"Gilligan's Acres" Chapter 14

[kirsdarke]

Title: Gilligan's Acres
Chapter 14
Author: Karen/kirsdarke
Pairings: Ginger/Professor, Gilligan/Mary Ann
Rating: PG
Summary: A friend of the Howells rescues the castaways, then leaves them a surprise when he suddenly passes away.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gilligan's Island.
Note: Sort of a long one. I hope you enjoy. Please comment!




Chapter Fourteen
The Double Gilligan

Two Months Later

The tiny farmhouse had changed a lot in two months. A fresh coat of paint and a fixed front porch seemed to reinvigorate the outside, even though the roof had yet to be completely repaired. Inside, everything in sight had been cleaned, repaired, or replaced, and the rooms all furnished with classic American furniture that Mrs. Howell had hand-picked and had flown in from Paris. Mr. Friedman's humble abode was now the fanciest farmhouse in Oklahoma.

The former castaways had formed a nice routine. Everyone had their job: Mary Ann took care of the fields, Mrs. Howell and Mr. Carlisle busied themselves with redecorating the house, Ginger spent her days working at the theater, and everybody else was enlisted to help wherever they were needed.

On one beautiful but hot day, Gilligan came down from working on the roof with the Skipper, carrying a large, empty bottle, and found Mary Ann in the kitchen, stirring a bowl of batter.

"Hi, Mary Ann," he said.

"Oh, hi, Gilligan," she said. "How's it going up there?"

"It's all right. Skipper wanted me to come get us some water." He looked at the bowl she was stirring. "What are you making?"

"It's a birthday cake for Jimmy and Patti," she said. "I'm gonna surprise them with it at the party tonight."

Gilligan grinned. "Oh, boy. What kind is it? Coconut cream?"

"Please. Chocolate."

"Oh. Well, that's good, too. And if you need someone to lick the bowl when you're done, let me know, huh?"

Mary Ann laughed. "I will."

There was a knock on the kitchen door and Jimmy stuck his head in.

"Morning, folks," he said. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Gilligan said.

He walked inside, leaving the door open.

"Happy birthday," Mary Ann said.

"Thanks, Miss Mary Ann," he said. "What are you making?"

"Oh." Mary Ann stopped stirring. "Um, nothing."

"Certainly not a birthday cake," Gilligan said.

"Oh, too bad," Jimmy said. "Well, y'all are coming to our party tonight, right?"

"Oh, sure," Mary Ann said. "We're all looking forward to it."

"Us, too. It's gonna be nice to celebrate our birthday with people instead of chickens." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded-up newspaper. "Anyway, I came to pick up Ginger, and I brought this."

"A New York Times?" Gilligan said.

"Yeah, Patti brought it back when she went to Tulsa yesterday."

"Oh, that's great," Mary Ann said. "I bet Mr. Howell will be glad to see it." She set her bowl down on the table. "I'll go see if Ginger's up."

"Thanks." Jimmy watched Mary Ann as she left. When he was sure she was gone, he smiled and pulled the spoon out of the bowl of batter.

"Don't eat that!" Mary Ann called from...somewhere. Jimmy dropped the spoon back in the bowl, startled.

Gilligan smiled. "Serves you right. I have first dibs on licking the bowl."

Jimmy sat down at the kitchen table and tried not to look at the bowl of batter. Gilligan went to the sink and began getting water for himself and Skipper. The back door opened and the Professor walked in.

"Good morning, gentlemen," he said.

"Morning, Professor," Jimmy said. "I'm just waiting for Ginger, so we can go work at the theater."

"Do you mean Ginger still hasn't come down from her room?" the Professor asked.

"No, Mary Ann just went to get her," Gilligan said. He wandered back to the table. "You know, Ginger's sure been acting funny lately. Even for Ginger."

The Professor leaned on the table across from the younger men. "Between the three of us," he said. "I'm concerned about Ginger. Ever since her understudy in the play became her permanent replacement, she's exhibited a loss of appetite, a change in her sleeping habits, and a loss of interest in endeavors that she previously enjoyed, such as working at the theater. Now, these may be symptoms of a temporary melancholia, but I'm afraid that they may worsen into a severe depression."

Jimmy stared at him blankly for a second, and then turned to Gilligan.

"She's sad because she lost her job, and he's afraid it might get worse," Gilligan translated for him.

"Oh," Jimmy said, as the Professor simply stared at them in amazement. "Hey, I have something that might cheer her up." Jimmy began looking through the newspaper. "I think Patti said there's an article in here about that play."

"You think that'll help?" Gilligan asked.

"Well, it depends on what the article says," Professor said. "One mustn't underestimate the cathartic benefit of schadenfreude."

Jimmy looked to Gilligan for another translation, but all Gilligan could do was shrug.

"Here it is," Jimmy said, folding the paper to the correct page. The three men leaned in to read the article together.

"Look, they mention Ginger," Gilligan said.

"Yes, so they do," the Professor said.

"What's that word?" Jimmy asked, pointing.

"'Melodramatic.'"

"What does it mean?" Gilligan asked.

"It means that this is not going to help Ginger," Professor said. "In fact, I don't think we should let her see it at all."

Two sets of footsteps came down the stairs in the next room. The Professor took the paper and hid it behind his back. The three men turned to watch as Mary Ann and Ginger walked into the kitchen.

"Hi, Jimmy," Ginger said. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I guess I overslept a little."

"Oh, that's all right," Jimmy said.

Ginger caught sight of the Professor, and a small smile crossed her face. She recognized a man with a secret when she saw one, and there were two things Ginger couldn't resist: men and secrets.

She took a few steps over to him. "Good morning, Professor."

"Good morning, Ginger," he said. "You seem to be in a good mood today."

"I am," she said. "What are you hiding?"

"Hiding? I'm not hiding anything."

"No, you're just standing casually in the middle of the kitchen with your hands behind your back."

"Yes," Professor said. "It's a posture exercise."

"Ohh," Ginger said, unconvinced. She reached around the Professor's side, trying to grab the paper from him. He quickly turned away, and she grabbed it from the other side.

"I got it!" Ginger said excitedly, as she unfolded the paper. "Oh, look, it's an article about Debbie."

Ginger's face slowly fell as she read. When she was done, she looked around, but nobody would look back at her. She folded up the paper, put it on the table, and forced a smile.

"They love her," she said. "That's great. I'll have to send her some flowers. Come on, Jimmy, we'd better go."

"Yes, ma'am." They left through the kitchen door.

"Oh, poor Ginger," Mary Ann said as she picked up the bowl of batter and resumed her stirring.

"Gilligan!" Gilligan jumped at the familiar sound of the Skipper bellowing his name. The kitchen door slammed as Skipper barged inside. "Gilligan, I have been waiting on the roof for the last ten minutes, waiting for that water."

"I'm sorry, Skipper," Gilligan said. "Here it is." He handed him the jug of water. "I'll be there in a minute."

Skipper sighed, gave his first mate an annoyed look, and took the jug of water back outside. Gilligan began to follow him, then stopped in the doorway.

"Hey, Mary Ann," he said. "I changed my mind. Let Ginger lick the bowl. Maybe it'll cheer her up."

The sun was going down when Jimmy brought Ginger back to the farmhouse that evening.

"I'll see you at the party later," Ginger said.

"I can't wait," he said. "I'll save you a dance."

Ginger was walking to the door when she heard Gilligan's voice: "Hey, Ginger!"

The redhead stopped, looked up and saw Gilligan and Skipper looking down at her from the roof.

"Hi," she said. "Are you still working on the roof?"

"We're just fixing this last patch over your room," Skipper said. "Then we should be done."

"Oh, well, be careful."

"You don't have to worry about us," Gilligan said.

Ginger went inside and walked upstairs to the room she shared with Mary Ann. She found her roommate sitting in front of the vanity, sewing a button onto one of Mr. Howell's shirts.

"Hi, Mary Ann."

"Hi, Ginger," she said. "I'm afraid you missed dinner. We ate early because of the party, but there should be leftovers in the kitchen."

"Oh, that's all right," Ginger said. "I ate with the twins." She went to her bed to put down her purse and found a bouquet of wildflowers laying there. "Are these for me?" she asked, picking them up.

Mary Ann smiled knowingly. "Uh-huh."

"Where did they come from?"

"A very smart gentleman friend left them for you. He thought they might cheer you up."

Judging by the smile on Ginger's face, he had been right. Mary Ann cut her thread and left to take Mr. Howell his shirt back.

That's when Ginger made a decision: it was time for her to speak up. After all, she was Ginger Grant. She wasn't afraid of anything.

She put her bouquet down and went to the closet to pick out a dress for the party. If she was going to go through with this, she would have to look her best. That's when she heard a terrible crash from behind her, and a sprinkle of dust fell on her. She had a feeling she knew what it was even before she turned and saw Gilligan on the floor, laying in the middle of a pile of wood and shingles.

"Oh, Gilligan!" She hurried over and helped him up. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," he said.

The two of them looked up at the hole in the ceiling where the Skipper was looking down at them. Gilligan put his hat back on.

"Don't worry, Ginger," he said. He pointed upwards. "We can fix that."

The twins' birthday party was being held in the bar on Main Street. The former castaways had never been inside, and in fact, the building had been vacant for several months, if not a year. The twins had spent the last two days cleaning and preparing it for the party.

When the former castaways arrived, Patti was standing next to the stage, trying to get the old jukebox to work, and Jimmy was behind the bar, making a drink for Mr. Carlisle. Mr. and Mrs. Howell walked right to them.

"Hey, folks," Jimmy said. "Glad you could make it."

"Hello, James," Mrs. Howell said.

"I must say, Francis," Mr. Howell said. "I'm a bit surprised to see you here."

"Well, why?" Mr. Carlisle said. "I'm a member of this little...community. Naturally, I'd want to celebrate the birth of our dear young friends."

Jimmy smiled as he slid Mr. Carlisle's drink across the bar to him. "And there's an open bar."

"You know me so well." Mr. Carlisle touched his glass to Jimmy's bottle.

"James, don't tell me you're working at your own party," Mrs. Howell said.

"All right, I won't tell you," Jimmy said. "Y'all want a drink?"

"Dear boy, you're not supposed to work at your own event."

"I'm not?"

"Of course not. Thurston, take over for him."

"Oh, it's all right, Mrs. Howell," Jimmy said. "I like tending bar. You can join me if you want, though, Mr. Howell."

"Well, I'm a little out of practice," Mr. Howell said. "But it might be fun, at that." He took off his jacket and joined Jimmy behind the bar. "Tell me, my boy, do you know how to make a Royal Bermuda Cocktail?"

Jimmy thought for a second. "No."

"Neither do I, but let's give it a shot." He slapped Jimmy on the back, and laughed cheerfully.

Mrs. Howell left the boys to have their fun, and joined the girls at a nearby table.

"That cake looks delicious, Mary Ann," Patti said.

"Thank you," Mary Ann said.

"I must say, Patricia, that you look absolutely darling," Mrs. Howell said.

"Well, thanks, Mrs. Howell," Patti said, pulling at the skirt of her dress. With her curled hair and small heels, she looked as glamorous as the castaways had ever seen her. "I haven't been this dressed-up since my cousin Peggy's first wedding."

"What about her second wedding?" Ginger asked.

"We weren't invited to the second wedding," Patti said quietly. She glanced towards her brother. "There was an incident."

"Oh."

Music came from the corner of the room. The women turned and saw the Professor step out from behind the jukebox.

"Oh, you fixed it," Ginger said happily.

"My hero," Patti said with a grin.

"It was simply a disconnected wire behind the speakers," the Professor said.

"You sure were lucky to have him around on that island," Patti said.

"We know," Ginger said.

"Y'all excuse me. I'm gonna go chat with our bartenders."

Patti walked over to the bar. Before she could say anything, Jimmy held a glass out to her full of ice and a cloudy brown mixture of liquids.

"Drink this," he said.

"No," she said.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not stupid enough to drink something just cause you say to."

Gilligan walked up to the bar with a smile. "Hi, guys. And Patti."

Jimmy and Mr. Howell shared a look, and Jimmy held the glass out to Gilligan. "Drink this."

"Okay."

Patti put her head in her hand as Gilligan enthusiastically drained the glass. His eyes bulged and he slammed it down on the bar, his mouth open as he gasped as if he were drowning. Mr. Howell picked up the empty glass, glanced at it calmly, and looked at Jimmy.

"Better make it a double," he said.

"Yeah," Jimmy said.

Patti reached over the bar, pulled out a hose and sprayed a rush of water into Gilligan's mouth. He closed his mouth and awkwardly swallowed the water.

"Thanks," he said. "What was that?"

"We call it a Gilligan," Mr. Howell said with a grin.

Gilligan frowned. "Thanks. Can I just have a pop?" Jimmy pulled out a bottle of soda, popped the cap off, and handed it to him. Gilligan took a small, cautious sip as he walked away.

The Skipper and the Professor walked up to the bar.

"What can we get you, gentlemen?" Mr. Howell asked cheerfully.

"With you two behind the bar," Professor said with a smile. "I'll just have water, thank you."

"What about you, Skipper?" Mr. Howell asked as Jimmy poured the Professor's water. "Can I interest you in trying a Double Gilligan?"

The Skipper didn't need to see Patti fervently shaking her head to know the answer: "No thanks, Mr. Howell. One Gilligan is enough for me."

Ginger sauntered up to the bar and leaned on the Professor's shoulder. "Are you going to ask me to dance or not?" she asked with a smile.

"Certainly," Professor said. He took a small drink of water before letting Ginger steer him onto the dance floor.

Patti leaned over to look at Mr. Carlisle's watch, then, with a resigned sigh, took some money out of her pocket. Mary Ann was already standing at her elbow with a smile.

"Here," Patti said as she handed Mary Ann the money.

"Thank you," Mary Ann said.

"Twenty minutes," Patti said. "Amazing. I thought it would at least take her a few drinks."

"Patti," Jimmy scolded his sister as Mary Ann walked away. "You know the law about gambling."

"Cut me a break, Sheriff," Patti said. "It's just a friendly little wager."

"Precisely," Mr. Carlisle said. "And if the skinny kid kisses the brunette before midnight, I'm a hundred dollars richer."

On the dance floor, the Professor and Ginger were only paying attention to each other, moving together to the music coming from the corner of the room.

After a couple moments of silence, Ginger said seriously, "Professor, I think we need to talk."

The Professor sighed. "Yes, I suppose we do." They had been dancing around the subject since the rescue, and it was time to put it out in the open. "Why don't you speak first?"

"Well, you must know how I feel about you," she said. "I haven't exactly been subtle. You're kind, and handsome, and brilliant, and you've always treated me with respect. And I know it doesn't make a lot of sense for a man like you to fall for a woman like me, but, well, it certainly wouldn't be the strangest thing that's happened since we met, would it?"

The Professor smiled and fell silent for a moment as he thought. Ginger watched him carefully.

"Ginger," he finally said. "You are...beautiful, kind, talented, and much smarter than you give yourself credit for. You can have any man you choose, and I am incredibly flattered that you would want to choose me."

"But?" she asked grimly. She knew that there was one coming.

But the way they felt didn't change their reality. "But we are not on the island anymore," he said. "And we can't stay here forever. We come from two very different lives, and we're very different people."

"Like you and Erika Tiffany-Smith," Ginger said.

"Exactly," the Professor said. Although, truth be told, his feelings for Ginger had grown stronger than his feelings for Erika had ever been.

Ginger stepped away from him, even though the music was still playing. "Thank you for the dance," she said, unable to look at him.

He felt her hand slip slowly out of his as she walked away, and he was left standing alone on the dance floor. Ginger felt everybody watching her as she walked into the back hallway and went to the door. It took a slight shove to get it open, and it creaked loudly as she pushed it and stepped onto the back porch. It was raining and had turned cold. Ginger hugged herself and walked as close to the edge as she could without getting wet.

Well, at least it was over with. As painful as it was, she'd done what she had to. Of course, she should have waited until later in the night. There was no way she could go back into the party now. Perhaps she should wait for the rain to pass and just catch the next train out of town. Except there was nothing to go back to, now that she was out of a job.

Perhaps she should just stop thinking.

"Hi," Mary Ann's gentle voice came from the doorway. Ginger gave her a smile, and Mary Ann stepped outside, carrying two glasses of a cloudy brown drink. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ginger said. "I was just rejected and humiliated in front of the entire town, that's all." She looked at the glasses that the brunette was carrying. "What do you have there?"

"I don't know what it's called," Mary Ann said. "I just asked for two of the strongest drink they have."

"Good girl," Ginger said with a smile, taking one of the glasses.

"A toast?" Mary Ann said, holding up her glass.

"To good girlfriends."

"I'll drink to that."

The two women touched their glasses together, then each took a big drink, and promptly spit them out.

ETA: I forgot to show you what the ladies were wearing. My mistake!
Ginger, Mrs. Howell, Patti, Mary Ann.