garden gate and walk down together. Henri told me that Jalade went shopping and asked if I could come over later to either do some cooking or to see her vegetable/herb garden. I text off a quick reply to her on the previously saved numbers which Henri kitted our mobiles out with, and promise to meet up at their house later.

  Kiki runs free towards the beach as she seems to know the route after one trip, she must smell the ocean. Although it is new to her she will surely appreciate it in this warm climate with her thick coat. Henri and Jonah set off towards the foundations which have been laid and I fondly watch them laugh and chat as they walk along. This time together on the estate, planning and exploring will surely cement their father-son relationship. So many years have been wasted due to misunderstandings and lack of communication from both sides.

  I start beach-combing, looking for shells and interesting driftwood as Kiki investigates the small gentle waves softly lapping the fine white sand. Next time I will definitely bring a small bucket along as there are many lovely shells, broken as well as whole. I am looking forward to adding new Jamaican species to my small, mostly South African collection.

  Here and there I have purchased shells from other parts of the world, but 95% of my shells are ones I have picked up myself. I have one very strict rule though, never e
ver take a shell which still houses a living being. I will never forget the day on a lovely long stretch of pristine beach near the Cape where I found a perfect paper nautilus. The little delicate octopus/squid-like creature was still inside and alive. I needed a perfect paper nautilus shell for my collection but put her back in the ocean hoping that she would survive. I am reminded of the Marianne Moore poem about the paper nautilus '... the paper nautilus constructs her thin glass shell...'

  Written many years ago, but timeless in its reality, you see the nautilus right in front of you when reading the poem, its existence fragile and beautiful like love. People should have respect like this for all creatures, big and small. I have to remember to include the nautilus in the envisaged hotel somehow. A thought strikes me while pondering the beach and luminous crystal clear water of the cove.

  The hotel should be an homage to nature, blending in and almost supplementing the exquisite surroundings, but different to everything already over-exploited and commercialised. It should be built on rock and high enough to be safe in a storm or tsunami. The cove should protect us from the worst that nature can unleash.

  I sit down on the sand and start drawing with a stick. I sketch a rough outline and then watch it come together in my mind. 'Kiki, come girl, we need to get home. I need to get this onto the computer as soon as possible or it will escape my old mind.'

  'Honey, I am going home to do something important, enjoy your time with Henri. Love you. PS So excited. ;-), I text Jonah so that he won't worry about me.

  At home I immediately put the coffee maker on, and switch on the laptop. Sitting up on the lanai with the beautiful garden below me, adrenalin and inspiration flood me. I need to get everything down while it is fresh in my mind. While I wait for the electronics to boot up, I go and change into a loose dress and pin my hair up.

  The cats wind themselves through my legs like satin ribbons the whole time as they can feel my excitement. It will just be one more day before I can let them out of the house. The lanai is almost one with the garden even though it is one story up, so they are safe here. They have already found their favourite places amongst the sofas and pillows and soft chairs and settle down in the luxuriousness and comfort of being pampered and loved. And safe.

  With the preloaded drawing program, I start with a quick outline plan for the new hotel. I think that three levels as per the foundations would work, sixteen rooms should generate enough income with five rooms to a level and the penthouse suite right on top. This should be the biggest most luxurious suite suitable for royalty, movie stars and anyone with too much money. But no entourages, just the couples themselves. Everything should be special and unique so as to make our hotel, Gorgoleta Boutique Hotel, stand out from the competition. No kids allowed, only couples over 40. Only old timers!

  Couples of whichever gender combination would be welcome. I have heard that Jamaica is generally very intolerant to gay people. Gay, lesbian and transgender people. Well, if we allow only couples - no groups, it should ensure a relatively safe environment. People have that mob mentality where they will behave atrociously when in a group, but very properly when on their own or just with a partner.

  Those prerequisites should take care of troublesome groups of young women or men – we do have the right to prescribe rules of admittance to our private establishment. The rates should be just high enough to enable people to have fun in a quiet, stress-free and private environment. We can create a few hiking trails through the forest and gardens of the estate with guide books showing our animals, butterflies, birds and plants as well as geological and other interesting facts. We could have glass bottom boats for two in which couples could explore the cove at their leisure. Learn about our sea life, shells and sea birds.

  At the hotel there should be a series of natural rock swimming pools where people can be private and those shy about their bodies can feel safe and enjoy themselves. Staff should respect the privacy of guests and not hover, but be at their beck and call with an intercom system unobtrusively placed at regular intervals. Yes, all your wishes must be met by Gorgoleta staff dressed in flowing white cotton. Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening there should be a lovely old fashioned dance with sixties, seventies and eighties music only, wonderful! Then Jonah and I can dance to our hearts content! I can't wait. I am so excited!

  I think that the theme for our hotel should be nature. Living with nature, blending the hotel into the landscape with soft natural colours and materials. No waste material should be left behind. Recycling grey water for the gardens, using sea water or maybe water from the spring for the pools. I will use mostly indigenous vegetation with a few choice exotics. That will cut down on irrigation & fertilisation. Our restaurant should serve only vegetarian foods and Jalade can be chef! Omar could establish a greenhouse kitchen garden for our herbs and veggies, keeping it all in the family. The ideas just flow and flow and by the time Jonah gets home from his walk with Henri I am flopped out on the pillows snoring.

  'Hey woman, I thought you were working and now I find you snoozing?'

  'Hmm Jonah I'm exhausted. Been having an idea explosion. Have a look at the laptop and tell me what you think.'

  After about ten minutes of intense concentration on my plans Jonah turns around with a big smile. 'I like, I like! It is so different from what I was envisaging, but it can work. I hope Henri has endlessly deep pockets as it will certainly cost a pretty penny. But you have lovely ideas here Lilia.' He plants a big kiss on my cheek and lies down on the pillows next to me.

  'I will do some refining and more drawings, you can help me with the business plan and we can present it to him in a few days’ time. Do you think he will approve?'

  'Sure, he seems to think the sun shines out of your behind. He was just saying good things about you while we were exploring the new land. He seems to think that you have a good influence on me.'

  'I like to think so as well. See what a great husband I have made of you! Do you think my great husband will be Chief Executive Officer of the hotel and ensure that we make money? Then I can flit about and buy stuff and paint on the walls, plant flowers and spend every last cent.'

  'Only if you ask very nicely. And... if you ask really, really nicely I will even convince Henri to make you Chief Designer of Everything and Garden Queen Extraordinaire. But it will cost you...' He winks at me and whispers something in my ear that I am pretty sure most men just dream of.

  I smile. 'Of course, anything for you my darling. You know that. You will have exactly what you want and when you want it. But not because of my new designation as queen, but because I love you and I love making you happy. It's a date, tonight.'

  'What have I ever done to deserve you? You are all the best things a man could want from a woman, all rolled up into one. I love you, my woman.'

  'A guy I once knew in South Africa said that a man wants two women, a Madonna for the front room and a harlot for the bedroom. I don't know how to be the Madonna and I would most probably never be good enough to be a well-paid call-girl, but I can keep my man happy. Somewhere in the middle is all I can do. That's all I want anyway. I have no delusions of grandeur of being some siren.'

  I give him a big hug and cuddle and walk over to the computer. 'You have just given me another idea. I think that we should have some sexy and naughty literature, not movies as I don't want TV, DVD or radio in the rooms. It breaks the tranquility if some idiot has his on too loud. People must come here to relax, commune with nature. Not to watch TV or work. Just some copies of the Kama Sutra, My Secret Garden or Lady Chatterley's Lover for every room. Then they can read it to each other and have nice quiet fun. What do you think?'

  'Perfect, it would be any couple's dream to get away from reality and really connect in a different way. They can get to know their lingams and their yoni's! We must make sure to get the illustrated versions of the Kama Sutra if we can. It must be a passion paradise! But we will have to have a public Wi-Fi spot for those die-hard workers. We should discourage
it though, make it face the pools or something to redirect their attention to fun and relaxation, away from work, but subtly. Limit their online time to thirty minutes a day!'

  'Clever! Even if more conservative couples are opposed to everyday hard-core porn they may learn something from the classics. It's almost less offensive just because it's not depicted as 'modern'. Women are sometimes opposed to watching porn but reading about it may be different. At over forty they should hopefully be in touch with their sexuality.'

  'You are a genius. We want happy couples here not stuck up frustrated ones! Like us hey Jonah? We are happy are we not? Will you tell me when you are not happy?'