All Aboard

"Yes."

"Did she swallow?"

"What possible difference does that make?"

"Did she swallow?"

"I'm not sure... yes.. maybe."

Jenn swung away and paced round the room. She obviously wanted to throw more things.

"Fuck Alex... I thought I could trust you. I thought you loved me."

"You can and I do. Jenn you know that. Right now you're mad as hell. Of course you are. You've a right to be. But when you calm down you'll know that I'd never deliberately cheat on you."

"Don't tell me to calm down... you asshole." Again Jenn's rage died down a little then flared again.

"I'll tell you something." she snarled. "I had almost decided not to go on the yacht trip but now I'm sure as hell going."

Now it was my turn to feel anger.

"So you're going to punish me for a mistake that I couldn't prevent... something that wasn't my fault."

"I'm not going to punish you. I'm going because I want to go and because right now I need to get away."

"Jenn if you go off like this something really bad is going to happen. I just know it."

"Something really bad.. like me giving blow jobs to Glenn and his crew... is that what you mean... or me getting gang banged for ten days. Get real Alex!"

I stood there in hurt, stunned silence as Jenn packed her stuff. I think she realized she'd gone too far but she wasn't about to back down. When she finally looked at me there was some regret mixed in with the angry determination.

"Will you drive me to the wharf?"

"You're going aboard now? I thought they weren't leaving until tomorrow."

"They said I could go aboard any time and I don't want to hang around here. Not with your girlfriend just across the way."

"That is so fucking unfair."

"Well pardon me if I'm not feeling particularly fair at the moment."

We drove in silence to the wharf. I helped Jenn unload her stuff and we waited for the guys to launch the inflatable and motor across.

I could barely speak but I managed to force out a few words in a cracked voice. "Jenn I love you so much. Our marriage is the best, most vital thing in my life and I so don't want it to end like this."

Those words made a slight impression Jenn was still fuming but a little of her love and compassion was starting to seep back.

"Alex, this isn't the end of anything. We'll have a break for eight days, that's all. I'll be home Saturday or Sunday of next week and we can work things out then. I'll Skype you at home tomorrow night. Give the kids my love."

Rusty had arrived with the dingy and Jenn's stuff was loaded. She gave me a brief hug and a peck on the check. Rusty shook my hand. 'We'll take good care of her Alex." There was pity in his clear, blue eyes.

"Thanks Rusty. I guess I'll see you in New Zealand."

I stood there on the wharf as the inflatable pulled away with tears flowing down my face and a lump in my throat the size of a baseball.

I know what you're thinking. "What a spineless wuss! Why didn't you stop her? She's your wife for crying out loud, why didn't you fight for her?"

Maybe you're right, but honestly what would you have done in my place? I've already explained that we didn't have the sort of relationship where the dominant husband gives orders and the meek little wife obeys them. I'm not a caveman. I wasn't about to club her unconscious and drag her off the boat and on to the plane. Also I felt very much on the back foot because of what had happened with Darlene No, it wasn't my fault but that didn't stop me from feeling guilty and paralyzed.

On the way back to the motel I bought myself a large bottle of Glenmorangie and proceeded to drink myself into oblivion. Halfway through the afternoon I wandered down to our little beach and sat there drinking and occasionally crying. Walking back to the cabin was an interesting, out of body experience, like remote controlling a distant, inebriated robot. I drank about half the whiskey and left the rest for Bazza. It couldn't cure the aching hole in my gut but at least it took care of the pain in my throat and helped me sleep like a dead man.

I woke up alone the next morning feeling physically and emotionally hung over. Water, coffee, painkillers and dry toast took care of the physical symptoms. The intense grief was still there but a little more under control. I couldn't believe that we had parted in that way and wondered what future there was for us, even if nothing happened on the trip. And that was a big if.

I killed some time, wandering down to the shops to try to buy a few presents for the kids. There wasn't a whole lot on offer. The best shop was open but there was no one serving, no sign of the owner, which suggests either a very honest community or a completely undesirable selection of goods.

Bazza drove me out to the airport. I was grateful that for once he didn't have much to say. When we arrived he shook my hand.

"Mate, I'm gutted it turned out like this for ya. I know what you're going through, believe me and all I can say is it hurts like fuck for a while and then still hurts for a lot longer, but eventually you mostly get over it."

"Thanks Bazza. Thanks for everything."

"No worries mate."

I sat in the primitive little airport feeling more depressed than I'd ever felt before. To make matters worse the flight was delayed for an hour so I had to sit there with nothing to do but think about what it would be like getting home without my wife. I tried to tell myself that everything would be fine. She would sail safely back without any incidents, still mine and we'd just carry on where we left off, but I didn't believe that for a moment.

My mind played over all the predatory male behavior I'd observed, especially during the dinner on Wednesday night, the way that Glen had been so skillfully seducing my wife, the way that Keith and crewman Jones looked on with satisfaction and anticipation. Their captain was reeling Jenn in and they were confident they'd get their share of the catch later on.

If my worst fears came true could I take Jenn back? She had chosen to go even though I begged her not to. If she cheated on me during the trip our marriage was over. No way could I live with a wife who had betrayed me even though I'd never stop loving her, which would just make it worse. I imagined receiving a Skype call from her just after she'd obviously been well fucked, or worse, a video call while they were all enjoying her.

As I sat there my dark thoughts were interrupted by a question.

"Excuse me sir, is this seat taken?"

I leaped up. It was Jenn. I took her into a massive bear hug. She was smiling through her tears and I'll freely confess I was crying too. We sat together, holding hands, oblivious to the handful of other passengers.

Jenn looked tired and distraught. "Alex, can you forgive me?"

"You're here! There's nothing to forgive but yes, yes, yes! Can you forgive me?"

"No way!" Jenn grinned a little. I had my wife back! "I can see how it happened with desperate Darlene and it wasn't your fault. I was so mad at the time, I knew you were telling me the truth but I couldn't accept it, so I took it out on you and made a mistake... what could have been the worst mistake of my life."

"Damn! What happened?"

"Don't go crazy OK. I'm here. I'm safe."

"Tell me!"

Jenn took a deep breath and my heart sank. What was I going to hear?

"This time when I went on the boat the atmosphere was different. There was a sense of suppressed excitement and not in a good way. Glen was being all supportive and considerate but in a really possessive sort of way, like I was his already. Keith was revolting. He was openly gloating. Several times had his hands all over me and Glen did nothing to stop him.

They tried to get me drunk but by then I was too nervous and I didn't drink much at all. I was starting to feel trapped, especially when Glen wanted to put my passport and other valuables in his safe. I made some excuse. I also realized just how small and communal the facilities were. I thought I'd have a cabin to myself but it turned out I was sharing with the crew.

When I got ready for bed they were all watching me... like a pack of wolves. I didn't take much off. Glen offered to share his big bed with me and I told him no thanks. He just grinned at me and said something like... "Wait until we're out at sea my little Jenny. We're going to have so much fun."

I was feeling so scared, I didn't sleep a wink. I just lay there holding the covers up to my neck. Sometime during the night Keith came over and stood by my bunk. I pretended to be asleep. He started jerking off right by my face and muttering horrible things... about how hard he would fuck me and how he'd make me his bitch. Finally he came. I felt some of it hit my face but I somehow kept still. I wanted to scream. He went back to bed and was snoring in seconds."

Jenn was weeping quietly. I put my arm around her shoulders and held her close.

"The only thing that kept me going was thinking about you. I could see you on the wharf looking so sad. I just had to get back to you. I thought about swimming to shore but it was too far and too dark.

I got up at first light. Rusty was already on deck. I begged him to take me back to shore and bless him, he did. On the way back he told me some stuff that made me feel sick and scared. According to Rusty there have been other women lured on board before me. Glen's charm and the chance of a free ocean adventure got to them just as they got to me. Once they were underway Glen and his crew used the women sexually whenever and however they wanted, for the whole voyage. Some of the women gave themselves willingly... some were raped into submission... but either way they were sex slaves for the duration. And the voyage was always much longer than they originally said. With me they were planning to stop off for a few days at some reef on the way... maybe take in some other islands. I would have been their sex toy for weeks.

When those poor women finally got off, if they tried to lay charges, the guys would just claim it was all consensual and it would be their four voices against one."

"Four against one and the fact that they chose to go on to the boat in the first place. That would have undermined their credibility."

"Absolutely. Once they were aboard they were screwed... literally."

I pulled out some tissues and wiped Jenn's face. I "helped" her blow her nose but got the timing wrong which caused her to laugh.

"So if Rusty was in on all this, how come he helped you get off? The other guys would have been really pissed with him... letting their prey escape like that."

"Rusty said he'd had enough. He couldn't do it any more and when they got to New Zealand he was going to leave the crew and fly home. Plus he said he really liked you. I think that's what tipped the scales and convinced him to save me. He thought you were a "decent, honest guy" and you didn't deserve to have your wife stolen away from you."

"Thank God for Rusty."

"And for Bazza, even though he's an old pervert. He drove me out here as fast as he could. I was terrified that I'd miss the flight and I would have if it hadn't been delayed. I think someone up there likes me. It could have been much, much worse."

"Amen sister! Jenn, that's our boarding call. You want to go home?"

"Do I ever. Thank you..."

"For what?"

"For being you. For being the man I love. For forgiving me."

"Right back at you my darling." We walked across the runway to our plane.

I chuckled. "Well it certainly turned out to be a much less boring holiday than I expected. I take it you have no sailing plans in the near future?"

"Oh I don't know." Jenn grinned. "Maybe I can find an all girl crew and do some sailing around Auckland."

"Yeah and with my luck they'll all be lesbians."