Author's Notes:
I was SO excited to learn a few things this week about the Jungle Cruise!
1. A sequel has officially been greenlit! We will get to see Frank, Lily, and MacGregor (and hopefully Trader Sam) back in action! (Personally, I have an idea for a Jungle Cruise 2 script…maybe that will be my next story…)
2. The digital release of the film came out, and it had some AMAZINGLY AWESOME DELETED SCENES! I understand why most of them were removed - for time constraints, or keeping with the flow of the story telling, but there are some SERIOUS gems in there! My three favorites: Proxima surprise MacGregor, Frank gets the cold shoulder, and Frank makes Lily tea (but seriously, I loved EACH deleted scene - they all add to the story ideas I have been having…)
So, in honor of the deleted scenes, I have added some of those details into this story. If you have seen the scenes, great! I hope you enjoy the added details - and if you have not seen the scenes, no worries, I hope you enjoy the add ons here…
As always, thanks for taking on this journey with me!
xXXX
Chapter 9: World Enough?
The morning sun lifted over the horizon of the Brazilian rainforest like a bright golden orb. Steamy tendrils of evaporation filled the air and reflected the sun's morning rays across the water, and flocks of brightly colored birds flew over the boat and down the river, squawking and waking up the Amazon. Nearby, a group of monkeys were fighting over something in the trees, causing a ruckus and sending broken branches splashing into the calm of the river.
Lily's arm was across her eyes to block the light as her body lay flat across the soft carpet. A blanket had been pulled up and over her body and as she rolled over to her right, she became aware that she was alone in the makeshift bed she and Frank had shared the night before.
As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, it occurred to her that the boat was still stationary, and they had not resumed their travel down the river. Lily sat up and looked around but there was no movement on the deck of the boat. Not a soul was in sight.
Standing, she walked past the empty bridge of the boat to peer around the corner only to see a still sleeping jungle cat directly under the empty hammock.
A moment later, she heard a loud clank and the boat rumbled, but the engine didn't turn over. She heard a commotion from the engine room below her, and made her way towards the source of the sound.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Zak and Yuzo were cutting up some fruit and chatting in their native language. Though she couldn't understand, their wild had gestures towards the engine room and the look of amusement on their face told her that the other two men on the boat were up to no good.
Lily found her boots and was lacing them up when he heard Frank's voice echoing in the pipes of the cabin.
"No, no — wait, stop pulling it so hard!" His voice was terse and with authority.
MacGregor's response came in a breath of annoyance. "Well, I just need to get a better angle and I'll get it —"
"You can't just force it, you gotta be gentle. Small movements…"
"I'm never going to be able to do this with you hovering over me the whole time."
Silence for a moment, then a grunt. "YES!"
CLANG!
"Shit! That hurt!" Frank shouted angrily.
"I told you to just let me do it by myself!" MacGregor's own voice rising in irritation.
Eyes wide and her hand draped across her open mouth stifling a laugh, Lily and the two tribesmen chuckled with her as they continue to eavesdrop on the unlikely duo attempting to make repairs the engine. A moment later the motor sputtered, and roared to life. A shout of triumph came from the engine room, and the wooden door flew open to reveal MacGregor with a wide grin and a streaks of oil across his shirt and pants. Frank stood behind him with black soot covering his head, which only amplified the look of irritation across his face.
"Good news chaps! I have single handedly fixed the boat, and we can make way!" MacGregor said triumphantly as he sauntered over to a table and picked up a banana.
He turned back to Frank who followed him out of the room, and took a bite of the peeled fruit. "Right, shall I take her out then?"
Lily's eyes traveled from MacGregor's joyous face, to Frank's tense and grumpy one. His pressed his slumped forward, he looked like someone that had just stood up after being in a cramped space for a long period of time.
Frank looked between the younger brother and Lily. The amusement on her face as she hid her smile behind her hand lifted his irritation momentarily, and he flashed a forced grin. "Sure, why not…" He'd agree to anything at this moment to get him out of his sight.
Overjoyed, MacGregor was making his way up the stairs before he could finish chewing. Yuzo and Zak following closely behind.
Frank shook his head, and pointed the wrench in his hand at the direction of MacGregor's exit.
"He's lucky I didn't stuff him inside the engine." He said with a look of exasperation. He walked over to where Lily stood and pulled a rag from his back pocket. He half sat on the table in front of her, handing her the wrench so he could wipe both of his hands with the torn up piece of cloth.
"He looks up to you! I'm happy he's found a hobby here in the Amazon." She smiled in delight at Frank as he finished wiping his hands. She glanced down and took the rag and folded it up into a square. The soot on his cheek was beginning to streak from the beads of sweat coming down from his temple, and she wanted to wipe it away before it began to run down his shirt.
"Maybe he's found his calling as a future river cruise skipper." Frank offered as he tilted his head to look up at her. With Lily standing, his eyes level with her chin.
Lily poured a bit of water onto the rag from the canteen on the table, and began to wipe the dirt from his face. "I can see it now… Houghton Jungle Cruises…" She laughed, her nose crinkled and her eyes brightened as she thought of her brother leading a boat of tourists down the Amazon river.
"I'd pay for a ride on that boat!" Frank's voice was raspy as he coughed and laughed at the same time. He begin to feel his shoulders and body release the tension they had been holding.
Lily lifted his chin and Frank followed her direction, allowing her better access to clean the dirt from his face. She took the rag and wiped it across his forehead, down his left cheek, and then his right, all while watching her face with a tender expression across his own. He was enjoying the attention, and it wasn't often that he felt free to let his guard down. For a moment, he was transported back to the treetops in the Puka Machuna village…their drunken interlude flashing to his mind, a grin gracing his lips.
She lifted an eyebrow at him, "You're staring."
"I am?"
"Yes."
His eyes creased slightly as he narrowed his look at her. "Do you want me to stop?"
She didn't answer, but kept her concentration on the stubborn soot on his cheek, her lips tipping up ever so slightly at the corners of her mouth. The first few times she had caught his eyes on her during the early days of their expedition it had made her uneasy — not knowing him at all.
Now, when he looked at her, it was a different feeling all together. It made her feel feminine and if she were to admit it, powerful to command such attention. And she enjoyed the attention from him.
Frank took a deep breath for his own sake. Had I been holding it? He wondered.
"You know, just over a week ago I would've thrown you both overboard." He said teasingly.
She chuckled at his bravado. "Oh really…And now?" She asked, her attention on the last of the soot along his jawline, not really seeing the way his eyes had grown a touch darker.
"I can think of a few other things I'd like to do instead." He replied in a voice that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She swallowed a sudden lump in her throat, and felt the slow creep of heat rise up her arms and to her neck. Her breath sped up ever so slightly as her lips parted to let out a puff of air.
Frank felt the rag stop its path along his jaw. Up until this point, his hands were gripping the edge of the table where he sat. He lifted his right hand to grab the smaller one that had stilled at his chin, around the wrist. As soon as he made contact, the hold Lily had on the wrench in her other hand loosened, and it hit the floor of the boat with a loud thud.
Lily blinked at the noise, and Frank's smirk began to appear on his lips. It registered to her then, a moment later than she would have liked, that he was doing this on purpose. Pushing the envelope of their flirtation to see how she would react.
It's clear he hasn't leaned a thing about me, she thought.
Lily straightened her stance, and cleared her throat. "Well, rest assured, I will be prepared for anything."
"Mhmm." He hummed.
Lily slipped her hand out of his grasp and placed it softly on his cheek and with a whisper added, "And don't think I won't retaliate." She said, and then patted him twice across his cheek with enough force that the sound it made sounded as if she had slapped him.
With a wink and a smile, she sauntered up the stairs, leaving Frank rubbing his cheek. A bigger grin on his face than before.
XXXX
The day stretched on and on without much fanfare. The rain peppered the river off and on throughout the day, and when the sun made its appearance, it was was fierce and blinding. MacGregor made sure to stay under the protection of the canopy for fear of bursting into flame.
Lily took her turn at fishing with the tribesmen, which resulted in her getting drenched at one point, much to the delight of her brother. "Finally, something I'm better at than you!" His voice giddy with excitement.
Frank manned the helm for most of the day and ensured La Piraña was staying on course. He felt at home at this post. Able to see what was going on around him, and in control of something tangible.
The yearning to be off the river and onto dry land was starting to become so powerful, that the group decided to take detour a little early. By the afternoon, they had pulled off under the cover of some low hanging trees to go ashore for more wood and to forage for some wild fruit.
Lily went with Yuzo and Zak to collect wood, mentioning something along the lines of being excited to swing an axe. Proxima jumped off the boat to hunt on her own. Frank hoped she didn't try to bring a dead monkey on board again. That was always quite a shock to wake up to when she did that.
"MacGregor! Get over here…" Frank called from the stern of the boat.
MacGregor appeared a moment later to find Frank relaxed on a bench; two glasses and a bottle of whiskey in hand.
"Care to join me?" Frank asked, already pouring two generous glasses of the brown liquor.
MacGregor took a seat across from Frank on a wooden crate, careful to be sure he was still under the cover of the canopy. "If I must." He took the glass from Frank and they clinked them together with a nod of cheers.
Frank swallowed the entire glass in one gulp. MacGregor took a hearty sip and the harsh liquor burned as he swallowed, then sputtered, "Smooth."
Frank refilled his glass. "What's the first thing you're gonna do when you get back to London?"
MacGregor took a deep breath as if to rattle off a long list of items that he had been dreaming about since the moment he stepped off the train and into the city. But he paused at the height of his breath, and the air left his lungs slowly, instead. "Well…I was going to say go directly to one of nearest clubs for a facial and a massage…"
He took another sip from his glass. "But now, I think it will be to support Lily in whatever she needs to get that petal examined and to start her research. It's important to see this through…" He said firmly. Then, he shifted uncomfortably and for a moment Frank thought he was going to throw up. When he didn't, he waited for him to continue. "Truth be told…I didn't have much… faith that this little expedition of Lily's was going to be successful." His head hung low as if in shame of his admission.
Frank noticed his demeanor change. He couldn't blame him for being skeptical.
"How long has she been searching for the Tears of the Moon?"
"Well, after our father passed away, it didn't come up for a few years — but clearly she had been influenced by it throughout university. Her interest rebounded about two years ago when Dr. Albert Falls set out to find the arrowhead…"
Frank squinted and nodded at MacGregor, "So, pretty much forever."
"Yah. Pretty much." MacGregor finished his glass and Frank filled it immediately.
MacGregor could tell he was seeking information. There was something about his body language that made him look unsure about something. A rare glimpse into a timid moment for Frank made MacGregor's alarms go off. That, and he was plying him with one-hundred proof liquor faster than he could blink.
"Why do you ask?"
Frank shook his head dismissively, "No reason."
MacGregor waggled a finger at him. "Ahhhh….nooo — I know what you are up to." MacGregor kept his finger pointed at Frank and when he shot him a stern look in return, he dropped his hand, but still pressed forward. "You're trying to get me drunk to spill more details about my sister… and if you think that is going to work…" he glanced down at the glass in his hand, "You're probably right." He raised his glass and took a hearty gulp, a grimace across his face.
An hour later, and nearly an entire bottle of whiskey drank, MacGregor was standing, rather, swaying in front of Frank, reenacting a conversation from the past. "And then… I told him to GET OUT! He doesn't deserve my sister…stupid fool." He waved a hand wildly in the air as if to push an invisible figure out an imaginary door. Frank sat back, eyes wide, as he watched the man before him stumble about.
"So, she called off the engagement?" Frank asked, making sure he understood what MacGregor was saying.
"That's right!" MacGregor's face went from a drunken triumphant grin, to a distraught frown, "Lily was heartbroken at finding out Daniel wanted her to quit working - quit her research, her studies. Be a wife." He wheezed a moment, then sat back down on his wooden crate. It rocked perilously, and Frank grabbed a handful of his shirt to steady him.
MacGregor hiccuped. "Mm-thanks — So anyways, Lily wasn't going to be held back by anyone. Lily, was — IS —too independent to be tied down." His voice rose again as if he were making an impassioned speech.
"Right…" Frank murmured, his voice distant.
Not as drunk as the man next to him, but still feeling the effects of the alcohol, Frank blinked hard, trying to keep his mind attached to reality. He sat back against the rail behind him and took a swig from the nearly empty bottle, processing the thought of Lily calling off her engagement and what her research means to her.
Frank had found Lily's journal laying at where she normally sits and was flipping through it. Snooping, MacGregor said, but he didn't pay much attention. The drawings in it were artistic and detailed, while her notes, in a slanted and beautiful penmanship, filled the pages in between. He didn't read much of them, but the ones he did were about her plans to present her findings, attend medical meetings and conferences, and speaking engagements based on the findings of the petal.
He couldn't put the words together in his mind, but it was almost like a sense of jealousy that was creeping in. It was a ridiculous notion - to be jealous of a petal…a magical petal…his brain retorted. Its hold on her was a lifelong pursuit, whereas he had only been in the picture for two weeks. He knew that London was going to be a huge transition, but he welcomed it. But still…He knew that he would be with her in London, but would she be with him? He knew what it was like following someone else on their quest to the ultimate prize — and that was a story he didn't want to repeat.
MacGregor paused as he felt the air change around them. Frank was still not asking the questions he really wanted to ask. But could he blame him? It's not like he'd spent the last four hundred years sitting around chatting with folks discussing their feelings. Maybe with Proxima, but she doesn't really offer any advice.
MacGregor leaned in towards Frank, ready to pry away at his resolve. "What is it you're so worried about? Hmm? Are you thinking that my sister is going to drop you like an old pair of shoes whence we return to jolly England?" He crossed his arms, in an attempt to look serious.
Frank snorted, "No." He shot back, defensively.
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't shocked at his somehow very astute question. He'd also be lying if he said he was sure things were going to be just as they are in London as they were right now. But once they get to London, HE would be the fish out of water, and she will be consumed with her research again.
Would I be holding her back?
"Frank — If I may offer some spectacularly unsolicited advice…" MacGregor breathed, the scent of his whiskey-laden breath in the air. "Lily may be..Lily. And she may have once been all-consumed by that ruddy tree and the Tears of the Moon…and blah blah….but…" he sat up a bit straighter as if trying to sober himself just for a moment to convey the sincerity of what he wanted to say. "…when a person sacrifices the one thing they thought they had wanted the most, to save something they realized they wanted more — then there shouldn't be any doubt about ones true intentions."
Frank grinned at the man across from him. He may be drunk, but that was pretty damn insightful. Somehow, he felt better.
"You're alright MacGregor — and may I add, I think Lily has had the best guardian angel she could have ever asked for. Even if she didn't ask for it." He patted his leg with a smack, and MacGregor winced. Frank handed him the remainder of the whiskey in the bottle.
"Well, you're quite welcome." He smiled back, blinking twice to get him back into focus and taking the bottle from him on the second try.
A moment passed, and Frank spoke, "Hey MacGregor, why did the bartender carry the crate of whiskey over his head?"
"Erm…why's that?"
"He wanted to lift his spirits!" Frank smirked, prepared for an appreciative grin and laugh from his companion.
MacGregor frowned. "I don't get it."
Frank ripped the bottle back out of his hand. "You're cut off."
XXXX
Upon returning to the boat, Lily felt a surge of pride at the day's haul. A very large bunch of bananas, a basket of açai berries and several bundles of firewood were all collected in under two hours. Her knowledge of botany came in handy as she was also able to find a few edible plants and some herbs for tea. Zak and Yuzo carried the wood to the bridge of the ship, while Lily looked around for her brother and Frank.
MacGregor was asleep in his hammock with Proxima nearby, licking her chops. Lily didn't disturb either party, and as she turned to head to the other side of the boat, she found her journal on the bench at the stern, next to an empty liquor bottle. She picked up the leather-bound notebook,, "Not where I left you…" She said aloud to no one in particular. She eyed the bottle, then surmised what Frank and MacGregor were up to while she was gone. Frank must be below deck taking a snooze in the coolness of the cabin.
Pleased with a little bit of time on her own, Lily patted Proxima on the head and made her way to the opposite side of the boat. She passed the tribesmen who were prepping La Piraña for departure, and handed them each a banana.
Journal in hand, Lily made her way to her usual seat at the bow of the boat. The afternoon sun had already begun to dip, and she wanted to take advantage of the remaining light to draw a few of the native plants she had seen on her recent excursion. As she approached her bench, nose buried in her notebook, she almost didn't notice the collection of flowers that lay at her seat. She looked around, confused at how they got there, but when her mind caught up to her eyes, she realized that a certain Skipper was the most likely culprit.
It was a simple gesture, and she felt incredibly touched by it. She lifted one flower gently, a Heliconia, and turned it appreciatively in her hands. I can't recall the last time someone had given me flowers. She felt suddenly bashful at the sweet gesture. She missed him suddenly, having not seen him since this morning.
Forgetting about the other plants, she sat down and opened her journal, choosing instead to draw the flowers that lay before.
XXX
The rhythmic chugging of the boat's engine and the cool breeze coming from the east was enough to lull Lily to sleep as she lay stretched along her bench, a bag stuffed with leaves and other soft bits of the jungle tucked under her head, her journal laying open across her chest.
Frank was about to call her for dinner, but decided to let her sleep instead.
Yuzo, MacGregor and Zak were eating at the stern of the boat, and based on the conversation, MacGregor was attempting to teach them some English by holding up different parts of his meal.
"Plate." He stated dutifully, and Yuzo and Zak repeated it enthusiastically.
Frank had made himself comfortable near the edge of the boat, mirror in one hand and a knife in the other, trying to shave the four-day old stubble from his cheeks. Steady hands Frank, steady hands…he repeated as the boat hit a particularly bumpy patch of water. Proxima sat nearby, watching him intently.
The boat lurched suddenly. "Ouch! Shit…" He grimaced as the knife pricked the side of his chin, a drop of blood beading at the cut. Frustrated, he swiped angrily at his chin. "This sure was a lot easier when I didn't bleed." He murmured to himself. It was also easier when he was on La Quila…where he knew where everything was, and everything was in its place.
Frank had made a lot of unique upgrades to La Quila over the years, one of them being a mirror and shaving station built into the driving quarters of the boat. Often times he would be too focused on the path ahead, and didn't want to go below deck to shave.
Proxima growled a curious growl, and Frank glanced down at his furry companion.
"What? I'm just trying to clean up a little bit, what's wrong with that?"
Prrr Growl…whine.
"Shut up, no I'm not trying to impress anyone."
Proxima nudged his pocket and a tiny glass bottle filled with a clear liquid fell out.
"Hey! Be careful with that! It's the only bottle I have left." He snatched the fallen bottle up off the floor and placed it on the bench next to him.
Frank gave himself one more look in the small mirror and, pursing his lips, decided this was as good as it was gonna get. He put the knife back in its sheath, and set the mirror aside. He pulled the tiny cork out of the glass bottle and brought it to his nose, breathing in its musky scent appreciatively. "Ahhhh…." He smiled big at the familiar smell. He splashed a bit of the aftershave water onto his hands and patted his cheeks. He immediately sucked in a pained breath through gritted teeth as the liquid stung his fresh cut.
Proxima made whined as if to say, sure…you're not trying to impress anyone… and trotted over to MacGregor.
A tea kettle began to whistle, and Frank quickly got up and pulled it from the hot surface of the furnace compartment. He poured two steaming cups of tea into a pair of tin coffee mugs. The aroma of fresh mint and and tea leaves wafted to his nose, and he inhaled it with a smile.
Frank learned early on in their expedition that Lily doesn't drink coffee. During a particularly harsh downpour he made the siblings a brew of Brazil's finest. MacGregor took it appreciatively, whereas Lily, still angry about the night before and learning he had faked the whole jungle cat fight, glowered at him while using his favorite mug as a spittoon to brush her teeth from.
I don't drink coffee, she had said, and proceeded to spit into his mug.
Funny now, but at that moment he wanted to throw the hot liquid into her lap.
Frank looked up to see that Lily had awakened, and was stretching her arms languidly in the air, her hair a bit tousled from her sleep. He squared his shoulders and approached her with the two mugs.
"Good evening…" He said sweetly as he approached.
"Good evening." She replied with a smile and turned to give him her full attention.
He handed her the cup of steaming liquid slowly. "That's for you. A little repurposed tea, I thought I'd warm it up for you."
Lily's brow raised in delight at the offering. "Thank you!" The scent of herbs and mint filled her nostrils. She drew her knees up to her chest to make room for him to sit. He let his arm rest along the railing of the boat next to her, allowing him to close the gap between them just a little more.
"You're sweet…" She smiled affectionately at him. Bringing her elbow to her knee she rested her chin in her left hand and set her eyes upon his face. He looked back at her with the same glint in his eye. She noticed he had shaved, and was suddenly eager to reach out and touch his face.
Picking her head up from her hand, she ran her knuckles softly across his cheek, admiring the smooth skin under her fingers. He leaned into her touch.
"You look nice, Skippy…" She whispered fondly, her eyes alight with contentment in the moment. Frank couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. To be looked at in this way, by a woman like Lily, well, it makes this entire journey worth it.
"Cheers?" She tipped her cup to his, and they clinked them together.
"Cheers!" Frank took his sip, but continued to watch Lily over the edge of his cup, a sense of success coming over him that he was able to initiate this quiet moment.
Upon her first sip of the tea, a strange scent wafted across Lily's nose, "What is that smell?" She breathed, and then sniffed the cup again, trying to locate the source of such a unique…odor.
Frank, oblivious to her indifference to the tea, scratched his neck and waved his hand in the air, sending more of his aftershave in her direction. "You like it?" He asked enticingly.
Lily's face turned from curious, to disgust, and whispered into her mug, still trying to determine the source of the smell, "Oh no..it's awful!" She sniffed the air again.
She looked back up at Frank for a sign that he was smelling it too, but was greeted with a blank look on his face. He shot his eyes to the bank of the river and pointed haphazardly, "It's this area of the jungle…It just — it always, uh, smells funny." He stuttered, trying to draw attention away from his failed attempt to woo her with his rather potent aftershave. He pursed his lips and tried to relax his posture nonchalantly.
Lily realized a moment later what he was doing, and rather than call him out for it, she smiled into her mug and took another sip. "Mhmm…" her eyes keen on watching him squirm.
MacGregor approached a moment later, and Frank breathed a sigh of relief at the distraction.
"I'll be right back!" He said, and peeled himself away from the bench quickly, heading below deck.
MacGregor blinked, and shrugged at Frank's retreating form. "Sorry to interrupt." He said casually, then his nose wrinkled as he sniffed the air. "What's that smell?"
XXXXX
The sun had disappeared over the edge of the horizon, and the crew's final night was upon them. Trying to make up some extra time, Yuzo and Zak agreed to keep the boat running for an additional hour before they finally pulled off the bank of the river to lay anchor for the evening.
MacGregor, Frank and Lily were sitting together on their last evening sharing a laugh and recounting stories of their journey thus far. Frank, Lily noticed, had washed his shirt and now smelled of woodsmoke — not that she was complaining, but she much preferred his natural scent.
Lily was poking fun at MacGregor's sunburn, while Frank laughed at the sibling rivalry before him.
"Oh — yes, make fun of a man and his ability to broil like a lobster under the sun!"
Lily laughed, "Well, at least Frank didn't send your toiletries into the river when we first met."
"I sorely miss them now." He replied with sorrow, thinking of his belongings now strewn about across the Amazon.
"Yes, well…we are all heading back into Porto Velho somewhat empty handed." Lily replied softly, her eyes falling on Frank. Lily and MacGregor may have lost a bag or two and some luggage, but everything Frank owned was scuttled into the water when he crashed La Quila.
Frank was staring off into the distance while nodded at her words. Lily reached out to grasp his forearm, bringing him back to reality. "Oh — yah, well. Not everything important was lost." He smiled, and winked back at her.
She returned the grin. "OH! I have something to share with everyone…" She shot up from her seat on the deck and ran over to her bench where she had something wrapped in a handkerchief.
"Trader Sam gave it to me, and said only to share it if I wanted… So, MacGregor — none for you…" She smirked at her brother, who threw a stunned expression back her way.
Lily revealed a bar of chocolate wrapped in banana leaves. She snapped off three pieces and handed one to each of her companions.
"Wow, Lily…Now this is hard to come by…" Frank waved his piece in the air appreciatively. He took a bite and closed his eyes to savor the taste and flavor of the rich candy. A moment passed and he let loose a groan of pleasure as he enjoyed the sweet treat.
MacGregor just about swallowed his piece whole, much to Lily's surprise.
Lily took a bite, and let the chocolate melt in her mouth, savoring the sweet flavor. She watched Frank take another bite, and repeat his enjoyment process. MacGregor was eyeballing his sister's remaining piece, and she snapped off a small chunk for him with a grin.
"Oh Lily, this was just indulgent. Thank you! Thank you Trader Sam!" MacGregor cheered in between bites.
'Yes, that was a great way to celebrate the end of this leg of the trip." Frank agreed, wiping his hands on his pants.
"A glass of champagne would have been a nice addition." MacGregor added.
"You said it!" Frank shouted in agreement. He turned to look at Lily. "I'm surprised you kept that a secret all this time."
Lily folded up the empty banana leaves into a neat little square on her lap. "Yes, well…I can be pretty sneaky when necessary."
"OH really…" He eyed her mischievously.
Frank leaned back and spread his arms out so they were laying across the bench behind him, his wingspan nearly taking up the entire length of the wooden seat. He stretched his legs out in front of him nearly touching Lily who sat across from him.
"Yes…I am a woman of many talents." She nodded, and punched his foot for emphasis.
"I don't doubt that for a moment. You've managed to stay alive and muddled through pretty well here in the Amazon…except maybe for the water part." He had to duck pretty quickly as the pile of banana leaves came flying directly at his head. I have to remember that she really has good aim.
"Frank — do you really want to rehash the whole, me almost drowning incident again?" She warned.
He held up his hands in surrender, "NO! No…Sorry I brought it up," he laughed. "But, I promise before we leave this jungle, I'm gonna get you back in that water again."
"Doubtful." She replied with a snort.
"You doubt my teaching skills?"
"No, I doubt my ability to not sink"
"You would be find. You could handle it."
"Oh there are plenty of other things, besides swimming, that I am very good at…handling." She leveled her gaze at him, her eyes unabashed at her bold innuendo.
Frank blanched, did she just…?
MacGregor silently wondered to himself, do they just forget that I'm here?
Standing up slowly and stretching his arms in the air dramatically, MacGregor yawned loudly. "Well — I will take THAT as my cue to bid you both a grand evening…I have a date with a wild jungle cat, just over…" he pointed to the back of the boat, "…there." He sauntered off after giving Lily a kiss to the top of her head.
As MacGregor disappeared around the corner, Frank grinned at Lily as she turned back to him. "You're gonna have to enlighten me — "
"Maybe…another time, Skippy…" She interrupted hastily, and then stood up to join him on the carpeted area. "Scoot…" She instructed, and he edged over to make room for her.
Her head once again on his chest, and his arm tucked securely around her, they fell into a companionable silence.
"Frank?" She whispered.
"Mhmm."
"Is everything going to change tomorrow?" She asked, her voice hesitant.
"If you mean we won't be on this boat anymore, then yes." He answered, trying to make light of her uncertainty.
She tapped her hand on his chest to focus him. "You know what I mean."
She had been looking forward to their return to port and all the while dreading it. These last ten days have felt like a dream and nightmare all in one. And now, as they near the end of their river cruise, the future seems so…unclear.
Frank took a deep breath. "Lily, the one thing that may be changing is our location and where I hang my hat. But me caring for you — that's never going to change."
She felt her chest fill with a much needed breath of fresh air at his words. She wrapped her arm across his chest and hugged him to her.
"Well that's world enough for me." She breathed.
Franks heart swelled at her words.
The lightening bugs twinkled around them, and Lily's eyes drifted closed.
"Frank… thank you for the flowers." She said softly and her hand went limp across his chest as sleep took her.
He moved his hand across her arm like a caress, "You're welcome Lily." His voice a whisper. His eyes closed soon after.
They fell asleep quickly, both anxious for the morning to come and light the way to the next part of their journey, together.
XXX
Notes:
What happens next…?
We shall see!
I'd be curious to hear from you all if you liked the integration of the deleted scene in there…I just couldn't let it float on by…it was too sweet to NOT mention it!
Thanks all…I hope to update again next week. Without giving too much away, the group finally returns to dry land, only to discover there is still some unfinished business.
Staarss (Melissa)