Soul Mates. The Beginning.

by Christine Wood

“Her mum told our mum, so the bragging rights to the first grandchild have started, thank you Dora.” I’m happy for her she was born to be a mum. Carmen on the other hand will hire a surrogate she doesn’t want stretch marks or the pain. We are met at the airport by customs and a car is here to take us and the bags to the hotel. I haven’t been here before, and it’s beautiful hotel one of first class luxury and so pretty. Luis walks me to my bungalow on the beach, security will be in the last cabin on the beach, but I don’t care at least they are not in the next damn room.

  “We’re in the hotel, so behave there’s even a butler to pander to your every whim, your grace, after all Princess Isabella is only twenty one once.” I giggle, the shots we did on the plane are taking effect now and I feel giddy. “Right things to do and guests to greet do you want to meet up for dinner later Sis?”

  “Yeah, I am going to change and have a few hours reading and sipping cocktails on my private beach, how very decadent? See you later. Thanks for this Luis.” I kiss his cheek and my big brother goes on the prowl, for the next Mrs Humphries, apparently, he’s really going to buckle down and find a woman to have mum’s grandbabies, right like that’s true. I have my suitcases unpacked by a maid as I take a relaxing bath, the butler has made me a Sea Breeze, I’m sticking to vodka based drinks and this is delish… The cranberry’s and grapefruit make it a very refreshing drink indeed. I am on a lounger right by the waves in my tiny red polka dotted bikini, with sun cream to my nose and sipping my drink, this is the birthday I wanted, calm and relaxing, four days well, three nights now to my party and even though there are more guests than I wanted it’s on the beach. The butler brings me a phone.

  “Madam a call from the front desk, your costumes have arrived, they are bringing yours over and the girls costumes are being placed in the staff dressing rooms is that alright?”

  “Yes Mr James, that’s fine.” He nods and goes to make me a Woo-Woo, I have given him the list I made, and he is adhering to it. I sit back and read my book, a very raunchy story about two people who meet on a beach and have a passionate holiday romance, just what I need really a little bit of love...

  I can read about sex even if I don’t do it, besides I need research material. It’s started a thought process for my over active imagination. I am at about four chapters in and five cocktails later, I feel very relaxed, I’d go as far as to say I’m drunk, very drunk actually, the last cocktail was a Lemon Drop Martini it was so delish I have two…

  I plug in my iPod and sing ‘Walking on Sunshine,’ and decide to do just that I want to explore the beach, there at least seven more bungalows tucked away on the beach, yet mine seems to be the only one occupied, obviously security are in the first one guarding the road in. I sip the last of the sweet martini and go for a wander, I walk against the gentle breaking of the ocean, the incoming waves wet my sarong, and I laugh, because I feel so free. At last…

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

  Chris:

  I get a call from Luis they are in Tampa, and he asks if I am able to make it there? I have to say no I’m on a plane from Hong Kong as we speak, so I can’t surprise her there damn it.

  “She actually got pretty drunk today and sacked her security.”

  “She did what? Gina isn’t dead you know just locked away, make sure she’s covered Luis please?”

  “I know, Dad and Bedford just told Mum and Bella she had died, to keep them from more worry. Sorry I should have given you the heads up, who spilled Mum?”

  “Yeah, she asked me to come to the party, because her daughter is too stubborn to ask, I had to tell her I was in the middle of a very important deal and couldn’t come. Then we chatted about why I was a fool with other women, and yes, she wanted details I swear she is good at wangling information out of me, then she slipped in the fact that Gina was dead, I played along and figured you’d told her that to calm her down.” I damn well wish she were dead she is in a special unit for the criminally insane, a fitting place for her.

  “She wangled the birthday surprise out of me and Bedford, still things have calmed down Bro, they have changed the party to the luau that Bella wanted. She will be happy when I tell her. She still likes you Bro there’s hope in that, isn’t there?”

  “I have to hope so. She is all I want, and she has to want me in the same way.”

  “Err to much soppy stuff now Chris, where are your balls, man up.”

  “My balls have stopped working Luis it’s been too long without using them properly.”

  “Again too much information, the fact that the next time you’re using them will be with my little sister.”

  “Oh hell I didn’t think sorry, anyway I have her gift I will have it delivered to her bungalow on the morning of her birthday. I bought her a watch will she be alright with that?”

  “Yes, extravagant and over the top I suppose?”

  “Rolex, will that be too much?”

  “Err get me one for my birthday big brother, I think I’ve earned it, have I told you I feel like your pimp?”

  “Several times, anyway I have to go they want the phone off we’re hitting an electrical storm I need to get my head down, see you in two days, you will still be there tomorrow, right?”

  “No, we leave first thing because Mum and Dad want the jet to go for them and the rest of the Spanish Armada, oh and be on the lookout Rachel is going to be about. Didn’t she make a play for you last time you and her were together?”

  “Thanks for the heads up, she was a little err handy, I will give her a wide berth. See you tomorrow.”

  I snap shut the phone and my laptop and grab yet another cold shower, and have a few much needed hours in the private bedroom on here. I need to catch up on sleep and dream about my fair Princess Isabella. My jet lands in the Dominican Republic, at La Romana International Airport, I have to sort out two of my hotels out down here and I am stopping here overnight, I can’t risk getting in too early it’s a small island St Bart’s, and this has to be a surprise. I really just want to fly in now, grab her and take her somewhere, anywhere and be with her. Knowing she now wants me there, makes my hopes of her agreeing to date me more imaginable now. Date, who am I kidding I want to whisk her off and marry her already.

  I spend a fraught three days here and yes, I was annoyed, the damn party is happening tomorrow. Apparently, I have a surprise waiting for me in my rooms when I get there, I will like it or so he says, I’ll be there within an hour and will see it for myself. I have my bags taken straight to the bungalow, and pray Luis has the family on the other side of the island as he promised, though speaking to him yesterday, and again this morning, Bella has now been drunk for three straight days, and they are off to Gustavia, to have a tour of the Rhum St. Barth distillery. So we suspect the next cocktail list will be rum inspired, and it will be day four of a drunken Bella. Apparently, she’s a very happy drunk and is put to bed after dinner every night, blind drunk and much to Luis disgust, not one hangover has she had, but she is worrying her parents too, as this isn’t like her?

  I get to my bungalow unnoticed, and I immediately shower and throw on my board shorts. I grab a beer and look at the box on my bed, this must be the promised surprise? I open it up and I am amazed there are gifts and letters from Bella. I take it to the decked area and read the simple card on top and look out to the sea and cry, she made me a grown arsed man cry. I can see Bella’s bungalow from here, but she cannot see my place, as it’s well hidden.

  Dear Chris, these emails and texts are what I have been too afraid to send for fear of my heart being broken again. I have matured over these awful last three years, and I hate to admit this but I still love you. I always will, but I think it’s time for me to move on, finally. I hope with all my heart you have a very happy thirtieth birthday old man, the last package numbered four under these letters, if you haven’t found it yet you should be wearing the contents of, as you read this. See you around its looking like a ten year plan this. X Love you always your Princess Isabella, Monkey Face and f
riend X.

  I open box four and it’s a pair of slippers and a candy pipe, she said once I was so old and I needed a pipe and slippers, I love her sense of humour. I open number three first and in it, the first gift is a very pretty St Christopher medallion and its card reads, To C. ‘Given with hope of safe passage back’ Love B x. Cryptic, does she wants me back? I take it as a yes. The donkey, does she mean to say I’m an ass? Well I am so I take that as a yes too. The second gift is wonderful statue of a wild mustang in copper and it’s quite beautiful, it will take pride of place on my desk at home. I open the third gift and it’s a pinkie ring, a jet stone with a simple C engraved on it and it fits, this isn’t ever coming off my finger and I kiss the shiny stone, I love her too.

  Then I notice the page after page of emails and texts and a written letter explains why she sent them, some break my heart, for breaking hers. Others have me laughing, others make me angry but they all make me glad to know that these last three years she had written to me every single day. I read them all, and grab another beer and await Luis to tell me the plan for tomorrow. He stumbles into my hut and is drunk in fact he is way past drunk, he’s plastered.

  “Hello there Bro, I bring supplies and some R, h, u, and m? I thought it was rum. Go figure it out, I tried to whilst drinking it and failed miserably.”

  “How drunk are you Luis?”

  “Pretty much a lot, shush not as much as Bella is though, I had to put her to bed. Mum and Dad are worried ‘bout her, she, hic, has been getting drunker than a skunk every day since we came on holiday, I’m not worried ‘bout her she is funny when she’s drunk. Here a bottle of Rhum, St Barth’s Authentique. It’s been bottled for twelve years, me and Bella un-bottled one together, when the olds went to visit the distillery we sat in tasting, hic, it’s very good hic, I need a sleep can I sleep here?”

  He’s off his face so I show him to the guest room, where he promptly goes to sleep. I inform the front desk where he is and that they are to say he’s with a guest when asked, not that he’s with me. I go to make sure Bella is alright, because Luis needed help getting to bed. I walk down the path to her bungalow, he’s left the door wide open, so I go inside and take a look around, she’s passed out cold on the bathroom floor, so I gently pick her up and carry her as she sleeps in my arms.

  I take off her shoes, and her jacket, then place her in the bed removing her jeans I leave the rest of her clothes on, sorely tempted that I’m to strip her naked and leave her wondering who undressed her, I resist temptation though, she is so cute when she stirs, that I sit and look down at her. She wakes for a fleeting second smiles and says hello. I’m too shocked to say anything back, but she’s fast asleep within seconds and I can’t risk ruining this, because she’s too drunk to listen. I give her a kiss on her head and she smiles. I go back after leaving a message with her security from Luis phone, that she is to be checked on and then I ring Mel when I get in and have a very weird conversation with her, she has decided she wants to be a mother, and wants to know what I think?

  “I don’t know have you even got a man in your life Sis?”

  “No, don’t need one these days, it’s called a sperm bank, I may decide going down that route because I need to be a mum and not have the hassle of the father attached parenting alongside me. The sperm donator doesn’t have much say in the matter, which is pretty damned amazing Chris. What do you think?”

  “I think if I don’t get with Bella pretty soon, I may have to consider using a surrogate to have my children, I’m older than you.”

  “Umm by a whole year and a half way, you’re way too old to have a baby. Bella still not had you back then?”

  “She’s here, and I have just had to put her drunken arse to bed, and no, she hasn’t had me back, yet!”

  “Whoa, run that by me again, you did what, you slept with her drunk?”

  “No Mel, I did not. I simply put her to bed after Luis left her alone in the bungalow drunk. I was a gentleman I gave her head a kiss and left her. Her security were left a message to check on her hourly. Anyway, you are still coming to Australia in three weeks, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, because this case is bad, I need to get away, he’s supposed to have put a hit out on me, so they are all a little spooked at the moment, but hell I didn’t take this job without knowing that prosecutors sometimes get to prosecute pure nut jobs, and this man is one. So yes, I definitely want to go to the land down under for a couple of weeks. Gran is all packed and ready and has had her stuff already sent, so you will be getting her stuff there shortly, well you know what I mean, she’s up here with me so it’s just the one stop Big Brother.”

  “Gran is with you? That’s good, she will keep you safe, have you seen her spoon work? Deathly accurate from fifty paces with that wooden stirring spoon of hers and remember to duck when she throws it, well I’ve got to go see you soon and if you need to get to Oz sooner just ring Judy and she’ll have it set up okay?”

  “Yes, I should be fine, he’s all hot air Chris, thanks for worrying though love you loads.”

  “Love you too Smelly Mel.” I hung up and went in to the office here, and did a few hours’ work. I wonder how bad the pair of them will feel later, Hahahaha, Luis will be his usual grumpy self, having never seen Bella really drunk I have to wonder if she’s a sit in bed hung over drunk or a get up and soldier on type of gal as Luis said? I go down my path to my beach and do a little surfing. I wonder what tomorrow will bring, as I paddle out to catch a wave. This is just what I need to forget for a couple of hours. I’m not as young as I was, but I’ve still got it.

  I get to thinking of Mel, and her need to be a mum, and decide if this thing with Bella, I may or may not have, if it doesn’t work out I will think about the surrogate route. I need children in my life the twins are cute but not mine, and I have to be working to leave all this to somebody, or what am I doing it all for? I will see how things work out, I have a few years yet before it becomes an issue, I still want to do things with my children and being older, I won’t be able to run and play with them, as I want to. Shit, I’m getting all maudlin again. When I get back Luis is stirring, and looks damn rough.

  “Evening you how’s the head? Here’s some Advil and water, what possessed you to get so bloody drunk and in charge of Bella?”

  “I didn’t start the drinking game she did, this is the first time in her life she has just let go and been herself, do you know how good it is to see her act her age and be rebellious and stand up for herself? Well it’s good to see, oh and she still sodding loves you, go figure you were all she talked about.”

  “Really, so I should just go across to her bungalow and say hello?”

  “Nope, at the end of the drinking game she said it was all in the past and was stopping there, she’s looking elsewhere Bro.” Like hell she is, she will talk to me and we will be together.

  “So stick to the plan is what you’re saying? No way not now, why am I playing these childish games? She loves me and I as sure as hell love her, so why not just go over and talk to her?”

  “Suit yourself just be warned she was adamant she was looking elsewhere.” I have had it and I’m going to sort her out. I march over to the bungalow and she isn’t in, great where do I find her? She is topping up the Rhum from earlier and is now on White Russians. I sit on the lounger at the side of her.

  “Hello Princess Isabella, what’s a nice girl like you doing in my hotel?”

  “Oh my God it was you earlier you picked me up from my bathroom and put me to bed, we are in your hotel, you organised all this didn’t you?”

  “Guilty as charged, so why are you drinking again, you have a party later?”

  “I am drinking to forget you, simple enough reason?”

  “Why forget me Bella I’m here? I flew over to spend at least one good birthday with you, I’m not going to play games with you anymore Bella, I will say this only once for fear of embarrassment and humiliation at your reply. Here goes nothing… I love you Isabella Maria Humphr
ies, I think I always have and I know I always will.” She sips the cocktail and smiles over the glass at me.

  “Well that’s good then because believe it or not and despite they crap you have put me through I love you too. So what do we do now then?” I am confused. I do the one thing I have wanted to do again for damned near on five sodding years and kiss her. I am not pushed away, as she kisses me back I deepen the kiss, we both do and before we get downright dirty on the beach, we are interrupted by a very discreet cough.

  “Can you please explain what you are doing with my youngest daughter?” I open my eyes to see Hugh. Both Bella and I are very embarrassed.

  “I was going to ask you later for permission to date your daughter, but I had to ask Bella first, we have sort of been in limbo for a few years.”

  “That’s how you ask her by kissing her on the beach and what do you mean limbo?”

  “Daddy, please stop I, sorry we didn’t know you were spying on us. I sort of said yes. I, sorry we made a pact on my sixteenth birthday, I was too young he was too old, you know the same thing Grandma Maria said to you, you were too old for Mum, remember that how that felt for you to be told no she was too young you were too old? Well Chris said I had to live a little and when we were older, perhaps we could take things further, we haven’t Daddy I swear we haven’t.”

  “Hugh, Sir… I wasn’t only going to ask you if I could date her, but I would like you permission to marry her.” Bella choked on her cocktail.

  “Chris… We can’t do that I need more than three kisses to know if we have that stay together forever thing going on. Really you’re asking Dad are you serious?” I get down on one knee and take out the ring I’d had made the year before I went to the disastrous eighteenth fiasco, which was her last birthday party, I look at her face and there are tears in her eyes…

  “Isabella, will you please marry me? I want to grow old with you, and have a family with you. I have loved you for I don’t know how long, perhaps from the minute you grabbed hold of my finger when you were first brought home, I know that sounds stupid but I feel like we are meant to be together.” She has tears streaming down her face this doesn’t look good for me. Hugh smiles as Bella looks at him for approval, we have, at some point, been joined by Maria and Luis. Shit, when had they creep in, and frowning at the back Rachel.