First Mates

by Cecelia Dowdy

  Winston continued to speak and Rainy continued to listen. He spoke of his battle against alcoholism and the trials and tribulations in his life where he felt he had no choice but to drink. He also revealed that due to recent circumstances, he’d been tempted with the solace of alcohol again.

  Her mind was crowded with so much information that she thought her head would explode. Questions and concerns scattered throughout her brain so fast that she didn’t know which to ask first. Weak sunlight spilled through the window, announcing the dawn of a new day. She rubbed her forehead, gazing at the bottle. “When did you buy the bottle of Scotch?”

  He sighed. “I didn’t buy it. My co-worker purchased it for me as a gift. I guess he didn’t realize that I didn’t drink. He gave it to me right before I made the trip to the ship.” She sighed, running her fingers through her hair.

  “Rainy, I know you’re ready to go back to your cabin. You look tired enough to fall asleep on your feet. But before I walk you back to your room, I need to ask you something.” He fumbled with the torn cup. Rainy gazed into his troubled hazel eyes and nodded for him to continue.

  “I want to know if you’re mad at me. I still want to date you and everything. I just hope what I’ve revealed to you tonight won’t be the catalyst that’ll end our spending time together.” She abandoned her chair and sat beside him on the bed.

  “I’m glad you told me about this. It just shows that you’re willing to tell me the truth. As you said, we’re all sinners and we need to admit to our transgressions and lean on God for support. It’s hard being a Christian and living by God’s rules, but with His help we can overcome our weaknesses.”

  He nodded. “Amen to that. Part of my problem with my alcoholism was that I did put God on the back burner, not relying on Him for support. I feel that my faith is so much stronger now.”

  She closed her eyes, sending a silent prayer to God to help Winston with his weakness. She opened her eyes and they shared a brief hug.

  “How about you walk me to my room, Winston? I’m so tired.”

  “I know you are.” Glancing around his small cabin, she was again reminded of the reasons why it was not a good idea to be alone with this gorgeous man for long.

  “Come on.” He helped her up, and they walked to her cabin. “I’ll see you later on today.” He gave her a small smile before she entered her room.

  She took a long, hot shower. She washed away the dirt and sand accumulated during their daylong excursion on Grand Cayman. Lying between the crisp cotton sheets, Winston’s testimony played in her mind. Relief flowed through her veins as she clutched her pillow. He trusted her, and she now knew he was a Christian. He had his struggles, but he now leaned on God to get him through the rough times.

  Before sleep claimed her in its deep depths, she remembered another question she wanted to ask Winston. He said due to recent troubles he was tempted to drink again. She wondered what recent troubles he was referring to? Again she wondered why he was so sad. She needed to ask him all about this as soon as possible. She cared about him, and if he was going through a rough time, she wanted to be there for him as a friend.

  The following day, the huge boat pulled into the port of Jamaica. The horn blew, announcing their arrival. Rainy breezed into the dining room in the middle of the morning and found Winston at their table, feasting on bacon and eggs. He signaled the waiter for coffee. “I can’t wait to see the waterfall,” he commented.

  Her mind was still full of concerns about what he had revealed the previous day, but she decided not to bring up the subject for the time being.

  A few hours later, they trudged over rocks as they trekked to the falls. As the sun shone on the clear water, diamond chips seemed to sparkle on the surface. Rainy stopped and snapped another picture.

  Since she had not had a lot of sleep the prior night, she found herself struggling to stay awake as they tried to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the tropical island. She glanced at Winston throughout the day and noticed he was also having trouble staying awake.

  As they conversed with natives and visited the gift shops, she saw him looking at some expensive Jamaican pottery. “Are you thinking about buying one of those?” The thick jugs were painted in dark bold colors and Rainy thought they would look nice as decorations in a living room.

  “I might buy one for my mother. I haven’t bought anything for her yet and I think she might enjoy this. She collects pottery.”

  He selected one of the containers and told the clerk to gift wrap it for him. “I think I’ll have them ship it to my parents’ house. I don’t feel like lugging it back with me.”

  She gazed at his handsome profile, wanting to soak up as much information about his life as possible, like an eager sponge. “Do your parents live in Miami?”

  He chuckled. “Not anymore.” He named a small Florida town, a few hours’ drive from Miami, where they now lived since his father had retired. “I want to send her this vase now so that my mom can receive it and enjoy it for a while before they take their trip.”

  Puzzled, she asked for more details. “What trip?”

  “They bought one of those big trailer trucks and they want to drive around the country and see the sights.”

  “By themselves?”

  He continued to grin. “Yeah. Since my dad’s retirement, they’ve been acting like they’re teenagers again.” He fondly shook his head. “I don’t understand it, but as long as they’re happy, I’m not going to worry about it.”

  He filled out the necessary paperwork so that the clerk could ship the item to his parents’ home.

  “I’m sure your mother will enjoy her gift.”

  He squeezed her shoulder. “I think she will, too.”

  “Do you miss your parents since they’ve moved?”

  “A little bit. I used to drop by and visit often when they were still living in Miami. Now that they’re farther away, I can’t see them as much as I’d like.”

  “I’m sure they miss you, too.”

  He shook his head. “I doubt it. I get the feeling they just wanted to get away from everybody and be by themselves. Sometimes I think they forget about me and my brother Deion.” He watched the clerk as she continued to wrap the vase. “As a matter of fact, I speak to my uncle Greg and aunt Gladys more than my parents.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded, explaining that his uncle was his father’s brother and he grew up spending a lot of holidays at their house with his family.

  When they returned to the ship that evening, they stood on the upper deck and enjoyed another midnight buffet. The stars twinkled in the sky, and she realized that the following day would be their last full day aboard the cruise ship.

  Winston awakened late the following day. The bright sunlight spilled into his cabin. As he lay in bed, he thought about what he had revealed to Rainy two nights ago. I avoided mentioning our conversation yesterday, but I can sense that she has a lot of questions about my drinking problem.

  Rubbing his eyes, he finally struggled out of bed. Gulping a large glass of water, thoughts of the fattening meals served on the cruise entered his mind. While at home, he frequented the gym at least three or four times a week. The ship had a small gym on the first level, and during this trip he had not exercised even once.

  He changed into his workout clothes and strolled to the gym. He would get at least an hour of exercising done before he indulged in a tasty lunch. Opening the door, he spotted Rainy on the treadmill.

  A breath of air flew across her skin as the door swayed open. She groaned, wishing to be alone for her workout. A soft gentle smile curled Winston’s lips as he entered the gym. His light-colored warm-up suit clashed with his cocoa-brown skin. “Hi, there.” Selecting the adjacent treadmill, he threw his gym bag on the floor. “I’m glad we’re the first ones in the gym this morning.”

  “Hi, Winston.” Her disappointment disappeared like ice during a spring thaw. She smiled as she adjusted the speedometer.

  He set th
e treadmill to his desired speed. “I didn’t know exercise was part of your routine.”

  “Yeah, me and Jordan.” She paused. “We used to go running together all the time. I’ve missed my workouts since I’ve been on this cruise.”

  “I agree with you about that.” His feet pounded against the running machine. Adjusting the controls of her treadmill again, she gazed around the gym. The room was small and it contained three treadmills, three StairMasters, a weight bench and a section set aside for aerobics. The alabaster walls and cool temperature made a comfortable workout atmosphere.

  Soon she was running along with Winston. She ran five miles and Winston ran six and a half. She did toning and stretching exercises while he lifted weights. When they were finished with their workout, they poured cups of water from the cooler and sat on a mat. They leaned against the wall and drank their beverages. Moisture caused her outfit to stick to her skin like glue, and vivid thoughts of a long, hot shower played in her mind.

  Winston’s labored breathing slowly became steady. “So, did you sleep well last night?”

  She nodded. “The ship lulled me to sleep.” She paused and took another drink of water. “You know, I wanted to talk to you about what you told me a couple of nights ago. But I didn’t bother mentioning it while we were in Jamaica yesterday.” She sighed. “I did think about what you revealed to me. I’ve been thinking about it for the past couple of nights. I think it was brave of you to tell me about your experience, and I’m glad that you trust me.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But I did have another question that I wanted to ask you.” She placed her empty water cup aside. “I wanted to know what’s been on your mind lately. You had said that you were tempted to take a drink the other day and that you poured the Scotch down the drain. Is something wrong? Did something happen to you recently?”

  She watched him, wondering if he was okay. There were times after her breakup with Jordan when she was at the end of her rope. However, with the support of her church family, and prayer, she found that she could cope with such a devastating disappointment.

  He dropped his cup on the mat. “Yes, as a matter of fact something did happen to me recently. It happened six months ago.” She wiped her sweat with a towel as she waited for him to continue.

  “I lost a family member six months ago.”

  “Oh? Somebody died?”

  He nodded. “It was my twin sister, Pam.”

  She gasped, clutching her cup. “I’m so sorry, Winston. What happened?”

  “She died of cancer. This Sunday will be the first birthday I’ll be spending alone without her. That’s why my brother Deion gave me this cruise as a gift. He knew how hard my first birthday without her would be.”

  “Oh, I honestly don’t know what to say.” She wondered how to offer her warmth and comfort. “I guess you two were pretty close?”

  He nodded. “I was real close to my sister. We used to get into a lot of mischief while we were growing up, and she initiated it most of the time.” He chuckled, his hazel eyes twinkling with warmth. “I still think about her a lot, and I dream about her, too. That was why I almost had a drink a few mornings ago. I had just had another dream about Pam. I just feel so sad sometimes. It just overwhelms me. I’m learning to deal with the pain, though. I’m not hurting nearly as much as I was six months ago.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help?” Her fingers caressed his cheek.

  “No, there’s nothing you can do. Just sitting here and talking and listening to me is enough. I feel comfortable enough to tell you about this. Thanks for listening to me.” He squeezed her shoulder.

  He continued. “I’ve had my share of disappointment over the past six months, and I’m dealing with it one day at a time. I’m leaning on God, and that’s helped.”

  “Does your church offer grief counseling? My church does. Perhaps you could go to some of the sessions. They might help you to deal with your grief.”

  He sighed. “Yes, they do, but I just didn’t feel comfortable talking about Pam in front of all those people. My memories of my twin sister are personal. As a matter of fact, you’re the first person outside of my family with whom I’ve so openly discussed my twin’s death.”

  “I’m glad you told me.”

  “I’m glad we’re spending time together on this cruise. When I’m with you, I forget about my worries, for a little while, anyway.”

  Her heart lilted with delight. “I’m glad you feel that way.”

  A group of passengers entered the gym, anxious to begin their morning workout. They ran to the treadmills and set the controls while others lifted weights. Winston assisted Rainy to her feet and they left the gym.

  After showering, they met near the grill area beside the pools. Rainy’s stomach ached with hunger. “I guess I shouldn’t have skipped breakfast before working out.” They feasted on hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and sodas.

  Winston finished his second burger. “This is great food.”

  The golden rays of sun disappeared behind angry gray clouds. The wind blew over her damp skin and she huddled under a towel.

  “Looks like rain,” said Winston as he gazed at the dark clouds gliding through the sky.

  Other people abandoned their seats as the first drops of cool rain splattered the deck. Rainy and Winston quickly ran into the adjoining activity room. Flocks of passengers occupied tables and waiters scrambled to deliver drinks and refreshments.

  Winston squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll be right back.” Walking to a shelf filled with games, he chose one. Vivid memories of games with her brother Mark crowded her mind as Winston set the pieces on the board. They threw the dice, moving tiny pieces to expensive properties. She enjoyed the buttery richness of the cookies served, and she drank fruit punch and soda as they played the intense game.

  Music blared from the speakers as more passengers crowded in the room. The buzz of conversation sounded in the background as they continued their game. “I won!” Rainy declared. Poking multicolored money in his face, she gloated.

  “Don’t get smart! I’ll get you next time.”

  The rain finally stopped and the remainder of the day passed in a whirlwind of activity. She frantically tried to pack as much adventure into the small amount of time they had left on the ship. While spending time with Winston, she discovered little things about him. He loved his steak well done. He was passionate about his job and he hated the financial situation of lots of African-Americans. “It’s just a shame that so many African-Americans are not taught good budgeting and investing skills,” he admitted later that day.

  Winston played in the ship’s Ping-Pong tournament. He earned first prize—free pictures from the photo gallery. The ship’s photographer had followed passengers like a shadow during the cruise, taking candid shots. Rainy and Winston walked to the gallery to choose which shots they wanted for the prize. “I can understand what you mean about the financial situation of African-Americans,” she said, gazing at the photos. “I want to do a series of workshops for the teens at my church about that subject.”

  He glanced through the pictures lining the walls. “Really? When are you doing this?”

  She giggled. “You know how things can be when dealing with church folks. Things have been disorganized at my church lately, and so far I haven’t found anybody to help me with the project. I don’t think I can handle it by myself.”

  They continued to scan the walls of pictures. “Really? Well, I’d be more than happy to help. I’ve always wanted to try to do something like that for the community. I think it’s a good idea.” He paused and brushed her shoulder. “You’ve got a pretty good head on your shoulders.” His deep voice was like a caress and waves of pleasure swiped through her as she enjoyed the enticing scent of his cologne.

  He pulled a photo from the shelf. “Hey, look at this one.” She gazed at the candid shot of their dinner date. Their profiles glowed as they leaned toward one another at the table, before starting their meal. Rai
ny couldn’t recall the last time she’d looked so pretty in a picture. “I think I’m going to have extra copies made of this one. I’m going to always keep this picture,” he promised.

  She stepped away and gave him a guarded look. “Do you really mean that?”

  “Sure. I’m going to show it to my brother as soon as we get to Miami. And the next time I visit my parents, I’ll show them, too.” His hazel eyes glowed as he looked at her.

  Finally, too soon, evening arrived. Rainy strolled through a myriad of passageways and stairwells as bittersweet memories of her first cruise played through her mind.

  As couples strolled along the ship, she realized how much Winston had monopolized her time. He was the sole passenger she’d met at sea, and she didn’t get a chance to mingle with other passengers.

  Later that night, she pulled several colorful dresses from her closet. Scrutinizing each selection, she decided on the most appealing dress in her wardrobe. After showering and dressing, she plugged in her curling iron while deciding on the most appealing style for her hair. When Winston knocked on the door, she moved so fast, she almost burned her hand on the hot iron.

  When she opened the door, he gave her a brief hug. “Are you ready?” he whispered in her ear.

  “Aren’t you a bit early?”

  He released her and sat on the bed. “Nope, I’m on time.” He pointed to the clock. “You only have a few minutes to get ready.”

  She returned to the bathroom and continued to curl her hair. “I’m sorry. I took my time getting ready and I wasn’t paying attention to the clock.”

  “Why? You’re always ready on time. You’re not hungry for dinner?”

  She took a half step into the bedroom. “I want to go to dinner and I don’t want to.”

  He furrowed his brow. “Huh?”

  “This is our last dinner on the cruise. We’ve had such a good time that I hate to see it end. But I am looking forward to spending the evening with you.”