Chasing Rainbows

He’d hired a private boat, some sort of motor cruiser...not that she was an expert. Emma was sat on the canopied top deck of the boat, above the cock pit, though she was sure that referred to a car? Regardless, the cool breeze of the Bay whipped around her, and the fairly calm San Francisco Bay was spread out in front of them.  After settling her on the deck as though she was some sort of delicate flower, Jacob had disappeared back down the steps and had yet to return.

It gave Emma even more time to think. They’d hardly spoken since she’d arrived, the atmosphere was tense and she was feeling nauseous, that was until the beauty of her location drew her attention. He’d made an effort for her, she had to admit that, and he seemed desperate to make her see the real City, and maybe the real him?

                “Penny for your thoughts?” Jacob’s voice cut through the silence and startled her. Turning Emma saw him stood at the top of the steps with a glass of what appeared to be champagne in each hand.

                “I don’t think they’re worth a penny.” She offered with a laugh.

Jacob smiled, and it was a dazzling smile, “I’d pay more than a penny to have a sneaky peek at your thoughts...I might have a chance of surviving the day then.”

It was Emma’s chance to laugh, using a hand to stop the hair flapping around her wildly, the other took the glass he offered, “I think it’s me that really needs the help here. You do have home advantage after all!”

Jacob watched her drink, elegantly tipping her head to savour the champagne. She was a natural beauty, from her long silky hair to her deep blue eyes that were hidden behind large shades, to those full and infinitely kissable lips.

Andy had berated him for all that he’d spent on this day, the boat hire, the champagne, the reservation at the best - and so most expensive restaurant in town. All was eating into his small buffer...most of the five hundred grand was accounted for in his debt to his father and final development plans for his game. The fact that Andy couldn’t understand his reasons for doing this did little to ease the scorn he was landing on him.

                “So you live in the city?” Her hand gripped the railing surrounding the deck, and her face was upturned to the sun, he imagined that under her glasses her eyes were closed in pleasure, and it warmed him.

                “Yes, my parents live in Sacramento; it’s about ninety minutes away, that’s where I was brought up. But my grandmother lived here, I spent all my holidays here as a child. I’ve never really seen Sacramento as my home. I love coming home here; I see Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower, the AT&T Park...” But his words were falling on deaf ears; Emma was entranced with the vision that beheld them as the boat moved around the head land.

                “...or the Golden Gate!”

Emma was holding her breath, it was magical, to see such an amazing construction from a boat on the water it breached. She’d felt this way when she’d first gone to Niagara Falls, or the Sydney Opera House. In front of her was the jaw dropping, breath taking Golden Gate Bridge, one of the most universally recognisable constructions on the planet, and it didn’t let her down.

                “You like?” A voice asked from beside her.

She was too absorbed to respond with the animosity that had peppered every contact with Jacob to date, “it’s amazing!” Her voice was a whisper, and was almost lost in the roar of the boat engine, and the whoosh of the wind. “Better than any postcard of film...” She snapped her head up to look at him, “will we pass Alcatraz?” Her knowledge of the geography of the area wasn’t great, but she knew the bridge in the distance was close to the legendary former prison.

She felt his arm encircle her shoulder as he turned her slightly to the right and pointed out an island, larger than the films led her to believe, but despite that rather understated. But then she realised that the buildings topping it were the landmark prison with its tower, and rows of windows.

                “It’s not ‘The Birdman of Alcatraz’ is it?”

He laughed, “it doesn’t look that wild from over here, but if you go inside, see the cells...horrible!” As he saw her face contort he added, “We can visit if you want? Maybe tomorrow?”

She nodded, “that sounds amazing!” Then she looked up at him, “you are SO lucky to live here!”

Jacob couldn’t disagree, and he was loving watching her experiencing her first view of something he loved dearly, and she wasn’t disappointing him. “I feel like that. Growing up in the nineties, it was such a great place to come.”

                “It isn’t now?”

He pondered that for a moment, and she leaned against the railings and looked up at him, his blonde hair was unruly in the breeze, but he’d removed his sunglasses and his blue eyes were bright, every line on his face evaporated as he talked with enthusiasm, “in the nineties it was a world famous haunt for skateboarders, and as a youngster it was so exciting to have so much happening here! If I didn’t love the place for a million reasons then I’d love it for the freedom I found here as a kid!”

That was a sentiment Emma could understand, she knew that there were places that gave you an emotional tug, a sense of belonging beyond what was expected or usual. Rather than voice that she merely nodded in agreement.

                “I love it now, but it was how it was back then that cemented the place in here!” He thumped his chest then broke into a smile as a ferry passed them, tourists waving manically from the deck. The boat they were in was elegant and very expensive, they probably presumed that the two of them stood there, physically closer than he had imagined, were famous, one of San Francisco’s rich residents. But they weren’t, thought a boat was a definite maybe on his list of things to buy if he ever made a gazillion.

The boat pulling into Fisherman’s Wharf distracted them from their temporary closeness, and they were back down on deck by the time the boat was docked.  Jacob took her bag in one hand, then held the other out to help her down to the wooden pontoon that served as the walkway.

                “So what’s the plan for the rest of the day?” She asked as she tried to keep up with his fast pace, all the while her heel threatening to spike between the worn boards underfoot.

                “Well,” he glanced back at her and realised that she was struggling. “Do you want me to carry you?”

It was an honest question, she realised that he was genuine, but not an image that she wanted to conjure up, his arms wrapped around her, her body pressed against his. She shuddered at thought for reasons she didn’t want to digest. “NO!” She snapped, glad that he’d paused for a moment.

He chuckled a warm sound, her response telling him so much about how she was feeling, and that pleased him, an off kilter Emma was a reasonable Emma. “Well, I’ve booked us dinner tonight, but first there’s a wander through town...see the sites...” When he saw her eyes were trained on her bag in his hand, he smiled, “I’m going to get this taken to mine. Ok?”

When she nodded he smiled that dazzling smile and turned back to lead her further away from the water.

Nob Hill. The name had made her chuckle, but as she clung to the post at the back of the rickety tram, she watched the landmark that was Fisherman’s Wharf disappear into the distance, and felt exhilarated, for a moment she was catching the enthusiasm for this place that was radiating from her very content guide.

                “I used to get this tram,” he leaned in to whisper over the sound of the tourists and locals alike that filled the tram to capacity, “every day. It took twice as long to get to my gran’s but it’s such a devastating ride. I think I loved the adrenaline of the whole thing.” Suddenly the tram hit the plateau halfway up the hill and levelled off and everyone seemed to take a collective deep breath of relaxation. Then is started to ratchet itself up the second half of the hill.

                “I can see how a young kid would love this!”

He laughed, “you’re not wrong. What about you? Scared?”

Emma contemplated her answer for a moment, “not scared...well not of this anyway. I just find the whole thing strange, being here...”

Jacob groaned, he knew this wasn’t easy, hell he was talking in ways that weren’t natural to him, what they needed was a bar, a few beers to relax...but that was the exact thing that got them in trouble. Andy had told him this was a ridiculous situation, and now that Emma was here, he wished he’d planned things a little better. But he had hoped that they’d drop into an easier conversation than they had, “I’m not the enemy here Emma, I’m merely wanting to ensure WE do the right thing, not ME, not YOU, but US, together. OK?”

Emma was watching him and he couldn’t read her thoughts for a moment, then she spoke and it was music to his ears, “I think I could do with a beer!”

Taking her hand they skipped off the tram at the top of Nob Hill, then he led her down a few blocks until he saw the bar he was looking for. “A drink is the last thing we should be doing, but I agree, one might help.”

Emma instantly made for a booth at the back of the bar, and sat there watching Jacob laughing with the bar man, he was such a charismatic man, that had been what had drawn her to him back in Las Vegas. As the barman looked at her, then back to Jacob with a smile, she wished she could hear exactly what their conversation was about.

Jacob was still beaming as he crossed the dark cool room to her, carrying two very appealing, large frothy beers. Placing one in front of her, he slid into the opposite side of the booth to Emma, and she suddenly felt awkward with such scrutiny.

                “You’re blushing!” He said, almost bemused.

Emma shrugged, “and you sir are staring!”

                “Touché!” He was still grinning in a more buffoon like manner. “But aren’t I allowed to appreciate my darling wife, especially when the barman tells me how lucky I am!”

She groaned, “Jacob,” it was the first time she remembered saying his name and that realisation floored her, she took a second to compose herself. “You keep saying that, as though this is some sort of normal relationship, that we’re married through choice. It was a mistake. A drunken mistake. Showing me how beautiful your city is, buying me wonderful meals...I get that you live in a nice place, and I also know you’re a nice guy...there’s no way I’d be in this position if you weren’t!” When he raised an eyebrow she added, “if you weren’t a nice guy I’d not have gone anywhere near you.”

He sighed, sipping his beer before leaning his elbows on the table, bringing his face closer to her, “I am a nice guy, which is a huge part of why we’re here. You weren’t forced into this, that night in Vegas, you wanted me Emma, you wanted to be with me, be my wife. It wasn’t a one way thing.”

                “We were both drunk!” She pressed herself back against the seat back, desperately wanting to put distance between them. It gave her a little more composure, “we had a couple of fun evenings together, that does make for a lifelong marriage. Am I the only one thinking this is crazy?”

Jacob sipped his beer again, “what I think is that we are married. We may have done something rashly, on a whim, but unfortunately we are now in this situation.”

                “We can get it annulled. It’s not ideal...”

Finally Jacob slumped back in his seat giving her some breathing room, “annulment? On what grounds? That I forced you? That you weren’t in a fit state to say ‘I do’, Emma you are dreaming! And we’ve been married a few weeks now; you’ve not made any protest till now! I’m not being painted as some criminal forcing you into a compromising situation...”

                “Brittany Spears did it! She knew her husband for years first, I read about it!” When he scoffed at her feeble example she groaned, “Divorce then, let’s at least free ourselves!”

Jacob watched her for a moment, enjoying that she was struggling when his attention focussed on her totally, “are you familiar with the Nevada divorce laws? Have you looked into it? It’s not like you can just go see a judge and it’s all done! It might be that simple in your country!”

Emma felt her jaw drop, “I don’t know which bit of that comment I find most offensive! Do you honestly think I’m that au fait with divorce laws? Are you worried I might be entitled to some of your Vegas winnings?  Is that what this is? I mean you’ve already told me that you needed that money specifically...”

He reached across and placed a hand over hers, Emma had to fight the way her pulse raced, hating the effect that brief contact had on her, “Emma. One of us has to move to Vegas for a couple of months after we petition for a divorce...and that’s after we’ve been separated for a year. There’s no quick fix.”

Emma could feel her jaw drop and hated that he’d surprised her, it proved that Marcia her supposed learned legal friend was MORE than under informed. “A year?”

He nodded, “there’s no easy solution Emma, which is why I think we should see if it works, if there’s anything between us. If not, we’ll petition in a year!”

                “A year?” She breathed again, unable to imagine being linked to this man for that time.