"So can you survive one night without him?" asked Mary Ann of Ginger with a smile.
"I'll do my best." replied Ginger as she got ready for bed. "Roy said he is working on something and doesn't want me around to distract him. Can you believe that?"
Mary Ann grinned. "You distract the Professor? That never happens. I can't think of a single time..." She said with a giggle.
"Oh hush." Ginger said tossing a pillow at Mary Ann.
Mary Ann ducked the pillow and laughed. "Touché are we?" She said picking up the pillow and placing it on the bed.
"Like you are one to talk." Ginger said with a knowing look.
Mary Ann became flustered. "What…what ever do you mean?"
"Oh you know what I mean." Ginger said crossing her arms. "I've seen it."
"Seen what?" Mary Ann said turning red.
"Just a certain sailorman in a red shirt exiting the hut early in the morning…"
Mary Ann looked down at the floor and fidgeted nervously. "I….I don't know what you are talking about…" She stammered.
Ginger shook her head. "It's okay Mary Ann. I think it's great."
"You do?" said Mary Ann.
"I do. I just don't know why you are hiding it."
The farm girl sighed. "It's not that I'm embarrassed." She explained. "I'm not. Well you know how Mrs. Howell is. I mean she's a dear woman and I love her but…she would be pressuring Gilligan to marry me and…I just want to keep it quiet…I don't want Gilligan thinking I want to force him into something he's not ready for. I don't want him thinking he has to marry me because he thinks that's what I want."
"That's true but Mary Ann let me ask you something…how serious is it between you and Gilligan? I mean would you want to marry him someday?"
The young brunette sat down on her bed and thought a minute. Be Gilligan's bride? She thought back to when she was his "bride" when the Skipper wanted to practice before he married the Howells. When she was standing there with Gilligan, it almost felt right. Like it was how it was meant to be.
"I guess maybe I would." Mary Ann replied. "Someday."
"Listen to me." Ginger said. "You don't need to feel the pressure from anyone. You do what is best for you."
"I will." smiled Mary Ann. "Speaking of weddings…what about you? You think that you will marry the Professor?"
Ginger sighed smiling at the thought. "Mmmmm Roy's bride…that would be heaven."
"So I take it you are considering that?" Mary Ann said.
"Maybe.." Ginger said slyly. "I just know that I love him more than I ever loved any man. If he wants to marry me…I think I would say yes. I can't see me spending my life without him."
Eva continued to lie in her bed silently as she listened. There would be a bride alright. Just not the one that Ginger thought there would be.
Professor's hut
The Professor sat his work down and rubbed his eyes. The last thing he had wanted to do was make Ginger stay in the night in her old hut but he had no choice. He was so busy during the day with other things. The others running to him to solve one thing or another. This was the only time he had to work on this. He didn't want Ginger to know about it.
He wanted it to be a surprise. And she knew she would love it.
Mrs. Howell had been going through some of her jewelry and she declared that she had no use for the silver heart shaped locket. The Professor had asked if he could take it off her hands and she gladly allowed him.
He thought it would make the perfect present for Ginger. He picked it up and carefully continued his engraving of a "G" and an "R". He wanted to intertwine the first initial of their names. Inside he had placed a picture of him and Ginger that Mr. Howell had taken with his camera. The look on her face when she opened it…He couldn't wait to see it.
The Professor looked over his work and was satisfied. Perfect. Just perfect. He looked at the time. It was late and he wasn't sure if Ginger would be sleeping now. He thought about checking but decided against it. He would let her sleep.
The Professor would just wait until morning to present her with the necklace. She was sure to go on and on about how lovely it was and then she would…. He thought about that beautiful red headed starlet with a smile. The way she felt in his arms. Like she belonged there. And the taste of her sweet luscious lips. Nothing felt so wonderful. Her voluptuous body close to his. She was a dream come true. The only woman who ever effected him this way.
Before Ginger, he had a few relationships but nothing as deep as what he shared with her. The women he had dated were nice and certainly attractive but they couldn't hold a candle to the excitement that radiated from Ginger. He had been drawn to her from the beginning. Now she was his. And he wasn't about to allow her to get away from him. Not ever.
The next morning
The Skipper announced at the boat was already and he was just checking the weather reports for the best time for them to sail out to sea. Everyone was excited to hear the news. Soon they would be able to leave and head home.
Ginger was helping Mary Ann set the breakfast table when the Professor came up to her from behind.
Ginger smiled. "Morning darling." She said turning her head towards him.
"Morning my dear." He said kissing the side of her head. "Missed you last night." He whispered to her.
Ginger turned. "You poor dear." She said resting her hands on his shoulders. "If only you hadn't had to work on whatever that was you were working on."
"You mean this?" He asked holding up a small box.
Ginger's eyes went wide. "Roy…what is this?"
"Open it." He said.
Ginger's fingers pried the box open and gasped. "I…Roy…it's beautiful…"
She lifted it up from the box examining the locket. "You did this for me?" She asked her finger touching the engraving.
The Professor took it from her and opened the locket showing her the picture inside.
Ginger smiled. "Oh…I love you!" She said throwing her arms around him.
He carefully fastened the necklace around her neck.
Ginger touched it with her hand. "I love this…it's so beautiful…" She wrapped her arms around him again and passionately kissed his lips.
"Okay Okay…enough of that….really…Professor…control yourself." Mr. Howell admonished. "Lovey shouldn't be subjected to such a sight.." He said waving his finger.
Ginger laughed as the Professor reluctantly let go of her and taking his seat the table. She sat down next to him while the others joined in. She playfully kissed his ear and whispered something that he appeared to be appreciative of.
Eva stood in the back watching the couple. She thought it was disgusting the way Ginger just threw herself all over the Professor. The shameful way she just blantly hung over him like some common tramp. Well one thing was certain, when she took Ginger's place, she would act more like a lady. Most certainly the Professor would appreciate that.
She walked to the table and sat down greeting everyone. She said little as she observed the castaways. Mary Ann engaging Gilligan in a conversation about something or other. She was smiling at him and she placed a kiss on his cheek as he complimented her on the food she cooked. The Howells discussed the parties they were going to throw when the returned home. The Skipper went on about how he was going to buy a new boat. Bigger and stronger.
Ginger and the Professor seemed to be lost in their own world. Ginger speaking of all the wonderful things about Hollywood and gushing about how he would be the most handsome man and all her friends would be green with envy. And that would show that stupid Debbie Dawson, her old roommate who Ginger felt stole her place on Broadway.
The Professor would tell Ginger about how lucky Hollywood would be to have her back and everyone would clamor for her to be in their newest film and Ginger would kiss him telling him he was so smart. The movie star declared the science community would have one of their most brilliant minds back. He would be the most sought after Professor at the university and all the girls would want to be in his class but they better keep their paws to themselves as he was hers. The academic insisted that no one else could ever turn his head. There simply wasn't another woman as beautiful as she was.
Eva sat there watching. No one but me. She thought to herself.
As soon as the Skipper gave the word about when they could leave…she would put her plan into action. Out with the old Ginger Grant. In with the new! The new and improved Ginger Grant.
Later that day
Mary Ann had brought Gilligan to the other side of the island for a picnic. She spread out a blanket and set the basket down.
"This is real nice Mary Ann." said Gillian as he sat down on the blanket. "Just us."
"It is." agreed the brunette sitting down. "I wanted to have you to myself for awhile." She said kissing his lips.
Gilligan responded to her kiss and let go.
Mary Ann opened the basket and pulled out the various foods she had prepared. She looked at him and then spoke.
"Gilligan. I wanted to tell you...Ginger knows."
"Ginger knows? Knows what?" He asked.
"About us?"
"How does Ginger know about us?" He said stunned.
"She saw you leaving my hut one day."
"Oh." He said looking down at the blanket. "Sorry."
Mary Ann shook her head. "Gilligan you don't need to be sorry about anything. It's okay. Ginger didn't say anything."
"She probably told the Professor."
"Well yeah maybe." She relented. "But she is happy for us. Really she is."
"You think maybe we should tell everyone?" asked Gilligan.
"I was thinking about that and I..well maybe we should. I mean we aren't ashamed of our relationship."
"I could never be ashamed of being in love with you Mary Ann." The sailor said quickly.
The brunette turned her head to him. "You...you are...in love with me?"
The first mate nodded. "Yeah of course. Aren't you in love with me?"
"I...I think I am...I am. I am in love with you. Gilligan I..." She started then stopped.
Gilligan put his food aside and moved closer to her. "What? What is it?"
"I was talking with Ginger last night and...she had asked me if I...Well I told her that Ms. Howell would be pushing us to marry and Ginger asked me if I...I could see myself marrying you. And I told her I could."
Gilligan's eyes went wide and he swallowed. "Marry? You want to get married?"
"Well yes...I do...I mean...not now Gilligan...but someday. Don't you?"
"Yeah I do but Mary Ann...I'm not ready for that now. I mean I never even..."
"Even what? What Gilligan?"
"I never had a real girlfriend before."
"You didn't?"
"No." Gilligan said shaking his head. "There was this one girl I liked but...I don't think she really liked me that much. I've never been good with girls."
Mary Ann smiled. "I think you are wonderful with me." She said putting her arms around him.
Gilligan grinned. "You're different Mary Ann. You're so kind and pretty.."
"What else?" Mary Ann asked kissing his ear.
Gilligan started to feel hot. "Um...you um...you make good pies.."
"Huh huh..." Mary Ann murmured kissing his neck.
Gilligan swallowed as her hand moved upward on his leg. Oh boy. He thought to himself.
She brought her lips to his and the two wrapped their arms around each other in a deep kiss.
Eva watched the couple from the jungle. She had observed them at breakfast and was curious.
She had an idea. Why couldn't she have both men? The Professor and Gilligan?
Have both of them vying for her affections? Oh imagine how wild the press would go when they returned home! Two men fighting for her hand! How irresistible it would make her to other men in Hollywood! Oh they would all be clamoring for her! The Press would eat it up! Wonder who would win her heart! Naturally of course she would settle on the Professor but how fun it would be!
She glanced back at the two on the blanket. How she could get Gilligan away from Mary Ann was a puzzle.
Certainly the young sailor had to have a thing for Ginger. Deep down he had to secretly long for her.
She could bring that to surface. Make him believe he had a chance...Yes...it was perfect. How this would break Mary Ann's heart wasn't even a blip on her radar. Getting both men to beg for her attention and love was all that mattered.