by Harmon, AJ
“I have grandsons too so I understand,” Patty nodded.
“What do you think of Miami?” he asked.
“Well I only spent a day there before we boarded the ship so I’m not sure I can make an assessment,” Patty replied.
“Oh,” he said. “I understand.”
Patty wasn’t very sure what that meant but Christopher began to stir so her mind switched gears and she attended to her grandson.
*****
Gradually, all the family arrived back on the ship. Well, all but Mark and Katy. The crew onboard made it very clear to the passengers that by two o’clock everyone should have returned to the boat so they could begin the voyage back to Miami. So at 1:45pm, Janie sat on their balcony overlooking the pier completely beside herself with panic. Patty was in their living room with the children and Matt’s anxiety was beginning to grow with each passing minute.
They watched as groups of two and more walked down the dock and disappeared through the door below, safely back on board.
“Where are they?” Janie whispered as she chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Why aren’t they back?”
Matt rubbed her shoulders and waited, silently praying they would appear on the pier, healthy and in one piece.
At 1:58pm, Janie was almost in hysterics when from the corner of her eye she saw a movement below. As she stood and leaned over the railing, there were Mark and Katy hand in hand running to the ship laughing.
“Oh thank God!” she cried and threw herself into Matt’s awaiting arms.
*****
A couple of hours after the ship set sail for Miami, Katy called Janie in her suite.
“I have been worried sick about you!” Janie scolded.
“Why?” Katy was genuinely confused.
“Because I didn’t know where you were?” Janie’s voice hitched ever so slightly.
Katy heard it. She heard it loud and clear.
“Oh, honey! I’m fine! I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think about that. Janie please forgive me?”
“You don’t have to apologize,” Janie whispered. “You’re a grown woman. But you know me? I worry about everything. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“I’m more than okay,” smiled Katy. “I’m wonderful.”
“Wonderful?” Janie’s curiosity was peaked. “What did you guys do?”
“We had a wonderful time. But we didn’t get a whole lot of sleep so we’re just going to stay in for the rest of the day and catch up. See you tomorrow?”
“Sounds good,” she said as she replaced the telephone receiver.
Hmph! Matt was right. They weren’t sleeping!
*****
That evening at dinner, Lester joined the Lathems. Katy and Mark didn’t leave their cabin but the rest of the clan was curious as to why he was there.
“So what do you do?” Janie asked, trying to sound very casual.
“Oh,” Lester chuckled. “I’m retired. Have been for some years now.”
“So what did you do for a living before that?” Janie continued the inquisition.
“I owned a pool cleaning service. Living in Miami there are a lot of pools,” he smiled. “But several years ago I sold the business and did very well for myself. Now I do some gardening and play golf.”
“Oh, excellent!” Peter nodded in approval.
“And your wife?” Janie kept going
“She died many years ago. Breast cancer.”
That detail sobered Janie…but only for a moment.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, sincerity in her voice. “You didn’t remarry?” And so it went on.
Lester shook his head. “I never found a woman that could capture my interest like Delores. She was one in a million.”
Patty lowered her head and played with the napkin in her lap.
“I can understand that,” Matt agreed. “When you find the one your life is blessed.” He lifted Janie’s hand and kissed her palm.
“Did you come on the cruise alone?” asked Janie, not deviating from course.
“No, my daughter, our only child, Maggie, told me I had to come because she couldn’t stand to see me wasting away at home. So I’m here with her and my son-in-law and their three boys.”
“That sounds lovely,” Janie smiled. She took a sip of water and was about to ask another question when Matt beat her to it.
“So what did everyone do today?”
The conversation flowed as each regaled their adventure in San Juan. Janie sat picking at her salad with a frown on her face.
“Stop,” Matt whispered, trying to fight a smile from forming.
“What?” Janie asked trying to look totally innocent.
“You know what,” Matt chuckled. “Leave the poor man alone.”
“I’m just asking a few simple questions.”
“And what if this had been the response to me when I was introduced to your mother?”
“That was different!” she hissed.
“How?” he asked.
“It…it just was!”
Matt chuckled and squeezed her hand. Then he went back to his soup.
After the dessert plates were cleared, Patty asked Matt if he and Janie would mind keeping the children for the evening.
“Of course!” Matt exclaimed. “You don’t have to ask Patty. They’re my children. You have been a wonderful help but they’re not your responsibility. Go have a good time.”
Patty kissed Matt on the cheek and left with Lester. Janie sat silently and watched them go.
15.
DAY 13 – AT SEA
Mark and Katy were finally emerging from their cabin. Katy had called Janie and said she would be up by the pool sun tanning. Janie was going crazy wondering what had kept them occupied overnight in San Juan.
“This is not like you,” Matt said as he stood in the bathroom shaving. Ella sat on the counter, covered in shaving cream with a comb in her hand mimicking her father. “What’s up?”
“I know,” sighed Janie. “I just feel it. I can’t describe it. There is more to this story. I feel it.”
Matt wasn’t going to argue with her. First of all, he had learned that arguing with his wife was pointless; he would never understand how her brain worked and how her idea of logic was formed. And secondly, when it came to gut feelings, she was usually right. Of course he would never admit that out loud, and never within earshot of his wife!
“Well, maybe she’ll fill you in today,” Matt said.
Janie piled the breakfast dishes back on the room service tray and shoved it outside their cabin door on the floor in the hallway. As she came back in, Matt took her in his arms and held her tight.
“Let’s just not have a repeat of the inquisition of last night,” he mused.
“Fine,” she whined, but grinned at her husband.
“Who wants to go play in the pool?”
“I do!” yelled Ella.
*****
“It was breathtaking,” explained Katy. “The cottage had these huge doors that folded back and when you lay in the bed it was just like you were on the beach. Amazing!”
“So, Mark just rented a house for you for the night?”
“Yeah,” Katy said hoping Janie would leave it at that.
“Huh,” she said. “That sounds very romantic.”
“It was,” sighed Katy. “Incredibly romantic.”
“Huh,” she said again.
Katy watched Janie chew on the inside of her cheek, not overly convinced she would let it go. But after a few minutes, with no more talk of their ‘disappearance’, Katy began to relax.
Janie waved at Ella who was splashing in the water with her daddy and Mark. Tyler and Adam had just arrived and were jumping in the pool so Ella’s interest in her mother waned.
Katy rolled over onto her stomach and buried her head in her arms. The warm sun felt glorious on her skin.
“So you had no idea he’d done that?” continued Janie.
“Done what?” asked Katy, her hope fa
ding.
“That he’d rented a house.”
“Nope.”
“Huh,” Janie said for the third time.
The baby started to fuss and after several minutes of him not settling down, Janie decided to head back to their suite and feed him. She asked Katy to let Matt know where she had gone and left the pool.
She walked through the coffee bar on her way to the elevator and caught sight of her mother sitting at a table with Lester. They were laughing and apparently having a great time. Her mother’s eyes were bright and as Janie stood and watched for a moment she wondered when the last time she had seen her mother so…so happy.
The thought saddened her. Yes, Patty was her mother, but she was a woman first. And didn’t she deserve happiness too?
*****
When Matt noticed Ella starting to shiver, they climbed from the pool and he wrapped her in a large fluffy towel and laid her on a chaise.
“My sunglasses,” she ordered.
Matt raised his eyebrows and waited.
“Pease?” she grinned.
Matt took her glasses from the bag and propped them on her nose.
“You should be on the French Riviera,” giggled Katy.
Ella crossed her ankles, put her hands behind her head and laid back in the warm sun.
“That’s quite a little diva you’ve got there,” Katy laughed.
Matt stretched out on the chaise on the other side of Ella and Mark headed off to get some drinks. Katy rolled over onto her back and closed her eyes.
Mark was strolling back from the bar as a man walked in front of Katy’s chair.
“Nice!” he drawled. “I’d like to get me some of that.”
“Back off!” snarled Mark. “That’s my wife you’re talking about.”
The man scurried away and Katy propped herself up on her elbows. She looked up at Mark and grinned. He smiled at her and then he turned his head slowly to see Matt’s jaw open wide.
“Wife?” he mouthed.
“Shit!” Mark muttered. “Sorry,” he said to Katy.
She grinned and sat up.
“What the hell?” Matt said, clambering up to a sitting position. “Janie was right, dammit! You two were up to something!” He looked down at Ella, fast asleep cocooned in the towel.
Mark sat on the edge of her chaise.
“We didn’t plan it,” he began. “It was a spur of the moment thing.”
“In San Juan?” Matt asked.
“Yeah,” grinned Katy.
“So that’s why you guys didn’t come back to the ship.”
“We haven’t told anyone. Please don’t say anything.” Mark pleaded.
“Well, congratulations!!” Matt grinned. “This is great!!”
“Thanks,” said Mark.
“Oh shit!” Matt said, the smile disappearing from his face. “You can’t ask me to not tell Janie. She would KILL me if she found out I knew and didn’t say anything.”
“I’ll tell her,” said Katy. “I’ll go do it now,” she smiled. “Then you won’t get in trouble.”
“Thank you,” Matt sighed. “And really, congratulations.”
*****
Katy knocked on Janie’s door. It took a minute for her to answer. She was changing a diaper.
“Hey,” Janie smiled. “Come on in.”
Katy followed her into the living room. It would have been a spacious room, but there were two portable cribs set up, a couple of strollers and some toys scattered. She took the baby from Janie and moved Ella’s giant stuffed dolphin off the chair and sat, cuddling little Christopher.
“He’s growing like a weed,” she grinned.
“I know! He can only wear a few of the three month clothes now. He’s a chunk!”
“Oh my sweet little boy,” she cooed. “He’s drunk!” she laughed.
“Yep,” Janie chuckled.
“So this morning,” Katy began, “I didn’t tell you the whole story.”
Janie’s eyebrows raised and she sat down, her interest piqued.
“Really?” she said.
“No,” Katy said as she rocked the baby. “Something else happened in San Juan, something we hadn’t planned on, but the opportunity presented itself so we jumped on it.”
Janie scooted to the edge of the sofa, staring at Katy, not knowing what was about to be confessed.
“Mark took me to this beautiful old cathedral,” she continued. “He had been there several times on his many trips there and he knew the priest and he came out and talked to us and… well…we hadn’t planned on doing it, but Mark has been carrying the papers with us everywhere we go and…”
“You got married,” Janie whispered.
“We did,” Katy grinned. “We got married.”
Janie sat motionless for several seconds and then squealed with delight. “YOU GOT MARRIED!!!!”
Christopher’s little body jolted and he screamed his little lungs out. Katy stood and tried to soothe him as Janie threw her arms around her best friend’s neck and held her tight while they laughed and cried and laughed some more.
“I am so happy for you!” Janie beamed.
“You’re not mad?”
“Why on earth would I be mad?” Janie was horrified.
“Because we did it just by ourselves. We didn’t tell anybody.”
“Of course I’m not mad!” Janie laughed. “I’m thrilled. Thrilled for you both. This is wonderful!”
“Just do me one favor,” Katy asked, a seriousness in her tone.
“Of course,” sobered Janie.
“Don’t tell anybody, at least not ‘til we get home.”
“Not even Matt?” Janie asked.
“Mark just told Matt.”
Janie visibly relaxed. “Oh, good,” she smiled. The smile disappeared quickly as she spoke the name. “Maureen!”
*****
If Katy didn’t love her job as a nurse so much, Janie would have suggested she go into acting. Katy was brilliant at pretending that there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary for the rest of the day and all through dinner. Janie was duly impressed. But she didn’t know just how long she would be able to keep it up.
16.
DAY 14 – AT SEA
On the last day of the cruise, Janie went in search of her sons to have breakfast with them. They were not answering their phone. She assumed they were still asleep. She would fix that. As she stood outside their cabin, the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign hung on the handle. Janie knocked anyway. There was no answer.
An elderly couple passed her in the hall and she smiled and said good morning and then she knocked again. There was still no answer. She tried to open the door but without a key it was useless so she knocked for the third time, a little harder than the first two tries.
“What the fuck?” was yelled at her as the door flung open and Derek stood in front of her, a pillow hiding his private parts and a blonde girl lying in the bed behind him trying to cover herself with a sheet.
“Oh, sorry Janie,” Derek mumbled, his head hanging low.
“Um,” Janie managed to say.
“You’re looking for Adam and Tyler?”
“Yep,” Janie said looking at her shoes. “Where might they have slept?”
“They’re in my room…with Ben.”
“Okay then.”
“Janie?”
“What?”
“Please don’t tell my mom about this.”
“You’re an adult, Derek. I’m sure this isn’t the first time.”
“Um, thanks.”
“Well, okay then. I’ll, um, see you later.” And Janie turned and ran down the hall to her suite.
*****
“It wasn’t funny!” she snapped at Matt who was laughing hysterically. “I was mortified!”
Matt continued to laugh.
“He’s like one of my own boys!” she continued. “And he was totally naked…with a pillow…and she was in the bed!”
Matt wiped the tears from his eyes.
That sobered him up quickly.
“Do about what?” he asked.
“Do I tell Katy?”
“Of course not! He’s a grown man. I’m sure he has sex all the time.”
“Oh do not say that!” Janie covered her ears with her hands. “I can’t listen to that!”
“Well what are you going to do when Lester has sex with your mom?”
Janie’s hands fell from her head and she looked like she was in shock.
“Janie?” Matt asked climbing to his feet. “You okay there honey?”
“No,” she whispered. “Not my mom and Lester!”
Matt fell back on the bed laughing again. Janie couldn’t move. Her mom and Lester?
“You think that…she wouldn’t…she’s too…but…”
“I’m gonna be making love to you when we get old. They have little blue pills for that now,” he grinned.
“NO!!”
“Oh Janie,” Matt laughed. “Everyone has sex; Derek, our sons, my parents, although I do not want to dwell on that image, and your mother might too.”
Janie sat on the edge of the bed shaking her head.
“In fact,” Matt whispered, “we could be having sex right now.” He pulled her backwards and she fell on the pillows.
“Right now,” he said as he grabbed her breast and kissed her soundly.
*****
Maureen wandered around the fantail pool looking for Katy. This was where she liked to tan in the afternoons. The sun was bright and warm and the breeze kept the heat away. Even Maureen thought it was pleasant. She finally spotted her on the far side of the deck lying next to Mark. They were holding hands. She smiled at the sight.
They were asleep. She didn’t know if she should wake them but this was important. She needed to say to Katy what she needed to say. She wanted her to understand how she felt.
“I found you!” she finally said.
Mark opened his eyes and smiled.
“Mom! Hi! Do you want to sit down?” He sat up and patted the end of the chaise.
Katy lifted her sunglasses from her nose and squinted in the sun.
“Hi Maureen,” she said.
“Katy? Would you come have a soda with me? Maybe somewhere over there in the shade?”
Katy looked at Mark and then back at Maureen. “Of course.” She grabbed her cover up and pulled it on and slipped into her flip flops. “Let’s go.”