The Shack series

Chapter 78

Perdy moved to Lizzy and the two mothers stood side by side arms around each others waist. Josip suddenly shouted and ran towards the children, They screamed and ran away as he roared down the beach. Picking up his eldest daughter he splashed into the water and pitched forward. The others converged on him and he was pushed and pulled through the surf. His smiling face appeared and disappeared as the children rolled him over, falling over themselves. Kyle, Em and the youngest Jarnewski skipped and jumped at the waters edge as the older children played with their dad.Lester felt a hand move round his waist, he felt the comfortable curves of Ola Jarnewski against his side.

"Is Ok for cuddle Parker, no flirting."

"It's OK Ola, no flirting, I wouldn't want to upset Josip."

"Good thing, he can be very jealous when I'm with other man."

"Now you tell me," Lester giggled and hugged her tighter.

Charlotte appeared and smiled at Lester holding Ola, he waved with his free hand. She returned his wave and walked up the beach. Suddenly Josip roared out the water and grabbed Charlotte. The children followed and she was dragged screaming and protesting into the water. She was hoisted aloft by Josip then disappeared into the surf. The children whooped and scrambled to right her. Charlotte appeared and swept her bedraggled hair out of her face. She dived left and pitched Josip face first into the next wave. He staggered to stand, but Charlotte was on his back, helped by the children she pushed him forward again.

Sensing a new game Lizzy and Perdy jogged down to the surf and began to move towards their mother, upending her again then lifting the children and throwing them up and backwards to disappear into the surf. Josip grabbed Lizzy and lifted her up in his arms, only to then throw her sideways into the waves. Perdy sensing her turn would come next, turned to run, only to find Charlotte in front of her. Holding her hands out palms up to Charlotte she attempted to step round her. Charlotte smiled and moved to the side, Perdy stepped the other way, only to feel Josip's hands grab her and lift her up . As he lifted her up she swung a leg over his shoulder. Wiggling around she brought her other leg over his shoulder crossing her ankles together at his stomach.

Josips large hands gripped her legs and he pitched forward off his toes, Perdy brought her arms and hands out straight in front of her face, executing a perfect dive into a huge wave, Josip unbalanced caught the wave perfectly in his groin and was lifted backwards, appearing seconds later in a heap at Charlottes feet. He looked up at her and grinned, grabbing her ankles she was whisked backwards again, sitting down in the water softened sands. They sat laughing as Perdy glid through the waves in a powerful front crawl. Standing she waded out of the water towards Lizzy. Kyle and Em rushed to her and she ended up with one on each hip. Lizzy kissed her and they wandered back up the beach.

Josip stood and put his hands down to Charlotte who allowed him to tug her upright, she wrapped an arm round his waist and they walked back up the beach. Ola disengaged herself from Lester and found the sun creme, rushing to rub extra cover over everyone she met. The rest of the children came up the beach, the eldest holding the youngest's hand. Under the cool of the umbrella, slices of fruit and cool drinks were distributed.

Ola's cousin Neta appeared and strolled along the ridge of the dune and walked down towards them, she was a taller thinner version of Ola, but with similar breasts. She waved and smiled, easing her sunshades up onto her head.

Lester went and stood on the sand, gazing at the sea. He felt a bit odd, then he felt a huge stabbing pain in his chest. His left arm felt numb. He gasped for breath and sank to his knees. The others missed it happening, but saw him on his knees holding his chest. Perdy rushed forward and grabbed him as he feel forward, easing him backward onto the hot sand. Lester heard Charlotte scream, and Lizzy shout his name. He felt Perdy's hot breath on his cheek. His hand came up and touched her face, smiling. His arm fell back on the sand.

"No Lester, No, not like this.."

Lester saw a bright light and then blackness and peace, perfect peace.

Ola and Josip shepherded the children away from the decking area and with promises of treats and sweets led them towards the house. Looking back they could see the four women settling Lester on the sand. Lizzy pinching his nostrils and blowing into his mouth. Ola's cousin Neta then pounding on Lester's chest and Perdy and Charlotte kept up a strict time chant before the cycle began again. Reaching the house, Josip ran to the phone and found the number needed on the small plastic sheet glued to the wall next to it.

Ten minutes later they heard the thrum of rotor blades as a helicopter flew overhead. As it touched down on the beach two women paramedics leapt out of the craft and sprinted towards the group on the beach.

The first paramedic carried a defibrillator and she quickly set it up and shocked Lester. Josip saw him twitch and then Lizzy again bent to pinch Lester's nostrils and breath air into his lungs. The second paramedic looked like she wanted to take over from Lizzy, but the look she got stopped her. She patted Lizzy on the back and urged her on. The defibrillator was applied again and this time Lester's chest seemed to heave. Perdy's hands came to her face and Charlotte screamed with joy. Lizzy sank forward on her knees and cried.

Five minutes later Lester was on a stretcher and was carried to the waiting aircraft. The Helicopter's whine rose and it lifted off in a shower of sand, swinging immediately to point to the main island. Neta cradled Lizzy as Charlotte hugged Perdy. They all turned for the house and walked wearily across the sand.

Ola had tears in her eyes, when she felt Kyle's hand slip in hers,

"Where's Grandad going?"

"Kyle you're grandfather is very sick and they take him to hospital, then they make him better," Ola said as she picked Kyle up and cradled him into her bare breasts.

"Can I go to see him?" he asked innocently.

"I think we must ask your mothers that Kyle. They are coming, but remember they are upset because grandfather is ill. Okay?"

"Okay, I'll find my dinosaur book, he likes reading that, when we go to the Hospital I'll take it in for him."

Ola felt the tears rolling down her cheeks and Josip put his arm round her. In the lounge fifteen year old Irena, the eldest Jarnewski child sat with Em on her lap as they watched cartoons. Beata, Kaja, Cezar and Jakub sat beside her and idly picked at the fresh fruit slices in the bowls in front of them.

The four women trooped into the kitchen and Lizzy and Perdy kissed Kyle he smiled and rested against Ola's chest.

"I'm going to take Grandad my dinosaur book when we see him in the hospital." he said.

Perdy nodded and held Lizzy as she sobbed.

"Mummy what's Mummy crying for?"

"Mummy is sad that grandad is so ill, she and Nanny Charlotte are going to go to be with grandad. If you're allowed we'll go over later and see him, although Kyle it may not be today. Grandads really ill, so he's got to sleep a lot and that means we have to let him, okay?"

"Okay, but I will lend him my book."

"Kyle that is very kind of you, I'm sure grandad will love to read your book when he can sit up in bed. But for now let's let him rest okay?"

"Okay. Nanny, are you okay?"

"Yes I am Kyle, I know grandad's getting the best care ever and we hope he's soon going to be home."

"Good, because I miss him a lot."

"We all do Kyle, we all do."

Perdy felt the tears stinging her eyes and raised her arm to dry them away. Charlotte smiled and reached for her and Lizzy, they held each other and wept. Ola and Josip took Kyle into the lounge and sat him with the others, placing a small bowl of fruit slices in front of him. Ola returned to the kitchen.

"Children will be safe with us, why not go to hospital and check on Parker, you know that's what you want to do."

"You're right Ola, we'll dress and go to the hospital, thank you, and thank Josip for us. Neta,"

Charlotte turned and hugged the woman who had kept trying to revive Lester with her daughter.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, you probably saved Lester's life we all owe you for this."

"No problems Mrs Parker, you go see Mr Parker, say hello from us."

"It's Charlotte and Lester Neta, friends call each other by their first names, and you are definitely high on my list of friends."

"Welcome. Charlotte is nice name, maybe I call child after you." Neta grinned and said a stream of Polish to Ola, she grinned and replied.

"Neta says Lester's very sexy, you lucky woman."

"I'm certainly that Ola, tell Neta she's too sexy for Lester, he loves Older Women, like me."

"I understand Charlotte, make joke, good to laugh." Neta grinned and Charlotte hugged her again.

"Mum, Perdy and I will be ten minutes, we'll need to get a boat out, can you phone please Ola."

"No problem Lizzy, go, go ,go."

Ola Jarnewski shooed the three women out of the kitchen and they ran up the stairs. Perdy and Lizzy quickly pulled on shorts and a top, neither bothering with underwear, they needed to get to Lester. Charlotte likewise pulled one of Lester's shirts on and a shortish skirt, finding her flat shoes she ran a comb through her matted hair.

"Lester, sorry'll look a mess, but I hope you'll forgive me this time." She said to the mirror ruefully.

In the girls room, Perdy perched on the toilet as Lizzy combed her hair.

"Perds I'm so worried about Lester, I really do love him, I just never knew how much until now. I don't want to think of him not being around, I..."

"I know, I feel the same, although I've not known him as long as you."

"He was a complete bastard to Mum and me when I was a teenager, but he's more than made up for it now. He is so good and kind, not the ogre I've always painted him. These last six years have been brilliant. I know I've always held a bit back, but you know I really want him to see Kyle and Em grow up."

"We all do, I've never seem Charlotte so happy and alive than when she's around Lester. It applies to Lester too, there's a genuine buzz about him when he talks to Charlotte. I mean he's happy and all that, but when he's around Charlotte it's like a switch is flipped and he's beaming like a lighthouse."

"I'm sorry I was so rude to him when he came back, but I was angry, I hated him for what he did and for what I thought he was doing."

"Lester would tell you not to worry, you were right to be suspicious and he deserved your anger."

"Not now though, not now."