First Mates

by Cecelia Dowdy

  Rainy said goodbye to her friends, touched that they were so concerned about her safety during this cruise. She replaced the receiver on the cream-colored phone. Nostalgia filled her soul as she realized she really did miss her friends even though she’d only been gone for less than a day.

  She again thought about the evening she’d just spent with Winston. She removed her journal from the desk drawer and wrote about Winston Michaels and about the cruise. Her fingers flew across the paper, as words flowed from her hands, describing her curiosity about Winston and her desire to know everything about him. She stopped writing suddenly, gazing at the cream-colored walls.

  I feel like I opened myself up, and told him all kinds of things about me, but he made no effort to tell me about himself. Could Winston be hiding something from me?

  Chapter Two

  “Come on, Winston, let’s trick her again!” suggested Pam. Winston was seven years old, and Pam’s mischief was in full swing that day. He nodded and they hid while his mother called their names. They jumped out of the closet. “Boo!” they yelled.

  “Come out of there!” Their mother glared at them as they scrambled out of the closet.

  Cold rivulets of sweat dripped down Winston’s forehead as he awakened. He blinked and stared around the small unfamiliar room, baffled. His heavy breathing slowed as the gentle sway of the boat calmed his frazzled nerves.

  Memories of boarding the cruise ship the previous day crashed his mind as he pushed the quilted comforter from his sweaty body. He stood on his shaky legs as he willed his muddled mind to awaken. Pam continued to plague him in his dreams, and he wondered when he would be able to sleep through the night.

  While engulfing deep breaths of air, he stretched. He plodded to the closet and removed his carry-on suitcase. He dropped it onto the bed and opened it. The caramel-colored bottle of Scotch remained nestled among the folds of his garments. His dry, parched throat could use a sip of cool sweetness, and nothing would taste sweeter than a drink of Scotch. He licked his lips as he continued to stare at the enticing bottle.

  The alcohol had been a bon voyage gift from one of his co-workers. All of his friends and acquaintances knew he didn’t drink alcohol, but sometimes a person or two did forget about his beliefs. He removed the bottle and opened it. His lips were inches away from the nozzle, and he inhaled deeply.

  Clutching the bottle, he walked into the bathroom and poured the rich brown liquid down the toilet. The sound of it flushing away gave him an odd sense of relief and sorrow. Trudging back into the bedroom, he placed the empty bottle on his dresser. Since Pam’s death I’m finding it harder to stick to my sobriety vows. Jesus, help me.

  He opened his heart and mind to the Holy Spirit. Tension eased from him as he gazed at the weak sunshine sifting through the window. Enjoying the warm glow, he turned toward the clock.

  “It’s so early,” he mumbled. I wonder if they serve breakfast at seven o’clock on this ship. As he pulled cruise ship brochures and pamphlets from the desk drawer, he forced his near-slip from his mind, causing him to remember his late night with Rainy Jackson. She was a breath of fresh air!

  Entering his bathroom, he took a long, hot shower. He dressed in the first pair of swimming trunks and T-shirt he found in his drawer. Minutes later, he walked the length of the dining room and scanned the tables, surprised that a lot of elderly couples were already up, enjoying their meals.

  Where was Rainy? His stomach growled as he finally spotted her sitting alone. She was eating a toasted bagel and a plate of fruit while she read a book.

  “Hi there.” He sat beside her and watched her mouth perk into a smile.

  “Hi, yourself. What are you doing up so early?” She glanced at her watch. “If my estimate is correct, you only had a few hours of sleep, like me.”

  Frowning, he recalled the vivid dream that had awakened him so early this morning. He pushed the disturbing thought aside as he focused on the cart of pastries, cheeses and fruits being presented to him by a passing waiter. After he had a plate of food and a cup of coffee, he said a brief prayer before answering her question. “I just woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep. I didn’t really expect to find you down here. Besides, I could ask you the same question.”

  She shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee, before responding. “I woke up just like you. I had a nice conversation with my friends before I went to bed.”

  “Oh? I’m assuming you’re talking about the ones who made you go on this cruise?”

  She nodded, smiling. “Yes, they called to check in. I miss them.”

  “Have you been friends with them for a long time?”

  “I met them in a Christian social group in college. We’re more like sisters than friends.” She continued to tell him about Sarah, who was on a constant manhunt, and about Rachel, who was always having problems paying her creditors. “They disagree and argue a lot, but I’ve gotten used to that.” She mentioned that both of her friends had been baptized while they were still in college. “I was glad I was able to see them accept Christ. One thing we do share is our deep faith in the Lord. We make sure we spend time together regularly. We even eat lunch together once a week. Do you have any close friends, Winston?”

  Frowning, he popped a piece of cantaloupe into his mouth and chewed, recalling the good friendships he had made through his Alcoholics Anonymous support group and the buddies he had in his church home. Not wanting to reveal too much to Rainy about his problem, he told her enough to satisfy her curiosity. “I’ve got a few friends through my church who are pretty close to me. I’m also pretty close to my brother, Deion. Even though he’s my brother, I still consider him to be a friend, too.” He pointed to her book. “What are you reading?”

  “Just a novel I picked up at the gift shop. I was in such a hurry packing, and I had so much on my mind, that I forgot to pack something to read for this cruise.”

  He finished his coffee, signaling the waiter to refill his cup. “Speaking of cruises—” he pulled out a sheaf of papers from the pocket of his swimming trunks “—I was wondering if you’ve made plans about what you’ll do during this weeklong cruise.”

  “Do?”

  He waited for the waiter to fill his coffee cup before he continued. “Yes, I’m talking about activities. We won’t be returning to Miami until this coming Sunday, so we’ve got six more days of fun before we get home.”

  She nodded, as her pretty eyes glanced at the glossy brochures. “When you say home, I’m assuming you mean Miami? Is that where you live? I told you yesterday that I work downtown at the Miami newspaper.”

  “I’ve lived in Miami most of my life.”

  Together, they scanned the ship’s itinerary. Today they were at sea, but tomorrow they were docking in Cozumel, Mexico. “Have you ever been there?” he asked.

  “I’ve been there a couple of times. Once our church group sponsored a trip to Mexico and we stayed in Cozumel for a few days.” She told him what she remembered about the place as he read the list of Cozumel’s attractions.

  Rainy picked up the itinerary and read the rest of it aloud teasingly. “Day four, at sea, day five, dock in Grand Cayman, day six, dock in Jamaica—day seven is the last day we’ll have at sea before returning to Miami.”

  He chuckled as she placed the papers on the cloth-covered table. “Sounds like we’re going to be having ourselves a nice trip. I’ve never been to so many places in such a short period of time.”

  “Me, either. This sounds like an adventure. I’m determined to just forget about everything and focus on having a good time.”

  Her dark brown eyes sparkled as she stirred her coffee. He wondered what in the world had happened in her soured love relationship that would cause her friends to force her to go on this cruise. He was tempted to ask, but she looked so happy, he didn’t want to spoil this joyous moment by mentioning the bad experience she’d briefly told him about.

  They sat in companionable silence as they finished their food. The waiter returned
with the breakfast cart, asking if they wanted more, but they declined as they finished their coffee.

  As the breakfast food settled in Winston’s stomach, his fatigue returned. He stifled a yawn as he pushed his cup away. “You know, I was going to go on a swim at one of the pools this morning. But now I think I might go back to sleep for a few hours.”

  He watched her as she gathered her belongings and placed them into her large tote bag. “Well, I’m wide awake so I’m going to sit up on the deck and read for a bit.”

  “Okay.” He made a note to look for her later when he did take his swim. He watched her lithe body as she exited the dining room. He then stifled another yawn before he trudged back to his cabin. The sunlight was now brighter as it spilled through the small round window. After changing into his nightclothes, he fell into a deep slumber.

  Later that day, after a long nap, Winston returned to one of the pool areas, eager to take his swim. He removed his T-shirt and was about to plunge into the water when he noticed Rainy lounging on a chair, wearing a one-piece black bathing suit. Her hair was twisted into a bun, and she was sporting a pair of sunglasses. She was reading a book and when she looked up and saw him, she dropped it on the floor. Smiling widely, he hurried to her lounge chair, sitting in the empty seat beside her.

  “Hi.” He lifted her book and when she took it, their fingers touched. Her skin reminded him of warm, soft butter.

  “Hi, yourself. Did you have a nice nap?” She placed a marker in her book and set it on the table.

  He sighed and ran his hand over his face. Feeling his stubble, he realized he hadn’t shaved. “Well, about as well as can be expected. This boat is always rocking.”

  “Does that bother you? I can barely feel it.”

  “No, it doesn’t really bother me. Sometimes I have trouble sleeping in strange places. Whenever I’m on a business trip, I always wake up in the middle of the night.”

  Rainy sat up in her chair and placed her chin in her hand. He could barely see her gorgeous brown eyes behind her shades. “That reminds me, you still haven’t told me what you do for a living. You know all about me, but I barely know anything about you.”

  “Well, I work with numbers, like you do. I’m a financial analyst. I like it well enough. It’s a job.”

  An orange beach ball crashed between them, knocking her iced tea off the small table.

  A young girl approached and retrieved her ball. “Sorry about that.” She ran back to the pool, her pigtails flying in the wind. A waiter appeared with a fresh glass of tea and cleaned the mess.

  She sipped her drink. “It’s so hot out here that I’ve had to drink a lot of liquids.”

  He wiped sweat from his brow. The clear blue water in the swimming pool rippled in the light breeze.

  An Asian couple walked by, holding hands. She frowned and bit her lip.

  “Sometimes you seem happy and sometimes you seem sad, Rainy. Why?”

  Her hand shook as she sipped her iced tea. “I told you last night that I just ended a relationship.” She paused as she placed her tea back on the table. “Well, that’s not true. I didn’t end the relationship, Jordan did.”

  “Oh?” He leaned back in his chair and listened intently while children’s laughter rippled in the afternoon breeze. “If you want to talk about it, you can. I’m a good listener,” he urged.

  She removed her sunglasses, wiping away tears. He found napkins at an adjoining table and he pressed the paper squares into her palms.

  “It just hurts so much. Sometimes I’m fine and I don’t think about Jordan at all. Other times, Jordan will just pop into my mind suddenly. I just don’t understand why it’s taking so long to forget him.”

  She gripped her armrest and gazed at the sea. “I can’t believe I’m acting like this in front of you. You’re practically a stranger.”

  His fingers brushed her shoulder, wanting to offer her comfort. “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to find fault with you. I can tell that you’re hurting. Jordan’s obviously a fool. You said last night this happened a few months ago?”

  She nodded as she blew her nose.

  “Well, that’s not very long ago. It takes time to get over these things.”

  Children continued frolicking in the swimming pool, splashing tiny drops of water onto the passengers. She seemed to be thinking—weighing his words of advice. “Have you ever been in love?”

  He sighed. “Yes, a long time ago. Things didn’t work out between us. We were both young and in college. She joined the Peace Corps after she graduated. It’s been years since I’ve heard from her.”

  He continued. “Tonya was my first love. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if we’d gotten married.”

  “How long did it take for the pain to go away?”

  He smiled fondly, remembering. “I don’t remember. I do know it took longer than a couple of months. Just give it some time. I’m sure you’ll forget all about Jordan soon enough.”

  He returned to his seat. “I know we’ve just met and everything, but I enjoy spending time with you.” Her dark brown eyes widened at his remark. She leaned back into the chair and put her napkin aside.

  “Winston—”

  “No, you don’t have to say anything. I just feel that there’s a connection between us. I don’t like seeing you sad. I think we should do something to get your mind off of Jordan.”

  She shrugged. “Like what?”

  He chuckled. “Like having some fun. Why don’t we play some games? There’s lots to do on this ship to keep us busy, I’m sure.” He helped her out of the chair and they walked to the shuffleboard game. A cruise director taught them how to play. Delight erupted in her laugh as she learned to ace the match.

  Later, they sat in the Jacuzzi and enjoyed the rushing water as it tickled their brown skin. They visited all three pools on the ship so that Winston could swim his laps. Drinking fragrant cups of steaming coffee in the café, they watched the ocean view.

  He ran along the lower deck, and she vowed to catch him. “You can’t get away from me. I was a track star in high school.” She flew down the deck, grabbing his arm as they shared a rich hearty laugh.

  They stopped on the terrace as they enjoyed cookies for afternoon teatime. Rainy grinned as she gazed at the vanilla and chocolate cookies, coated with sugar. “These look great.” She pulled a chocolate cookie from the tray. “They feed you an awful lot on these cruises!”

  As he poured coffee, they watched the sea before munching on their snack.

  The workout room was nearby, and he spotted a group of women sweating through an aerobics class. The instructor yelled so loud, he could hear her through the window.

  Rainy eagerly selected another sugar cookie and sipped her coffee. She brushed the crumbs from her fingers and continued to grin. When they were finished with their snack, they returned to the pool. She dozed while Winston swam laps. When he was finished swimming, he grabbed a towel and headed toward her.

  He wiped drops of moisture from his torso and arms as he walked to the rail. Two female Hispanic teenagers stood at an ashtray, smoking cigarettes. They gasped when he approached, and they scanned the deck as they hurriedly doused their cigarettes. They giggled as they raced to the pool and jumped into the water.

  The rippling ocean sparkled beneath the bright sunlight. The view was so breathtaking, he was amazed and thankful that God created such beauty on this earth. He took a deep breath and grasped the railing.

  Rainy stirred in her slumber. She opened her eyes and his heart pumped a steady rhythm as her gaze settled upon him. He strolled to her chair and touched her face. A thoughtful smile curled her shapely lips, and he wondered what she was thinking. “Did you have a good nap?” he asked.

  She nodded. “How was your swim?”

  “It was great. You know, we had such a good time at dinner last night that I was wondering if I could enjoy your company tonight, too.”

  “I’d love to have dinner with you tonight.” He touched her s
houlder.

  “Thanks,” he whispered.

  Chapter Three

  Rainy rushed to her cabin late that afternoon. She opened her closet and scanned every dress before removing a few selections. The sapphire-blue dress would bring out the brown color in her skin. The silk taffeta was simple but striking. The cranberry dress looked good also. While chewing her lower lip, she finally made her selection.

  Choosing the taffeta, she entered her bathroom and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Piling her hair on top of her head, she wondered if she should sport a more sophisticated look for her dinner date. So many choices!

  While showering, she thought about her day. This cruise was going to be so much fun! Sarah and Rachel had really done her a favor by forcing her onto this ship.

  After drying herself with a white fluffy towel, she dressed for dinner. Upon opening her jewelry box, the first item discovered was Jordan’s necklace. Her fingers touched the expensive freshwater pearls.

  Would Jordan want her back? The sound of his voice as he called her from England, ending their engagement, scattered through her mind like unwanted weeds in a garden. I can’t believe he actually found another woman in a foreign country! He said he didn’t want me, so do I even want him back? She shook her head, dispelling further thoughts of Jordan. They weren’t going to reconcile, and that was final. She replaced the necklace and slammed the lid of her box. The sound echoed in the small room. The only jewelry she would wear was a pair of earrings.

  She forced herself to think of Winston as she placed the studs in her ears. Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, she sprayed her favorite jasmine perfume over her chest and arms before she finished dressing. The wonderful floral scent tingled her nose.

  While pacing her room she glanced at the clock, finally sitting on the bed and continuing to wait. A hard insistent knock vibrated through the room. Seconds later she opened the door and gazed at Winston Michaels. His dark tuxedo accented his broad shoulders and trim waist. His silk shirt was a splash of ivory decorating his chest. Waves of nostalgia washed over her as she recalled her first high school party.