Chapter One: Remembering the Man Viv would never Forget
‘Life is boring and
fast becoming unbearable,’ Viv realised as she walked to the bus stop. It
had lacked fun and any promise of a serious relationship for much too long. Not
since Laurence, her first lover, or her later disastrous marriage and divorce
from Gavin, had she felt so depressed and alone. ‘At least I'm not going
through that kind of hell,’ she thought, remembering how traumatic
it had all been, the good and the bad. It was difficult to know what happiness
felt like, as she went through the motions of life without any excitement in
it. Waking up each day meant going to work and after that, the return home only
to re-live the way things used to be. She felt as if her soul had gone into hiding.
Little did Viv know what
fate had planned for her. Soon her world would be turned upside down and inside
out. She was about to experience the most turbulent trials of her life. The
soon-to-be events would prove both exciting and disastrous. She reached the
bus-stop just as the bus arrived, on time for a change. After Viv had seated
herself and paid the ticket, she lapsed into her favourite daydream of that
initial, incredible meeting and affair with Laurence all those years ago. He
was her first love, someone she was unable to forget although she often tried
to, and the whole memory remained as vivid as if it happened yesterday. She re-lived it often and felt certain she
would remember it with clarity her whole life through…….
* * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
It had been a spring
holiday fourteen years ago, when Viv took a week’s holiday vacation, from her secretarial
employment, to celebrate her twenty-first birthday. There were no close friends
to share it with her, so she travelled alone to a resort, staying at The Seine
Hotel, in Bournemouth. Many associates told her it was a good place to holiday.
A change of scenery and a break from her life, or lack of it, was exactly what
she needed. Bournemouth was a relatively
busy seaside town just a few hours drive from London. It was an interesting,
pretty place with shops clustered in between family-owned ‘bed and breakfast’ houses,
which were so common in this area. They were the bread and butter of the
majority of the townsfolk’s existence.
The summer season ran
from the end of March until early September. During this time, the bed and
breakfasts provided a base of operations for thousands of tourists. They flood
the town for its idyllic location. Each day the throngs of people ambled up and
down the streets in quest of ways to break the summer boredom. The hotels that
dotted the coastline were few and typically sold out months in advance. They
provided some relief in the form of entertainment performed by many of the UK’s
good, but struggling comedians, musicians and singers.
The journey by train had
been interesting, as Viv had talked with people and passed the time very
pleasantly. After a taxi ride to her destination, she had signed into the hotel
and carrying her own luggage, was shown to her room. She felt relieved to have this time to
herself, away from her colleagues and all the hubbub of office work. She
unpacked and after tidying everything away neatly, went down to the restaurant
to have a meal. There were many dishes to choose from, but she sought a light
lunch of chicken salad. Afterward, she wandered around the more interesting
shops and enjoyed casual talk with shop assistants. Although not in the mood to
make serious purchases, she always loved to window shop.
Buying things on impulse
was not her usual way, but on this occasion Viv bought pretty ornaments of
sculptured crystal dolphins, gracefully balancing on colourful imitation waves.
Nothing much else had caught her eye, but she felt as good as if it were the
Christmas season. Occasionally, she caught her reflection in a window and
wondered how long it would be before the face looking back became an older,
unrecognizable one. She shuddered with the terrible thought that time was
racing by and she had accomplished hardly anything to be proud of.
On her return to the
hotel, Viv entered the lounge to watch the comings and goings of the guests.
There seemed to be quite a mixture and as usual, she found people-watching most
enjoyable. Light conversation ensued with several of them and she was pleased
to have chosen this standard of hotel to stay in. After the last friendly
person had moved away from her table to join some other friends, she decided to
go to her room. Viv wanted to make the most of the next few days, so intended
on an early night’s sleep, hoping to make a good start and find out everything
there was to enjoy in this town.
After a relaxing bubble
bath which soothed her taut muscles, Viv laid down on the comfortable large
bed. After a few moments of studying the recently painted ceiling, she climbed
into the bed. The sheets were crisp and smelled good. The pillows and mattress
were just as she liked, but after half an hour, it was obvious her mind was not
tired enough for sleep. Each time it appeared she would drift off, unwanted
thoughts popped into her head. She was still partly back in the office, but her
feelings now were mainly of anticipation. Viv had never taken a holiday on her
own before and she wondered how many interesting people, particularly men, she
might be about to meet. No matter how much she tried to clear her mind, it was
hopeless. She felt far too restless andafter
a couple of hours slid out of bed. She decided to go for a walk around the
building, so dressed again, touched up her make up, picked up her handbag with
her purse in it and went down by the hotel bar.
Viv walked close to the
bar entrance and noticed many lonely, male eyes turned her way. Suddenly
feeling uncomfortable about walking in alone and not wanting to become a
spectacle, she made an abrupt turn. Laughing guests had arrived in the foyer in
front of her, and the night looked inviting through the hotel’s slowly closing
door. Viv walked between the guests, toward the door and went outside. A walk on the beach near the hotel in the warm,
summer sea breezes would be sure to relax her. She stopped briefly, breathing
in the aroma and enjoying the feel of the warm air carried on the breeze.
Viv looked both ways,
choosing the direction with the least amount of people ambling along the path. Whilst
walking she stared up at the beautiful, bright moon which overlooked the
glistening bay. It was hard not to think of the many couples deeply in love
with their arms around each other, who might be looking up in the sky at the
same time. Suddenly, from out of nowhere a deep voice startled her.
“Nice night for a walk.
Are you out here alone, or is someone going to join you?”
Viv turned and saw the
large, partially lit silhouette of a man. She took a few seconds to regain her
composure, but was pleasantly surprised at this confrontation.
“Oh, yes, just me, and
it is a lovely night,” she replied smiling, not wanting the stranger to sense
her immediate interest in him. “I needed the sound and smell of the sea to help
me relax. The atmosphere is so very beautiful at night.”
Something about him
attracted her, possibly his size as well as the timbre of his voice. When he
stepped in closer, it became obvious. He appeared to be at least six foot three
inches tall, with broad shoulders, striking blue eyes and an irresistible
smile. His yellow vest showed off his biceps and tight middle. Viv attempted
not to look anywhere else, but her eyes glimpsed his large thighs, noticeable,
even in his cargopants. Everything seemed to fit his body as though it
were tailor-made for him. The man was now holding out a large hand and
introducing himself as Laurence.
“Hi,” she said, hoping
he never noticed her eyes roaming over him. She offered her hand, saying, “I’m
Viv.”
They chatted easily as
they continued to stroll along. It turned out, Laurence was a friend of the
manager of the Seine Hotel, which was the very one she had a room in. Laurence
went on to say he lived in Grenada, near the Spanish coast, and sailed his boat
to this town about three or four times a year. Sometimes it became necessary for
him to get away from the hectic schedule of his job as owner of a large
construction business. He explained that his long work hours made it difficult
to unwind when he took these short holidays.
Laurence also explained
his habit of taking long walks, late into the evening to relax and enjoy the
evening breeze. If first impressions meant anything at all, Viv was immediately
impressed with his presence beyond just the physical. Laurence was the type of
man who commanded respect. He had panache, was confident, straightforward and
assertive. Virtues possibly gained within his job, where he would sometimes
have to deal with difficult customers. This was the rare kind of man Viv hoped
might exist but had not seen anywhere except on the television.
She simply could not
refuse when he invited her out on his boat, and she readily agreed to meet on
the dock near the hotel the next morning. He escorted her back into the hotel,
where he had a room also. They reluctantly parted and he leaned forward to give
her a light kiss on the lips. It was a gentle kiss and she responded in kind,
but his kiss was enough to let her know that he could mean business, given time.
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