Disclaimer - I do not own Cairns Colonial Club Resort, or Cannon Street, nor the characters created by Meg Cabot. Only Lily and Marco. And, I guess, Richie.
Chapter 5"Ladies and gentlemen, we have now arrived in Cairns. Please wait for the plane to come to a complete stop before leaving your seat and standing. Thankyou."
I lifted my head in a dozily, to find that it had been resting on Lily's head. I shook myself and stretched.
"Have we arrived?" Lily asked in a startled but sleepy tone.
"Yes," I said, then added -"Good evening."
"Evening?" she repeated confusedly. She peered out of the window. "Why, so it is. Good evening, Jesse."
I smiled. "Did you sleep well?"
Lily grinned. "You know that I hadn't slept in nearly fifty years? I suppose I was just so... comfortable." She blushed.
"Likewise," I said awkwardly.
There was an intense silence between us - only sometimes interrupted by the plane's squealing breaks - and it lasted until Lily eventually spoke.
"We've stopped!" she said, leaping up.
"Yes," I replied, and stood beside her. "Shall we get off then?"
"I think that may be the general idea," she said teasingly. "Or else we may end up in Colorado, or even Hackney."
I grabbed my bags, and we departed the plane - in silence, of course. I didn't want another country to think I was crazy. As Susannah would say: I didn't want to be carted off to the loony bin.
I missed her terribly. Her pretty smile, her couraegous attitude, and - OK, her stunning legs. It drove me crazy, the fact that another man was enjoying her company.
"Maybe we could get matching tattoos," Susannah suggested, as we strolled down the streets of Carmel, hand in hand. "A little heart with S+J on it, or something."
"Or, we could get pizza?" I asked, fishing for my wallet.
"You're so unromantic, Jesse," Susannah sighed dreamily. "Still, I guess pizza is cheaper. Though it won't last forever."
"But its safer," I added.
"Not if we digest some bad pepperoni," she replied diplomatically. "We could catch or something, and die. At least we'd be dead together, forever though."
"Why are you so set on forever?" I asked, handing over the bucks for our pizza.
"Well, we're going to last forever, aren't we?" Susannah said, meaningfully. "I just wanted something to symbolize that."
"Forever...?" I muttered, thoughfully.
"Yeah," she said, firmly. "So don't you ever even look at another girl, OK? Because if you do, I'll be kicking your ass."
"Jesse?" Lily asked, waving a hand in front of my face. "This gentleman has been asking you the same question for about five minutes."
"Huh?" I shook my head. "Oh, sorry. I was far away." I lifted my duffel bag from the conveyer belt.
"Are you alright, mate?" the guy in front of me asked. "You seem a little lost. Do you need any help?"
"Uh..." I said, a little unsure. "No. Thanks. I'd better be going. Come on, Lily." I took her hand. The man looked at me in confusion. "Its...er... what I call my suitcase."
"Its what I call my suitcase?" echoed Lily, amusedly. "I have to say, I have ne'er heard that before."
xxx
"So, where to look first?" Lily asked, looking around. We were in central Cairns, about 7km from the airport. The taxi had taken us as far as my limited amount of cash could. You can guess how much I had then.
"Well, my guess is that they are staying in a hotel," I replied. "Or a resort, or something."
"We could try that one," said Lily, pointing across the street. "Cairns Colonial Club Resort," she read. "Cannon Street."
"Sounds like a winner," I said. "Its worth a try, anyway."
I rang the bell impatiently on the desk. "Hello?" I called.
"Hang on, sir, be patient."
An averagely tall man appeared from behind the counter. "Can I help you?" he asked.
"Are there any.. Marcos staying here?" I asked cautiously. The man checked a book from underneath the counter. "Three," he said. "All checked in last week."
"Are there any Susannahs staying with them?" I queried impatiently.
"I am afraid that I cannot be authorized to tell you that, sir," replied the man - labelled Richie. "Unless you are a close friend or family."
"Tell him you work with Marco," whispered Lily. "That you're a marine biologist too?"
What a genius!
"I'm only here because I need to refer to him about our project we are working on," I said, feigning profession. "We are marine biologists, you see."
"Richie" smiled. "Of course, sir," he said, "To the left, and up the stairs. They are staying in a standard room."
"Thankyou!" I sighed, and followed his directions hurriedly, Lily scrurrying after me.
I knocked hard on the door, anxiously running a hand through my hair.
"You look fine," mouthed Lily, then she politely dematerialized.
"Lily!" I called, but then the door opened.
There she stood, her hair dripping wet, her body wrapped loosely in an off-white towel. Her legs were bronze, and her lips were glossy.
"Honey?" called a man behind her. He appeared by her side.
"Marco," she said. "Its Jesse."