This is the forty-ninth episode of my unreliable memoirs, recounting memories from the nineteen eighties. Each episode is self-contained, so you can read them without having read the previous ones.
It is the end of August 1985 and things have taken a dramatic turn in Steven and Lesley's lives, although they don't fully realise the implications yet.
I hope you enjoy it.
M4bloke
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Chapter 1
Like all of Colin MacGregor's communication, the telex was short and to the point.
>>> START OF MESSAGE
>>> DANIEL DAVIDSON TAKEN ILL IN JAMAICA
>>> HEART ATTACK
>>> REQUEST YOU BOTH COME TO KINGSTON ASAP
>>> PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT
>>> COLIN MACGREGOR
>>> END OF MESSAGE
It was three o'clock on Tuesday morning when I read the message. Lesley and I had just got back to our hotel room in Florence, having been at a memorable party that evening.
The news was unbelievable. Daniel seemed such an unlikely candidate for a heart attack. He wasn't even fifty yet, and fit and healthy for a man of his age. Ok, he drank a bit and smoked the odd cigar, but not to excess. And, while being CEO of a venture capital company was certainly stressful, Daniel appeared to thrive on it.
"What is it?" Lesley asked noticing my expression.
"Daniel's had a heart attack, in Jamaica," I told her. "I think he's ok though."
Lesley's face went pale. I held her in my arms as the news sunk in. I thought she might turn all girly on me, but she was nothing of the sort, just focussed.
"We need to go to Jamaica," she told me. "I can't leave Kate on her own. She'll be beside herself."
I called the Blackfinch concierge service and ten minutes later Colin MacGregor called me back. He explained that Daniel had suffered a heart attack while playing tennis. Fortunately one of the guests at the hotel had been an American surgeon and his quick action had almost certainly saved Daniel's life. Daniel had been rushed to the hospital in Kingston where they'd operated to remove a blockage.
"What's the prognosis?" I asked.
"The longer he goes without suffering another heart attack, the better the odds get," Colin said, not really answering the question. "If he gets through the next few days then he's going to need further surgery though."
"Understood. Can you help us get to Jamaica?" I asked.
"When will you be ready to leave Florence?"
"In about an hour but we've got a motorbike here," I explained.
"Don't worry about that," Colin reassured me. "Leave your keys at reception and I'll arrange transport. There'll be a car waiting to take you to Milan Airport in an hour's time. Somebody will meet you at 'Departures' with your tickets."
"Thank you," I said, grateful for the help.
"Good luck, Steven. Let me know when you arrive."
"Oh. Has anybody told Carole?" I asked. "She needs to know."
"I'm going to call her in the morning."
Chapter 2
The taxi took three hours to drive the two hundred or so miles to Milan airport. On arrival we were met by a Blackfinch courier who handed us two first class tickets to Kingston via Atlanta. We'd just about made the 0945 flight which meant that, if all went well, we could avoid an overnight layover between legs.
We'd decided to take just hand luggage in order to make checking in as quick as possible. But it meant that we had no clothes other than the ones were standing in. We had a few minutes in the departure lounge before the flight was called and tried to buy some travel essentials, as well as magazines and books to read on the flight.
Once boarded, there was nothing to be done for the next eleven hours other than try to prepare ourselves for what was to come. Lesley looked tired, but when the cabin crew came round with champagne she readily accepted a glass.
"Whatever we do on this flight won't change anything," she pointed out, "so we may as well enjoy it."
"You're right," I agreed. "I could do with getting some sleep though."
"We did over indulge a bit last night," Lesley giggled, referring to the party at Aldo and Gina's.
First class in the 80's wasn't quite as good as it is now. You didn't get your own private 'pod' or anything like that, but the seats were nice and wide and the service was excellent. There was even a bar on the upper deck if you wanted get up and have a drink. Lesley and I tried to get some sleep but, being a daytime flight, it wasn't so easy. We covered ourselves in blankets then Lesley snuggled into me and for the last couple of hours of the flight we both managed to get some rest.
We arrived in Atlanta half an hour early, giving us time to do some shopping in the lounge. The weather in Jamaica was going to be hot and so Lesley bought a couple of cheap summer dresses while I bought some short-sleeved shirts and a pair of Bermuda style shorts. There was nowhere to buy fresh underwear though which was a shame. I went to the newsagents and bought some pens and a writing pad to make notes while, ever the practical one, Lesley bought some sun tan lotion to replace the stuff she'd left in Florence, along with some insect repellent and one of those things you plug in at night to keep the mosquitos away. Then we were back on a plane for the last three hours of our journey.
Just before we were about to land in Kingston, one of the cabin crew came up to us.
"Mr and Mrs Carter?" she checked before continuing.
"Yes."
"Please can you remain in your seats when the other passengers disembark. Separate arrangements have been made for you."
We remained seated as everyone else left the plane. It felt like we were in detention but then someone from the ground crew called us and we made our way to the exit where a car was waiting. It took us to a private immigration control desk where our passports were stamped then we were led out to a waiting car.
The journey to the hotel took less than half an hour and Kate was there waiting for us in reception. She burst into tears the moment she saw us and Lesley gave her a big hug.
"Let's go upstairs," Lesley told Kate then, looking at me, she said, "Can you check us in?"
"Sure," I told them.
"You've got the adjoining room," Kate told us through her sniffles.
I completed the check-in formalities then made my way up to the room, much to the disappointment of the bellboy who saw I had no luggage.
When I knocked on the partition door between the rooms, Lesley opened it. The door opened out onto a lounge area and it reminded me of the suite we shared with Daniel and Kate each year in Annecy. Kate got up and we hugged.
"How is Daniel?" I asked.