Losing Paradise
I: Monday, April 11, 2005: Luxury Villa
XIII, Anguilla, British West Indies, the Caribbean
http://www.unusualvillarentals.com/caribbean/anguilla/luxuryXIII/index.shtml
Sunset
on the last day of our honeymoon. Guess I'm about to
lose paradise. Tomorrow we return to New York
City, where I will prepare further for Cross and that battle
royal.
It will be good to get home.
However. If there was a heaven on earth, a yes, paraidse...it was here in the British West Indies. I have never experienced such a place.
Marissah stands at the end of the pool, wearing a sensual black bikini with blue bows on her bikini bottoms. She simply embellishes the scenery as she dives in and rises to the top. I do enjoy buoyancy...
I stand at the edge of a railing, over looking the sea, a glass of scotch in my hand, straight, no ice. The breeze is lovely, the air clean. I shall miss this place. But not the $7000 per day price tag. I don't know if I've ever spent more money traveling in all my life as I have for this honeymoon. But what the hell. For her?
Anything.
She couldn't wait to get out of Wessex and take off. The reception at the Estate went exceptionally well, but we were both eager to depart.
One week in Paris, followed by a week in Cairo - we both have a passion for Egyptology, so this was a dream come true for her. Closest to Egypt she had ever been prior was at the Luxor Hotel in Vegas. Egypt it ain't.
After Cairo, Rome, then Athens over the span of one week. We got caught in Rome unfortunately right after John Paul...yeah. If I followed God I would...pray for him. We cut short our stay and headed around to Florence and Milan, as the world poured in to the Eternal City. Now here we are in the British West Indes.
Marissah had done her research prior to this honeymoon. She had every place scouted out perfectly, every restaurant, every attraction. As if she'd planned this from the day we met.
From what she's told me about her previous marriage, it didn't sound very happy. She wasn't all that attracted to him nor was he terribly intelligent, so she told me. Makes me wonder if that were true...why the hell did she marry him?
Regardless. He is not my concern, nor her past marriage. She is mine, and I hers. My only concern now is making her as happy as possible, and doing all that I can to make this marriage work. I intend it to last. And I intend to have more children someday.
She's not being too cooperative though. I've tried to bring up the subject once or twice since March 15, but she's totally avoided any conversation down that line of thinking. I won't try mentioning it again for some time. She's tried to convince me to stay the course and focus on career. She's not wrong...it is my focus. Children are secondary right now. Besides I have my own little terror still.
Marissah said she wanted me to try and win custody of him. I still think he's better off with his mum, despite my worries of how she might indoctrinate him against my new wife. As much as I'd love to have him with us...me on the road was one of the reasons my first marriage fell apart in the first place. I do miss him though. Terribly.
Says a lot about my life though when my own bloody son didn't even come to my wedding. My life has changed since he came in. And his life too has changed.
Now he has two mothers. I wonder how he and Marissah will relate once he is a man. Will Steph turn him against her...or against me?
The very idea sends chills down my spine. I cannot fathom having my son as my enemy.
I have enough enemies as is. And even those I might call "friend..." just makes me think of two trite and true sayings.
First: there's daggers in men's smiles.
Second: it is necessary to get behind someone before you stab them in the back.
I wonder if Thane only came on behalf of Seamus, to see what transpired at my wedding. A sort of mole.
...I pause.
For what though? Shit. To bad mouth her wedding dress to him?
Now is not the time to bow to the varied imaginings of paranoia.
Now is the time to be firm, confident, daring.
Look at yourself, Lancaster. Look.
That's all I need do.
Esteem wells up inside me. I shall return to the ring and lay waste to Cross and any of those bastards in the Red Axis who might care to step in my way. Cross is going to find out something the hard way. If he wishes to begin his climb up to reach the pinnacle, he's going to find out that The Destroyer of Worlds is going to send him and his aspirations crashing down that goddamn mountain, and that we shall keep our boot on the throat of those same aspirations. Good luck, asshole.
I need my mobile now. I need it.
"Robert..." she calls out from the pool.
I look up.
"Come for a swim babe."
I smile. I lift up my index finger and indicate "one moment." I need my mobile. I need to do this. I go inside our master bedroom and fish it out from my jacket.
I walk back out to the railing and close my eyes. I hope I get this right.
It rings. And rings. And rings. No answer.
Voice mail. It'll do.
"Are you proud of yourself? Do you think what you did to us...no...me...in any way upset my mind or has ruined my forthcoming actions or strategy?. No."
"You evened the score as far I'm concerned. But that'll be the last chance you ever do so. From now on it shall be I on the the offensive. I shall take the lead and never look back."
"The only looking back you shall be doing is to look over your shoulder...to see that I spare your very being during every waking moment of your life. For I will end your career, permanently, if you so desire by returning. I sincerely hope you do."
"And when you do, and when you're in that ring with me again, just remember...one move...just one move...can concuss and knock your goddamn lights out and cripple you for life. Oh yes...one more thing. Thane sends his regards. He was at my wedding. He stood beside me. Think on that tonight. Sleep well you Irish bastard."
I toss my mobile aside and remove my shirt, and walk to the pool. Marissah smiles as she floats in the middle of the pool, awaiting me. I jump in and swim to meet her, as I put my arms around her.
A few more hours before I lose paradise and I return to New York and the hell that awaits all.
Jack Cross? After you...please.
http://www.unusualvillarentals.com/caribbean/anguilla/luxuryXIII/index.shtml
It will be good to get home.
However. If there was a heaven on earth, a yes, paraidse...it was here in the British West Indies. I have never experienced such a place.
Marissah stands at the end of the pool, wearing a sensual black bikini with blue bows on her bikini bottoms. She simply embellishes the scenery as she dives in and rises to the top. I do enjoy buoyancy...
I stand at the edge of a railing, over looking the sea, a glass of scotch in my hand, straight, no ice. The breeze is lovely, the air clean. I shall miss this place. But not the $7000 per day price tag. I don't know if I've ever spent more money traveling in all my life as I have for this honeymoon. But what the hell. For her?
Anything.
She couldn't wait to get out of Wessex and take off. The reception at the Estate went exceptionally well, but we were both eager to depart.
One week in Paris, followed by a week in Cairo - we both have a passion for Egyptology, so this was a dream come true for her. Closest to Egypt she had ever been prior was at the Luxor Hotel in Vegas. Egypt it ain't.
After Cairo, Rome, then Athens over the span of one week. We got caught in Rome unfortunately right after John Paul...yeah. If I followed God I would...pray for him. We cut short our stay and headed around to Florence and Milan, as the world poured in to the Eternal City. Now here we are in the British West Indes.
Marissah had done her research prior to this honeymoon. She had every place scouted out perfectly, every restaurant, every attraction. As if she'd planned this from the day we met.
From what she's told me about her previous marriage, it didn't sound very happy. She wasn't all that attracted to him nor was he terribly intelligent, so she told me. Makes me wonder if that were true...why the hell did she marry him?
Regardless. He is not my concern, nor her past marriage. She is mine, and I hers. My only concern now is making her as happy as possible, and doing all that I can to make this marriage work. I intend it to last. And I intend to have more children someday.
She's not being too cooperative though. I've tried to bring up the subject once or twice since March 15, but she's totally avoided any conversation down that line of thinking. I won't try mentioning it again for some time. She's tried to convince me to stay the course and focus on career. She's not wrong...it is my focus. Children are secondary right now. Besides I have my own little terror still.
Marissah said she wanted me to try and win custody of him. I still think he's better off with his mum, despite my worries of how she might indoctrinate him against my new wife. As much as I'd love to have him with us...me on the road was one of the reasons my first marriage fell apart in the first place. I do miss him though. Terribly.
Says a lot about my life though when my own bloody son didn't even come to my wedding. My life has changed since he came in. And his life too has changed.
Now he has two mothers. I wonder how he and Marissah will relate once he is a man. Will Steph turn him against her...or against me?
The very idea sends chills down my spine. I cannot fathom having my son as my enemy.
I have enough enemies as is. And even those I might call "friend..." just makes me think of two trite and true sayings.
First: there's daggers in men's smiles.
Second: it is necessary to get behind someone before you stab them in the back.
I wonder if Thane only came on behalf of Seamus, to see what transpired at my wedding. A sort of mole.
...I pause.
For what though? Shit. To bad mouth her wedding dress to him?
Now is not the time to bow to the varied imaginings of paranoia.
Now is the time to be firm, confident, daring.
Look at yourself, Lancaster. Look.
That's all I need do.
Esteem wells up inside me. I shall return to the ring and lay waste to Cross and any of those bastards in the Red Axis who might care to step in my way. Cross is going to find out something the hard way. If he wishes to begin his climb up to reach the pinnacle, he's going to find out that The Destroyer of Worlds is going to send him and his aspirations crashing down that goddamn mountain, and that we shall keep our boot on the throat of those same aspirations. Good luck, asshole.
I need my mobile now. I need it.
"Robert..." she calls out from the pool.
I look up.
"Come for a swim babe."
I smile. I lift up my index finger and indicate "one moment." I need my mobile. I need to do this. I go inside our master bedroom and fish it out from my jacket.
I walk back out to the railing and close my eyes. I hope I get this right.
It rings. And rings. And rings. No answer.
Voice mail. It'll do.
"Are you proud of yourself? Do you think what you did to us...no...me...in any way upset my mind or has ruined my forthcoming actions or strategy?. No."
"You evened the score as far I'm concerned. But that'll be the last chance you ever do so. From now on it shall be I on the the offensive. I shall take the lead and never look back."
"The only looking back you shall be doing is to look over your shoulder...to see that I spare your very being during every waking moment of your life. For I will end your career, permanently, if you so desire by returning. I sincerely hope you do."
"And when you do, and when you're in that ring with me again, just remember...one move...just one move...can concuss and knock your goddamn lights out and cripple you for life. Oh yes...one more thing. Thane sends his regards. He was at my wedding. He stood beside me. Think on that tonight. Sleep well you Irish bastard."
I toss my mobile aside and remove my shirt, and walk to the pool. Marissah smiles as she floats in the middle of the pool, awaiting me. I jump in and swim to meet her, as I put my arms around her.
A few more hours before I lose paradise and I return to New York and the hell that awaits all.
Jack Cross? After you...please.