Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

to rise. “How did you ever find this place?”
“I’ve owned a little island here for many years. Not this one, mind you, this is Matinloc,
and it belongs to the state. But I have a little spit of land not too far away. Great-aunt
Matilda Leong left it to me, but in secret. You know she was a bit of an eccentric…she was
a conspiracy theorist and she really thought the world was going to be wiped out in a
nuclear war one day. So she bought a little island in Palawan and built a house. ‘The
ultimate safe haven,’ she called it, and she wanted me to have this as a refuge of last
resort. I’d never actually visited until now, and I can’t believe I’ve waited this long.”
“It’s paradise here. Any minute, I expect to see a naked Brooke Shields coming out of
the water!”
“You wish!”
“Actually, I have an even better vision right in front of me,” Charlie said, admiring the
hints of Astrid’s beautiful tan body showing through her gauzy white cover-up. As if
reading his mind, Astrid stood up. “Have you ever swum naked in a hidden lagoon
before?” she asked, as she removed the linen cover-up.
“Um, won’t Marco be back soon?” Charlie asked, a little alarmed.
“Marco’s not coming back for a couple of hours,” Astrid said as she slipped off her white
string bikini and dove into the lagoon. Charlie reflexively looked around for a moment to
make sure they were alone, took off his swimming trunks, and dove in after her.
They glided through the crystal-clear water for a while, peering at all the colorful fish
darting about the coral reef, the sea anemones waving their fingers Zen-like in the
current, the giant clams embedded in the sand that would open for a split second to suck
in water before shutting again forcefully. They floated on their backs in the middle of the
lagoon, staring up at the passing clouds, and then Charlie took Astrid in his arms, lifted
her out of the water, and made love to her on the smooth glistening sand, their moans of
ecstasy echoing in the lagoon as they became one with nature, with the sea and sky.
Afterward, Charlie lay on his back against the pillowy sand. He was beginning to doze
off in the sun, slightly hypnotized by the palm fronds undulating in the breeze over him.
Suddenly the sound of chattering voices began to fill the air.
“What’s that?” Charlie asked lazily.
“Tourists, probably,” Astrid replied.
“Tourists? What?” Charlie bolted up and saw a gaggle of people in bright yellow T-shirts
entering the lagoon through the cave, which was only partially submerged now that the
tide had gone down.
“Fuck! Where are my swim trunks?” Charlie scrambled around, trying to find them.
“You didn’t tell me there could be tourists.”
“Of course—this is one of the most popular attractions in Palawan!” Astrid giggled at
the sight of Charlie rushing around naked on the beach, trying to find his trunks.
“Oy, mate! You looking for these?” an Aussie surfer shouted from the other side of the
lagoon, holding up Charlie’s blue-and-white trunks.
“Yes, thanks!” Astrid shouted back. She turned to Charlie, who was hiding behind a