Chapter One Tuesday
My name is Michael or Mike to my friends and family, life has been kinda hard for me over the past 15 years, married twice to two of the worst women I have ever met, and a naval career in ruin. I was at this moment in time, sat in the departure lounge at Bristol Airport, awaiting my flight to Malta. A 14 day holiday, to get me over a scary situation.
I had been going to work as usual, and as I entered the work gates on my pushbike, I noticed a low slung sports car just up from the main gate. I could not see the driver but did recognise the number plate ROB1, I realised that Robby, the wife son had somehow found me.
When I walked out on my second wife after 7 years of being treated like a glorified meal ticket, and after a blazing row with both the son and the wife, I did the only thing possible, I stormed out of the so called family home with Robby screaming at me. "I'll find you, you bastard." And it looked like he had. I went to my boss and told him the whole story, he listened very quietly, then said. "So Mike, what do you want to do". I asked if he could grant me a weeks holiday with pay, and an extra week without. he looked at me. "What are you planning to do". I told the boss I had a secret bank account, that the wife did not know about, I told him, that when I left the R.N. I had been awarded £4,500, but told the wife I had been awarded £2000, and whilst working had added to the secret account every week, a few quid here and a few quid there so that over the 7 years we were together, I had increased the account to a substantial amount, and when I left the wife and her son, I had well over £8000 in my account, plus any holiday pay I get from you.
Sitting in the bosses car and being driven into Taunton, Mikes bike safely stowed at the back of the warehouse, Mike was dropped off at the main shopping centra. Mike thanked his boss for his help, and with 10 days pay in his pocket, and being told to take two weeks off, plus the rest of this week, and hope that all works out, Mike thanked his boss and headed for the nearest travel agent, there to arrange a hotel and flight to Malta.
So, here I was, sat in the departure lounge waiting for my flight to be called, looking around, I noticed no children, but then it was midterm, I also notice, that at gate 6 there were only a few people milling around, so I assumed that our flight would be almost empty. I checked my inside pocket, just to make sure I had everything, passport, boarding pass and money, in my small overnight bag, I had a book to read on the flight, and an A4 envelope with the details of the hotel I was staying at, this was still sealed, it had been placed in the envelope at the travel agents, and when I had gotten home, I just put it in my bag, to again read on the flight out.
The loudspeaker suddenly crackled into life. "Will all passengers for flight M.A. 288 please make your way to gate 6 where your flight is now boarding". I picked up my bag and joined the other passengers, showing my boarding card and passport to the gate staff, I was given the nod and told. "Have a pleasant flight". Walking across the tarmac the biting wind made you wish for blue sky and warm sunshine, not this low dark grey skies and a bitter wind that was making walking to the aircraft almost impossible. As I got to the steps leading up to the aircraft, I got this sort of premonition that I was being watched, so stopped and looked back at the terminal building. It was then that I saw her, she was trying to make her way to the aircraft, but with the biting wind, she was trying to carry her inflight bag and keep her skirt in place. I walked back to her and said. "Give us your bag love, you keep a hold of that skirt". then with me holding our bags and she holding her skirt down together, we made it to the steps. Inside the aircraft I made my way to the back looking for my seat, as I found it, third row from the back, I realised she was behind me still, then looking at me with a broad grin on her face she said. "seems we are sitting together, I can only assume by that, you are travelling alone". "Well yes". I said. "As it happens I am travelling on my own, by the way, would you like to take the window seat". "No thank you, but if you don't mind, I will take the middle seat next to you.
We placed our bags under the seats and made ourselves ready for the flight. I looked at the lady beside me, she was very beautiful, shapely legs, that I must admit I had seen most of on the tarmac, but being polite, would not comment on, she had from where I was sitting a nice looking figure, It was only when she stood up to remove her coat and put it in the overhead locker that I really got to see what I had sitting next to me, she had a bust that was not small, and it was not large, in my mind, a nice handful, or should I say, two nice handfuls. "Hello". she said. "My name is Anna". she put her hand out and I shook it. "My name is Michael, Mike to my friends and family". "Then may I call you Mike as well". she asked, a smile on her face.
As we were getting acquainted, I felt the aircraft moving backwards, we were being pushed out of the loading area onto the apron ready to join other aircraft for the takeoff and flight to hopefully sunny Malta. While we were slowly moving along the apron, one of the stewardesses was moving through the aircraft moving passengers about, as she almost got to us, she asked the couple three seats forward if they would sit on the other side of the aisle, coming to us, I asked what was going on, and she told me that because we only had 50 passengers on board, on take off and landings the aircraft needed to be properly balanced, and this meant passengers sitting in different seats for taking off and landing, once at our cruising height, then all passengers could go back to there own seats if they wish to. She then went to the rear of the aircraft and closed the curtains, as she came back to us she told us that the rear galley was closed, all meals and drinks would be served from the forward galley, but that the toilets in the rear on the right could be used if needed, she then made her way to the front, we then did the full safety checks, and all the cabin crew sat in their seats for take off. As we sat on the apron ready to turn right to go onto the runway, the pilot came over the speaker system. "This is your captain, I would like to welcome you aboard this Air Bus 2000, we will shortly be taking off, our flight time to Malta is two and three quarter hours, our cruising height will be 32000 feet, we hope you have a pleasant flight, a meal will be served once we reach our cruising altitude, thank you.
As we turned right onto the runway, I felt the engine speed increase, and within seconds we were speeding down the runway, as I felt the wheels leave the ground, I felt Anna grab for my hand, I looked at her, the fear in her eyes was clear to see. "First time". I said. "No". she answered. "But the last time I was with my ex which made it easier, even though he was a first class B and treated me like a bloody slave". I felt her relax as we climbed into clear blue skies, below us was a blanket of cloud as far as the eye could see, we slowly turned left and on looking to the front of the aircraft, I saw that the seatbelt sign had been turned off. I did not remove my seatbelt, just loosened it off a little, and when Anna asked me why I did it, I explained, that if we were to hit an air pocket, the aircraft could drop up to 2000 feet, and if it did that, you could be thrown into the roof and get injured, so like me Anna undid her seatbelt, but didn't take it off. It was then that the pilot spoke to us again, He told us we were now at our cruising height, and due to a very strong tailwind, our flight time would now be two and a quarter hours, and a meal would be served shortly.
Anna and I were making small talk, I asked her where she was staying in Malta, but she said."I don't really know, I have never been to Malta before". she then grabbed her bag from under her seat and from it, produced a buff coloured envelope, A4 size, much like the one I had in my bag, I produced my envelope and together we opened them, we looked at each other then burst out laughing. "Well, Anna". I said. "How do you fancy having a 14 day holiday with a twice married 40 year old". "I would love to". she replied.
Over the next hour or so, Anna told me her story, she had been courted by this guy who treated her like a princess, but once he had placed that gold band on her finger and moved her into his home, she was his slave, she was made to sleep in a corner of the kitchen, the only time she was allowed into the master bedroom, was if he wanted her body, but even then, he took his pleasure, then kicked her back to her little cot in the kitchen.
"I was never allowed out of the house, except the back garden, which was surrounded with a high wall, with razor wire on the top and broken bottles cemented in as well, and I was only permitted to use the back for doing the washing. If I cooked a dinner he didn't like, he would give me a clout for wasting food. And once when I went and spoke to our next door neighbour, he found out about it, and told him, if he ever flirted with his wife again, he would cut his throat. I lived like that for 5 years, in total fear for my life. Then three nights ago, my so called husband came home drunk, in fact, he was so drunk, when he went to put his wallet into the safe, he failed to relock it again. My old man refused to keep his money in the bank, he didn't trust them, so that with him, everything went into the safe at home. anyway, drunk as he was I listened to him fall up the stairs to bed, waited for half an hour, then went to the safe, grabbed a handful of cash, well a bundle of notes to be honest, plus my passport that was in the bottom of the safe, and waited till the morning, I made sure I also locked the safe leaving the key in the lock. In the morning, still with a hangover, he went to the safe, grabbed his wallet locked the safe and with the key in his pocket went to work. I grabbed some of my better clothes and waited until I knew he would be sat at his desk, then removing the bars from the front room windows I got out, took a train to Bristol, went to a travel agent and booked the flight and hotel. I caught a bus to the AirPort and slept there scared to death that the old man might find me, but he didn't, so here I am, on a flight to Malta, and looking at this paperwork, we are staying at the same hotel".
We had a very nice meal on the flight, chicken curry and rice, in fact as there were only 50 people on the flight and the airline had catered for 180, we were offered two meals, and we took them like Anna said. "She had not had a proper meal since the day her husband had come home drunk.
We were sat enjoying our second cup of coffee and I said. "Well Anna, if you fancy pairing up, with yours truly, I feel sure we can have a great time together. By the way, have you ever been to Malta before". "Never". she said. "I don't even know where it is". "Ok". I said. "Then let me be your guide on this trip, I lived in Malta for two and a half years, went to school out there, and of coarse during my naval time came to Malta loads of times on seagoing ships".
We landed at Luqa Airport at 18-30 and once on the ground and parked up, we left the aircraft by the front exit. We boarded the bus for the arrivals hall, Anna said."I wish I hadn't worn these tights, it's so hot out here, whereas it was freezing in Bristol". I told Anna that once we had our main cases, she should go to the ladies, and remove the tights, I would wait for her and we would then join the local transport together.
On the minibus with the other half dozen holidaymakers from the flight, we headed to the hotel. Anna thanked me for waiting for her. "To be honest, I was a little scared when you told me to go to the ladies, I had visions of coming out of the ladies room, and finding myself alone in a strange country". I patted her hand. "That won't happen". I said. "I do realise we have only known each other for a couple of hours, but I am beginning to warm to you if you get my drift". Anne took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I do". she said, then looking at me a smile on her face. "Yes, I do".
By the time we had arrived at the hotel, it was dark, four of us got out of the bus, a married couple and ourselves. The bus had parked on the main road outside of what used to be Belvidear Buildings, the block of flats I lived in as a schoolboy, as we got out, the driver of the bus pointed to a beautiful six story building in what used to be the old car park and whereas school kids, my brother and I use to play football and cricket. Now the whole area was a six story hotel with parking called the Crown. We crossed the road and a path between some bushes and shrubs lead us to the main door and reception desk
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