Island Delight

By Rollie Lawson

What is it about the island of Haka Nuva that makes one of the most remote locations on Earth so intriguing - and so sexual? Two scientific expeditions join tourists to study - and enjoy - the phenomenon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781365806377

Book preview

Island Delight

Island Delight

Chapter 1 – Organized Exhaustion

Saturday

Could you imagine trying to do this all in one go? asked Brenda Oliver, looking at her husband, Steve. Some of these people look like the walking dead! she whispered.

He snorted out a quiet laugh. Don’t laugh! A week from now we leave and head back to civilization. By the time we get home, Bren, we’ll make these zombies look good!

Brenda glanced at some of their fellow passengers and then gave her husband a theatrically elaborate shudder. I think when we get to the hotel, I’m going to want to take a nap.

Steve Oliver looked down at his wife and smiled. He was five-foot-ten, four inches taller than her. That sounds interesting.

She grinned and nudged him with her elbow. "I was talking about a nap, not a nap! Her husband just gave an innocent look as a response, and she continued, Well, maybe we can do both. Then she looked around again, and added, For some of these folks, that might be questionable."

Steve looked around at their fellow passengers on the small inter-island ferry. I don’t think it’ll be that bad for everybody. Sure, some of these people have been on the go for a day or two, but most are probably from here in the islands. You can put us in that category, too. For them it’s just been a ferry boat ride. They didn’t spend a day or two flying in.

We did that two weeks ago, she agreed. How much longer, do you think, asked Brenda, looking towards the bow and wondering when they would see their destination.

Her husband followed her gaze, but then glanced at his watch. Probably another hour, maybe a bit more. According to the ticket agent, the weather was supposed to be good and the trip normal. It’s quarter after eleven, and we are supposed to dock about half past noon. From there we can get to the hotel, check in, and then you can have that nap you are looking forward to.

"Just remember, that’s a nap, and not a nap!"

We’ll see, he replied with a chuckle.

Brenda Oliver smiled at that and just shook her head in amusement. She still couldn’t believe that they had been able to take three weeks in the South Pacific, and it was all work related. Steve was a Professor of Botany at Empire State University, just outside Albany, New York, and had managed to arrange a working vacation in the Maltesano Islands for the summer. She figured he was about the smartest guy she had ever known, and that intelligence was proved when he invited her along for the trip.

She remembered sitting in the kitchen with Steve at home and asking, Exactly how did you manage to snag this trip?

Snag? More like I’m the guy who got picked last for the team. Everybody else managed to get research slots in Hawaii or the Caribbean, or someplace a hell of a lot closer than the Maltesanos! I’m the junior guy, so I get to fly halfway around the world. I think the only place more remote is the South Pole.

Well, it still sounds like fun, and we get to take a vacation without the kids!

He had rolled his eyes at that. Yeah, you’ll get to drink and dance on the bar in your string bikini while doing Jell-O shots, just like in college.

Steve! she had protested, swatting at his arm.

Their sixteen-year-old daughter, Heather, had just entered the kitchen where her parents were talking. She yelled, GROSS! at that, and then stormed out of the room.

It’ll be quieter, that’s for sure, was his comment.

Ever since the trip had been announced, Heather and her fifteen-year-old brother, Steve Junior, had been going through a major fit of pique. They wanted to go with their parents, but didn’t want to have to be away from their friends for three weeks or have to hang around grown-ups for three weeks. They also didn’t want to have Brenda’s parents stay with them for three weeks. More than anything, though, they just didn’t like the idea that their parents could be doing something they wouldn’t be allowed to do.

That had been a function of pure economics, however. The trip was the result of a large grant for the purpose of studying biodiversity, which covered Doctor Oliver’s travel, accommodations, meals, and work-related expenses. He had to cover his wife’s expenses, but that was something they could handle. Adding a pair of children, both of whom would demand their own rooms, would be prohibitive. As a result, both Steve Junior, and especially Heather, would spend the summer sulking and throwing a snit. Neither parent was overly concerned with the permanent psychological damage their children were claiming because of the exclusion.

For the last two weeks, the Olivers had been traveling around the Maltesano Islands. The grant had provided the funds for a large Land Rover, which not only carried their luggage, but also the supplies Steve had needed for his work collecting samples and sending them home for further study. The trip was for three weeks, and Steve had arranged for the Land Rover and supplies to be waiting for them at the Maltesano airport when they landed. Now they were on the last leg of their trip, the ferry ride to Haka Nuva, the most distant island in the chain. They would finish collecting samples and then enjoy the remaining time as a vacation before heading back home.

The reason for the zombie-like expressions on the faces of some of their fellow passengers was due to the long and convoluted path to get to the Maltesanos. As Steve Oliver had mentioned, it truly was one of those places ‘you can’t get to from here!’ From Albany, they had flown across the country to Los Angeles, stopping in Chicago on the way, but that was just the first step. They spent a night in Los Angeles, but the next morning they flew to Papeete in Tahiti. At least that had been on a jet, but after that it was all turboprops. From Papeete they flew to Hiva Oa in the Marquesas, then continued on from Hiva Oa to Nuku Hiva, also in the Marquesas, and from there onward to Maltesano. That had been over fifteen hours of flying, not including the eight-hour trip from Albany to LA, and it didn’t include the time they had to wait around for layovers or collecting luggage in airports that didn’t have a decent luggage transfer system. It had taken them almost a full day to make it to Maltesano from Los Angeles.

It wasn’t hard to figure out that the zombies were the people who had just flown in and then hustled directly to the ferry terminal. They were the ones still wearing their welcome leis of brightly colored flowers, which they had received at the Maltesano airport upon arrival.

One thing Brenda noticed was that most people on the ferry were simply passengers. The Maltesano Star wasn’t all that large, and the vehicle traffic was light. She had commented on it to one of the ship’s workers and it had been explained that several small freighters and container ships moved among the islands, and westward to the larger island chains, and brought in most of the cargo for the islands. Haka Nuva itself was so small that most visitors simply stayed in the town that shared the island’s name, where everything was in easy walking distance. She was assured there was a decent taxi and bus service around the little island.

You hungry? Brenda asked her husband.

A bit. We probably should grab something now. By the time we dock and get to the hotel and checked in, it’ll probably be another couple of hours, he answered.

When we get to the hotel, I am taking a nap! I am beat!

Brenda led the way across the passenger deck to the small refreshment counter. Meals weren’t served, but you could get coffee or soft drinks, and pre-made subs and sandwiches. Steve eyed his wife appreciatively as she moved in front of him. While she hadn’t been doing Jell-O shots on the bar, without the kids around she had been definitely more relaxed. At thirty-nine, a year younger than her husband, Brenda Oliver retained the looks that had first attracted his eye back when they were in college. He suspected her reddish-brown hair now needed some help from the beauty parlor, but two children and two decades had not hurt her hourglass figure. She also still retained a certain lustiness that made him think their nap would probably become a nap at some point.

They weren’t the only people heading for the lunch counter. Following them was a young couple, both wearing leis, and as they got closer Brenda noticed that the woman was pregnant. Here, you go ahead of us.

Thank you, but that’s alright, was the response, in an Australian accent.

You sure? I’m sure it’s been a long day.

The young woman, a short and slender blonde with short hair and brown eyes, shook her head. I’m fine, really.

Do you want to sit down? asked her husband, a medium height and slender blond. His accent also said he was an Aussie.

Bob, I’m pregnant, not broken. Besides, I have been sitting for two days! I can stand for a bit.

How far along are you? asked Brenda.

I just hit six months. As Bob says, I’m two-thirds of the way through.

Brenda snorted and rolled her eyes. Trust me, it doesn’t work like that! I’m Brenda, by the way, Brenda Oliver, and this is my husband, Steve.

Hi! I’m Liz Cramer and this is my husband Bob. The small group shook hands as they moved towards the counter. You sound like you’ve been through this yourself.

One of each. They’re in their teens now, answered Brenda. She was thinking to herself that her children were only a few years younger than the young couple in front of her, and suddenly felt old.

Two thirds? commented Steve. You’ve got eighteen years and three months until you can legally get rid of the little urchin.

Bob laughed at that. That bad, huh?

Just make sure that you let them know from an early age that at eighteen years and one day you are renting out their rooms to homeless serial killers, because you figure you’ll sleep better at night.

Brenda said, Steve! You’re awful! To the Cramers she added, That’s not true. He only tells them that we’re converting their rooms to closets, not that we are renting them out.

Bob Cramer looked at his wife. I’m starting to think that maybe one will be more than enough.

Liz didn’t bat an eye. That’s okay. I’m having twins. As her husband’s eyes opened wide, she turned to the Olivers and smiled, and shook her head. No, I’m not.

Boy or girl? asked Brenda.

A boy! We’re naming him after Bob.

Good luck with that, commented Steve. My brother is named David, after my father, and whenever somebody called out ‘David!’ the response was always ‘Which one?’ It used to drive my brother nuts. The others all laughed at that.

First the Olivers and then the Cramers ordered their sandwiches and drinks, and then sat together at a small table. Where are you staying? asked Brenda.

A place called the Haka Nuva Inn, answered Bob.

That’s the same place we’re staying at! replied Brenda excitedly.

Steve added, I don’t think you have much choice. When I was looking online, I only saw two hotels in the town. He shrugged and made a ‘What can you do?’ expression.

A woman at the next table interrupted them. Excuse me, but I couldn’t help but hear you. That’s actually true. There are really only two hotels or resorts on the island. You have the Haka Nuva on the east side of the lagoon, and the Leilani Resort on the west side. Other than that, you would have to rent rooms in town.

You’ve been there before? asked Brenda.

Many times. Tully and I vacation here every year. We always stay at the Haka Nuva. I’m Barbara, by the way, but everybody calls me Babs.

G’day, mates. Stoked to meet ya’, said the man Babs was seated with. He spoke with a very heavy Aussie accent. Both Babs and Tully wore leis, too.

Pleased to meet you, replied Bob Cramer, reaching over to shake hands. Bob Cramer.

Tully Winston.

The rest of the group introduced themselves. Tully and Babs were different from the others in that they were considerably older than the rest of the group. Tully Winston looked to be in his late fifties or early sixties, and was a large and heavyset man, darkly tanned, bald except for a short fringe of white hair around his head, and several inches over six feet in height. Babs, however, looked to be several years younger than her husband, with frosted blonde hair in a shoulder-length perm, and was also darkly tanned. In addition, while she was heavier than the other two women, she still had a good shape, and Steve suspected she was braless under her blouse.

Steve said to Babs, You sound American, unlike the Aussies here. That’s the right term, right? Aussie?

Babs smiled. I’m American, sort of, I suppose. I’ve been over here almost forty years now, but I suppose I still sound American. Tully’s an Aussie, though.

Bob gave an affronted snort and looked over at Tully. Bloody Yanks! Think we’re all alike! Tully laughed at that, and Bob turned to face the Olivers. He’s an Aussie, but Liz and I are Kiwis! And it’s pronounced Ozzie, not Aussie.

Steve realized he had committed some sort of faux pas, but doubted it was serious. Kiwi, that means you’re from New Zealand, right?

We’re from Christchurch, answered Liz, smiling. Ignore them. If you get them going they’ll spend the next week arguing about rugby, cricket, and beer.

Babs added, "Then one of them will call the other one a sheepshagger and then they'd have one

hell of a blue! No thank you!"

Steve gave the others a confused look. What’s a sheepshagger? No, don’t answer! I’ll google it later.

The small group continued talking until the loudspeaker announced they would be docking in ten minutes, and that all drivers needed to return to their vehicles. Steve and Brenda stood up. That’s our cue, I believe, he said.

How are you guys getting to the hotel? asked Brenda of the others.

You have a car? asked Babs.

Brenda nodded. We have a Land Rover, but our stuff is already in the back. We might be able to carry two more people, but I really don’t think we can carry all six of us. She gave them an apologetic look.

Babs waved it off. It’s not that big a deal. Haka Nuva is small, and the Inn is within walking distance if we needed to do that. Luggage would be a pain, though. Don’t worry. They have a shuttle bus from the dock into town and the resorts. I’m sure it will be waiting when we get there.

Bugger it. Take the kiddlywinks here, though, if you can. The lovely sheila here is preggers. Us wrinklies can make it on our own, added Tully.

Steve blinked at that, not really understanding the Australian slang, especially with Tully’s accent. It seemed that George Bernard Shaw’s comment about England and America being two countries separated by the same language also applied to Australia. He took it to mean that they should give a lift to the Cramers, if they could. That works for us. He turned to Bob and Liz. Let’s find your luggage and load up.

Are you sure? We don’t want to cause any trouble, protested Liz.

Two more people we can carry. Four would be a problem. I mean, unless you have a dozen suitcases…

No, nothing like that. The Cramers stood up.

So did the Winstons. I am sure we’ll see you at the Inn, said Babs. When you get off the boat you’ll be on Haka Nuva Road. Just turn right. You can’t miss it. It’s only about a mile or so down the road, if that.

I’ll do the first shout in the pub, added Tully.

Okay, agreed Steve. As soon as they got out of earshot of the Winstons, he asked, What in the world is a shout?

Liz Cramer answered, He said he’d buy the first round.

Oh. Steve smiled at his wife. It would seem that American English and Australian English are two different languages.

Could you imagine Babs trying to figure it out when she was still dating Tully? laughed Brenda.

Maybe they were speaking a different language, replied her husband, waggling his eyebrows.

Brenda blushed and grinned, nodding agreement.

The Olivers and the Cramers managed to get their luggage stowed just in time for the ferry to dock.  As they drove off the boat they noticed a small line of people getting onto a couple of small shuttle buses, and the Winstons waved at them and they waved back. They also noticed another white Land Rover following them off the ferry, but this one was pulling an equipment trailer. It stopped on the dock and a young woman climbed out and looked around. Then their attention turned back to the road, and the drive to the resort.

Chapter 2 - Checking In

Keanu, I have to go! protested the pretty young woman.

Alamea, I think you should stay right where you are! answered the young man she was with.

Both of them were laying on a small bed in a room just off the lobby of the Haka Nuva Inn, dressed in pretty much the same clothing they had come into the world with.

Alamea replied, The ferry sounded the horn. You might not have been paying attention, but I heard it over all the noise you were making.

You were the one causing me to make that noise. Keanu reached over and began stroking his hand along the girl’s side. Besides, Leani is out there.

She laughed. If I heard it, you obviously were failing to distract me! Anyway, both Leani and I will need to work the check-in. After that, she’ll get the next break.

Maybe I should come back then.

Maybe she has her own friends. Besides, you’re not as young as you used to be. What makes you think you’d be up for a rematch?

Oh, that is so cruel, cousin! Keanu used the word hoahana, which in the local dialect meant a familial relation that was probably more distant than a parent’s sibling’s offspring. Most island residents were somehow related to each other, and nobody was overly particular about specific genetic linkages. For all either of them knew, they actually were cousins. Not that it really mattered all that much to them.

She laughed some more, and rolled upright. She glanced at the clock, and grabbed her clothing, a halter-topped knee-length sundress in a flowered print, and slipped it on. It was all she normally wore, and her lack of underwear simply made it that much simpler when she and a friend took advantage of the little room off the lobby. She slipped into a pair of sandals, and laughed, saying, Keanu, it’s not my fault that you’re just not very distracting. Now, out! I need to get back to work!

Maybe I’ll just have to drop by later to see just how distracted I can make you.

We’ll see. Maybe you need to practice first with your sister, E’lani and work your way up to it.

Cruel, so cruel! Keanu climbed out of the bed and gave Alamea a quick kiss, then grabbed for his own clothing as she headed out to the front desk of the resort. He shook his head in amusement. E’lani would never go for that; brother and sister were a little too close for comfort even considering the very relaxed sexual mores of the island. Cousins, sure; siblings, probably not. He dressed and slipped out the side, to return to his regular job in Maintenance.

Alamea made it to the front desk in time to see the white Land Rover pull up. Leani asked, Good break?

Not bad. Keanu wanted to know if you needed some help your next break.

Leani laughed. I don’t think so. Joe is coming by, though, so I think I’ll get all the break I need. She held her hands about a foot apart.

Alamea laughed. She clipped on her name tag, which had fallen off during the preliminaries with Keanu, and shook out her long, black hair. She also picked up the lovely pink flower that had been in her hair at one point, and tucked it over her left ear. If the young woman had been hoping to look composed and professional, she was only partially successful. While he didn’t say anything, the first thing Steve Oliver thought when he saw the buxom young Polynesian woman wearing a form-fitting sundress, and he suspected, nothing else, was, ‘That girl looks like she just crawled out of the sack!’

Welcome to the Haka Nuva Inn! Alamea said brightly, smiling at the guests. Checking in?

Brenda looked at the Cramers and said, You first.

No, you drove, we can wait, replied Bob.

You sure?

Steve rolled his eyes. To Alamea he smiled and said, We’ll be here all day at this rate! He pulled Brenda to the counter. You check in. Bob and I will grab a couple of luggage carts and unload the Land Rover.

Brenda smiled and nodded her head. You go do your thing. She pulled Liz up alongside her, and the two women began the process. Both were pleased that despite the remote location of the Maltesano Islands, modern technology and the Internet had not passed them by. By the time the two men had unloaded and parked the Land Rover, the Olivers were already checked in, and the Cramers were halfway through the process.

At that point, a gaily colored shuttle bus pulled up to the front of the Inn. I think we got here at the right time, commented Bob Cramer.

Alamea smiled and said, That’s the regular shuttle from the ferry. Did you just come in on the ferry?

Yes, but we had our own vehicle, answered Brenda. Otherwise we’d have been on the shuttle, too.

Alamea nodded. If you want to go into town, take the shuttle. It’s very cheap and comes through regularly. Or walk; it’s not that far.

Steve Oliver noticed that the people getting off the shuttle were wearing new leis, in addition to any they already had. The leis that the Cramers and Winstons had gotten at the airport on Maltesano were mostly yellow and white plumeria, mixed with one of the more common orchids, pink cymbidium. The new leis, however, were different, a darker pink-coral color, and the botanist couldn’t tell what it was without getting closer.

That opportunity came sooner than he expected. One of the first people off the bus was Babs Winston, wearing one of the new leis, and she had several more in her arms. When she saw the Cramers and Olivers in the lobby, she waved and came over. "I was hoping we would get here in time! You only get these when you walk off the boat, and you drove. I have your lava lava leis."

"Lava lava?" asked Liz.

It’s our signature flower, commented Alamea. You didn’t get one before? Here let me. To the other people in the lobby, she said, I’ll be with you in just a moment. Alamea came around the counter and took a lei from Babs, and then turned to Liz. "Haka nuva loha! she said brightly. That means welcome to the island!"

Thank you.

Alamea continued with the other three in the group, with Babs handing her their leis. Steve Oliver enjoyed it; since he was tall and Alamea was short, when she reached up to put the lei around his neck, he needed to bend over, putting his face close to the very nice cleavage Alamea was displaying.

Steve lifted his lei up to look more closely at it. Like most leis, it had a twine base, which in this case was threaded through dark coral pink flowers. He couldn’t discern the species or genus of the plant, but he suspected it was of the Orchidaceae family, one of the innumerable orchids. This one had two long and vertical inner petals, with another pair of long and vertical petals outside of them. There were the expected other sepals and petals, but they were quite small and hidden behind the large inner and outer petals. Then at the top of the flower, just peeking out of the petals, was an almost blood red gynostemium and anther. The flower also had a pleasant scent, but one which seemed both familiar and intriguing, with a floral overtone. He had noticed it when they had docked, but it had seemed like a common island background scent. Now, it almost reminded him of…

Steve Oliver blinked and bolted upright. The lava lava flower looked and smelled just like a pussy! A florally scented pussy, but a pussy nevertheless! The botanist thought that would be an amusing conversation with his wife.

Steve’s musings were interrupted by Brenda nudging him from the side. Ready? she asked.

Hmmm?

To go up? I’ve got the keys. Grab the cart. She turned to the Cramers and the Winstons. If we don’t see you later, we’ll see you tomorrow. She waved and led her husband towards the elevator.

Do we need to hold it for anybody? he asked.

She shook her head. The Cramers are on the first floor and we’re on the second. She pushed the UP button on the elevator, and the door slid open.

Two minutes later they were in their room. Steve looked around as he unloaded their luggage. It reminded him of a fairly simple Holiday Inn. It had a single king-size bed, with a table and a few chairs to one side, and a patio door leading to a small enclosed balcony. The bathroom had both a large shower and a small tub. He knew from when he reserved the room that the Haka Nuva Inn didn’t have suites, just rooms with either single king-size beds or two queen-size beds. It took so long to get to Haka Nuva that anything fancier was, economically speaking, a waste. No matter how great the beaches were, it would never become a tourist mecca.

As soon as the luggage cart was empty, he told Brenda, I’m taking this back down.

I’ll start unpacking, she replied, kicking off her sneakers.

Steve took the luggage cart back to the elevators, but didn’t need to go any further. A young couple was getting off with a load of their own luggage, not on a cart, and took it off his hands. He went back to the room and helped his wife unpacking and settling in.

Brenda finally grabbed her oversized toilet kit and said, I need to take a shower.

Okay by me. I’ve already heard complaints from the local version of the EPA.

She flipped him off. Very funny. You’re no prize either, you know. Steve laughed at that. Brenda sniffed her lei. This is a lovely scent, but it seems familiar. She gave it another deep sniff.

Steve smiled. It’s a favorite, that’s for sure. He wondered if Brenda had noticed the resemblance of the lava lava plant to her own anatomy yet.

Brenda went into the bathroom and took the lei off, hanging it on a hook on the back of the bathroom door. Then she stripped off her travel clothing - cargo shorts, t-shirt, white footie socks, and plain white bra and panties - which she dropped on the bathroom floor. In the enclosed space of the bathroom, the perfume from the flowers seemed especially intense. She sniffed it again, then turned the water on in the shower and grabbed her shampoo.

The warm water running over her body felt surprisingly invigorating to Brenda. The Olivers had gotten up much earlier than normal in order to catch the six o’clock ferry, and Brenda normally had a problem sleeping in a moving vehicle. She had been looking forward to a quick shower followed by a long nap. Now, however, she seemed stimulated to maybe take that nap her husband had teased her about. She debated touching herself in the shower more intimately, but decided against it. She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. If anything, the warmth and humidity of the shower accentuated the floral scent even more.

Brenda toweled off slowly, and looked at herself in the mirror as she did so. She was relatively pleased with what she