Chapter 6

Victoria rested in the hot sands of the beach in Thailand. Her skimpy bikini drew the attention of many in her vicinity. Her bottled water had long lost its coolness. Through her designer sunglasses she looked at the at the Indian Ocean splash its waves upon the shore. Many children played in the shallow water making new friends from around the world. Most of the people in this luxury resort were caucasians with a sprinkling of asians and dark skinned well-to-do people.

She had been there for over a week thinking of one plan after another when she finally confronted Camille and how to reverse whatever spell she cast on Josh. In over two years since he left her for the redheaded woman. Victoria had to admit that Camille was very beautiful but only on the surface. The redhead was a thief of the most rotten kind. Anyone who would try to steal another was persona-on-grata in her view. Victoria had forgotten how she had taken Josh out of Jane's arms.

For the next few days Victoria parked herself from sun up waiting for Camille to stroll by with Josh on her arm. Each day she wore a different colored bikini along with a wide brim hat and sunglasses. Her shoes were under the chaste lounge that the hotel reserved for her. She was patient because she knew that they were coming. Every morning and evening she checked at the desk to make sure they were coming and each time she was told that they were on the way.

Evening she dressed up and ate at a restaurant with an excellent view of the lobby entrance. Then she spent much of the evening nursing a few glasses of wine and fending off males trying to get to know her. She was aware that they just wanted a one night stand and she rebuffed them all. By nine, she returned to her room and retired early or had a little relief with Oscar.

The schooner took its time getting to Thailand. Somewhere along the line Camille became ill. She suffered in bed for a week with Josh taking care of her. She had fever, chills, nausea and diahharea. The only affection between them was Josh kissing her forehead of cheek and was rewarded with a slight smile. Often Camille apologized that they couldn't make love but Josh just encouraged her to get better.

Eventually they docked in Thailand with an ambulance taking her straight to the hospital. They put needles in to feed her liquids along with antibiotics. She even had shots of morphine for the serious headache she was suffering due to being dehydrated.

They had radioed ahead to be ready to take on a sick person as soon as they docked in Betong. They worked efficiently and it just so happened that there was an American doctor at the hospital where Camille was being admitted. He stood by watching the doctors working over the stunning redhead as she hallucinated. He observed that they were doing everything correctly so his assistance was not needed. She was severely dehydrated as they put her on intravenous feedings to bring her out of it.

Josh didn't check into the hotel until past midnight. If he arrived a few hours earlier he would have been spotted by Victoria. She had given up on him at nine o'clock and went to bed. She lay awake knowing that she didn't check that evening if the Camille had docked. She had to wait until morning.

She wore a sky blue bikini, not as daring as the others, but she still showed a lot of skin. She also had on a sheer smock that looked like a midthigh coat as she ate her breakfast of fruit and tea with on piece of dry toast laced with honey. After signing her name on the check, she walked out onto the beach. The sands weren't hot yet and there were just a smattering of guests. The real rush would not happen until eleven o'clock. Then the place would be jammed from the ocean to the edge of the hotel.

Victoria claimed a chaste lounge, opened her bottled water, adjusted her sun glasses and opened a novel she decided to read. The book was boring and soon she was drifting in and out of a light slumber. A few males made their way to her spot but she sent them away with snotty replies. She was tired of these wealthy men trying to lure her to their bed. 'I'm as rich as those assholes, ' she thought. 'I just want to have my poor Josh back.'

"How are you feeling?" Josh asked Camille as he visited her. Her lips were scaly. her hair was a mess, and she stunk from not bathing in a week. She was barely concious as she tried to smile at him. Swallowing to get a little moisture to her larynx, " A little better," she answered. "Can't talk much."

"Wanna fuck?" he joked, smiling.

"Soon!" she said.

Just then the doctors and nurse entered her private room. They asked Josh to leave because of the battery of tests they wanted to conduct. Josh leaned over and kissed her forehead before departing. She still looked bad but not like last night when she was taken off the boat.

"You're wife won't get better with you staying in the room all the time," the Thai doctor said curtly as he entered Camille's private quarters. "She needs complete rest. I advise you not to come here for a few days. We will call you when she is well enough to receive you."

"I'm being kicked out," Josh apologized to her.

"Give me a kiss on the lips," she said just over a whisper. He leaned down and gave her that kiss, smelling her bad breath. He straightened up to see the look of disapproval on the doctor's face. He walked by him then waved to her a the door. He closed the door and walked out of the hospital.

Victoria had her eyes closed as she felt sand being kicked on her. She opened them to see a familiar figure in bathing shorts to the knee and a tshirt on. She couldn't believe it! It was Josh! He was walking toward the water. She expected to find him here. To fight with Camille over him. Now he just about fell right into her lap.

"JOSH!" she shouted, blindly gathering her things and racing toward him. He turned to look at her but there was no recognition in his eyes. Undaunted, she caught up to him. "Josh, It's me, Victoria."

"You look like someone I met, but I can't remember."

"You used to work for my parents, the Webers," she pulled off her sunglasses to get a better look at him. He had a couple of days of stubble on his face plus he looked like he had lost some weight but he appeared to be in good shape.

"The Webers... Oh yes, I remember them. Didn't you work there too?"

"Yes I did," she gave him her most captivating smile.

"How have you been?" he asked, recalling that she was the hot blond that had worked near his desk. How he wanted to get into her panties but she was a stuck up bitch and wouldn't give him the time of day.

"Wonderful! Now that I've met someone I know," Victoria played it low key.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here on vacation," she smiled. "Do you want to have a drink?"

"Uh... no thanks," he gazed at her in anger.

"Why?"

"You treated me like a sack of shit when we worked together," he snarled. "I tried getting on your good side but you were such a bitch I couldn't stand you at the end."

'She's done an excellent job turning him against me, ' she thought. She gave Camille some grudging admiration. "Look Josh, I was an asshole back at work," she played up to him with reverse psychology. "I want to make amends with you for acting the way I did. I'm sorry for all the hurt I might have caused you but I was going through a great deal of stress at that time. I'm hoping that you will forgive me."

"I hope your apology is sincere," Josh started to become his old self again. Victoria sensed that he was giving her the benefit of the doubt.

"Would you have that drink with me," she asked again. "I promise, I'm very sorry for any harm I have done to you."

Having a weakness for beautiful women, he gave in and nodded hoping that Camille wouldn't find out. 'Hell, it won't hurt to have a drink with her.'

"Good," she smiled warmly, took ahold of his arm and led him into the air conditioned hotel. They made their way to the smoky bar where many men she had rejected stared at her angry she allowed this man to pick her up. They found an empty booth and slid in. Victoria was careful not to get too close to him. If all her plans worked out, he'd be hers once more by nightfall. They waiter came over where Josh ordered a seven and seven while Victoria had a nonalcholic passion punch.

"What is it? Two years since I left Webers?"

"Getting close to three," Victoria corrected. Honey dripping at her from words.

"What have you been doing since I left?" he asked.

'Waiting to get you in a setting like this to undo all that redheaded bitch did to you, ' she wanted to say, but didn't. "Oh, same old thing. Working, taking the usual vacation time coming to me, going back to work. Same old thing," the smile never left her face. "What about you?"

"I met this lovely young lady and we've been madly in love with each other over the years. We sailing around the world on her schooner and plan to get married after we get back to Hawaii."

"Where is your fiancee' now?" she asked, not know the circumstances.

"She's in the hospital. She's been quite a sick girl for over a weak. Something she ate or drank got to her."

"I'm so sorry," she said, restraining herself from reaching over and taking his hand. They looked up and saw that the waiter brought their drinks. Victoria paid in Thai cash and gave him a tip. "Here's to her recovery." They clinked glasses and each took a sip of their drinks. "Did you think, she caught the bug?"