I had to duck and keep moving to avoid the shrapnel. Dishes were shattering against the wall behind me. She was furious and had every right to be. My now ex-girlfriend couldn't understand why I would run off and marry a kid. I tried to explain that their lives had depended on it but she refused to see it that way. All she saw was the end of eighteen years together and having to go off and make a new start. Her life had been torn apart by my decision and she correctly blamed me. Explaining did nothing to slow down the destruction of plates and glasses but I needed to try to get her to at least listen. Nothing had worked to get through to her. My girls hid in my younger daughter's room and I could hear their muffled crying from behind the closed door. When the pots and pans came out I gave up and left. I moved my stuff out rather quickly after I had found a place for Ashley and me to start our two years together.
Since school was almost finished and my oldest was graduating, the ex let them finish off the year. As soon as it was over though she packed up the kids and moved away. No address, no phone number, just gone. My girls kept in touch phone and video calls but I could tell they were hurt as well. Eventually contact between us was down to once a month and my heart had broken. That was almost two years ago but the feelings were still raw whenever the memories would interfere with whatever I was doing.
Today was a big day for Ashley and me. We were setting sail for the island. It had taken a while for her to get pregnant. I had had to have my vasectomy reversed and then after the waiting period we tried over and over again. Once in a while we had thought maybe, but it had turned out to be a false alarm. Then sometime around the fifteenth month of being together it had happened. Excitement and fear as she came out of the bathroom with that little stick that would mark the coming end of the arrangement we had made to save her life. Once the baby was born and the two year mark had passed we were allowed to file for divorce. I knew she was still on the fence about staying married and quite frankly, I had no right to ask her to stay with me. This was a tradition from an island she was only a part of because of our marriage. Once divorced she was free to live her life again. That she had agreed to go to the island to give birth scared me. Either she was coming around to the idea of staying with me, or she was really going to give up the baby and leave once we were divorced. We still had just over a month before our daughter was due and I planned to make sure I did everything in my power to let her know I wanted her with me for the rest of my days. Being eighteen years older than her meant she would still have time afterwards, but she'd miss out on her 'prime years' stuck with an old man. I loved her with every fiber of my being and my head understood, but my heart wouldn't budge on the issue.
Ashley's little sister Erica had decided to join us. She wanted to see the island again. Only this time without being locked in her room with the threat that her death was right around the corner.
"Ashley's settled on the bed. She's going to rest until lunch," she said as she popped up from below deck. "She's asked that you keep the rolling and pitching to a minimum."
"As my princess demands, so shall it be," I replied smiling.
Erica was eighteen now. Same age as Ashley was when we were forced to marry. She had filled out quite a bit in the two years since Ashley and I had married. She had a slim waist and decent hips now as well as huge tits. Ashley and I were going to have to keep an eye on her while we were there.
"Spoke with my brother yesterday. He's looking forward to our visit. I did as you asked and had you put in the room next to mine," I said as she came over and helped pull the ropes in so we could be off.
"Thanks. I have too many memories of the other room. Our lives took a turn there and I'd like to start new memories without having the old all around me," she replied.
"I understand completely. Besides, once the baby is here I expect you'll be hovering over her and your sister. Better to have you close," I smiled warmly when she raised an eyebrow.
She knew that a baby was the plan and she had only voiced her objection once, before Ashley had gotten pregnant. The two of them had talked and after that either she had changed her opinion, or was told not to put voice to it again. I knew she never wanted her sister to agree to marry me. But the choices we all had back then were marriage or death for the girls and their parents. I was glad Ashley had agreed. This eighteen year old in front of me now was the reason we had done what we needed to do.
"We had to Erica. You know that as well as I do. Be mad at me and the island but please don't blame your sister or the baby. They are innocent in this."
"I know that, and I'm not mad. I'm scared. She's going to be giving birth on an island of natives. No hospital, no epidural, no drugs of any kind. What if something goes wrong?" she replied.
"There have been hundreds of births on the island since I grew up there. Nothing has ever happened. She'll be fine," I said calmly, "now please go let Ashley know we're about to be on our way."
She nodded and disappeared below deck. I started the engine and took us out into the open water of the channel that lead to the ocean.
"She's asleep. You ok over there?" Erica asked.
"Yup. Just getting ready to set the coordinates and let her steer herself," I called back as she moved towards the front deck of the boat, beach towel in hand. "Keep the suit on until we're out a bit further please. Don't need boys coming by and creating a wake just to get a look at you."
We had discovered that Erica had an aversion to clothes when it came to the sun. The first time she had stripped was a day outing where Ashley and I had taken Erica and her parents out around Vancouver Island. Without warning she had spread out her towel and tossed aside her shorts and shirt. Her father had choked on his bottle of water and her mother had hurriedly put a towel over her. 'You seem to have forgotten your bathing suit, Erica,' her mother said trying to remain calm. 'Geez. We're all family and most of us have the same parts. I don't want tan lines,' she had replied and calmly took the towel off of her and rolled it up to use as a pillow. I had moved to the rear of the boat with her father and we just decided not to talk for a while. It was safer. Ashley was in tears from laughing so hard and had to sit down to catch her breath. Since that day we've come to expect that if sun bathing is involved and there are not too many people around, Erica will be naked. Like the sun rising in the east, it's just the way it is, and you can't prevent it.
"Got it," she yelled back and spread out her towel. She had a bathing suit on this time and I breathed a sigh of relief. A small sigh. The bathing suit was a tiny bikini and did little to cover her curves. She looked back and made a point of pulling the string along her ass tight between her cheeks. As she bent down it was obvious that the string had slipped between something else as well.
With the autopilot leading us I went down to look in on Ashley. She was asleep on our bed lying on her side with a pillow between her legs. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a few bottles of water. Placing one beside the bed I leaned down and kissed her forehead before making my way back topside. "Thanks" was all I got out of Erica as I set one down beside her head and moved quickly back to the middle deck. She was on her back now and had untied her top pulling the strings away to avoid tan lines. Every rise and fall of her chest moved the small little triangles and her nipples had already started to slip free. This is going to be one long trip I thought to myself.
Around lunch Ashley came up and sat down beside me. Her long brown wavy hair loose and flowing with the breeze she leaned over and kissed me long and passionately.
"I love you Richard. Please don't ever forget that."
I was scared and thrilled at the same time. Why shouldn't I forget? If she was to be with me then she'd remind me daily. Or was it my fears showing and she just wanted me to keep it at the front of my mind to stop me from worrying. Or was she gearing up to be free of me? My mind raced.
"I love you too, my princess," I replied. I wasn't going to let fear ruin however many days I had left with her.
I leaned over and kissed her stomach. "I love you too little one," I whispered.
"I'm hungry. Shall I go make us some lunch?" she asked.
"No babe. Erica and I have this. You just relax," I replied.
"Erica! Come help with lunch please!" I yelled.
Now on her stomach she propped up on her elbows and looked at us. Her bikini top fell away to reveal her huge breasts hanging, nipples gently brushing against the towel. 'Damn they are huge,' I thought and looked away.
