Page 43 of Wait for Me

Since they were older now, couldn’t they talk through whatever differences they had?

Then again, sometimes people fell away from each other and never returned to where they once were.

Lord, please don’t let us be like that.

I want a second chance, if it’s possible.

“Where are we going?” Marie glanced back.

“Away from this crowd,” Logan said over Jonas’s head. “I think if we turn a corner there to where the shops are…”

“That seems counterintuitive.” Marie pointed toward the bay. “You see a second wave of cruise ships are docking now.”

“Yeah, I know. Maybe we can slip into the shops in between the waves.”

Marie nodded.

Logan had no idea if he would be right or not, but he gave Marie credit for not arguing with him.

As a kid with a short memory, Jonas hadn’t asked to return to the ship, although they could have taken left turn at the stairs ahead, and walk back to the ship.

Jonas’s mind seemed to be sidetracked by the idea of eating ice cream.

The crowd started to clear as the road bifurcated.

“Take the road less traveled by,” Logan told Marie.

“And that will make all the difference,” she said.

Jonas suddenly waved. “Abdul! Abdul!”

In front of what looked like a souvenir shop some thirty feet away was Jonas’s new friend, together with his escorts. They were walking into the shop.

His friend didn’t seem to hear nor see him.

Jonas pulled Logan’s hand. “Let’s go!”

“What about ice cream?” Logan asked.

“Later. I want a toy.”

Marie sighed. Logan shrugged.

They entered the souvenir store. Logan was tall enough to look over the heads of the customers in the shop. He spotted Abdul and his mother by a barrel of rocks. He took Jonas there.

Marie tagged along. She seemed to be glancing this way and that.

“Go browse if you want,” Logan said. “I’ll stay with Jonas.”

Jonas and Abdul were busy comparing small rocks in the barrel. They each filled a little satchel with them. According to the sign, the rocks sold by the pound.

Pound? Logan chuckled.

Standing behind Abdul was his mother and her friend. Behind them were two bodyguards—or whoever they were.

Logan wasn’t the least bit curious, but he thought that might be a good conversation starter tonight when he and Marie walked after dinner—if she was still up to doing it.

He hadn’t always thought of himself as observant, but Logan remembered seeing three men escorting these women by the pool on the ship a few days ago. It was probably nothing.

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