An Unplanned Journey Ch. 01

"We don't need you for the case, but if they find out you are alive they will assume you will testify. I am proposing we move you to safe location."

"Won't they work that out with the attempted murder part?"

"No, they admitted to dumping you and leaving to die, in reality and officially we haven't recovered a body. So they know we can't prosecute for murder. With the quantity of drugs involved and a string of other charges they are looking at a long time in prison. So we put you into witness protection and relocate you to a safe place."

"This is a safe place. Why can't Philip stay here?" asked Catherine.

"It could be for quite a while."

"How long is a while?" asked Sam.

"What about my job and friends?" I asked.

"The trial even if fast tracked could take several weeks, but more likely months. We would tell your employer that you are missing. You would not be able to contact friends. I know this is a difficult situation."

Elizabeth found my hand and squeezed it for reassurance.

"How will I live without money?"

"Don't worry I will help," offered Samantha.

"We all will," stated Catherine.

"The government will cover all reasonable expenses," replied Green.

"What about my apartment?"

"We will cover it. We will move your possessions into secure storage."

"Could we have a minute?" requested Catherine.

The three men stepped outside and had a heated discussion amongst themselves.

"Phillip, I would really like you to stay. At least staying here with us you won't be alone," suggested Elizabeth.

"I love having you around, but I'm sorry it's happened like this," offered Samantha.

Catherine approached me and took my hand.

"You feel like part of our family already. I would like you to stay too. As Elizabeth said we wouldn't want you to be alone. All that said it must be your decision."

I wanted to cry and could feel a restriction in my throat. I wanted to scream and shout. Samantha stood and hugged me. I made the decision and nodded my agreement to stay. Catherine informed the three men who promptly left advising that they would take care of everything. Catherine returned with a thoughtful expression.

"We could make Phillip disappear completely," proposed Catherine.

"What?" I asked completely baffled by the statement.

"Just be Philippa!" she revealed.

"You will be our guest Philippa, what do you think?" asked Elizabeth.

I tried to understand what was being suggested.

"Dress as Philippa for as long as I am here?"

"Think about it, if anyone is looking for you, they are looking for a man, not four ladies on an island."

"You think I can do that?"

"Based on the past few days I don't see why not. Would you like to explore being Philippa some more?"

"I would like that, but I have a condition. I want to help out even if it's just the cooking and cleaning."

"We can work with that. See even in a difficult situation you are thinking of other people."

Elizabeth took me to the bedroom.

"Why don't we get you dressed and then we will make a plan."

"You hardly know me, why are you doing this?"

"Because it's the right thing to do, because it's logical, because you need help and because..." her voice trailed off.

"Because?"

"I care about you... a lot. I won't say I love you, because I don't believe in love at first sight, but..."

"I care for you too."

I sat on the bed in the white lingerie. She handed me sheer black tights. I carefully drew them up my legs. I dressed in white blouse and navy pencil skirt with black court shoes with two inch heels.

"Better?" she asked.

"Weirdly, yes," I admitted.

"Let's see if we can change your face a little. You will need to do this yourself. Pay attention so you can learn how."

Focusing on something other than the crisis was good. Elizabeth made up my face, but talked me through the process. It was a lot to remember. We regrouped in the kitchen.

"Welcome Philippa," greeted Catherine hugging me.

"Thank you. I just want to thank you all again for everything and I am sorry you are involved."

"It's all good. Very few people know we are here."

"I like the secretary look," teased Samantha.

Catherine took charge.

"Philippa we need to destroy the clothes Philip arrived in. They are little more than rags anyway."

I nodded my agreement.

"I will order you new clothes on the internet. If the weather holds they can be here in a few days. In the meantime we will share what we have," offered Samantha.

"What do you do for food supplies?" I asked worried I would be using their resources.

"We have vegetables in the garden. We have a small wind turbine and backup generator that runs the freezer. We have regular food drops for milk, fruit, teabags and anything we can't grow. The main store on the mainland order in everything we need. Everything else we can order on the internet and they drop the parcels at the store. When they send the boat out they deliver our post," explained Catherine.

"What about sleeping arrangements? Do we get a rota?" asked Samantha.

"We will discuss it later," stated Elizabeth, but somehow I didn't think that would be a negotiation.

"I will help with cooking and cleaning," I stated repeating my previous offer of help.

"I've always wanted a sexy maid," giggled Samantha.

"Samantha! Not now! Philippa has had her life turned upside down. We need to focus for a while. We can all play later. Samantha you will respect boundaries!"

"Sorry Catherine. Sorry Philippa."

"Samantha I will be your maid later," I offered not really appreciating what I was suggesting.

"Elizabeth take the old clothes and burn them," stated Catherine.

Catherine and Elizabeth left me alone with Samantha.

"How long have you been here?" I asked.

"Nearly two years. I was in a bad place. I visited Catherine in Paris. She made me see the error of my ways. A short time later I was invited to stay here. I only planned to clean up my life and then go home. Catherine made me an offer. Anyway it's a long story."

"Sorry I didn't mean to intrude."

"It's okay. You don't intrude. It must be difficult for you to understand my lifestyle. You weren't to know and sometimes I share a little too much. I think you were probably asking an innocent question about living on the island and I gave you a glimpse into my life story. Does this change things between us?"

"No, but yes. Thank you for sharing that with me. You are still lovely Samantha to me," I told her kissing her for the first time.

I was a man dressed as a woman kissing another woman.

"I know you belong to Elizabeth, the same as I do to Catherine, but I hope we can be friends."

"We are friends, but please be good."

I belonged to Elizabeth? Did I? Did I want to be? I found Elizabeth in the lounge. I heard my heels clicking on the floor loud in my ears. I thousand random and conflicting thoughts were now assaulting my consciousness.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes, no, maybe, sort of."

"You have had a lot to think about."

"This is all too much to take in. I can't think straight."

"I know. Come and sit with me. Talk to me and tell me what you are thinking and feeling. Please."

I was frozen to the spot. Elizabeth stood and walked towards me. I started to say what I was thinking and how I felt.

"The world has thrown me upside down. I learned that people tried to kill me. I nearly drowned. I lost my memory. My life has ended. It's not fair! I am now hiding at the end of the world dressed..."

I could hear someone shouting and realised it was me.

Elizabeth reached out and held my hand. Catherine and Samantha hurried into the room responding to the crazy rantings of a mad man in a dress.

"It's okay let it out," coaxed Elizabeth.

Catherine came to me clearly concerned I was having a mental breakdown. Samantha stood in the doorway. I shouted and cursed everyone and everything. I crumpled into a heap on the carpet. Catherine and Elizabeth were with me.

"You have made your makeup run," whispered Elizabeth wiping my tears.

I laughed and I cried some more.

"I am sorry, I am so sorry. I think you should call the helicopter back and send me away."

"No, we're not doing that," declared Catherine.

"Take a breath, let's make some tea. It feels like the whole universe is against you at this moment, but it's not. I am here for you," whispered Elizabeth.

"It's not fair!" I said again.

"No it's not, but you can do this!" proclaimed Catherine.

"I don't think I can."

"Consider the whole drowning event as a rebirth- a second chance. It's an unexpected adventure, an unplanned journey."

I nodded.

"Better?" asked Catherine.

"Yes. Sorry that was very selfish and unreasonable of me," I admitted miserably feeling fresh tears run down my cheeks.

"Yes, but understandable," reassured Elizabeth.

"Thank you for your kindness."

"Philippa, you are allowed one tantrum, but if you behave like that again I will punish you," warned Catherine with a smile.

She wiped my tears. I nodded. What did punishment mean? What would happen while I stayed on the island?