Come Into My Arms Jack Pt. 01

Jack was now licensed to permanently berth his ferry on one side of the one of the island's two public jetties and living on the island meant he would eliminate two repositioning trips a day carrying no passengers. His workers now had the choice of a 7:00 or 8:30 trip which also were options for school and university students with trips on Lady Helena 2 would now take only twenty minutes, The ferry would return to the island at 9:15 taking day-trippers, return immediately carrying shoppers to the city then four more trips in the afternoon taking shoppers, students and two lots of workers plus returning day trippers. It would take time for custom to build but Jack had just over three hundred thousand dollars from the money his mother had given him to cushion the loss-making services that attracted subsidies from the transportation authority. His mother had refused to take back the three hundred thousand.

He hoped his mum, er mom, would fare well with this charismatic surgeon, Obviously there would be no shortage of money but it appeared she had buckets of that. She seemed happy and he guessed the reason was she felt needed because she had a guy who could not live alone.

In the morning Jack went over to Wakefield Island on the 6:00 'empty' trip, one of the last times he'd arrive aboard LH-1 [Lady Helena 1 as the '1' had been added to avoid confusion in the days running up to the changeover].

He worked on ticketing sales with a new lady, as Mrs Reno. She was forty, looking a little jaded but was efficient and had the task assessed within minutes. Well it wasn't difficult as the prices were on the single tickets and the concession cards but even so some casual ticket salespersons had proven to be slow learners.

"Come back after the ferry leaves and check my reconciliation of tickets sold against cash tallies," she said.

"And that your cash float balances."

"Oh yes, of course. I'm a little rusty as I had not no need to work for six months while living with this great thirty-year old but dammit, Evan sailed back for Victoria, British Columbia, last week."

Jack mumbled a sympathetic sound and went to check the newly fitted rubbers to reduce chaffing on the new ferry. Everything was perfect. He watched the old ferry leaving with room to spare at 7:00 but the later run would be filled to capacity. Those with multi-trip concession cards were seated first. The company was prohibited from taking even one passenger in excess of the maximum permitted. The risk was a fine and possible loss of license for multiple offences and imprisonment in the advent of loss of life in any mishap when a vessel was overloaded. Passengers left behind had to either call up a seaplane at considerable expense, or a water taxi that would only come in no more than moderate seas and still as considerable expense or to find a local who'd take them over to the city for a couple of dozen cans of beer and twenty bucks for gas.

Mrs Reno had already pulled down the metal shutter on the inside of the ticket sales window slots and had almost finished her balance when Jack entered, locked the door and sat beside her.

"Finished," she said triumphantly. "You check."

The balances were perfect. Jack showed her how to file the report and then put the money into the steel receptacle and spun to dump the cash and credit card dockets into the time-lock safe. That was emptied on the final return trip with at least one ferry crew member being there for the unlocking of the safe as security.

"Only one blemish Mrs Reno."

"Megan, Jack. What was that?"

"I walked straight in here but the door wasn't locked. Whenever anyone leaves you ensure you lock the door after them. We don't want some young punk or alcoholic bum holding you up for money. Your safety is our concern."

"Understood Jack and that's appreciated."

"How will you spend the time between the two crossings morning and afternoon?"

"I have a book in my carry-bag and I'll bring my smaller TV set down here."

"Good. If you go outside to read make sure you lock this ticket office. Well, that's about all."

"Would you like to see them Jack?"

"See what?" he asked, completely unsuspecting.

"These," Megan said, cupping her boobs.

"Er, no thanks. Christ, I'm your employer Megan."

"So what? It's me making the offer. Here, come on, take a hold of them. I've caught you looking a couple of times."

"I really shouldn't..."

"Well, here they are Jack. Do something with them. I'm really horny and you smell so...so...wholesome."

She jerked down her top and fished out her breasts and Jack confirmed why they'd been hanging so low; she was not wearing a bra He licked his lips as the nipples were rather large on rounds of burnt apricot in color. He weakened and she saw it.

"Suck away baby," she cooed, pulling his head down on to her chest.

Jack had two rules so didn't feel villainous about having casual sex like this. In his opinion casual sex, properly done, was good for the community as it provided excellent interfacing of people. His constraints were: Rule One: Judge carefully before fucking anyone er woman. Rule Two: Wear protection and commit the act with dignity and out of sight of the public.

He rather fancied those rules worked rather well. It never worried if the women had someone else because it was up to them to decide whether that was a problem. All he was doing was providing them with a welcome release while having a great time providing that service. To date his philandering had remained trouble-free.

"Will you fuck me please Jack?" Megan said softly, looking at her now swollen and saliva-streaked tits.

"Sure thing Megan. We are a bit short of room in here. I see it as the choice of you lying over the counter or sitting on me and bouncing."

"Bouncing appeals."

"Okay but wait till I fish out a condom, You roll it on me please, then there's no mistake about you knowing what you want."

"That's clever of you Jack, but then you wouldn't be in business if you weren't clever."

"You've done that before, Megan. Very sure fingered. Good girl. On you get and start bouncing. Mind how you go. Don't stick me up the wrong hole. I might be a bit of a stretch for you. That's it. Ohhhhhhhhhhh. Lovely."

Megan went to work, Jack lifting her on the uplift and then allowing her weight to slide down his pole. Although the slumped tits were within easy licking reach he'd had enough of that so just squeezed them and with Megan, head back, eyes closed and sucking deeply through flared nostrils was obviously riding on a high. He allowed her to come unfettered and then he pulled out, ripped off the condom and splattered her tits. She chased the squirts with a very active tongue and mouth and had great success."

"That was magnificent Jack. I suppose that was the first and last time for us?"

"Could be, one never knows. I never make decision about such things when it relates to my social life," he said, grinning and adding, "I'm on mid-morning break."

"You are a character Jack and a naughty one. I wish more of them were made like you."

"My turn for praise, Megan; you're a neat woman. Work for me honestly and I'm sure we will become friends as I'm coming to live on the island. I'm also thinking of trying a female cabin attendant on the weekend day trippers' runs to see if it becomes a profitable service selling more coffees and snacks to people who can't be bothered to get up and for self-service. If that works that I'll apply for a liquor license. We could actually build up and run with two cabin attendants. Come down at take a look on Saturday. The new ferry will be here all day for an Open Day. I'm using local caterers to serve coffee and snacks. I'll be running hospitality for VIPs in the upper passenger compartment which will be blocked off from the wheelhouse because I want the public to see the control area that is state-of-the-art."

"That's lovely," Megan said. "Look, my daughter Cathy came over here for weekend rest on the island and she's completed a hospitality course. She would work a couple of weekends free, I'm sure, just to see how it goes. It will work as some of the other ferry companies run a hospitality service."

"I know they do but they are servicing the tourist islands whereas in comparison Wakefield Island is plain vanilla. Anyway, you are too young to have a daughter old enough to serve liquor under our license."

"Oh you lovely man. I became pregnant at seventeen. Cathy will turn twenty-five later this year. Actually you may be interested in her socially. She doesn't have anyone at the moment."

"Perhaps I could socialize with both of you," Jack grinned, joking.

"I really don't know but I suspect she'd join is if that's what you want. But count me out if that's not on. I don't have trouble finding a replacement man like Cathy does because I'm anything but shy."

Jack didn't quite know what to say, He'd been joking. He'd never had a threesome in his life. The possibility left him feeling a little odd, like disoriented.

"Well, the students and workers will be arriving for the 8:15 to the city soon. I best get out of your hair. I'll lift the security screen for you. Oh here's an attractive chick as your first customer."

"She has her concession ticket. Hi darling, you look pert and business-like as usual. Cathy meet my boss, this is Mr Garland."

"Hello Cathy it's lovely to know two of the island's attractive women."

"Oh hello Mr Garland. Everyone on the island seems to know you, the permanents I mean. I've been told that's almost four thousand three hundred and rising to four times that number over the summer season and holiday weekends. You will be living in the old Paul homestead. It's a lovely home. One of the builder's took me through."

"Cathy!"

"It's okay Megan. Even the builders on the island are hospitable. If you have any knowledge of colors Cathy perhaps you could advise me."

She stood shyly. Jack couldn't believe it. She was only about five-ten with brown hair and a pretty face. But what captured his attention were her brown and very lively eyes. There was nothing sorrowful about them. Oh Cathy he sighed and looked away quickly.

Megan had been watching him like a hawk, the shadow of a smile on her lips.

* * *

More people were arriving at the wharf and Jack could hear the 'thump-thump' of Lady Helena's reconditioned engine beating in full health. On Saturday week she would go to Pat O'Rourke, father of an old pal of Jack's. Pat would sleep aboard as caretaker and spend his days fishing off the stern. Jack wanted LH-1 on standby as backup for her very much up-market successor.

Jack said goodbye to Megan who was already under pressure from the arriving wave of passengers, at least a third requiring tickets. Megan's daughter smiled at him and Jack said to himself, 'Sorry Cathy, I've just fucked your mother; we had a great time' but one cannot always offer the truth. Instead he said, "Have a nice day in the city Cathy."

"Thank you, Mr Garland. I'll think about décor and talk to you about my ideas next week. You will be too busy this weekend bringing the new ferry into service."

"I'm never too busy to talk to a pretty woman Cathy."

"Mr Garland," she laughed. "That's no way for a married man to talk."

"Not married and never have been Cathy. Perhaps my search is over?"

"Mr Garland," Cathy said, now looking very flustered.

Jack smiled and walked on thinking there was no chance that Cathy would be in for a threesome and Hell would freeze over before she'd think about joining one with her mother. Well, it had only meant to be a joke,

Their partners were dropping off workers at the ferry terminal. Jack recognized one of them. "Hi Alec," he said to lawyer Alec Smart. "Be okay if Iris drops me off at my new home?"

"Hi Jack. Everyone is pleased you'll coming over here to live and have brought the Paul homestead. It needed someone with big bucks to restore it; it's a gem."

He opened the car door. "It's Jack darling. He wants to be dropped off at the homestead, not to see if you're interested in being seduced. You wanted to nose through to see what's going on so here's your chance and you'll be able to bring fellow women up to speed at lunch at the golf club tomorrow."

"Hi Jack, my warm thighs await you," smiled the woman of almost sixty. They were friends of his late father and had known Jack from the time of his Christening.

After Iris Smart had been shown around and left, promising Jack she'd sell him her mother's dining table and twelve chairs because she and her boring darling never entertained beyond cocktail parties these day and she's like to redecorate in modern style, Jack gave all his attention to builder Ross Carrington.

"We had problems fitting in the new kitchen bench assemble but a couple of bangs on the wall with a sledge hammer fixed that."

Jack went into the kitchen with its solid kauri bench top and tawa ply-faced cupboards expecting to find mayhem including a bowed bench top and sprung cupboards but everything looked perfect.

Ross laughed when catching the worried look. "I had only to move the wall less than half the width of a pencil. Nothing much in it. When you go I'll cut plywood to shape and put it over the bench top to protect it."

"Don't cut the ply on the bench top," Jack said nervously.

"Do I tell you how to steer that lumbering ox you call a ferry when I'm aboard when are skipper?"

"I think I get your point Ross. When will you finish the kitchen and my bedroom and en suite?"

"New Monday midday, guaranteed"

"Is that a builder's guarantee or a mate's guarantee?"

"A mate's guarantee."

"Great. Bring Mary up with you to the VIP room on the new ferry Saturday. Tell your foreman Chris there'll be room for him and his girlfriend from 4:00 and the rest of your gang can try their luck from 5:00. It will be very crowded earlier with security guys at the doors but I'll brief them. So Chris at 4:00 and the rest of your guys and partners from 5:00. They'll need to say they are Ross Carrington's team."

"Good one Jack and much appreciated. "By the way, have you ever seduced Mary?"

"I don't think so, why?"

"She's always talking about you."

"Perhaps I did when we were young, certainly not after you two made what you were doing respectable."

"Good one though I wouldn't have minded as you are a good mate and this job will allow me to buy a new motor for my boat."

"You deserve it mate. Just give me a restored house that will become an landmark on the island again."

That evening Jack took Cassia skiing and they had a great time zapping down the under-cover slope. She was very good, as she had skied since a child as had Jack but he didn't allow that to show, always finishing a tad behind her.

At dinner at the Casino later that evening she acknowledged he'd been playing with her on the ski slope. "On every run you always finished just behind my left shoulder, not matter how hard I went," she smiled. "So there's a little of a gentleman in you?"

"Yes, some of my mom's influence has lasted."

Jack watched her play on the tables, losing a few hundred dollars. He said he only ever took calculated chances and gambling in a casino didn't fit that specification.

They walked back to the hotel arm-in-arm. Cassia stopped midway to take a call from her fiancée. She seemed so happy talking to him that Jack made up his mind; he'd only knobble her if she insisted.

They found her father and Jack's mother in the hotel private bar so joined them for a drink. After one drink Cassia kissed the older folk goodnight and led Jack off to her room. As soon as the door shut she melted into his arms.

"Do it to me Jack."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Give me one good reason?"

"I'm horny and need satisfying."

"Okay, two good reasons." Jack kissed her and gradually worked some clothes off her until he could get her hands on to the parts that interested him. And then it came, an almost unbroken stream of instructions and mild complaints.

"Be careful. Don't bruise me."

"You scratched me."

"God you're big. You'll stretch me.

"I only like it being done when I'm stretched out on my back."

"You are heavy."

"I can't breath."

"Are we supposed to be having fun?"

"Have you done this before?"

At this Jack thrust his sex drive into neutral, dressed quickly and said he'd just remembered he was suppose to meet someone in a bar.

"Good night Cassia."

"Jack! You can't leave me on a knife edge like this."

"Just use your fingers Cassia; good night."

Jack went to two bars and all he encountered were half-drunk women wanting to have sex. He groaned and went home where he went to bed alone and felt too emotionally depleted to have even solo sex. His emerging dream of a wonderful romance happening had been shattered; on the surface it had seemed that Cassia had entered his life foreordained but whoever had organized that 'up there' like a cherub Eros or whatever that little guy was called had forgotten to work his predestined magic on Cassia. It was a game of two players but only one was equipped to play romantically. The other was a shrew before her time. If Jack hadn't been a big boy he knew he would have cried. He fell asleep, deeply wounded, his eyes very dilated.

It was still dark when Jack awoke. He recalled dreaming of plugging Mrs Megan Reno again and thought of that emotionally devoid dirty little fuck with her yesterday in the cramped wharf-ticketing shed. How basic, how animalistic and then he thought what rubbish. It was what they had both wanted, some grunting, plenty of slippery skin friction and then seizing that brief moment of ejaculation when everything fired and they had the feeling of being one, being satisfied and, if one was prepared to admit it, in love with the world.

That was the epitome of social fucking.

Now in a better frame of mind, Jack had his problem in clear focus: the problem was himself. He had not been prepared to meet Cassia's demands and so now regarded her as a shrew just because her way of enjoying sex and caring for her body was incompatible with his thinking and demands. Grow up Jack Garland and learn to compromise, even to yield significantly.

Well yes, that was an option but why take it? Plugging away while somebody was gently moaning 'don't bruise me', 'don't scratch me' and probably 'don't make me ejaculate because I find it so debilitating' would probably result in Jack not being able to get it off. Cassia could probably be trained to enjoy sex in an unrestrained manner like most normal people but what gave him that right to decide she needed to be retrained? Did she desire to be retrained? Who the fuck did he think he was?

Questions, problems, difficult to resolve situations face the truth buddy, Jack told himself. Either you're not right for her or she's not right for you and either way does it really matter when you have the Mrs Reno's of this world? If you step off your high horse you may find Mrs Reno's daughter is just right for you to proceed through life together. Oh great what an exciting outcome that would be.

No, his future in life lay sipping a mug of coffee at the bow of the ferry, alone, watching the spirited, graceful play of dolphins on the bow waves. That's where romance lay for Jack Garland.

The ferry?

Christ, it was Friday, launch day, dawn of the new chapter in the saga of the Wakefield Passenger Ferry Service Ltd!

Jack showered but missed the shave. He'd shave in the afternoon before leaving for Davey's Boatyard for the launching at 7:30. He raced out glad yet again he lived in the heart of the city. A newspaper street box was only thirty paces up from the entrance to his apartment block. He grabbed a copy of the 'New Zealand Herald' and out dropped was he was looking for, a 4-page supplement on quality semi-gloss paper. The heading as approved by Jack screamed 'Ferry Upgrade for Wakefield Island'. The secondary heading immodestly proclaimed, 'Ferry Queen of Auckland Harbor & Hauraki Gulf'.