Go on you know you want to!

When they arrived back in port Anna saw the ambulance waiting for them, this next part was more a logistics operation than a medical one so Anna just watched as Liam organized all stages. John at this stage was out of the Hyperbaric chamber and was sitting up with his leg stretched out in front. The ambulance crew came on board and between themselves Liam and the rest of the crew they were able to get John off the trawler and into the ambulance without any incidents. ‘You know I wasn’t too sure that we needed to have a doctor on board’ Captain O’Farrell’s voice said to her left ‘but now I know that we definitely do.’ ‘Oh I’m sure that Liam would have managed, he is very capable and he does have some training’. ‘Yes he does but in your career how many distressful cases of torn femoral arteries have you dealt with?’ ‘Oh I’ve dealt with approximately twelve cases but all were in a hospital setting and not underwater, so yes, I see the point you are making’. ‘Well Liam has dealt with two torn femoral arteries, I asked’ said Captain O’Farrell. ‘Now, I suggest that you make your way back to the hotel and relax for a while and I am sure Liam will keep you apprised with the situation’. When she got back to the hotel, Raymond came out to meet her and brought her into the lounge and told her that she could ask for anything and he would organize it. But all Anna wanted was a cold glass of beer and maybe a toasted sandwich. So while Raymond was organizing her order Anna went up to her room to get her computer. She thought that she had better inform Jeffrey of the recent action in her life, before he read about it on the Internet or some other news service. But try as hard as she may, she could not find the right words to use. The whole incident was still a bit too close. So Anna decided to do as Raymond had said and just relax and read the newspaper, so she returned to the lounge, then when she was finished eating she heard a bit of a fuss out in the hotel reception. Raymond came literally bouncing into the lounge with a big smile on his face and following closely were two of the divers carrying what can only be described as a small mountain of flowers. ‘These are from all of us, doc’, and then laughing ‘just to make sure you are around if any of us need our lives saved, so really thanks’. ‘I was just doing my job guys but thanks so much’ and Anna was sure her face was the color of ripe tomatoes. The afternoon wore on and Anna spent it just relaxing, after about an hour and a half Liam arrived into the hotel and he did not look like a happy man. ‘That accident should not have happened, I have set up a certain standard that I insist they all follow when diving, now after this I know or I suspect they have been cutting corners, nothing too major and that’s just as well or John could be dead instead of just in hospital. I’m going to have to talk to them’, Liam seemed very het up so Anna suggested that they go for a walk. ‘I believe we could do with the feel of dry land under our feet, for a change’. ‘Good idea, but then you seem to always have good ideas, don’t you‘ he replied smiling down at her. ‘Just give me five minutes to run up and wash my face and freshen up, ok’? ‘Fine, I’ll just go into reception and have a chat with Raymond while I’m waiting.’ Liam went out to talk to Raymond and Anna went up to her room, she had decided to leave the flowers where they were as by this time at Raymond’s insistence they were in a large crystal vase in the lounge. After a quick wash, she tried to do something nice with her hair but she ended up just tying it up in a short bun. She didn’t need much makeup so she looked in her bathroom mirror one last time. While looking at herself this time it struck her that she had made a decision, so she knew that she had to be prepared, so on her way back down to Liam she slipped into the ladies cloakroom. She knew there would be assorted vending machines on the wall, she hesitated for a second and checked if there was anyone else in here. No, she appeared to be alone, so she took out the euro coins she had in her wallet. She fed the required amount into the machine and retrieved her packet. At least she thought to herself, if the situation arose she would be prepared. Once she put her foot on the first step of the stairs she could hear Raymond and Liam talking and laughing down in reception, so Anna thought that they may have got good news from the hospital, but if not, surely it must mean that there had been no bad news about John. Once they were out of the town Liam took a hold of Anna’s hand and Anna was happy to let him. They met no one as they automatically made their way back to ‘their’ secret spot, her eyrie, so no one saw them disappear from view as they made their way down. Their seat was still there waiting for them. Still bone dry and inviting them to stretch out their legs in front. As they both sat, so still, and gazed out over the ocean it seemed like as if it were magical, it was one of those moments where any doubts or problems you may have had, seemed so self-evident as to be inconsequential in the moment of now. ‘Do you realize that this is yours, your eyrie, your secret spot’, Liam said tenderly to her. ‘Yes I do, I found it so it’s mine, and do I sound like a ten year old for saying that’ queried Anna. ‘Yes you do’ laughed Liam,‘but as I am used to dealing with grown men who often behave like ten year olds I will just say this Anna Metcalfe, officially, you are the most lovely ten year old that I have ever had the good fortune to go wandering with.’ She wasn’t quite sure how to reply to that so she just said nothing, instead of speaking she just relaxed and gazed out at the sky and the sea and where they met out on the horizon. She glanced over at Liam and saw that he was just lying so still, his eyes were shut and he seemed to be sleeping but she knew he wasn’t. She closed her eyes and after just lying there for a moment or two she felt his small finger entwine with hers, then with her eyes still shut tight she could sense the sunlight on them and she sensed it being cut off as he leaned in over her. There was the faintest of touches as he gently caressed her face with his lips from the top of her eyes down to her lips, which felt as if they were pulsating waiting for him, then he continued backup her cheeks and around to the soft skin at the back of her ears. Anna left out a very soft and pleasurable moan. It had been so, so long since she had felt like this.