Cruising Or Sailing

Cruising or Sailing?

I've read several of these storylines and I've become intrigued enough to give it a shot, especially where the excellent ones are concerned.

Two of my faves are "A Voyage of Discovery Unravels" by Cagivagurl and "Sailing into Ambuscade" by BumblingFool.

Relax; it's just a story, people.

[Copyright 2024. All rights reserved including section 107 of international copyright law]

The sun shone brilliantly across the pool deck as I awoke in a chase lounge on the Norwegian Cruise Lines ship. The area was coming alive with activity as adults of all ages began to enjoy the day or get in a morning swim before embarking on a land excursion.

My location momentarily caught me by surprise. Crew members were busy cleaning the pool itself and the surrounding area. Bartenders and barbacks were restocking and setting the two bars for another day of partying. As I watched the ship's employees work in great coordination to begin a new day for the many guests, my mind slipped to the previous night's unexpected disasters.

What had transpired between me and two trusted people, one of whom was my wife, was unbelievable and abominable. As I returned to the land of the living, I discarded my blanket and thought back to the beginning.

I, Cade McDowell, met my wife, Rose, in our senior year of college. We became a couple much like others in our situation - we dated, fell in love, and eventually married.

Both of us were 'only children.' Rose had dual degrees in corporate finance and business administration. Had she not fallen into an extraordinary job, she'd still be in school working on her MBA.

I have a master's in computer software architecture and have found two niches: one in tech security, where I mostly help smaller companies insulate themselves from harm, and another in the gaming industry. Needless to say, Rose and I, after five years of marriage, are exceeding our plans and expectations financially.

You see, planning was a big deal for me and my wife. We did it related to almost everything in our lives as a couple. Yesterday, I would have bet we did so in ALL things but that's changed now in a big way.

For starters, we planned a bargain honeymoon. The wedding was already small and her parents paid for the full boat due to the family size. That's not to say we stayed at a Motel 6. Eight months before we wed, Rose and I found a great rate to Maui.

Our other plans included working hard and a robust investment plan in five-year increments so we could make adjustments based on the economy and our earning situation. We agreed to wait to start a family until after our fifth anniversary with the caveat that we could alter that timetable if needed. We wanted to be able to buy the home of our dreams in which to raise our child or children.

When it came to our planning, there was one thing that my wife had forgotten, much to her own chagrin. A good planner always pays complete attention; it's mandatory if you want to be ahead of any trouble.

As a high school student, I was a busboy at a sizeable Midwestern banquet and convention center. My boss, a big, fat, curly-haired guy about nineteen years old, had it out for me and I knew from observation and planning that he was about to make his move. What the move was, I didn't know. So, I paid a fellow worker, a guy studying auto-mechanics in school, to lie to the boss when he asked him to check out his brand-new Jeep that he was having issues with. The boss discovered the lie when the guys at the garage working on the Jeep laughed him out of the building. Seems that a 'hyphoducinator' isn't a thing and glove box gaskets don't cause problems with the motor.

They got into it during a shift and the guy I paid opened a third-floor pantry window and dropped a full glass bottle of club soda on the boss' Jeep hood. That would require a paint job. The boss fought with the mechanics student and both were terminated.

My girlfriend in college before Rose planned a surprise birthday party for me. There was a real problem there, maybe more than one. I'd told her unequivocally how much I hated surprises, especially some kind of party in my honor. I found her out a week before my birthday. While she sat in a small banquet room on campus that her fraternity helped her rent, surrounded by friends, people we barely knew, booze, and food that her parents had paid for, I was one state over with three friends at a Six Flags amusement park. She broke up with me the next day. I didn't even get any cake. Fine by me.

So, yeah, I had a mean streak on top of paying attention and being a planner. Fortunately, Rose and I had discussed these things before we got serious or married. I felt she'd forgotten, or worse, she was throwing things in my face.

Gerald Wilcott was the owner, president, and CEO of GWC Worldwide, Inc. He was a well-built, well-dressed man about eight years our senior, with a full head of perfect hair and tailored clothes. Appearance seemed very important to him. Gerald was a financial wizard and self-made man, strangely unassuming and genuine for a man of his position and stature. I saw him more as humble than egotistical and, while Rose agreed, she assured me he wasn't that way in business.

Over the years, I'd spoken to Gerald many times and we got along well. We first met when Rose got hired there during the year we were engaged. When we met, Gerald was worth almost a billion which didn't count his business or property holdings. That didn't stop him from finding time to interact with me or other significant others at company functions. He was easy to talk to and a good listener. GWC had an eclectic clientele, including other uber-wealthy multi-national corporations, but also had divisions for capital ventures and even groups of investors looking for franchise opportunities.

So, when Rose came home one night the previous year with a new job offer, I was initially skeptical since I wanted Rose to pursue her MBA. There were no guarantees that my wife would remain at GWC and I wanted her to have both the experience and the degree. Rose agreed with most of my points and we decided for her to ask Gerald for more time.

A week later, Gerald asked Rose if he might join us for dinner at our home to discuss the offer. Again, I was a bit suspicious, worrying that he was coming to present his sales pitch on our home turf, although we decided to hear him out.

After a nice dinner with friendly and smooth banter, Gerald took the opportunity while we were all at ease to explain that what he was offering encompassed everything Rose could learn in school; however, she'd be gaining real-world experience with some of the largest corporations, largest deals, and most influential business people on the planet.

Additionally, he was willing to pay the difference between salary and the cost of schooling to obtain her MBA.

By the time he finished explaining the job offer and what it entailed, I couldn't find any real concerns about her taking it. The only minor issue for me was that Gerald couldn't or didn't maintain any long-term relationships. He'd had six 'girlfriends' in the five-and-a-half years we'd known him. It wasn't my place to judge or ask and he never indicated why. Rose said it was the same at work. No one knew why he seemed to go through women like I went through a pair of shoes.

Being an almost billionaire and a consummate bachelor probably should have raised some red flags for me but I trusted my wife and him because of the aura he produced for the people around him.

Then, there was the past year, where, as far as I knew, nothing untoward happened. Rose was always where she said or was supposed to be. There were usual business trips but she always had her own room on a different floor, as Gerald insisted on with all of his staff, man or woman. Otherwise, there wasn't any questionable overtime. Additionally, Gerald and his girlfriend du jour, Claire, had joined us for a few dinners and, once, Rose invited them to our home for dinner and drinks.

Most importantly, I never saw any suspicious looks between them and no smirks or cocky looks from him to me.

For our fifth anniversary, Rose and I were deep into our quest to find and agree on a special vacation. Most of what we could agree on was far too expensive. Not that we didn't have money; we just weren't prepared to pay overly exorbitant travel and hotel fares. In just five to six months, Rose would be going off her birth control so we didn't see the point in squandering our savings.

Resolved that our special trip may have to wait until later, we begrudgingly started looking for something simple like Cancun or Las Vegas.

Then, one month before our anniversary and just days before we were to book flights and accommodations, Rose came home all abuzz. She could barely contain her excitement, let alone form coherent sentences of explanation.

Eventually, she spit it out after my repeated calls for her to take a deep breath. She and Gerald had spoken about our lingering vacation plan a few weeks back and, today, he invited us to join him and his current squeeze, Karen, on a cruise in Europe. He even offered to pay a portion. The cruise was fifteen days in Spain, Portugal, and the Canary Islands. It may not have first-class accommodations but it was pretty close and had frequent ports of call.

I had plenty of questions, most of them she had an answer to. I again found myself suspicious, wondering and thinking it was all a bit much for an employee, even a good PA.

Of course, I asked for Gerald's number and called him after dinner. I could tell that Rose wanted to eavesdrop but wisely kept her distance while we spoke.

"I expected your call," Gerald said with a warm chuckle. "I'm so glad that Rose has a man who never ceases to impress."

I asked some of the most obvious questions first. Gerald reiterated what Rose had said.

"Cade," he replied reassuringly, "Karen and I were going on the trip anyway. It's been planned for a long time. I had no idea it was your anniversary but when Rose told me, I thought it would be a great way to show my appreciation for her hard work and for her being as invaluable as she is, but it was a no-brainer. We're in the same boat, you and me. In your case, it's 'happy wife, happy life.' For me, it's mental wages that keep our associates happy. That reduces turnover and that's very good for me."

"All right," I admit I was relaxing and thinking the vacation might be great for us. "Are we going to be able to spend time together or is there work involved?"

"No work, my friend," he told me. "I'd expect you two to join me at the Captain's table on the first night of our voyage. Other than that, we might go ashore together or, if you like, we wouldn't see each other for fifteen days."

"What's the catch?" was my final question, asked with a twinge of anxiety.

"No catch, Cade," came his quick reply. "I just explained. Please, I want both of you to enjoy but I may get offended if you can't trust me."

That seemed odd to say, although, with that disarming chuckle he used, I found it hard to dwell on his statement.

"Okay, Gerald," I said. "I guess all that's left to say is, 'Thank you'.

After I got off the phone, Rose was back to almost hysterical. We spent the entire evening making our lists. My wife's list included clothes shopping for appropriate swim and eveningwear. I needed to put in for an extra five days from my job.

The following days' surprise regarded flight accommodations to Spain. Gerald told my wife to plan on flying from Seattle, where we lived, and where GWC was headquartered, to North Carolina instead of New York. He'd be in Spain two days before the cruise because of a meeting in Paris but he was sending his private jet to chauffeur us.

That took even more expense off our backs. I appreciated that but I still found it a little over the top.

A week later, we arrived on a balmy spring evening and headed to our hotel, excited for the following days and to get as good a night's sleep as possible. Our hotel was top-tier, and Rose and I enjoyed a gourmet meal at their five-star restaurant. I half thought about some serious lovemaking that night with my wife but we were tired despite the roomy jet ride. We'd have plenty of time over the next fifteen days, I thought.

Gerald awaited us at the top of the gangplank as we boarded, smiling and complimenting Rose's appearance and handshake for me. After the warm greeting, I noticed that Gerald was alone.

"Where's Karen?" I asked, scanning the vicinity.

"Sadly, she couldn't make it," he responded. Despite knowing and talking to Rose's boss on several occasions, I really didn't know him all that well. There was something disingenuous about how he said that but I wasn't ready to jump to conclusions.

Karen was a model and a lucrative but unscheduled photo shoot came up - at least that was Gerald's story. It sounded legit and once Rose and I got to our room, she agreed.

"I'm going to feel bad for him now," she said sincerely. "He's helped us so much with this trip and has to spend it all alone. We should probably plan some excursions with him. It's the polite thing to do."

My happy expression faded and Rose noticed.

I thought to myself, 'There was a catch after all!'

"Now, now," she placated, "that doesn't mean we won't spend every available minute enjoying each other and this wonderful vacation. Let's feel Gerald out tonight at dinner. Perhaps he's already arranged for some additional company."

That was the first time I had an unnerving feeling about my wife's boss. Did Rose know something about Gerald? Beyond being a wealthy jet setter, was he also the kind of man who played around on his significant other? The feeling lingered and I didn't pin down my wife's comment, probably because I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer.

Rose and I spent the afternoon exploring the ship. As we wandered from stem to stern, children seemed noticeably absent.

I was happy about that. The ship still had all the family amenities, including all the amusement park-style rides hanging over the edge of the ship's upper deck. I made a mental note that there was at least something Rose could do with Gerald. As good as we were together, Rose loved high-risk, high-velocity rides and I didn't.

I didn't need to waste the brain cells as Rose saw what I was looking at and made the reference.

"I think I'm going to ask Gerald if he likes coasters," she whimsically stated. "I'm definitely going on that!"

The ship was magnificent. The amenities included six restaurants and a buffet. There were four lounges of varying decors and music offerings. Three pools, with bars scattered around, an onboard casino, and an entire shopping deck that looked like a strip mall. There were game areas, like mini-golf and shuffleboard, a basketball court, an indoor and outdoor track, and a full gym. They even had a barber and a mani-pedi shop.

I actually took advantage of the barber before Rose and I made our way to the main ballroom for dinner. We were both quite nervous. Unsurprisingly, Gerald was the star of the Captain's table. Rose and I swallowed hard when first seated and several times as introductions went around the table. I'd had to wear a tux many times before but I hated how confining I felt in it.

Gerald introduced us as 'his friends' instead of 'an employee,' which removed some of the apprehension. Still, sitting with eight uber-rich couples, we were both content to listen and laugh appropriately when someone told a joke.

One thing I noticed even before the entrée was served was the seating arrangements. Rose was seated between Gerald and me. It struck me that the table held twelve people. That would account for the Captain, eight couples, and the three of us. Besides that, there was no extra chair for Karen and the table was set for twelve when we sat down. So, the questions were, when did Karen cancel, and when did Gerald let the ship's boarding agent know?

After dinner, the Captain excused himself and many couples got up to check out the dessert table or dance. Gerald waited politely until Rose and I had danced many times before asking me if he could have a dance with her. Initially, I found that comforting.

That was short-lived, however. Gerald and Rose spent many songs on the dance floor. What felt like half an hour was probably a bit less, but they danced at least four fast songs and three slow ones.

Gerald wasn't doing anything inappropriate with his hands or body; it was how they looked at one another. It was also as if I'd ceased to exist as far as Rose was concerned.

That was a red flag, and the others told me I needed to be on high alert. It may have been innocent but I wasn't taking any chances. The thoughts about Karen, if there was a Karen, heightened in my mind and I did not feel good about it.

They returned as if everything was as normal as could be. The worst part for me was that they weren't faking it. There were no sideways glances to me by either of them.

"Cade," Gerald smiled as he talked, wiping his brow with a handkerchief. "Your wife is a spectacular dancer! I haven't had that much fun, I must admit, in a very long time."

With that, he was off to the bar, offering to get me a drink after taking Rose's order. It wasn't until Rose took her seat that she noticed my harsh expression.

"Honey," she carefully inquired, "what's wrong?"

I just stared at her. The silence allowed her to mull it over. "You're not upset that we danced, surely?" She left it hanging like a smart person would.

"No," I stated a bit coldly. "It was just quite a long trip, wasn't it? And the way the two of you danced didn't look like the first time."

"Oh, my," she put her hand on my shoulder. "Please, honey, don't be jealous. Yes, we've danced a few times when we've been out to dinner with clients. I think you saw two people who know each other very well. And no, not in an intimate way. I've worked for the man for a long time, as you know, so of course, we're comfortable together."

I didn't say anything; I just sat there collecting my thoughts. Other than my imagination playing off what my eyes had seen, I wasn't prepared to ruin our grand fifth anniversary over something petty.

After waiting a few moments, Rose continued. "Give me a few minutes to catch my breath, finish the drink he's bringing, and I'll help us make a graceful exit, okay?"

She did all of those things over the next fifteen minutes. When we returned to our room, Rose headed straight into the restroom and started the shower. I'm sure she could smell his cologne like I had. I expected her to ask me to join her after a quick scrub, but she had other plans.

Rose exited the bathroom in a new teddy I'd never seen. It was expensive by the looks of it. Her hair was in a bun in the back, offering me full access to her soft neck. She'd refreshed her lipstick, and her bare toes told me she'd had her mani-pedi before we started our vacation.

"You like?" she did a sexy little twirl. I growled like a lion. It probably sounded like the lion from "The Wizard of Oz," but who cares?

If Guinness had a record for getting out of a tux, I would have set one. The same was true for my shower. All thoughts of the night's events disappeared.

She was all over me the minute I returned to the bedroom. Our lovemaking was frantic... not rushed. There's a slight difference when you know your partner well. Besides being different, it seemed intentional, if not purposeful, and lacked spontaneity.

Rose made love with spontaneity and passion, almost as if she listened to her body choreographed to the emotions and intensity that love between husband and wife should have. It was one of the many things about her that, in my mind, made her special.