A letter from overseas was in my mail box, a long lost relative wants to holiday here in a few months time, can she please stop with me for a week or so. The name and address are totally un-familiar, but Michelle had indicated that she did know about my father and mother and that she had traced me through the funeral notice in the papers.
She had been to see my brother and would like to see me. I was between girl friends, there had been an awful lot recently and so replied that I would be delighted to put her up, when and how was she arriving and I would collect her and generally show her the sights by arranging to take some leave. I had not had a holiday for some time.
Two more letters flew each way, the last contained a small photograph of a very pretty young woman in a smart cocktail dress. Six weeks later I was waiting at the international airport dressed in my best casual gear and with my graying hair dyed brown. I had carefully shaved and had splashed half a bottle of expensive after shave and body lotion over me, before the long drive to the airport.
The plane was early and passengers were already coming out the exit from the customs area. I stood amid the throng hoping I had not missed her. She had said she would be in a yellow pants suit. Another gaggle of passengers came out the door and I quickly scanned the remaining passengers queuing to declare their imports as the doors slid shut. There was no yellow pants suit in sight. I felt a tug on my sleeve. 'Michael?' I turned and there she stood. 'Michelle!' The photograph did not do her justice. She was beautiful her brown wavy hair framed her perfect face and she came to hug me. I had a vague feeling of de ja vu. There were many men who looked on with interest as she gave me a hug reserved for reunited lovers rather than perfect strangers, perhaps distantly related. I did not know quite what to do so suffered the display as coolly as I could, but she sure knew how to kiss.
She sensed my coolness and partially released me tucking her arm under mine. She led me to her airport trolley which had seven pieces of expensive luggage piled on it and a porter was guarding it. She went to give him a tip but had no local currency. I shelled out a five dollar note and he went off happy. I steered the heavy trolley out the doors and along the half mile of automatic foot ways to the exit of the row I had parked in.
She was chattering extensively about the flight and the size of the airport and that they had only walk ways like this inside the airport back home. 'Well the car-park holds about fifty thousand cars and if you are unlucky and have to park this far out then it would be a long walk to the gates. Too many people were missing planes, so they put the travel way in. Anybody can do a four minute mile here, even an old granddad like me!'
I bit my lip and regretted my loose tongue.
'Michael don't be bashful, I know exactly how old you are! You look very good for your age and I won't tell anyone you dye your hair either. Who did it?' I confessed to having done it myself. 'I will do it for you again before I go back. I am a hairdresser you see.' She laughed and hugged me as we reached my four wheel drive. There was just enough room for the six largest cases in the back, she would have to have the smallest on her lap for the next two hours or so. I got in paid the exorbitant fee for the thirty minutes I had been there. A minimum charge for two hours was a rip off!
I joined the traffic heading for the freeway and pointed out the sights. Michelle was becoming drowsy with jet lag and the heat which she would find unseasonable and hotter than any summer day in England. I had the small air-conditioner going full blast but it took it half an hour before the temperature inside came down to a reasonable room temperature. Michelle was yawning continually so I told her. 'Relax have a sleep, its at least another two hours to my home with the traffic like this.' So she slept.
I drove out into the hills and over them into the next valley and down towards the ocean. I woke Michelle before taking the steep track to my home.
'Michelle, we are here, you had better hang on tight. The front drive is a little rough.' She shook herself awake and looked wildly around, obviously having difficulty orientating in the rain forest surroundings. My turn-off came into view and the she remarked on the strange address.
'Road side box 42.' She asked a little nervously. 'Just how far off the road do you live then?'
I laughed. 'Not far about a quarter mile that way and the same down.' I stopped at the turn and emptied the mail only two bills. I engaged four wheel drive and we started again I went a lot slower than normal as Michelle was gripping the arm rest and when we reached the first hairpin her other hand flew to grab my arm.
I chuckled and said. 'Wait until the next one, you will be on the outside and the view is breathtaking.'
She had only a few seconds to wait and I swung the wheel and pulled up half way round the curve. We were perched on a rocky ledge with a two hundred foot drop in front of us and the majestic cliff line and white breakers of the ocean marching in and pounding the continents ramparts.
I turned off the air-conditioner and wound down my window. The roar of the ocean and the sweet salt air represented home to me.
Gingerly Michelle wound her window down and looked out the side. She was sat in a car with its wheels inches from the drop, she pulled back in alarm and said. 'Please can we go on, that will take a bit of getting used to!'
I laughed, my front drive had sent many a relationship into a spin. I'd had a few girl friends who could drive up my track but none who would drive down, even after careful tuition.
The last pitch was very steep, but relatively straight and the final sweep revealed my wooden house sheltered in the tiny cove. A level platform thirty feet above sea level and protected from all except rare easterly storms.
I parked the four wheel drive. I heard Dog woof a greeting as he recognized the car. The lazy devil had not come out to greet me. He had probably caught a rabbit and had an extra meal while I was away.
I took the case and helped her down. She obviously liked the place, and began asking questions, barley pausing to hear my replies. I opened the front door and led her inside. 'Dog' was strangely quiet and walked to her for a pat. He normally had to be formally introduced to women and needed restraining with male visitors. He was an excellent guard dog, a cross breed with an English sheep dog and a variety of others. He was getting on in years.
She fussed him and he snuffed her crotch, she patted him more and suffered his invasion of her privacy. I growled at him. 'Enough of that! Behave, go lie down.' He gave a little woof of approval at Michelle's smell and wagging his bushy tail returned to his favorite spot before the picture window and flopped down.
I showed Michelle to the spare room, a tiny after thought when I had built the cabin years ago. Really only a child's room, but she would be Ok for a week or so.
I went and retrieved the rest of her luggage and tried to work out where to put them, she obviously could not put the contents in the small chest and there was no wardrobe in the tiny room. 'I will clear out one of my wardrobes and you will have to hang them in there.' So while she unpacked her underwear and her make-up I cleared the larger of my two wardrobes. I hastily hid the two dresses and sexy peignoir that previous visitors had left behind.
I went to see if she needed help to find her partially undressed with a flimsy nightgown held to her breast. 'Oh sorry I should have sung out. If you need more sleep, leave the unpacking. I will show you the bathroom, unfortunately it was designed as an en-suite, so you have to go through my bedroom, this way.' She snatched up a wrap and I heard her struggle in to it and follow me. 'Would you like anything to eat or drink?' She shook her head.
'Ok I will go and make myself a meal, would you like to eat later this evening? Say about eight, that will give you six hours sleep now and if you get back to bed by about ten, you will wake up when it gets light around seven and should be over your jet lag.'