THE BOAT TRIP: Stampy And Squid

Topical Tropical

Why don't you remind yourself of the beginning of chapter one of this book...

--SQUIDS POV--
I handed Stampy the phone,
"Slippery fellow aren't I?" I laughed,
"Slippery Shit!" He laughed, taking the phone, "hello darling you didn't hear all that did you?"
"Every word." I heard Beth respond quietly, before Joe went downstairs with the phone against his ear. I hoped everything would be alright between the two.

We were 200 miles out to sea, there was no point on turning back now. We only had.. Well... A couple thousand miles to go..
The boat seemed to be running weirdly, the engine was tripping slightly but I assumed it was just the waves going against the bow of the boat.

--STAMPYS POV--
Beth and I were face timing, she had just heard the conversation/ argument that David and I had.. I was nervous about what her response would be.
"I'm sorry." I told her,
"Don't turn back to New York." She said, I nodded,
"I understand." I told her. Disappointed that she didn't want to speak to me.
"Because the sooner you get home the sooner we can get married."
"What?!" My mood changed... What did she mean.
"Joseph go and get that engagement ring box and put it in front of the screen." She ordered. I did as she said, showing her the box.
"Now put the box in front of my face, facing you." She said. I did as she asked, confused. I placed the ring box on the table in front of where my phone was where the face time video was of Beth's flawless face.
Beth looked beautiful. She was sitting on a park bench in New York, it was sunset. The orange sky reflected on the stilted skyscrapers in the distance. A spectrum of colours highlighted in her vibrant eyes, outlined with a black chol liner, contrasting with her pale complexion. Her brown hair was tousled and folder half over one eye. Her light luscious lips were deep and red, matching with her sheer red jumper, effortlessly revealing a contoured shoulder.
I wished that I was with her now.
"This isn't prepared.." She giggled nervously, "but you said you needed help.. I declined your proposal before.. I'm sorry, I'm sorry for embarrassing you and adding to your anxiety. I really am, you see I've got my issues too. But we can learn to patch each other up, we can learn to help each other. You need help, I can help you... You can open that ring box now.."
My mouth dropped with the sensational shock of human love.
Oh my god I love her.. This isn't how I felt with Eva or Courtney. This is real! I've never loved anyone like I love Beth. This is the one. Beth is the one. No one will ever come close to her, no one, not ever.

--SQUIDS POV--
After about half an hour Stampy walked back upstairs with a smile on his face. I immediately was relieved that he didn't want to kill me anymore.
"So... It went well?" I guessed, feeling anxious,
"I am officially engaged." Stampy announced,
"Y'wha?!"
He showed me his left hand with a very girly-looking ring on his finger.
"Did you just have a virtual proposal?" I said, my mouth opening wide.
"I did indeed!"
"Oh my god!!"
"Yep, she just proposed to me!"
"OH MY GOOOOOOOOD!!!" I yelled, I had not expected this outcome.. I thought maybe they'd be less awkward about seeing each other or maybe consider being boyfriend and girlfriend again but... They're getting married too?! Whaaaaat?!

I ran down the stairs and brought out a bottle of champagne that I had bought in New York.
I walked back up on deck to notice that Joe was gone.
"Joseph?! Stamps?!"
"Hey over here!" I heard him call. I looked over the side of the boat to see that he had jumped into the sea.
I laughed before taking off my shirt and diving in beside him.
"woo hoo!" I screamed, feeling, at last, the happiest I'd felt in a long long time.
"The sea is bloody cold!" I announced, shivering.
"I know! I forgot we aren't in the South Pacific anymore!" Joe laughed,
"We're in the Atlantic Ocean baby!" I shouted, climbing back up on board I grabbed us both a towel and we filled ourselves a glass of champagne, feeling so happy.
"I'm proud of you man!" I told him,
"Beth has bought another ring, we're going to swap when we get home." I said,
"Sounds romantic," I laughed, still mind blown that the tiny little seventeen year old girl that we stumbled across when I was at his house years ago, would eventually turn out to be his future wife.
"What's Nicole up to?" Joe asked, trying to make it out that he cared. He sipped his champagne with pride and joy, he deserved this.
"She's away back to England tomorrow, her brother is picking her up at the airport and bringing her home. He's been looking after the pets while we've been gone."
"Cool, when's the baby coming?" Joe asked,
"Ollie's coming in a couple months."I told him,
"You're seriously naming your child after your cat?"
"Oh god yeah.. Right.. That was 100% intentional. I had this planned all along."
"You gonna change your cats name to Oliver?"
"Gosh.. We'll work around it.. " I laughed. It had never dawned to me that my cat and my child would share the same name.. Awkward..
"Nice champagne, smells like strawberries." Joe complimented, changing the subject.
"I thought it had more of a tropical whiff." I argued.
"You've got a tropical whiff." Joe said, I gave a quick chuckle, we were both in such a good mood.