Traditions Ch. 02 - The Tupping

***

Megan found Tom in the kitchen, "You know she loves you very much, she's certain you are strong enough as a couple to get through this."

Tom responded glumly, "The reality is you are both deluded, it's the ultimate betrayal. Naively I assumed my wife would be faithful, just as she proclaimed in her wedding vows."

"I know Tom and that must be difficult, it's hard to explain how differently we see things. We don't regard it as infidelity, it's really important to us and I know Lorraine sees it as a natural way to conceive, like many examples in the animal kingdom."

"We aren't animals, Why don't you just be honest Megan and admit this is just a way for you to fuck about on your husband?"

"Ok if you want the harsh truth, we have a wonderful time. The strongest young stud in our beds with a big hard cock, it's a dream come true. It's thrilling and they can't get enough of us; copulation with the prospect of insemination is the most erotic experience. We're more likely to get pregnant because we are so turned on. You can still have that too Tom; reclaim Lorraine, take her and get her pregnant yourself. She will always choose you over Sean or anyone else."

"There is absolutely zero chance of that happening!"

***

Lorraine was convinced that when the pain faded, she could win Tom back. She just had to remind him how good they were together and their future aspirations of a family.

"I haven't been with Sean since the night he beat you up, I was just trying to make you jealous with the comments. I'll stop and wait to see if I'm pregnant. We still love each other despite everything, we need and depend on one another Tom. I'm good for you and you still know that deep down."

Tom looked at her with contempt, "This is over and there is no going back. I'll cope Lorraine, I won't let you destroy me and I will build a new life. You realise when I get off this fucking island, I'll come back with the police. What you're doing must break some law, kidnap, imprisonment... something.

***

Lorraine went to see her mum, "Christ mum this is a disaster! I wanted it to be a wondrous conception, the highlight of my life... now it's all ruined."

"Maybe you were right; we should have made sure Sean stayed as a secret lover. But that's what you get for marrying an outsider and then getting carried away with the Tup."

Lorraine thought back, she was having a lovely day with Tom and was going to reject the whole idea, but then she'd seen how impressive Sean was in the competition, making her queen confirmed her change her mind. The sex was amazing, she only had herself to blame... letting Sean take her a third time increased the risk of Tom returning home, but she couldn't resist.

Megan was unperturbed, "It's a shock at the minute; let him get used to the idea, maybe lay off Sean for a bit, rubbing his nose in it isn't helping. It's just as well you haven't done the second and third tups yet!"

"Yeah well that's not going to happen now. This all needs to stop; it's totally out of control, he's even talking about involving the police."

Megan was horrified, Lorraine was right there was no going back and the police weren't an option. Perhaps Tom needed to have an accident on the cliff path. Lorraine would be upset, but Sean would sooth her worries eventually. He always had a thing for her and Megan was sure he'd drawn out the time with Lorraine deliberately in order to get caught. The truth was Lorraine would be happier with an islander.

***

The following day found Tom wandering the island and watching the fisherman again. He kept walking trying to clear his head, the beauty of the early evening light doing little to improve his mood. As he looped back toward the village he spotted Morag sitting on a bench overlooking the sea.

She looked nervous, but seemed to make a decision and stood as he approached.

Her nervous look was replaced with one of compassion, "Oh my God Tom, look at your face. I can't believe he did that to you... how are you?"

"Numb best describes it! I have no idea how I am, it's like living through a nightmare, one you know can't be true and that sooner or later you will wake up. Does everyone on the island know what's going on?"

"No, only a few families continue the tradition, most think it stopped years ago. The rumours are you and Sean fought over him naming Lorraine queen. Megan asked the fishing lads not to take you back over to give time for you to patch things up with Lorraine."

"Right, well the weather has improved, if I explain the truth to them, they might be willing to take me over to the mainland."

"Sorry Tom, but it may be worse than you realise; I need to tell you some things."

Morag sat back on the bench, "The' Tup' for the past 2 years was a young man named Jonathan Stewart, he wasn't allowed to compete again and was settling down with his girlfriend anyway. Sean was always second, everyone knew Sean would win this year. He and Lorraine have a history; they dated before she left for college. It was no surprise that he chose her for queen."

"Shit, she's been putting off having children for the last couple of years. It sounds like this was planned, what a fucking bitch. I've told her it's over and as soon as I get off the island I'll be going to the police; they can't keep me prisoner here forever."

Morag looked at Tom with concern, "Listen Tom, I wouldn't hang about, I am not sure of what Megan is capable of. She is fanatical and some of that seems to have rubbed off on Lorraine. Sean and some of the others will do anything they suggest. The fact that you have threatened police involvement might make them do something really stupid."

***

Lorraine rushed to tell Tom the good news, she was pregnant! She wouldn't need to bed Sean again, finally they could put this behind them and settle down to raise a family.

Tom could not be found and a small rowing skiff was missing. Someone mentioned Tom observing the tides and fisherman from the cliffs. The fishermen put to sea but found nothing; the chances of Tom making the mainland were slim to none. Lorraine was beside herself, she had done this to him, she may as well have killed him! Megan was... relieved, at least she hadn't had to resolve the situation herself.

It had been five days with no sight or sound when the skiff was found on the north shore of the island... an up turned wreck. Lorraine's fragile mental state snapped with that news, she attacked her mother viciously inflicting significant injuries before she was restrained.

She was still ranting at her mother, "This is your fault... you killed him, you killed my wonderful husband."

The vitriol continued until she was sedated by the doctor. Megan was left with deep scratches across her face, bruising, patches of missing hair and a bleeding scalp from Lorraine's assault.

***

Apart from Lorraine things on the Island returned to some normality. Morag left the island a week later to visit her sister, pleased to get away from the powder keg atmosphere.

Megan was sitting at the harbour, trying to think through how to best support Lorraine when she heard the faint noise of an engine. A coast guard launch approached and entered the small harbour, then she saw them... a contingent of police officers.

The police found Tom as expected in Morag's house. Lorraine couldn't believe he'd been on the island all of the time while she'd thought him dead. She tried to reach him to tell him she was pregnant but the police restrained her as she broke down hysterically waling and pulling at her own hair.

Potential charges were sketchy, Sean was claiming self-defence to the assault, "He attacked me first and there are witnesses."

"Indeed there are, and one of those witnesses is saying you continued hitting him repeatedly after he was unconscious."

"No everything was a blur, I'm sure I didn't."

"And you're what about 8 inches taller and 80lb heavier than him; they certainly wouldn't put you in the same weight category in a boxing match or a fair fight."

Sean was arrested for Grievous Bodily Harm; if it stuck the sentence was between 3 and 16 years. Lorraine's evidence of a frenzied attack on an unconscious man suggested a significant sentence.

Tom was free to move around the island so they couldn't make a clear enough case for false imprisonment or kidnap. The locals just claimed bad weather had blocked them into port. Megan knew they had nothing, it was all pretty embarrassing but they couldn't prove anything. Then the stories and rumours began to emerge, the fact Megan had involved others and lied to them caused a lot of ill feeling. She was distraught when it was suggested she left the island permanently. There was little choice; island life without the support of others would prove impossible. After she left nothing was heard of her again.

Lorraine also left the island to undergo psychiatric evaluation in a mental health facility. She died during child birth, due in part to a hereditary weakness, potentially linked to a limited gene pool and exasperated by her fragile mental state.

The baby a strapping 9 ounce girl survived. A DNA test indicated the father was...Tom. That meant Lorraine must have been pregnant before she was 'tupped' by Sean, as she and Tom hadn't been intimate since that time.

The irony that the whole episode was pointless summed up the futility of it all to Tom. Tom and his perfectly healthy daughter never returned to the island, but they were joined by their saviour: Morag.

Morag and Tom married quietly a year later, adding a sister and brother to their growing family. They were on a holiday in the Caribbean when Tom finally saw the green flash at sunset. Maybe Jules Verne had it right all along, it did signal that everything in life had come together in the most perfect way, leading to a happiness that is surely complete.

They did indeed enjoy a long and happy life together.

End.