I just have one thing to say about this chapter. Trust me?
A few minutes later
Eden's hotel
After a short drive in a jeep to the hotel, Larry and Sybil were now entering the hall of the beautiful and luxurious exotic building that was swarming with activity. A young man in his thirties came to them.
"Miss Crawley? Mr. Grey?"
"Yes," answered the couple with one voice.
"Welcome on our island," he said, sliding around them a necklace of flowers.
"Thank you."
"I'm Philippe St Clair, The hotel's manager."
"Nice to meet you," they answered again together.
"Can I have Mr. Grey's reservation, please?" asked the manager to the receptionist.
Here you go.
The employee held out a sheet of paper and a key to the manager who asked the couple to follow him. Hand in hand, Sybil and Larry couldn't help but admire the luxuriant vegetation around them and that seemed to have grown between the wood walls of the building while exchanging happy looks. After a long walk in various hallways, Philippe St Clair reached what looked like a little hut, slightly apart from the main hotel. He pushed the heavy wooden door.
"Oh…Oh, it's beautiful," exclaimed Sybil entering the room.
All the furniture was made of acajou and cane. And as the main attraction, the hut had a private terrace deck with a direct access to the beach and the emerald sea.
"Wow!," exclaimed now Larry.
"I let you settle down," said the manager. "Remember that you have our welcome cocktail tonight taking place near the swimming pool. I wish you a great stay with us."
The couple turned to him and nodded. When the door had been closed, Sybil followed by Larry went to the big window and opened it. She took a deep breath and went out on the terrace. In front of her, a white sand beach was sprawling with palm trees and the calm sea which the slight waves breathing to her ears. She opened her arms as a sign of ecstasy and threw her head back under the satisfied gaze of Larry. Yep, he had been right with this idea to get away…
"Well," said suddenly Sybil; the show in front of her was making her forget everything…London and her reunion with Tom. "We will never leave this place."
"No," said Larry taking her in his arms. "I want us to spent the most unforgettable holidays of our lives," he added looking her right in the eyes before kissing her.
The same evening…The cocktail had been over for a long time now and the night was dark on the Island. Sybil and Larry were walking hand in hand under the song of the crickets and of the music coming from the restaurant and the outside hotel bar. She was wearing a little pink cocktail dress and had put an exotic flower in her hair. Larry was wearing a white suit and a light green shirt that made him look classy. Torches were burning here and there and the air was mild. Could the night be more perfect? Sybil sighed and Larry looked at her with an amused look.
"Are you having a good time?"
"Oh, yes Darling. A wonderful evening."
"Do you know what day today is?" asked Larry as Sybil was kissing their joined hands.
"What?"
"It's our anniversary…"
"We have an anniversary?"
"Yes…I mean, not officially. Today, we've been engaged for two years."
"What? Today?"
"Today," confirmed Larry. "Do you remember? You had some doubts about us working things out…"
"Yes, and you had say a lot of shaky arguments to prove the contrary! Beginning with the fact that I had to save my father from bankruptcy: you were so romantic!"
They laughed in unison although this memory was also reminding Sybil that this day was also the day where Tom left Downton without a word.
"Anyway," finally said Sybil. "We are here and you really did remember the exact date."
"Yes…how could I ever forget the day such a wonderful and beautiful woman accepted to share her life with me? And do I have to add such a strong and determined woman too?" breathed Larry, pulling her to him.
"Oh, you're trying to put me on your good side," laughed Sybil in his neck.
"Really? Oh, what a disappointment…I thought I already was! But you know, it's not a big deal…It's part of our odyssey."
"Odyssey?"
"Yes. Would you accept to wear something special tonight?" he asked being serious again.
"What is on your mind?" asked Sybil not knowing if she should be scared or happy.
"This," said Larry showing her the diamond solitaire he was holding between his fingers.
Sybil had her breath took away and looked up at him with watering eyes, not knowing what to say.
"Would you marry me?" asked finally Larry before holding his breath back. "We speak about doing it for a long time now…"
Sybil didn't answer anything, and just looked at him in the eyes. At this exact moment, her life flashed back in her mind and the answer seemed obvious. She smiled at him before literally throwing herself at him and kissed him passionately.
Later the same evening
At the hotel's bar…The air was still very mild despite the late hour and Sybil and Larry had been dancing for a long time now under the stars. The tropical band was playing both slows and beguines for the greatest pleasure of the tourists who were crowding into the dance floor. Seeming lost in their own little world, the English couple didn't see a man leaning on the bar, watching them. Wearing a light pant and a shirt with flowers, he was admiring from far away the curves of the woman who was moving with grace on the dance floor while her partner was doing his best to catch up. He chuckled and took another sip of his cocktail.
Still a few hours ago, after his last conversation with Sybil, he had had a few remorse to have left her clearly upset and hurt on the tarmac. And it was only thanks to the force of persuasion and several pampering from Edna that he had finally relaxed. Now, seeing the woman he once loved and for whom he had given up everything two years before flirting in another man's arms, clearly unconscious of the hurt she made around her and happy, his remorse were vanishing little by little. Or maybe it was the alcohol that was clouding his mind. He knew he drank too much this night and that the next morning would be hard.
While Tom was pitying himself, Larry was swirling Sybil one last time on the dance floor before taking her in his arms.
"I'm going…where you can't go for me," he breathed in her ear.
"Ok,"said Sybil, smiling before kissing him.
Larry took a few steps away before coming back and kissing her lips again.
"I'm coming back soon…be nice."
Sybil chuckled and went to the bar where she had seen a free stool. From the corner of his eye, Tom saw her coming his way and decided to take his chance. He got up, trying to play it cool while moving with the music and approached her discretely, a cigar tightly squeezed between his fingers, a glass in the other hand. He knew he was a little drunk and that probably was what was giving him the gut to come to her after their afternoon encounter. But his blur state made that he wouldn't care. He also knew his state of mind could make him say things he didn't want to but, it wasn't really his conscience that was leading him anymore but his heart.
"I always thought that this island was wonderful but with you on it, it's even better," breathed Tom in her ear with a drunken voice.
Sybil jumped slightly and turned to him as he was leaning on the bar at her side. She chuckled despite herself as she had immediately understood he wasn't truly himself and his alcoholic breath was confirming it. But she was happy to see him take the first step to talk to her even if she wasn't sure about the nature and the outcome of the conversation they were about to have.
"How long have you been in Makatea?" he asked.
She looked at him, surprised.
"You're kidding…right?"
Tom looked at her very seriously…at least as seriously as someone who drank too much could.
"Nooooooooooooooo…"
"But, you took us here with your plane."
Tom looked at her as if he didn't understand a word.
"Today…five hours ago," added Sybil.
"Ohhh," exclaimed Tom. "I'm really…a lot happened since then," he said, taking a seat.
Or rather, trying to seat down because he missed the stool and, without Sybil's reflexes, he would have landed on his bottom on the floor.
"Oh, watch it!" she exclaimed, catching him at the last second. "Here, sit down," she said, helping him. "But what's gotten into you?"
"I slipped."
"Yeah…right. Where's your…co-pilot?"
"Oh, ehm…she's taking care of the tourists," grumbled Tom.
"It seems like you don't like us a lot."
"Oh no, don't bite the hand that feeds you…or something else," he added, plunging his eyes in hers.
Sybil laughed nervously and tore away her eyes.
"Oh, and you know, we laugh a lot," he went on before taking a sip in his glass.
"Yeah, you probably laugh a lot?" she said with a side glance.
"Oohhh yes…"
"Yeah…"
"Tourists come here to find…the magic. They think they'll find love they didn't find elsewhere," he said, fixing her again.
"Maybe they'll find it," she answered with a glimmer of defiance in her eyes.
"We're on an island, pumpkin. If you don't bring it with you, you won't find it here."
Sybil stared at him. At another time, if Tom had dared to call her « Pumpkin», she would have turned crazy and wouldn't have hesitated to give him a piece of her mind. But tonight, she was really under the impression that she was speaking with a stranger. The drunken man facing her had nothing in common anymore with the man she once knew, except physically. And, maybe for the first time, she decided to not push things and to see what will happen. If this strange discussion was the only way to enjoy his company, so she was ready to play the game. Maybe it will lead them to something else, to another discussion that she wanted so much to have with him. Otherwise, she would have spent a great time with a handsome man and would surrender to the fact that she had really lost her best friend and the man of her heart. At this last thought, she shook her head as if to wake up, remembering that, tonight, she had accepted to marry another man.
"Ah, very deep," she heard herself answering to his last sentence. "Pilot AND philosopher, I see."
"Oh…and you? Did you bring it or do you expect to find it here?" he asked looking at her pointedly.
Sybil thought she saw an ounce of lucidity in his eyes.
"What?" she replied a little sharply even if she knew what he was asking.
They glared at each other in silence.
"Love…"murmured finally Tom
Sybil opened her mouth from stupor at his audacity and Tom probably felt he had gone too far despite his state because he changed the subject.
"Let me buy you a drink…"
"Hey, I came here with someone," she warned him. "Do you remember Larry? He came with me."
"I wanted to say to both of you," replied Tom sheepishly.
Sybil glared at him then shook her head.
"I don't think so, no."
"You came from London, isn't it?" asked Tom watching her with a frown.
Sybil shook her head again. He really was more than drunk.
"So? Everything is alright?"
Larry's voice made them both turned.
"Oh, good evening, Lar…ry !" exclaimed Tom with a little bit too much of joy.
Larry threw him a black look and quickly slid a possessive arm around Sybil's shoulders.
"I'm happy to see you!" Tom went on.
"Yeah, me too," answered Larry, kissing Sybil's forehead.
"Can I offer you a drink?"
"Oh, it's really nice…"
"But we're going to bed!" interrupted Sybil while getting up.
"…but we're going so…" said Larry.
"Well, your loss," said Tom, defeated. "I'll buy you a drink some other time…," he added, watching them leave together
"Goodnight," breathed Sybil leading Larry away.
"Yeah, right. Goodnight," grumbled Tom taking another sip of his cocktail.
Realizing that his glass was empty, he called after the barmaid for another one while muttering: « Cheer, Syb! ».
"Was he trouble?" asked Larry to Sybil when they were far away enough.
"Oh, no. He just wanted…"
"You're sure?" interrupted Larry. "Because, from where I was standing, I could have swear he was hitting on you."
"Well, yeah, maybe, a little bit but…"
"I'm gonna go…"roared Larry turning around.
"Larry!" exclaimed Sybil, catching his arm to stop him and forcing him to look at her. "Don't bother. He drank too much…he didn't know what he was doing. And Tom is a past history…don't forget it."
"You're sure you don't want me to go settle things with him?" seriously asked Larry.
"Oh, and by doing what?" purred Sybil seeming finally interested by seeing two males fighting for her.
"You know, I don't go to the gym every day only to look at the guys under the shower. I really could beat him!"
"Really? Hummm, I love it when you're this way," chuckled Sybil in a sexy voice, pulling him towards their room.
To be continued