Pablo and Lucia held hands as they ran through the Cafe Miramar and outside to the Lido Deck. Running up some steps, they arrived at the back of Fifth Deck, surrounded by deck chairs. A few passengers looked up to see them in their breathless state, so they slowed down and stopped by the railings overlooking the sea. They looked out at the moon and stars. The moonlight traced a wide sliver of light across the sea. It was a picture.
Pablo turned to Lucia. "Are you OK?"
"Yeah, sure," answered Lucia. "I was afraid back there, I -"
"I know. I overheard him -- he was speaking so loudly."
"When did you see?"
"I came out when I heard him talking about you."
"He was upset about something I said at the Captain's Dinner."
Pablo looked surprised. "What did you say?"
"He was being rude about Lisa, the old Hostess. I think he'd been drinking already. Then the Captain sent him to the bar in front of the passengers at the table, so he already looked bad."
Pablo flared. "HE'S A LOSER! He shouldn't talk to you like that!" Pablo glared out at the sea.
Lucia smirked as she looked at him. "Well, thanks for defending my honour."
Pablo turned to her. "No, but he shouldn't talk to you like that. You're not like that, you're -- different."
Lucia raised one eyebrow. "Oh, yeah?" she asked. "How?"
"Well, you're -- you're not like Lisa and me. I mean -"
"And you?"
"No, like -- you're more worth it. Like, you shouldn't have to put up with that treatment because..." He trailed off.
"Because?'
"I mean..."
"Hmmm." Lucia looked at him in the eye. "Pablo, you're not being straight with me."
"I -" Pablo started. He stopped, turning his head away.
"So I'm worth it because I'm not like Lisa? Is that it?"
Pablo looked at her. "Well -"
"So if I WAS like her, I wouldn't be worth it."
"NO!"
"Is that what you mean?"
"No, it isn't!"
"Oh, well, thanks, Pablo, for a minute there I thought you cared, but I guess..." Lucia shrugged.
"No, Lucia!" Pablo grabbed her arms. "It's not like that!"
"WELL, WHAT IS IT, THEN, PABLO? Tell me, because I don't like what I'm hearing!"
"It's just that -" He let go of her shoulders. He looked down, pursed his lips, then turned away.
Lucia looked at him. "Pablo."
Pablo thought. If he told her, would she be mad?
"Pablo, there must have been a reason why you decided to save me; and what about 'Lisa and you'?"
Pablo sighed deeply, the turned back to her. "Lucia?"
She looked at him steadily.
"I'm a stripper."
Lucia raised her eyebrows. "What?"
"Lisa and I worked in the same industry before. I don't know her -- I'd never met her before I came on the ship. I just bumped into her on the day she left, just as she was checking out to leave. She told me enough for me to know her background. We both have been in the sex industry. I'm a male stripper in sex clubs. She was a stripper, too."
Lucia stretched out her hands on the railing as she looked out to sea. "I see."
"It's just that -- she told me to leave you alone."
Lucia turned to him. "She did?"
"Yes. She warned me to keep my hands off and keep away from you."
"Why would she do that?"
"Because she's got experience in sex clubs. She knows guys like me. Plenty of guys in my position have women begging to go to bed with them. Women practically throw themselves at us."
"Let me guess -- you're not like that."
"I AM like that -- or, at least, I have been. I've been with lots of women -- and I mean LOTS. Lisa wasn't stupid. She knows my type."
"The Staff Captain thinks she was stupid," Lucia smiled.
"Stuff him!" retorted Pablo. "Anyway," he continued. "She told me you were class, that you were different, that I shouldn't treat you like that."
"Aha," said Lucia.
"I mean, that time in the Disco, I was stupid -- I just wanted -"
"I see." A small smile flickered on Lucia's lips.
"So then -- it's just that -- when I heard the Staff Captain call you those names, I felt really angry, and -"
"Uh-huh."
"So I -"
"Right." Lucia put her hand on his arm, smiling. "Thanks, Pablo."
"It's just that -"
"It's fine."
Pablo was surprised. He felt dumb, like he should be able to handle this but he felt like some dweeby teenage boy who'd never been kissed. What was going on?
"Well, perhaps you did defend me after all." She looked out at the waves. "I'm going on a shorex trip the day after tomorrow. Do you wanna come with me?"
Pablo smirked. This was more his style. Affecting a serious tone, he rubbed his chin. "Hmmm, well, I don't know, young lady -- I'm in demand -- I'll have to check my little black book."
Lucia punched his arm. "Give me a break."
Pablo laughed. "OK, fine. What time?"
"Eight thirty, sharp, at the gangway. Don't be late. If you snooze, you lose."
"You got it!"
"Well, we'd better be getting back to the Rendezvous. You're on with Estella!"
The next day, the "SS Oceanwave" was back in Port Canaveral. Dave Richards was back in the Chief Purser's office.
"What now?" he asked.
"More comments," Rachel Johnson replied, tossing three comment cards across her desk at the Cruise Director. "Apparently, some top guests witnessed a tense discussion at the Captain's Table last night. Some kind of disagreement between Lucia and the Staff Captain."
"I know about it," replied Richards, looking at Rachel.
"You do?"
"My Cruise Staff Marcia told me the Staff Captain had been drinking and was basically being obnoxious at the table."
"The comments say as much."