A Storm is Coming

by

Numb3rsfan

Chapter Four: Junkanu

The sound of people talking roused Shirley from her sleep. Yawning, she opened her eyes and sat up. It was morning in Santa Alicia; the sun was shining and a few seagulls could be heard off in the distance. Rising up, Shirley took a quick shower and got dressed before leaving her room. It was still early enough for breakfast but she wasn't really hungry, all she wanted was to find someone who could tell her about Captain Nathan's dive shop; trouble was she didn't know anyone in Santa Alicia, so she would have to ask a stranger.

As she passed by a desk she heard, "G'day!" Looking to the left Shirley saw a young man around her age with blond hair and blue eyes; he had an obvious ozzy accent as well.

"You are...Shirley Partridge right? The American lady who got in last night?" The man asked. Shirley was surprised. How the hell did this guy know her name? Was he stalking her or something.

Taking a chance, Shirley nodded her head. "Yeah." She replied.

The man smiled at her and said, "Well welcome to the island and to my hotel. I'm Paul, and uh...let's get you a nice table shall we?" He rounded the desk and gestured for Shirley to follow him.

Shirley noticed how friendly Paul was and it kind of freaked her out. Was he flirting with her? That smile; his accent...it kind of seemed that way to her. It was then for the first time that she wished Jacob was there; he'd protect her for the annoying Australian but Jacob wasn't here; he was with the kids.

"Um...no thank you. I don't think I'll have breakfast. I just wanted to find someone who knows about Caribbean Diving Adventures." Shirley replied, hoping Paul would take the hint.

"Captain Nathan's outfit? Ahh, his boat the Vendetta is the busiest on the island. They have a dive shop not too far away from here." Paul said.

Shirley nodded her head. She already knew that! Thanks for some old news Paul!

"Yes I know that. I went there last night but the place was closed up. Their sign said they'd be back on Friday." Shirley replied. She saw Paul nodded his head at the information before saying, "Then they are probably out on a charter. Lucky for you they weren't closed up for the season; a lot of people already are. Well look Mrs. Partridge, you aren't going to hook up with them today so let's get you to that table and start the morning off right, shall we?"

Reaching out, Paul took her hand and led her to a table overlooking the beach. Shirley was so shocked at his boldness that she didn't yank her hand away. Thankfully after arriving at the table, Paul let her hand go.

Sighing, Shirley sank in to one of the lawn chairs at the table while Paul sank in to the other one that was across the table. Shirley eyed him with uncertainty. Yes, he definitely was flirting. She thought she had made her position clear earlier. She didn't want to be flirted with. She was a married woman who's husband would punch this guy's lights out if he saw that Paul was flirting with his wife! Shirley listened to Paul go on and on about where he worked, his accent, where he was from; she was right, it was Australia, and her hometown; California. She listened but gave off the impression that she didn't really care, which was the impression she wanted to give off, but Paul wasn't taking the hint. Man the guy must be dumb! She wasn't responding to his advances; why the hell wasn't he taking the hint?

Wanting to change the subject, Shirley pointed to some men who were bringing in some lumber. "What are they doing?" She asked.

Paul looked to where she was pointing, taking in the men as well. "Oh, they are getting ready to board up just in case we get any weather coming through. After what happened last year we don't want to take any chances."

Shirley was confused. "You had a bad storm?" She asked.

Paul shook his head. "No, Hurricane Gage just grazed us but other places weren't so lucky. However it's going to be days at least before we get any weather coming in if we do at all. Until then it's going to be just like this; clear and sunny."

Shirley smiled and took the orange juice that Paul offered her. She wasn't hungry or thirsty but she didn't want to hurt the man's feelings; him being the fountain of information that he was.

"So uh...tell me more about Captain Nathan and his son." Shirley said, sipping on her drink.

"Oh they are good people; real good. And that boy Tyler? He is shaping up to be a real heart breaker with the holiday girls that come in during the season. He's given me some stiff competition. Now," Paul began as he pulled out a menu for Shirley and opened it up, "See if anything catches your eye. I do suggest the flapjacks and bacon. They are to die for...apart from me of course."

Shirley took the menu, resisting the urge to slap Paul, though she imagined doing it. That had to count for something right? When Paul went back to his desk to help some customers, Shirley took that opportunity to leave the table. Paul was nice enough but his non stop flirting was really getting on her nerves, plus she had learned what she wanted to about her husband and Keith but she knew that they weren't the shiny superstars everyone thought they were.

Returning to her room she called her husband and left a message for him to call her back at the hotel number simply because calling the US from the hotel phone cost a lot of money; money that she didn't have.

After ten minutes the phone in her room rang and she picked it up. "Hello?" She asked in to the receiver.

"Mrs. Partridge. You have a call from America." the operator said to her.

Seconds later the wonderful voice of her husband filtered through. Thankfully, even with the super long distance, the line was clear. Shirley closed her eyes, imagining that he was here with her right now.

"Hey honey."

From those two words Shirley could tell that things were going well. Normally if Jacob was stressed with work or the kids she could hear the strain in his voice but today there was no strain.

"Thanks for calling me back Jacob. These hotel phone calls cost a fortune." Shirley said. She could just imagine her husband Jacob smiling at those words. Jacob; he was a really hard worker spending a lot of time at that job of his which was being an executive to a huge stock broker firm. He was one of the, what Danny referred to as a 'big wig', one of the important ones and his weekly take home was thankfully enough to support the family and their style of living. After work and on weekends Jacob would watch the kids and help them with their music; he was really a diamond in the rough for Shirley.

"Ah it's no problem honey. I was so worried when I heard from immigration yesterday."

"I know Jacob. I have to report to the local police if I'm going to stay." Shirley replied. "And are you?"

Well duh! Of course she was going to stay! Did Jacob really think she'd just turn tail and leave without Keith?

"I have to, I found their shop. But they are off the island, they'll be back in two days. Thanks for watching my back honey." Shirley said.

She heard Jacob chuckle over the phone; oh how she loved him! "Hey, it's worth watching. Well...honey. You call me if you need anything. I love you."

Shirley smiled. She could always count on Jacob to come through for her. "Yes thank you honey. I love you too. Bye." Turning, she hung the phone up, leaned back in the bed and sighed. She didn't tell him about Paul simply because...even though as tempting as it was, she didn't want Jacob flying down just to punch Paul's lights out; which she knew Jacob would do.

Ahhh, two days. What the hell was she supposed to do for two days? Get to know the island? Possibly. She only knew one way to their shop, and the paths to and from the hotel. But...leaving her room meant that she'd have to deal with Paul and his flirting...great. Maybe she could politely tell him off before Keith got back.

Later that day at around 2pm Santa Alicia time, Shirley rose up from the bed and left the room, managing to sneak away from the hotel without being spotted by Paul. She took a walk, exploring the island and it's streets. She passed many locals whom she politely smiled at but she said nothing to any of them.

Her walk brought her right by Caribbean Diving Adventures and by chance she looked at the building. Deciding to take a closer look she walked towards the door. The sign on the side of the door said two words that made her heart soar. 'We're Back!' Gripping the door knob she tried to open it but quickly found out that the door was locked. Okay they were back on the island but the shop was still closed...great.

Leaving the door, Shirley looked out towards the docks and quickly saw Louis's boat the Vendetta secured to the dock. That made it official they were back on the island...but where were they? Shirley didn't necessarily want to run in to Louis but she wanted Keith.

Approaching the docks, Shirley walked along the wooden gang way over towards the boat and once she reached it, she looked in to the open cockpit. The boat was completely empty but just to make sure she called out, "Hello? Is anyone on board?"

There was no answer; no one was there. Sighing, she looked back the way she had come. There was only one man that could possibly know why the Vendetta was back so early and even though she didn't want to have to talk to him, she wouldn't get answers any other way so with a sigh she headed back to the hotel.

/.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../

"Hey, American Lady! Shirley!"

Yep, there was that annoying Australian accent! Shirley looked around, first left then right, expecting to see Paul but she didn't see him. Okay, she had heard the annoying son of a bitch, now where the hell was he?

Looking up on to the second floor balcony of the hotel, Shirley spotted the blond haired man with a mug of beer in his hand.

"It's me, Paul from the hotel, remember?" he called out.

Remember? How could she forget? Him and his irritating flirting! And what the hell did he mean 'from the hotel?' they were still at the hotel...okay they weren't near the bar, but near the living quarters but still!

Biting past her anger she called to him. "Their boat's back! Have you seen them?"

Paul looked a little confused and looked in the direction Shirley had pointed. "I tell you what. Instead of us shouting at each other, why don't you come up for a drink and I'll try to figure out which boat you are talking about. "C'mon."

Going up for a drink with him wasn't high on the list of things that Shirley wanted to do. In fact she just wanted to throw any sort of drink she received in to Paul's face, but she needed answers and since Paul seemed like the 'go to' guy, she would have to grin and bear this...at least for a while.

Spotting the stairs that would take her to the second floor, she headed over to them, but Paul was already on his way down. He took Shirley's arm and led her over to another building; specifically the building where the bar was.

"It seems I'm always showing you to a table." Paul joked, gesturing to an empty table up ahead.

Shirley chuckled. It was a forced laugh because she was fighting the urge to deck the guy. Sitting down in one of the chairs, she watched Paul sit down in the other one.

"Now...you are going to have to tell me which boat you are talking about. There are a lot of them on the island." Paul said, folding his hands together and placing them on the table. He leaned forward, closer to Shirley.

"Captain Nathan's. The Vendetta. It was parked on the uh..." Shirley paused...her mind immediately going blank. She wasn't a boating person so she didn't know a lot of the boating terms.

"The dock?" Paul asked.

Shirley smiled and nodded her head, glad that Paul understood what she meant. Maybe there was hope for this guy yet.

"Yes. But it wasn't due back for two days." Shirley said. She watched Paul nod his head. Okay, did he know something she didn't know?

"Oh, they probably came back for Junkanu." he replied.

Junk a...what? What was wrong with this guy, didn't he speak English? Shirley looked as confused as she could. Just what the hell was a Junkanu?

"What's that?" She asked.

"Junkanu? It's a carnival. It starts at sundown. Everyone on the island is going to be there. If they are back then they'll be there. And since it's a street festival it's going to be everywhere, up and down every street. I'll tell you what. I'll take you but you have to let me buy you a drink." Paul replied.

"Uh...no thanks." Shirley said. She didn't want any drink, she had thought she had made that clear; apparently not.

"Oh come on. If you want me to take you to Junkanu you have to let me buy you a drink, it's the local custom." Paul pleaded.

Local custom? Who the hell was this guy trying to kid? Shirley painfully resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The guy was just not going to give up!

"I don't drink beer." Shirley said.

"Wine it is. Hey Melvin, can you bring me a glass of red wine for the lady?" Paul yelled at the bartender. He then focused his attention on Shirley once more.

"You know Shirley you are kind of different from the regular tourists we get here. To start, you are an American and we get mostly Europeans. Plus...I noticed on your hand that you've got a wedding ring but you are traveling alone so...what's that all about?" Paul asked.

Sighing, Shirley replied, "My husband couldn't make it."

"Ahh, I see. Your husband couldn't make it so you are here alone, slap in the middle of hurricane season. You sure you aren't here for something else? Like...finding a man? Looking to get your groove back?" Paul asked.

Okay that was it! That was it! Shirley had had enough of this guy's flirting, time to shut the bastard down!

"No Paul...I am not looking to get my groove back. I am a happily married woman with fi...four children. I am just on vacation. Honestly Paul...are you always this persistent with everyone you meet?" Shirley asked. Before Paul could answer that, the bartender brought the wine over.

Taking the glass, Shirley held it in her hand, clanking it against Paul's beer mug when he held it out.

All she got was a chuckle and a small smile but thankfully Paul didn't speak. They just sat there in more or less comfortable silence until they finished their drinks.

/.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../.../

Shirley and Paul walked along one of the paths. Thankfully he had finally taken the hint and had stopped flirting with her. Now they could enjoy conversation like two adults. They talked about business on the island and about Captain Nathan whom had apparently set up some sort of living saving program in the local schools which had apparently saved a bunch of kids so naturally everyone loved him for it. Yep, that was Louis for you...he did have some good points...which wasn't saying much in Shirley's book.

Hearing an explosion that sounded like fireworks Shirley asked, "What's that?"

Paul chuckled and replied, "Junkanu's starting. Come on!" He led her on to one of the busy streets where a small parade was passing by filled with dancing people. Shirley immediately started to look around for Louis and Keith, replaying the video in her mind so she'd know what they looked like.

Seeing a man up ahead, Shirley saw he had the same color care as the Louis of now so she reached out and touched his shoulder, but when the man turned around Shirley immediately saw that it wasn't Louis, so she backed away with an apology. Paul found her moments later and led her to the side of the street.

He pointed to a small, tower shaped thing that was being carried on poles, stating that it was like an American pinata, filled with candy for the children. Children swarmed all over the pinata, ripping it apart and making it spill it's candy guts. When the children started to swarm of the candy, Paul knelt down and pulled a small, plastic necklace out of the candy mix and put it around Shirley's neck.

"It's a lucky charm," he explained, "put it on, close your eyes and make a wish."

It was silly, but Shirley decided to humor him. She closed her eyes and made a simple wish; she wanted to see Keith and Louis, nothing more, nothing less...yet. Opening her eyes, Shirley stared at the other side of the street and as her eyes adjusted she found they had locked on to none other than Keith and Louis. Neither had noticed her but she had seen them...she was sure of it.

Keith looked so handsome; so grown up. He had a smile on his face as Louis was pointing out the over head fireworks to him.

Easing her way through the crowd, Shirley got to the place where she had seen them only to find that they weren't there...they were gone. Looking around she hoped to see them again but she saw nothing...nothing except the local island population. Well...the charm had worked...she had seen them...at least that was something...right?