Dana
I left the band behind and walked with Caroline down a long hall. I knew what had happened even then, and that Caroline felt rejected. It was hard for me to fathom, to be honest. I thought for sure Hutch would have kept Caroline around for a day or two at least. But for him to be so quickly disinterested in that curvy body, all that sexy, toned skin, impressed me. Very few men would have passed Caroline by, and the last person I would have thought would have been preferred, would have been me! Barry and Sticks had been right; Caroline had designs on Preston Hutchinson and they didn’t get her further than just a few minutes. That had to be a bitter pill to swallow, especially for a woman like Caroline. Even worse, to know he wanted to see me instead of her, that I was the one between the two of us who was more desirable, must have taken Caroline completely off-guard. She was used to getting pretty much any man she wanted. But things were changing fast, we both could sense it. But what it would mean for both of our futures, neither of us could yet imagine. Anyway, for me the present was a lot more pressing than the future. “Everything okay, Caroline?”
“It’s fine, Dana, everything’s … everything’s just swell. How about you, you sure you’re … up to this?”
I shrugged, keeping up with Caroline’s impatient pace. “I know the ship as well as anybody, I practically grew up on — ”
“That's not what I mean, Dana.” We walked on, my silent confusion letting Caroline continue. “You really think what he needs is a tour of the ship? There are directories posted all over the place, Dana. Use your head … at the very least.”
With that, Caroline turned and headed down another hall alone. But my destination lay straight ahead, my brain jangling with what seemed like the obvious conclusions.
Am I going to have to sleep with him, is this what all this is truly about? Am I really supposed to be some amusement, an attraction like the video arcade or the IMAX theater? I suppose that’s just the way these super-rich people go through life, renting everybody they don’t need to buy. But these people can be dangerous too, not caring who they hurt or what they have to do to cover up their crimes. Odd what happened to his wife.
I got to the end of the hall to the elevators, pushing the button and waiting for the door to slide open.
No, that’s too dark, too cynical, I’m sure he didn't have anything to do with what happened in Colorado. If he'd been guilty, the police would have caught him by now. Wouldn't they? Of course. And he’s the only guest on a cruise ship. There'd be no way to cover up anything happening to me. I’m probably the safest person in the world right now, at least the safest girl floating on the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. Anyway, this man doesn’t necessarily have to be that kind of person; not the kind who would swoop in on some defenseless young woman, much less do what they said he did to the late Mrs. Hutchinson. That’s just hysteria. The man wants company for his daughter, probably. Sure, that's really all it is, the girl's gotta be lonely. What a silly notion, that I'm supposed to be the guy’s onboard concubine! I’m sure Caroline sees it that way, because that’s the way she sees the world and so that's the way the world sees her. But I don't live that way, that’s not me. I’m lined up to be a babysitter, not some sex toy!
I stepped into the elevator and waited, the box gliding me down two floors. The door slid open to reveal the big mall, the Captain’s Table Steakhouse just a few yards away, wondering what that feeling was in the pit of my stomach. Is it excitement? Fear? Disappointment?
I took a deep breath, put a big smile on my face, and stepped out to see Hutch and his daughter, Blu.
They were at a booth near the front, not needing too much privacy since he rented out the whole ship. But the restaurant was immediately dark, thick wooden paneling giving it the look of an old pirate’s pub somewhere on what used to be called the Spanish Main.
As soon as I sat down, breakfast arrived. Leo the cook knew what I liked, and the spinach egg white omelet was perfectly well-done, crispy on the outside. The roasted potatoes were my favorite, and the English muffins were still hot from the toaster.
Blu was polite and gracious when they brought her scrambled eggs and fruit, following her father’s lead as he received his steak and eggs. The waitress, Stella, gave me a little wink as she turned to walk away from the table, but I tried to ignore it. I certainly didn’t appreciate it. I had to think, Leo already knows, so does Stella? What will they all be wondering, talking about, gossiping about tomorrow, and for the next seven days? What about my father, what’s he going to make out of all this? I’ll bet Caroline’s telling him right now, probably making it sound as bad as she can. But I couldn’t keep focusing on all that; that wasn’t what mattered. At that moment what mattered most was the somewhat-reduced Hutchinson family, and that they have the best week of their lives.
Hutch said, “The food is delicious, Dana. May I call you Dana?”
“Please do … Hutch.”
He smiled and turned to Blu. “S’good?”
She nodded, pushing a piece of watermelon into her mouth. “Yes, thank you.”
Hutch asked me, “How do you stay so thin? You must have a gym here.”
“Oh yeah, I go when there’s a spot open. It’s usually pretty crowded.”
Hutch smiled. “Won’t be this time.” He didn’t say anymore about it, and I was glad. We’d just met, and I found myself immediately hoping he wouldn't come on with some tacky line about showing him my routine or whatever, especially not right there in front of his daughter. But he left that matter completely alone, as if it had been the mere afterthought that it seemed to be. He went on, “Anyway, I’m glad you could see your way clear to joining us.”
I smiled, glad he brought it up, and for reasons other than sheer curiosity. “It’s certainly my pleasure. Though I have to say, it’s generally the kind of thing Caroline, our cruise director, would do.”
Hutch let the moment land, silence at the table. “Would you rather she do it?”
“Do what?”
“I don’t know, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, well, um, just, y’know, show you around the ship, be your escort, as it were.”
Hutch smiled, taking a sip of his coffee. “I see. Nevertheless, we feel a bit more … comfortable with you.” He turned to Blu to confirm. “Wouldn’t you say, Blu?”
Blu nodded, swallowing her food to say, “‘Zactly.”
I couldn’t help but smile, and I really didn’t want to help it. What more was there to do but shrug and butter my muffin? We were going to have a splendid time and there was nothing I was going to be able to say or do about it.
*
After breakfast (Hutch tipped a hundred dollars!) we strolled around the ship. I showed them the rest of the mall, a glittering city block of polished glass and chrome, the world’s most tantalizing trinkets on display; diamonds and fine silk, but also the colorful, humorous t-shirts and flip-flops so popular among their post-adolescent passengers. They passed the IMAX theater, which had 3-D presentations of a variety of deep sea documentaries as well as the latest blockbusters.
Hutch looked around, impressed. “Wow, this is really something. It’s quite a place to live. How long have you been doing this?”
“My dad took the job almost ten years ago, after my mom … ” But a quick glance at little Blu told me I’d already said too much. The last thing I wanted to do was to drudge up sad memories for the Hutchinsons, especially not those memories in particular. But it was too late to backpedal away from the subject, and both Hutch and Blu seemed to know it. “Anyway, it’s been about ten years.”
“So, about half your life,” Hutch presumed and I nodded. “Or two thirds of mine.”
Odd thing to say, I couldn’t help but think. He must want to know how old I am, and he wants me to know how old he is. There can’t be too many reasons for that.
But I wasn’t intimidated or upset by it, not at all. In fact, I was intrigued, to put it in the most gentile way I can.
Blu asked, “Have you always been a singer?”
I didn’t have to give that one too much thought. “Ever since I was a kid, Blu. I sang in the shower, school plays, all that stuff. When we came to the ship it was … it was a little harder for a while, I have to admit. I really didn't sing at all for a few years, to tell you the truth. I just kept my head down, I had a tutor so there was always schooling to do. And I gotta say, all the things there were to do, and Oceania was brand new at the time, it helped, y’know? Just to know there was still some fun to be had out there, and for me … it was in my own backyard!”
Hutch said, “Speaking of that, who feels like a swim?”
**END OF PREVIEW**
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