by J. B. Hawker
Bunny gasped and ran out, but not before the image of the naked woman astride her husband, in their own bed, was seared into her memory.
She didn’t know if proper etiquette existed for the situation, but she was pretty sure it should have involved the compromised husband getting rid of his partner and rushing to make amends to his wife. That didn’t happen.
Bunny sat sobbing in her car for over an hour before seeing the woman, now clothed, nonchalantly leave the house.
When Max hadn’t come to check on her after another thirty minutes passed, Bunny began to feel foolish sitting in the car and forced herself to go back into her home.
Max was sitting in the living room when she came in. He put down his beer, turning the TV down.
Bunny prepared herself to listen to a lame apology.
“How’s your dad, Buns?”
“What?!”
“I asked about your dad. That is where you’ve been the past two days, isn’t it?”
Bunny was completely stunned. How could Max just brazen it out, like this?
“Who was that woman?” she finally asked.
“A friend. Name’s Alicia. I’ll introduce you next time.”
“Next time?” Bunny squawked.
“Calm down, calm down. No need to freak out. Don’t act like you haven’t known what’s been going on all along. You’re not that stupid.”
“I am if I stay here another minute with you,” Bunny spat out.
She packed and left that day, but it was only the first of many separations, reconciliations and betrayals before she finally broke free. Even then, Max still had a hold on her heart.
“…so, why’d you do it?” Marki was asking, bringing Bunny out of her reverie.
“Well, I forgave him, because not forgiving gives the other person too much power. They can keep hurting you as long as you hold that grudge. Forgiveness does nothing to the person who is forgiven, but it sets the forgiver free.”
“Whatever. But how can you trust him, again?”
“I had years to think about our failed marriage before seeing Max again. It gave me perspective on things and I was able to see how I contributed to his feelings of being trapped or smothered by my love. A lot of his ‘acting out’ was an attempt to get me to really see him. I’m afraid I put him on a pedestal when we were still kids and I just wouldn’t let him step off.”
“That’s no excuse for cheating on you!”
“Well, no. Not an excuse, but it was part of the reason and it helped me get past the things he did to be able to see why he did them. So, when we met up again, I wasn’t still carrying all that hurt around with me.”
“Still, how can you ever trust him when you know what he’s capable of?”
“We went through some pretty harrowing situations after meeting back up. I got to see how Max reacts, now. He’s changed a lot. The Max of our youth would do anything to avoid commitment, choices, or open confrontation. Today Max is dependable, responsible and compassionate. I’d trust him with my life. In fact, I have done, more than once, and he hasn’t let me down.”
“So, you think people can really change that much? I think you are just seeing what you want to see…but, it’s none of my business…doesn’t matter, anyway, since we’re all about to die.”
“Now, don’t get discouraged. Any minute, now, something may happen to get us out of this mess.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Marki replied, before walking over to the water barrel for a drink.
Bunny glanced over at Max and Warren, but didn’t receive any signal, so continued on her rambles.
Her path soon brought her to the spot where Franz was slumped, his head in his hands.
“Are you okay, Franz?” Bunny inquired.
“Ah, yes, the old woman who is not quite so old as she pretends. My Analise was like you. People thought she was ancient like me, and past it, but in her heart she was so young…so young and joyful, with such a zest for life. Those men threw her over the side like she was nothing, just a used up bit of flesh, but, to me, she was everything.”
“I’m so sorry. You must miss her terribly,” Bunny said, feeling completely inadequate to comfort him.
“Yes. When she died, my life, too, ended.”
“You’re still in shock, Franz. I’m sure it will get better with time.”
“Time is no longer my friend, I’m afraid. Growing old with Analise was a blessing. Every day without her is a curse.”
Bunny didn’t know what to say to the inconsolable man, so she patted his shoulder and left him, making her way back to Max and Warren.
“You makin’ social calls, or something?” Tricia Winston blocked her path. “You too hoity-toity to stop and chat with me?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snub you…Mrs. Winston, is it?”
“Yeah, me and Floyd are married. Not like most people nowadays, just shacking up with anybody who’ll have ‘em.”
“Your husband said something when we first came aboard…I’ve been wondering about it.”
“What’s that?”
“I thought he said that he’d be willing to pay the ransom himself if he could get through the language barrier. Was that just an expression?”
“Nah, he’s generous like that, the old fool. If I didn’t watch him, he’d give our money away to everyone with a sob story.”
“Do you have a lot of money…if you don’t mind my asking?”
“Only if you think two-hundred million dollars is a lot. We won the Powerball Lotto last year. And, now, we’re gonna die on this old tub before we get to spend it. Just my luck!”
“Well, your good luck may still hold. You never know, you may get to enjoy your winnings, yet.”
“There’s a plan, isn’t there? I just knew it! You’d better tell me.”
“Max and Warren have a plan to disarm our guard. If it works, we will all need to be ready to help.”
“You can count on me and ol’ Floydie. He’s not too bright, but he’s strong, willing and pretty handy with a gun or a knife, if he should get his hands on one.”
“That’s good to hear. I’ll tell my husband. Having people along with your kind of luck should help.”
“Hi, Hun. How are your nerves?” Max asked as she approached.
“Better. I’ve been getting to know our fellow passengers and it’s helped get my mind off things. Tricia Winston says her husband knows his way around weapons.”
“That’s good to know. We think it’s about time to get this show on the road. Are you ready for your close-up, Sweetie?”
Bunny gulped a silent prayer and nodded, “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Chapter Seventeen
You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor ─ Leviticus 19:15
“She certainly thinks a lot of herself, doesn’t she?” Celine bristled.
“Who? What do you mean?” Sammy responded.
“That old bat from the sailboat…swanking around like she owns the place. Who does she think she is, anyway?”
“She’s not all that old, CeCe. Remember, she and her old man were trying to fool the pirates into taking it easy on them. She’s not too much older than I am, probably.”
“You’re not old, at all, Sammy! Don’t even talk like that. Anyway, she acts like she’s full of herself and she gives me a pain. I watched her parading around and she stopped to talk to everyone except us.”
“Did you want to talk to her?”
“Of course not. That’s not the point.”
“What’s the point, then?”
“She’s obviously prejudiced, that’s what.”
“Aren’t you jumping to conclusions, just a little? I’ve been thinking that maybe we’ve been a bit over-sensitive since the wedding.”
“Over-sensitive? How can you say that? Ooh, you wish we never did it, don’t you? I knew it, I just knew it!”
“Ah, now, don’t cry. I didn’t mean anything. You know I’m happy as can be we got legally married.”
Celine sniffed a few more times, then turned and allowed Sammy to give her a consoling hug.
In the Bannoch, Oregon, parsonage, where Pastor Scott lived with his sister, Rosamund placed a steaming bowl of mashed potatoes on the table and sat down.
“Will you say the blessing, Scott?”
“Why is it always the preacher at the table who gets to ask the blessing, Rosie? Seems like we could take turns, once in a while.”
“Oh, don’t be so silly! Say the prayer before the food gets cold. Naidenne is probably starving.”
Scott smiled at his fiancé as he grasped the ladies’ hands and bowed his head.
“Thank you, Lord for this food, and for the hands that prepared it. Please bless it to the nourishment of our bodies. Amen.”
“I’m really not all that hungry, Rosamund,” Naidenne protested.
“You must be. I know you single working girls never fix yourselves a decent meal when you’re at home. Now, dig in before the gravy gets cold.”
“This is a great spread, Rosie. You out-did yourself. The roast pork looks and smells delicious.”
Scott punctuated his praise by transferring a large slice of juicy meat to his plate.
After the green beans, Jell-O salad, rolls and other dishes were passed around the table, silence reigned while the three concentrated on their food.
Rosamund paused to drink some lemonade before speaking.
“Did either of you happen to see the news earlier today?”
“I always watch the morning news shows while I get ready for work,” Naidenne said.
“What piece of news caught your eye, Rosie?” Scott asked.
“They were talking about that ship captured by pirates in the Indian Ocean. There’ve been more deaths. The pirates sent a video, but it was too graphic to show. I didn’t think anything was beyond the pale for TV these days, so it must have been truly awful.”
“Yes, I saw them talking about it on Good Morning America. It’s too horrible to even think about,” Naidenne shuddered.
“Bunny and Max were sailing through the Indian Ocean on their honeymoon. Do you suppose they saw that ship?” Rosamund asked.
“The Indian Ocean is a pretty big place, Sis. That would be like running into someone from China and expecting them to know a friend of yours who was there thirty years ago. Not likely,” her brother replied.
“Speaking of Bunny, wasn’t it nice to get to meet her two sisters at the wedding?” Naidenne remarked, hoping to avert a sibling spat.
“Yes, it was,” Rosamund agreed. “I expected them to be sort of like Bunny, but those three sisters are each unique. I liked them, though. Linda and Jean, right?”
“Yeah, they sure had some stories to tell about their little sister. Did you know Bunny’s real name is Leveline?” Scott asked the women. “Seems she had quite an overbite when she was little, so they nicknamed her ‘Bunny’ and it stuck. They told me some of their shared adventures at the reception.”
“Oh, I remember hearing Linda tell of their time in Italy. She said Bunny got them involved with the Mafia! Can you imagine?”
“She was probably exaggerating, Naidenne. Things like that don’t happen to ordinary folks like us,” Rosamund offered.
“Speak for yourself, Rosie. I have first-hand experience with some of Bunny’s adventures, remember? She’s anything but ordinary.”
“So, Rosamund,” Naidenne interjected, “Did I hear that you and Les Spurgeon had lunch together earlier this week?”
Rosamund blushed, “Yes, we shared a meal at the Crab Shack. It was very nice.”
“Very nice, indeed! He’s coming to dinner this Sunday after church. The banker works fast,” Scott teased.
“Oh, hush! Naidenne, will you help me bring in the dessert? Maybe a nice slice of warm apple cobbler will occupy Scott’s sassy mouth and give us a little peace.”
Warren Myers stood apart from the others on the Mers Comtesse’s deck. He felt the familiar tightness in his gut that always presaged a dangerous mission. He’d thought he would never experience that feeling, again, after leaving the Navy.
It seemed odd that there was more fear in this particular tightness than he’d ever felt in his younger days. Who could explain why a man with more life behind him than ahead should value that life more than one still in his prime with the best days still before him? It didn’t seem logical.
Logic be damned, he thought, I don’t want to die today.
He shrugged, accepting that what he wanted didn’t carry much weight under the circumstances. He’d do what needed to be done. The rest was up to fate, or just dumb luck. He’d like to believe in some higher power and an afterlife, but all his experience told him life was merely a series of random episodes. ‘From dust to dust’ was quoted at funerals, and that said it all. We are nothing before we’re born; we scramble as fast as we can our whole lifelong only to become dust…worthless nothingness…when it’s all over. No, I do not want to die, yet. Not today.
Too bad he couldn’t buy into what Bunny and Max and that missionary couple had to offer. Their gullibility seemed to give them a sense of purpose in this life and peace about death. He guessed that’s why you always hear about ignorance being bliss. It was just a bit too much to swallow, though.
Maybe “ignorant” was too harsh. They seemed bright and capable enough to handle what was ahead. Warren had learned to evaluate personalities on a team and to know who he could rely on when things got ugly. Max and his wife had some funny blind spots, but he felt sure he could count on them both. He liked them, too. Too bad, if things went sour today, they were going to be disappointed by their Pearly Gates fantasy.
Max was waiting restlessly for Warren’s signal.
He preferred giving orders to taking them, but Warren was the one with combat training and experience. It would have been foolish not to take advantage of the man’s expertise.
Max’s main responsibility was to have a convincing heart attack and set everything in motion.
Bunny was still pacing. She said she didn’t want to cling too closely, so she could be convincingly surprised by his “death.”
They’d planned the scene for the most secluded spot in their containment area in hopes that their actions would go unnoticed by the other guards on the deck. If they were spotted, they wouldn’t have much of a chance.
Not knowing how this was going to play out, Bunny and Max had shared a parting embrace earlier, just in case.
Max wondered at his relative lack of fear. He knew they might be killed for their efforts, but, although he didn’t relish the idea of painful injuries, he was not overly concerned with dying. He guessed Bunny was rubbing off on him and he had gotten a bit further on this faith walk business than he’d realized. Or else he was just in denial.
He wished Warren would hurry up. Let’s get this show on the road!
The captain of the USS Bulkeley was reading a recent communication.
“The pirates have issued an ultimatum. If they don’t receive their ransom by midnight tonight they will blow up the ship and all aboard. They seem to have run out of patience. How stupid. They must know we won’t allow that to happen. All this deadline does is force us to act more quickly. Lieutenant, alert the helo crew and the boarding party to be ready.”
“Aye, Sir.”
The captain looked over the communication again, shaking his head. These stupid pirates with their grandiose demands would all probably be dead soon. He just hoped his men were able to spare the surviving passengers. He would have preferred more time, but this ultimatum forced his hand.
“Are you going to snub us, again, then?”
“What…I’m sorry, what did you say?” Bunny was deep in thought
when Celine’s remark intruded.
“You talk to everyone else, but not to us. Makes it pretty obvious.”
“Obvious? I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m a bit muddled, I guess. Something’s on my mind.”
“And I know just what it is, too. Your kind just can’t stand to see anyone be happy, not if it goes against your outdated ideas and prejudices.”
“You’re Celine, right? Well, Celine, I have not got the vaguest notion of what you are talking about. I’m sorry if I’ve upset you by walking by. I’ll just go away, now, and leave you in peace.”
“Oh, that’s right! When someone confronts you, just run away, you narrow-minded bigot!”
Bunny scooted away, as far and as quickly, as possible.
“What was that all about?” Marki asked as Bunny approached.
“I have absolutely no idea. I should have stayed and tried to sort it out, but I’m kind of preoccupied, right now.”
“Is something about to happen? The big plan?”
“Shhh…we don’t want to alert the guard. We’ve decided it’s too dangerous to wait any longer. I’m just watching for a sign from Max. When things start happening, try to react as normally as possible, but stay out of the way until you see if we are successful, okay? If we manage to overcome our guard and get his weapon, we will need everyone’s help with the next steps.”
“Omigosh, this is really going to happen…Bunny, be careful! I tried to fight them before, and that didn’t work out so well.”
“Thanks. We’ll be as careful as we can. Just, remember, stay low, act natural and then be ready. And you might want to say a prayer or two, too.”
A few yards away, Strother and Virginia were already praying. They had been watching Bunny and the men and could read in their body language that something was about to happen. The next right thing for the couple to do was also the most natural. They were deeply in prayer for wisdom, strength, protection and, most of all, for God’s will to be done.
Chapter Eighteen
“Escape for your life! Do not look behind you … lest you be destroyed.”