Tony opened his laptop and studied the pile of notes beside him wishing he wasn't so exhausted. The flight had been uneventful and they had reached Sydney in the late afternoon local time. After crossing customs they had changed to the domestic terminal and Tony bade farewell to his parents and Michelle. 'Have a great time,' he told them enviously as the final call to Brisbane was announced.
'We will,' Michelle assured him, rushing back to give him a final hug. 'Have you got all your notes, Tony?'
He nodded, hugging her tight against him. 'Yeah. I'm gonna miss you, Michelle.' Her hair brushed his nose and he gently pushed a curl aside, unwilling to release her. 'I really love you, sweetheart. Take care, won't you. There are poisonous jellyfish round there.'
Michelle chuckled in his arms. 'Sweetheart, since when were you scared of jellyfish? We'll be fine. I got to go, that woman is looking a little annoyed.'
'Plane won't go yet,' he assured her, tilting her face upwards for yet another final kiss. The Qantas official glared at them meaningfully.
'Paging Passenger Dessler for QF flight 6 to Brisbane. Passenger Dessler please make your way over to gate 12. Your flight is leaving!'
'That's me,' Michelle told him, extracting herself from his arms. 'I really gotta go now, Tony. I'll call you once you land, ok?'
'Yeah,' he agreed, walking with her as far as the connecting corridor. Unable to let her leave he pulled her back into his arms yet again, placing his mouth on her lips. She returned his kiss, her fingers stroking his hair.
'Excuse me. Passenger Dessler, I take it! The flight will leave in two minutes, with or without you. I'm sure he'll call you,' the official snapped. She glared at Tony. 'We encourage all passengers to board their flights by the final call.'
'Sorry,' he apologized automatically, never less sorry in his life. He watched her rush down the connecting corridor until she turned a corner. Moments later the corridor was removed and the plane's door was pulled shut. Tony walked over to a window, laid his hand luggage on the floor by his feet and watched as the plane reversed from its parking bay and began the slow roll to the runway. 'Bye, Chelle' he said softly, a pang of loneliness rushing through him.
His own flight left an hour later, depositing him into a steady gale and pouring rain. Tony opened his suitcase and retrieved his jacket before leaving the terminal, barely avoiding a collision with a group of barefoot people wearing t-shirts and jeans, carrying wrapped surfboards. He watched them hurry over to the check-in counter, telling himself sternly to get over his envy. It was hardly their fault he had had no vacation the entire year. Pull yourself together, Almeida! You'll get a weekend in Cairns with Michelle, and you're off to a real important conference. No one else round here even knows it's on. Watching the surfers argue about exactly where their boards should be placed on the plane, he doubted whether they would be remotely interested.
His hotel was located close to the heart of the city. Tony checked in and entered a spacious room with a pale carpet and cream eiderdowns on a large double bed. Michelle would've loved this room. The window looked onto the city center, the view slightly tarnished by the driving rain. He allowed a sigh to escape before he unlocked his suitcase and hung his shirts and suits into the cupboard. Sure wish the rain would stop. It would be fun to see some of the beaches.
As if in answer to his thoughts the rain stopped and a pale sunlight flooded the street. Tony remained at his window for another moment before he pulled on his jacket and hurried outside. He needed a little fresh air after the long flight and he would find it impossible to sleep right then anyway.
The taxi driver gave him an odd stare as he settled. 'You sure you want to go the beach now, mate? It'll be bloody dark there, and it's raining!'
'Yeah,' Tony replied firmly. 'Just for a little while.'
The driver nodded, glancing back through the mirror. 'Which beach?'
Tony shrugged. 'The closest one, I guess.' He watched pedestrians and traffic as they left the center, arriving just before sunset. Rough waves pounded the shore, froth churning up the beach. A few gulls surrounded him screeching dismally as he shook his head. Tony remained motionless, watching the gathering darkness before he moved closer to the water and put his hand inside, wincing slightly. It sure is cold!
An hour later he called another cab and returned to the hotel where he stripped and warmed himself under a steaming shower. Room service brought a large portion of steak with baked potatoes and a salad and he found a few unknown beers in his fridge. He opened a green can of Victoria Bitter first and sipped it, nodding thoughtfully. That's quite ok. At least you'll have a little fun trying all those other cans too, Almeida. A lot more tired than before, he flicked through a dozen channels, settling for a thriller over which he fell asleep.
His internal clock totally disrupted, he awoke an hour later. The thriller was still on, the protagonist being chased by several police. Tony yawned and rubbed his eyes, glancing at his watch. It was midnight. Get some sleep, Almeida! You're supposed to be alert for the conference, remember! Sleep completely eluded him as he tossed and turned in the large unfamiliar bed, unable to settle without Michelle. He longed to hear her voice again and lifted his cell before replacing it on the bedside table. Settle down, Almeida! How can you even think of waking her? Go to sleep! Sure wish she'd call…
His fingers closed over his cell at the first ring and he pulled it towards his mouth. 'Almeida.' Please let it be her!
'Honey, why are you still up?' Michelle questioned. 'You'll be real tired tomorrow. How was your flight?'
'It was fine, a little bumpy at the landing. The weather's pretty bad round here,' he replied. 'What's it like over there?'
'Tony, it's great. It's almost as warm as home right now and there's a gorgeous river real close to the hotel. We ate outdoors on this terrace and then we went for a short walk. All the people round here are real relaxed. Your mom said we should all get some sleep, and I was real tired before but I'm beginning to wake up now!' She sighed heavily.
'Me too,' he admitted. 'I was gonna call you, honey. Tell me all about your trip,' he begged, lying back down with closed eyes as he listened to her voice. 'Don't stop, sweetheart,' he encouraged when she fell silent. 'I need to hear you right now and pretend you're right here. This bed is much too big for one.'
'Same here,' she agreed. 'This vacation will be great but I know which part I'll enjoy best.'
'Aha?' he teased. 'The visit to the aquarium?'
'Right,' she joked. 'How did you guess?'
'I know you real well,' he told her. 'So have you decided what to do about our anniversary dinner? We'll be on the plane back that day. Are we celebrating it here or back home?'
'I've been thinking about that,' Michelle told him seriously. 'I guess it would be wrong to celebrate it twice? You know, we're a day ahead over here…'
'Twice,' Tony chuckled. 'Sweetheart, what gave you such an idea?'
'I'm married to the very best man in the whole world,' she said softly, and he swallowed a lump in his throat. 'That deserves two celebrations.'
'You got it,' he agreed, deeply moved. 'But I'm the lucky one here honey, not you. You could've had anyone.'
'You're the only one I want, Tony,' she answered with spirit and he smiled in the darkness, missing her more than ever. Much more of this conversation, Almeida, and you'll call a cab and hurry back to the airport and take the first plane over to her! Of course Chappelle might be a little pissed off!
He said goodbye and promised to get some sleep, tossing and turning in the large bed for the next half hour before he gave up the struggle and reached for his cell phone. He would allow it to ring twice and if she didn't answer he would hang up and allow her to sleep. To his delight she answered at the first ring, as alert as he was. 'Hey sweetheart, you still awake?' he began unnecessarily.
'Sure. It's supposed to be daytime right now. But Tony, I can afford to stay up all night, I'm only spending tomorrow on the beach. You got to deliver your paper. You should get some rest.'
'Honey, I got to deliver that paper on Tuesday,' he told her. 'The Australians are hosting the conference, they get to speak first.' He shut his eyes and held the phone closer to his ear. 'Why don't you tell me what you're wearing,' he suggested with a grin.
A loud beep from her phone startled them both as they whispered endearments to each other. 'That your phone, sweetheart?' Tony asked.
'Yeah, it is. We kinda spoke a long while,' Michelle told him with a chuckle. 'My phone says 2 hours and 17 minutes! I guess we should get some sleep now.'
'Aha,' he agreed. 'We spoke for 2 hours,' he repeated, amazed. 'Michelle, do you realize it's a long distance call! Chappelle might have a bit to say to me!'
She laughed aloud. 'You can count on it, Tony. He'll have it taken out of your pay!'
'He'll have me arrested,' Tony muttered, only half joking. 'Guess I better say goodnight, sweetheart. I'll call you in the morning!'
He called her in the morning, after he managed to force a little breakfast down, but she failed to pick up. He presumed she was sleeping, attempting to rub the exhaustion from his own eyes. It took three cups of black coffee to wake him enough to return to his room and collect his briefcase. Thank God you just got to listen today, Almeida! Luckily every speaker prepared extensive notes to enable the vast audience to follow their presentation more clearly. Tony put them away carefully, resolved to study them that evening and make his own notes.
At lunch the entire gathering walked down a flight of stairs and ate in a five star restaurant that was given over to them for the week. He found himself a place at a table with another American from Texas, two Englishmen and a Canadian. They introduced themselves and listened to the Canadian delegate discuss his theme: the problem of illegal immigration. All in all the conference proved more interesting than he had imagined. They ate dinner together and returned to their respective hotels, Tony barely able to focus on pushing the right button on the elevator. He unbuttoned the top few buttons on his shirt and pulled it over his head, removed his trousers and managed to force himself to brush his teeth before falling into bed. His final thought was an admonition that he really should go over his own paper one final time, but he fell asleep before the thought could take shape.
Waking up was a little easier on Tuesday after his long sleep. Refreshed, he showered at dawn and went over his own papers a second time, nervous about speaking in front of such an audience. Chappelle should've done this Almeida, not you. He sure admires the sound of his own voice! He drew a deep breath to calm himself. Focus Almeida. Just pick a point on the back wall and stare at it. You'll be fine!
Michelle called him as he breakfasted alone in the hotel dining room. She assured him he'd give an excellent speech and said she wished she could see him deliver it. She was off to the aquarium with his parents that day, and then visit a national park with koalas. 'Sounds great,' Tony told her. 'You sure you don't wanna swap with me, sweetheart? I kinda like koalas!' She laughed at him and assured him he'd do well before saying goodbye. Only another three days after this one before you see her again, Almeida. You'll cope with that!
Tony fidgeted through the first lecture delivered by a Frenchman with a strong accent, reading through his notes in increasing discomfort. He found himself rubbing his face and the pen he twirled in his fingers snapped in two. Settle down, Almeida, you can do this. It's not as though you never addressed a crowd before. After all, you gave your men plenty of orders back in the Marines! He failed to comfort himself. Those guys kinda had to listen, though. These people are almost all older than you, wearing identical grey and black suits – they could've come from the same tailor! He wiped moist fingers surreptitiously on his trousers.
Five minutes before the lecture ended, of which he heard absolutely nothing, a black suited Australian appeared beside him. 'Mr. Almeida?' He nodded, sliding lower in his chair, well aware what the man wanted. 'Follow me, please. You're to stand at the edge of the platform, you're up next.' Tony nodded, bending down to grab his crumpled notes. 'You coming mate?' questioned the humorless organizer.
'Yeah,' he whispered, feeling as though he were being marched to his own execution. That event could not have filled him more foreboding, he was certain. They climbed a few stairs unobserved and the Australian pointed him to the side, asking him to wait there till he was announced. I sure will! What does he expect me to do, push the speaker aside and start my own speech? He attempted to straighten the notes, wishing they were neat like all the previous speakers' had been. Well, let's face it Almeida, you're not cut out to be a public speaker! From his spot in the shadows he ran his eyes unwisely over the audience, running the number through his head. Five hundred delegates! It sure seems as though they're all here, too! I can't do this, Michelle!
'Please welcome Tony Almeida from Los Angeles, who will address us on the subject: The Threat From The Educated Terrorist.' He remained where he was a moment longer, a desire to flee down the stairs surging within him.
'Go on mate,' the impatient Australian ordered, giving him a needed push. Tony found himself propelled onto the platform, the eyes of the entire audience upon him. He swallowed a lump that threatened to choke him and moved over to the stand, tidying his notes.
Eyes fixed on the back wall slightly above the sea of faces he began his lecture, mercifully forgetting about his vast audience minutes later as he spoke of the increased threat caused by the wealthier terrorist families who had been able to educate their sons in universities and colleges as opposed to the poorer ones whose offspring would merely be the hit men. Much to his surprise he received a standing ovation once he finished.
Tony stepped through the revolving doors and moved to a patch of sun, wiping the sweat from his brow. It was over and he had survived. He propped his elbows on a brick wall and shut his eyes, his body shaking.
'Tony Almeida? That was great, I can see you've had personal experience with this subject,' a man began in Spanish. 'Roberto Palma,' he said, smiling warmly. Tony opened his eyes and regarded the Spanish delegate, who had previously been just another grey suited bureaucrat.
'Gracias,' he said softly, taking a deep breath.
'I can see you speak perfect Spanish and that's great, as your topic is a subject that causes us great concern. You must come to repeat this lecture in Madrid next month, in Spanish.'
Tony found himself shaking his head. 'Sir, I'm real sorry, but I can't,' he said. 'I'll find someone else to deliver it instead.'
'Por que no? Your Spanish is fine.'
Tony licked his lips in silence, feeling the man wait beside him for an answer. 'Sir, I'm an agent, not a public speaker. I managed to get through this today, but it's not an experience I wish to repeat. I'll find you another Spanish speaker,' he began.
'Mr. Almeida, your subject is a real comprehensive one, and whilst another Spanish speaker could certainly deliver it, he or she might not be able to answer all the questions we would surely like to ask. I will personally request your presence from your boss.' He gave the horrified Tony a warm handshake. 'Enjoy the sunshine; this next talk can easily be missed!' He left Tony alone beside the stairs.
His cell rang moments later and he answered it, his heart leaping at the caller ID. 'Hey sweetheart.'
'How did it go, Tony?'
'I survived,' he told her leaning against the wall. 'I got a problem I'll need your help with. The Spanish delegate liked my lecture so much he wants me to repeat it in Madrid! He's gonna call Chappelle to ask for me. Honey, he just wouldn't listen to the word "no"'.
Michelle laughed aloud, the sound charming him. 'Tony, that's great. Listen, if you see him again tell him you reconsidered, no sweetheart, don't interrupt. You have to go anyway, might as well get a good deal. Tell him you'll do it if he pays your wife's ticket also! I've never been there.'
He found himself nodding slowly. 'If there's no way I can avoid going, I'll tell him. Tell me about the aquarium instead,' he begged.
The rest of the meeting passed rapidly and he enjoyed every remaining day as he was no longer plagued by the thought of presenting his own lecture. Names and pictures of terrorists and suspected terrorists were shown and he stored them all, eating at different tables every mealtime. By Friday night he had several new acquaintances to bid farewell to as he hurried back to collect his things and get to the airport. That night he flew to Cairns to join Michelle and fall asleep in her arms.
The airport he arrived at was small and almost totally empty as only a handful of relatives waited in the darkness. He found himself pulled into Michelle's arms as soon as he left the connecting corridor. 'Tony, you're back! It's been real quiet without you,' she told him, kissing him.
He nodded. 'You too. Honey I'm so tired I can barely stand.'
'It's okay sweetheart, we hired a car. I'll drive you over to the hotel. It's real entertaining driving on the wrong side of the road in the dark!'
'I'll bet,' he said wryly and collected his suitcase while she struggled with his backpack. 'I can take it, honey.'
'I'm fine,' Michelle hissed, shaking her head at him. 'And you lecture me about taking too much stuff on vacation!'
'They're all my notes from the conference,' he told her grinning. He settled into a large 4WD and fell asleep on the drive to the hotel. Michelle shook him awake.
'Tony, I can take your stuff inside, but there's no way I'll manage to drag you in too! Get up.'
Once upstairs he felt a lot better, the cheerful room with its yellow color theme cheering him. Michelle removed her clothes and entered the bathroom. Moments later he heard the shower turned on and he stripped rapidly, determined to join her. Tiptoeing to the bathroom he peered through a crack in the shower curtain seeing her leaning against the tiles with closed eyes reveling in the warmth. He laughed aloud as he joined her, wrapping her in her arms. 'Honey, I never saw a creature who loved the warmth more than you,' he teased, drawing her into his arms. 'Whatever would you do if we found ourselves back in the Stone Age?'
'I'd be fine,' she assured him. 'We're married, aren't we?' she added to his raised eyebrow. 'You'd just be a little more occupied than now, collecting sticks for a real HUGE fire.'
'And you'd use ALL the hot water,' he told her grimacing, 'just like at home! You'd leave me ice cold water to wash in, or not,' he added with a grin, 'and then I'd fall across the bed too tired to eat.'
'Oh no honey, you'd have to go hunt some food,' she told him merrily. 'And then skin it and chop it up. I can't do that! And you'd better cook it too,' she added and he nodded.
'Yeah, if I got to hunt it and chop it up I'd better cook it alright! Forget the stone age!' He rubbed soap over her and she washed him. 'Did I ever tell you how attractive you are in the shower, Michelle?' he asked, kissing her wet shoulder.
'You might have, but you can tell me again. We learn by repetition.' Tony turned off the water and reached for the largest towel on the handrail, wrapping her into it and depositing her on the bed. 'God I missed you.' He tickled her gently, feeling her struggles intensify until she squealed, clapping a hand round her mouth.
'Tony you got to stop,' she begged. 'Stop now. Your parents are in the next room.'
He rolled his eyes, stopping instantly. 'They couldn't have taken a room just a little further?' he asked, pulling a face. She chewed her lip, shaking her head. He gave a theatrical sigh. 'Ok, we'll have to be real quiet then.' She nodded and he rolled her over freeing her from the towel. 'Come here,' he whispered seductively.
She slid over to him, pinning him down. 'So tell me what you heard at the conference Mr. Almeida. Tell me now, or I'll remove your fingernails one by one.'
'Oh, my curly haired barbarian, women don't do stuff like that,' he assured her wrongly. 'A real woman cooks and cleans the house and leaves important stuff like interrogating enemies to her husband! Ow,' he cried as she punched his arm. 'Ow, ow, Michelle, I surrender, ok. I'll tell you everything I know.' He rolled away, inadvertently pushing something that lay on the bed. They both heard a loud thud and moments later movement reached their ears from behind the wall.
'Oops,' Tony whispered, biting his lips like a child caught out in some mischief. 'I guess they know I've arrived!' He picked his backpack up and moved it under a chair.
She nodded amused. 'I guess they do. Bedtime, Tony!'