One Day in Penang

If she thought she was tired before, the shower did nothing to wake her senses. She all but crawled to her bed and was asleep in seconds of her head hitting her pillow.

-z-

At 12:41 a.m. 08 March 2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 a Boeing 777-2H6ER with 239 people onboard took off outbound from Kuala Lumpur International Airport on its scheduled flight to Beijing. Estimated Time of Arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport is 6:30 a.m. local time.

-z-

08 March 2014 Penang Island - Diana.

It sounded like an alarm clock ringing, as her senses came back to her she realised it was her cell, the screen lit with a number she didn't immediately recognise but the time showing was nine fifteen she had slept twelve hours. Then she recognised the name attached to the ringing number.

"Good morning Leonie, how are you?"

Diana waited for a reply, it was a good ten seconds before it came, "Hi Diana, honey have you heard from Mike this morning?"

"No he's on his way to Beijing, oh you know that, sorry Leonie I've only just woken ...wait ..you called me Di..." Leonie interjected. "Diana, honey something's gone wrong with Mikes flight, the planes gone missing, didn't arrive in Beijing when it should have, it's two hours overdue and we were hoping that maybe he didn't go or he may have gone back to ...God Diana this is so hard ...I am so sorry."

Silence. Complete silence. Neither talked. Diana sensed her fear of asking more -- fearing the answer.

"No Leonie ...NO! It can't be."

"Honey, I ...I don't. Honey it doesn't... Honey I think he's gone... I think Mikes gone."

Lost, she was lost. It invaded her, she could do nothing to stop it. What was left? What did she have now? Nothing. Had nothing. Felt nothing. In twenty four hours gone from having the chance to getting a life back, getting Mike back. Too this... losing everything. Again.

Despite the loud protestations coming from her cell to talk to Leonie, the phone slipped out of her hand, slid off the bed and onto the floor. Gently her head collapsed onto her pillow.

-z-

She had no idea how long she had been asleep, it didn't matter anyway, she woke in her bed neatly tucked in and with a fresh airy feeling drifting through her room. The black returned as her brain kicked in, it permeated her again. Somebody else was in her room, she looked to see the softly smiling face of the maid she had befriended during her stay.

She had been told to stay with Diana until her friend from Australia arrived, she was to get whatever Diana wanted and watch over her.

Diana opened her cell, there were messages. Opening the first text message the maid jumped horrified with Diana's scream, "NO! NO! NO!PLEASE GOD NO! PLEASE God! No.. please."

-z-

08 Mar 2014. At 7:24 a.m. Malaysian Airlines releases a statement via Facebook announcing the disappearance of Flt MH 370. The waiting distraught friends and families at Beijing International Airport are told of the tragedy.

-z-

08 March 2014 Perth Western Australia - Leonie.

Leonie Talbot had been in Perth Western Australia on assignment. Perth had become a hotbed of creative Artists and Illustrators and Leonie had the day before done a dozen interviews with promising candidates. She was up early and preparing to catch a flight back to Brisbane when the phone call from John Houghton had come through.

On her latest trip to Chicago she had made contact with John for no reason other than Mike had suggested that if she ventured there, to make a point of calling in and introducing herself to John and his staff. It had been a revealing meeting, John knew that Leonie and Mike were good personal friends as well as on a professional level and Leonie's company had supplied him some very good service.

The conversation drifted to a personal level Leonie said that she and Mike had a mutual friend, an Author that had recently signed up with Tricycle Publishing and John had immediately assumed and blurted out: "Oh, Diana ah.. I.. mean your talking about Joanna right? Joanna Driscoll? Mike's ex ...Diana Blake."

Perplexed was definitely what Leonie felt at that moment, however by the time they had bantered back and forth about how the story fitted together she realised she had been ever so slightly 'played' by one of the characters and she suspected it was weighed in the direction of Fiona Strawbridge alias Diana Blake slash Joanna Driscoll.

Both she and John realised the humour in it, told him about Diana's plans for Penang which made John laugh even more because he knew Mikes plans, she swore John to secrecy - she wanted to see how it was all gonna play out. She thought she had a pretty good draw on which way it would go, Mike had been intolerant about talking about his ex, he'd never even used her name, would not talk about his marriage, his divorce -- it was simply a no-go area and Leonie respected that.

Now what John had just told her about Mikes ill-fated flight drove any humour out of her thoughts and left her cold. John had heard through another business contact stateside who had salespeople booked out on the return flight from Beijing. They had called their Boss concerned that Mikes flight never made it and also that Malaysian Airlines had announced MH 370 had disappeared to the waiting Beijing crowd.

She had the unenviable task of calling Diana with the news. There was only one hope, one card that hadn't been played - maybe Mike hadn't got on the flight, Diana should hopefully know, although John had pre-empted that by calling Mike, only to find his cell was turned off or in flight mode, he'd left a message but nothing had come through.

Leonie knew that the time difference between Perth and Penang wouldn't be that big, she also knew that flight time she guessed maybe four hours it didn't matter anyway, without another thought she booked a flight that would get her to Penang via Singapore, at least she could be there for Diana.

So with that done and with a sad heavy heart despondently Leonie made the call.

-z-

08 Mar 2014. At 8:11 a.m. Malaysian Airlines flt MH 370 signal is finally lost.

-z-

08 March 2018. Taman Wira -- Diana's House.

The last paragraph she intended writing tonight wasn't coming, so with a bit of frustration Diana closed the file down, saved her work and switched off her notebook.

She wanted to get this book, number seven and number two in the Penang saga done and dusted, knew she finally would although she had jumped over it with completion of books nine and ten, they weren't part of her Penang series anyway, eight which was the finale of the series, was drafted and ready for first edit but seven had languished far too long.

The reason was simple it wasn't that she was stuck with the story. She had lived it all and again over and over in her mind, it had cost her a lot, damn near her sanity.

It was the laying it out on paper that she couldn't get her head around, she had managed with three different attempts to end up with a mixed up jumble of 'twaddle'. Her fourth try ended up like the script for a documentary written from her perspective, it just didn't read right and lacked for fluidity, and too much personal emotion so that summarily got 'deep-sixed' too.

But now explaining it from Mikes perspective was working, facts coming easier, the story flowed -- wasn't dis-jointed and embodied Mike, mostly as the story teller. Time-lines less confusing easy to check because everybody that had been part of the story wanted to assist in bringing their reality to it.

She figured one more chapter would do it, she also figured the edit was going to be easier too, she had gone over and over each sentence, each paragraph and each chapter repeatedly to get it right.

But for tonight she was done, checking on Mike Jr she fell into her bed as the tiredness started to seep in.

-z-

Malaysian Airlines reported there were four passengers who checked in but did not show up for the flight. Both Malaysian Airlines and Malaysian Government Officials refused to release the names of the four passengers. A Government Source finally made an official statement to news agencies saying that All Passengers who booked and were meant to be on flt MH370 - were on the flight.

-z-

08 March 2014 Penang International Airport, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah.

"YOU FUCKING TEXTED HER YOU FUCKING MORON!! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU FUCKING THINKING ...AND YOU'RE FUCKING ALIVE!!

'Well THIS is fucking disturbing on multiple levels.'

That was it, I knew it was Leonie, but now all I could hear was the sound of weeping, quietly, but still crying, "Leonie honey what's wrong? ...Leonie talk to me."

Nope! this was going to take a while. "Leonie take a breath, take your time..."

"We thought you'd gone Mike, we all thought you'd died on the plane Mike, we thought we'd lost you."

Ambling toward the airport entrance posing what question to ask her, what the fuck she was on about, but then realising I didn't have to - Leonie's explanation fell into place as I passed one of the large screen televisions in the passenger waiting area and there it was. In vivd living mother-fucking colour. On the screen as a headline: Breaking News: Malaysian Airlines Flt MH370 disappears on flight to Beijing.

I stared in shock but also a consuming despair.

In any part of my industry, accidents are always in the back of your mind, in my case I push it right to the very back -- it comes with the territory - when you skid along at the speed of sound with fuck all between your hairy ass and terra firma you push anything that resembles a threat to your mortality down, and this was oh so fucking close, a change of mind fucking close.

The thought of mostly happy people having disappeared so effectively ending innocent lives, knowing you could have been one of them, well it tends to hit you fair between the fucking eyes.

I caught myself before the emotion set in or became apparent to those around me, I walked as I thought what to say in reply.

"Mike where are you?"

"Penang International L, I'm off to see ..ah.. Fiona, FUCK!! She know's doesn't she Leonie? About the flight!"

"She does Mike, I'm so sorry I should of thought about it but when John called me he said he'd tried to contact you and got no reply. We felt sure you'd of turned your phone off so we didn't bother to try again. I called Diana earlier this morning hoping beyond hope that you'd called your flight off and maybe were with her. If I'd left it and just flown out none of this would of happened, you would have been with her and she would have been none the wiser. You need to get to her Mike she is not in good shape at all, the hotel called said they've got control of things but you need to get there Mike. She got your text and it has sent her off the deep end Mike, I don't know what she thought ...I'm so so very sorry honey."

"Fuck no Leonie! We're not doing this shit. Stop apologising for things you never did wrong, I'm here. I'll get there right now, where are you?"

"Perth waiting for my flight, I'm going via Singers will be in Penang late this arvo."

"Could I ask a favour L? Could you ring John let him know, it maybe a while before I can get to him."

"Yes, of course. Just go babe, go get her Mike. She needs you bad."

"On my way honey, see you when you get here."

It took some time to wend our way through the traffic it was a slow journey. At one stage I'd thought about buying the bloody taxi cab off the driver, decided not to offer -- probably end up offending him.

-z-

Early morning - 09 March 2018. Taman Wira -- Diana's House.

Somewhere in the early morning she felt the weight of his body inhabit the bed, knew it was him, felt the warmth of the hands as they reached out and touched her back and shoulders, silently reassuring her he was there before one encircled her tummy pulling her into him so they were snuggled up against each other.

She was the first to talk, "God I've missed you."

"And I've missed you too gorgeous, everyday."

She stretched taut against him feeling his body, form resistance to her movement. She wanted to luxuriate in his body, her right hand moving between them desperately trying to find his manhood. Grasping it she shimmied up so she could reach it between her legs, moved him between her open thighs and allowed it to settle. She turned her head awkwardly allowing him to kiss her mouth, lips.

He was already hard she caressed it with her supple thighs as she moved back and forth.

Impatient she let it go, quickly turning so she could see his face, in the low light recognised that smile, his eyes closed she allowed her breasts to crush against his chest. Her hands moving down to his cock she grabbed the shaft, cupped his balls with her other, caressed the weight, she hooked her leg round his butt locking him to her, one more look at his face before plunging her tongue into his mouth, he struggled as their faces mashed then relaxed as they recognised their closeness.

She found his tongue with her mouth, allowed it to invade her, felt his smile and heard the blurred little laugh in response as they both came alive. She pulled away as she moved down his body, his chest teasing his nipples with her tongue, licking then quick little nips. She heard him suck in breath as she teased him, she wasn't about to stop though as she wended lower she flicked her tongue over his flesh, softly grabbed the soft part just above his hip with her lips, teasing and tickling it knowing she would get the right response as he jerked away from her mouth.

His strong hands reached out and tried to grab her but she bounced away from them softly giggling, quickly forcing her hands behind his butt cheeks and grasping the muscly flesh she looked and found the target her mouth was aimed at and swallowed it, well as much as she could. For ten seconds his strong hands fought to drag her back up to him then his grip weakened and she heard him gasp in surrender.

Their love making was a back and forth game she tried in desperation to take command. He being patient enough to let her, of course he'd never admit it but he loved every bit of it, damn near saturated in it but all along knew he'd get his turn, when she had sated herself he took her. It never failed to make him smile that she had the same look of surprise when he took over, invaded her and made her orgasm so hard he either had to tell her to quieten, which she never did or gently push her head down to her pillow so she would take the hint.

I woke up early Diana has a habit of feeding herself under my arm and lying with her head on my chest. I didn't even know she was awake until she talked: "Whatcha thinkin' about honey?"

"Oh um nothing."

"Yeah you are, you've been awake for a while, I know because your breathing changes when your asleep, deep and steady."

"Okay, you're right. So alright I guess now is as good a time as any." She had turned her head to look up at me, I guess at my expression, but her face wore a look of panicked and or surprise ...I think. "Okay so I'm just gonna come out and say it." 'Drama is such a great tool.'

"I've handed in my notice, I gave my resignation to John before I left on Thursday, he knew it was coming but he want's me to consider heading a new Australasian-far east division but I've got a while to consider it, I know I never talked to you about resigning and I should have included you in the decision making but what with the progress on your book and looking after Mikey I figured you didn't need to bother about your husband's problems besides now your gonna have to write more and work doubly hard for all of us..." I burst out laughing, her look had changed to a neutral look as I cracked up. She girly-slapped me.

"MIKE You bloody shit! I thought you were breaking us up. GOD! You scared the fuck out of me... Oh god Mike of course I don't mind you resigning even for a short break. I love it, LOVE it, we get more of you, more time as a family, more time for us. No more going away though?"

"No more going away and I've always appreciated that you didn't mind about that as long as I finally came home but Di, I'm done with that shit. The pay-off from doing that the last four years is we have a shit-box load of shares in CAZ Industries and now, I'm done."

The tears started then, "Mike I'm really really so happy, I love that you'd do that for me ...US! all of us!"

I pulled her to me. Kissed her all over her face, wiped her tears away with my fingers. We ended up sat in silent contemplation.

Her eyes flew open, "You said husband! ...I heard you! I know I heard you, you said Husband! Mike I heard you say husband, that means you want me as your ...wife ...again."

I couldn't help grinning like an idiot at her, "Well duh!"

-z-

Epilogue.

I could say some weird premonition alerted me to not hopping on MH 370 that morning -- but that wouldn't be true. I could say that the meeting with Hazik Tahir and his counterparts swayed my decision about not going to Beijing -- But again that wouldn't be true either.

Sitting in the K.L departure lounge at 23:00 hrs gave me time to think, I was mentally adjusting my timetable for the next few days, well week if I'm being honest, when it hit me. Look I'm not taking the blame for anything that Diana did during that last year of our marriage -- that's all on her, her choice, her consequences.

What didn't help our marriage though was I had always rearranged my private life around my business timetable. If I needed to make adjustments and at the sacrifice of my private life -- I just made it happen, without another thought. It was part of my 'Can Do' attitude and it was one of the things that I knew helped sink my marriage.

Just like I was planning to do right now. Son of a bitch!

If I was going to give Diana's 'just a chance' to work and I was serious about helping her with it -- I knew what I had to do. Yeah I didn't want her chance for us to fail, certainly didn't want to sabotage it either, it needed a concious effort if she, ...we ...wanted that chance. Cancelling my flight was the easiest thing to do, booking a flight to Penang tomorrow at 09:35 was even easier.

So back to my hotel and a good six hours sleep, cell turned off -- probably my only mistake, I'd not turned it back on, wanted to surprise Diana with turning back up at the Comptah, everybody else could wait -- right?

If I'd turned my cell back on things would have been different. I didn't know Diana's timetable exactly, well at all, so if I hadn't had the bright fucking idea to text Diana as I got off the plane at Penang International and not dawdled from there until Leonie called, just gone to her at the Comptah things would have been different. Shoulda, coulda, woulda - enough fucking said really.

The trauma Diana went through was pretty bad, the double shock she got that morning and especially my text, 'well beijing sucked - surprise I'm back' was the final nail in the coffin for Diana.

The culmination of a whole lot of stresses caused by her failed marriage, work life consuming her every moment plus the shit that went on with her publisher, PR agent and assorted 'friends' - Yeah I got it out of her. I've been thinking about catching up with some of those ass-fuck's. Times on my side.

Anyway in the end it all came good and five years later in 2019 here we all are, happy as pigs-in-shit, all four of us. Yeah we had a little girl, Coralie D. Blake, you all know what the D stands for -- right? I'm hinting about a third kid and Di's not sayin' no, wait and see I guess. Ah and she's still hard out writing.

Leonie stays with us when ever she ventures our way, Diana and Leonie have a similar relationship together that I had with Leonie, ha! minus the sex. It's a strong friendship and getting stronger all the time.