A Safe Haven 2

A Safe Haven.

Did Angela need a safe haven, should I look for one?

This short story basically true expounds on Carl Jung definition off Synchronicity;

'Seemingly meaningful coincidences or events that occur simultaneously but lack a causal connection.'

My name is Shane I live in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis which is part of our Outer Hebridean islands, population 21,000 during holiday season can be many times that. My parents run a pub and a ten-bedroom hotel just out of town, where I study accountancy at a local college, which is set in the idyllic picturesque grounds of Lews Castle. Like others I will have to move to the mainland to finish my education and find my way in life. Before I left, I met Ruth, who changed the course of my life.

Angela.

Friday my free day, sitting at the bar in my parent's hotel texting. Everyone was watching, including me, when she walked in wearing dirty boots, an embarrassingly fifties floor sweeper dowdy faded skirt and a blue bonnet that hid her face. Assumed she must be part of one of the recluse communes or religious cults that our islands seemed to attract.

Seemed agitated when she went up to my mother, asked something! my mother quickly ushered her into the back office, before she closed the door, waived me to look after the bar. I finished pulling pints that she had started for some of our regulars, was back texting when my father came out with my uncle, who worked security at the ferry terminal and was local part-time law, who nobody messed with. Both were retired Marines and close friends; never told me what they did or got up to in the Marines.

Other than, my mother who was a Police officer in a garrison town threatened to arrest them for d&d

(drunk and disorderly)

. Their explanation of just back from a deployment where they lost friends bought them a 'just behave' warning.

A few weeks later my mother alone on night patrol in the town was surrounded and being hassled by ten or fifteen local drunk teenagers. Along came my dad and my uncle, in civies, told the teenagers to mind their manners, they didn't and regretted it. A few weeks later my mother broke her leg in a car crash. My dad hearing about it came to see her in hospital, rest is history, I came along we moved back to my father's Island where we now live.

I was to go and help my mother, who introduced me to Angela, bonnet off I recognised her. I had given her, her first day student tour of our college campus. I didn't connect at first Angela is the code word for someone feeling 'vulnerable and needing support.' I had heard about it at college and again as part of my bar safety and WAVE (Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement) training, this was the first time I ever heard of it being used. I remembered her as Ruth from a hippy or something commune on the other side of the island.

I was told! not asked, to take her into the sitting room and stay with her while my mother arranged something. I was sitting on the couch beside her when she burst out sobbing, put my arm round her to comfort her. I could feel her whole-body shake from deep within, didn't expect what happened next, leaning her head on my shoulder told me what happened.

She and her friend Ingrid a backpacker who turned up one day and joined their commune became friends, well more than friends. Last night they were in bed together, which she was very graphic about, when some of the commune zealots burst in. Didn't like what they saw threatened to gang bang them. As they left said

"wait there! we'll be back to bang both of you!

"

Ingrid talked Ruth into running away, that night, packed what they could climbed out a window and headed, in the moon light cross-country to the ferry to take them to the mainland and safety. At the terminal zealots were waiting, they split up with the intent to board separately and meet on board. Ingrid managed to get on board hiding in the back of a truck, Ruth was spotted chased out of the terminal back into town, missing the ferry departure.

She remembered our hotel and its log store outback which I told her we played and hid in. Ingrid had managed to get to Ullapool and would wait for her. She tried again this time for the noon ferry there were even more of them this time waiting for her, spotted she ran into our bar for help, remembered the code 'do you know where Angela is.'

Part of our venue license readiness verifications, a young female cadet from the Police Training College, part of their undercover taster training, came in asked 'do you know where Angela is?' My mother was Angela for the test, we passed with flying colours never expecting to experience it on our Island. Where everybody lived a 'live and let live' lifestyle and knew everybody.

Plan was my father and uncle would escort Ruth across in the evening three-hour ferry trip and meet up with one of my mother's friends, another Angela, who also ran a small hotel outside Ullapool. Following my mother's call, she found Ingrid still waiting on the docks for Ruth and took her in. But; the ferry had broken down, again, parts wouldn't arrive by road until Monday. Ruth would be staying on the island with us for a few days.

My rooms were in the old staff quarters in the roof eaves of the Hotel, with lots of sloping roofs, but had its own small sitting room

(my study)

, bedroom and bathroom. Plan; I would sleep in the sitting room's fold down chair/bed, Ruth would get my bed. I was to look after her, which I was excited about nothing like this had ever happened to me before.

My mother found more appropriate clothes for Ruth. Binned what she had been wearing in an easy to find place on the other side of the island, to split the zealot's attention, as they would attract too much attention. Rather than the dowdy look she was now wearing a trendy short black one-piece dress that teenagers wore. Ruth had long jet-black hair, six-foot, slim build, long legs, probably wasn't used to wearing short dresses as she kept flashing her knickers each time she sat down or stood up. I couldn't take my eyes off her waiting for her to sit or stand.

That night we played on my computer games consol, she had never seen one before let along play or go on-line. We also video chatted on-line with people I knew in Canada, Italy and France. She became relaxed and started to tell me about life in their commune.

Turned out tomorrow was both our birthday's she would be 20, me 19. It was then she told me on her 18th birthday was inaugurated into to sex by the self-appointed commune leader. As time went by was introduced into having sex with strangers and taken to private Airbnb's sex parties, the commune got paid to attend; thinking all that was normal.

Ingrid who was a Danish sex worker joined the commune, both hit it off Ingrid was gay and endeared Ruth into being gay too, it was their bond away from being tradable sex slaves. They developed an intense and torrid clandestine relationship, although discreet clashed with the commune's business, hence the bust-up and what followed.

That night Ruth insisted taking the chair/bed in my sitting room and I keep my bed. I was stripped down to only my bikini underwear, which I slept in, when she walked in to show me the short clinging nightdress she had been given. We both stood looking at each other neither knowing what we should do next. She returned to her bed I climbed alone into mine my body telling me one thing my mind another. That night I fell into an erotic fitful sleep.

During the night I woke feeling a presence in the room, Ruth was standing looking out the gable end window at the rising morning sun, we have about four hours of darkness at that time of year. The sun was shining through her nightdress illuminating all her bodily feature and curves and butt hugging knickers. She looked at me as I lifted the bed clothes inviting her to join me. That night until morning we spooned, I tried and failed not to let her feel my bulging erection which she didn't to object too as she rubbed me.

Hearing noises from the kitchen breakfast preparations for our guests, reluctantly we got up, as she walked to the bathroom pulled off her nightdress, dropped it and slid down her knickers. Her tight bubble butt and slender waist set her off perfectly. At the bathroom door she turned looked at me as her pussy winked, she invited me to join her, didn't need a second invite.

I had never been with a girl before other than the odd kiss and grope, usually I was the one who got groped, behind the cycle shed or in our wood store hut. We came together at the door she leaned over and kissed me, I felt her hand on my underwear as she slid them slowly down, I popped out. I had never been naked with a girl before, it felt great, neither of us could hold back, her warm rock-hard nipples rubbing against my chest my dick stretching up trying to kiss her pussy.

A knock on the bedroom door! Ruth went into the shower and turned it on. My mother's voice "breakfast downstairs in 20." I shouted "OK." We showered and dressed, went down together meeting with other guests heading for their breakfast.

My mother looked at me, smiled my father looked with one of his knowing looks over the top of his reading glassed. Nothing more was said about how we slept, just as well, I was so hyper I think I would have given it away.

New plan; Ruth would stay with us until the ferry arrived on Monday. I asked my mother, wishful thinking, "where will we hide Ruth?" "Simple in plain sight." Both Ruth and I stared like lost puppies for an explanation.

"Alone; Ruth is at risk, Ingrid is being looked after on the mainland, you will be with Ruth all day." My father kicked in "me and your uncle with have both your sixes

(backs)

, you won't see us, protecting people is what we did."

I looked in amazement, that was the first time my father or uncle for that told me what they did in the Marines. Ruth excitedly asked "can we go to the college rave in Lews hall tonight, everyone in the college is going, I have never been to one, Ingrid told me all about them?" I was excited too, as I said "yes."

Mothers do as mothers do, took charge of arranging what Ruth would wear. I got a serious look from my father and a nod to follow him.

Bar was empty my uncle was sitting in the corner with a coffee, waived me over, with his serious Policeman look that terrified anyone who crossed him. "Sit! tell me what Ruth told you about the going-ons at the commune, not what you two were up to last night or in the shower this morning; yes, we know?"

I told them about how she was inaugurated into to sex by the self-appointed commune leader. Then had to have sex with strangers at private parties on the Island that the commune got paid for. Ingrid who was smuggled in on a fishing boat was gay and, on the run Danish sex worker.

Both smiled; my uncle said your mother wants you to walk, not cycle as you usually do, Ruth to the college to meet up with some of her student friends. They will have something nice for Ruth to wear tonight.

Talk about being hyped we walked through town hand in hand, Ruth's idea that I was cool about, it was quiet. At the college we met up with her class students they had bags of clothes for her to try on. I was waiting in the common room with a coke when my father and uncle came in and sat down beside me.

"I don't think Ruth will be troubled with the commune zealots again; ever! We asked them to leave the island today and go back to their own country; for good! Said "No", regretted it, chartered old Harry's fishing boat to take them off the Island this afternoon."

Ruth came in with two bags of clothes "time to go, come on." My father smiled my uncle said "that's why I never got married hate being bullied." It was a nice walk back to the hotel she kept looking in and rummaging through the bags.

That afternoon some of her college friends commandeered my room, no idea what they got up to but the door was locked and were using my computer and its web cam.

That night we went to Lew's Castle's Hall, it was my first rave, Ruth's too, it continued until well after midnight when we were all ushered out. It was a magnificent clear and warm night we walked back hand in hand through the town. Last off the drinkers in our bar had left by the time we arrived.

Discreetly as much as the old creaking stairs would allow, we went upstairs to my room. Ruth stood in her short white flaring dress turned lifted up her hair inviting me to unzip it. I became besotted as her bra strap and knickers were exposed as she slid her dress down.

Standing only in her bra and pants unbutton my shirt letting it drop, removed my belt, genteelly hugging me slid down my trousers until I stepped out them then she slid my underwear down and off for a second time. Standing there with my aspiration's fully erect I reached round unfastened her bra, on my knees slid her knickers down, that's when I learnt what noses can be used for.

Holding hands, we walked across my sitting room and into my bedroom. My first time, Ruth knew it, took charge lay me on the bed kneeled over me. Leaning over she started kissing and tongue wrestling with me as she slowly sat on my dick, I didn't know what to expect until I felt her wetness as I slowly slid in. Ecstatic, bursting with anticipation we lay coupled, she started to bring me on. I was unsure only responding when she had her first phantom organism of the night, I could feel its warmth as it drained over and onto me, didn't take long until our movements were in harmony. Slowly then like an express train with its horn sounding our climax's arrived both letting go; messy but nice.

That night we did it twice more, each more intense and athletic than the one before. Morning, we lay relaxed arm in arm with Ruth's head resting on my chest, I could smell sweetness of her hair and perfume. Thinking about each other and nothing we lay there together. Suddenly! the bedroom door opened; we forgot to lock it.

Standing there was my mother and father with a breakfast tray, with a single rose on it. We scrambled to hide our modesties as they brought the tray over, sat it down on the bed then left. It was my best breakfast ever, before we showered, we shared Ruth's warm avocado once again. Our encore was in the shower. Got dressed and went downstairs.

That afternoon I borrowed my father's jeep and toured the island, stopping off twice to enjoy the sea breezes and vista of my Island. Tomorrow Ruth was to leave and meet Ingrid and disappear out of my life, I understood that, tonight and a nice grassy knoll beside a sea rock pool I knew were still ahead of us.

The ferry arrived in Ullapool late morning Ingrid was on the dock waiting for Ruth. As they ran to each other kissed and hugged I knew they were going to disappear out of my life; through necessity. I liked to think together they are now as one. My father and uncle were going to escort them to the airport and catch the last ferry back.

Akiko.

Heading back on the noon ferry I was sitting alone in the lounge with my cafeteria polystyrene containerised burger, fries and beer in a plastic glass, Ferry was busy holiday season. A Japanese Backpacker came over asked me in soft impeccable English.

"Would you mind if I sit here, my name is Akiko from Tokyo, the land of the rising sun. My employer Mr. Toranaga has sent me on an employee exchange to a nuclear fuel company near Oxford. He's also allowing me to have a backpacking holiday first to understand your country ways before taking up my position."

For some reason, I didn't know, I was always endeared with the idea of visiting Japan one day, it was on my life's to-do list of places to visit. With Ruth's departure I was happy to have someone to talk to on the three-hour trip.

I stood up bowed, read somewhere that is what you do, Akiko returned the greeting. We sat exchanging niceties, Akiko had a polystyrene tray with a see-through top containing sushi. I had never tried it before and asked what it comprised off, sounded very healthy, unlike my beer, burger and fries.

I talked about my Island it's history it's culture, the College I am at, as I am now 19 will be leaving the Island to continue my education at university on the mainland. My mother and father run a small hotel where I work part time.

Akiko said he was very fortunate too he started out as a 'Toyoko Kid'

(a street orphan)

, before Mr. Toranaga adopted him as a wakashu doseiaisha,

(a young gay friend)

. Gave him a home, a job in his company, sent him to college then university. He is repaying Mr. Toranaga by working very diligently for him.

Two different cultures, from other sides of the world, with same life aspirations to succeed. My mind flashed back to Ruth and Ingrid they were no different. Akiko was another gay person I had met, there would be others in the college but I didn't know who they were.

Akiko asked; "Would your fathers and mothers hotel be looking for staff this summer, I have worked as a waiter in small hotels and cafes before Mr. Torragner adopted me."

"I will ask them for you tonight?"

The ferry journey passed quickly as we shared life's stories, one that endeared me. His company has bi-monthly Onsen's that employees and their families attend. It's a hot spring pool party where they all participate in communal naked bathing in scented warm water as they socialise.

Akiko showed me a video on his iPad off his farewell Onsen. For some reason the thought of meeting people while naked endeared me, it would never happen here though, seeing Akiko and his co-workers all naked somehow made it seem so natural.

The video was followed by some still photographs off him standing naked at the pool, took me by surprise until I remembered he was gay. Wasn't offended, actually I was quite excited about it; his next question took me by surprise.

"Do you have any photographs of you and your co-workers naked?"

I didn't, until last night, when Ruth took a video of us making out together then naked snapshots of me and together for her album before she left. I shared the naked snapshots of me, not Ruth's, they were for my eyes only.

Once we docked, I gave Akiko a lift in my father's jeep to his lodgings pointing out our hotel on the way past. He had travelled up overnight from London and was fatigued, we agreed to meet the next day at our pub after I finished college.

Next day, at college, I got the third degree

'did Ruth meet up with Ingrid and manage to get away ok

.' Ruth and Ingrid are now written into Island folk-law as is Angela, should anyone ever need it.

When I arrived home from college I went in through the bar, who was standing behind the bar serving; Akiko. My father who judged people the Marines way by inviting them to, walk the walk, and not just, talk the talk, started him there and then for a day trial.

That night we both worked the bar, his polite Japanese mannerisms were an instant hit with guests and regulars, particularly his annotation of Japanese

Kanji

characters onto our chalk-board menu. Explaining how they were derived, word seemed to get round, particularly with college students, our bar was now busier most nights.

We worked well together Akiko's English became more relaxed and localised. Two weeks later after all my final year dissertations were submitted and college finished. Akiko and I took an afternoon-out tour of our island on bicycles. Arriving at a secluded tidal rock pool I knew, it wasn't deep its water warmed by the sun, peat burns flowing into it from the hills gave it a scented mix of sea and land. Akiko said it remined him off a sea onsen back home.