Page 50 of The Cruise

We hope you are enjoying your holiday

With all our love from

Gloria & Gwen xx

Selwyn nodded as he read the words and thought how sad it was that only after Flo’s death had Gloria been able to tell him about Gwen. Knowing that her mother would have disowned her eldest daughter for loving a woman, she’d lived with her secret all this time. Selwyn wondered what sort of father he’d been to not know how his daughter felt. But he’d embraced Gwen into the family and vowed to make it up to them both.

The other card was from Susan, and the cheap paper contained sparse words.

From Susan, Raymond & Charlene

Susan was as frugal as her mother and the living duplication of everything Flo believed in. Namely, the Baptist Church in Lambeth. Susan and Raymond spent more time in church than Flo, and Selwyn felt the distance grow greater between himself and his eldest daughter. Charlene, however, was Granddad’s delight and Selwyn adored the little girl. He knew that his regular gifts were far too extravagant, but the toddler was the apple of his eye, and he relished the precious hours spent with her.

Selwyn turned up the volume on the television. On the ship’s channel, a nativity scene was being shown, and the carol ‘Away in a Manger’. It reminded him of childhood in the family house, where relatives, friends, and neighbours gathered around the table with his parents and siblings to enjoy his mother’s Christmas cooking. Full of fine food, they’d begin with carols but soon enjoy reggae, ska, and calypso as the day progressed into the night.

Selwyn suddenly felt lonely and sank back against the pillows.

It was Christmas, a time of year when families and friends were together. Yet he was alone, in bed, thousands of miles away from home. Should he have been in the church hall in Lambeth? Pastor Gregory would have welcomed him and ensured Selwyn had company.

Selwyn sighed as he touched the cards that lay on his bed. How good it would be to have the company of a woman. Someone he could make love to and indulge. A person he could be proud of and a companion to share the latter years of his life. There were plenty of ladies on the ship who, he knew, would be pleased to make his acquaintance. Selwyn had never been short of admirers and, on occasion, had played away from home. But he’d felt a duty to Flo and would never leave the mother of his children despite the church being a third member of their marriage. Selwyn considered himself a good husband, but it hadn’t been the life he’d chosen, and unbeknown to his wife, Selwyn had a secret.

A secret that he hoped one day to share with the right person. Reaching out, he took a sip of water and thought about Jane. ‘That woman is complicated,’ he sighed.

Selwyn had never met anyone so fixated with their size, and not in a good way. She was obsessed with being overweight, and it affected her confidence. But in Selwyn’s eyes, she was gorgeous, and he remembered how freely she’d danced in Spirit’s bar and felt his heart beat a little faster. Could she fall in love with him and would he win her over before the cruise ended? Was Jane the woman to share his secret?

He stared at the television. More melodies played, and the day’s events ran across the screen, from gingerbread displays in the library, a snow celebration in the atrium, seasonal movies on a screen by the pool and even a Christmas sweater competition. Selwyn had opted for a traditional meal in the Terrace Restaurant that began at three o’clock. Later, in the Neptune Lounge, there was a holiday-themed entertainment show. His reservation for lunch was on his regular table, and his new friends would be joining him. Including Jane. As he swung his legs over the side of the bed, he determined to find her soft spot, the key that would unlock the woman inside.

But in the meantime, how to spend the morning?

Staying in his cabin wasn’t achieving anything, and why on earth was he feeling sorry for himself? This was the holiday of a lifetime! He’d get dressed and go out on the deck to enjoy the island of St Maarten. Maybe take a water taxi to the beach. A swim would be great, and he’d be back in plenty of time for the Christmas meal.

Decisions made, Selwyn stepped into the bathroom and sang softly as he got ready for his day.

* * *

Christmas morning hadn’t started well for Dicky. Despite feeling relief that he’d been given the all-clear from the ship’s medic, and would be allowed to leave his cabin, a phone call from Peter had left him reeling. Staring at the itinerary he’d scribbled on a notepad, his eyes were bulging when he checked off the list of activities Peter had planned.

Dicky glanced at his Tag Heuer. He hadn’t expected to begin work until the evening, and had anticipated a day delivering books to cabins and whatever else he could conjure up to add dollars to his stash in the safe. But Peter had demanded that Dicky pull his finger out. His debacle with his health had given the comedian two full days of rest while the crew were working around the clock. Melissa had a heavy cold and was confined to quarters. TheDiamond StarDancing Troupe, who also hosted events, were dropping like flies.

‘What would you like me to do?’ Dick asked as he gripped the phone to his ear and tapped angrily on the pad with his pen.

‘You can begin by being Santa at the beach party this morning,’ Peter said. ‘Then, I want you to host the Christmas sweater competition in the Mermaid Theatre. During the Christmas lunch, you will circulate – telling jokes, taking charge of the raffle, and helping to ensure that everyone is having a great time.’

Dicky wanted to ask Peter if he’d like him to attach a broom to his bottom and sweep up too? But he knew he was on dodgy ground and, taking a deep breath, replied that Peter could count on him to be a team player and help wherever he could.

‘Don’t forget that the cabaret evening is in the Neptune Lounge, and you must attend a pre-breakfast run-through with the cast before you head off for the beach party,’ Peter added.

Dicky wondered if he should offer to steer the sodding ship and stoke the boilers while he was at it? Instead, he bit his tongue and reassured Peter that he was already out of the door and to leave everything to him.

‘I sent an email to Clive to let him know that you let us down in the last forty-eight hours so I’m sure you’ll be hearing from him,’ Peter added before disconnecting the call.

‘Hell!’ Dicky cursed and threw his pen across the room. He hoped that Clive was supping a bottle of brandy by a cosy log fire far away from his computer and, with any luck, wouldn’t be sober until the new year. By that time, Dicky would have completed his stint so well that any misdemeanours would be forgotten.

As Dicky stood in the shower, he thought of Melissa. ‘A heavy cold’ generally meant a cast member had a severe hangover. If others were down with it too, Dicky suspected there had been after-hours parties below the passenger decks. He’d seen Melissa in action off-stage, and her ability to dance all night and drink a tray of shots would floor an army of squaddies.

He cursed as he hastily towelled dry. There wasn’t even time to call Anne and wish her Happy Christmas.

Still, the show must go on, and it was in his best interests to step up and prove to Peter that he could make it happen. Maybe the entertainment director would ease off Dicky’s case, and things could get back to normal. Dicky stooped low in front of a mirror to comb his hair and apply a layer of tinted moisturiser. He shrugged his shoulders and gave himself a pearly white smile.

---