Paradise Calling

Chapter 2

"Hey, wake up dreamer!" laughed Andrew. "You in a coma or something? We've reached shore, come on, we've got to pull the boat in!"

Caroline came out of her trance: the steady pulling of the oars, the bright sun, and the lull of the waves had caused her senses to drift away. She smiled gratefully at Andrew Grant, and helped him pull the boat in.

"Well," said Derek Graham. "I think we have enough provisions for the present, and we can find fruit and other foods on the island. There are only three blankets. I shall be sharing with my wife, alright Irene dear? But I think my wife should have at least two, Caroline the other."

"What do I get?!" protested Andrew, strangely disquieted. He did not usually argue, unless he had great reason to. "I don't really feel that's fair."

"I'm sorry," defended Mr Graham, "but my wife suffers from severe chills. Without proper medical attention she could become seriously ill."

"Then may I share with Caroline?"

"You will do nothing of the sort, Mr Grant," stormed Derek Graham. "It would be indecent and improper!"

"Then what is he supposed to do, sir," interrupted Caroline. "For all you know he may catch his death with no proper cover!"

"Per- perhaps he could take shelter in the boat," volunteered Mrs Graham gingerly. Irene Graham did not mean wrong although she was rather weak and timid. Her shyness was made to be even more exaggerated with a forceful pompous husband like Derek Graham. She would have made quite a caring mother, but the couple, or rather Mr Graham had decided against children. He had thought they  would only be a hindrance to his rather selfish ambition to be head of St Andrews. It was fortunate for the staff and pupils that this had not happened, because he would have ended up dominating the whole school!

"A very good idea, Irene dear," said Mr Graham. "Mr Grant will sleep in the boat."

"Alright," said Andrew, and then was silent. He was trying to see what Caroline saw when she gazed out to sea, but he only succeeded in gazing at her. He liked her shining curls and her faraway eyes. There was a strange attraction about them that transfixed him. He had known girls with magnetic appeal but she was like an electro-magnet to him! Caroline, sensing none of this, stretched back, and lay on the sand, shielding her eyes from the sun. She was wearing a black miniskirt and a white shirt, under which she had a rather daring, but fortunately comfortable, bikini.  Andrew had white trousers, and a blue shirt. Caroline was glad that her clothes were comfortable and practical enough for a desert island, as she had no others. She was thankful for two other things: she was wearing her trainers, and she had a penknife which would be very useful.

Mrs Graham was wearing a dark mauve sundress, with a neat round neck and short sleeves. It looked vaguely elegant - but that was about all. Mr Graham wore grey flannel trousers - which must be stiflingly hot, thought Caroline. He had a short sleeved white shirt and a grey tie, and he looked ridiculously dressed for a hot holiday cruise!

"Well," said Derek Graham some time later, "I think my wife and I will go for a walk, to settle the nerves. I hope you will be alright. Be sensible, please." Then Irene and Derek strolled off, and Caroline and Andrew Grant were left with a rather awkward silence, which Andrew broke by laughing. Caroline joined him, and then he did an imitation of the Grahams, who were tottering off down the beach. Caroline and Andrew both had to sit down to control themselves.

"What's the time?" asked Caroline.

"3.30," replied Andrew. "We've been here for one and a half hours."

"Thanks, Mr Grant."

"Call me Andrew, for God's sake," laughed Andrew. "No - call me Andy. It'll be ok as long as you don't let Derek hear you."

"Alright," replied Caroline. "Oh, I'm bored. Let's go swimming."

And before Andrew's astonished eyes, Caroline began to unbutton her shirt!

"Er, do you want me to look away?" stumbled Andy.

"No, it's OK," said Caroline. "Oh, sorry, I see what you're thinking! Don't worry, I'll be decent."

Andrew had gone bright red, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Caroline's bikini, which was emerald green.

"You coming?" inquired Caroline, not realising the effect she was having on Andrew.

"Yeah, sure," said Andrew. He stripped off to reveal a muscular, manly body and a pair of white boxer shorts. He flexed his muscles in the sun, posing. Caroline crept up behind him and pushed him, so he fell face down in the water. The sea was reasonably warm, but it made a very cold contrast to the hot sun! Caroline laughed, and Andrew turned round and tried to grab her legs. Caroline quietly dodged, jumped onto a rock, and dived cleanly into the deeper water. "Hey, pretty girl, neat dive!" called Andrew as Caroline surfaced. She smiled and waved at him to join her. He swam swiftly over to her.

"Let's play dares," said Caroline. "Water dares. Your turn first."

"Alright," agreed Andy. "I dare you to go and throw a brick at Derek Graham and smash his face in."

"Feeling mutinous, are we?" teased Caroline, "still it would improve his looks, I suppose, (not that he has any). I dare you swim under water around that rock over there, no breaths allowed!"

"I can't do that!" protested Andrew.

"I bet I can!" said Caroline. She swam over, dived down, and after an agonisingly long time for Andrew (no longer than twenty seconds actually), Caroline reached the surface at last, choking and gasping for air.

"You OK?" said Andy. "Show off! Hey, I wonder what Darling Derek and Irresistible Irene would say if we went off and they couldn't find us?"

"We'd get lines and early bedtimes," joked Caroline, "and have to be in by half past seven for ever afterwards!"

"Yeah, probably!"