When the Cat's Away

by Molly Fitz

  Unfortunately, that wasn’t in the cards either. See what I did there? ‘In the cards’? Okay, anyway…

  After that they showed us to our rooms. Me and some of the other new hires had cabins on the lower decks. It wasn’t anything glamorous, but I could do a lot worse, that was for sure.

  The cabin had a fluffy full sized bed, a large armoire, an armchair, and a small bookshelf. An old fashioned trunk sat at the foot of the bed. An ensuite bathroom attached to the bedroom and had a small closet for storage. There were no windows, as the cabin was below decks, but a large seascape painting hung on the wall opposite me.

  “Home sweet home,” I muttered to myself and began to unpack. Apparently we had the rest of the day free until dinner time, so that left a few hours to walk around and explore. I just knew I was going to get lost, so one of the first things I wanted to do was ask around if there were any maps of the ship’s layout I could use.

  Seriously, you don’t know how spatially impaired I am. I once lost my car when I moved to a new town and couldn’t remember what parking garage I left it in. Yeah, that was embarrassing. Took me hours of trekking across downtown to finally find the darn thing again.

  I winced at the idea of getting lost after my first day working as the ‘psychic.’ What if I couldn’t find my way back to the cabins and had to sleep in a hallway somewhere?

  I snorted, mostly at the silliness of the idea. My mind had a habit of going to the worst possible conclusion sometimes. Rolling my suitcases up against the wall, I flopped down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

  So this was it. I was finally on a cruise ship, due to embark tomorrow morning. Only a few months ago, such a luxury would have been out of the question. It was the furthest thing from my mind, especially when I was taking care of mom in her final days. Now… I sniffed and rolled over, looking at the soft pastel tones of the seascape painting. Now, I was on a completely new adventure.

  I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. There was a lot I wanted to do before they expected us back for dinner. If I stayed here ruminating on my thoughts, I’d waste all that valuable time and have nothing to show for it. Vowing to put that self-reflection to the side for just a little longer, I checked myself in the bathroom mirror and headed for the door.

  My hand was on the knob when I heard someone knock.

  I wasn’t expecting anyone, but maybe I’d forgotten something in the training room. Opening the door, I found a scrawny middle-aged man standing there. His hair was wild and messy, but his face was clean shaven. His clothes, by contrast to his hair, were nicely pressed and wrinkle-free.

  “Hello, Mr…?”

  “Name’s Peter.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m your next door neighbor.”

  “Oh!” I gave him the most welcoming smile I could. “Nice to meet you. I’m Rose. I just got here.”

  He nodded. “I know. You’re Loretta’s replacement, right?”

  “Um…” I remembered that Loretta was the previous psychic. The one who I’d be filling in for. “Right! That’s me, the new psychic.”

  “Between you and me,” he drew closer and flicked his eyes up and down the hall. “I’m glad they finally got rid of her. Hoping you’ll be a lot easier to get along with.”

  Trouble in paradise? “I hope so too.” It was the only thing I could think to say. I was still reeling from the morning full of meetings and trying to remember all the rules, not to mention everyone’s name. “I take it you didn’t get along?”

  He scoffed. “Let’s just say we didn’t see eye to eye. But that’s all in the past, eh? Looking forward to getting to know you, Rose. Don’t hesitate to knock if you ever need anything. I’m just next door.”

  “I will,” I nodded, “thank you.”

  Really, what I needed was for him to get out of my doorway, but I couldn’t quite say that, now could I?

  “Well,” he yammered on. “Don’t be a stranger, eh? You know where everything is? Where you’ll be working? I can show you around if you like.”

  Any other time I would have appreciated the help, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to listen to him rambling through the entire ship.

  “I was going to go take a walk around by myself. I tend to remember things better when it’s just me.” Not entirely a lie, but pretty far from the truth too. “If you know where I could get a map, though?”

  “They have paper maps in the visitor’s lounge and you can pull up a digital one on the Frontier’s website.”

  “Great. Thanks.”

  I sidestepped Peter and made sure the door was locked before leaving. “If that’s everything, then…” I shrugged. “It was nice meeting you, Peter.”

  “Going so soon?”

  I tried not to groan. “Yes. Like I said, I want to go look at a few things before dinner tonight.”

  “All right,” he conceded. “Say hi to Darwin for me if you see him creeping around.”

  “Who?” I tilted my head.

  “Oh, Darwin. The ship’s cat. If you don’t find him, he’ll find you eventually. Always does. Bye now!”

  “I—“ What? I didn’t have a chance to ask any further, though. He’d already disappeared back into his room.

  Chapter Two

  The Frontier, as expected, was a maze of twisting hallways, rooms, and passages. Just when I thought I’d seen it all, another level opened up.

  It was almost like a small, self-contained town, I realized. There were restaurants, shopping, and all manner of luxuries. And that was all above decks, to say nothing of all the cabins and crew quarters. In addition there were utilities like a medical office, a laundry facility, a business center, and a gym. Huge, sparkling blue pools stretched out across the deck, bordered with reclined beach chairs. Umbrellas perched at calculated angles to shield passengers from the harsh rays of the sun while jets of water bounced from one area to the next.

  A curling waterslide overlooked the deep end of the pool. A tiki-style bar stood unoccupied, bottles of liquor glinting in the sunlight. Not long now, and this area would be teeming with activity.

  At least for this moment, before everything went crazy and I was up to my ears in tarot cards, I would enjoy the peace and quiet.

  That night after dinner, I decided to explore the upper decks before returning to bed. The map I picked up from visitor services lauded a rooftop bar with a great view of the ocean — The Cerulean, it was called. I sat at the bar with a martini and sipped on it slowly, but that wasn’t the real reason I was here.

  Truth be told, I loved to people watch. While my mom used to say I had an overactive imagination, I preferred to think of it as a colorful one. Getting a glimpse into other peoples’ lives had always fascinated me, and tonight was no different.

  A surprisingly diverse range of people gathered around the bar. The small, intimate tables on the deck overlooked the ocean and the night sky above. Soft, flickering candles on each table gave everything a romantic glow. The air was still and cool, the only sounds those of the waves and the clink of glassware.

  All in all, a nice night.

  “You’re one of the new recruits, aren’t you?” The bartender asked.

  I nodded. “Just boarded today.”

  He gave me a warm smile. “Welcome to the Frontier. What’s your name?”

  “Rose,” I said and extended my hand.

  “Harry. I’ve been working here for years now, any questions just ask.”

  “I will, thank you.” I nodded and took another sip of my martini, looking around. “Are these all crew members?”

  “Not all of them,” he pointed out. “Some of the VIPs in the first class cabins got priority boarding and they’re getting their journey started off right, if you know what I mean.”

  “Oh! I didn’t know there were any passengers on board yet.” I flicked my gaze over the crowd again, trying to pick out passenger from crew.

  “See that fella over there by the railing?” Harry pointed at the deck where a man stood with a whiskey in his hand. “That�
��s Evan Hawthorne.”

  My eyes widened. I’d heard that name before. “The CEO of Hawthorne Hotels?”

  “He started in the hotel business, yeah, but he’s got his fingers in just about everything nowadays. He’s on track to unseat some of the richest men in the country.”

  “Wow.”

  “Yeah. So be nice to him and you might be looking at a hefty tip, if you know what I mean.” He winked and stepped away to fill another customer’s order.

  He had a point, I thought as I drained my glass. I hadn’t really considered it before taking the job, but I would be serving some incredibly affluent guests while on the Frontier. If I played my cards right, I could land a sweet payday.

  Of course, that's where my luck ran out. As I was staring across the bar, he turned and caught my eye. I looked away immediately and tried to stay nonchalant, but no. He had definitely seen me.

  The mirror behind the bar showed it all. He maneuvered his way through the crowd and toward the bar. Toward me.

  “What can I get you, Mr. Hawthorne?” The bartender asked as he arrived.

  Evan’s glass clinked down on the smooth wood surface. “I think I'm done for tonight, Harry. Excellent service, as always.”

  “It's my pleasure. I take it you'll be closing out?”

  “Charge it to my room, please.” With a flourish, he removed a few bills from a money clip and passed it across the counter. I was trying not to stare — honest — but it was an eye popping amount of cash!

  He moved down the bar and it looked like he was about to leave. I'd almost let out a breath of relief when he paused next to my bar stool. “Say, you're new, aren't you? Haven't seen you up here before.”

  I managed to keep my cool. “Yeah. One of the new hires.”

  “Oh?” He raised an eyebrow. “Maybe I’ll see you around then.”

  “Maybe,” I replied with a smile and wave. “Have a good night, Mr. Hawthorne.”

  “Good night.” He bowed his head, turned on his heel, and left.

  I watched him go, but there was one more thing that caught my eye. Another man who’d been sitting at the bar got up suddenly and followed him, his steps sure and cautious. I couldn’t see his face.

  Maybe it was nothing, but a chill ran up my spine when I saw him. Was that man following Evan? And why?

  “Can I get you anything else?” Harry’s voice startled me out of my thoughts. He took the empty martini glass from the bar and put it away.

  “Oh, uh, no.” I trailed off, still thinking about the strange interaction. “It’s fine, thank you.”

  “Something the matter?” He asked casually. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost — but then again, you are the new psychic. Tell me, can you actually talk to ghosts?”

  “What?” I yelped, confused. “I—” My stomach twisted and the chill in my spine ran all the way up to my neck. “Can you put that on my room bill as well? I gotta go.”

  “All right. You take care of yourself. Welcome to the crew!”

  I rushed out of the bar and back out on to the deck, letting the night time air blow my hair away from my face. I don’t know what happened, but when I saw Evan and that other man following him, I felt…weird. There was no other way to explain it. Maybe the martini wasn’t sitting well with me. That’s probably what it was.

  I’d had a long day trying to get to know everyone and learn about the ship, so I was probably exhausted. That had to be it. I looked upward and the steady glow of the stars welcomed me. The moon was out tonight, full and round. We hadn’t even set sail yet, but already the sight and smell of the ocean had my heart at ease.

  Yes, I think this is just what I needed. Not only to make ends meet, but to heal. To find myself anew. Adventure lay ahead of me. It lapped at the edges of my consciousness like the steady waves against the boat. Who knew what I would find on this journey?

  I turned away from the sea breeze, smiled, and headed back to the elevator. Through some miracle — and the help of the paper map I got from visitor services — I made it back to my bedroom before midnight. My eyes were so heavy that I didn’t even bother to change into my pajamas.

  I did do one thing before falling into bed, though. I zipped open my suitcase, reached into the inner pocket, and pulled out a small cardboard box. Dark blue with gold lettering on the outside. Lifting the lid, I slid the contents out.

  These were my mom’s cards. She gifted them to me when I was in college, but I never did much with them. I thought I’d moved on from that kind of thing. I had better things to do. More practical things to do. But everything changed when I started taking care of mom.

  Now, as I gazed at the intricate designs and smooth card stock, a thrill passed through me — not unlike that I felt at the bar. My fingers tingled, and something way back at the edge of my consciousness fought to the surface.

  Maybe this whole psychic gig wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  Chapter Three

  The next day sped by while I attended more meetings, met more of the crew, and explored the ship's many commodities. I still hadn't seen the mysterious "Darwin" yet, and I was starting to think that Peter was pulling my leg. I kept my tarot cards in a bag by my side, but I didn't have a spare moment to stop and ponder them. I could have been imagining things, but I could swear they were almost calling to me.

  But that was probably the lack of coffee talking.

  In what felt like no time at all, the engines purred to life and we embarked, gliding away from the pier and out into the sea. I was on the deck as we left — I remember watching the land and the buildings grow smaller and smaller.

  In a way, it was almost like a goodbye. A goodbye to my problems, fears, and grief. A welcoming of new experiences. New people. New opportunities.

  And it was with that buoyant thought in mind that I headed to the small, heavily-perfumed room that would be my new office.

  Even though Loretta had left quite a while ago, the room still smelled strongly of patchouli. It wasn’t a bad smell, just…strong. I wrinkled my nose and looked around the room. A wide circular table sat in the middle of the room, draped over with paisley patterned fabric. Heavy velvet curtains flanked the doorway and back wall, while crystals and chimes littered every available surface.

  The lighting was soft and dim to set the mood. It flickered slightly from specialized bulbs hanging overhead and in a sconce on the table.

  It definitely looked the part of a fortune teller’s abode, but would I be able to keep up the act?

  The click of glass rings across the curtain rod told me it was time to find out.

  I spun around to see none other than Evan Hawthorne, the wealthy businessman from the bar. A lump formed in my throat and I swallowed down my nerves.

  Seriously, he had to be my first customer? The universe was totally playing tricks on me now.

  “Fancy seeing you here,” he said with a knowing smile. “Looks like we keep running into each other.”

  “I work here.” Somehow, I couldn't think of anything more professional to say than that.

  “Oh?” He looked around and furrowed his brow. “What happened to the other lady that was here?” Evan pushed past the velvet curtains and hovered near the shelf of trinkets. His back was to me, but he kept talking. “I used to always come down here to see Loretta at the start of each cruise.”

  So he'd been here before. “I'm sorry, sir. Loretta was not able to make it, but I am happy to do a reading for you instead.” I gestured to the table. “Come, sit down.”

  I was totally winging it at this point, but the feeling I had when touching the cards came back to mind. If I could just harness that, if I could just make him believe for this one reading...

  I let out a breath. No pressure, right?

  “Hmm,” he grumbled under his breath but did as I said. I sat opposite him. Placing my hands palm down on the table, I spoke in a soft voice.

  “Thank you for coming here today, Mr. Hawthorne.” I locked eyes with him. “Is there something
I can help you with?”

  He shifted in his seat. “I had more of a...specific question. That's why I was hoping Loretta would be here.”

  I splayed my fingers out on the soft tablecloth and gently touched the stack of cards on the center. As I did so, the same thrill of excitement rushed through me.

  “Perhaps I can still be of some help,” I offered. “What's troubling you?”

  His eyes flittered back and forth against the room. Evan threw his head over his shoulder and watched the curtains for a moment, then turned back to me. His shoulders hunched up near his ears and his throat bobbed. "I think...I think someone is following me."

  "Oh?"

  "I...I have this sense that someone is always there, just at the edge of my peripheral vision, y'know? I feel like something is going to...happen."

  His face grayed and his eyes lost their vibrancy. He swallowed with a click in his throat.

  I remembered with a shiver the man who'd followed Evan out of the bar the other night. Was that who he was talking about? "Why don't you tell me more about how this happened, and I'll draw a few cards to help guide us."

  Evan didn’t meet my gaze. "I don't really know. I just have this feeling." He looked up at me and shook his head slowly. "It's stupid, I know."

  "You might be surprised by what I can tell you."

  He sighed. "Ah, what the heck. It's not like I have any other options. I need to know if I'm safe here." He fidgeted again. "Can your cards tell me that?"

  "Let's find out." I smiled and pushed the deck of cards toward him. "I'll let you shuffle. Think on your question as you do so. Imagine asking it directly to the cards, if you can."

  He picked up the cards, and I watched his face as he shuffled. He frowned a bit, but didn't otherwise show any emotion. When he finished, he slid the cards back toward me.

  "Cut the deck three times with your left hand and place the pieces on top of each other."

  Evan nodded. Once all the cards were in one stack again, he looked up at me. "Now what?"

  "Choose a card, and place it face-up on the table."