The Travel Mate

by Mark Green

  Bozzer sank his head into his hands, deflating into a hunched-up posture. ‘You fucking arsehole,’ he said in a muffled voice.

  ‘Yeah. And …?’

  Bozzer rubbed his eyes and slowly lifted his head up. ‘What is it you want me to do?’

  • • •

  Bozzer stared down at Maddie. His shoulders lifted a tiny bit higher with each electronic beep as the nurse reconnected the monitoring equipment and array of tubes and sensor wires.

  ‘This is good, much better,’ said Doctor Mario. He smiled at Bozzer, clasping his shoulder.

  Bozzer continued to stare at Maddie, his breathing settling, shadowing her own light, regular rhythm. He sank his hands into his pockets, slowly shaking his head. ‘I had to scrape together the cash for my travel insurance. I deliberated, thinking It won’t happen to me. But we’re not lucky like that, my family … don’t s’pose she gave it a thought. Her trip wasn’t planned, it just sorta happened.’

  Doctor Mario studied the heartrate monitor, then noted the readings on a clipboard chart, which he replaced at the end of the bed. ‘She is lucky, to have you and your friends.’ He leant over Maddie and gently lifted an eyelid, pointing a pen torch, scrutinising.

  Bozzer watched Maddie’s finger twitch. ‘She moved – is she coming round?’

  ‘Soon … maybe a day or two. She is doing well.’ The Doctor accepted a small squeezy bottle from the nurse and dripped fluid into Maddie’s eye. ‘This is to keep them from drying.’

  Bozzer nodded. ‘Can she hear me? I read about some coma patients being aware …’

  ‘Most patients wake with no sense of time. Three days, three weeks, three months … it will be as if no time has passed. But some do remember conversations, others have dreams. Very occasionally, they are immersed in memories.’ He glanced over at Bozzer. ‘You have been together long?’

  ‘Seven or eight weeks. But travel time is …’

  ‘Intense, yes?’

  Bozzer nodded.

  ‘Then she may be enjoying exotic faraway places, while she waits to wake up.’ Doctor Mario trickled a droplet into Maddie’s other eye, then shone his pen torch. The light danced across her pupil. ‘Or perhaps she will recall your time together, and be comforted by these fond recollections.’

  • • •

  The light flickered, distant yet bright, forming a halo of yellow and orange around the perimeter of a small, glowing sphere. Like a miniature sun radiating red, orange and bluey-green tints at the fringes. The colour spectrum glinted and dispersed, leaving a brief kaleidoscope of watery rainbow colours, ebbing away into the darkness. Something familiar lingered, like a distant memory perhaps. Tantalisingly vivid, yet not quite within reach … as if hovering at the edge of her subconscious, waiting to be reclaimed …

  Two

  Soft moisturised fingertips with immaculately manicured nails slowly rotated the gold ring, until the finely polished stone reappeared. She drew her hand closer, peering at the cool turquoise, yellow and azure reflections of light dancing within the diamond’s precise, rigid contours.

  A girl’s best friend, or …

  ‘Maddie?’

  Her head lifted, richly dyed shoulder-length blonde hair trailing over hazel eyes. She swept the strands behind her ear, squinted and replaced the sunglasses on her nose. Beyond the row of sun loungers and parasols, tiny waves swooshed. Miniature white frothy bubbles were sucked into the fine ivory-coloured sand, leaving clear pastel-blue water drifting lazily back a few feet, into the deeper twinkling shades of turquoise.

  ‘I’m saying … the trouble with you, Madeline, is you don’t see beyond your own little bubble.’ Rupert Sullivan squeezed a dollop of creamy white suntan lotion onto his belly. He scooped the blob out of the folds of his skin, smearing it across his stomach in a repetitive squelching motion. ‘The rules of engagement have changed. Tradition has had its day.’

  Maddie turned away from the gently sloping shoreline, allowing her gaze to traverse up the perfect bleached white sand and palm tree-fringed beach. She watched ridges of gooey froth form between his chubby fingers as he smeared lotion across his business entertainment gut.

  ‘I’m confused … marriage is all about tradition, isn’t it?’

  Rupert snapped the cap back on the suntan lotion. ‘It’s a contract, Maddie, with stipulations and penalty clauses, just like any other. And I have expectations – don’t you?’

  Maddie stared at her reflection in the greeny-yellow tint of his wraparound Oakleys. She turned away, frowning behind her classically styled sunglasses. ‘Of course I do. Conventional expectations. Anything else would feel a bit clinical.’

  ‘Not clinical. Sensible.’

  She looked away, drifting her gaze out over the vast expanse of sea.

  ‘So let’s discuss – you go first.’

  Maddie glanced back. She watched his hands work the remaining lotion into his wobbly thighs. ‘I thought the vows would take care of our expectations. Love, honour—’

  ‘Obey?’

  ‘Respect. Like normal people, entering into a lifelong commitment.’

  ‘Bit outdated.’ Rupert didn’t look up from his stooped posture as he rubbed lotion into his shins. ‘I mean, sure, we can nod our head to all that traditional nonsense, for our family and friends. But between us, we could agree to a more …’ Rupert straightened and hunched forwards, peering over the top of his Apollo 13 shades. ‘… relevant arrangement.’

  Maddie stared at him. ‘What sort of more relevant arrangement?’

  ‘Something contemporary. More reflective of the … how can I put this delicately? Openness, of modern society.’

  She swallowed, wincing at the dryness in her throat. ‘Openness …?’ she croaked.

  ‘Sure.’ Rupert smiled, swung his hairy legs speckled with white globules off the sun lounger and perched on its edge, his basketball-size belly hunched over his lap. ‘Openness, Maddie, equals marital longevity. It allows us to avoid future arguments over money, lifestyle, custody of the kids … all the middle-age divorce crap we’d have to deal with if one of us accuses the other of infidelity.’

  ‘You want a get out of jail free card?’

  Rupert smiled and cocked his head, gazing at her over the top of his sunglasses. ‘I’m merely suggesting a more pragmatic approach, before we sign on the dotted line.’

  He flicked his legs back onto the padded lounger and lay back, stretching his arms skywards, linking his hands behind his head. Maddie stared at him. A cold shiver twitched through her spine, causing her to wrench her eyes away, panning her gaze out across the beach.

  An attractive bronzed couple in skimpy swimming costumes sauntered past, water lapping against their ankles. Maddie watched the couple link hands as they strolled. Beyond them, farther around the sandy bay, a young Thai family relaxed on faded beach towels. The parents maintained a keen interest in their two children, delighting in their play with effortless, toothy smiles. Farther away from the water, partially shrouded in the palm tree border, an older European gentleman lay face-down on a fully horizontal sunbed. A nubile Thai girl straddled across his back, massaging his shoulders. Maddie allowed her gaze to linger, watching the man lift a hand, brushing it against the girl’s thigh. Inappropriate contact, or perhaps … contract. She shuddered, forcing her eyes to move on, sweeping them away to the horizon.

  ‘Pragmatism, for marriage vows …’ She sighed, slowly shook her head.

  Rupert flashed her his charming, dimple-cheek smile. ‘Why not?’ His smile ebbed away, eyes becoming sad and sincere. ‘I promised him …’

  ‘I know,’ Maddie said quietly, halting the rhythm of a faint nod. She glanced away, her curiosity drawn to a pair of teenage travellers humping rucksacks across the beach. She watched them pick a spot and shrug off their packs. The girl removed a red and white polka-dotted bandanna, kicked away her flip-flops then peeled off her crumpled tee-shirt and faded cut-off denim shorts, revealing a bikini. She sank down onto the sand next to her le
an and muscular companion.

  ‘We need to be more flexible, in our partnership,’ said Rupert softly. He studied Maddie for a moment, then sank back and closed his eyes, luxuriating in absorbing the sun’s warmth. ‘Set out some mutually advantageous benefits.’

  ‘No doubt balanced in your favour …’

  Rupert pushed up on one elbow, pursed his lips and tilted his sunglasses down his nose. ‘Genuinely, Maddie, this isn’t about that issue.’

  Her eyes darted over to briefly meet his.

  ‘I’m trying not to be insensitive, but it’s a concern. A guy’s got to … you know, have a release.’

  Maddie studied the sand between them, the familiar sensation of prickly heat rushing up her neck. Rupert reached out, gently, carefully placing his palm on her arm.

  ‘The sensitive stuff aside, we need each other. To share all of this …’ He lifted his hand, swept it in an all-encompassing semi-circle. ‘I don’t do well without your companionship. And you benefit from the familiarity of us. It’s a good balance. It’s comfortable.’

  ‘I’m not as reliant on you as you think, Rupert.’

  ‘You sure about that?’ he said softly. ‘I provide stability, Maddie, have done for years.’ He lowered his voice to a murmur. ‘Please, just recognise my needs, is all I ask.’

  Maddie shrugged a cardigan over her shoulders and drew it around her Eres one-piece swimsuit, turning away from him. Her interest drew back to the teenage travellers, making themselves comfortable on towels spread out on the sand.

  ‘I’m just being realistic, Maddie. And honest.’

  After a few seconds studying her silence, Rupert twisted round to follow her gaze, homing in on the teenage backpackers. He watched them share a bottle of beer. ‘You travel through life with significant baggage, Maddie. You’re not carefree, like they are.’

  She bit her lip, turned sharply towards him. ‘I could be …’

  He shook his head. ‘No. You’re locked into this life. That designer label swimsuit, all your fancy catwalk clothes, a handcrafted one and a half carat diamond engagement ring … it’s a life of cosseted luxury, Maddie. It’s a million miles away from those two, their travellers’ way of life.’

  ‘I don’t need your interpretation of my life, Rupert.’

  ‘You sure about that? You can’t live any other way, Maddie. It’s in your DNA—’

  ‘Rubbish! I don’t revel in it like you do – the champagne lifestyle, oozing through your pores.’ Maddie held up her hand, waggled her ring finger. ‘This is your life—’

  ‘Which you benefit from.’

  ‘Yes, but—’

  ‘You want to be like them?’ Rupert arched his head towards the young travellers, lying back on the beach, soaking up the sun. ‘You think you can party like a teenager, live on cheap beer and sleep in sleazy hostels?’

  Maddie shrugged. ‘Sometimes, yes.’

  ‘You’re deluded. You envy their freedom, but you wouldn’t last a week on that sort of budget. Here or at home.’

  She crossed her arms across her chest. ‘Of course I would.’

  Rupert sniggered and shook his head. He used his middle finger to ease his sunglasses down, offering his other hand to her, palm facing down. ‘Wanna bet?’

  Maddie eyed his outstretched hand. She lifted her chin up to his amused, dimpled smile and glanced at her multi-coloured reflection in his shades, perched off-kilter on the end of his nose. She flicked her eyes away.

  He withdrew his hand and pushed his sunglasses up, laying back, returning his clasped fingers behind his head. ‘Didn’t think so. No micro-budget backpacking aspirations are ever going to be shoehorned into an eight hundred and fifty quid pair of Jimmy Choos.’

  A screech farther down the beach drew Maddie’s attention away from Rupert’s victorious grin. She watched the teenage girl splashing through the shallow water in the skimpy bikini, her hot-blooded male companion chasing her. He took a few more lunging strides before scooping her up, both of them tumbling into deeper water.

  She sighed and reached under the sun lounger for her thick, glossy paperback.

  • • •

  Maddie planted her elbows on the teak counter and hunched over her pear-shaped margarita glass. She allowed her gaze to drift around beneath the beach bar’s thatched reed roofline. She blinked at the fine shafts of light filtering through gaps in the uneven contours of the spindly bamboo walls, the sun sinking towards the distant horizon. Aquamarine colours mingled and shimmered across the tiny ripples of a near-flat calm sea.

  So beautiful. And yet—

  She glanced behind her at a drunken cheer from the murky depths of the bar. Rupert yanked his hands over his head, whooping and posturing, spinning a pool cue through shards of sunlit cigarette and marijuana smoke. He lost his grip, sending the cue clattering against the side of the shabby, stained-cloth pool table.

  So soulless.

  Maddie shook her head, turning back to slump her arms beside the margarita, her head just high enough to sip the weak concoction through a stripy straw. She sighed and reached into her bag, fished out her book.

  Who does this?

  She fanned through the pages without stopping at the leather bookmark.

  Who is so bored on a night out that they bring a book with them?

  Raucous laughter echoed across the beachfront. Maddie glanced over to see the girl from the beach with the red and white bandanna stagger into the bar, her arm draped around her male companion. She wore the same crumpled tee-shirt, jean-shorts and flip-flops. They had the same ease with each other. Maddie covertly flicked her eyes between her book and the young travellers weaving through the cluster of tables, noting their relaxed smiles. The girl staggered sideways, both giggling as he reached out and steadied her. Maddie flinched, kept her eyes glued to the book as the couple plonked down on nearby barstools.

  The girl braced her palms flat on the bar. ‘This world, has gotta stop moving.’

  ‘You rock my world, Lizzy,’ said her male friend.

  The girl rolled her eyes, then exaggerated a long steadying intake of breath. She turned and winked at Maddie, exhaling. ‘Hi, I’m Liz. What’s the cocktail …?’

  Maddie wrinkled her nose at the waft of alcohol. She attempted a polite smile, looking away to avoid a lingering, salivating stare from Liz’s companion.

  ‘It’s a bit sickly, actually – excuse me.’ Maddie eased off the bar stool, squinting through the dim pockets of light and wisps of cigarette smoke being swooshed into random, swirling cloud patterns by Rupert’s spinning pool cue.

  ‘Posh bitch,’ a voice rasped behind her.

  Maddie frowned and half-turned back to the bar, catching a sideways leer from the male traveller. She flinched as the opening riff to AC/DC’s Highway to Hell blasted through the bar, distorted and juddering through battered speakers.

  ‘YeeaaAHHHH!’ Rupert wrenched the cue to his side and sank down onto one knee in a guitar hero posture. He snatched his head up and down in time with the raucous guitar rhythm. ‘What an intro!’ He swung his arm in a wide circle, pausing with each rotation to wrench his fingers against his imaginary electric guitar. He sidled up to a seventeen year old Thai girl who delighted in cosying into his back, mirroring Rupert’s one-man rock god display, gyrating her hips behind his.

  Maddie lurched, mid-step, her stomach clenching. She glanced at Rupert as she hurried past the smog of dishonour, heading for the toilets.

  She pushed the bamboo cubicle door shut and sank down onto the toilet seat.

  Bastard!

  Maddie rubbed her eyes with her palms, hoisted her shoulder bag onto her lap and withdrew the book, leafing through the pages, scanning the text’s reassuring familiarity.

  Deep breath …

  Bastard!

  Deep breath …

  The sound of flip-flops outside the cubicle door clack-clacked through her concentration. A pause, then: ‘Hello in there, um … book girl.’ Liz stifled a hiccup. ‘Oops, s’cuse me. Sor
ry about Anton – sometimes he’s a prick.’

  Maddie held her breath.

  If I just keep quiet, maybe she’ll—

  ‘That guy, by the pool table … your boyfriend, or husband? The rock star wannabe.’

  Maddie tucked the paperback into her bag and gingerly opened the door.

  ‘Got you a cold beer,’ said the teenage traveller, smiling at her and holding a glass of amber liquid. ‘To drink, or chuck over him.’

  ‘Oh, thanks. That’s very, er … considerate of you.’ Maddie stood up and reached out to accept the glass.

  ‘It’s the local brew – he’s not worth the good stuff.’ Liz winked and turned to walk out.

  ‘Thank you. I’m Maddie, you’re … Liz?’

  ‘Yup, that’s me.’ Liz offered her hand. They shook awkwardly, both having to shuffle to one side to allow another girl to enter the washroom.

  ‘You look like you need a proper drink.’

  Droplets of condensation trickled down the glass, cooling her fingers. She studied Liz’s raised eyebrows and twitch of mischief flickering across her lips. Maddie found herself slowly nodding.

  • • •

  ‘Having fun, Rupert?’ Maddie yelled above the pounding music.

  Rupert turned, straightening up from his attentive stoop, hastily dropping his arm off the Thai girl’s shoulder.

  ‘Maddie, hi babe. This is—’

  ‘A bad idea?’

  Rupert’s stare glazed over. He rolled his saucer-sized eyes, blinking rapidly and trying to pull focus back on Maddie. ‘Noooo. Nothing … sins … sinis—’

  ‘Sinner? Sicko? Sinister?’

  ‘Erm … yeah. That one.’ Rupert swayed on his feet. His head lolled back and forth, eyes twitching, flitting without focus around the bar.

  Maddie held up the glass of beer. ‘Too much of this, per chance? I’m going for a girly chat with Liz, over there. You’re not invited.’ She raised the glass to her lips and drained half the cool liquid, closing her eyes as it slipped down. ‘Mmm … not bad, for a local brew.’