by Ann Mullen
“I’m not much for the beach,” Ruby said. “I hate getting sand in my bathing suit.”
Bella ignored her remark. She looked around at us as we followed her and Loukas. “How about over there?” She pointed to a spot in the middle of the beach where there were plenty of empty lounging chairs. “It’s close to the cabana in case anyone needs to use the facilities, and the beach café is right over there. Enjoy yourselves!”
“Sounds good to me,” Billy said. “I just want to flop down for an hour or so, and then I’m going for a swim.” He looked at me. “Or we could go swimming first.”
“The water does look inviting.” My words were spoken with reserve. I had just learned how to swim, so I wasn’t too eager to test my abilities out in the open water. A person could drown in an inch of water in the bathtub. That’s what I’d always heard and I believed it.
“Pick a lounge chair, throw your stuff down, and let’s take a dip!”
I dropped my beach bag down in one of the chairs, stripped out of my shorts, T-shirt and sandals, and said, “Let’s go!”
Billy slipped off his shirt and sandals, and then took his wallet and other items out of his pockets, unzipped the bag, and then tossed them in. He zipped up the bag, grabbed my hand, and then the two of us headed for the water, followed by the rest of the group, including Bella and Loukas. The water was an indescribably beautiful blue color and so soothingly cool… not cold at all like I was expecting. We splashed around and bobbed in the water as we watched our men swim out as if they were in a race.
“McCoy loves the water,” Savannah said as we came together in a huddle. “Once he goes in, it’s hard to get him to come out.”
“So does Steven,” Jena agreed.
“Jeff loves to scuba dive,” Ruby said. “He was talking about doing that today.”
“Billy said something about scuba diving, but he can count me out,” I said. “I’ve just learned how to swim. I’m not about to venture out into the deep water looking for fish. If I want to see fish, I’ll go to the pet store.”
“Loukas is a great swimmer,” Bella said. “Look! He’s beating the rest of them back.”
The water was so clean and clear, I could see the bottom. When I looked out further, I could still see the sand on the ocean floor. I was glad because I didn’t like the idea of not knowing what was lurking about.
“Look!” Savannah squealed as she pointed. “There goes a school of fish! That’s so cool! What a beautiful sight! Maybe we should swim with them. Do you think they’d mind? What do you say, girls? Anyone up to the challenge? I’m game if anyone else is. It might be fun.”
“I don’t know,” Bella said. “I’m going to pass.”
I had to admit that was an interesting sight to see, but I also worried that sharks might be following the fish. I mentioned that to the group.
“I can tell you’re not much of a beach person,” Ruby said. “Don’t be afraid. If there were sharks around you can bet the lifeguards would be waving us out of the water.”
“What lifeguards? I don’t see any. All I see is empty stands.”
“They’re here,” Bella said. She pointed to several muscular, well-tanned guys dressed in orange swimming trunks, holding orange, oval life preservers in their hands. They were gathered together with their eyes peeled on the swimmers.
“I see,” I said as I scanned the beach. That’s when I noticed that a little way down the beach swimmers were hurriedly getting out of the water.
“Look!” I said. “What’s going on over there?”
“Might be a stingray in the water,” Bella said. “Most people are scared of them, but you don’t have to worry. They won’t hurt you.”
“That’s not what I hear,” I replied, ready to get out of the water. “What if it’s a shark?”
As soon as the words left my lips, the lifeguards started blowing their whistles, yelling, and waving us out of the water. I looked up to see where Billy was.
All of Loukas and Bella’s bodyguards, who had been hanging around on the beach watching us, went into action. They were in the water within seconds.
Our husbands must’ve seen something, too, because they were upon us helping us out of the water before the lifeguards even got close to the water’s edge.
By the time Billy grabbed my arm to help me, a bodyguard had come up beside me and grabbed the other arm. Between my fear and the two of them hustling me back to the beach, I lost my footing, slipped from their grip, and fell into the water. I thought I was going to drown the second my head went under. I panicked, sucked in a mouthful of salt water and started choking. Before I could succumb to the foot-deep water, both my arms were grabbed, and I was being dragged out onto the beach.
I coughed the sea water up and managed to catch my breath. My heart was pounding. “I thought I was going to drown,” I said, almost crying, and feeling like an idiot at the same time. “I’m so embarrassed.”
“You’re going to be okay,” Billy said, trying to make me feel better.
The ladies came over and tried to console me.
“You’re fine, Jesse,” Savannah said. “You panicked. That’s all. When I learned how to swim, my parents took me to the beach and I did the same thing you just did. I slipped and fell under the water. I cried for two days afterwards. I didn’t go back into the water for a long time. Don’t be ashamed.” She looked around at the others for their reassurance that all was well.
“Look what happened to Jena,” Bella said. “She almost drowned in the pool. You know that was horrifying.”
I glanced over at Jena and saw her frown. She looked as if she’d heard that story one too many times. I felt sorry for her. All I could do was say, “It’s a scary feeling.”
Jena gave no response which surprised me.
I looked back at Billy and asked, “What did you see out there?”
“Sharks,” he replied. “But they were way out there. You were never in any danger.”
“Then why did everyone react so fast? Why did the lifeguards go ballistic? They were fast as lightning.”
“That’s what they do,” Bella said in a soothing tone. “The minute they see something suspicious, they don’t waste any time protecting the swimmers. We count on them to be quick. Our lives could depend on it.”
We stood along the shoreline and watched as the three sharks in the distance finally disappeared out to sea.
“Whew! That was a heart-stopper!” I said. “I think I’ll do my swimming in the pool on the ship. I need to sit down.”
“Come on, `ge ya,” Billy said, putting his arm around my shoulder. “You need a drink. I bet your heart is pounding out of your chest.”
“Don’t let this scare you off, Jesse,” Bella said as she walked alongside us. “The water is wonderful. I can’t wait to go back in.”
“Help yourself,” Savannah said. “I’m with Jesse. A little old school of fish is one thing, but sharks scare me—and I don’t like the idea of swimming with stingrays either. Thanks, but no thanks.”
I could’ve sworn I heard Jena mumble “sissies” under her breath. I gave her a hard look. How rude of her!
The look she gave back sent chills through me. She had such anger in those eyes of hers. Here, all this time I thought she was so nice, but after seeing that look, I knew there was no way she was the kind one of Bella’s daughters. In my mind, she had been the most unlikely leader of the killer pack, but now I wasn’t so sure. Could there be something to what Billy had said to me that night about the innocent ones not being so innocent? Although, trying to give her credit, I rationalized to myself that sometimes people say hurtful things without realizing it. Yet, this time I wasn’t so sure that was the case. Knowing me as I do, I knew I couldn’t let her comment slide.
“What was that, Jena?”
“Oh, it was nothing,” she replied as she walked over to the chair she had selected and sat down. She waved me off as if her words meant nothing. “I could use a drink.” She motioned to someone,
and before the others could stretch out in their chairs, three waiters walked up and asked us what we’d like from the bar.
I was too angry to sit down. Jena had brushed me off with a wave of her hand, and I didn’t like it. “I want something stiff so I can wash this nasty taste out of my mouth,” I said. “Perhaps you can bring the whole bottle so I can also wash off Jena’s nasty remark.”
I couldn’t help myself. I’ve always been one to speak my mind, and Jena had gotten my ire up. I wanted her to know I didn’t appreciate it.
Billy, along with some of the others, was stunned by the tone in my voice. I didn’t care. Tongue slip or not—she should’ve shown more compassion. She, of all people, knew how it felt to almost drown and to be scared. What was her problem?
That’s how it all started. She jumped out of her chair and approached me, saying, “I didn’t mean anything, Jesse. What’s your problem? Got a little water in your mouth? So what? It happens to us all. Besides, I thought you were supposed to be Wonder Woman.”
“Jena!” Bella snapped. “How dare you insult Jesse like that!”
I got right up in Jena’s face and called her on her snide remark. I told her it was insensitive and uncalled for.
Her words got louder as she accused me of being so superior and thinking that I was so smart. She said I wasn’t as smart as I thought I was. I didn’t have all the answers to the world’s problems.
Billy and Steven jumped up and intervened before our words escalated into a catfight. They separated us, keeping us from one another until Bella walked over and stared the two of us down. The men released their hold and walked off as if they knew that Bella Constance was now in control of the situation. And… she was.
Calmly and discretely she said, “I don’t know what this is all about, but I want the two of you to know that no one embarrasses me like this. Clean up your act right now.” She looked at Jena and demanded, “What got into you? I’ve never seen you act so ugly to anyone. Where’s my fun-loving, outgoing, pleasant daughter?” Then she turned back to me. “And you, Jesse! I know Jena’s remark wasn’t nice, but you’re too professional to let your anger get the best of you. Do you have PMS?”
I looked at Jena, burst out laughing, and said, “Heavens! She sounds just like my mother.” I looked back at Bella. “I wish my mother could be here. I can see her standing next to you with her hands on her hips… just like you are right now.”
Bella let her hand drop.
Jena grinned and said, “I think we both have SCS—scary cruise syndrome.” She looked at me and said, “I’m sorry, Jesse. I should’ve been more sensitive. I’m just so worried about my father. I’m so afraid someone is going to kill him. It makes me sick to my stomach to think about it. Everything seems to upset me lately.”
“It was my fault, too. You have a legitimate reason for being on edge… and so do I. I’m scared of the water, and when I slipped and fell, I freaked out. I’m sorry, too. Please forgive my bad behavior.”
“I want the two of you to play nice the rest of the day,” Bella demanded. “No more arguing.”
Jena and I looked at each other, and then agreed to her demand. We promised to behave ourselves… and we said it with smiles on our faces.
But the truth is, whatever words would ever come out of Jena’s mouth again, or however she acted, there was no way my opinion of her would ever go back to what it was before our tiff. I thought she was a nice person with admirable qualities, but now I saw her in a whole different light. The way she flew off the handle was so unlike her, I had to ask myself what triggered it. Had something been eating at her, until she finally had to let it out by spewing her pent-up anger out on me with one word—sissies. She had to know that would get anyone’s goat. What was underneath that pleasant, charming exterior? All I wanted to do was to have my say. I didn’t want to beat the woman up like she seemed to want to do to me. She had issues… and I wanted to know what they were. The best way to get to know someone is to talk with them. I planned to have a good conversation with Jena before this beach adventure ended. I would play real nice, and try to smooth things over.
“I could use that drink right about now,” I said, looking at Jena. “How about you?”
She smiled as if nothing had happened and said, “A nice Long Island Ice Tea! Yeah! That would do the trick.”
“Okay, then,” Bella said as she turned and put her arms around the two of us. “My girls need something to drink!”
Chapter 25
I was sure that if I had been standing next to Jena, I would’ve felt her flinch. I thought I detected a slight bit of jealously in her before, and now after our spat, her mother was calling us her girls. I bet she didn’t like the fact that I had been included. I’m sure that really ticked her off. Too bad. She didn’t know it, but I was going to get close to her and find out what the deal was.
Drinks with tiny umbrellas or swizzle sticks were served by waiters catering to our every wish. They were friendly, and I’m sure it didn’t hurt that they knew their tips would be good. Bella firmly believed in tipping large. Loukas was more reasonable. An appropriate tip for the price was his belief.
An hour later, we all walked over to the café and feasted on steamed shrimp, oysters, and scallops along with more drinks. By the time we were finished, Savannah, Jena and I had shared secrets of our past ex-boyfriend era, and high school shenanigans, along with a few other things. Even Ruby had a few tales to tell. Bella just listened. The guys had their own chat session going.
“I need a nap,” I said as we walked back to the beach chairs.
“Ah, but wouldn’t a cool dip in the water be nice?” Jena asked with a friendly smile. As I had expected, her obnoxious behavior soon disappeared, if only temporarily.
“That might not be a bad idea,” I agreed.
My association with her during our cruise and the secrets we shared helped me to realize that Jena did indeed have issues, especially when it was said for the hundredth time that she was saved from drowning by Bertie Callahan. I saw the same look I had seen on her face before—one that I now recognized as pure animosity. Jena had made herself out to be a happy person, but underneath, she was angry. I wondered what caused her bitterness. Did it have something to do with her nearly drowning? Was there a different side to this story? Time would tell.
“I don’t know,” Billy said. “You shouldn’t go swimming right after you’ve just eaten… and had a few drinks.”
I looked at Jena and said, “He might be right. I have had a few drinks.”
She didn’t egg me on like I expected, but instead said, “Perhaps later.”
We all stretched out in our chairs for an afternoon of soaking up the rays of the sun. Nobody seemed interested in scuba diving when McCoy mentioned it. I guess after seeing three sharks in the water, those who had been interested no longer were.
“I’m just going to lie next to my wife and enjoy the day,” Billy said.
“Me, too,” Loukas agreed.
“Yeah,” Steven added.
“Count me out,” Jeff said. “No scuba diving for me.”
I coated my body with sunscreen, and then lay back. I had almost dozed off when I heard the snappy little tune of a cell phone go off. Another one followed, and then another. And then I heard the familiar ring of Billy’s cell phone.
People usually excuse themselves and then walk away like Billy, Loukas, and McCoy did when they got their calls, but not Bella. She stayed stretched out in her lounger as she talked. When she closed up her phone, she said that Nell and Utah would be heading back to their stateroom, and were not to be bothered by anyone. She snickered. “The last person I want to see is Utah Hawks.”
When Loukas returned, he didn’t say who his call was from, but Bella let us know that it was probably his lawyer. “Loukas can’t go anywhere without that man tracking him down.”
McCoy returned and apologized, saying that his clients always seem to call at the most inopportune time. “Can’t even spend the d
ay at the beach with my wife… in Bermuda… no less.”
But the most interesting call was the one Billy received. After closing up his cell phone, he motioned for me to come over, so I got up from the lounge chair and walked over. He bent down and whispered, “Dorothy Berdinski died, and Bertie wants to see us right away. She says she has some information to tell us that can’t wait.”
“What will we tell the others?”
“The truth.”
Billy and I walked back over to the group. The looks on our faces must’ve said it all, because Bella jumped up from her lounge chair and said, “Something bad has happened, hasn’t it?”
“I’m afraid so,” Billy replied. He looked around at everyone, and then back to Bella. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but Dorothy Berdinski died. The call I received was from Bertie. She’s inconsolable.”
“I’ll get my bag,” Bella said as she turned to do so.
“She only wants to see Jesse and me, so we’ll be leaving now.”
“Jesse?” Jena shouted. “Why does she want to see Jesse? My mother is the one who she should want to see. Mom has been her best friend all along. And why does she want to see you. She barely knows you two.”
“All I know is what she told me, Jena,” Billy replied. “She said not to bring anyone else.”
“What?” Bella asked, hurt. “You mean she doesn’t want me to come?”
“I’m sorry, but those are her wishes.”
By now everyone was out of their chairs and gathering around us to discuss what had happened. Ruby and Jeff, who had little to say on most occasions, were sorry to hear about Dorothy.
“She will be missed,” Ruby said. “Dorothy was a nice person.”
McCoy and Savannah tried to comfort Bella who was almost in tears. She had been a good friend to the sisters from Georgia, and couldn’t understand why they didn’t want her there in their time of grief. Loukas told her that she must honor Bertie’s wishes. She unhappily went along with him, but her hurt was evident.
“I don’t believe it!” Jena ranted, shaking her head as she turned and started walking away. Steven followed her down the beach, obviously trying to calm her down. He had his arm around her shoulder, and their heads were together as they walked.