Hunters Journey of Self Discovery

"Yes, of course. I would love that."

As we drove to the gallery she asked. "What exactly are you going to show at this gallery?"

It is going to house all of Annies photographs. I am currently getting all her best ones blown up and printed on canvas. Some are getting framed as we speak."

"Annie's work?"

"Yes Mum, it was Daddies idea. He believed in her. He told me many times that her work was too good, and the world needed to see them. So I am trying to give him his wish."

I heard her sigh, she leaned against the window, probably wishing she had stayed at home. That changed when we walked into the old building in Ponsonby. I heard her astonished gasp as the contractor led us through the building, and we talked about the possibilities. Mum came alive, a light went on. "Hunter, this my darling is an extrordinary space. It will be perfect."

I laughed lightly. "Yes, I agree, that's why I brought it."

After the contractor left. Mum surprised me. She found a broom in the old wash-rooms. "Hunter, go and buy some cleaning products, we are going to need buckets, mops, a vacuum cleaner, and lots of detergent, yes, lots."

That weekend we swept, mopped and cleaned ever centimetre. As run down as it was, we cleaned it.

Monday, the contractor started work, he probably hated me for getting Mum involved because she took over. She became my project manager.

The firm became an unwanted distraction, every day, I hated it a little more. Dad loved this company, but without him, it was nothing more than an anchor, it dragged me down, drowning me in despair.

I spent more time on the phone with the printer, than I did on doing my job. My distance started to impact on my closest staff, they noticed my disinterest. Noticed my lack of excitement.

It took six weeks before the Gallery had new windows, a large skylight, new fixtures and a fresh coat of paint. We left the old floorboards original, just sanding and oil.

It was the big day, the photos arrived. Mum waited expectantly by my side as the truck arrived and we unloaded.

Th moment they were uncovered, Mum gasped. "Oh my word, Hunter. They are special. Your Father was right, these are magnificent. When she got to the one of Dad, the one Annie captured at the company party, she cried, the tears rolled freely down her cheeks. She grabbed me for support, I felt her sag, her legs no longer able to hold her up. We spent the rest of the day hanging them all, making sure that we got them in the right places. That night over dinner Mum asked. "What happens now Hunter?"

"Well, now we need to find a manager, somebody to look after the Gallery, we will need a receptionist, cleaners."

"I want to do it." She spluttered. Please Hunter, I want to do it. Your father as right, those pictures are absolutely stunning. We need to make sure his wishes are followed."

More than anything, I wanted Annie to be there, to be part of the grand opening, but try as I might I couldn't get hold of her.

My Mother, I think finally came to grips with how much I missed Annie. "You really loved that girl, didn't you darling?"

"Yes I did Mum, but she's gone, I can't find her anywhere, none of our friends know where she is."

"Have you thought about using a private detective?"

"No Mum, I think if she is that determined to be out of my life, then I need to honour that. She obviously doesn't feel the way I do."

"You are wrong about that Hunter. I know I behaved very badly towards your friend. I am an idiot, I see that now. I was so wound up in your Fathers issues, that I let my own prejudices rule my head. He said to me many times how good you were for each other. How much in love you were."

"He said that?" I gasped.

"Yes darling, he saw it. He was very intuitive for a man. Your Father was a very special man. He saw the talent in Annie. I just wish I saw through my own jealousies."

"Jealousy, what are you talking about Mother?"

"I was jealous, I saw how close you and Annie were, and I felt excluded, cut off from the person I loved so dearly. It seemed the harder I tried to break into your life, the deeper my resentment towards Annie ran."

I hugged her, as only a Mother and Daughter can. "You silly thing Mum. I only pushed you away because you refused to accept Annie. I wanted you to love her, like I do. I wanted us to be family."

"I know that now Hunter, but at the time, I felt lost. I couldn't bare a life alone. Losing your Father was hard enough, but then, losing you as well. I know it was a ludicrous perspective, but you have to forgive me."

"I learned a lot from Annie Mum. The most important one was, what will be , will be. We cannot change the past, all we can change is the future. Let's work on that. We can start with making her photos reach the world, let everybody see what Dad saw."

"Yes, we can definitely do that."

Annie's Gallery opened to a large fanfare, Mum as she always did managed it wonderfully. She roped in every social contact she had in her little black book. It was in short a huge success. Within weeks of the opening, we were one of the most popular news stories in the media. We had to keep selecting photos, and new editions of already used ones. In short, we sold out.

It was while I scrolled through the files on Annie's and my dropbox account, that I saw new photos had been uploaded, and what's more I knew exactly where they were from. She was in Turkey. I may not be able to talk to her, but I could follow her journey via the photos she uploaded. Checking out her most recent uploads, I tracked her path for the last month, I knew exactly what she was doing.

We talked a lot about travel and one of the things that interested her the most was the old Silk road. We were on our way to follow that journey, when we found out about dad. She was back on that road. I followed with interest her movements and I realised I not only missed her, but I missed our adventures. I wanted to be with her, not just to be with her, but to share in her life.

All the money in the world couldn't buy the happiness we shared. We lived with nothing, and we were happier than I was now.

The feelings of loss, just deepened and As I shared the new photos with Mum she surprised me. "You miss that life don't you?"

I nodded, it was impossible to mask my feelings. I was bereft of love, deep cmpanionship. In a city of millions, I was alone.

"Then go to her." Mum stated firmly. "Go, be with her, I hate seeing you mope around like this. Your Father wouldn't want it. I certainly don't want it."

"But, I don't know how to get in touch with her. Turkey is a big country Mum."

"Darling, look, she is uploading so many new photos every day, her trail is as clear as mud. Even an old woman like me can see that."

"What about the company?"

"Oh fiddlesticks. Murray is more than capable. He spoke to me the other day. He rang, he was so concerned about your emotional state."

"Does he think I am failing the company?"

"No silly, far from it. He was more concerned with your mental well being. I spoke to him then about whether he would, or could take over for a while."

"Of course he could, he knows it better than anyone."

"That's right he does, and since Cynthia, his wife died. It has been his life. I suggest that if you can organise for a few people to share the load with him, he would happily look after the ship until you felt like returning."

I gave her a worried glare. "It would mean you would be on your own Mum."

"I am aware of that, but I have the Gallery to look after, and Aisha takes very good care of me."

"I don't know how long I will be gone?"

"It doesn't matter. Go, be happy. If I know anything about life, she misses you as much as you miss her. It wouldn't be love, if that were not true."

"Just because I love her doesn't mean she loves me." I groaned anxiously.

"That may very well be true, but, you must give her the chance to tell you that face to face. Go, or I will."

I laughed. "You in a backpackers? Fat chance."

Murray and I quickly put together a plan for him to take over the reins. We had good people, and he already knew he wanted on his team. It all fell into place so quickly, so easily.

Within two weeks, I was sitting in my seat, 37A, looking out the window watching the Pacific Ocean glisten in the afternoon sun. From thirty six thousand feet, it was just a blue abyss. I was on my way to Turkey.

I landed in Ankara, found a cheap hotel, I was already in cost saving mode. I no longer had my huge salary to draw from, although. My bank balance was very healthy. I unpacked quickly and began my new job as a private investigator. I looked for Annie's newest uploads. The last one, which was three days ago placed her in Eğirdir, a town to the South of Ankara, but checking her earlier uploads, she was travelling east. I instantly knew where she was going, maybe not directly, but she would most certainly be wanting to visit, Cappadocia. I remembered seeing her fawn over photos of the Fairy Chimney's. She always said she could do better than the usual ones posted.

The next day I booked a bus ticket to Goreme. I still had no idea on how to catch up with her. My only hope was she would upload some new photos, some of which might include where she stayed.

Arriving In Goreme, it was obvious, this was going to be more difficult than I expected. The number of cheap hotels, and backpackers establishments was mammoth. She might be staying in any of them.

Using our old friend Google, I made up a list oh hotels. Starting at the cheapest I made my rounds, carrying photos of Annie and my translation booklet.

I did my own site seeing while I was there, it certainly was a different world.

That night, Annie uploaded some new photos. All from a place called Konya, still a fair way away. I wondered what she was doing for money? Her waitressing job,never paid that much. Goreme, is surrounded by rich agricultural areas, and wineries. If I knew anything about Annie, she would be counting on getting work here. That was my hope anyway. I started visiting the wineries, and this time of the year, they did use labour for pruning. I worked my way around the different wineries, always with photograhs and me dog eared phrase book. Every day, I worked through my routine. Check dropbox, then circle through the backpackers and wineries.

It took a week before I got a breakthrough. There were fresh photos, and she was here. I recognised the buildings in her latest photo. I had walked that very street.

Dressing quickly I made my way through the city streets. Checking every flea bag hotel, every little coffee house. I wandered the streets, my heart racing jubillant, filled with expectation. We were in the same town. Now all I had to do was find her.

One of the tourist hot things to do was the dawn balloon rides. It was after dawn , but I made my way via cab to the balloon start.

There were hundreds of people already cued up, and many balloons in the air. I walked from cue to cue, inspecting each balloon.

After an hour or more, I began to sink, desperation gripping me, the grip of despondency twisting my stomach into tight knots. I was in the middle of berating myself. "Damn it, she might not even be here."

That's when I heard it, that Kiwi accent, is hard to miss. She was haggling with a vendor trying to get a flight. That was just like Annie, trying to get something for nothing.

I ran headlong towards her demanding voice. I burst through a group that waited impatiently behind her. As always, she didn't have an idea of the language. She relied on her wits and her ability to negotiate. This time however, she had met her match. The vendor gave nothing. He spoke no English and was furiously waving her away.

I stepped in, phrase book at the ready and said quietly, in my best Turkish. "I will pay for the fare."

Annie turned to glare at me. When her eyes took in that it was me. Her mouth fell open, her eyes bulged. She staggered a little, the vendor grabbing her for support. "Hunter..." Her mouth moved, but the words were slow. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you."

Slowly, she opened her arms and we slipped in for a tight embrace. Her mouth close to my ear, she whispered. "How... Why?"

"Annie, I can't live without you. I hated my empty life. When I saw you were here, I came in the hope I would find you."

"But how did you know?"

"Your photos. I saw them, and I followed your trail."

"Photos, you mean, just the photos?"

"Yes, I have been trying to call, leaving messages, emails. But when you didn't respond, I just followed your photos."

She sighed deeply. "Sorry, I lost my phone, I forgot my email password, which was tied to my phone number anyway. I had to get a new one. Almost a new identity."

The vendor started barking angrily, and I fished out some Lira and we moved into the cue for a balloon flight.

"Typical." She grumbled. "Miss money bags saving the day."

"This isn't my money I'm spending, it's yours." I snorted mockingly.

She looked confused as we were herded onto the balloon. "What do you mean my money."

With my heart pounding I mumbled. "Your photos, I opened a Gallery in Auckland, and I, we sell your photos."

"What, you did what? Those photos are mine."

"Yes, I know that, and I tried to get in touch with you. It wasn't my fault you never answer your damn phone."

We scrambled into the huge whicker basket with four other would be adventurers, and the balloon bustled into the air. The gas fired burner roaring firing hot air into the cavernous nylon bag.

There were some screams and squeals of fright as we bounced, and without further ado we were in the air, the warm breeze shooting us along horizontal to the ground before we soared above the ground which vanished with surprising alacrity.

It sure as hell shut Annie up. I felt her fingers digging into the fleshy part of my arm. Her eyes showing the unusual signs of fear. Usually, she was the brave one, I was the rabbit.

I felt her nails slowly ease as the balloon settled into steadier flight.

The other people in the basket all started talking, and conversation was now impossible. She gave me an angry glare, before unslinging her camera and then she was lost in capturing the dry barren landscapes that the area were famous for.

Like Annie, I became absorbed with the arid unforgiving landscape. It certainly was an area of surprising contrasts. The volcanic soil provided great food for agriculture, but away from the plains, the mountains changed and these eerie weird skylines appeared.

The balloon operator called out and pointed to some of the more famous highlights.

The flight took a couple of hours and once Annie had exhausted her thirst for photos she whispered. "Okay girl, what was all that shit about a gallery?"

"Annie, my Father gave me the idea. From the very first time he saw your photos he as enamoured with your talent. He said over and over, that I had to make sure you did something with them. Just before he died, he reaffirmed that position and he made me promise I wouldn't let them rot away. He said, and I quote him here. Those photos need to be enjoyed by the whole world."

She seemed astonished. "He really said that?"

"Yes Annie, he loved looking through all those photos of our adventures."

"I always thought that as just because you were in them."

"No, it was the photos, he loved them. He said you have a talent for bringing inanimate objects to life."

She sighed, wiped away a little tear. "He was a hell of a man." She hugged me a little. "I'm sorry you lost him."

"Yes, me too, but he loved you. He often told me not to let you escape."

As we got off the balloon, Annie asked. "Where are you staying?"

"A little place in Goreme. It's pretty rough, but it is all right."

She snorted contemptuously. "Thought you'd be staying at a resort or something."

"Annie, do not be like that, please. I no different to the person you first met. Yes, I have mony, but that doesn't change who I am. I do not care about it. If it makes you happy, I will give it all to charity."

"Yeah, as if. I don't care about your fucking money, you know how I feel about all that shit."

"Yes, I do. Which is why I never told you. I wanted you to like me for who I am, not who people think I am."

"So who's minding the fort?"

"Murray, is going to be looking after the firm until I decide what I want to do."

"Whatta ya mean by that?"

"Annie, I came here to be with you. I want you back in my life, and I want us to be together. If that means I never go back, then that will be that. I am happy to walk away with just the clothes on my back. All I want is to have you in my life."

We walked through the thronging crowd as street traders tried to get our attention. "Hunter, how can I believe you? You lied to me, you treated me like a dummy. Fed me all that bullshit. I thought you were something special, I thought you were the one for me."

"I still am, What has changed? Okay, so I have money, who fucking cares? What stops us from living the life we talked about, dreamed off?"

She shrugged as we walked into the hotel I was staying at. Alone in my room she sat on the bed. She smiled for the first time. "You look pretty." She whispered hoarsely.

"Thank you, not as gorgeous as you though. How you can look so good wearing a bloody shabby old kaftan amazes me."

The feel of her lips on mine wiped away all that went before, suddenly, it was just us, her naked body caressing my hands, her juicy succulent lips suckling, her fingers delving deep into my gooey sex. Her pussy sucking at my hand.

Her tongue, that beautiful athletic wresting champion, swirled and danced. Her fat slippery clit throbbing under my thrusting palm. It was furious, frantic, and over in minutes. Her body taking away all the hurt, all the nervous anxiety.

Afterwards, our sweaty glistening bodies stuck together, panting wildly. Lovemaking wasn't always that way with us, but this time it was frenzied. She kissed me lovingly, tenderly. "What the fuck are we going to do Hunter, god I missed you."

"And me you, I never want to be without you again."

"I'm not sure I could live the life you want, I'm not into that corporate shit."

"We don't have to. That was my Fathers dream, not mine."

"Don't lie to me Hunter. I saw it, you can deny it all you want, but you love that life."

"Not as much as I love you. I would happily give it all up. I have given it up, I'm here."

"Are you, or are you worrying about spreadsheets and bottom lines?"

"All I care about is having you in my arms."

She giggled. "We will see, won't we."

When I didn't answer she sneered. "So who's looking after my nest egg? Not some corporate number cruncher I hope."

"Mum actually. What's more she has done an amazing job."

Annie laughed loudly. "No fucking way?"

I giggled as well, her total disbelief comical. "Annie, I know you will not believe me, but she encouraged me to come and find you. She has changed."

"I'll believe that when I see it."

That night signalled the recommencement of our relationship. We broke away from the Silk road route. Annie wanted to drop south and head for India, and Back to Asia.

The trip was filled with adventures. We did not follow the tourist routes, we took detours, went into the wild rarely travelled routes and destinations. We battled, dust storms in Iran, got arrested in Afghanistan. The arrest, was a turning point for Annie and I. She had a change of heart regarding money when I used the privilege of having some to bribe our way out of what could have been a very dicey situation. Annie blamed herself, because in a moment of passion, in a public place decided it was a good time to share a kiss. I saw the look of horror on a man who happened to be watching. I saw him scurry away and knew instantly, we were in deep trouble. I tried to get Annie motivated to make a hurried escape, but she laughed it off. Inn her mind it was no big deal, but when the guy returned with a cop in tow, I knew we were in trouble.