"I do it over you Inga van Bergen."

"That's different. Ruud van Bergen. I love you."

When the Endeavour III docked Natalie threw the securing lines to George who dashed past her and jumped onto the jetty. He began wrapping the rope around a dockside cleat as Tom reversed the boat into place. The tourists all standing in a line ready to leave. The gangway was lowered so that George could come back on board. Now the five of them took up positions to either side of the gang plank. Firstly as a politeness to wish their guests a safe journey to wherever they were going next and secondly in the hope that it might encourage them to leave tips.

The van Bergens shook Natalie's hand and Ruud squeezed a fifty Euro note into her hand.

"A small donation for you," he said beaming.

"Thank you very much. Tott Siens."

"You speak Dutch?"

"No just Tott Siens I'm afraid."

"Oh well it was very nice meeting you. Thank you for today. Good bye."

"Good bye and you."

Now it was the turn of the three English lads. The first two brushed past Natalie but the one who'd paid for the drinks paused long enough to slip a ten dollar bill into her hand. The other two chuckling at the American note.

"So what are you doing tonight then darling?"

Natalie was a bit taken aback at his bluntness.

"IaErmawill bea.Erma.studying at home tonight."

George was listening but his smile had vanished as he continued shaking hands with the guests.

"What all on your own?"

"I'm afraid so."

"A pretty girl like you."

"Yes," Natalie replied trying to keep a friendly face. 'Here we go again! As soon as there's a group of three or more they've always got to prove to themselves what men they are and try to pull* She'd heard it all before. All the corny chat up lines.

"What a waste."

Natalie shrugged. Trying to act innocent.

"I mean me and the lads are thinking of going to a bar tonight. The ace of spades if you want to come. And you never know," he said raising his sunglasses to make eye contact with her "If you play your cards righta."

Natalie gave a false smile.

"Thank you but I really need to study."

"Look at what you're missing," he said gesturing towards his friends. George decided to step in and rescue.

"Thank you. Thank you for coming," he said "Do you need a lift home?" he asked her.

"No. No. I'm fine thank you George."

The three lads walked off while looking back at her.

"Frigid bitch!"

Natalie and George heard the comment.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes of course."

"Perhaps the grease ball is banging her," one of the three said.

"Just ignore them Natalie. If I had known they were looking at you like that I would have given them their money back and thrown them off the boat."

"Thank you George," she kissed him on the cheek and disappeared below deck. She reappeared a minute later wearing a pair of jeans and a pink vest. George saw her and was unable to hide his attraction for her. Natalie knew of his feelings for her, which was why he felt protective towards her but it never interfered with their business. She threw her bag over her shoulder, jumped ashore and strode towards her car. Alex was carrying scuba tanks off the boat for refilling. He stopped to watch her bottom wiggling and her big breasts jiggling.

"That's much woman," Alex said.

George glared at him.

"Don't you start!"

Natalie drew her car up to a stop outside her apartment. She applied the parking brake and got out, leaning back in to retrieve the brown paper bag containing the groceries she had bought on the way home. She climbed the steps and opened her front door, closing it with her foot. She put the paper bag on the worktop, threw her keys into her bag and leaving this with the groceries she went into the bathroom and turned on the shower and quickly undressing, stepped in. After letting the water cascade down her face and body, she washed and stepped back into the living room with a towel wrapped around her and grabbed another for her hair. She sat on her sofa and pushed play on her answer phone. The first message was from an old friend at school. The second was a reminder from Tom to lend him some CD's. She'd asked him to ring and leave a message because she knew she'd forget. It was Friday and the Endeavour crew always met for drinks on a Friday night in town at their favourite bar *Zeus'. Natalie smiled at the "Please don't forget, I know what you're like."

She got up, went across to her CD collection, ran her index finger down the spines and eventually found the three she was looking for. She put them next to her bag.

"There now I won't forget," she said to her answer phone as the next message kicked in.

"Hi Nat. It's dad. Just to let you know mum and I have got a flight for the second of Junea." Natalie laughed as she heard her mum's voice in the background "Tony are you leaving a message on her answer phone, hang up and try again later. Don't ruin the surprise."

"Better go babe. Your mum's saying I should wait until we can speaka."

There were some muffled sounds, it sounded like someone taking the telephone receiver from someone else, a bit of a scuffle and then the line went dead.

"Oh dad," she laughed "You should know better than to argue with mum."

Her heart was full of happiness as she thought of her parents. Both teachers, mum, Rose, at school. Dad, Tony, a college lecturer. The messages ended and feeling her eyes getting heavy she decided to close them for a few minutes just to rest them, not sleep. She flicked the switch down so the answer phone would cut in after only two rings. Laying her head down she soon drifted off into a deep sleep. Her mobile phone ringing incessantly woke her. To begin with it was part of her dream, the ring tone a favourite Madonna song. She fumbled for the phone, turned its display to her face, saw it was Jack and pressed the green button to answer.

"Jack," her throat was dry. Her brain not functioning due to the sudden waking.

"Natalie where are you? Are you all right?"

"Yes I'm fine. I'm at homea.What time is it?" she blinked at the windows. It was twilight outside.

"It's a quarter to nine Nat. We're all here already."

She ran her fingers through her still drying hair.

"Ia.Ia.must have dozed off!"

"Do you want one of us to come and get you?"

"What? No I'll um, I'll get a taxi."

"Are you sure. It's no problem for someone to come and get you. We've all had a drink but it'll be O.K. Maybe we could all come."

"No Jack. Really it's all right. I'll uma.just give me twenty minutes O.K. I'll be there."

"O.K Nat. I'll tell the others not to order any food just yet. We'll wait 'til you get here."

The line went dead. She pushed the red button on the Nokia to make sure the call had ended. Then rubbed her face. She went through her phone book until she found 'Yanos' and pressed the green button. He answered within three rings.

"Natalie my darling how are you," he asked in his heavy accent.

"Yanos can you pick me up at my place and take me to 'Zeus'"

"Yes my darling. I'll be with you in fifteen minutes."

"Can you not make it any sooner Yanos? I'm sorry but I'm late."

"Yes my sweet. I'll try to make it to you in ten."

"Thank you. Yanos. Thank you."

She rang off and went into her bedroom to get dressed. A quick spray of deodorant and perfume. Quickly applied some eye shadow and lipstick. Her favourite drop earrings, checked her reflection in the mirror and was just putting on her shoes when the doorbell rang.

"Is that you Yanos?"

"Yes."

"I'll just be a minute."

"O.K."

Yanos stood looking at the door for a moment, then turned to watch two pretty girls walking past his silver Mercedes. Tourists, probably English he guessed judging by their white mini-skirts, white legs and white high heels. They each carried a small bag. One of them saw him looking and nudged her friend.

Yanos was a good looking Greek of twenty eight, tall, athletic, dark curly hair, lots of stubble, his sunglasses perched on top of his head. He called out to them and they giggled and leaned into each other as they walked. A bit further on they both glanced back over their shoulders at him. He was still watching them but this time stayed quiet. He turned to the door again.

"I'll wait in the car," he called out. He went down the steps, got into the drivers seat and lit a Marlboro.

Natalie rushed through to the kitchen, grabbed her phone, rummaged through her bag for her keys and went to the door, she waved at Yanos in his taxi, slammed the front door, pushed it gently to make sure it was closed and then hurried down the steps. What she hadn't seen before she left was the red flashing light on her answer phone signalling she'd had a new message while she'd been in the bedroom blow drying her hair.

Yanos drew his Mercedes to a halt outside the bar *Zeus'

"Do you want me to pick you up later?"

"I don't know. I might get a lift from one of the others. I'll give you a call."

She gave Yanos a ten Euro note and he gave her five change instead of three. She walked past a group of young men and women smoking. The men leaning on their mopeds. One of their group came out carrying six bottles of beer and distributed them. Inside the bar it was busy. The music playing were this summer's hits, a mixture of English and American artistes. There was a constant clack of pool balls as both tables were being played at the same time. A group of young British tourists were shouting and laughing over a table football game. A waitress rushed past carrying a tray of food. Natalie stood looking this way and that. Suddenly she spotted her friends and headed over to them. They all stood to greet her. Tom and Jack were with two girls, both holiday reps, working out on the island for the summer. Their holiday company one of two who used Natalie's group for excursions. Both girls were very pretty. The attraction between, Tom, Jack and the reps was plain to see. They both mouthed *Hiya's' as Natalie reached the table. By the looks of the table the beer had been flowing.

"Ah thanks for joining us," Tom said jokingly "Perhaps now we can eat. I don't know about the rest of you but I'm starving."

He picked up a menu and held it between himself and Sarah. When the waiter came round to take their order Natalie was last.

"I'll have Lamb Kleftiko please."

The waiter beamed and took the menus away.

"Is that nice?" Louise, the other rep asked.

Natalie was just taking a swig of her drink. She released the straw.

"Kleftiko?"

Louise nodded.

"It's beautiful. The best Kleftiko in all of Zakynthos. The lamb kind of melts in your mouth. I'll let you try some of mine when it arrives."

"Do we have a big group tomorrow Natalie?" Alex asked.

"Twenty two," she looked at the empties on the table "I don't mean to be a killjoy but you'd better not get too drunk."

George was the only one of the group sitting quietly staring into his glass. Natalie guessed at what was wrong with him but asked anyway.

"Have you heard from your wife George?"

He turned a dark eye to her.

"Yes."

The others were trying not to smirk. George and his wife Rosa's fights were legendary. They lived on the neighbouring island of Kefalonia and George hadn't been home for two weeks.

"She's accusing me of cheating on her. Of having affairs which is keeping me away from home. I tell her that I'm always working hard to provide for her and the little one. She says if it wasn't for little Costas she would kill herself for the misery I cause her. Then the line went dead. So I ring back and she no answer. So I ring and ring and ring and when she answers she crying, so I tell her I love her which is why I'm never home and she doesn't believe me."

"George take tomorrow off. Take a few days. Take the speedboat tomorrow and spend some time at home."

"I can't afford to take time off. I can't afford to lose the money."

"I'll pay you. Don't worry, no one will have a problem with it," she said looking at each individual in turn. No one raised an objection. George had tears in his eyes.

"We have a big group tomorrow. It's not fair on the others."

"We'll manage," Natalie said knowing they would be stretched without a third diver. The others would understand. George was looking at his colleagues.

"I can't Natalie. It wouldn't be right."