Thank you, Randi, for hosting this event And thanks to Literotica for being here for the writers and readers. Folks, this is a fantasy, not reality, so please enjoy this tale.
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When he looked back over the carcass of what he had, wrongly, as it had transpired, presumed was a happy marriage, he realised that the connubial deathwatch beetle that had done for the marriage had its genesis some six months previously when his wife, his ex-wife, as he supposed was the correct way to think of her, had pointed out an article in the English language version of an Italian publication she liked to read called, "Donna Cattiva."
The article was titled "Swinging the 21st Century Way." It had been an interesting article, for what it was. It gave a potted history of swinging down through the ages, and pointed out that, following a downswing (and yes, the author actually did use that somewhat clunky pun in the article) during the AIDS crisis, it had recently received a boost, especially after a couple of Hollywood stars had come out as swingers. Or rather, had been outed as swingers, which wasn't quite the same deal, now was it?
"Have you ever thought of swinging, Mike?" she had asked, casually. Oh, how casually she had asked.
He looked at her and responded carefully, fearing a trap of some kind. "No, Carol, love. I haven't. Why would I want to eat hamburger when I have the primest of prime steaks at home? I really think that you are the only woman that I could ever possibly want, or need.
"Maybe I'm an unusual man, though I doubt that, somehow, but all I want is my wife. I feel certain that I might well have problems differentiating between sex, lust and love, should I try swinging.
"I'm afraid that if we started swinging that one of us would fall for someone else and really mess up our marriage."
They had discussed the concept of swinging long into the evening, she had posited the upsides, he had posited the down sides.
Eventually she had smiled at him, she had nodded and said: "I hear what you say, honey."
It was only afterwards, a long time afterwards, when he realised that she had used the oldest trick in the book. "I hear what you say" is not the same as saying: "I agree with you" or even "I am listening to what you say."
They had made love that evening. Mike had had a good, loving time and so had Carol. At least as much as he could tell.
The next six months were crazy busy for the two of them. Carol worked as an editorial director at a publishing company in Chester City Centre, not far from their home.
The company was called Anglo Welsh Publications, whilst Mike worked in Liverpool City Centre as a director of a multinational software house, SFT, or San Fran Techmatics, to give it its full name.
The HQ was in Silicon Valley, but the Liverpool office was based on The Strand, near the Liverpool Docks.
The first few times after he'd started working there, he'd driven on the M53 and A59, which was supposed to take roughly 40 minutes but he hated driving through the Mersey Tunnel, and with congestion it sometimes took an hour or more.
Then there was the hassle of finding a parking place, so he took the advice of a Scouse colleague called Rob, who was something of an expert on all matters transport, and Mike started using the electric Merseyrail train from Chester station to Liverpool James Street that formed part of Liverpool's small underground rail system.
They were both working silly hours; sometimes Mike wouldn't get back until 9PM, but Carol had told him she didn't mind as she was also busy with a new project at work, a new Welsh-English language teaching pack that would be a real winner for her company. Sometimes she was out working until after 9PM herself.
Nearly six months later, both of their projects had wound down so that their roles had diminished and Carol sprung a surprise on Mike. "Mike, you know that my company had really put all that it had into the teaching pack?" He had nodded.
"Well, it's worked out even better than we had thought possible. The Senedd Cymru have agreed to use our Welsh-English language teaching pack in all of the schools in Wales, even those that aren't specifically Welsh language schools, so we'll make at least quadruple what we thought we would."
"Wow! That's really good news, Carol."
"It's even better for us: you and me, I mean, because it was my suggestion to our board that brought that idea to fruition, so I have earned an absolutely massive bonus. And because of this, I have been able to book us a cabin on a Round Britain and Scandinavia Adventure Cruise. I'll show you the brochure. Here it is."
He looked through the brochure and was immediately captivated by the types of adventures that the Wingless Roving Adventure Holiday Company offered in its brochure.
The cruise started from Liverpool Docks, crossed the Irish Sea and travelled round the coast of Ireland, via the Celtic Sea and the Atlantic.
It then crossed over the tip of Ireland, visited the Western Isles and Scotland, then visited the Orkneys and travelled via the Atlantic and the Norwgian Sea, then over the North Sea to Norway and Denmark, then back across the North Sea to the Scottish port of Greenock, where the cruise ended, and flights home would be arranged from Glasgow International Airport, or back home by First Class Sleeper Trains, if required.
As he looked through the brochure, it was all things that he loved. There was the opportunity to visit an archaeological dig in the Dublin Bay area (he had a degree in archaeology but hadn't been able to find work due to lack of funding for archaeology), and then all the way round the Irish coast to County Mayo in Western Ireland.
They would then make brief visits to ancient sites on the Scottish Islands, including the Hebrides and Orkneys, plus visits to a Viking site in Norway where the more adventurous cruise passengers could watch, or even participate, in Viking reenactments, covering village life including cooking, craftworks, living overnight in a reconstruction of a Viking home and watching or participating in a Viking military reenactment.
On the ship there was plenty to do. There were photography classes led by a former Fleet Street photographer, ideal if you wanted to develop or refresh your photography skills before visiting the archaeological dig, the islands of Scotland or the Viking settlement reenactment and snapping away to your heart's content.
There was also a member of the Royal Academy of Arts who would be taking art classes as the cruise-liner made its way round the British Isles and over to Scandinavia.
People who were interested in cooking would be able to learn how to cook under the tutelage of an Irish Television Chef who was taking a break from his hit RTE 1 Food Show, "West Coast Chef."
Before the ship returned home to Britain there would be the opportunity to see the Northern Lights, weather permitting.
There were tears in his eyes as he hugged Carol to him. "Oh, Carol. This is amazing. How much is this costing you?"
She smiled back at him and shushed him. "That's not something you need worry about, Mike. The crazy bonus we all got was tax paid, so I have money left over, so really, please don't worry, Okay?"
The photographs in the brochure made everything look splendid, and the ship, the Maighdeann na mara (Scots Gaelic for Maiden of the Sea) was one of the world's smaller cruise ships, being able to provide accommodation for approximately 130 passengers.
He looked at Carol and said, with concern in his voice, "But this is all stuff that I am interested in. You are not interested in archaeology, photography, history and that type of thing, so what will you do, Carol?"
She nodded and smiled, "Whilst that's true, this cruise is about you and what you want, for a change. I'll be sure to find something to do. After all, there are art classes and who knows? Perhaps I'll take up an interest in art whilst we sail round the coasts of Britain and Ireland and Scandinavia?"
"Thanks, Carol. This means a great deal to me. We'll have a great adventure."
She grinned, "We will, that!"
They had both booked two weeks off from their jobs, and on the day of the start of the cruise they took a £40 taxi ride from their home in Chester to the Liverpool Cruise Terminal, Gate 2, Princes Parade, Liverpool.
Their luggage was dealt with by crewmembers, but as they walked up to the ship on the modern equivalent of the gangplank, Mike was puzzled to see that the ship they were boarding was not the Maighdeann na Mara but a different ship called The Spòrs inbheach.
"Why the different ship?" he asked Carol. She answered coolly, "Oh, I don't know why. It's very similar to the other ship, same size, same colours, same cruise company, so perhaps the other ship is out of commission?"
They were met on the deck by crew members who, rather incongruously, were dressed in tropical ship's whites. It reminded him of something, but he couldn't think what.
A smiling young female purser presented each of them with the electronic passkeys to their cabin. She said to Mike and Carol: "There is an orientation party in the Ballroom on the B Deck at 5PM. Everyone is expected to attend the orientation party and there will be drinks and nibbles provided."
They noticed that all passengers boarding the ship did so under the watchful eye of the Captain, a tall and imposing man in his white uniform. He was reminiscent in looks of a younger Captain Smith of the Titanic.
Their cabin was actually on the same deck as the entry gangway, so they soon walked to their cabin. The other passengers seemed to know each other and there was much hugging and kissing. Mike thought it a little bit strange, but as he'd never been on a cruise-liner before he wasn't sure if that was normal behaviour.
Their luggage was already in their room and they quickly transferred their clothing into the chests of drawers and the wardrobe.
As they did Mike said: "Carol, everyone seems very friendly with each other. It's almost as if they already know each other?"
She paused for a second before replying. "Perhaps some of them do, Mike? After all, cruising is a lifestyle for some people, so maybe you get to know people on the ships if you make regular cruises?"
"Yes, I expect that's it," replied Mike. "Maybe we can get used to cruising, too?"
"Oh, '' said Carol, breathily, "I'd like that very much."
"How long do we have before the orientation session?" asked Mike.
"We have an hour," said Carol, it's just before 4PM, now. I tell you what, as this is our first cruise, let's start it off properly, yes?"
She pulled four small bottles out of her handbag and opened two of them. "What's that?" Mike was intrigued.
