ISLAND ESCAPE
Margaret had this habit of spitting. Someone who knows the full story would understand. It wasn’t my fault.
First, I’ll tell you about our argument.
I always tried to please her. And I wanted us to work but she had too many rules. There were just so many, I couldn’t even remember what they all were. And I was tired of trying.
In less than twelve months we were engaged. Within two years of knowing her, she was my wife. Yes, it all moved too quick. But, we were in love.
We met in this very office. I noticed her on the first day she started working at RJS Accountants. The photocopy machine shone a warm light around the silhouette of her tantalising backside. She was hard to resist.
I had to retreat to my office and smooth down my pants that day. That was something I confessed to her weeks later, and we laughed about.
So, she had a problem. I thought it was PMS, but when I suggested it was just that time of the month, she ignited.
From complaining about one thing, our argument escalated.
I missed her birthday. That’s what happened. And she was upset.
I noticed she was in a mood all day, that’s why I figured it was hormone related at first. How could she blame me, when I had only been in her life for one birthday? Gee, I hadn’t memorised or written down the date or anything. Did she expect me to keep a paper diary and mark it in at the start of every year with a big heart around her name?
I looked at my watch. I had a meeting I didn’t want to be late for.
She blew a fuse.
Then it was on.
“Can’t you even put the seat down after you have a piss? Is it too hard to aim and get it in the toilet? Maybe you should just sit down when you go. God! I’m just home all day, cleaning up your shit. I’m not your maid you know. I think I should go back to work. I’ve had enough.”
At this point, I just agreed with her. I was hoping I could still leave to make it to that meeting on time.
“How can you look at your watch right now. Look at ME. Do you love me?”
I hesitated.
“Are you kidding me?” She made a noise like a scoffing laugh.
Stupidly I decided to turn on my charm now. I took a step forward, with my arms out and reached to embrace her.
She stepped back.
I took another step and she backed into our freestanding stove. Right in her face, I professed my love to her. I looked into her eyes and noticed a bubble of saliva on her lips. I was calming her. Seducing her. Then, I winced when her lips parted. It was her breath.
She spat, “Get out!”
I was happy to get out. She didn’t have to convince me.
That day I started thinking. We don’t have any kids, things aren’t working out, maybe we would both be happier if we separated?
The woman I fell in love with. The one who after I smoothed my pants down on her first day working at RJS Accountants, appeared at my office doorway mere seconds later and dazzled me with her charm. Those sky-blue eyes, that sparkled when she smiled. Her dark hair framing the shape of her bosoms and that hourglass figure drove me mad. Now, I thought of her with disgust.
She emailed me that day, after the argument about her birthday. That was the first of many. She had become this jealous, ranting wife.
When I got home that night I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. She was back to normal it seemed. Those emails were her saviour. She would send them every day, accusing, complaining, venting and it was out in the open. It was off her chest and gave her something to do. She had been a secretary before we were married, but I made enough money for her to stay home and she seemed excited about that at first. It had changed her, though. Being out of the workforce she had lost her independence, her confidence. And, I had lost my attraction to her.
She enjoyed sitting at a computer, typing, so we did all our talking via email after that.
There was this man selling bananas. And he had a moustache. The fruit was fresh. I could smell the aroma. I was enticed by the bright yellow, succulent bananas. I’d never seen ones like that. I bought a bunch and sat down on a lime green deck chair. A crooked umbrella shaded me from the sun and I tore off one perfect banana, set the rest of the bunch on the ground and snapped the stem on the one in my hand. There I was sitting, eating a banana when what I wanted to do was forbidden. I had this urge to strip naked and roam free. I was being seduced by this tropical island. The warm sun on my skin healed my soul. I felt alive. The smell of the sea and the sound of the waves hypnotized me. Palms and coconut trees shaded paths that led… Who knows where they led. That was the beauty of it all. The mystery.
I got up, enticed to explore, and set out on a dirt track. Leaving one banana skin behind, holding the rest of my bunch. I walked. Light peeked through the treetops as the wild vegetation enclosed around me.
I had come so far that I couldn’t see where I’d come from. The feeling of claustrophobia infected me and I picked up my pace. I had no idea where this track would lead. I was hoping that I had come further than was left of this isolated path.
Breaking into a jog, my heart rate increased. Sweat beaded on my forehead. My vision blurred with anxiety, each step disjointed.
Dips and bends, mounds and branches kept me ducking and weaving, bobbing up and down. Was that a snake? It looked like a snake. Lying across my path. Running now, I sped forward and took a giant leap over, a stick. It was a stick. But, I kept up the pace and continued on. Running at my top speed. Leaves hanging overhead whipped at my arms and legs, scratching, stinging.
Monkey’s greeted me at the end of my trail. I stopped. They were the gatekeepers to an awaiting beach. Stealing the bananas from my hand, I paid my fee and they let me pass.
My feet sunk into the thick dunes as I walked along the sand.
At the water’s edge, I knelt down and cupped water into my hands. Washing my face of impurities, I closed my eyes. All I could think of was Margaret. My Margaret. I was feeling unusual. Alone. I missed her. All I wanted was an escape. To escape her, our marriage. But now, I needed her. Without her, I felt incomplete.
Since her birthday, we had been distant. But her heart and soul were in her emails. She was lonely. I hadn’t paid enough attention. She embarrassed me at work with her spitting. Every time she spoke I would be waiting for it to happen. The awkward moment when she spat on someone. So, I told her to stay home and that I would look after her. But I just wanted her out of my office. And she willingly gave up her career. If I hadn’t heard my colleagues mocking her, it wouldn’t have bothered me. In fact, it was something she did when she was excited or nervous and I didn’t mind it at all. I was an idiot.
Whose fault was it you ask? I suppose it was mine.
I remembered the taste of her lipstick when we kissed. I yearned for the warmth of her body up against mine.
The scent of her perfume drifted through the air and I heard her clear her throat. I spun around in my office chair, away from the picture hung on my office wall and met eyes with her.
“Margaret.” Jumping up from my chair I leaped to embrace her.
“What’s got into you?”
“I just missed you.”
“You looked very deep in thought there.”
“I suppose I was. I must have been daydreaming. It was so vivid.”
“Well, I thought we could discuss us over lunch. You know, talk about separating.”
“Yes, lunch. What? No. We can’t separate.” Dropping to my knees before her I begged. “Don’t leave me. I am nothing without you.”
“Oh, come on! Are you joking?” I got up and locked the door, closed the blinds and desperately continued my plea. Taking hold of her hands in mine I looked into her beautiful eyes and fell in love all over again.
“I have been a fool. I ask for forgiveness. I know I don’t deserve it but I hope you will give me another chance.” She looked at me with confusion.
“It was in your emails. You spelled it out in black and white and I’ve only just got it.”
“What’s that.”
“Love. When we met, it was lust. We had fun and found ourselves married without thinking things through.”
“I thought it through.”
“That’s right. I’m sure you did, but I didn’t. I treated you like an employee but we are a team and I shouldn’t have done that.”
“I can’t believe this. I thought we were over. You didn’t respond to a single email.” A tear slid down her cheek and I reached out to catch it on my finger.
“Margaret, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You light up my life and without you, I cannot be me. Will you stay with me?”
She looked to be in shock, frozen. Then she came back to life and said. “George, I could want for nothing more.”
With relief in my eyes and tears of delight in her eyes, I took hold of her face and planted a kiss on her succulent lips.
Embracing with urgency, we were one.
On the following Friday, we packed our bags and set off. To Day Dream Island.
