Desperate Times

By Paul Brackley

Jerome and Lena travel to the Virgin Islands for another language implant. Unseen events lead to desperate acts to survive. An impossible situation erupts that takes all into its web of intrigue. Who will come out unscathed?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Booksaregood
• Release date: Dec 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9780645000832

Paul Brackley

I am a retired businessman living in Adelaide South Australia. Born London England. Background in chronological order" from 15 yrs: Clerical, Painter, Photo Sales, RAAF, Crayfisherman, Fire brigade, Roadhouse Manager, McDonalds, then my own businesses, some successful and some not so. First time author and after many years putting off writing I'm now really enjoying it. Have 2 children (1 deceased) but now only my wife and I at home together. Hopefully more writing to come.

Book preview

DESPERATE TIMES

BY

PAUL BRACKLEY

Table Of Contents

Chapter 1: Plans Into Motion

Chapter 2: Trouble

Chapter 3: The Return

Chapter 4: Help Is On The Way

Chapter 5: Let’s Go

Chapter 1

Plans into Motion

What a tumultuous, eventful few days it had been in England.  Jerome looked forward to time for a break before their trip to the British Virgin Islands.  

In their luxury rented penthouse in Nice, which overlooked the Mediterranean with the lights glistening off the sea, Jerome contemplated the recent events and where to go from here.  He had an uneasy feeling that events were moving too fast for either of them and he had to slow down.  A cliché came to him—stop and smell the roses. He had memorized so many of these types of  sayings over the years and found them just the thing to change his tendency to feel a hint of depression.  This was a helpful antidote to thoughts of sadness and was a bit of a crutch to his thinking when he was overwhelmed with too many things to do.  Another saying—Life is just a journey, have fun on the way—his Cornish grandad used to say to him when Jerome felt like fast forwarding a few days to get to something else in life.

Jerome knew that some people were quite happy being slightly depressed and at odds with the world.  This was just their way of coping. The secret, he thought, was to keep level and not fall into the trap many do of letting depression take over and ruin their lives. Jerome had always tried to remain upbeat and positive.

His mind was satisfied that all that had occurred in the last couple of months was meant to be.  He looked around and saw Lena in her pyjamas, dressed for the evening, looking like a pixie. She had been through a lot but looked happy and more content now. They made love, which was always an antidote to change Jerome's thinking from melancholy to joy, and then he felt calm—happy with the world situation. For a while anyway.

About two am, he got up as he couldn't sleep, and Emma, who swore she never ever snored, was making a noise whilst fast asleep that was a great imitation of this.

 In three weeks they would be going to the British Virgin Islands to receive the language implants, he Polish and her French, something they both were looking forward to  He took stock where he was and what he now had and what he wanted to achieve.

Jerome had had a number of close shaves and didn’t want any more surprises, but he felt confident going to the islands getting this done—and getting on with their lives was the way forward.

Then, in his melancholy mood, he reflected back to thinking of his Mum and the good and bad, but mostly good regarding her. So young to die. Thoughts came to him of the many arguments that he witnessed growing up that she used to have with her father Gryffyn. She was a fierce lover of Cornish culture and everything that went with that, including the belief that Cornish people were the best in the world, that the English overthrew their culture, and how this was so wrong.  His grandad Gryffyn argued that it didn’t matter what culture, colour, religion, or nationality, most people were good, but there were bad apples in every race.  One could certainly love their own distinct culture but not denigrate others, which were just as good, only different.  He used to say everyone had the same ancestors from 100,000 years ago, and that was just the way it was.  Love for one’s culture was fine, but he’d advised not to take it to excess and to keep respect for all others as well. Jerome lived by this standard too.

Jerome admired his grandfather who was only about forty years older than him but had died a few years ago with his grandmother in a car accident. Jerome had acquired his love of history and chess from him and his love of maths from her. He and his grandfather had been close, as Jerome had had no father around. Jerome loved to hear his tales of his grandfather growing up in the 50s and 60s. He’d also introduced Jerome to meditation, as he’d been involved in this himself, having been a follower of the Maharishi that had influenced the Beatles. Jerome had kept his meditation practices going throughout his life, and this had spurred his interest in psychology.

Around four am, Lena woke and made tea for them both.  They then talked till ten, when she made breakfast.  Jerome then realized that with all the excitement and everything that had been going on recently, that in the last six hours of talking with Lena, nothing important was really said.  Maybe this is just how love works, he thought.

Jerome spent the majority of the next few weeks talking with Lenny in the British Virgin Islands.  The Clinic was going well, as was everything with the company takeover. No word of Ivan, and Jerome thought about the relationship between Ivan and Frederic and Emma. Were they still in cahoots, or was Ivan now yesterday's news.  

Weeks passed in luxurious splendour, going to the beach mainly but also festivals, flower shows, and events.