Chapter 11

Both Lewis and Laura were feeling mixed emotions on their last day in Johannesburg. They were excited at their imminent return to Ranchos, yet they were so reluctant to be leaving Johannesburg behind, knowing they had barely scratched the surface of a very dynamic city.

They had a couple of hours that morning to tour around locally from the hotel and found themselves widow shopping at a small Jewellers, just off the main shopping area where they had stopped earlier for a cooling drink in a small locally run taverna.

Their business trip had been a complete success, with the Money Men having voted to back the ‘Ranchos Project’ as they had dubbed it.

There had been plenty of questions at the board meeting about the venture they proposed, and a sticking point had been the guaranteed supply of ‘Flogging Victims’.

Laura and Lewis had themselves delved into this thorny question long before they had decided to seek finance in Johannesburg and were able assure them that with handsome bonus paid to those who wished to submit to a flogging, a victim would always be available for those who had come to Ranchos for the experience.

That had clinched it. The Ranchos Project was sealed!

As they peered at the varied gems through the jewellers window, Lewis put his arm around Laura,

“Why don’t we go in and buy something as a keepsake of this trip?”

“Yes! Of course, we must darling!” ~ ~

~ When they came away from the shop, Laura was already wearing the eternity ring they had chosen on her index finger.

It was a simple gold band; studded with tiny green emeralds and red rubies.

Within a few hours they were side by side on the train for Durban; and a bit sleepy from the monotony of the landscape.

But suddenly and mercifully came the sudden darkness of the long mountain tunnel they had encountered on first journey; their hands came naturally together; and they closed their eyes for a slumber... ~

Suddenly came a blinding light as the train broke into sunlight!

Lewis opened his eyes and was content to sit and gaze at the colour and commotion of the family picnic taking place around him.

He was vaguely aware that this event was to celebrate a recent wedding and a Cambridge Ph.d gained by someone amongst the clan now gathered.

His nicely dressed wife Shelly was somewhere proudly showing off their toddler Alice, to whoever she encountered, but Lewis had dressed casually in shirt and swim-trunks, happy to have found a comfortable chair that he’d found placed nicely in a shady position with all to see.

“Sitting there without a drink Lewis? Shame on you!”

“Oh! hello Aunty Brenda, I saw you over there taking the drinks round; I really like your hat!”

“Everyone has been saying that! I made a good choice for once; now, would you like white wine or the American Cocktail?”

“Oh; I’ll try the cocktail Brenda!”

“Your mother arrived just now and she’s looking really good! She was on her way over to see you when Shelly descended on her with Alice. So, here, one American Cocktail, that’s you seen too, right! Moving on along! Chin chin!”

As Lewis sipped the cocktail, he scanned the gathering and then saw his wife Shelly with a knot of people; then amongst them he realised the elegant slim woman in the lime green slacks was his mother Laura!

It was a long time since Laura and Lewis had met physically, as she now lived abroad; and to be present at this ‘clan picnic’ Laura had flown in from Capetown only yesterday!

Lewis’s attention was then taken up for a while, by another mingling relative who praised him on his fatherhood and proceeded to dig up past nostalgic events, but it soon became tedious.

Then suddenly there was a tap on his shoulder and as he turned, Laura had slipped upon his knee, and her soft lime-green rump nestled into his groin. He was bathed in her fragrance.

“Laura” he sighed deeply embracing her, “Thank God you here.”

She looked deep into his eyes saying softly.

“I couldn’t bear life without you my darling.”

As her hand came to caress his face, he saw the green and red eternity ring that he had given, on her index finger!