Read Online The Islands by Di Morrissey - Free Book Online

the seas, stole the men they favoured, ravished them and put them and any male children to death by feeding them to giant man-eating griffins.
    The young man decided California would be his next stop. And eventually he made his way to the City of the Angels.
    It was close to paradise. The air was clear, he could see the distant Santa Ana mountains, the sun was warm, the streets had palm trees. And there was the beach and the ocean almost as beautiful and magical as he imagined the Islands of Hawaii to be.
    Come the summer he took a job as a lifeguard at the beach. He soon became known as the strongest swimmer at the beach and he saved several people from drowning, stroking strongly to reach them and pull them back to shore.
    It was one such grateful survivor who handed the shy young man a wad of money. And that gesture of thanks allowed him to live through another winter in LA when there was no work. He was able to concentrate on swimming and running, keeping his body fit, his mind clear and dreams intact.

3

    M OLLIE DROVE THROUGH THE morning peak hour Sydney traffic, which was slower than normal due to a slight drizzle.
    Beside her Catherine looked at the rows of neat suburban red-roofed houses and remarked, ‘Everything looks so tidy, so straight-laced after the rampant greenery and casualness of Hawaii.’
    â€˜Hawaii sounds lovely. You’ll notice a difference when you get to Peel. It’s been dry. Your mum said Heatherbrae needs rain.’
    Catherine nodded. Hawaii had stolen her heart. She’d thought about it on the flight home and while she knew her love of Hawaii was bound up in her love for Bradley, there was still a pull about the Islands that held her. A promise of so much to discover. She couldn’t wait to get back there.
    She hadn’t yet told Mollie about her engagement. When Mollie had offered to meet her, Catherine had planned to rush straight to her from Arrivals and wave her hand in her face and cry, ‘I’m engaged!’ But her bag had been lost and by the time it’d been located and she’d exited the customs hall, Mollie was there, jumping up and down and grabbed the bag from her, saying, ‘Quick, quick, I’ll get booked. I’m parked illegally.’
    So they’d rushed to the car, Mollie chattering nonstop about her new job, a fellow she’d met and mutual friends, then she’d needed to concentrate on driving out of the jammed airport and the moment had been lost. Catherine began to plan a little scenario about how she’d break her news to Mollie. She also wanted her advice as to how she could tell her parents. She knew her mum would have very mixed emotions, primarily because she would be marrying a foreigner and wouldn’t be living close by.
    Settled in Mollie’s flat, Catherine had a shower while Mollie boiled the kettle for a cup of tea.
    â€˜So what would you like to do for the rest of the day?’ asked Mollie. ‘They say it’s best to stay awake till bedtime to get on local time.’
    â€˜I’d love a snooze, you could wake me up in an hour and then we could go out. I’m so sleepy.’ Catherine stifled a yawn.
    â€˜What’s that?’ Mollie grabbed Catherine’s hand away from her mouth and bent over the ring on her left hand.
    â€˜Oh. I’ve been trying to find a way to tell you. I’m engaged.’
    â€˜Oh my God! Oh my God! ’ shrieked Mollie. ‘Who? Where? When? How could you keep this a secret? Is it that American?’ she demanded. She leaned closer to examine the ring. ‘It’s just beautiful.’ She sat back and folded her arms. ‘Okay, tell me everything.’
    Catherine smiled and settled back with her cup of tea, anxious to recount once again every detail of meeting Bradley and their friendship in London, despite what she’d already told Mollie in her letters.
    â€˜Were you lovers?’ interjected Mollie.
    â€˜In London? No. He