Love. It really and truly was a beautiful thing to have. Not just romantic love, but all kinds of love. Friendship, sibiling, parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. Jonas Grumby had been alive for forty-five years, and had been blessed. Sure, he was stranded on a deserted island, and he wanted off badly, but still, he felt blessed. Yes, he lost his temper from time to time, but deep down, he was like a big teddy bear. He would never really hurt anyone unless they hurt him first, or someone that he really and truly cared about. The Castaways had been on their little island for three and a half years now, and there was rarely a dull moment. The Professor had been writing a book, which was his plan in the beginning, anyway, but it was originally supposed to be about ferns. The Skipper had a feeling that the Professor was writing about their island adventures. All good and all bad.
The Skipper loved the Professor like a brother, and was happy to see him so happy. Professor Roy Hinkley wasn't the type to fall in love easily. Sure, everybody could fall in love, but some could easier than others. For some, it was love at first sight, and for others it might take a while. The Skipper had never been really and truly in love for, but he had come close. He developed strong feelings for the island's movie star, Miss Ginger Grant. Unfortunately for him, she was interested in the Professor. Ginger looked up to the Skipper like an older brother, and never wanted to hurt him in any way. The Skipper had confessed his feelings to Ginger, before she and the Professor were ever an item. Ginger had been flattered, but told him how she really felt. The Skipper had been hurt, which was understandable, because it was indeed painful confessing feelings of love for somebody only to have them reject you. Ginger told the Skipper she was sorry, but her feelings were elsewhere.
The Skipper was happy for the movie star and the Professor. He really was. He was still a little disappointed, though. The Skipper always had a soft spot for Ginger, and had hoped that she, someday, would be his woman. His love. The more he thought about it, though, the more he realized that it would never work. Once they were rescued, the Skipper would like to stay in Hawaii, and continue to be a captain of a boat, whereas Ginger would want to return to Hollywood and continue with her acting career. So it was probably for the best that they weren't together. If the Skipper did find someone in the future, it would have to be someone who wouldn't mind living in Hawaii. She didn't have to love the sea as much as he did, but the Skipper wouldn't be able to handle it if the woman he loved was unhappy in any way. The Skipper should have known, though. It was obvious from the very beginning that Ginger had taken a liking to the Professor. Sure, Ginger flirted with a lot of men, but never the same way as she did with the Professor. The Professor would do absolutely anything in the world for his darling Ginger. He lifted a bunch of heavy rocks for her, almost breaking his back in the process. He went into the cave to look for the Eye of the Idol, since Ginger asked him to. He didn't believe that Gilligan was breating through the plant in the lagoon, but Ginger did. So for her, he decided to investigate.
The Professor would always ask Ginger to assist him in his experiments, and nobody else. Ginger always asked for his advice first. The Professor and Ginger plotted together, acting like Ginger could predict when a ship was coming for them, just to keep up the others' morale. They were the ones who kissed in the movie they made, they were the ones who kissed to trick Duke. The Professor even went to Ginger for advice on Erika Tiffany Smith. Yes, there was definitely something there other than friendship. The Professor was a great man, and Ginger was a great woman, and they both deserved each other. The Professor and Ginger would always sit next to each other at meal times, and hold hands, or take turns feeding each other. As expected, of course, Mrs. Howell was ready to plan the wedding, which caused the couple to laugh and say they weren't ready yet. It would happen someday, though. The Professor had agreed that when they were rescued, he would move to Hollywood with Ginger, and become a teacher there, while she continued on with her acting career.
The Skipper felt kind of sad. The Professor and Ginger had found each other, Gilligan and Mary Ann had found each other, the Howells were married, and he had no one to share that special romantic bond with. Sure, he knew there were plenty of fish in the sea, and he would one day catch the perfect one. He had hoped that it would be Ginger, but it wasn't. Well, did he really love her? Or was it just a crush? After all, Ginger Grant was a famous Hollywood star, not to mention, gorgeous, what man in their right mind wouldn't want her? The Professor, however, was a different story. He wasn't in love with Ginger because she was a famous star, or for her looks or glamor. No, not at all. The Professor loved everything about Ginger. Her kind heart, her beautiful singing voice, the way she tried so hard to help others.
Ginger had confided to the Professor that she sometimes regretted being an actress, and should have become a nurse instead. The Professor had reassured her constantly, that her career choice was just fine. She's entertaining millions of people around the world, making them happy. These were the reasons Ginger loved her darling Professor. He was honest with her, tried so hard to come up with a way to get off the island, and would follow her to the ends of the Earth if it came down to it.
The Skipper smiled as he watched the happy couple sneaking kisses, sitting on a blanket by the lagoon. He was happy for them and just hoped that someday soon, he could find that same happiness.
THE END