Page 51 of The Cruise Club

‘Tail,’ Sid said, ‘it’s a cocktail.’

‘Favourite form of activity after sixty. Three letters.’

‘Nap.’ Sid nodded.

‘No, silly, and the first letter is S,’ Fran added.

‘Sex?’ Sid looked hopeful.

Fran ignored Sid and licked her pencil. She wrote ‘Sew’ in the clue.

‘Who’s written these?’

‘It’s Brain Teasers for Seasoned Seniors,’ Fran said. ‘I picked the magazine up in the onboard shop.’

‘More like brain teasers for two-year-olds,’ Sid said. ‘As you mentioned the shop, did you see Dicky Delaney’s book on display?’

‘Yes, I’m going to get a copy, and it was next to Ruskin Reeve’s new thriller.’

‘I fancy a thriller; it’s just my sort of reading.’

‘I’m sure Carmen said Ruskin is hosting a workshop today, you might get the book signed if you go along.’

‘Does that mean I’ll have to start writing a novel?’

‘You might.’ Fran looked up. ‘You could call itSid’s Guide to Getting Away.’

‘I’ll never get away from you,’ Sid grinned and ducked as Fran swiped his head with her magazine. ‘Now, let’s look at what else is on today.’ Studying the front page, Sid suddenly sat up. ‘Blimey Fran, I’d totally forgotten!’

‘What on earth…’ Fran looked startled.

‘Theo McCarthy is giving a talk in the Neptune Theatre,’ Sid announced, his voice filled with anticipation.

‘Oh heck, you mustn’t miss that. What time?’

‘At eleven this morning, and I want a front-row seat.’

‘Smashing, we can have another hour here and then get ready.’

‘Oh, happy days.’ Sid lay back again. ‘This cruising life trulyisparadise,’ he exclaimed with a contented smile.

Carmen decided to try Kyle’s Yoga for the Young at Heart, and with Betty playing Trivia in the library with the Golden Oldies Gang, she felt free to head off to the sun deck.

‘Over here!’ Kyle called out when he caught sight of Carmen. ‘There’s plenty of room, grab a mat.’

Carmen remembered taking a yoga course in her thirties, one freezing winter when the nights were dark, and she’d needed to get out of the house. Far away from Betty berating Des all evening, for the late hours her husband spent in the shop.

That was several years ago, and the suppleness she’d built up, despite being frozen to the bone in a cold church hall, had disappeared as fast as her motivation to join the local gym, where toned bodies paraded at all hours, making Carmen feel entirely out of place. Still, as she rolled out her mat and sat down, Carmen thought an hour’s gentle exercise would be a great way to start the day before she headed off to listen to Theo’s talk.

Keen to learn more about her new friend in his professional capacity, she also made sure Betty was booked in for the tea dance that afternoon, which would enable Carmen to take part in Ruskin’s workshop.

Carmen made herself comfortable and as Kyle welcomed everyone, she watched the young man and remembered his performance in the Mermaid Theatre the evening before.

Carmen had escorted Betty to the theatre, where Betty’s creaking joints and paralysing arthritis miraculously disappeared when she caught sight of Holden.

Unbeknownst to her mother, Carmen had delayed leaving, and after making sure that Betty was comfortably seated and Holden by her side, Carmen hovered at the back of the room to witness Holden order drinks. After the couple polished off glasses of wine, he escorted Betty to the dance floor. Holden looked dapper in snazzy red braces, a stars and stripes bow tie and a smart dinner shirt, while Betty wore a full-skirted ballroom gown that had seen many dancing days with Des. Holden gently led Betty into a waltz, and to Carmen’s surprise, they made a very graceful pair.

You can’t keep playing the frail old lady card, Carmen thought and shook her head in disbelief as she watched her mother moving with Holden as if they’d been dancing for decades.

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