AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“When?” she had to ask, having avoided the details of his departure all afternoon.
“In two hours. That leaves us about an hour to sit in the bath and make sure you’re in a fit state to be left. I don’t want you blubbering the minute I’m up in the air.”
“I feel strangely in control of my senses. I think you fucked me into a cathartic state of being. Like a good cry, which I did this morning, as you probably guessed.”
“Which is better, cathartic fucking or bawling your eyes out?”
“Oh, the former. Definitely.”
He gently kissed her sweaty forehead. “I’ll go run the bath.”
Afterwards, she curled up on the bed again, feeling impossibly sleepy. Jason dressed to travel, slipping back into his executive role. He packed a small overnight bag with a few essential items, stowed his laptop safely in its case, and he ensured her smartphone could receive e-mails.
“I’ll text or e-mail you from time to time. So don’t stray too far from your device.”
“Sure,” she murmured, practically asleep.
Gemma heard the hum of rotary blades. She shot bolt upright.
Dashing to the window, she saw a whirlpool from the downdraught of the blades. The yacht was nearly stationary, and all about the white-crested waves swelled due to the helicopter’s presence. Before she could work out if Jason had gone up to meet it, the helicopter came into view, blades spiralling about, rising up into the sky. He had gone. She stood, eyes hypnotised by the small two-man helicopter as it swerved to the right ahead of the bow and then headed off into the horizon and away from Sublime.
No teary good-byes or lingering kisses or embraces. This was what he wanted, she presumed—her fast asleep, exhausted, and unable to register even the loudest of noises. In the midst of the helicopter maelstrom, he had left her, quite alone, in the middle of a vast sea and with no friends to keep her company.
/> Gemma tried very hard for the next few hours not to be a blubbering wreck. She succeeded, and that, in itself, was immensely satisfying. However, she couldn’t face leaving the stateroom or the upper deck. She didn’t want the sympathy of the crew or their ingratiating conscientiousness. Instead, she lay on his side of the bed and smelt his scent on the pillow. Barring deliveries of essential meals and drinks, she remained there for the rest of the day.
At close to midnight, he sent a text.
: Home safe. Missing you babe.
She replied instantly.
: Me too. Glad you’re back safe. Thinking of you.
She couldn’t hold back the frustrated tears any longer. The intolerable emptiness inside her consumed her completely.
Part Two
Chapter 21. Seeing Red
Day Twelve
Jason approached in the shadows and took in the salon of the main deck. A large proportion of the crew hung about, positioned on chairs or standing, watching. Kevin, the engineer, perched on a plush armchair. Nick, the second officer, with a beaming smile and arms flailing around, chatted animatedly to Kevin. Beside him the Filipino, Modesto, eyes fixated on Gemma and, standing behind him tapping a foot, Ludo Savage. The chef Dario hovered by the door of galley, neither in nor out, with an empty platter in his large hands. Seated at the games table, the second engineer, Hans, who appeared to be playing solitaire with Gemma’s deck of cards. Laid out on the table, Jason’s backgammon set. By the piano, Enrique with arms folded, back resting on the musical instrument, and beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, Maria.
Gemma danced in a frilly floral summer dress with skimpy straps and hennastained feet in her sandals, which clicked on the floor as she moved about in time to the music blaring from the sound system. One of her hands held Gaspar’s. Her dance partner. The smile on her face told Jason she was happy in her world of spinning, hip-jiggling salsa.
Jason’s right fist closed tight while his other hand held his laptop case. The relief at being back on the yacht along with the excitement at seeing his wife was overshadowed by the sight, not only of her dancing with another man, but the presence of an audience watching the gyrating wriggle of her bottom and shoulders. His plan to sweep her into his arms was crushed, and he started to back away from the salon’s vista. As he moved, Maria caught his eyes. She stared at him for a few seconds before tugging on Enrique’s arm.
Arriving in his office, he unzipped his laptop case and began the process of reconnecting his computer to the yacht’s communication system. By now, he knew Gemma would have been told of his return, and he expected the crew would rapidly disperse to their tasks. What had he anticipated upon his return? A dutiful wife sitting alone reading in an armchair or relaxing on a sun bed enjoying the evening’s lingering warmth, taking in the ambience of Malta’s air. Possibly, she might have sought out the company of McKenzie or Lubinsky, dined with them in the appropriate setting, not nibble her way through platters of food. His disappointment at her behaviour was extreme, feeding his disciplinarian personality and all of his controlling traits.
***
Enrique switched off the music in the salon. Gemma froze, mid-twirl, feet poised. She and everyone else looked towards him, his finger still touching the power switch. Maria gave Gemma a nod and pointed to the upper deck. In an instant, she forgot the crew and ran up the stairs to the owner’s deck. She found Jason upright behind his desk, looking at his monitor screen, tapping at the odd key with a stabbing finger.
“You’re back!” She couldn’t contain her sheer joy. She practically collided with his desk and held her arms out wide in anticipation of an embrace.
“So it would seem,” he said coolly.
“You’re not pleased to see me?” Gemma lowered her arms to her sides and took a step away from his desk.
