to the room in tears, so she went above deck, to the top of the ship, and leaned on the railing, crying as she watched the homes on the bank slip by. Most of them were dark. People were in their beds, sleeping, resting for whatever the next day held. Below her, the ship cut through the water, a dark wake rushing past its side.
It made her think of her own life, rushing by so fast, feeling suddenly dark and hopeless. It wasn’t all darkness, she reminded herself. This cruise had been a bright spot. She’d go home, wear her charm bracelet and hang this ornament on her tree and be thankful for the time she’d been given. The tears were gone and night air was not welcoming. It was time to go back inside.
She got to the room to find Denise finished with her packing, in her pajamas and lying in bed with a book, a romance by Melinda Curtis, one of her favorite authors.
“You sure closed down the lounge,” she greeted Catherine with a grin. Then she squinted at Catherine and frowned. “You look like you’ve been crying.”
Catherine shrugged and turned to pull her suitcase from the closet.
“Okay, what happened?” Denise demanded, her voice filled with concern.
“I told him.”
She didn’t have to explain what she told Rudy. Denise sat up and frowned. “And?”
“And we said goodbye.”
“Goodbye?” Denise echoed in disgust. “What does that mean?”
Catherine fell onto her bed. “It means this was a wonderful cruise and I’ll never forget it.”
“Or him?”
“Or him.”
“Catherine,” Denise said sternly, “did you sabotage this relationship?”
“No, of course not. I just was truthful. Rudy’s had enough heartbreak.”
“Oh, honestly,” Denise said in disgust. “You have got a martyr complex.”
“I do not,” Catherine insisted. “Anyway, he didn’t exactly push to see me when we get back.”
“And here I thought he was such a noble specimen of manhood,” Denise said in disgust.
“I don’t blame him. Why would he risk more unhappiness? My future is too uncertain.”
“Everyone’s future is uncertain,” Denise snapped. “Nobody has any guarantees.”
“You’re right. All we have is right now. Thank you for making mine so good.”
“You’re going to have a lot more good right-nows,” Denise insisted.
“I hope so.” Catherine looked at the cheap little ornament in her hand. She would wrap it with extra care. It was priceless.
16
Athena had enjoyed hanging out with her new friends in the lounge. Well, all except Arnold, who she decided didn’t qualify for friendship. The old coot had actually hit on her when Denise wasn’t looking and she’d opted out of exchanging contact information with him. If there was a slightly older version of Trevor walking around she’d sure happily latch onto him. Trevor gave men a good name.
So did her dad. He deserved to be happy. He was probably not going to be very happy by the time this night was over. When Athena had left the lounge, he and Catherine had been on the dance floor, totally wrapped up in each other. Seeing them, she’d felt like she was watching some tragic movie and waiting for the awful final scene.
Athena was finished with her packing and she was done reading the mystery on her e-reader, but not finished wondering what was going on with those two. Had Catherine told him what was waiting for her in the new year? Were they still in the lounge?
They could be. It was open for another hour.
If they were still talking she didn’t want to interrupt, but if they were done, if all was not well... She decided to go poke her head in and see.
No one was left in there but her dad, who was sitting at the bar, hunched over a drink. Athena felt her heart turning in her chest, heavy like the wheel she’d seen in that windmill. Catherine had told him.
Ironic how she hadn’t wanted Catherine and her dad to get together, and now here she was, wishing they could. If only things had been different.
She slipped into the chair next to her father.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked her.
A double order of happiness for my father. “Nothing,” she said.
“I thought you’d be in bed,” Daddy said.
“I thought you would be, too. Are you all right?” Of course he wasn’t, but she could hardly start their conversation off saying, “I knew Catherine was going to dump you.” Not dump, that wasn’t the right word. Catherine was simply trying to spare them both from heartache.
“I’m half wishing I hadn’t taken this cruise,” he said. He