Nick and Karen Fox had been married for 45 years, since their late teens. They were soul mates, deeply in love, and genuinely cared for one another.
Nick's job had long since become intolerable. He was a board level director of a technology business and had run UK based subsidiaries of American corporates for a number of years and the pressures they places on him were immense, working long periods of time away from home meant that his family life had become secondary and that was unacceptable to him.
He decided that the time had come to strike out himself as an independent consultant so that he could choose what work he took, choose who he worked with and when he worked. It was time for him to take control of his life for his family's sake.
Whilst they had plenty of energy left, age was creeping up on them both, and their love life had all but died.
Karen had never been the most active woman sexually, her father had stifled that side of her personality when she was in her early teens.
It didn't mean she had never been passionate. When they were trying for their two children their sex was almost like the old Martini ad; any time, any place, anywhere!
Perhaps that's what made it more difficult for Nick, who still had a healthy libido, to settle for what had pretty much become a sex less marriage.
Karen was classically menopausal, it wasn't just the hot flashes, it was the discomfort of penetrative sex that brought about an almost terminal decline in their love making.
Talking about sex wasn't something Karen did, her personality wasn't suited to it, she didn't even use bad language.
Nick was different, he was broad minded, sexually and otherwise, and he had a sex drive that was still very much alive, albeit unexercised for sometimes months on end.
Sex between them was always initiated by Nick, but was increasingly rejected on the grounds of Karen being too tired, hot flashes, or just plain not in the mood.
It was on one such night that it came to a head and Nick commenced a difficult conversation.
The usual nightly regimen was for them to go to bed at around 10pm and watch TV on a small set in the bedroom for around half an hour or until they felt tired enough to sleep.
That Friday night was no different to any other. They got in bed, turned on the smart TV and continued to view the crime drama that they were part way through watching.
Nick slid his hand on top of Karen's and playfully, gently carressed her fingers starting with very tiny movements and building up to deliberate long strokes. After a few minutes, Karen would normally respond in kind as she felt herself warm to Nick's loving gestures, but not that night.
Nick turned on his side and draped his arm across Karen's midriff, his hand cupping the side of her right breast, his thumb stroking it softly.
Normally, Karen would place her hand on top on Nick's, gently joining in the soft caressing and stroking, her breathing becoming deeper and slower, but not that night.
"Don't Nick, I really don't want to," Karen murmured.
Nick hid his disappointment at the rejection, for the fourth time that month, and just answered softly with, "Okay, babe."
He made a point of leaving his arm across her in an effort to show his love for her, but Karen turned saying, "I'm too hot."
Nick turned onto his other side and lay quietly, thinking, "I can't just keep ignoring this. I'll have to tell her how I feel and how worried I am about this."
He heard Karen's breathing deepen and slow down as she drifted off to sleep. Before long he too fell into a deep slumber.
The following morning, while they ate their breakfast, he decided to see if he could convince Karen to take a break away with him to rebuild their relationship.
"Hey babe, you know those ads we keep seeing on TV for river cruises, how would you fancy seeing if we can get a late booking deal with one of them to coincide with half term next week? It would do us good to get away for a little break together. What do you think?" he said casually.
"Hmm, maybe. I suppose it depends on how much it costs and where it was, but it might be worth looking," Karen responded, uncommitedly.
Nick picked up his Android tablet and clicked on a search engine for late booking river cruises.
The device spun an hour glass briefly and listed search results.
After checking a few options, Nick noticed a late booking option that looked suitable and at a price they could afford.
Nick showed Karen the details and they agreed to watch it for a few days to see if the price changed in their favour.
Eventually, with only two days prior to the departure date, Nick checked again.
"Karen, have a look at this! There's a space on an 8 day cruise from Paris, through Normandy and back to Paris, in a suite at the price we would normally pay for a standard room, we shouldn't miss this. What do you think?" Nick enthused.
"Wow, book it! That would be brilliant!" Karen replied, excitedly. It was the first time she had shown any enthusiasm for the trip.
Nick clicked a few buttons on his tablet and secured the booking. "That's it, we're off! We had better get some cases packed, we have to travel on Saturday!"
Over the next 24 hours, the excited couple packed a wardrobe of appropriate clothing. Smart but casual, informal and formal evening wear and bathing wear for sunbathing on the sun terrace if the weather permitted.
Saturday morning quickly arrived, and the couple boarded a train to London St Pancras to catch the Eurostar service to Paris Gare du Nord.
Once they had struggled through passport control and onto the train Nick and Karen found their way to their seats and settled in for the journey.
"You wouldn't believe that we were having breakfast at home less than three hours ago, but we will be in Paris for afternoon tea!" Nick said excitedly.
"I know," Karen responded, "I can't wait! I do love Paris, it's a beautiful city." Her face beamed. It was the happiest that Nick had seen her in months.
"To top it all, we've a welcome party on the boat tonight so we can get glammed up and let our hair down a little as we look at the Paris skyline from the top deck of a luxury riverboat!" Nick said, taking Karen's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
Karen kissed Nick gently on the mouth, and whispered, "That will be lovely!"
The two and a half hour journey flew by as quickly as the passing countryside passed the window. Before they knew it, they were alighting in Paris and making their way to the taxi rank at Gare du Nord.
Nick asked the driver to take them to Quai de Grenelle and enquired in French as to how long the journey would take.
"Un demi-heure, monsieur," the driver replied.
"How long, Nick?" asked Karen.
"About 30 minutes, which is about right. I checked on Google Maps to see what the journey time would be when I booked the train tickets, babe."
Karen snuggled against Nick's arm in the back of the cab, watching the Paris street scenery zoom by.
They arrived at the riverboat port at around 4.30pm and were dropped off at the terminal building where they were greeted by a member of the cruise company.
"C'est Monsieur et Madame Fox," Nick said to the steward with a clip board.
"Ah, yes. Welcome sir, madame, you are in our Explorer Suite, which I am sure you will enjoy. Jean here will take you on board and will be looking after you during your stay. If you leave your bags here we will arrange for them to be brought to your suite straight away."
Jean was a young, tall, athletically built man in his late twenties or early thirties, with mousy Brown hair, Hazel eyes and a chiseled jaw line. His naturally olive coloured skin contrasted with the crisp white shirt and navy trousers. He was very handsome.
Nick looked at Jean and greeted him with a warm handshake, "Bonjour, Jean, ça va!"
"Bonjour Monsieur Fox, Madame Fox. I'm very pleased to be taking good care of you this week. Welcome on board."
Jean took Karen's hand and helped her up onto the boarding ramp to the sleek, elegant vessel that was to be their home for the next eight days.
Nick looked at Karen and smiled. Karen had turned a bright shade of red, partially from one of her hot flashes, but partially from a little embarrassment at having her hand held by this stunning young male.
They made their way to the upper deck and Jean pointed out the lounge/bar and the terrace before turning toward the rear of the boat and walking through the corridor leading to the guest rooms.
Reaching the end of the corridor they reached a dead end with two doors. Jean opened the right hand door and held it open for Nick and Karen to walk through behind him.
Jean gave a brief explanation about their accommodation. "Here is your bathroom, your wardrobe is opposite, here is your bedroom, your coffee making facilities and minibar, and here is your lounge and private terrace."
Nick and Karen looked at each other in amazement. "Are you sure this is ours?" Nick said, in puzzlement, "I did book a suite, but it wasn't like this."
