Of Elephants

"This is about as alone as we’ve ever been." Toni leaned over the balcony of the hidden and private resort.

Travis pulled on a shirt and leaned beside her. "True, strange isn’t it I never thought about that before."

"Not that I mind family and people but it’s kind of nice knowing that nobody is coming for you in the next five minutes."

"Or you," he slipped his arm around her. "It’s the way we live, honey. It takes a lot of people to run Glenridge. I never realized it was a problem for you."

"It’s not, I didn’t’ mean that. It’s nice though to get away for awhile and see if we know how to interact with just each other. I think we do."

"Well, I will say that interacting with just you has been very pleasant." He kissed her cheek. "You’re right though we should do this more often. There’s the beach house just sitting out there. I don’t think anybody uses it except Kyle now and again. We could steal away there anytime with or without Cole."

"Without Kyle?"

"Is he a problem for you, honey?"

"No, not really. Oh, I guess I’ve always been a private person. When I laugh or cry I don’t always want someone asking if I’m all right. Sometimes I think he’s too close. I know it’s his job to look after us and he does it well. You depend on him a lot."

"Yeah, well, Jan brought Kyle to me at a time when it was important to have a bodyguard. He and I hit it off. He’s there without being intrusive. He’s a sounding board and a personal assistant, knows what I need before I ask for it. He’s a friend and yet I know he’ll kill for me. It’s what he is, ya know. I probably should tell him to back off when you’re around. I’m not tabloid fodder like I used to be," he turned and grinned at her.

"It’s because you’re married to a nobody now." She laced her fingers in his.

"I like my little nobody. When we get back, luv, we’ve got some social obligations coming up."

"What social obligations?" she turned her head toward him.

"In Sydney. I’m on the board of a couple of charitable institutions so we need to go and be charitable."

"Oh, okay."

"We didn’t do the loop last year because of our personal situations. That’s all changed now. We’re booked." He leaned over and watched a bird hopping about in the underbrush.

"There’s more to you than I realize."

"I hope so, I’d hate to be that boring old so and so." He looked back and smiled.

"You could never be boring. I forget sometimes that you come from Sydney. That you haven’t always been a cattleman."

"A very short period of my life has been spent on a cattle ranch. I was just an ordinary bloke."’

"Never. You were never ordinary I don’t’ care what you were doing five years ago."

"Yeah I was, honey. Still living with Mom and Dad and working in a tire factory. You wouldn’t have even given me a second glance back then."

"That’s not true. It wasn’t your money that attracted you to me. It was your honesty and faithfulness and loving personality. The way you never forced the issue between us even though it was the elephant in the room. We both wanted to go to bed with each other. I probably would have. I know I would have that day you took me on your bike."

"I think now I was being stupid. If I’d taken the opportunity presented to me when you were staying at Glenridge we might have avoided a lot of heartache. At least you would have. Ah, but that’s all behind us now, Mrs. McGee."

"Yes it is," she took his arm and leaned into him. "Um, about that elephant?"

"Is he still here? Let’s go take care of him." He led her back into the room.