*Chapter 4*

I stepped out unto the patio. Chico, Marcello and two other young ladies are there at the table talking and laughing. "Chico, how you doing Bro?" I ask. Chico stands and almost falls. He catches himself and leans on the table for a few seconds to regain his balance. I hold back my laughter, he is wasted!!!

"Brown!!! I ain't never had so much fun in my life!!!" he shouts. "Pipe down just a little, Bro", I say to Chico as I take a seat. "I really want to to thank you Brown for introducing me to Marcia" Chico says trying to speak softly but not quite making it. "Marcello." I correct him. "Yeah, and for bringing me out here to this place and for everything". "OK Bro. My company is taking a shower. So I'm going to head upstairs to see if I can help her". We all laugh. "Why don't you guys come inside so we don't disturb everybody on the first night here. There is plenty of everything in the fridge and the pantry." I tell Chico his guests welcome and say goodnight. I grab the bottle of wine and head up to my bedroom.

I decide to relax while Rosemary finishes with her shower. I think back over the events of the day. I still can't believe that I have met such a beautiful woman. I can't believe that we are having such a good time. Even though we haven't discussed it, I can't believe that she is staying the night.

Just then, the bathroom door opens and Rosemary steps out in a cloud of steam. She comes over and sits on the bed. She holds her glass as I refill it for her. She empties it quickly and puts the glass on the nightstand then leans back placing her head in my lap. She looks up at me and smiles. "Kiss me" she whispers and I do. She asks if it's OK if she stays the night. "I was hoping that you would. It's really late and we've had quite a bit to drink" I tell her. She smiles again. She asks, "What are you going to do while you are here? Surely you're not going to stay here at this cottage?" I tell her, "Well, that was the plan. But having met you, which I had no idea would happen. So now, I'm open to suggestion". She asks if I'd like a guided tour of the area. I tell her that I'd like to spend the rest of my time in Perth with her. She sat up and kissed me again. "Let's get some rest. You must be tired." I think to myself that I am too damn excited to sleep. We slide under the covers and hold each other. The light of day is growing stronger with each minute. Rosemary drifts off to sleep and I lay there, just looking at her. I now notice that I no longer hear Chico and his guests. I didn't give it another thought as I too drift off to sleep.

Suddenly a noise startles me awake. I lay motionless trying to figure out what I had just heard. My mind races. Where am I? This certainly isn't my rack on the boat. And who is this sweet smelling beautiful lady cuddled up against me? Am I just dreaming? I hear something. What the hell is that? I ask myself. Still not moving. Then I hear Chico's voice and all the answers come rushing to me. I'm in Perth. At the cottage that I rented with Chico. This beautiful lady next to me is Rosemary. As far as the noise... I still haven't figured that out yet. I lay still. Listening. Now I know what it was that I heard. I try my best not to burst into laughter. I don't think that Chico has been to sleep and it doesn't sound like sleep is on his mind just yet. I hear the sound again. It's sounds like a muffled scream. From Chico, no less. I can't contain it. I burst into laughter. My laughter awakes Rosemary. I watch as she too goes through the where the fuck am I process that I had gone through just moments earlier.

Having gathered her senses. She says "Good day" with that totally killer Aussie accent. She squeezes me tightly. She gives me a peck on the cheek and bails out of bed and rushes into the bathroom. Immediately she comes back to the bed choking back her laughter. "Did you hear them?!?!", she asks as she bursts into laughter. "Yes. That's what woke me". I was dying laughing. "What do you reckon they're doing?", she asks. "I don't have a clue", I answer sheepishly. She grabs me by the arm and tugs me to my feet. "Let's go sneak a peek!", she squeals through her laughter. I pull her back into bed on top of me. "No way. You wouldn't want them spying on us, would you?", I ask. "Oh God no!!!", she exclaims and rushes back to the restroom.

I hear the shower so I ease into the bathroom to freshen up. Then I go downstairs and start coffee. I glance at the clock on the kitchen wall. It's afternoon already. What a night... Since I am not much of a coffee drinker I don't stay and wait on the coffee. I grab a beer and head back upstairs. Rosemary exits the bathroom and smells the coffee. "Coffee!!! How did you know???", she exclaimed and then rushes to her morning wake up juice. I took my turn in the shower.

Not to my surprise, I open the bathroom to the distinct aroma of breakfast cooking. I get dressed and head back downstairs. We decide to have breakfast on the balcony. It's been more than twenty four hours since I last saw her. I can't help myself, I go to the balcony wall and stare at her. Rosemary asks, "Are you alright? You haven't touched your breakfast. It's going to get cold if you don't eat it." I turn to her and ask her to come to me. "I want to show you something", I tell her. "You see that dot out on the horizon? That's my ship." "Where?" she asks, squinting as if to focus in on her. "I don't see anything." She turns and pulls me back to the table. As we finish breakfast I ask, "Would you like to go see her?" "You mean the ship?!?!" She exclaims excitedly. "Would I ever!!! I've been on some of the others that were docked pierside, but I've never had the chance to go out to a carrier. The lines are always so long."We won't have to wait. Ship's crew and their guests have head of the line privilege. Get dressed. A ferry leaves every thirty minutes. We can be on the next one out." I tell her.

I go knock on Chico's door. There is no longer any sounds coming from his room. No answer. I knock again and call out his name. Still no answer. I turn to walk away. His door opens and a head pops out. She uses the door to shield her nakedness. It's not Marcello. She says, "Everyone else is asleep, do want me to wake them?". "No. No I just wanted to let Chico know that we're headed out for the day. Tell him that I will talk to the next time we catch up. Thanks". She nods her head to acknowledge and closes the door.

Second Time Down Under©
EdwinBrown9®™
12/30/15

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I hope that you are enjoying my inaugural novel. This is the last installment of 2015... Be safe have fun and Happy New Year!!!!