Santa Cruise Page 16

  “Pretty much anything anyone wants to learn. I have twelve instructors. We have classical ballet, ballroom, jazzalett, tap, although that’s been on a downswing. I also coordinate dance events for community groups and senior villages.”

  “That is very impressive, Rachael. We shall dance together on this journey.”

  “That would be marvelous.” Rachael was beside herself with joy. Someone she had admired since she was in grade school was going to dance with her. “When I signed up for this trip, I had no idea you would be on board. Then I was told you do it to raise money for charity.”

  “Yes. It’s a foundation in New York for children who are disabled. We work with their physical therapists and incorporate dance in their regimen. It makes their therapy much more enjoyable.”

  “That’s wonderful. I would love to learn more about it. Perhaps I can involve myself or some of my instructors.”

  “How very kind of you. We should talk. Perhaps sometime tomorrow evening after we leave Key West?”

  “Absolutely.” Rachael finally realized she was still clasping his hand.

  He smiled at her. “I don’t suppose you’ll be taking any lessons?”

  “Are you kidding? I’ll be in every one of your classes unless you throw me out.”

  “We have three classes a day, then a little dance recital the last night of the cruise for anyone who wants to participate.”

  “Can I talk you into a tango?” Rachael figured, in for a penny, in for a pound.

  “Tango? That would be divine.” He looked around the room and counted; there were three men, including himself, and ten women. He would have to pick a style that could accommodate the imbalance of partners. “After class tonight? Here? We don’t usually run past ten thirty.”

  “¡Maravillosa!”

  He turned to the group. “I have an idea. Do you know what a flash mob is?”

  Some people nodded while others shrugged.

  “It’s when a group of people break out into a dance in an unlikely place. Like a shopping mall.”

  A few people nodded. “This is what we are going to do. We are going to rehearse a line dance. Like the Macarena, or the Electric Slide. The final night of the cruise, the captain has one more cocktail party. But before it starts, he makes an announcement on the grand staircase. We’ll all be milling about on the balcony above. I’ll start up the music, and you’ll start dancing down the stairs. What do you think?”

  “Sounds great,” one of the men said.

  “Sure. Could be fun,” a woman chanted.

  Many more agreeable comments came from the attendees.

  “Excellent.” He instructed everyone to line up and he began to show them simple moves that would look impressive when done together as a group. The beat of the music helped everyone to stay in rhythm.

  An hour and a half later, all ten people had most of the moves down. At least they were beyond embarrassment.

  “Before everyone leaves, I would like to share a dance with another instructor. Please sit and enjoy.” He motioned for Rachael. Her legs were shaking. She didn’t know what to expect.

  The maestro pushed a button on his phone and the room filled with the sounds of piano and strings playing music from Argentina. He held out his hand and led Rachael on a ride she would never forget. Dugan was masterful in his cues, and Rachael followed him seamlessly. It was as if they had rehearsed for days. When the song ended, the small group jumped out of their seats and applauded. Rachael was in what felt like a transcendental state. The maestro bowed to his dance partner, and she returned one in kind. He held her by the shoulders. “That was exquisite. I do hope we can dance again on this trip.”

  “I cannot explain what a thrill this is for me.” Rachael was trying not to faint from excitement.

  “And I look forward to meeting with you when we get back to New York. I would like you to meet with our committee and the other dance therapists.”

  “Of course. Of course.” Rachael felt like she was floating six inches off the ground. So much for her sense of being too petite.

  “We have another class tomorrow morning at eight. The ship docks at Fisherman’s Wharf, so we don’t have to deal with a tender schedule. I hope to see all of you then. Good night.” He grabbed his warm-up jacket and told Rachael to stop by during any of the classes.

  She promised she would and danced her way to the Stargazer Lounge.

  * * *

  After they finished their prosecco, the women excused themselves and bid the nice gentlemen good night. “See you around campus,” Amy quipped.

  They walked toward the elevator that would take them to the top deck of the ship. The Stargazer Lounge was appropriately named. A wall of windows surrounded the large lounge from floor to ceiling, with glass panels creating a large part of the ceiling. No matter where one sat, one could see thousands of glittering stars over the dark sea. The rest of the ceiling mimicked the night sky with more twinkling lights. It was almost hard to tell where the real stars ended and the interior lights began. Overstuffed club chairs formed dozens of seating areas, and a three-piece jazz combo played softly. Small centerpieces made of twigs, silver stars, and votive candles sat on each table. A round, low-seated bar was in the middle of the room with its own tower of poinsettias. It was a glistening combination of holiday cheer and the evening sky.

  The soft atmosphere of the room was broken as Rachael came flying into the lounge area. “You are not going to believe this.”

  “Do tell,” Nina responded.

  Rachael went into detail about her meeting with Henry Dugan, the tango, and the possibility of working with his foundation for disabled children.

  “Boy, you’ve been busy,” Amy exclaimed.

  Rachael still looked dazed over her experience and ordered a glass of wine.

  Amy was looking out to sea and remembered something. “Hey, tomorrow is a full moon,” she announced to all and sundry. It will be really cool to watch it come up.”

  “And I’ll bet the sunrise will be rather magnificent as well,” Peter added.

  “I remember camping on Big Pine Key when I was in college. You could watch the sunrise from one side of the key, then walk a few hundred yards at the end of the day and watch the sunset on the other side,” Frankie said.

  “Looks like we’ll have the same opportunity,” Peter said.

  “If I get up early enough.” Nina looked doubtful.

  “We could set our alarms, then go back to sleep,” Frankie suggested.

  “You are always right on top of things, aren’t you?” Peter said.

  “It’s my Bossy-Pants job.” Frankie chuckled.

  Marilyn gathered her purse and stood. “I think I’m going to call it a night. I’m very happy we met. See you tomorrow, I hope. Good night, everyone.”

  “Speaking of tomorrow, what does everyone have on their agenda?” Nina asked.

  “Of course I will be visiting the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. Funny thing. I’m not a big fan of his. A lot of us agree that if he were to submit one of his manuscripts today, he would be rejected,” Frankie said wryly.

  “Seriously?” Peter interjected.

  “A lot of men like his writing, but his novels were relatively short, depressing, and didn’t appeal to many women,” Frankie explained. “We read him in school because we had to. I want to visit because of the cats. I was there once when I was in college. The thing I found most interesting is that he collected polydactyl cats, which are known as Hemingway cats. They have extra digits on their paws. Almost like thumbs.”

  Amy chimed in, “I see a few of them come through the shelter, but they get adopted quickly. Which is good. I think I’ll do the same thing.”

  “Dry Tortugas is where I’m heading,” Peter said.

  Nina said she would probably take the trolley tour and hit Duval Street. Rachael said she would catch up with them at some point. She wanted to take Henry’s class in the morning.

  “Should we plan on meeting up for lu
nch somewhere?” Frankie asked.

  “Good idea. I’ll scope out the local cafés and text you guys around noon. How does that sound?” Nina offered.

  “You gals enjoy your day. I’ll probably see you in the evening. Should be a spectacular sunset. I’m going to hit the hay now. Glad I met up with you,” Peter said. “By the way, good dart match.”

  “Oh, how did it go?” Frankie asked. “Did you guys win?”

  “We came in second,” Peter said guiltily. “It was my fault. I missed a bull’s-eye.”

  “That’s only because the other guys were jeering. Threw you off your game,” Nina said in defense of him.

  “Thanks, Nina. But I’ll take the blame. Sneers don’t throw me unless someone is complaining about their tax return, and I have to explain why they can’t deduct their bowling ball as a therapeutic aid.” He gave a smile. “See you tomorrow.”

  As he got out of earshot, Nina said, “Nice guy.”

  “Yes. Too bad he’s not my type,” Rachael said.

  “Since when is a man not your type?” Nina teased.

  “Funny. Maybe I’m becoming a little more discerning now.” Rachael seemed more thoughtful than before.

  “Wow. That instructor must have pulled some of your strings,” Nina noted.

  “I can’t explain it, but I may have had an epiphany when we were dancing. I’ve been caught up in validating myself through the attention of men, when it occurred to me that I don’t need to get it from someone else. Dancing with one of the world’s most renowned choreographers and his inviting me to visit his foundation made me realize that I came this far all by myself. With hard work and tenacity. Not because some guy bought me dinner.”

  Nina checked Rachael’s forehead to see if she had a fever. Rachael playfully slapped her hand away.

  “Sometimes it only takes a moment for all the lights in our psyche to turn on and illuminate us,” Frankie said, recalling the many self-help books she had worked on over the years. She gave Rachael a hug.

  “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to do my ‘coochie-coochie’ dance anymore, just in case you were wondering.”

  “You wouldn’t be Rachael if you didn’t.” Nina chuckled.

  “OK, kids, time for me to hit the sack.” Frankie stretched.

  The others concurred and left together for a good night’s rest.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Day 2

  Key West, Florida

  The ship pulled into the harbor at the crack of dawn. Frankie had set her alarm clock for six thirty to watch the sunrise. She was surprised that it was slightly later than when she was at home. Probably because Key West was farther west and south. According to the almanac, sunrise was at 7:09 and sunset at 5:46. The days were still shorter no matter where you were north of the equator.

  There was a slight rap on the door. It was either room service or Nina. She pulled on a bathrobe and unchained the lock. “Good morning, sunshine.” Nina was wide-awake and in a fine mood.

  “Hey. Good morning to you. Coffee and croissants should be here shortly.” Frankie gestured for her to come in. “We’ll have our breakfast on the veranda. The morning light was beginning to brighten the horizon. Several minutes later, there was another knock on the door. This time it was room service.

  “Good morning. Welcome to Key West, Florida. The southernmost tip of the United States,” the server said with a slight Caribbean accent. “Shall I place this on the veranda?”

  “Most definitely. Thank you.” Frankie moved out of his way as he hoisted the tray over his shoulder. He placed the coffee and basket of baked goods on the small table.

  “May I get you anything else?” he asked cordially.

  “No. This is lovely. Thank you.” She handed him ten dollars even though tipping was discouraged. Who couldn’t use some extra cash in their wallet?

  “Oh, thank you very much.” He bowed and walked toward the door. “Have a beautiful day.”

  “I was looking up restaurants for lunch,” Nina said. “There’s an authentic Cuban place called Conch Republic Seafood Company near Mallory Square. I’ll make a reservation for twelve thirty so we’ll know where and when to meet. Sound good?”

  “My push-planning is rubbing off on you.” Frankie stretched before sitting on the veranda chair.

  “I think we’re all rubbing off on each other.” Nina poured her coffee.

  “That could be a good thing or a bad thing.” Frankie raised her eyebrows.

  “So far, so good.” Nina smiled. “Look at that sky. Isn’t it magnificent?”

  Frankie sighed. “It certainly is. Sure beats the cement and exhaust fan I have out my window.”

  “You’ve alluded to being antsy about your place.” Nina tore off a corner of a baguette, saving the croissant for the next round of sampling the fresh morning delights.

  “I know. It’s a sweet place, but there isn’t a whole lot I can do to change the décor, especially the scenery. Like I said, it feels like I go to work, come home, order food. Thank heaven for Bandit. At least I have him to talk to.”

  “And he doesn’t talk back,” Nina said.

  “Oh, don’t be so sure. He makes funny noises called trilling. It’s like a language all its own.”

  “Huh. And I thought only dogs talked back.” Nina took another bite. “These are delicious.”

  “What time are you planning to go into town?” Frankie asked.

  “I may go back to sleep for another hour. Probably around ten or ten thirty.”

  “Ring me when you’re ready. Amy and I will go with you. Rachael has her class, so she’ll meet us for lunch. I’ll slip a note under her door with the name of the restaurant and time.”

  Nina wiped the crumbs from her lips and brushed the rest of them onto her plate. “That was lovely. See you in a bit.”

  “Ciao, bella,” Frankie said, as she stared at the water-colored sky painted in pastel shades of pink. Within minutes, the large ball of the sun poked its head over the horizon. It was stirring to see how quickly the sun moved into the sky.

  She sat for another half hour, then slipped a note under Amy’s door telling her what time they were planning on leaving the ship, and one under Rachael’s door with information for lunch. Two hours at the Hemingway House should be enough time. Then they could decide what they wanted to do afterward. One more cup of coffee and half a muffin, and Frankie was ready to shower and get herself together for the day ahead.

  Around ten o’clock, Frankie heard a rap on her door. “It’s me, Amy.” Frankie let her in. “Nina is right behind me.”

  “I guess Rachael took that class. I haven’t heard a peep out of her,” Amy said.

  “I’m sure that won’t last very long.” Nina chuckled. She was finally starting to relax. It had taken two days to shake off the concern about her job prospects. The further away she was from the turmoil, the easier it was for her to deal with.

  “Everybody ready?”

  “You bet.” Amy was dressed in a pair of baggy white shorts with a tropical print blouse and red slip-on sneakers. A straw hat with a red ribbon and a straw tote bag completed her outfit.

  Nina was wearing a long, flowing, pale blue skirt with an off-the-shoulder peasant blouse. She, too, had a straw hat, but the brim was much floppier than Amy’s. Frankie chose a black-and-white polka-dot midi sundress with a white linen sun hat. A white jute bag completed her outfit.

  “We look maravillosa,” Frankie exclaimed. The three women sauntered down the corridor as Rachael was returning from her class.

  “Ladies. I had the most wonderful class with Henry. We’re working on a routine with several other people. Should be fun. I’ll catch up with you at lunchtime. ¡Hasta luego!”

  “Ciao,” Frankie called, as Rachael blew past them.

  “She looks very confident, doesn’t she?” Nina remarked.

  “Yes. She sure does. I wonder what routine she was referring to.”

  “Guess we’ll find out sooner or later.” Amy smi
led.

  There was a crowd of people waiting to disembark from the ship. They spotted Marilyn in line. Amy waved. As they got closer to each other, Amy asked Marilyn what she had planned for her afternoon.

  “As I was heading back to my stateroom, I decided to take a walk on the deck and met a very charming man. He was leaning on the railing enjoying the view. We started chatting, and before we knew it, it was almost one in the morning. He invited me to have lunch with him today in town.”

  “How nice.” Frankie was pleased.

  “Cool beans,” Amy added.

  “Glad to hear it,” came from Nina. “Enjoy.”

  As the women departed, they went in the direction of their various destinations, promising to meet up later.

  Nina, Amy, and Frankie discussed Marilyn’s meeting someone. “Wow. I thought that stuff only happened in the movies,” Amy mused.

  “I hope she’s OK,” Frankie added.

  “What do you mean?” Nina asked. “She’s going to lunch with someone from the boat.”

  “You’re right. I just get the sense she’s a little vulnerable. The wound is still fresh. I wouldn’t want some slick dude sweeping her off her feet. Amy, you know what I’m talking about,” Frankie stated.

  “I do. But we managed to fix that situation.”

  “True. But we don’t know any of Marilyn’s family or friends. After this cruise, we may never see her again. As much as I’m a Pollyanna, I still get the willies from time to time,” Frankie admitted.

  “Living in New York can give anyone the willies. Even if you think you have your paranoid thoughts under control, it’s in your subconscious,” Nina pointed out.

  “I know you’re right.” Frankie sighed.

  “Is there something you’re not telling us?” Nina pried. “You seem a teensy-weensy melancholy.”

  Frankie took a beat. “OK. Here’s the thing. I didn’t want to say anything before because I felt ridiculous.”

  “About what?” Nina flinched.

  “You know how much I love the food at Marco’s, and his family?”

  “Yes. His brother is cat-sitting for you, right?” Amy added.

  “Well, I never took much notice of Giovanni. He was always in the background, running things when Marco would be talking to customers. Giovanni would also deliver dinner when I ordered out.”