Page 2 of The Cruise

‘I’ve spent my career in aviation,’ Anne said, ‘I’ve travelled the world.’

‘Ah, yes, I heard that you were a trolley-dolly,’ Sylvia was dismissive, ‘and recently divorced?’

‘Er, Barry and I decided to part company after a long marriage.’ Anne failed to admit that the errant husband she’d put up with for many years had recently disappeared with the Ladies Captain of Garstang Golf Club. The two-timing rat now propped up the bar on the nineteenth hole at La Manga Club, on the Costa Calida.

‘Barry Amberley,’ Sylvia pondered, ‘very good looking.’ She winked. ‘I remember him well, he was something on a flight deck?’

‘An airline captain.’

‘Who has finally flown away.’ Sylvia laughed.

Anne tensed and wondered if Sylvia had enjoyed a fling with Barry. He’d slept with many women behind her back and most of the cabin crew working for the airline.

‘Kath, of course, has had a highly successful career in banking,’ Anne continued, ‘and Jane is the darling of the celebrity culinary world, having worked with some of the finest chefs in the country.’

Kath’s jaw dropped, and Jane, who’d finished her wine, was wide-eyed. But Anne was not to be outdone. ‘But Sylvia, what didyoudo in all these years, to set the world on fire?’ she asked, noting that Sylvia had taken a step back as three pairs of eyes swivelled towards her. Before Sylvia had time to reply, Anne, with an innocent expression, asked, ‘Didn’t you make husband-hunting your mission in life?’

‘Well, I may have been married a couple of times.’

‘At the last count it was four and I hear you’re on the market for number five.’ Anne stroked Sylvia’s arm. ‘What a shame that you never had a proper job. Still, for sixty-six, you must need a new funding source to pay for all the work you’ve had done.’

‘Well, really!’ Sylvia hissed and turned to make sure that they hadn’t been overheard. ‘I’m nowhere near the age of sixty-six...’

‘Oh, my dear, your memory is going too.’ Anne frowned. ‘I remember my mother telling me you’d been abroad with your parents. When you enrolled at Garstang Grammar, you were three years behind with schooling.’ Anne studied her French-polished nails. ‘Mum told me not to say anything about your lack of education but to make you feel welcome as you took all those extra lessons to catch up.’

Jane crossed her arms. ‘At least you can pick up your state pension.’ She grinned. ‘We’re still waiting for ours as we haven’t reached pension age yet.’ Despite feeling every day of her sixty-three years, Jane felt smug that she was younger than Sylvia.

‘Hopefully you’ve applied for your bus pass,’ Kath added. ‘You probably won’t be driving much longer.’

Lost for words and spinning on her heels, Sylvia muttered that she must rejoin her friends.

‘She didn’t stay long.’ Jane watched the school bully move away. ‘Snobby Sylvia was always such a cow to me, but I had no idea she was older than us.’

Kath sipped her orange juice and narrowed her eyes. ‘I’d love to know where she finds her husbands.’

‘Cruising,’ Anne said.

‘Eh?’

‘She’s always on a cruise with her mate Beverly Barnett, who used to own a dress shop.’ Anne shrugged. ‘Sylvia sets sail until she digs her claws into a wealthy widower with a limited life expectancy and bingo!’ Anne clicked her fingers. ‘Mrs double or triple barrel, or whatever she becomes, is engaged again and soon sailing down the aisle, supporting another geriatric, before adding a new surname to her marriage certificate.’

‘And not long after the wedding, when husband number five pops his clogs, she’ll receive a large inheritance?’ Jane guessed.

‘Exactly,’ Anne agreed.

‘It all sounds sordid to me.’ Kath sighed and flicked away a mop of fringe that had fallen over her forehead. Her hair was still as thick and wayward as it had been when she was a girl, only the colour had changed from a glorious chestnut brown to an ageing salt and pepper.

‘On the contrary, look at us.’ Anne motioned with her hand. ‘We’ve worked our socks off all our lives, and none of us are getting any younger. Jane is single and recently sacked from a job she loved, Kath is widowed and worried about her future, and I’m divorced. Isn’t it about time that we allowed ourselves the luxury of putting our cares to one side and having some fun?’

Jane bristled at Anne’s words. The truth hurt. But she was thoughtful as she replied, ‘A cruise might be fun, with buffets groaning with exotic food that I haven’t prepared.’ She looked from Anne to Kath. ‘I’ve heard there are restaurants where delicious grub is served around the clock and there’s a housekeeping team on standby to clear up all your mess.’

‘But cruises cost a lot of money.’ Kath shook her head and rearranged the bag on her knee, ‘Jim wouldn’t entertain the idea, and we never got further than Bournemouth.’

‘Well, it’s not as though you haven’t got any money!’ Anne laughed. ‘I bet that bag is full of it.’

Kath rolled her eyes. ‘As if I’d carry cash around with me.’ She patted her bag. ‘I keep everything I need for emergencies in here.’

‘But we never go anywhere where there is likely to be an emergency.’ Anne raised both hands. ‘Jim must have left you a tidy pile, with his sudden death prompting an insurance pay-out. You’ve no mortgage on the house and have a pension from the building society.’

---