by Mark Stewart
“CAN I have the music stopped? I need everyone’s attention for only a few minutes.”
The tone of voice the man wearing the three-piece electric blue suit used sounded authoritative as it boomed through the microphone over the dying last note of the music. The man ran a hand through his immaculate jet black hair. He looked to be slightly taller than Wade, only not as fit. Two scantily dressed women, one on each side of the man, were hanging off an arm. He guided both women to vacant chairs before stepping in front of the band. A hush descended over the crowd. Two hundred party goers stopped moving to the dance beat to focus their attention on where he stood.
“I do apologize for being late. Now I’m back onboard, I want to say; happy new year to everyone here tonight. I trust you’re enjoying the festivities on my brand new twenty-million-dollar ship. In case you don’t know me, I’m Darryl Vandenberg. I own Vanden enterprises. Shifting goods throughout the world is a growing business. Each year I’m doubling my profits. I alone have built my successful corporation from the ground up. In only ten short years I have gone from an idea to a multi-million-dollar accomplishment.”
Darryl swept his gaze over the heads of his guests soaking in the applause exploding from the dance floor. He loved every minute of the attention. What excited him most were the stares he received from the men who were wearing an expensive black dinner suit. To gain acceptance onto his ship, the invitation strictly stated the men must escort a lovely lady onboard. The long ballroom dresses the women wore sparkled in the light of the mirror ball suspended from the ceiling. Each young lady held the hand of their male partner. In the other, they clutched a full glass of champagne. Every male guest held a glass of the expensive bubbly handed to them by the many waitresses scooting about the deck carrying silver trays.
“I’d like to propose a toast to the coming year,” announced Darryl through the microphone. “I feel it in my bones 1974 will be a great one.”
“Here, here,” chorused the guests.
“Enough about me, I have an important announcement to make. Anneli and Meredith, please join me on the stage.”
A tall, attractive young lady wearing a long red dress, a fascinator buried in her hair made her way forward. Someone sprayed glitter into her long dark hair which draped over her shoulders.
A second young woman wearing a cream coloured evening gown quickly made her way to the front.
“In case, some of you don’t recognize my stepdaughters, this young woman on my left is Meredith. On my right is my second daughter, Anneli. Dirk, please come forward. I want you to stand next to Meredith.”
A medium framed young man cat leapt onto the stage and stood next to Meredith.
“This young man has a great future in my company. Not only has he worked tirelessly to prove he’s a suitable candidate, in his spare time, Dirk is involved in real estate, shares, and the buying and selling of companies. Only last week he purchased a million-dollar yacht similar to this one, just a lot smaller. Not bad for a twenty-five-year-old.”
Darryl waited for the whispered laughs to subside before continuing.
“The exciting news is; Dirk and Meredith will soon be tying the knot.”
Applause from the onlookers reverberated throughout the entire ship.
“I want everyone to raise their glasses for the second time to toast the young engaged couple,” ordered Darryl through the microphone.
Another cheer filled the air. A constant clang of wine glasses swamped the area. Darryl faced the band signaling for them to play music immediately.
When Anneli left the stage a waitress on her way to the upper deck thrust a glass of champagne into her hand.
“Meredith, sweetheart, I want you to wait for me in the study. I don’t want you to be enticed away from me by a handsome stranger,” taunted Dirk. “I have business to conduct. I’m sure it won’t take more than twenty minutes.”
Meredith scrunched her nose, glaring at her fiancé.
“Good girl. After you’ve done what I’ve ordered, we’ll go mingle.”
Anneli, standing at the side, beckoned her sister to follow. They walked to the other end of the deck, climbed the stairs, pushing their way through over forty guests who decided to move from the lower to the upper deck so they could enjoy the warm summer evening.
The large ship rolled lazily on the small swells three hundred metres from the channel in Port Phillip Bay. A cargo ship slipped through the heads on its way to the port of Melbourne. A couple of the crewmen waved at several women party goers standing at the nose of the ship. Unseen by their male partners they blew back kisses.
At the stern of the ship, both girls gazed at the dark water flowing lazily past the hull. Not more than twenty feet from the ship a dolphin surfaced. The girls stared at the exact place long after it had disappeared.
“Are you okay?”
Meredith focused on her sister. Staring into her brown eyes, she started to sob. “Anneli, I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I’m your younger sister. I’m concerned.”
“I know you are.”
“Talk to me. Tell me what’s on your mind?”
“The subject I think you’re referring to can never be brought up.”
“I want you to call off the charade of a wedding,” blurted Anneli, thrusting her hands onto her hips.
“What a blunt statement. You know it’s not possible.”
“Do it before it’s too late.”
“Father will disapprove,” whispered Meredith on a sigh. She quickly glanced about the deck hoping no one decided to listen in on their conversation.
“He’ll get over it,” hissed Anneli. “Besides, the sooner you let him know how you feel, the more time he’ll have to understand why we are correct.”
“I don’t want to lose any inheritance coming my way.”
“Meredith, if you accept any part of his ridiculous plan, no offence Sis, you’re out of your mind. Personally, I’d never want to end up married to a man who orders me around. Dirk is not the right one for you. Somewhere there is a man of your dreams. Forget the money. Go find him.”
“You’re drunk,” shrieked Meredith.
“Yep, I know I am. Take my advice; break it up before it’s too late.”
“I’m looking forward to my wedded life and all of Dirk’s money.”
“What about love?” Anneli questioned.
“What about it?” Meredith snorted.
“You should love the man you’re going to see each morning at breakfast. Not have father dictate to you who you should marry.”
“I think in time I’ll learn to love Dirk. Besides, all the money he has will more than compensate for the diminutive lack in other areas.”
“Don’t short change yourself on what could be a great future for a man who wants to love you. A pre-birth agreement should never have been allowed,” yelled Anneli.
“Five million dollars in Dirk’s bank account will see me having an extremely happy life.”
“I’d rather marry a poor man than a man who is so far up himself sleeping next to me every night.”
“Anneli, enjoy your last single year. You know father has set your wedding date. Before you celebrate the coming in of 1975, you’ll be married.
Anneli glared at her sister. “Don’t remind me.”
“Keep focused on the money coming your way. I promise you’ll be happier than me,” whispered Meredith.
“If you won’t listen to my warning, help me finish off this champagne, and please, help me find a pen and paper.”
“Why?”
“I want to write a letter, place it in the bottle, kiss the cork to seal it then I’m going to throw it overboard into the sea,” replied Anneli starting to slur her words after the wine she drank quickly took effect. “I’m going to order the bottle to find my hero.”
“Fairytales, sis, you have to stop believing in fantasies, it won’t happen.”
“The only thing you have to do is believe.”
“I believe in the money. It’s going to keep me happy,” hinted Meredith, confidently.
“Will the millions of dollars keep you warm at night when your husband, instead of being home making love to you, he’ll be somewhere else in the arms of another woman?”
Meredith glared at her sister through water filled eyes before setting herself to walk off.
Anneli grabbed her sister’s arm. “Please help me,” she confirmed.
Both girls swayed where they stood. Meredith reluctantly nodded. Arm in arm, they walked off snaking their way through the sea of strangers who were bobbing to the rhythm of the music. They walked down a long narrow corridor and entered the kitchen. They stood watching the closest cook. The man looked up from decorating trays of small desserts.
“I don’t suppose you have a pen and paper?” asked Anneli.
The man wore an expression of a cyclone etched on his forehead. He viciously shook his head, marched across the room, rudely shoving the girls out through the open door. Slamming the door shut he went back to work.
“That cook is a strange man,” chuckled Meredith.
Anneli choked on her half drunken snigger.
The girls ventured into the room adjacent to the kitchen. The room resembled an office. The small portable TV sat inside a narrow wood grain unit and books had been crammed into what space remained. An antique mahogany desk filled a third of the room. The large chair covered in dull red leather sat neatly under the desk. The only other piece of furniture was a flimsy white plastic chair in one corner.
Anneli sat on the large leather chair, opened the top draw, lifting out a gold-plated pen and a pad of yellow paper. Glancing at Meredith pushing her ear against the door she slapped the pad on the desktop and commenced to write her letter.
“Sis, hurry up, I hear footsteps.”
Anneli replaced the pen, folded the note five times before hiding it in the palm of her hand. The girls were almost at the door when it opened.
The man who took up the entire doorway looked down his nose. “What are you two up to?” he growled in his baritone voice.
“Father, we wanted five minutes of peace. We both have a headache,” whispered Anneli.
“Meredith, when you’ve found your fiancé I want you to escort him back to the deck. On your way grab, something from the medicine cabinet in the kitchen. Anneli, I want to have a word.”
Anneli waited for Meredith to leave before shutting the door. Turning to face her father, she said innocently. “Yes.”
“Pull up the chair,” he barked.
Anneli dragged the small white plastic chair across the room and sat opposite.
The man looked over the top of his glasses. “There’s been a slight delay in your marriage. At next year’s new-years-eve party your-husband-to-be will be introduced to you. Three weeks after your introduction there will be an engagement party. Four weeks further on you’ll be standing at the altar saying I do.”
Folding her arms, Anneli glared angrily at her father. “Your idea is way off the mark on what I’m thinking.”
“I don’t care what you think,” he growled, hammering the desktop using a tight fist. “From the moment, I married your mother the deal regarding the man you will marry is unbreakable.”
Anneli stood, throwing her hands onto her hips. “You are not my real father.”
“Sit down.”
“I prefer to stand.”
“Hearing you feel so strongly about your idea I’ll do the same.” Darryl stood, folding his arms across his chest. “Let me start by saying a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since your real father died at sea in a storm. If I remember correctly a cyclone took his life; Tragic tale. Two years I waited in the wings for your mother to put the loss behind her. When she finally married me, I could tell she never felt happier.”
“My mother married you for your money, nothing more.”
“I beg to differ.”
“My mother whispered to me on her death bed whatever happens never marry someone for his money. Above everything, love must come first. On her last breath, she made it clear to me I should always follow my heart.”
“She didn’t mention it to me,” admitted Darryl.
“In case you’ve forgotten, my mother’s name was Evelyn. She died of cancer three days after my seventh birthday.” Anneli walked to the door. Instead of rushing outside she turned to face her stepfather. “Has this idea of yours ever been written down on paper?”
“My word is my bond. I expect others to mirror my example,” Darryl yelled.
“What if they don’t?”
“You mock me. I don’t expect any resistance to my ideas.”
“Has it ever dawned on you I might want to find a husband on my own?” questioned Anneli.
“What do you know about finding the perfect man? The one who will keep you well fed and warm on cold nights.”
Anneli shrugged. “Not a thing. Has it ever occurred to you it is part of the love process?”
“Why, say such a preposterous thing?”
“I believe everyone on the face of the earth should have a choice on which person they want for a lifetime partner.”
Darryl marched across the grey carpet to the door. “You are too young to know when the right choice is staring at you in the face. For a carefree future, it’s my duty to choose the correct path you will follow.”
“Whatever happened to free choice?”
“I forbid it.”
“For once, why don’t you trust me to make the right decision? I won’t make a bad choice.”
“Financially you have to be looked after. I’ll judge myself worse than a failure if you didn’t marry a rich man.”
“Is it such a bad thing?”
“Yes. I will not have you go through life in poverty.”
“Is this marriage contract the only reason why you entertain the radical idea?”
“Yes.”
“You expect to match me to someone of your choosing, providing he’s rich?” Anneli folded her arms in a defying gesture.
“You make it sound worse than it is.”
“If this farce germinates it’ll be the beginning of my nightmare. I should love the man before I give him something I can never take back. Once I have given myself the first time there is no going back or changing my mind. I have always wanted my first time to be precious. The moment will be of my choosing, not yours or anybody else’s. It’s my choice and my choice alone,” yelled Anneli.
“You’re Grandparents chose my first wife. After she had died, they insisted I marry her sister; your mother.”
Tears started to fall from Anneli’s eyes. “You make out you were buying a prized head of cattle.”
“Your mother and her sister were both beautiful women. Granted, it took me time to realize I loved them both equally. When I did, I could not have been happier.”
“Tell me, when you were twenty, did you or did you not want to decide for yourself the girl who you considered could be the perfect wife, someone who might grow to love you and not be ordered to love you?”
“Stop talking rubbish,” yelled Darryl.
“This is the start of 1974. Can’t you understand why your youngest stepdaughter wants to be married to someone of her choosing,” asked Anneli.
“You will marry the man I have entered into a contract with. If you insist on going against my wishes, you will not receive a single Australian dollar from the family. You will be on your own. When you choose to see things my way, the money will again start flowing. Be warned; if you don’t do things my way, you will be ruined financially for the remainder of your life. Take hold of what your eldest sister has done. The relationship between her and Dirk is going great.”
Anneli stared at her father. “Is it? Be honest. Have you ever sat her down to ask Meredith?”
Anneli and her father stood for a long time glaring at each other. The tension in the room continued to thicken.
“This discussion is over,” yelled Anneli, y
anking the office door open.
Darryl snorted before looking away. “The subject is indeed closed.”
“Father, this subject is far from closed.”
Anneli pulled the door shut behind her. She marched back along the corridor to the deck of the ship. Spying a bottle of expensive bubbly on the counter at the bar, she sprinted over, swiped it and a corkscrew then searched for a quiet corner. She intended to get completely drunk the moment she popped the cork.
Meredith stood loitering next to the bar. Her gaze remained fixed on the antics of her sister. For a brief moment, Anneli hesitated. As if signaling a secret code, Meredith followed. They pushed their way through the partygoers on the way to the stern.
At the rear of the small ship, they discovered a square platform which sat half an inch below the surface of the water. Anneli grabbed two wooden chairs from the closest table, placing them on the platform. She took hold of her sister’s hand to help her over the railing. They sat dangling their feet in the water, drinking the bottle of bubbly and staring out across the bay. The low swells died away leaving Port Phillip Bay glass flat. There were no clouds to hide the stars. In the background, the lights of Melbourne shone brighter than a million torches.
“Nice night to drown one’s sorrows,” whispered Meredith, eventually.
“It sure is,” growled Anneli, staring at a fictitious object on the horizon. “There’s no way I’m going to consent to our father’s stupid plans.”
“Sis, I heard the argument. Hell, the whole ship heard.”
“Good. I meant every word.” Anneli lifted the bottle to her mouth, swallowing a third of the contents. Lifting the corkscrew to shoulder height, she threw it into the sea.
“You know you’ve opened a can of worms,” mentioned Meredith.
“I don’t care. The man who calls himself our father has to realize these are modern times. It’s my choice whom I intend to marry, not his.”
“Good for you.” Meredith grabbed the bottle out of Anneli’s hand, swallowing a mouthful of champagne.
“You should’ve done the same,” blurted Anneli, looking directly at her sister.
“For a few days, I did contemplate the idea. The bottomless bucket of money Dirk gave me permission to spend is too tempting an offer. Besides, my fiancé treats me well.”
“It’s not too late to pull the plug,” barked Anneli.
Meredith leaned towards her sister, whispering. “Do yourself a favour. Obey what father says. It’ll save everyone a lot of trouble.”
Anneli stood, hovering over her sister. “I thought you’d back me up on this.”
“Trust me; it’s easier to surrender.”
“I’ll never agree to an arranged marriage. If I die of starvation, so be it.”
Meredith pursed her lips. Reaching up she grabbed Anneli on the arm. “It’s too late for me. Whatever you decide, I’ll back you one hundred percent.”
Anneli patted her on the shoulder. Flopping back onto the seat she announced. “I’m happy knowing I have at least one person on my side. You do realize, out there, your Mr. Right is waiting.”
“He’ll be waiting for a long time,” replied Meredith on a forced sigh. “I have no plans to leave my fiancé. Besides, if I did, I think I’d be fish food. Running out on a contracted marriage or future marriage has never happened in our ancestry line.”
“Exactly why I’m going to marry who I please,” snarled Anneli.
“You’re hooked on the bloke you kissed on the bridge.”
Anneli nodded. “The kiss felt wonderful.”
“Get over it.”
“There’s no way I could ever get over something so enjoyable. There’s more to it than just a passing kiss.”
“Your emotions were ignited by the idea you’d never see him again.”
“Maybe you’re right. What are the odds our paths will cross again?”
“Take it from me, they’re not in your favour,” Meredith slurred. She raised the bottle of bubbly to her lips, swallowing the remaining liquid in one long continuous gulp.
Anneli pulled the small sheet of folded paper from her cleavage, handing it over.
Meredith unfolded the note and read the words out loud.
“To my hero, when will you save me from my stinking horrible life? Please hurry, signed Anneli.”
“Meredith, follow my lead. Place both hands on the bottle and repeat after me. God, if you think I need saving from my life, you’ll see to it that my soul mate will find this bottle. If you think Wade is the one for me, you have my permission to send him my way. The kiss we shared happened to be out of this world.”
Meredith stared at her sister. In a blunt monotone voice, she replied. “I agree.”
Anneli tipped the few remaining drops of champagne into the water, pushed the note into the bottle and managed to replace a third of the cork. She kissed the bottle and gently placed it into the sea. Both girls watched the bottle bobbing in the water till the darkness swallowed it.
“What now?” Meredith asked.
“I’m going ashore.”
“You can’t; father won’t allow it.”
“Have you forgotten already where he found me? Escort me to the bridge. I want to see my hero coming.”
“The bloke would be long gone,” advised Meredith.
Anneli fell silent. She stared out across the surface of the water, lost in a daydream of her and Wade cuddling on the bridge, re-living their kiss.
CHAPTER THREE
Four weeks before Cyclone Tracy hits landfall in Darwin.