Wet Heat - Conclusion

Dinner that evening was a merry affair. They had fresh food and wine. Even Emma seemed to be in a good mood. Sat between Henrique and Cassie, Jennifer was more or less able to block out Jack and Camilla mooning over each other at the far end of the table.

The boat was fixed, so there was no reason now to stay. She'd barely discussed it with Jack but it was clear to them both that their adventure was over and it was time to head downriver. Jennifer had decidedly mixed feelings about that.

After dinner, Sebastian stood up and raised a toast to Jennifer and Jack.

"We get so few guests in our remote little corner of the world and we have never had any as pleasant as Jack and Jennifer. I think I speak for all of us when I say how glad we are to have had you and how very sorry we are to see you both go. I wish you both a very safe trip onwards."

They all raised their glasses but then Camilla suddenly stood up, "I'm going too, Papa," she blurted out.

"What?" said Sebastian and Jennifer simultaneously.

"I'm going too. I want to be with Jack. I want to leave this place."

"I see," said Sebastian and sat down weakly. "Is this truly what you want?"

"It is Papa, I can't rot away in this jungle for the rest of my life."

Sebastian looked sadly into the middle distance for a while.

"No. I suppose you can't" he said, almost to himself, "I always knew this day would come."

"Well, if that's truly what you want, then I can't stop you." He sighed deeply." You may go. And go with my blessing."

"Truly?"

There were tears in Camilla's eyes.

"Truly," he replied. "I always knew you weren't like your sisters and would want to leave some day. I hope you'll be very happy," he said sadly.

Camilla ran up to her father and put her arms around him, hugging him close. They both cried a little. Jennifer just sat there in shock.

"So, it's settled then. We'll leave in the morning," said Jack, to no one in particular.

"No," said Jennifer.

"No?" said Jack, addressing Jennifer directly for the first time in days.

"Be reasonable Jennifer. I know it will be awkward but it's only a few days."

"No," Jennifer repeated. "You leave if you want to but if you're taking her, I'll stay here. I can get the next boat back with Henrique."

"Are you sure my dear?" Sebastian asked gently. "We'd all very much love you to stay but it could be weeks you know."

Jennifer looked at Sebastian, startled to find tears in her own eyes at his kindness. She looked at Cassie, at her evident joy at maybe keeping her a little longer. She looked at Abigail who smiled fondly back. At Henrique, who winked lasciviously at her.

"If you don't mind, Sebastian?"

"Mind? My dear, we'd all be delighted."

Jennifer turned to look at Jack, and at Camilla who had sat back next to him.

"You two go. With my blessing. I mean it. I really do hope you'll be happy."

And so it was that next morning, Jennifer was stood on the little jetty with Sebastian, Emma, Cassie, Abigail, Henrique and Vanessa waving as Jack piloted the little river boat into the middle of the stream carrying him and Camila downriver and into the wide world beyond.

The party on the shore watched until the boat rounded a bend and disappeared from sight. Only Emma seemed truly sorry to see them go. Cassie could hardly contain her delight at keeping Jennifer longer.

In the end, it was six weeks before Henrique made the next trip down to Manaus. When the time came, Jennifer found she didn't really feel like leaving.

She didn't feel like leaving the time after that either, or the time after that. In the end they stopped asking.

She spent her nights mostly with Cassie. Maybe with Henrique as well, when he was there. Occasionally with Sebastian or Vanessa and once even with Abigail. Her days she spent lying naked in a deck chair next to Vanessa watching the river flow lazily by.

She forgot about Jack. She forgot about England. She forgot about everything apart from the blue of the sky, the green of jungle, the brown of the river and the pale cream of Cassie's parted thighs.

She had never been happier.

The End