Dana

Hutch seemed nervous as we strolled along on deck, so I was quick to make myself clear.  “I’m not saying Caroline’s dangerous, of course not.”

“Well that’s a damned good thing, because she’s looking out for Blu.”

“That’s not what I’m saying though, Hutch.  I’m just worried about my father being alone with her on this ship without me.  She’s got her sites set on him now that she thinks I’m going to be your rich wife.”

Hutch shrugged.  “That is a reasonable assumption.”  Off my stunned look, he casually said, “You don’t think I move women into my home, into my daughter’s life, without looking toward the future?”

“Well no, of course not.  And I wouldn’t just move in with some man I’d just met without doing the same thing.”

He smiled.  “I’m very glad to hear it.”

“But that only makes it worse, what she’s planning ... or could be planning, I really can’t be sure.”

“But you’re concerned about leaving your father unprotected.”

“Naturally!”

“No, Dana, that’s not necessarily so natural for everybody; for a person like you it is, but others ... they’re not so attuned to that sort of thing, I’m sorry to say.”  He gave it some thought, leaning back in his barstool, Hector watching us from the end of the bar, keeping a respectful distance.  “Let’s look at the possibilities.  One call, I could have her fired.”

“No, Hutch, no, I’m not even sure about what I’m saying, it’s just a .... a hunch, y’know?  I love my father, I care about him, but I can’t just around shit-canning everybody I think is looking at him sideways, that’s not me.”

“I’m glad to hear it, Dana.  That’s not my style either, not that I shrink from it when it has to get done.  What about your old man?  Maybe he’d like to retire?”  I couldn’t disguise my confused surprise, so Hutch explained, “He won’t have any need to work, not after we’re a family.  I’ll set him up like I did with my folks, and my in-laws.  Anywhere he wants in the world, a blank check.”

I loved that idea, and I loved Hutch for offering it, but I knew my father would never go for it.  “No, Hutch, no, he’s too proud for that, and too young.  He’s not even fifty years old, he’s vital and active -- ”

“So he can be vital and active, does he have to be those things here?”

“He’s happy here.”

“He’s happy because you’re here, Dana.  And you’ve been happy here with him and that’s great.  But things change, your life is changing.  Maybe it’s time for his life to change too.”

“I dunno, Hutch, it seems like ... like so much.”

Hutch shrugged.  “Maybe we should just leave him be.  He’s a grown man, Dana, he’s been through a lot.  He’s the captain of a cruise ship, for heaven’s sake.  I think he can take care of himself.”

“Sure,” I said, “he thinks the same thing.”

Hutch asked, “Does he know that you’re going home with us?”  I shook my head.  “Dana, if you’re serious about leaving with us -- ”

“I am, Hutch, I really am -- ”

“Then you have to tell him, Dana.  You have to tell him now, before he hears from somebody else.  I don’t doubt that the ship’s buzzing with it.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“In fact ... I’ve already spoken to him.”

“You what?”

Hutch held his flattened palms out to calm me.  “I was just asking for your hand, as it were, looking for his blessing.”

“Did he give it?”

“It was only hypothetical,  Now we’ll go see him together.”

I gave that some thought, but my mind was scattered, it was hard to make a quick decision.  “I dunno, Hutch, you talked to Blu alone, maybe I should do the same thing with my father.” 

Hutch considered, nodding as we strolled along.  Caroline ran out of the door onto the deck in front of us with a terrified expression, mouth in an open frown, brows arching upward toward the center of her forehead.  But when she saw us, those brows leapt toward the very top of her head, blood draining from her alabaster face.  She froze in her tracks, spun, and reached for the door.

Hutch said, “Hold it!” and she stopped, turning slowly as we walked up to her.  “What’s going on?  Where’s Blu?”  Caroline stammered a bit, looking around haplessly before he said, “You were looking after Blu!  Where is she?”

“I ... um .... we were in the arcade, and she was playing Pacman or something ... I went to get some quarters, and I turned around, she was gone ... I mean, she ... ”

“What are you saying, you lost her?”

“I didn’t ... I didn’t lose her, she ... she ran away, there wasn’t anything I could do!  I’ve checked your cabin, but it’s locked.  If she’s in there, she wont’ answer for me.”

Hutch looked around, lips tight, eyes burning with an angry glow.  Caroline was quick to say, “But, I mean, she’s got to be safe, I’m sure.  There’s nothing that could hurt her onboard.”

Hutch glowered at Caroline.  “What have you done?”

“Nothing, I -- ”

“You duplicitous bitch,” Hutch said, “if you’re cooking up some bullshit I swear I’ll -- ”

I said, “Hutch, Hutch, take it easy!  I’m sure Caroline didn’t do anything to Blu.”

“No,” she said, “of course not!  She deliberately ran off!  I wouldn’t hurt that beautiful little child!  I was trying to find her -- ”

“Then keep trying,” I said.  “Tell everybody, we have to comb every inch of this ship.”

Hutch turned glancing out over the sea.  “What if she ... what if she jumped?”

A chill crawled up my spine, blood almost freezing in my veins.  “Don’t say that, Hutch, don’t even think it!”

Caroline said, “I’ll get the word out, we’ll search the ship.”

Hutch said, “I’ll check our cabin suite, she’s probably there.  I’ll call you, let you know what I find.”

I said, “I have to tell my father.”  This made Caroline even paler, as she knew what that would mean for her, personally and professionally.  But she also knew it was protocol, that a captain would have to be notified if a passenger went missing.  And there was no time to lose.  “You two get the word and start the search.  I’ll find my father and we’ll spread the word through the rest of the crew!”

We parted company, but not before another long, silent stare between me and Hutch.  We’d already faced significant challenges on our road to love, but this one could yet be the end of that road, and in more ways than one.