Realms of Eden Book 03: Whirlwind

Moira looked at them both, her shock forgotten as she decided that Sydney had just done something very beautiful for Sandy that she did not want to undo. Her feelings were reflected in the eyes of Kelsey when she looked across to her. Finally she said, "I wish I was coming with you, but I have to finish up here and I said that I would stay until the end of the tour."

"Good," said Sydney grabbing her up in his arms. "Then you will be here when we come back to play the two day match and the final one day game!"

She laughed in delight. "I hadn't thought of that!"

Sydney whispered in her ear "But I did, I think you might be very surprised when I return. Keep safe little one."

They were ready to go in a very short time as Kel had packed all of Sydney's stuff except for a set of travelling clothes. Soon they were on the roof and bundled into a high speed limo. With final hurried kisses to Moira the machine took off heading to Auckland.

Chapter 5 - Victory at last

Ian Creighton sat in the viewing room in the eastern stand at Coney Fields watching the crowd of around 50,000 clap, whistle and roar each time Sydney 'Whirlwind' Douglas stroked the ball through the field for runs or to the boundary. He had sent the young man out with strict instructions that this was not a one day match but a two day match against the Auckland Angels team so he wasn't to just blast everything out of the park but to play a proper innings of elegance and style. The young man had exceeded marvellously and the knowledgeable crowd in Auckland had appreciated every part of his game.

Sydney himself looked like he was having a great deal of fun out there as he chatted to his opening partner, Simon Hunter, and even spent a bit of time talking with the opposition and the umpires. He, Ian thought, was in total control of his game and his surroundings and it scared the life out of the coach.

Kelsey sitting beside him appeared to read his thoughts and without turning to him said, "Relax Ian, to him it is just a game to play among friends. He doesn't think about anything else. He is tough out there and he will fight like the demon from hell when he needs to but now he is just having fun."

Ian tried and he heartily congratulated the two openers when they returned at lunch with Australia at none for 94. Peter Bond whimsically suggested that he wouldn't mind not getting a bat today as he had a fair bit of writing to do. He was writing a diary, at Kelsey's suggestion, about the team and its experiences on the tour and he had found that he was really enjoying the novel experience.

Simon and Sydney laughed and told him that they would see what they could do then suggested that he send Jason in ahead of him if a wicket fell. Jason jumped at the offer and had his kit out before the lunch break of 30 minutes was over.

Simon and Sydney were back out to generous applause minutes after the umpires told them that they were ready to go again.

Kelsey and Sandy resumed their seats. Robert was off doing some work with the doctor and physio down in the gym with the bowlers and Murray King who were really starting to improve their weight and fitness. Kelsey was very much aware of the rest of the team in the viewing area watching her and Sandy as intently as they watched the game.

The attractive woman beside Kelsey had been given the nickname 'Randy' and Kelsey had been pleased when Sandy had not gotten hot under the collar when she had first found out about that. In a little girl on girl chat she had explained to the woman how she herself teased the boys mercilessly but all of them knew that she was not available to them.

Sandy said, "But what happens if I want to be available. Jason is really cute and I wouldn't mind knowing whether the little whispers I hear about Dean are true or not." Her sexy tone and her unconscious stroking of her thighs with her long nails as she spoke were indicators to Kelsey that the woman was seriously considering making those desires come true. Kelsey suggested that she speak to Robert or Syd before she acted out to get an idea of what she might be facing as consequences of those actions.

Sydney reached fifty and raised his bat to the appreciative crowd sitting in the noon sun. Simon Hunter was almost the same score. When Peter Bond said, "He is making sure that Simon gets his fair share of the bowling and doesn't go chasing just glory for himself." Ian nodded in agreement.

Jason Williams, who was now padded up to go in next, also agreed. The keen young batsman said, "I think he is going to get out shortly just so that we all get a bat."

The group around him looked at him as if he was mad. Jason turned back to them all holding up a small plastic bag with a red piece of material in it and chuckled. "He gave this to me before he went out and told me that fifty would do him today and that it was my turn to have a bit of luck."

Jason was proved correct as second ball after celebrating his fifty Sydney inexplicably chased a wide ball outside off stump. He nicked it to the unbelieving hands of Jerome Adeane, the Black Caps' and Angels' captain, standing at second slip.

The crowd still cheered just as madly as Sydney gave them a salute with his bat and patted Jason on the bum with it as he met him at the gate. He gave the young man some advice, saying, "Play yourself in son then go for it!"

When Kelsey, Peter and Ian met him in the rooms as he stripped his protector, gloves and pads off Ian gave him a long look. Sydney grinned back at them and said, "If we get a second innings I will give them curry but let's see what Simon and Jason can do for today. Jason will be fine he's got a lucky charm!"

Kelsey giggled and giving Sandy a little wink said, "He might even start his own collection."

Sydney gave her a cuddle and whispered, "Well I think he would be the only one that would know about it if he did." He gave a meaningful look towards Sandy as she watched entranced at the game.

"Oh so she did have a chat to you?" asked Kelsey just as quietly.

Sydney nodded. "But I told her to stay away from the rest of them except maybe Gareth and Peter, they are both married and would be very discrete."

Kelsey giggled into his shoulder, "Maybe I can give Gareth his reward if he ever catches up to me then."

"Well I am off," said Sydney loudly. Kel grinned at the rest of the group then pointed to the sidelines where a camera crew and a very attractive woman in a short blue skirt and white top with a microphone in her hands were standing looking expectantly up to the players' rooms.

"Cecilia wants me," he chuckled.

A few of the boys called back, "You are a tart Whirlwind," and finally "Go on then get on with it and say something nice about us!" The big man left with a wink and a wave.

Sandy and Kel watched Sydney chatting to the woman and then the camera woman focused on the pair and the interview proceeded.

Jonathan Parker, a lean lanky batsman with oversized ears the main features of his pleasant face surrounded by a mop of unruly brown hair, was an addition to the team having been called up to replace the disgraced Samson. He was sitting next to Sandy commenting that if Cecilia opened any more buttons on that blouse her tits would fall out into Syd's hands. The women laughed gaily when they saw that it was true.

Dean Paulsen sitting beside the man agreed then added bitterly, "Maybe he will melt the ice that sits in her chest!" Sandy and Kel looked at each other in surprise at the young man's outburst. However, he added no further comment as he shifted their attention back to the game as Jason and Simon complemented each other's styles in short sharp runs and hard hit boundaries.

Cecilia Bowman was a very attractive woman. Unfortunately she knew it and expected every man she met to fall for her so that she could laugh at them as she crushed their hearts. Whirlwind would be no exception she decided.

Sydney read her as he walked down the steps from the players room and realised the woman was a frigid ball busting bitch. He took his time getting down to her, stopping frequently to sign autographs and pose for pictures. He also threw a few of his shirts across the crowd that couldn't get close to him with the other patrons blocking their way.

He loved the thrill of the crowd as they yelled out his name and joked with him about chasing a ball that wide. Eventually he stood in front of the woman and deliberately kept his eyes on her face despite the amount of cleavage that she was showing.

Her questions were stock standard fare, how did he find Auckland, were the facilities good and how did he find the Angels' bowling even though one of their internationals was having a break.

For the sake of the viewing fans of the woman's apparently popular side line interviews, Sydney guessed because the camera woman was being subtly directed to film the woman's chest frequently as the main cause, he gave a good review of the facilities. He was impressed with the standard of the Angels' bowling attack and staring straight into the camera told the people of Auckland that he looked forward to spending some time sightseeing in their beautiful city.

The camera woman blushed a little as Sydney ensured that he gave a slight emphasis to the word beautiful as his eyes took in her lithe frame. In the reflection of the camera lens he saw Cecilia undo another button on her top but ensured that she did not see any indication that he noticed.

Sydney was keeping an eye out on the field as Cecilia called a pause to the interview as the commentary team upstairs were getting excited at the number of good shots Jason was playing. So when a driven six from the man was headed directly for the camera woman's head he quickly stepped out and caught the ball before it crashed into her. Throwing the ball back to the oncoming fielder he grabbed the little camera woman with his other as she was about to overbalance. "Got you Kat!" he smiled holding her steady as she lowered the eyepiece revealing her startling blue eyes.

Kate 'Kat' Weatherby felt the strong grip of this dynamically sexy man that was already making her hot and bothered and her heart almost leapt out of her chest. She noticed that his eyes checked her breasts before returning to her face and that he blushed a little as he was caught. My goodness he is just like a little boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar, she thought. The ice queen has just about got her tits out totally and he hasn't even glanced at them yet he's checking out my sixty year old ones like he'd like to put his face in them.

Returning his warm smile she said shyly, "Thanks Whirlwind that could have put me out of action for a bit."

The man cheekily suggested that maybe he should have let it go and then he would have had an excuse to do more resuscitation. Kat felt herself get wetter as a string of rather pleasant thoughts went through her mind of what that resuscitation could have entailed.

Sydney suggested that perhaps a drink to help her nerves settle might be in order. Kat found herself handing her camera over to one of the broadcast crew as he graciously held out his arm and led her off to the players' bar under the grandstand.

Cecilia Bowman stamped her feet in tantrum. One of her artificially enhanced breasts did pop out of her top as a hundred flashes went off in the crowd in front of her.

Sandy, Kelsey and the boys in the viewing room screamed with laughter at the little byplay on the sidelines. Sandy increased the volume when she suggested that the ice queen had just had a melt down!

Unexpectedly there was no-one in the exclusive area except for a woman filing her nails behind the bar in the brightly lit room. She gave the pair a winning smile as they entered through the door guarded by a security officer who held it for them as they passed through.

"Whirlwind! What a lovely surprise, great catch! I saw it on the vid," she said nodding towards the large screen that showed the game going on outside.

"Thanks Mandy," said Syd and asked Kat what she would like to calm her nerves, conspiratorially whispering that he wouldn't tell if she didn't. The barmaid was already pouring Sydney a wine and juice mixture and she said that she would have the same. Shortly they were comfortably seated in a couple of lounge chairs facing the muted big screen and Kat was telling the patiently listening man her life story.

Sydney kept a small eye on the screen noting Jason's increasing confidence as he batted with Simon and was not surprised when the screen flashed up the reaching of his fifty. He noted that Simon was on 87 and unconsciously lifted his feet off the floor. Kat noticed and with a quick glance to the screen did the same. They both held their breaths as Simon managed to flick the next ball in the air past a diving square leg down towards the boundary.

Sydney said, "So Kat what did your husband's other wives think of him after he divorced you for having a little bit of fun?"

The woman almost spat her drink out as she was sure that he had not been listening and just stared at his twinkling eyes as he waited for an answer. He smiled saying, "The cricket viewing is pretty new to me. I normally just listen on my radio, so pardon me if it seems I get a little distracted but I have heard every word you have said. I love listening to pretty women with beautiful eyes."

That was the last thing she expected to hear from him. Her heart thumped in her chest, her hands were suddenly clammy, her mouth dry but her body made up its own mind for her. She found herself leaning towards him and meeting his lips. Kissing her softly he teased her mouth open with his tongue and he felt her tremble as she tentatively met it with her own.

Mandy felt herself get extremely wet at the sensuousness of the kissing that the couple in the lounge were doing and softly she moaned. Taking out her phone she captured the image. Her thoughts were of having the picture to remind her of this very sexy moment but suddenly another thought came into her head that she could sell the photograph to make some money to cover her university fees. She looked up at the couple again and Sydney waved to her as he turned the woman in his arms to nibble her neck ensuring that both of their faces were visible for Mandy's next couple of shots.

He broke the kiss and suggested that another drink may be in order. Kat, panting softly, agreed as she tried to get a grip on her body's fantastic reaction to his attention. Sydney walked slowly to the bar looking back at her as she waved a hand in front of her brightly flushing face. "Mandy two more please," then he slid a business card across the bar to the woman.

"See Kelsey she will get the best price for you for those photos and I think Kat might get a bit more attention than she has lately as well!"

"I'm sorry Whirlwind I only wanted them to remember, that was so hot!" she whispered back.

Sydney shrugged, "Pity you are married Mandy." He turned and went back to Kat but not before catching the bitter thoughts from Mandy on her so-called marriage.

Kat sipped her drink turning her attention back to the screen. Simon Hunter was on 97 and Sydney told her that he better go back out and give the man a big cheer for his hundred. "Be here when I come back?" he asked softly. She nodded perhaps with a side to side movement of her head as she watched him head back out the door.

Sydney sprinted back to the viewing room and stood with Kelsey when Simon cracked the spin bowler through point and into the boundary to bring up his first international century. The crowd went wild as the entire group raised their hands clapping and whistling the young man as he kissed his helmet's badge and raised his bat to acknowledge the crowd.

Simon saw Whirlwind giving him a huge grin and he pointed his bat at him.

Kelsey nudged Sydney as they sat back down indicating a woman walking along the sidelines and taking a camera from someone checked its settings. She looked up to the players' room and Sydney shouted out to her, "I will see you after stumps!" The woman gave him a huge grin and nodded surprised that she had even heard him. Sydney had ensured that she had by giving the message a little boost by having it play into her mind as well as her ears.

"That reminds me Kelsey you need to have a chat with Mandy about selling some photographs. She needs the money for uni and I think you should probably have a little chat to her about her husband as well," said Sydney.

Kelsey nodded and gave the man's thigh a little squeeze. "You are such an amazing boy, no wonder I love you so much!"

"No Kel just trying to stop some trouble before it starts. Her husband is a drug addict that is getting worse and possibly is close to start using his fists on her. No-one should have to put up with that sort of life. Maybe we can get someone to visit him and help him through it, from what I gather she is not having much success on her own."

"Can you do me a favour Sydney?" Kel asked softly.

"Anything my love."

"Read my mind now," she whispered staring into his eyes.

"Kelsey Gilroy if you ever share that thought with Bonnie I am going to be out of action for a week!" he laughed.

At the drinks break after lunch the Aussies were 1 for 175 with Jason rapidly approaching his century as well with deft touches and some powerful drives similar to the six he had hit earlier. Sandy said softly to Kelsey and Sydney, "Seems like his lucky charm is working."

Kelsey whispered back, "I think someone should give him one that he can keep," then she paused and added, "Randy!" The woman giggled and said she needed the bathroom. Kelsey grabbed her hand as she was about to leave discretely pressing a small bag into her hands.

When she returned Sydney said, "I think Jason needs new gloves." Opening a pair that he had taken from Jason's kit bag he watched Sandy shyly put a small purple scrap of material encased in a plastic bag into them.

Jason looked at Sydney as he ran onto the field wondering what the hell he was doing then saw the gloves in the big man's hands. He ran to meet him halfway and said, "What's up mate?"

"Got a message for you mate but put these in your pocket first," passing him the little package.

Jason's face was a little flushed as he palmed the wrapped purple scrap of material and placed it beside the red package already there. "Make the ton, keep your mouth shut and Randy has as reward for you, end message," whispered Sydney.

He then took the used batting gloves from the astounded man and said, "Don't stop going the way you are matey, I am really proud!"

Sydney turned and jogged off the field before Jason could reply. The crowd went berserk as they clapped the big man off who showed that he was not averse to being a runner for his teammates.

Sandy was standing and screaming as Jason crashed to the turf sliding in to make his ground off a very cheeky second run to backward square to bring up his century. He stood and brushed himself down as Simon hugged his younger teammate and said, "Well done matey now take a bow!"

Jason lifted his bat to the crowd and looked towards the players' room where the beautiful dark skinned woman was screaming out and waving madly. He felt his heart thump madly in his chest and the grin on his face was still there when the players came in for tea.

Peter Bond emerged from the captain's room looked at the two century makers as they sipped orange juice and said, "I was only joking about not wanting a bat you know!" He gave the two lads a high five each and clapped them on the back.

Sydney grinned as he stood beside them giving them both hearty pats as well.

Jason had eyes only for Sandy as she shyly stood behind Kelsey to hide her obvious excitement from the young man's eyes. She winked at him and discretely blew him a little kiss from her fingertips. Sydney felt the man tremble under his hand that was resting on his shoulder and whispered to him, "Looks like you are going to get your reward matey, but do not even think about bragging about it!"