An Old Friend: Version B Part 16

Gazing out the airplane window, Lisa sighed in contentment. She couldn't believe she and Michael were actually embarking on their honeymoon. It seemed like only yesterday they'd reunited when she visited him in Scotland during the filming of Holy Grail. There was, of course, that unfortunate situation with Eric, and Lisa still felt so badly for what had happened. She knew it was silly to dwell on it any further, more so because of what had resulted from it. Her gaze settled upon the lovely engagement ring, now resting atop a beautiful wedding ring, and the unpleasant memories melted away.

She felt her mind drifting off once again, thinking back to the day Michael had finally returned from filming. It had hurt so much to have to say goodbye to him; he had just proposed to her after they had professed their love for one another and now they were going to be apart for a few weeks. If she'd had any choice in the matter, she would have stayed up there with him. She knew this was impossible, of course. She really needed to get back to work and didn't want to impose on her neighbor to look after her dog for so long.

Shortly before she'd left, they had set the wedding date for the 8^th of June, just under a week after Michael was due to return. Even though she was going to miss him terribly, at least she had something wonderful to look forward to and a way to occupy her time in his absence.

She fondly recalled how excited she was when he finally returned. Despite the drudgery of film-making in such harsh conditions, he was looking very well and happy. Well, he had to be; it was finally over and they were back together. No sooner had he pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her deeply, she had a million questions for him about the filming.

“We just got back together and all you want to know is about the film??” he asked her incredulously, almost sounding a bit hurt. She could tell he was joking a bit, though, from the way his eyes twinkled.

She chuckled apologetically. “I'm sorry, it's just that I'm dying of curiosity. What happens to Sir Galahad? He doesn't die, does he?”

Michael suddenly pulled a serious – almost somber – face. “Oh, yes. I die a very bloody death at the hands of John's character. Lancelot hacks me up into tiny bits.”

Lisa's eyes widened as she started at him incredulously. There was the faint possibility he was joking, but she also knew to expect the unexpected with Python, so she wasn't sure it was entirely out of the question.

“You see, there's a wedding scene where Galahad is about to marry one of the Castle Anthrax girls --”

“What??!!” Lisa growled.

Suddenly catching sight of the dimples at the corners of Michael's mouth, she knew what he was up to but decided to play along anyway, giving him a deadly glare.

Michael wasn't fazed however and continued. “Yes, he's about to marry one of the Castle Anthrax girls, so Lancelot breaks in and instead of taking Galahad away he hacks him to death right there.”

He seemed to be having a difficult time keeping a straight face as he said this, but she kept reaching over and trying to swat him. Michael was nearly at the end of the sofa, backing away to avoid her, and he nearly fell over.

“Gah!” he yelped, trying to steady himself so he wouldn't fall onto the floor. He looked so disheveled, Lisa had trouble keeping up the severe glare on her face and it melted into a grin as she began giggling.

Michael had a look on his face that could only be described as relief before he joined her in laughing. “I'm only having you on, love. Sorry. I just want it to be a surprise.”

She smiled. “Well, I have to say that's quite thoughtful of you, Michael.” She watched him smile back as she leaned over to give him a quick kiss on the lips. Moving back slightly, she found a piece of his fringe had dropped into his eye and she moved it away from his face.

“Oh, yes, I need a bit of a haircut,” he said sheepishly. “Must remember to do that before the wedding.”

She chuckled before leaning forward and sharing another kiss with him.

***********************************

Her thoughts then flashed forward to the wedding. It had gone very smoothly. All of the Pythons were in attendance, as well as Michael and Lisa's families and other friends. Carol Cleveland and Connie Booth had been Lisa's bridesmaids, and Carol had done Lisa's hair up very nicely for the occasion. Michael himself looked so handsome in his tuxedo, with his long hair neatly styled and trimmed up a bit, looking so much as he'd done when she'd first been reunited with him in Scotland. Everything had seemed to be such a whirlwind, but they'd had a wonderful time and now she had Michael all to herself. She couldn't possibly be happier.

Sighing once more, she returned her gaze to the view outside the window. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but all she could see for miles was the vast Atlantic Ocean. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a soft, gentle laugh next to her.

She turned and found Michael smiling at her and quietly chuckling in amusement. “What's so funny?”

“Oh, I was just remembering something Terry Gilliam had once said. A year ago during our flight to Canada for our tour there, he was looking out the window and said, 'Look, guys! A whole bunch of water!'”

Lisa threw her head back and laughed at Michael's dead-on impression of Terry Gilliam, complete with funny faces. “He really said that?”

“Indeed he did. Got quite a few laughs from other travelers in our cabin. I don't quite think he meant it as a joke ... just typical Gilliam, you know.” He chuckled softly.

“How long do you reckon we've been in the air?” she asked him.

“Oh, I don't know … perhaps a couple of hours?” He grinned at her. “You're in a hurry to soak up all that warm sun, sparkling ocean and soft sand, I take it?”

“Of course. I've never been to this part of the world before and I'd certainly take this over the gloomy English weather.”

“Oh, come on. Our weather hasn't been that bad of late.”

“Maybe not, but I'm looking forward to baring a bit more skin, certainly ...”

Michael's eyes widened for a brief moment as if he were caught off guard by her comment before she caught what appeared to be lust in them as his grin widened. “Well, that makes two of us, then.”

“Oh, you!” she said, giving him a soft swat across the chest. He started to giggle and she'd joined him.

***************************************

Fortunately, the rest of the flight and the landing had gone smoothly. At least Lisa thought it had. She'd finally managed to doze off and was woken by Michael, gently nudging her and letting her know with a smile they had arrived.

As they'd exited the plane on the runway, the first thing that hit Lisa was how delightfully warm the air was compared to back home. Gazing ahead, she found the area surrounding the airport dotted with palm trees. She smiled; she'd never seen one up close before.

After taking care of some business inside the airport, she and Michael boarded a bus to take them to the hotel. The journey was shorter than she expected and within minutes, they had arrived. The Heron was a stately building which, according to the guide Michael had brought with them, had been an old plantation. It featured an antique, white-washed exterior and was surrounded by lush gardens. As they strolled the grounds, Lisa took in a deep breath and smiled. The air was heady with the perfume of tropical flowers, certainly not something she'd ever experienced before. It was delightful and, dare she say, intoxicating.

As she gazed all around, a large hammock strung between two palm trees suddenly caught her eye. “Oh, Michael, look at this,” she exclaimed. “I've always wanted to lie in one of these.”

“Oh you have, have you?” Michael suddenly piped up. Finally taking her eyes off the hammock, she turned to him and caught a mischievous gleam in his eyes. What on Earth was he up to?

“Well, yes, I ...” she started.

“Well my dear, I'm afraid you'll have to catch me first!” he exclaimed, giving her a playful jab in her side before hurrying off in the direction of the hammock.

All Lisa could do then was utter a sound of surprise before it dawned on her and she rushed to catch him up. Unfortunately, she had to dodge quite a few people, some no doubt giving her curious looks. If things were different, she'd be quite embarrassed to be acting so silly, but this was her honeymoon and she knew she was entitled to it.

Alas, Michael had made it to the hammock and had already ensconced himself inside, looking quite comfortable.

“Michael!” she scolded him quietly. “I can't believe you did that.”

Michael seemed to ignore her, lying back in the hammock with his hands folded behind his head. His eyes were shut and a placid smile spread across his face. “Mmm,” he intoned, swinging the hammock back and forth ever so slightly. “Quite comfortable, I have to say.”

“Oh, I reckon it must be,” Lisa retorted dryly. “How about letting me see for myself, yeah?”

Michael opened his eyes and the grin he gave her was teasing in nature. “You know, I quite like this. I think I could stay here just a bit longer ...”

She reached over to lightly swat him on the chest.

“Oh! Lisa, you're spoiling the ambiance.”

Finally having had enough, Lisa growled at him and finally jumped into the hammock herself. Surprisingly, it was larger than she'd first noticed and seemed to hold both of them just fine. That didn't stop it from swinging wildly after she'd first jumped in.

She heard Michael yelp in surprise and she felt her mouth twist into an evil grin as she landed on top of him. His eyes were widened in shock which quickly seemed to evaporate, causing her own evil grin to soften. She'd ended up gazing fondly at him, his beautiful eyes and gorgeous hair and the way his shocked expression had melted into a fond smile of his own.

Her face nearing his, his features nearly seemed to disappear as she felt him capture her lips in a tender kiss. Lisa felt a warm tingle begin coursing through her body as he deepened the kiss somewhat. She began running her fingers through his hair and tangled them in it, as if to keep him against her.

At last, Michael gave her a soft, final kiss on the lips and they separated. The look on his face could only be described as affectionate with perhaps a hint of naughtiness lurking underneath. She felt another tingle run through her body as he traced her jawline with his finger.

“We'd best head for reception now so we can go up to our room and be somewhere a bit more private, eh?”

Finally sobering up, Lisa felt her cheeks burning and moved back slightly, a sheepish laugh bubbling up from her throat. “Yes, I reckon that would be a good idea,” she replied, nodding and trying to avoid the obvious stares of curious on-lookers. Straightening up, she climbed back out of the hammock to allow Michael to climb out himself.

Michael consulted the guide book once again and discovered the reception area was in the main building, just as they'd assumed. Entering the building, Lisa looked around and took in the atmosphere of the large room in which they found themselves. The walls were white-washed with a splash of mint green, and the furniture was dark wood and wicker. She heard reggae music being played softly throughout and thought it complemented the friendly, laid-back demeanor of most of the people they had met so far.

She suddenly felt Michael tap her on the shoulder and turned to find him pointing toward a large desk situated further into the room. “Come on. There is only one group of people in front of us, so we shant have long to wait.”

Smiling, she joined him and after waiting only a few minutes, they were now being assisted by a man with a dark complexion, a crisp, white shirt and a brilliant smile named Roy.

“Ah. You are from England, yes?” he asked them jovially.

“Yes, that's right. London,” Michael clarified.

“And how is the weather there, my good man?”

Michael laughed a bit awkwardly and Lisa could see a light blush staining his cheeks. “Oh, it's jolly good. Certainly not as lovely as your weather.”

Roy laughed. “Well, I do hope you will enjoy it. I believe you will. We have got plenty to do here: water-skiing, boat rides, or just soaking up the sun on the beach. And for the lady, if you are interested in shopping the bus will take you to Bridgetown. It stops every hour on the hour in front of the doors here and the ride is complementary.”

Liking the sound of that, Lisa smiled and nodded. She gratefully accepted the pamphlet Roy had given her, detailing the various activities the hotel had to offer.

“I must ask, what brings you to our little island?” Roy suddenly inquired.

“Oh, well ...” Michael started. He briefly turned to Lisa and gave her a sweet smile which made her feel warm inside. “We're on our honeymoon.”

Roy's eyes widened briefly and he gave them a big smile. “Congratulations! May you have many happy years together.” He reached out and shook both Michael and Lisa's hands.

“Thanks very much,” Michael smiled.

“Well, I imagine you would like to see your room, so let me get a key for you,” Roy said, winking. He turned, picking up two copies of a room key. “You will be in Room 232. It is on the top floor of the west building.” He gave them a small piece of paper which turned out to be a map of the hotel grounds after circling one of the smaller buildings that flanked the main building. He'd also written the room number in the approximate location of their room.

“When you are ready for a meal, the dining hall is located in this building, just down the corridor and on the left. We have outside seating as well.”

“Well, thanks very much for your assistance,” Michael told him kindly.

“It is my pleasure, Sir,” Roy replied, again reaching out to shaking his and Lisa's hands. “And once again, Congratulations to you both. If you need anything, there is a telephone in the room. Dial '1' for reception and I will be happy to assist you.”

Lisa bent to pick up her luggage as Michael thanked the other man once again and then grabbed his own suitcase.

“Well. Seems a very nice chap, don't you think?” he asked her as they made their way out of the building.

“Yes, he does. Everyone seems so pleasant and friendly here. I know we've only just arrived, but I'm really enjoying this so far, Michael.” She reached over and, moving a bit of his hair away from his cheek, gave him a small kiss.

He seemed a bit surprised by the gesture until she saw the dimple peeking out of the corner of his mouth and he was full-blown grinning like an idiot before he returned the kiss. “I'm glad you're enjoying it, love. I want this to be perfect for us.”

“Well, so far we're off to a good start, yeah?”

“Oh, yes, I'd say so,” he replied, giggling gently. “Now if this map is correct, our room should be on this side of the building.” He pointed toward the end of the building closest to the beach.

Nearing the two-story structure, they located a set of doors and tentatively entered the building. It was decorated in a style almost identical to that of the main building. In front of them was a wide, wooden staircase which curved slightly to the right. As they ascended the stairs, Lisa gazed at the interesting paintings on the walls and the potted plants scattered about.

The nearest room to the staircase was 226. Venturing forward, they found the next room to be 228. “Ah, this should be it at the end of the corridor,” Michael said, pointing ahead at the last room. Indeed he was correct, as the dark wooden numbers '232' against the white door proclaimed. Fetching the key from his pocket, Michael inserted it in the lock and easily twisted the knob, opening the door.

“Oh! Very lovely indeed,” he exclaimed, having entered the room already. Lisa followed him inside, her footsteps slowing to a stop as she reached the inner part of the room and felt her breath hitch.

The room was beautiful. Like the room in the main building, it featured splashes of color in white, mint green and even a hint of darker green. It was tastefully decorated with two small paintings hung over the dark wood, four-poster queen-sized bed and another on the opposite wall. Lisa ran her hand over the white duvet on top of the bed, falling in love with the fabric. Her attention then shifted to the rest of the room where she found a small, dark wood, circular table in the corner with two upholstered chairs, again dark wood with the fabric in light green. There was a door at the far end of the room which she assumed led to the bathroom. She then noticed the large, rectangular picture windows which afforded a wonderful view of the beach. Yes, this room was breathtakingly perfect.

Hearing a soft thump, she turned and found Michael lying down on top of the bed, a thin book next to him. “So, shall I assume this room has met the approval of the lovely Missus Lisa Palin?”

That cheeky grin plastered across his face endeared her so much, she wanted to just rush up to him and jump on top of him, but she stopped herself. Instead, she returned his grin and slowly but purposefully strolled over to the bed. “You assume correctly,” she replied, lying down next to him and capturing his lips in another kiss.

He was such a good kisser and Lisa had desired for quite some time to know what it felt like to kiss this wonderful man with whom she was so deeply in love. Moaning softly, she separated from him a bit, gazing lovingly at him. “You're two for two so far, Mister Palin,” she purred, running her hand over his fringe and then tracing a finger down his cheek.

“You're keeping score, are you?” he asked softly, a bit of naughtiness in his voice.

“Why shouldn't I?” she smirked playfully. He'd uttered a soft giggle and she was about to kiss him again when the book lying next to him suddenly caught her eye. “Oh, what's this then?” she asked, pointing to it.

Michael straightened up a bit and picked up the book. “Oh, er, it's just my diary.”

Lisa blinked. Diary? “Oh, I didn't know you kept a diary.”

“Oh, yes. I've kept one for the past six years.” Lisa nodded and was fine with dropping it, but he seemed intent on explaining. “You see, I had a bit of a smoking habit for a while.” He was blushing again and it made her smile in sympathy, though the fact he'd once smoked was a completely new revelation to her. Back when they were at Oxford he'd never seemed to do so.

He seemed to read her mind. “I'd started several years after I'd left Oxford, just as the lads and I were doing 'Do Not Adjust Your Set.' What can I say? It was a bit of a stressful time and it just seemed to take the edge off.”

Lisa didn't want him to think she was judging him. “I understand, Michael. But how did you stop eventually?”

Michael sighed. “Well, I suppose you could say it came from an unexpected source. Just before we started writing for Python, Terry Gilliam was over my flat one day. I suddenly felt the need for a fag and was practically tearing house apart to find one. Terry saw all this and said, 'You're an addict.'”

Lisa couldn't help laughing at Michael's once again highly accurate impression of Terry Gilliam.

“Anyway, he challenged me to give up the habit. That night I went to sleep without my evening cigarette. The next morning I woke up and didn't feel the need for my morning cigarette. I wasn't sure I could just give up like that. I didn't quite know what do with my hands either. I needed to keep them occupied with something so I wouldn't feel like reaching for another fag. I needed a routine. I found an extra notebook I'd bought mostly to write down sketch ideas for Python. I stared at the blank pages and decided to write down my thoughts or a summary of the day's happenings. So, since that one day in April of 1969, I've kept up the diary faithfully.” He'd picked up the book and thumbed through a few of the pages.

“Well, I have to admire your dedication, Michael,” Lisa smiled. Suddenly her curiosity of the words contained within that diary got the better of her and she tried to sneak a peek while he still had it open.

Of course, Michael had to catch her and shot a playful, scolding look as he abruptly shut it. The look on his face, especially the rigid way his jaw was set, did nothing to make her hold back the giggles. He looked almost like an irate schoolmaster.

“I'm only joking, Michael,” she said, calming down. “I realize these are your own private thoughts. I would never pry, honestly.”

His scowl melted into a smile as he playfully touched the end of her nose. “I should put it away as I do my best writing in it late at night anyway.” With that, he eased up off the bed and placed it back in his suitcase, zipping the compartment shut.

She found him glancing at his watch for a moment. “It's still quite early. I'm not ready for dinner just yet. Would you like to wander about the grounds a bit more, perhaps the beach?”

“I would love to,” she smiled, hopping off the bed herself and sliding her feet into her shoes. She grabbed her purse from the table and exited the room with Michael. He'd briefly turned to lock the door behind them before they made their way down the corridor and descended the staircase.

Just as they were about to head outside, Lisa heard a loud 'click' noise. Turning, she found a young woman had exited a room on the ground floor and had turned to meet her gaze. Lisa gave her a small, polite smile, but the girl did not react in kind. She appeared to be staring at Lisa now and perhaps something – or someone – beyond her. After an awkward moment, the girl finally looked away as if she realized she was being rude.

Lisa curiously watched her head down the opposite end of the corridor and then shrugged, thinking perhaps the girl thought she looked like someone she knew personally. She then wondered if the girl had noticed Michael and was a huge Python fan. But that whole notion was silly. The odds of such a thing happening to them here in Barbados were practically nil.

“Lisa? Something the matter?”

She turned to find Michael gazing at her in concern. Forcing a smile, she shook her head. “No, it was nothing. Sorry, Michael.”

He smiled back and placed a hand on her back, guiding her outside. Relaxing into his touch, any suspicions or concerns she had melted away.