Peaceful Easy Feelin’

"I don't think Sonya's like that at all."

"Come on, Susan, you know what all this is about. It's about getting back at Seymour. I'm damned sure Sonya has only been inviting us over here to get under his skin. In a way she's rubbing his nose in it. Seymour isn't allowed anywhere near Jean's children, but I'm here every weekend with his. And now she wants to make him believe that we are getting it on together. Sonya's winding the bugger up, that's all. Once she's had her fun, she'll be out of our lives as quick as those sexy legs of hers can carry her."

"You think?"

"Susan, you saw that guy who turned up here the other Sunday to see Sonya, in that bleeding Vanquish. Have you any idea how much that bleeding thing must have cost Lord Kiss-my-arse or whatever his f-ing name was? Well, I'll tell you, over a quarter of a million quid those things are and that's without insurance or filling the bloody fuel tank. He's more the type that Lady Sonya will finish up with, take my word for it. Someone with all the flash clothes and plenty of money to throw around, not the likes of me. Sonya has her own reasons for wanting us around, so I'm just waiting for the bubble to burst and wondering how the girls are going to take it. Sheryl has gotten very attached to Dominic. Maybe I shouldn't have let things go this far."

"But you do like Sonya, then; you know, you fancy her?" Sue asked.

"I've never said that I didn't. She is a very beautiful woman. If you ask me, Jean will never match up to Sonya's poise, elegant dress sense or ever have the class of Sonya. Christ, to my mind her Ladyship always looks as if she's about to walk out on a cat walk somewhere. If it's a trophy wife that Seymour wanted, he'll never beat Lady Sonya. God knows what the wanker was playing at by nicking my woman."

"No, I don't mean her looks; I mean you do like Sonya as a person?"

"Yes, well, yes, of course I do. The person that I've seen so far anyway, but I have to believe that it's all an act. Remember, I know what her motive was for getting to know all of us and being so friendly in the first place."

"You do? And what motive was that?"

"To upset Seymour, I told you!"

"Brother, I think you've become a bloody pessimist. Can't you believe that anyone is just being themselves and trust that their intentions are good? Does there have to be an ulterior motive for anything nice that people do for you?"

"Trust! Good choice of word, Susan. Christ, I trusted Jean, remember? I married her, didn't I? We had ten years of marriage and two great kids together. And then, completely out of the blue she takes up with that tosser and plans to steal my girls from me. That kind of teaches you the lesson in not trusting what anyone does."

"You're not the only one who's been let down by the person they thought loved them, you know."

"Come on, Sue, you knew he was a bleeding piss-artist and into drugs before you married him. Everyone told you that he'd finish up an alcoholic or dead with an overdose eventually. And what happened? All the bugger cares about now is where his next fix is coming from."

"I thought I could change him," Susan said defensively.

"Susan, I'm not criticising you for marrying the man you loved. What I'm saying is that we can all make mistakes; I thought Jean would never change, but she did. Maybe I was just a stepping stone to Jean until she found someone richer. That's why from now on I'm going to look at everything that people do with a little more scepticism than I did in the past. I'll be looking for what they are really after. Don't you remember what dad always used to say to us - if it looks too good to be true, then you can bet your life that it ain't true."

We were disturbed by a knock on the bedroom door. "Can I come in?" Sonya's dismembered voice called through the oak panelled door.

"Yes, of course," Susan called out, then Sonya's head appeared around the door.

"Susan, are you ready yet? Poor John's getting a little fractious; he's worried that you might have changed your mind, or something." Sonya grinned at us.

The wedding went off very well; there weren't very many people there besides us and the children, a couple of guys from John's work and their wives, and the one cousin that Susan and I were still in contact with. We had sent invites to the others, but none of them showed. And, of course, Sonya's Uncle Theo (without his trusty shotgun for a change) and Lady Gilda Casson -- that was the first time I ever heard her introduced or referred to by her proper title.

Aunt Gilda was waiting at the bottom of the main staircase when Susan and I came down to the hall. She told Susan to remove the string of fake pearls she was wearing and then handed her a diamond pendent necklace with a matching broach and bracelet to wear. Susan nearly fainted later when she was informed - by Rachel - that the glittering jewels were valued at nearly £100,000. They sure did set off that dress though. I'd never seen my sister looking so beautiful.

For Susan's wedding night, the girls and I took Susan's youngest two home with us and Rachel took the elder pair back to her place for the night. Susan and John went off to a hotel somewhere, for their first night as man and wife together. For some reason I got the impression that it was the first night they had slept together as well. I know that John looked pretty knackered and Susan had a big smile on her face when we all met up very early the following morning at Susan's house. We were due at the airport by nine-thirty at the latest.

I've got to say that it was pandemonium when we did check in for our flight. Six of the children had never flown before and were extremely excited. Sonya's three were used to the routine though so they enjoyed showing the others the ropes, even if some of the excitement did rub off on them.

I was surprised at first to see that Jeremy and the two girls were in Sonya's party. I didn't question the fact because it soon became apparent that they'd been accompanying Sonya and her children on this summer jaunt for some years. They soon had the children under control and were adept at keeping them occupied.

We'd checked in and were sitting in the refreshment lounge waiting for our flight to be called when Jeremy came over and whispered something to Sonya.

"The lovers have arrived, Frank. Jeremy has just spotted them coming over the bridge from the car park. I suggest that we separate our children from Susan's before they get here."

I didn't see how Sonya's children greeted their father. But Annette ran over to her mother and gave her a hug, Sheryl strolling along behind her quite nonchalantly.

Jean and Seymour didn't separate so consequently, the two disjointed family parties converged on each other; I had hoped this wasn't going to happen and that's why Sonya and I had separated the children in the first place.

I very much suspect that Jean and Seymour had a plan of their own. Whilst Jean was talking to Annette and Sheryl, I'm damned sure that Seymour edged even closer to her. It was with some difficulty that I refrained from commenting that Seymour was not supposed to speak to my children when he started ignoring his own three and said hello to Annette; Sheryl had returned to my side by then. But I couldn't really do so without making a scene and arguing with Jean in front of the children.

Possibly because I didn't rise to the bait, Seymour switched his attention back to his own children for a while. But then I noticed him gesture to Sonya with his head and the two of them moved away from the group slightly; just far enough that I couldn't hear what they were saying.

Jean was in full witch mode when she spoke to me. I can't remember her exact words because I was trying to eavesdrop on what Sonya and Seymour were saying (can I help it if I'm nosy). Anyway Jean was insinuating that I'd never offered to take her abroad for a holiday; that was a lie but I decided not to argue the point. Besides at that instant in time things got exciting.

".... more of a man than you'll ever be and he's a damn sight more considerate that you!" I heard Sonya say.

"You slut! You've slept with him, haven't you?" Seymour shouted in reply.

"You have no say in who I choose to sleep with anymore, Seymour. Now lower your voice in front of the children please."

"You're nothing but a common whore, a slut who sleeps with van drivers," Seymour shouted.

I've got to admit that my reaction then was most likely promoted by the fact that Seymour had called Sonya a whore and slut (twice) virtually within one breath. But it was probably also influenced - in some part - by the insult he'd just thrown at me. Shit, I'm a bloody professional truck driver. Only amateurs and cowboys drive bleeding vans.

It took three paces for me to reach Seymour. I tapped him on the shoulder -- well, grabbed his shoulder and spun him around to face me.

"The definition of a slut is a wife who shags other men behind her loving husband's back. You should know that - you're shacked up with one now. What a wife does after her husband walks out on her to shack up with a slut is no concern of his," I said to him.

I was quite pleased with myself - I hadn't exactly blasphemed once in that statement.

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to," Seymour replied. "I've got a good mind to take you outside and teach you some manners!"

"I really would like to see you try." I grinned back at him.

Now Seymour Springfield is quite a big bloke by any standards. But just for a moment I saw reticence in his eye; then his facial expression changed, he set his jaw and took half a step back leaning slightly to the right as he drew his arm back.

The punch - when it eventually arrived - missed me by a mile. I'd just stepped back a little and leant to the right myself. When you have advertised your intentions as Seymour had done, he really couldn't have expected me to have waited for him to land the damned thing.

My blow -- that as far as Seymour was concerned came from nowhere -- contacted his jaw as he was trying to regain his balance. Although I was distracted some by all the flashes that had suddenly started going off all around us. I hadn't noticed the press photographers all around before that instant. Anyway I do believe the distraction of those flashes possibly had the effect of weakening the force I put into the punch.

Seymour didn't so much fall over; he just kind-of folded up and collapsed in a heap on the spot.

"Is that what you had planned?" I asked Sonya as we herded the children back over to the rest of our party.

"Oh, my god, no!" Sonya replied. "I'm sorry, Frank. I had no idea Seymour would get violent."

I stopped and looked back at the now prone Seymour surrounded by Jean and airport staff attempting to revive him. And with a little group of fellow passengers and newsmen all of whom appeared to be taking pictures.

"He who lives by the sword dies by the sword!" I said.

"Pardon?" Sonya said.

"Oh, I don't know if it fits exactly, but I've always wanted to say that. This is possibly the best opportunity I'll ever have to use it," I said.

A smile came on Sonya's face, then she leant forward and kissed me very briefly on the lips. "It fits perfectly!" she said as she broke the kiss.

That was the first time besides when we shook hands that I can recall any physical contact between us. And I must admit, I enjoyed that first brief taste.

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The flight out to Jamaica was long and during it no one mentioned that altercation at Heathrow - well, not to me anyway. We six adults were in club class and the nine children, Jeremy and the two girl minders - that's obviously what they were; Sonya had brought them along to run herd on the children -- anyway their seats were all grouped together just through in tourist class. During the flight we could and did go back to see them often. Although after they got over their first excitement they settled down and slept most of the time or watched the films.

It was pretty obvious that Sonya - or I should say, Lady Sonya - was well known at the airport and had also been expected; our whole group was herded off the aircraft together and given VIP treatment.

After the formalities we were met by a giant of a Jamaican, who was introduced to me as Sam. Sonya's twin girls both gave Sam a hug; come to think of it, they seemed more excited to see Sam than they had their father at Heathrow. Anyway then Sam was very formally introduced to Susan's children and my two girls. They were told they were to pay special attention to anything he told them, because he was in charge of the villa and their safety.

Finally Sam was introduced to Susan, John and myself.

"I'm please to meet you, sir. If there's anything you require you just have to ask," he said to me.

"I'll tell you what you can do for me, Sam; you can drop the sir bit. Her majesty hasn't waved a sword over any of my family's head, so far." I grinned at him.

He'd grinned back at me. "I will try to remember that... Frank."

After a ride down to the harbour on a coach, we transferred to a large cruiser type boat for the rest of the journey to the island that the villa is situated on. A meal had apparently been organised and was served during the long sea journey; it was dark and must have been getting near midnight by the time we tied up on one side of a jetty reaching some way out into the sea from the island. I was surprised that I hadn't noticed earlier but several guys were unloading our luggage from a second boat that it had obviously been transported in.

Several men and women were in the process of carrying some of the cases up a path that I assumed led to the villa.

Out of habit I went to pick-up my own suitcase, but Sam gently took hold of my arm before I could do so.

"I can carry my own bag, Sam!" I said to him.

"Mr Frank, you have a profession, I assume," he replied.

"Yeah, I drive trucks!" I replied.

"Do you let the people you deliver to drive your truck?" he asked.

"No, Sam, I'd do myself out of a job, wouldn't I?"

"Then please don't take the staff's job from them. You are on vacation and the staff here are paid to look after your every need. Well, almost! There's no other work around here except for fishing."

I looked up at the big man who was smiling back down at me. "Okay, Sam, this is your island," I said.

"Thank you, sir, and I wish it was. But I think we are going to get along fine, don't you?"

The short conversation was interrupted by a little scream. Both I and Sam spun around to see Simone drop the two bags that she was carrying, run over to young Jeremy who'd just climbed off the boat and throw her arms around his neck.

Sam gave a little laugh, "We told her Jeremy couldn't be coming this year as a joke. She was very disappointed."

"Do I assume that they are an item?"

"Simone and Jerry have been together for many years. Jeremy and his sister are planning on joining the staff here at the villa when they finish their studies; they are going to teach the guests water sports. I believe that he and Simone will get married as soon as he moves out here." Sam hoisted a couple of suitcases and made off up the path towards the villa.

I looked around and realised almost everyone else, except Jeremy and Simone -- who were otherwise occupied - had gone on ahead of me, whilst I'd been talking to Sam. So I followed on in the same direction that Sam had gone in. Just taking a quick look back at the love-birds snogging on the jetty.

The path led to a long flight of stairs. Some way up these I came to a large paved area with a pretty impressive swimming pool. On the other side of the pool level, I could see Sam climbing another flight of steps; these lead onto the large patio in front of the villa itself. It looked pretty big to me; well, I had assumed it was going to be quite big to be able to accommodate all of us. But later I discovered that it wasn't just big, it was massive, built with separate wings on many levels that seemed to snake around the hillside. Later it was explained to me, that although ostensibly it had been built as a private villa, the plan had always been to hire out wings of the building, something in the fashion of a hotel, when the family wasn't in residence, mainly I gathered to help with the running costs.

Several much smaller villas which Sonya referred to as summer houses were doted around on the grounds. It was one of these that Susan and John were shipped off to, to allow the newly-weds some privacy.

I have no idea which way the children went when they'd entered the villa. They had been led off by members of the staff to their own suites - nobody had rooms; all the accommodation was in suites of several rooms, each with their own private balcony or patio area. The place wasn't just impressive, it was unbelievable to a person like me; something like an elaborate film set.

Sonya, like everyone else, had disappeared by the time I arrived inside the building and it was Sam who led me up to my suite.

"That's the door to Lady Sonya's suite," Sam pointed out as we came to the door of my own.

I noted that Sonya and I were in adjoining suites, but thought no more of it. It was only the following day when I discovered that all the children and the two teenage girls were in another wing that I began to put any significance to the room allocations.

Jeremy, by the way, was accommodated in the staff villa. I didn't ask, but later I assumed that he and Simone were sleeping together. Whenever Simone was off-duty she was never more than six inches from his side.

I took a quick shower, then set out to track down my daughters, who I soon discovered along with Susan's children being given a full tour of the house by Tadpole and his sisters. I pointed out that it was very late and eventually the children agreed to retire to bed. They were all very excited, so I couldn't really chastise them for being up well after midnight. As they disappeared toward their rooms, I wandered out onto the patio.

"Can I get you anything, sir; coffee or something stronger?" Sam asked, apparently appearing from out of thin air.

I was to get used to that habit of his over the next few weeks. It was like the man had a sixth sense; he seemed to be able to predict whenever I wanted anything and he would suddenly be there.

"Sam, its Frank if you don't mind. Yeah, where's the bloody bar? I could do with something."

Sam led the way and I sat on a stool at the bar whilst Sam mixed me one of his special cocktails. Then we chatted for an hour or so, Sam filling me in on the villa's history and he talked a lot about Sonya's father who Sam had apparently been devoted to. It was pretty obvious that that devotion had been transferred to Sonya with her father's demise.

I have no idea whatsoever as to the time I got to bed. I know that I was awakened by Sheryl and Annette charging into my room and diving on top of me whilst I was still in bed.

"Come on, Daddy, get up. We are all going swimming after breakfast!" they demanded in unison.

My mind was filled with confusion and for an instant misplaced embarrassment. I could have sworn, that, because it was so warm, I'd pulled the covers from the bed and had just laid on it completely naked. But when my girls woke me with their yells and by landing on top of me at almost the same instant, my dignity was covered by a bed sheet. It was several days before I sorted that one out.

Shooing the girls from my room, I had a shower, slipped some trunks on under a pair of shorts, added a shirt for decency and made my way down to the dining room. Only no one was in there; they were eating breakfast under a large canopy out on the patio.

"Good morning, Frank. Did you sleep well?" Sonya asked.