Gordon is the first to break away from the group photo, taking in his surroundings. There is a large barren space which Jeff has had cleared with the intention of building the main house. It is clear that it used to be a part of the large expanse of jungle surrounding them all. It is a lot warmer here than it was in New Zealand, he thinks as he pulls Virgil's hoodie off over his head, tying it around his waist.
"Dad, can we go and explore the jungle?" Scott asks, hopefully. Looking towards the trees.
"Hold on a minute Scott, let's get your luggage into the house and then I want to talk to you about the Islands rules" Jeff replies, heading in the opposite direction to a large, primitive structure.
The outside of the building has been painted pure white and is dotted with large windows covering three storeys. The house is surrounded on all 4 sides by a porch, which rocking chairs in one corner seated around a table.
To their surprise the chairs are occupied. The grown ups and a teenaged girl are sitting in the chairs, drinking ice-cold lemonade.
"Mr Tracy, you made it" the older male announces, standing up and offering his seat to Grandma.
Gordon slips past her and sinks down into the seat.
"At last, I'm exhausted" he announces, downing the rest of the stranger's lemonade, in one gulp. Smacking his lips together in satisfaction and setting the now empty glass back down on the table, before leaning back on his chair.
The teenaged girl looks at the displaced adult in disgust. "Just who does this little boy think he is?" she thinks incredulously. Even worse, in her opinion is nobody is going to tell the spoilt brat off! his father is even smiling!
She doesn't know it, but Virgil has been eyeing her up since he arrived, and he doesn't like what he is seeing. She has a vicious scowl on her face, her eyebrows lowered into cross, angry eyes. Her dark tanned skin, and deep dark hair and eyes would look pretty on someone with a kinder disposition, he thinks to himself, subconsciously moving between her and Gordon, ready to protect his little brother if he is needed.
"Boys get upstairs to the big room on the third floor and get your stuff unpacked" Jeff tells them. He has also picked up on the tension and does not want a row.
"Isn't that what the staff are for?" Gordon asks, indicating the angry girl and the silent adults.
The girl is not going to accept that, leaping across the table, she pushes him to the floor. Pinning him down by the shoulders.
"TANUSHA KYRANO. GET OFF HIM AND GET TO YOUR ROOM" The kind gentleman shouts, suddenly sparking into life.
The girl gets to her feet, aiming a big kick into Gordons side, who curls up in pain and bursts into tears.
"I don't like that girl daddy" Alan tells him, he too is crying having witnessed her attacking his brother.
Grandma is helping Gordon gingerly to his feet. His hand is clutching his rib cage, his face streaked with tears, as he sobs on her shoulder.
Jeff is at a loss with what to do, as he tries to calm Alan down. This is not how he wanted the introductions to go.
"Mr Tracy? Please allow me to apologise for my daughter, since her mother had an affair with the gardener and moved to Australia to start a new family, she has suffered from anger issues. I know this doesn't excuse what she did to your boy, but please Mr Tracy, my Tanusha isn't a bad person." Her father pleads for understanding.
Virgil doesn't care what excuses she is hiding behind; he has no intentions of forgiving her for this. "Our mom died Sir, you don't see us going round kicking little kids" he replies, his voice full of contempt.
"Virgil!" His dad says warning him to keep his mouth shut and let him handle this. "Take your brothers up to the big room on the second floor, and get your things put away, while I discus this further with Kyrano and Lord Creighton-Ward" indicating the other stranger at the gathering. One who has not said a word since they arrived, choosing instead to watch the scene with interest.
Virgil heeds his fathers warning, peeling Gordon away from Grandma and leading his brothers into the house.
Upstairs they find their room. It is big and airy, with 2 sets of bunkbeds against the walls and a single bed below the window. The ladders are built in so Gordon can't remove them in the middle of the night. And there are name plates on the pillows indicating who will be sleeping in each bed.
Gordons is the single bed below the window. Climbing up on the bed so he can see the view he gasps in surprise at the calm blue ocean he can see.
Virgil unpacks for Gordon, while Scott takes over from Alan, as if left to them they would happily leave their suitcases open on the floor and just live out of them for the 10 weeks they are going to be here.
"Now what?" Alan asks once everything has been packed away. "That girl is still here. Scotty, I want to go home" He insists.
"We go downstairs and see what's for lunch" Scott replies simply. "I am starving"
"You are always starving" John tells him teasingly. "Come on Allie" He tells him, holding his hand out for Alan to take and they walk downstairs to the first floor. Stopping halfway down as they can hear shouting coming from one of the rooms. It is unintelligible ranting, Gordon sneaks closer to the door. Where he can just make out what is being said.
"You can't treat people like this Tanusha, you can't attack people you don't agree with. You have no idea just how lucky you are young lady…"
Gordon inwardly groans, knowing that those words would not be resting easily on her shoulders, there is nothing worse than being labelled "young" anything.
"…Without the help of Mr Tracy, we would still be living in the village. You have been given a wonderful opportunity to rise above all challenges and gain a fantastic education at one of the world's finest private schools for Girls there is, but if your attitude does not improve dramatically you will find yourself being transferred to a reform school instead. Now I want you to apologise to young Gordon tomorrow, when I let you out of your room and you will be on your best behaviour for the rest of the trip"
"That is a really long lecture" Gordon whispers to his brothers.
"Shh, I can't hear what they are saying!" Virgil whispers back.
"Or what dad? Just what can you do to me that will hurt worse than what's already happened? My own mother didn't want me. And now I am being expected to live here, with those spoiled beasts of Mr Tracys. The one that got kicked was rude to you, he said you are staff. Hired help. Do you know how that makes me feel?"
"Tan, he was joking, you will get used to his sense of humour darling, I promise. Maybe if you just give them another chance you will realise for yourself that they are not spoiled, I am going to leave you here to think about it. Good night Tanusha"
"Move, quickly he is coming out" Gordon hisses back down the corridor as they all run down the stairs.
"No running in the house!" Grandma calls out to them from the kitchen, where she is preparing lunch.
Scott leaves his brothers and goes into the kitchen, salivating over the cooked ham Grandma is putting into sandwiches for them, getting his knuckles rapped with her spoon when he tries to steal a slice.
"Please Grandma, just one" he begs. "I am a growing boy, I need food!"
"Get out into the yard with your brothers, and I will bring these out to you in a minute. Can you take out the fresh jug of lemonade with you?" She asks him.
"Only if I can have some of that ham now!" Scott replies, taking a leaf out of Gordons book and doing nothing for free.
"Okay fine" she tells him, handing over the packet.
"MMM thatsh good ham" he replies with his mouth full.
"Get out Scott, your table manners are worse than Gordons and Alans sometimes!" Grandma tells him in mock disgust.
"AND TAKE THE LEMONADE!" she shouts at his retreating back, "Ghastly Grandchild" she adds under her breath, laughing.
"DOING IT!" he calls back, lifting the jug up above his head.
Outside Alan is sitting on Jeffs lap in one of the chairs. Gordon is on the floor with Virgil, leaning up against the wall, while John is in one of the vacant chairs.
"Where is the other guy dad?" Scott asks.
"Lord Creighton-Ward is making a phone call to his daughter. Her school in England does not break up for the summer until the end of June, so she can't join us for a few weeks." He replies.
"Great, more girls" Gordon replies groaning. "Let's hope this one is nicer"
"I don't think all girls are bad Gordo" Grandma tells him, carrying out a platter full of sandwiches, pastries and cakes.
"I didn't mean you Grandma, you don't count, you aren't a girl" he replies, helping himself to a sandwich.
"I'm not?" She replies amused.
"No, you are Grandma" he replies shrugging. Ignoring the laughter coming from his dad.
*TB*
After the food has been consumed, Jeff decides to go through the rules with the boys. Gathering them round the table, there are not enough chairs, so Gordon and Alan are forced to sit on the table. Gordon has his feet rested on Virgils thigh, while Alan is sitting with his legs folded underneath him.
"Rule number one, and this is the most important rule off all. You do not go into the jungle without either Kyrano, Lord Creighton-Ward, myself or your uncle Lee when he is here. There are a lot of dangerous animals out there, we have anti-venom here if you need it, but I would rather it didn't need to be used.
"Number two, the west beach is accessible via the path that goes down the side of the house, and a 2 minute walk away, nobody under the age of 12 will be permitted to go alone" looking for towards Gordon with this, he cant resist the sea. "Again, the ocean is off limits unless you are supervised by an adult. There are extraordinarily strong currents in this area, but there is of course the pool at the back of the house, which I am not sure you have seen yet"
"Three, tropical storms here can be just as deadly as tornado season back in Kansas. There is a klaxon alarm system on the Island, if you hear this go off you immediately pack away what you are doing and come inside, meeting in the lounge for a head count. If you are in the house already, again you come into the lounge.
"that is it, I don't want to curb you fun, but I am asking you to be sensible. We will be starting work on the excavation for the permanent house this summer, and I am hoping that you will agree to help". He asks hopefully.
"Would I get to use a sledgehammer daddy?" Gordon asks, his eyes lighting up at the thought of being allowed to deliberately destroy things.
"I was not aware that I would be used for slave labour dad" Is Johns reply. "I had plans to work on my book this summer"
His dad laughs at the replies.
"Of course Squid, as long as you are extremely careful. John it is not slave labour, and it Is not compulsory, you want to work on your book, that's fine. No one here is going to be forced to do anything that they don't want to."
Scott and Virgil are as enthusiastic as Gordon, they can't wait to get started. Scott getting up to clear the table, taking the now empty plates back out into the kitchen and stacking them in the sink.
"So Squid, fancy a walk to the beach?" Virgil asks him, already knowing what the answer will be, as Gordon hops down from the table and starts to drag him towards the path to the promised land.
Gordon is entranced by the beauty before him. Taking his shoes and socks off, leaving them with Virgil, he goes down to the edge of the water to explore. The ocean stretches out for miles, the waves kissing his bare toes as he runs towards the sea, laughing.
"Not too close Gordon, remember what dad said" Virgil warns him, sitting down on the warm sand. Sifting the fine grains through his fingers, his eyes never leaving his brother.
"Hey Virg?" He asks. "Do you think dad will let me take snorkelling lessons? Can you just imagine what is under here?"
"If you are really good for the rest of your life then maybe!" Virgil replies, finding his enthusiasm infectious, even though he is far less interested in marine life than Gordon.
Eventually he starts to grow tired from the water, the sun is starting to sink below the earth, and it is getting chilly. Pulling the hoodie from round his waist, he lies back on the sane with Virgil, draping it across them both, snuggling into his side.
"I like it here Virgil" he tells him honestly.
"Me too Squid, me too" He replies. "You want to keep that hoodie forever?" Virgil asks him.
"Seriously?" Gordon asks, his eyes looking at him with hope.
"Yeah, its starting to get a bit small for me" Virgil lies. It still fits him fine, but Gordon clearly wants it and he has never been able to say no to him.
They lie there peacefully for another 15 minutes, before Virgil tells him it is time to go back to the house for supper.
"Do you think we should try to be nice to Tanusha tomorrow?" Gordon asks, he doesn't like her one little bit, but her father seems nice and if they are going to be together for 10 weeks then he really doesn't want to spend the time fighting.
Virgil nods, "I think it would be a good idea to give her another chance"
Walking back up to the house, there is a bonfire lit in the yard and baked potatoes are sticking out of it speared with toasting forks. A large bowl of freshly prepared salad is on the picnic table.
"Boys, there you are. I was going to send Scott to get you if you weren't back soon. Grab a plate and get some food before Scott eats it all" Grandma tells them smiling.
They sit in the warm glow of the fire for hours, talking and laughing. Getting to know Kyrano and Lord Creighton-Ward, before getting chased to bed by Grandma when she realises it has gone midnight. Alan is fast asleep in Kyranos arms, having taken to Tanushas father far more quickly than he did to Tanusha.
*TB*
They don't know it, but up in her room where she has been banished all day for kicking Gordon, Tanusha has been witching them from her window all night. Tears silently streaming down her face, as she watches her father carrying Alan. It didn't take him long to replace her, just like her mother did. Telling herself that she doesn't need them, she throws herself onto the bed and sobs into her pillow.