them. ‘I will escort you to the boat and you can go back on the ship.’
Angie felt excitement course through her whole body at the thought of seeing her beloved Gil again. She couldn’t wait to get back on board and see Vernon and Doreen and Ken and Cyn at dinner and then fall to sleep in her comfy cabin bed with her lovely lanky husband. She was such a lucky woman having a man who valued her, who complimented her, who respected her, who loved her. No woman deserved less.
They walked across to the tender stop where a ship’s officer was grinning.
‘Hello, you two, nice to have you back,’ he said as they presented their cruise cards to him. ‘Your husbands are around somewhere. They’ve been waiting for you.’
Selina’s eyes widened. Angie smiled at her. ‘See. Maybe this has changed him too.’ Emerick, his duty done, waved, called ‘Good Luck’ to them and stood down until some other poor sod needed his help.
‘Here come the boys,’ said the officer, pointing towards the hill. Angie whirled around to see the bright ginger hair of her husband bobbing up and down as he ran. Behind him, at a much slower pace, was not Zander, but Vernon.
Gil’s long legs would have given Usain Bolt a run for his money as he tore towards Angie. His arms were extended yards before they closed around her and he lifted her up and kissed her face until she was dizzy. Then, as suddenly, he set her down and pulled her at arm’s length and studied her.
‘Are you all right, my love? God, is that what you look like without make-up on?’
Angie let loose a hoot of laughter. ‘I am fine, we are fine.’ She beckoned Selina over. ‘Gil, this is my friend, Selina,’ she said.
Gil, took her hand gently and planted a kiss on her cheek.
‘I’m sorry, I don’t know where your husband is… I’m sure he’s around somewhere,’ Gil stammered, obviously embarrassed. He was a rubbish liar. Selina had been right after all, Zander hadn’t turned up to greet her. He really was a thoughtless, selfish, uncaring, cold bastard after all.
‘Don’t you worry. And thank you, Gil, for arranging my flights,’ said Selina. Angie thought she just might be glad that Zander wasn’t there for her. His absence made the next steps she was about to take that much easier.
‘Hurrah, she’s back,’ said Vernon eventually reaching them and giving Angie a huge hug.
‘Vernon insisted on being part of the welcoming party,’ explained Gil. ‘So did Ken but alas Doreen got him ratted on Tia Maria last night. You should have seen him on the dance floor – he was like John Travolta. He’s having his very first ever hangover ever this morning.’
‘Aw, bless,’ smiled Angie.
‘Everyone’s been brilliant,’ said Gil, giving Vernon a squeeze on his shoulder. ‘He and Ken offered to pay for the flights for you… both obviously. Vernon has been camped outside Reception bullying them for updates, Doreen has been plying me with Baileys…’
‘Oh, how you’ve suffered, darling.’
‘I have,’ Gil nodded, his eyes twinkling.
‘You’re all so kind,’ Selina said with quiet gratitude. Angie felt for her. Total strangers who hadn’t even met her had treated her better than her own husband. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband. Good.
‘And I’m happy to announce that I’m fit and well and will make up for lost meals now that you’re back,’ said Gil, rubbing his stomach.
‘And how are…’ Angie formed her fingers into a crucifix, ‘… Jerry and Yvonne?’
‘Not on our table anymore,’ said Vernon. ‘Isn’t that a lovely surprise to come back to? Gil here, saw him off like a pit-bull terrier.’
‘No,’ gasped Angie. Gil was about as much a pit-bull as Alan Carr.
‘I didn’t think he had it in him,’ said Vernon.
‘Neither did I,’ Gil exclaimed.
‘Jerry brought down a sheet of jokes down about silly women. My
Doreen told them to stick them up his arse,’ Vernon beamed proudly. ‘Obviously he didn’t realise she was
Angie felt excitement course through her whole body at the thought of seeing her beloved Gil again. She couldn’t wait to get back on board and see Vernon and Doreen and Ken and Cyn at dinner and then fall to sleep in her comfy cabin bed with her lovely lanky husband. She was such a lucky woman having a man who valued her, who complimented her, who respected her, who loved her. No woman deserved less.
They walked across to the tender stop where a ship’s officer was grinning.
‘Hello, you two, nice to have you back,’ he said as they presented their cruise cards to him. ‘Your husbands are around somewhere. They’ve been waiting for you.’
Selina’s eyes widened. Angie smiled at her. ‘See. Maybe this has changed him too.’ Emerick, his duty done, waved, called ‘Good Luck’ to them and stood down until some other poor sod needed his help.
‘Here come the boys,’ said the officer, pointing towards the hill. Angie whirled around to see the bright ginger hair of her husband bobbing up and down as he ran. Behind him, at a much slower pace, was not Zander, but Vernon.
Gil’s long legs would have given Usain Bolt a run for his money as he tore towards Angie. His arms were extended yards before they closed around her and he lifted her up and kissed her face until she was dizzy. Then, as suddenly, he set her down and pulled her at arm’s length and studied her.
‘Are you all right, my love? God, is that what you look like without make-up on?’
Angie let loose a hoot of laughter. ‘I am fine, we are fine.’ She beckoned Selina over. ‘Gil, this is my friend, Selina,’ she said.
Gil, took her hand gently and planted a kiss on her cheek.
‘I’m sorry, I don’t know where your husband is… I’m sure he’s around somewhere,’ Gil stammered, obviously embarrassed. He was a rubbish liar. Selina had been right after all, Zander hadn’t turned up to greet her. He really was a thoughtless, selfish, uncaring, cold bastard after all.
‘Don’t you worry. And thank you, Gil, for arranging my flights,’ said Selina. Angie thought she just might be glad that Zander wasn’t there for her. His absence made the next steps she was about to take that much easier.
‘Hurrah, she’s back,’ said Vernon eventually reaching them and giving Angie a huge hug.
‘Vernon insisted on being part of the welcoming party,’ explained Gil. ‘So did Ken but alas Doreen got him ratted on Tia Maria last night. You should have seen him on the dance floor – he was like John Travolta. He’s having his very first ever hangover ever this morning.’
‘Aw, bless,’ smiled Angie.
‘Everyone’s been brilliant,’ said Gil, giving Vernon a squeeze on his shoulder. ‘He and Ken offered to pay for the flights for you… both obviously. Vernon has been camped outside Reception bullying them for updates, Doreen has been plying me with Baileys…’
‘Oh, how you’ve suffered, darling.’
‘I have,’ Gil nodded, his eyes twinkling.
‘You’re all so kind,’ Selina said with quiet gratitude. Angie felt for her. Total strangers who hadn’t even met her had treated her better than her own husband. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband. Good.
‘And I’m happy to announce that I’m fit and well and will make up for lost meals now that you’re back,’ said Gil, rubbing his stomach.
‘And how are…’ Angie formed her fingers into a crucifix, ‘… Jerry and Yvonne?’
‘Not on our table anymore,’ said Vernon. ‘Isn’t that a lovely surprise to come back to? Gil here, saw him off like a pit-bull terrier.’
‘No,’ gasped Angie. Gil was about as much a pit-bull as Alan Carr.
‘I didn’t think he had it in him,’ said Vernon.
‘Neither did I,’ Gil exclaimed.
‘Jerry brought down a sheet of jokes down about silly women. My
Doreen told them to stick them up his arse,’ Vernon beamed proudly. ‘Obviously he didn’t realise she was
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