Thanks all again for your wonderful comments. I assure you that you will be happy with what I have in store for Miss Eva in the next chapter. Ha Ha! For now enjoy this one!
Mary Ann watched Gilligan who appeared to be in deep thought about something as he sat on her bed. She finished straightening up her table and walked to him sitting down. "Gilligan what's wrong?"
"Nothing." He replied.
Mary Ann frowned. "Gilligan don't tell me nothing. I know it's something now what is it."
Gilligan shook his head. "No….I don't want to cause a trouble…I couldn't do that to the Professor."
Mary Ann was puzzled. "Professor? What about him? Couldn't do what to the Professor? Gilligan..what is going on?"
He sighed before speaking. "It's about Ginger. I think she…likes me."
"Likes you? What do you mean likes you?" Mary Ann questioned.
"Likes me" Gilligan repeated feeling flustered.
Mary Ann's eyes went wide. "You mean…"
Gilligan nodded.
Mary Ann sat in disbelief. That made no sense. Ginger didn't love Gilligan. She was in love with the Professor. She always had been. Sure she had kissed the sailorman in the past but that meant nothing. It was just Ginger doing what she did to get what she wanted. Ginger had ceased doing that ever since she got together with the Professor. The only one Mary Ann ever saw Ginger use her seduction moves on was the Professor. He was the only one she kissed. No one else.
Mary Ann finally spoke. "I…This doesn't…Ginger is crazy about the Professor. And she knows about us….She told me herself how happy she was for us and that she thought it was great that we were together. Gilligan what makes you think…"
"She kissed me. Or tried to." He answered.
"Tried to?"
"Well first she told me that she wasn't sure she was right for the Professor. That maybe they were mismatched."
"Mismatched? Those two?" Mary Ann said raising her eyebrows. If anyone was not mismatched it was Ginger and the Professor.
The Farm Girl, like the rest of the castaways, had noticed over time the chemistry between the man of science and the movie star. Their little arguments for one thing. Mary Ann, like Gilligan, half expected their disagreements to end in a very passionate lip lock. There were also little things. The way Ginger would look at the Professor. How he would always want Ginger to assist him with one thing or another. She smiled recalling the time Gilligan wanted to join the Navy and needed to gain weight. Both she and Ginger were forcing food down his throat. The Professor had stated he needed one of them to help assist him and before either of them could reply, he immediately asked Ginger to be his aide. Mary Ann had noticed Ginger made no protest. Just like she made no protest when Mr. Howell insisted that she and the Professor kiss for the movie. Ginger was more than happy to press her lips against his. For a full minute no less.
No what Gilligan was saying didn't add up. "What else did Ginger say?" Mary Ann asked.
"Well..she said she thought there had been something between us…and she wanted to kiss me. I didn't Mary Ann I swear. I ran away!"
"I believe you." Mary Ann said. "Go on."
"Well then after dinner…she wanted me to help her with a scene and she kept trying to kiss me…I told her I didn't want to and to get the Professor…"
Mary Ann pondered this. No this was not like Ginger. She simply would not behave this way. She stood up taking Gilligan's hand. "Come on…we need to talk to the Professor. You need to tell him what had happened."
"No No!" protested Gilligan. "I don't want him mad at me! I don't want to cause any trouble between him and Ginger.."
"Gilligan you aren't going to make him mad and you aren't going to cause any trouble. This is not making sense and we need to get this figured out. Now let's go."
She lead the reluctant sailor out of the hut and down to the Professor's. The pair knocked on his door and he stated for them to enter.
The Professor looked to see the two young castaways. "What brings you here?" He inquired.
Mary Ann spoke. "Professor, Gilligan told me something that…well it doesn't make sense. Well I suppose you know that Gilligan and I are…"
The Professor nodded. "Yes I am aware. Ginger had told me."
"And that's what we want to talk to you about. Ginger." Mary Ann explained.
The Professor sat down. "What about her?"
"Well for one thing her behavior seems strange don't you think?"
He nodded. "Yes I have to agree"
Mary Ann poked Gilligan. "Tell him."
Gilligan nervously wrung his hands. "I..Please don't be mad at me Professor…I don't mean to cause any trouble…I swear…I don't."
"Gilligan what is it?"
The young sailor relayed the story to the Professor about "Ginger's" advances to him.
The man of science sat listening to the story taking it all in. Kissing Gilligan. Claiming she was insecure about her relationship with him the Professor saying they may be mismatched.
"What do you think?" asked Mary Ann.
The Professor took a breath. "Knowing Ginger the way I do and knowing the way she cherishes our relationship, I would have to conclude that something is off with Ginger. Just what that is…I don't know yet. I think we need to watch her. "
"Watch her?"
"Yes…observe her and what may be causing her to act strangely. And we need to then get out of her what the problem is."
"Any idea what it could be?" asked Mary Ann.
The Professor shook his head. "Not at the moment. I cannot come up with one reason for Ginger's sudden change of behavior."
Next Morning
Fake Ginger walked to the lagoon to find the Professor looking over the boat once more to make sure it was still in good working order. She put on a smile and waltzed up to him. "Morning." She greeted.
He looked up. "Morning." He said getting out of the boat.
"I want to apologize for my behavior last night….I didn't mean to make you feel rejected. I just really wanted to make sure I have my acting skills sharp for Hollywood."
The Professor didn't buy it. "I see." He said. "So tell me…why didn't you come to the hut last night?"
Fake Ginger thought fast. "Well…I..I didn't think it was appropriate."
"Appropriate?" The Professor said folding his arms and raising his eyebrows.
"Yes…we are not married and…I just think that we should just be in separate huts while we are still on the island…I mean we aren't going to be living together when we get back home."
The Professor's antenna went up. "I see." He said. "By the way…I wanted to ask you…Where is your necklace?"
Fake Ginger looked puzzled. "Necklace?"
The Professor moved closer. "Yes. The necklace that I had given you. You aren't wearing it."
"Oh." She said trapped. "I…I guess it must have fallen off…"
"Fallen off?"
"Yes…It's…it's not a big deal…You can always buy me another one when we get back home."
"Where is she?" The Professor asked angerly.
"Where is who?" Fake Ginger said nervously. "What ever do you mean?"
"Enough of your games…Eva." He said filled with rage. "What have you done with Ginger?"
"Pro…er…honey…I….I am Ginger…." She stammered.
"Oh really? You are Ginger."
"Of course I am." She said attempting to smile at him.
He grabbed her by her wrist and dragged her out to the jungle.
"Prof…honey…what are you doing.." Eva said startled. "I swear I'm Ginger…I'm not…"
He flung her down to the ground and looked at her with anger flashing in his blue eyes. "I will ask again, Eva, what have you done with Ginger."
The Skipper came walking to where they were puzzled by the scene. "What is going on?"
Fake Ginger scrambled up and clung to Skipper's arm. "He's gone mad…He thinks I'm someone else…"
"You are someone else. You are Eva." The Professor stated. "Now again…what have you done with Ginger! Where is she!"
The Skipper looked at the woman who was trying to hide behind him. He turned back to the Professor confused.
The Professor explained. "This woman who is claiming to be Ginger is not. This is Eva. She had done something to Ginger."
"Please…Captain…" Fake Ginger said. "He's crazy…I am Ginger."
The Skipper turned to the woman. "Captain?"
"Yes..Captain…You are the Captain of the SS Millow."
"SS Millow?" The Skipper said.
"The ship we were all on."
The Skipper realized that the Professor was correct in his assumption. "It is the SS Minnow..And I'm the Skipper. You miss are Eva."
Eva ran off and the two men followed her. The chased her through the jungle and finally the Skipper was able to catch her from behind. The Professor spoke to her once more. "Where is my Ginger!"
Eva glared at him saying "Gone."
Other side of jungle
Gilligan walked with his butterfly net hoping that a little butterfly hunting would make him forget this whole mess with Ginger. He spotted a particularly beautiful red one that he decided he was going to catch for Mary Ann and ran after it.
It flew away and Gilligan looked around trying to see where it had landed. He sat down on a rock watching for the elusive insect when his eyes fell on something else. He couldn't believe it. He set his net down and walked to the cave where he saw a woman who looked just like Ginger sitting tied and gagged.
Ginger turned her head seeing Gilligan there. She struggled but managed to stand up and hop over to the front.
Her voice was muffled from behind her gag and she pleaded with Gilligan to remove it.
The sailor lifted his hands and pulled the gag off.
Ginger exhaled and then spoke. "Thank God you found me!" She said. "Please…you have to get me out of here! Please Gilligan!"
Gilligan stood there confused. "Ginger?"
"Yes it's me. I swear it's me! Eva…she tied me up and put me in here! She wants to take my place in Hollywood! Please Gilligan get me out of here!"
He saw the lock. "Where's the key?"
Ginger thought a minute. "Shoot…she threw it in the jungle…I suppose it may be lost.."
"I know!" said Gilligan. "I'll get the Professor! He'll know what to do! I'll be right back I promise!"
"Hurry!" Ginger yelled at the young sailor took off.
Gilligan ran as fast as he could. "Professor! Professor! Hey Professor!" He yelled. He kept running trying to locate the Professor. He called for him again.
"Gilligan?" The Professor's voice said. "Gilligan over here…"
Gilligan found him with the Skipper and yet another Ginger! "Two Gingers?" He said with his eyes wide.
"One Ginger." The Professor corrected. "This is Eva."
"Oh…so that is the real one in the cave."
The Professor's eyes brightened. "You..you found her?"
"Yeah…she's in that jail we built…the door is locked and Eva threw the key somewhere. I thought you would know how to get the lock free."
The Professor was about to speak with Fake Ginger spoke. "I AM GINGER! THAT WOMAN IN THE CAVE IS EVA! I'M GINGER!"
She was ignored as the three men went to find that jail cell. The Skipper kept a firm grip on her so she could not get away. They found the jail.
Ginger saw the group. "Oh thank goodness! Please untie me and get me out of here! I'm Ginger!"
Eva wrung herself free from the Skipper. "No I'm the real Ginger. This is the imposter!" She said pointing to Ginger. "I'm Ginger Grant."
The Professor walked to the woman claiming to be Ginger. "Let's see….tell me…what am I thinking?"
Fake Ginger smiled. "You are thinking how much you love me."
The Professor didn't respond. He walked to the jail cell speaking to the woman behind the bamboo bars. "What am I thinking?" He asked of her.
Ginger grinned. "36-22-36." She replied without hesitation.
The Professor reached in placing his hand behind her head bringing her close for a kiss.
He let go and found a rock breaking the lock. Gilligan and the Professor quickly worked to removed the ropes.
Ginger flung her arms around the Professor. "Roy…Roy….darling…..I knew you would rescue me!"
Eva knew she had been found out and took off.
"After her!" yelled the Professor. "She's going to take the boat!"
The Skipper smiled. "No she won't." He said. "I have the key." He said holding it up.
Eva did in fact run to the boat and was livid to find the key was missing! She pondered what to do when she saw a canoe full of natives approaching.