Chapter 13 Sunday
Waking up on the Sunday morning I was again in bed alone, looking out towards the balcony I could see Anna putting out some bits she had washed by hand. Getting out of bed I headed for the bathroom to have my usual wash and shave. I then proceeded to get dressed, I was stood in front of the full length mirror built into the wardrobe combing my hair when I felt Anna's arms around my waist. "Hello, my darling, did you sleep well". I turned in her embrace and we kissed. "Hello love, while you were doing your little bit of washing, I thought I would get ready for breakfast. Anyway, I will sit in that nice easy chair, and wait for you".
With Anna dressed in a full skirt and V necked top she came over to me and sat on my lap, with her arms around my neck we were kissing, I realised that Anna's skirt was made of cotton and very thin, so I could feel every part of her, and although I was enjoying the situation, I also knew that we needed to go up for breakfast. I tapped Anna on her bottom and she stood up, smiling at me she said. "Ok I know, you love me very much, but we need to eat, I love you too".
Sat in the dining room eating our breakfast, Anna asked me what plans I had for us today, so I told her I planned to take her to the Mosta Dome, and St Johns Church. "It will be a full day out, with lunch in Valletta, then it will be back to the hotel, dinner, then the bar followed by bed". "Oh goody". Anna said, like a young teenager going on an adventure. Then looking at me with a more serious face she said. "Michael, you really do love me, don't you, and when this holiday is over, things won't change, we will still be enjoying life together". I squeezed her hand on the table. "You can count on it love, apart from having to go to work every day, I will always be with you". She smiled. "I understand you have to work, but when you come home, it will be, well like out here, making love and enjoying life". "You can bet on it". I said. "Like all sailors serving and ex, when we come home, we make love to our wives, then we put our work bags down". "Oh, but what if I am washing up, or making the bed". Anna asked. "All the better". I said. "That makes, the making love a lot more fun". " Michael, what time do you get home from work normally". Anna asked. "Around 5-30". I said. "Why". "So my darling I can be ready, oh and please love, put your workbag down first, I feel much happier with both of your hands holding me". We both laughed.
It was a lovely sunny day as we parked up in the town of Mosta, we found a nice little cafe and had a coffee each. I tried to explain to Anna, that the Mosta Dome was the third largest unsupported dome in the world as the moment, and during the war, prayers were being said in the church when a bomb came through the roof, hit the marbled tiled floor then skidded across the church, it did not explode, and the people of Malta called it a miracle of God, it was in a way, the miracle being, some German bomb maker failed to set the detonator, so the bomb turned out to be a dud. This was good for the people at prayer, and good for the dome, and the people of Malta truly believe this miracle and will go on accepting it as an act of God for all Roman Catholics to believe in.
Having finished our drinks we headed for the steps of the church. Inside you get a sense of wonder, magnificence, around the walls are huge glass cases with statues inside, Jesus being crucified, Mary holding the baby Jesus, plus loads more. Around the lower part of the roof is a beautiful freeze showing the things that Jesus did while on earth, ending with his resurrection. I showed Anna the patch in the dome where the bomb had come through, and the replica of the bomb that sits in a cradle in the church. We stayed inside the church for some time, we sat on two seats used by the congregation taking in this breathtaking wonder that was all around us. "Michael love, do you think there is anything in this religious business". "I don't know". I said. "I was married to a woman who believed in it, word for word, and when I questioned some of the things she told me, I was sceptical". "But Michael, did Jesus really exist, did he do all the things they say he did, you see I was married to a tyrant who treated me with contempt, used my body, and made my life hell, so where was this God of love, he didn't help me, I had to help myself". I put my arm around her shoulder. "I". I said "Was told you can never speak to the boss, you have to go through his personnel secretary, and in this case, if you believe it, you talk to Jesus, who we are told hands the messages on"."But Michael, do you believe it". " Some yes, but a lot of it is too far fetched to believe, I do believe that Jesus did walk on this earth, as for his death and resurrection, I have read other stories that I prefer to believe".
We left the Mosta Dome and headed in the car back to Valletta, we parked up at around 1 pm and headed for our favourite cafe for cheesecakes and coffee. Sat at one of the tables I tried to explain to Anna about St Johns church, how the knights of St John were under siege and that they refused to give in, even when they were at starvation point they kept on fighting. In the end, they won and the siege was over, Malta was again free, for a short while, then during the days of Nelson, the Maltese people asked the British to take on the responsibility of looking after the country and they agreed, they realised that Malta was in the center of the Med and would be a very good place to have a naval base, so that's what happened, and right up until the 70s, Malta was a home from home for the three services, and everyone who came here loved it and had a fantastic time, from the grown ups to the children.
The only thing about England taking over, was the fact that our laws didn't coincide with church law, and the church of Malta demanded that where possible the bible would overrule British law, and the people of the Island would live under church laws. The local priests were taking over, they walked around the Island like gods in there religious garb, and if the people didn't do as they were told, they were made to do a thing called pennants, a form of punishment that could last for up to 30 days. All households had to give a percentage of there wages to the church, and this was on top of the normal bills, and if as under this ruling no birth control, you had half a dozen children, and wages were small, what do you do. And heaven forbid if a Maltese girl should fall in love with a British sailor and the local priest found out about it, if the sailor was a catholic, then that was ok, if he was a protestant, then all hell would break loose, the girl would be told she was a sinner and would burn in hell forevermore, but if the girl was strong and accepted her fate, she would marry the sailor, move to England and find out that this fire and damnation was a total load of rubbish, and that life was just as good as a protestant, maybe even more so, you can have a couple of kids, and not one or two every nine months".
Whilst I had been talking we had made our way to St Johns church and once inside, Anna was speechless, when she finally opened her mouth, she said. "Michael, this place is fantastic, its better than the Mosta Dome". as we walked around studying the shields and armour of the knights, Anna would pull my arm." Michael, take a look at this, look at the detail in that shield, its beautiful, I love it". then she would point to something else. We remained in the church for some time, Anna was having a wonderful time and I soon realised, that this was the sort of thing she seemed to enjoy. Outside again in the bright sunlight, it took us time to adjust to the glare, but as we walked slowly back to the car our eyes soon got accustomed to everything. I asked Anna if she had enjoyed her day out looking at churches. "Yes love, its been a lovely day, and I have learned so much, thank you".
We got back to the hotel at around 5-15, I said to Anna. "Lets strip off, have a nice shower and go up for dinner at 6-30". In our room, we stripped off and together we stepped into the shower, we washed each other off and once we felt clean from the day's dirt and sweat, we dried each other off, I then placed the towels in the bathroom in the basket provided, back in the room Anna was laid on the bed her arms outstretched towards me. I lay on top of her, her arms going around my neck, she then kissed me. "Michael, I have had a wonderful day and as always you have been the perfect gentleman, but now, I want you to forget perfect, forget gentle, just be a man".
Dinner was very nice, being Sunday, we had the full roast dinner, clear soup to start, followed by roast chicken with all the trimmings and fresh fruit and ice cream. Sat with our coffee Anna again had that wicked twinkle in her eyes and a huge smile on her face, as we looked at each other I realised just how much we loved each other and that this woman would be more than happy living with me, and once my divorce was through and I had my decree absolute we could be married, and not have to pretend to be Mr and Mrs, which was what we were doing now.
"Anna". I asked. "Are you truly happy, every time I look at you, you have a smile on your face". Anna held my hand. "Darling, I am extremely happy, I have the love of a good man, I am at the end of a fantastic holiday and life, well life for me has taken on a whole new meaning, I have every intension of embracing it all. Why love, are you having second thoughts". "No my sweet". giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I feel much like you do, a brand new beginning, It's like a book I suppose, we are at a new chapter, the hero and the heroine have come through the trauma and are now ready to work together".
Down in the bar, we were totally alone apart from the barman, we sat on our usual sofa with our drinks, we were sat watching a small fishing boat, it was weaving between the other boats in the creek, the boat had a very large light on the back of it, the idea was to attract the fish to the boat and the fisherman could hopefully fill his boat with fish to either sell or put in his own cupboard at home. As we watched we were interrupted by the barman. "Sorry sir, I plan to lock up now, would you like a top up". Anna shook her head, so I followed the barman back to the bar, giving him my glass he refilled it, I handed Anna's glass to him saying "This one is not required". With my glass full I returned to the sofa and Anna, as I sat down, the room went dark and we heard the goodnight sir madam, and again in the bar, the only lights were those over the clock and pictures, Putting my glass on the small coffee table I looked at Anna and said. "What's mine is yours, and what's yours is mine". Anna understood and nodded, then picking up the glass in both hands she took a drink from the glass, putting it back onto the table she again looked at me in the dim light, then taking my hand, she placed it on her bust, she then placed her own hand into my lap. "I agree". she said. "What's mine in yours, and what's yours is mine". then putting her arm around my neck she pulled my face towards hers and kissed me. "I love you, and I will make you happy, I promise you.
In our room we stripped off and climbed into bed, snuggled into each other I took my hand from her bust and placed it on her upper thigh, Anna pushed back into me asking me what I was doing. "Anna love, when we were down in the bare making our little commitment to each other, you put my hand on your bust, but I need to know". I ran my fingers across the bank door. "Is this included in the commitment". "Michael my love, everything about me is included, now put your hand back, and let's get some sleep, Love you.
Comments