Aurora - Way of the Goddess Pt. 08

"And this ruggedly handsome man." Watson said under his breath, surreptitiously slipping his hand between her smooth thighs. "You know I'd really like to meet him one day. To tell him what a lucky bastard he is."

"That shouldn't be too hard to arrange." Vicky arched an eyebrow. "He's sitting right next to me."

"Really? Don't think you could do a little better than some flogged-out old boiler, old enough to be your dad?"

"Perhaps. But I could never do better than you."

Watson gave her a nudge. "You'll give me a big head if you're not careful." And that's not all. There was still enough Cialis in his system to wreak havoc if he dropped his guard and he had to call on some particularly dark memories to stave off a spectacle.

"So can we make it a date?"

"Why not?"

A thoroughly masticated departure announcement waffled out of the airport PA and Watson caught a snippet of his flight number. Twisting in his seat, he checked over his shoulder to find the flight was now in the process of boarding. Turning back, he sat, shoulders hunched, one hand resting on Vicky's. "Well, that's it. I'm about to turn into a pumpkin."

"That your flight?"

"Sounds like it."

There was a moment's strained silence and Vicky drew a breath. "Damon? What do I do?"

"About what, Sweetheart?"

"Everything."

"Well... just ask yourself three questions. Where am I, where do I want to go, how do I get there? It's a sailing thing. Works like a charm."

"Should I find a relationship?"

"Depends." Watson shrugged. "Rebounds can be a little bit messy, and you've got plenty of friends to keep you occupied. If I were you I'd make the most of the solitude, at least for a while. Unless you're desperate."

"No," she shook her head, "definitely not."

"Then you're in a good place. You're the master of your own universe, and I mean that literally. Just remember, what you think you become, so think what you want and don't think what you don't want."

"I've had it back-to-front my whole life." she breathed in dismay. "I've always thought about the bad things that might happen... not measuring up, not fitting in. And that's exactly what I got."

"Really? Well, did you ever think about just busting free? About finding someone to sweep you off your feet and give you the fucking you so richly deserved?"

"I did." Vicky nodded, staring at the table. "Lots of times. That's what kept me feeling so guilty."

"Well it came to pass, didn't it?"

Vicky looked up at him in shock. "Oh my god. And it was almost exactly as I imagined. Except..."

"Except the other party wasn't a borderline geriatric?"

She gave her head a little shake. "More a ripped, rangy, triathlon type. Like the guys I race with."

"Better luck next time." Watson laughed. "Important thing is you know how it works."

Vicky looked around in a panic. "We need more time. This is all so new to me I don't know what to do."

"You do!" There was a second, slightly harsher announcement, reminding the herd that airlines waited for no man. "Final boarding, Vick. I'd better split."

"Please, Damon. As my spiritual master. Please, what do I do?"

Watson stood, bouncing up and down a few times to rearrange the contents of his shorts. "Spiritual master? Where's my groupies?"

"I'm serious. What should I do?"

They set off, walking as slowly as possible while still laying claim to slavish obedience. "What if I don't know?"

"But you do know, Damon, I know you do. What should I do next?"

"Okay, I'll leave you some homework till we see each other again. Step one. Become aware of your thoughts. Most humans have no idea of the garbage being swept along in their stream of consciousness. And they just let it go, day in, day out, year after year for their whole bloody lives. And guess what? What they think they create."

"Is that why the world's in such a bloody mess?"

"That's exactly why." Watson nodded. "And it's being done deliberately by those who know. So set a timer. Every fifteen minutes, stop and examine your thoughts. Become aware of what you're thinking. Ask yourself, are you thinking what you want, or are you thinking what you don't want? Are your thoughts of benefit to you? If not, change your thoughts. Preferences, not aversions. It's vital. We're single channel processors, we can only think one thing at a time."

"What about the rest of the time?"

"If you persevere, after a month or two there won't be a rest of the time. It'll become second nature. It'll become habit, and you'll live your life in perpetual awareness. This is the stuff we should be teaching our kids in kindergarten."

"Do you live in awareness?"

"I do my level best. And it works, most of the time."

Vicky elbowed him playfully but her eyes were brimming. "So how come you fell-in with such a messed up young chick?"

"You?" Watson asked, hugging her shoulders. "You're not messed up, just poorly advised. And anyway, meeting you has been one of the best things that's ever happened. You coming to the gate? Beck would love to say goodbye."

"Better not." Vicky shook her head, "I'd hate to make a scene." Sucking a huge breath, she looked at him on the verge of tears and breathed, "I'm gonna miss you."

"If you do then it means you're not working hard enough. On treading the path. Practice makes perfect, remember? Awareness is fabulous, but you have to work on it."

"Like running."

"Exactly like running. Yesterday almost killed me, but if I did it every day for a month or two I'd give you a run for your money."

"You're on."

"So are you. Become aware. It's very important."

"Got it. First step, awareness."

"You'll love it, you'll see."

Vicky's eyes lit up and she delved into her shoulder bag. "Oh, I almost forgot. Here."

Watson knew immediately what it was but had no idea why she was giving it to him. "Your passport?"

"You said I could come to your world. Well, here I am, and here's my passport."

Watson flicked it open to Vicky's photo. Her hair was longer in the pic, shapeless and frumpy, and her face was a mask of bottomless melancholy. "Not the best piccie." she mumbled.

Watson held it up beside her, looking from the miniature portrait to her face and back again. "Seems to be in order." He handed the document back. "Welcome to Earth."

Vicky grabbed his hand and thrust the passport into it. "You didn't stamp it."

"Oh," Watson waved dismissively, "it's all electronic these days. No need."

"Stamp it!"

Watson did as he was told. Flipping it open, he planted a great big kiss on the picture of the sad-faced girl. "There. A stamp. For VIPs only."

Checking the photo for lip-prints, Vicky slipped the passport into her pocket and slid her arms around his neck. "No!" she flatly replied, "this is for VIPs." Rising on tiptoes, she melded her mouth to his.

* * *

By the time he reached the gate it was empty, save for three last stragglers- a cross-looking gate keeper, a woman with a pink fibreglass leg, and a tiny blonde teen fondling a brand new iPhone.

"Look what Tan gave me!" Beck cried when the old man rolled up, "My very own mobile!"

"A what? Dammit... Tan, look, really, that's really, really generous but, you know, this whole technology thing..."

"Oh put a sock in it you silly old drama queen. I can't rely on you to do the right thing so I gave to someone I could trust."

"But GPS tracking." Watson frowned, "And metadata. You know every single message, every single call you make is-"

"But GPS ny ny ny nyaa. Bloody Kev's been in your ear, hasn't he? Listen, Captain Paranoid, I've switched off the GPS and the number's on private. The phone's registered to the firm in any case, and if you use your noodle it will be perfectly safe."

"No!" Beck hugged it to her chest. "Don't even think of taking it off me."

"Sir?" the gate-keeper called, "Mister Watson? Please, the flight's ready for departure."

"Give Tan a kiss." Watson said.

Beck leant into Tanya and gave her a deep, lingering kiss on the lips. It took all of Watson's will not to look around for the nearest CCTVs, wondering how many perverted eyes were hanging onto the exchange. Tanya gave Beck a bearhug. "Look after the old boy for me." she said, "And don't let him put the frighteners on you about that phone. Just call me anytime. I love you Rebekah, with a 'k' and an 'a' and an 'h'."

"I love you too, Tanya, with an 'n' and a 'y' and an 'a'. Promise you'll come and see us real soon?"

Tanya put three fingers to her temple in a salute! "Scout's honour."

"And bring Rodge?"

"Wild horses couldn't keep him away."

"And Maya? And Vicky?"

"Jesus," Watson cursed, "I'll need a flippin' cruise ship at this rate. Off you go, Moosh, before they clap us in irons."

Beck sauntered up to the gate and flashed her boarding pass.

"Sir!" the gate guardian huffed in exasperation.

"Tan. Vicky. Please. Keep an eye on her for me."

"Count on it. Anyway, we're having lunch together in the city later on. I'm gonna hit her up for a blow-by-blow."

"Really? You really think she's ready for that?"

"About what happened, idiot. I'll tell her it's therapy."

"I'll be interested to hear what she says." Watson intoned. "Tan, gotta go, and thanks for an incredible few days, Tan. It's been life changing."

"For all of us, one way or another. Maya had an incredible time and Caddy just loves the socks off you. Not to mention Beck. And I reckon you're on a promise with Ally as well. And as for Vicky... a girl never forgets her first time."

Watson clutched his heart and pretended to stagger. "I'm gonna need rehab!"

"Rehab?"

"Sex rehab."

"I wouldn't waste my time if I were you. Between school holidays and annual leave you might just have your hands full."

There was the sound of heels striking the floor as a fat, angry little woman strode down the corridor brandishing a walkie-talkie. "Mister Watson! If you do not board immediately your baggage will be offloaded and you'll miss the flight."

"Better give me a kiss, then." Tanya said, then cupped his face in her hands and plied him with a deep, wet, swirling kiss. Breaking off, she let him catch his breath while she wiped her mouth.

The gate attendant flounced off in a huff, spitting her displeasure into the two-way. "Better go," Watson sighed, "I think Miss Piggy's calling the filth."

"Off you go then." As Watson turned to leave, Tanya yelled a few last orders at his back. "Call me on the mobile when you get home. And give Macca a call. And stay in touch this time you bugger."

"Yeah, yeah..." Watson groused, turning to leave. "It's like being married again."

"Hey Dommy!"

Watson skidded to a halt and looked over his shoulder at the beautiful, beaming woman with the bright pink leg, "I finally figured it out... Dommy. It's short for Dirty Old Man. Am I right?"

"Close. It's actually DOMOTS..."

Tanya looked around for inspiration. "Got it! Dirty Old Ma Of The Sea."

Watson shook his head. "You know too much, Tanya Bragg!"

"Too much knowledge is barely enough, a little blonde goddess once told me."

Watson looked down the aerobridge. "I think I can hear the engines starting. Better go, Tanny. Thanks for everything."

"Steady as she goes, Captain, my Captain." Tanya blew him a kiss. "Until next time."

Hands in the pockets of his canvas jeans, Watson set off down the long, sloping tunnel, wondering. Was it a sense of doom he felt, or anticipation? Destiny, he reminded himself, was the path that he chose, while fate was the twists and turns in the road. Beck had just forged herself a brand new destiny, one that wasn't centred on him. All of a sudden, there was the very real chance that their paths would diverge, until each disappeared over their own private horizon. He would lose her, forever maybe, and that would be the end of his fantasy come true- a tiny, teen partner with an unquenchable lust for sex and adventure. And yet.

If she did pull it off- and there was no doubting she would- maybe he could hitch a ride on her coat-tails instead. Hobnob with the rich and deluded, jet around the world in abject luxury. And of course there was the matter of Vicky. And Tan. And Caddy. And Maya. And one day, maybe, even the pocket-hotty Alana.

Time to practice what he preached, the old man thought. Look out future, here we come.

*