Tropical Wonderland

England and her gloomy weather was left behind and now an island dappled in glorious sunlight loomed in front of us. I watched in a trance as the waves broke over the bow. The swell making me cling to the rail by my side to stop myself faceplanting the floor, the motorboat sped fast, closer. Closer to George.

I was to be a surprise. Paul said not a peep about my accompanying him to George's island home. And here I stand idly worried if I'm enough or good enough for Paul due to my earlier infraction...

An arm crawled over my bare shoulder hugging me close, my sundress straps now have fingers under them touching and moving, driving me crazy with the feel of his finger almost burning my skin "What ya thinking about" Paul whispered as he leaned in closer trying to raise his voice just enough, just for me, above the crashing waves. His aftershave subtle and intoxicating.

"Will he remember me? I haven't seen him in so long, our penpal correspondence stopped way, way back in '66" I placed my own hand over Pauls wrist holding on, feeling his pulse as he laughed at my worry.

"A mountain of time has sailed yes but George .... that bugger doesn't forget anything"

Out of nowhere I fessed up to my real worry, why I had been so quiet since we stepped onboard almost 45 minutes before. I had been thinking about it staring into the waves hoping they would solve the upset I had put myself in.

"I'm sorry I had that burger before, at the airport" I blurted and squirmed out from under the burning fingers. He and Linda, the vegetarians. I was starving and ordered without a thought to his ideals, now I felt so guilty about it "I forgot-"

"Abbs! I don't want you to change, you're not Linda, you couldn't be"

"Well thanks a lot what's that even supposed to mean"

"Well, Just. She"

"Yes?"

"No fighting" Paul took his arm away and tapped his pockets, he looked like he was searching for a pack of smokes but he had quit years ago.

"I'm not fighting, you just said it like I was less"

"You're not less your different"

"Different and a carnivore!"

"NO!"

"We're here" I took off, ducking from his reach, locating my small bag in seconds and without pause scrambled off the blue and white launch, heading toward what looked like a five star resort.

"Miss Abigail, I do believe I am seeing ghosts of Christmas past" George stepped deftly in front of me almost getting run over in my rush to escape. His mode of transport a white golf buggy that had was parked in the shade of a bushy tropical golden cane palm.

"George!" I swung my arms around him engulfing his body happily. I turned slightly as did George and we watched Paul as he fought to make his way over to us, the passengers returning to the mainland were greatly delighted with the stars presence, obviously all requesting pictures and autographs.

"How did you know it was me?!"

"I saw Paul having a fight with a girl on a boat" George grinned broadly, winking then laughed "Yea as it came into berth. She looked pretty upset so I paid attention to the bird that got pissed at the cute one thinking she was my kind of broad" He repeated his great big grin showing all his teeth then settled into his watchful solemn face, the one he would often wear when studying people's auras and reactions, for want of better description.

"I ate a burger then he said I wasn't as good as Linda"

"Really" the deadpan Beatle was back, the eyebrows rising then he glanced up from grinning at me lifting his chin, Paul must have escaped and was approaching us now.

"Mac"

"Geo"

"Shall we go back to the 'ouse. Let you two continue your tiff in private" George was loving this, watching other people's problems tumble out in front of him.

I slid in to sit shotgun making Paul hop on the back, having to sit backwards. "George, it isn't Coronation Street"

"No, it's better ..... it's the Abbs and Paul comedy hour" George laughed.

I giggled as he took off up over the hill, the buggy lurching all over as it ducked and dived around the bends, away from the marina and the stares of tourists.

"Paul and Abbs"

"What did you say grumbles?" Geo called behind him.

"Paul and Abbs Comedy Hour" Paul laughed as I gave him a grouchy face. George laughed at Paul's one-upmanship surfacing like he would often do in the studio. But we all knew that was Paul.... he was a determined bugger, and steamed his way full throttle through everything he had an interest in.

Serenity settled our childish bickering the moment we passed through the security gate to Georges property, it was a tropical oasis of foliage and glimpses of the beach as we closed in on the house.

The pool beckoned, Olivia and young Dhani swimming around as we turned up, I waved and smiled hello but impatient George was shuffling me, without stop into a guestroom, insisting I change into swimmers immediately to join them.

"Liv- Abby, Abigail -Olivia and Dhani of course" George smiled down into the water at his family, Dhani splashing water over his feet.

Paul was nowhere to be seen having disappeared to wander the gardens and recollect his cool as soon as the buggy stopped. Guilt began welling up and threatened to wash over me, I tossed the sarong on the lounger and dove in the pool, hoping the water would wash away the blues.

Massive in size bordered by large rocks and shady plants, the pool seemed endless as the water fell away over a hidden edge creating a dazzling waterfall and rocky stream below. I peered over the edge to what lay beneath, Olivia joining me, watching my eyes roam over the beautiful setting the pool over flow of water turning into a small pond that must be pumped back up and round into the pool again.

"I'll take you down later and show you the native birds" Olivia grinned her smile as wide as George's. "So, known Paul long?"

"OH about-"

"26 and a half years or so, I'm not counting or anything" Paul tossed over the few metres of water that separated us and then casually walked back to the lounger with my sarong on it. Picking it up and laying it in a heap on his legs. George handed Paul a beer then bombdived in the water splashing everyone then swam over, meeting Olivia and I by the waterfall.

"She was Johns girlfriend, Pauls' 'sista'.. " George winked at me, the little shit "then buggered off after having a barney with him and Paulie"

"History 101, George?!?" I splashed him, annoyed that he just dove in the deep end literally.

"You can tell Liv the rest of the story later, bloody complicated as shit" George grinned evilly then floated away on his back.

"Don't swear in front of Dhani, George" Olivia bemoaned "How many times do I-"she was cut off by Dhani whinging he was twelve and knew far better swear words.

"George!!!!" "Look what you've created" Olivia pulled on Georges leg making him go under and splutter "Sorry Abigail, twelve-year-old boys"

"That's alright I put up with these two loons and two others, they were a bunch of children for a fair wack of time" I smiled knowing full well Paul was going to overhear.

"Hey Abbs" Paul was somehow in the pool, silently swimming up behind me, close to me in second's wrapping an arm around my waist, looking down in the water at my bikini, grinning "I'm sorry bout before Luv"

I was too. I turned, circling my arms around his neck "I'm sorry too, I'll try to be better for you"

"You don't have to be 'better' or thr 'same', just being you is great. I know you were hungry and I can't hammer you with my lordly teachings on vegetarianism" His fingers grazed my boob and Pauls expression was priceless, a not so innocent 'oops' falling from his lips as his eyes grew big and round. His fingers found my strap and started tugging at the bow, making me smack him away.

"That's the thing silly. I've been without meat for a while now, Hailey doesn't eat it so I didn't all the while I was in Melbourne. I just had a brain explosion"

"Geez don't I know that feeling, I think sometimes a woman's body knows it needs certain vitamins and things" Olivia's thoughts were a different take on the testy subject and I nodded in agreement, she put the entire conversation in a different light.

"Yes totally, like when your craving a chocolate bar"

"I think you two are talking rubbish and if you don't get me lunch I will take up this discussion and make it an argument"

"Nice going George, whinge for food and berate us in one sentence" Olivia sparked from across the pool. "Go, take Dhani for his sleepover and hope I make you lunch"

*

"So when did you two start speaking again" I hesitated to ask but it was bugging me no end. Reading the few magazines I got my hands on and Johns grumbling over the way things went I tried to stay well away with the topic of The End.

After a beautiful dinner on the huge stained timber verandah we cleared the clutter away and returned, the uninterrupted views overlooking a calm ocean with the sun setting to the west and us looking to the east, beauty swamped my vision.

"I don't know, we're still fighting aren't we Paul?" George kicked my foot with his, making me look up to watch Paul, the grimace was evident and clear.

"Don't start, it's over George. It's just lawyers going back to the table for more"

"You could stop them, Paulll" George grumbled.

"Geo, I've said my apologies I thought we were moving on and I can't, nor you can, stop the crap they want to tie up. I hate it all as much as you"

"Sure ok, fine" George said ever so flatly, I gave both of them a squeeze on their arms across the table wishing none of the hurt ever happened. George changed tack pulling his arm away "So, I'm looking forward to seeing you two traversing the newspaper headlines" George leaned over and grabbed a paper off the floor reading the tagline of the entertainment section. "McCartney ditches Mills for Mystery Brunette.... that'll be you, luv"

"Oh look at that face, Paul" I took the paper with the picture of 'Red Dress Aldershot' on it and put it under Pauls nose "She deserved everything, I quite enjoyed hooking her one in the lav"

"Fess up Abbs already fighting for the lad are you" George laughed and brought Olivia down on his lap, kissing her neck her white maxi dress floaty and cool.

"She was being a cow and attacked me so I clipped her one in the ribs" I shrugged, like it was a regular occurrence "I wasn't taking it lying down this time"

"My prize fighter" Paul tossed the paper aside, his face scornful as he looked down upon it then his dark doe eyes flashed up, smiling brightly at me, kissing my nose "Do you mind if I take Abigail for a walk?"

"Nah, off you go, lovebirds" George hopped up and walked to the door "Liv and I have an early night planned, you know ..... kid's off on sleepovers and such" He smiled wickedly at Olivia as she snaked her arm around his waist.

The moonlight hit the beach and tumbled across the water, shade and light, greys and moonbeam whites played on the plants as we walked quietly along the shore.

"Umm Abbs" Paul pulled up, our hands were linked and I fell back towards him as he stood the sand sinking below us "I have a bit of confession"

Gathering my arms around myself I walked backwards as he followed me, I want happiness not sad, I want good thoughts not bad. Storm clouds crossed my eyes as he watched me unblinking.

"I had a burger, three weeks ago Tuesday" Paul smiled trying to ease my guilt I suppose.

"Liar!"

"I did!"

"Your lying, that's not what you were going to talk about but I thank you dearly for easing my guilty meaty conscience" I stopped and he slammed into me, chest to chest as the tide rose and water started to lap around our feet.

"Caught" Paul confessed to the burger white lie and my being in his embrace all in one word grinning as I kissed his cheek.

We stood silently cuddled on the beach alone; silence and darkness keeping us safe from the harsh light of headlines and Miss Aldershot.

My swim suit and sarong were no match as the wind decided to pick up my skin pebbling with goose bumps, I shivered and snuggling even closer into Paul for a little more warmth, his t-shirt and shorts not faring much better.

"There has been more in the papers than just that George showed you, Abigail luv" He pointed off up towards the lights of Georges villa, toward that newspaper sitting on the deck "I've got it handled, I think, but you should know"

I kissed him quick three times and turned to look over the water, my hands missed his warmth as he stood waiting behind me to react.

"I don't care" I shrugged "I don't care about it at all Paul; not the newspapers, the stories, not her, I've already sat on a long plane flight and mulled over the story that is me. Looking at it like I was Brian the manager of Abigail Grant, analysing the in's and out's the good, the bad"

Paul was silent, mulling over my admission, but I knew exactly where we were; here, together on a deserted beach near midnight, the very best place to be.

You know what I do care about?" I smiled looking across the shiny black glassy still water, Paul was leaning over my shoulder now fingers scrunching up my sarong as he held my waist from behind, he shook his head no "I care about this"

Turning in his arms, continuing my proclamation, freer inside than I had been in a long time "I care about you, me and our family. I care that I make you happy and that Linda's children are confident in the fact that I will not try to replace her or never try to take away their mother's essence from them. And finally, I care and love that I am here now, with someone that has been in my heart for almost forever"