Page 46 of The Cruise Club

As the Diamond Star sailed smoothly through the open sea, making its way to Cartagena, Ruskin strolled alongside Carmen on the promenade deck, her hand nestled gently in his.

He’d walked on countless decks, travelled across many seas and experienced the triumphs and heartbreaks that inspired his novels, but at that moment, a sense of long-forgotten happiness washed joyously over him.

He glanced at Carmen beside him. In the dim glow of the ship’s lights, her smile seemed to light up the deck ahead.

Relaxed and happy, the sight of her face ignited something in Ruskin that had lain dormant for too long.

They chatted about books and authors they liked, the things that motivated them and their favourite time of day to write.

Carmen asked if he based his characters on people he knew and if travelling inspired his work.

She spoke of her aspirations, and Ruskin told her of the time that had passed since the ink had dried on his divorce papers.

In the last couple of years, he’d shut himself off to many things.

He hadn’t felt the rush of infatuation for decades, yet walking with Carmen, he felt like a young man again and was happy to tell her about his family and his two granddaughters, who he couldn’t wait to see again.

When his arm accidentally brushed hers, and he felt the warmth of her skin, she turned to meet his gaze. With the sea stretching out beside them, shimmering in the moonlight, he tilted her chin and kissed her longingly on her lips.

‘I never thought…’ he began, then stopped, shaking his head and running his fingers through his hair. ‘I’d ever feel like this again.’

‘I never thought I could feel like this,’ Carmen whispered.

‘Like what?’

‘Like I’m a young girl, and everything is possible.’

‘I don’t know what is happening here,’ Ruskin said, ‘it must be the magic of this cruise, but can I suggest that for the little time we have left on the ship, we both just sail along and enjoy it?’

When Carmen nodded, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again.

Carmen felt as though she were dreaming. The promenade deck’s warm breeze still lingered on her skin, and as she raced back to her cabin, she touched her lips, remembering the passion she’d felt when Ruskin kissed her. Her chest felt tight with exhilaration and disbelief.

Had the last few hours really happened, and had Ruskin told her he was attracted to her?

Things like this never happened to Carmen Cunningham; she only heard about it happening to other people or read about love in a novel.

But facts were facts, and on this Mediterranean cruise, she’d strolled along a deck in the moonlight, hand in hand with her idol, her heart thudding in her chest as her fantasies came to life and the man of her dreams kissed her.

And it didn’t end there! She was meeting him the next morning, and they planned to spend the last day together discovering the Roman Theatre in Cartagena and taking the tapas trail tour.

Carmen felt lightheaded as she flung open her cabin door and wandered into her room.

She saw her reflection in a mirror, a wide-eyed woman beaming from ear to ear.

Her hair had fallen from its clips, and she shook it wildly as a giddy laugh began to bubble up.

Thank you! She thought of Ruskin and how his eyes had softened in the moments before they kissed.

Ruskin told her that Peter had asked him to help solve the mystery of the missing jewellery items on the ship. ‘I’ve been making my own enquiries,’ he said, ‘and liaising with Peter and the ship’s security team and I’m convinced we’re missing something.’

‘It sounds intriguing – and good research for a future story perhaps.’

He’d considerately asked her about her family, and she’d explained her past, adding that she thought Betty was about to become engaged and married to an American.

‘So, you will have time to yourself?’ Ruskin asked.

When Carmen nodded, he said he hoped she’d share as much as possible with him.

She remembered the granddaughters he’d spoken about, and smiled. Little ones that brought joy to his life!

This is all happening so quickly. Carmen kicked off her sandals and flopped onto the bed, staring starry-eyed at the ceiling.

But why overanalyse it? This wasn’t a novel where every plot had a hole, and every twist begged scrutiny.

Ends didn’t have to be tied, and she’d let her time with Ruskin unfold and see where it took her.

Ruskin admired her writing, and she admired his.

This mutual respect was a foundation, and when their schedules aligned, she’d make the most of every moment she had with him.

Carmen closed her eyes and soon felt herself drifting into a dream where butterflies hovered, and birds tweeted as Cupid skilfully aimed his arrow.

When she heard someone sobbing, she thought that the dream had taken an unexpected turn, but as the sobbing got louder, Carmen opened her eyes and realised that the sound was coming from the other side of the wall.

Betty! Was her mum sobbing her heart out?

Carmen stood and grabbed the spare key card and barefoot, hurried into Betty’s room where she found her mother sitting on the bed with her head in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

‘Mum, shush, what’s happened?’ Carmen spoke softly, placing her arm around Betty’s shoulders. ‘Please stop crying and tell me what has upset you.’

Betty’s sobs wracked her body. Her silver hair was dishevelled with wisps clinging to her tear-streaked cheeks as her fingers clutched a crumpled handkerchief. ‘It’s Holden… but I can’t talk about it,’ Betty stuttered, ‘I don’t want to remember.’

Carmen slid to the floor and knelt beside Betty. ‘It’s all right,’ she said as she stroked Betty’s arms in soothing circles. ‘Please tell me.’

‘Oh, you won’t understand.’ Betty shook her head. ‘Just for once, I thought that a man really liked me,’ she said.

‘What do you mean?’ Carmen asked. ‘It’s obvious that something has happened with Holden, but Dad adored you.’ Carmen was puzzled. Surely, Betty hadn’t forgotten her marriage to Des already.

‘Oh, Carmen,’ Betty focused on her daughter with misty eyes. ‘You think that your father adored me?’ she asked in surprise. ‘You haven’t a clue, have you? Well maybe it’s time I told you the truth.’

‘I don’t understand, what truth?’

Betty let out a heavy sigh, folding her hands in her lap. ‘Your precious dad had an affair with Marion for most of our marriage. Why do you think he kept such long hours at the shop?’

Carmen froze, stunned into silence. ‘ Marion? ’ she asked.

Betty gave a bitter laugh. ‘Took you long enough. Have you only just put two and two together? I thought you’d worked it out years ago.’

Carmen blinked rapidly, staring at her mother.

A part of her wanted to cover her ears, to block out Betty’s voice, but the quiet that followed forced her to sift through her memories of home and the hardware shop.

Slowly, she processed what her mother had said and piece by piece, the reality sank in, followed by the realisation that Betty might be right.

Marion, a woman who worked at Cunningham’s Hardware, assisted in the shop, then helped Des with the books while her husband, a projectionist at the local cinema, worked evening shifts.

Now, as Carmen slowly nodded her head, she understood that Marion had been helping herself to more than a few hours of bookkeeping.

She remembered how Marion’s hand lingered on Des’s arm and the knowing glances they shared.

She thought of the late nights when Des came home, seeming preoccupied, and how Marion had started driving a newer car even though she always claimed that money was tight.

‘Marion?’ Carmen repeated, remembering the woman she’d always been fond of and who had been kind to her. She’d trusted Marion and felt a warmth in her presence, but now, as the pieces began to fall away, Carmen wondered how the woman could have betrayed Betty and herself so cruelly.

‘I stayed for you,’ Betty said. ‘Having a daughter together meant that I could never leave your father, but he wanted more babies, and I couldn’t let that happen. I didn’t want to be the laughing stock of the neighbourhood. His lies tore me apart.’

‘But Mum, you could have left. I would have understood.’

‘Hardly, you were the apple of your dad’s eye.

With him filling your head with silly ideas of making dreams come true.

’ Betty sighed and spoke slowly. ‘His affair with Marion started soon after you were born and went on for years. They were different times, and I couldn’t blow up our lives, so I played the dutiful wife. ’

‘Did Marion’s husband know?’

Betty snorted. ‘Yes, he found out all right. There was a huge row, and that’s why she left the shop abruptly, but for your father, old habits die hard.’

Carmen’s mind reeled. She’d always wondered why Marion departed so suddenly. What else was this strange evening going to reveal?

Betty began to cry again, and then, suddenly, threw back her head and yelled, ‘ WHY, why does it always happen to me?’ She reached for the brooch on her dress and tore it from the fabric.

Carmen’s eyes followed the flying pineapple, and suddenly realised what might have happened. Taking Betty’s hand, she gently asked, ‘It’s all right, Mum, thank you for explaining about Dad. You’ve had a shock, but I need to ask, did Holden take you to a party in Colin and Neeta’s suite?’

‘He most certainly did, and I’ve never seen anything like it,’ Betty bristled then recovered her composure, suddenly seeming more like her old self. She dabbed at her nose. ‘If only I could erase the memory,’ she sniffed.

‘Oh, I think I understand,’ Carmen said, resisting the urge to smile as she remembered Theo telling her about his unintentional visit to the Upside-Down Pineapple Pensioner Club.

Holden had given Betty a pineapple brooch. He was obviously a member of the UDPPC , as were others on the ship.

‘I thought we were going to a nice party,’ Betty explained.

‘It all seemed perfectly innocent, canapés, champagne and the works, until Holden disappeared into another room, and someone asked me if I was a new member.’ Betty grimaced.

‘The next thing I knew, he was showing me his member, and I told him I’d seen more meat on a toothpick… ’

‘Where was Holden?’ Carmen bit her lip, suppressing a giggle.

‘He suddenly appeared in a pair of budgie smugglers with that Neeta woman hanging half-naked off his arm. She came over put her hand on my shoulder then offered me a glass of champagne, but I told her, “No. Thank. You!”’

‘What did Holden have to say for himself?’

Betty crossed her arms. ‘He said it was all in good fun and not to be so serious. Fun? I told him that the only fun thing was seeing him squeezed into those budgie smugglers and that he looked like a hot dog ready to explode. Then I left as quickly as I’d arrived.’

Carmen finally laughed as the image of Holden in his too-tight leisure wear burned into her memory. ‘Oh, Mum, I’m so sorry,’ she said, ‘it must be an awful blow for you to realise that Holden isn’t all he seemed to be.’

‘You might think it’s funny, but Holden has some very odd ideas,’ Betty grumbled, ‘and if I’m completely truthful, he’s like a dinosaur on the dance floor. My poor old feet are trampled.’

Carmen marvelled at her mother’s ability to change her mood so swiftly. Holden was no longer the blue-eyed all-American man, and now, Betty was ripping him to pieces.

‘Why don’t I make you more comfortable and get you settled in bed?’ Carmen suggested. ‘I’ll order some cocoa too, and things will look brighter in the morning.’

‘Never mind cocoa, pour me a large measure of brandy,’ Betty snapped as she leaned forward for Carmen to unzip her dress. ‘My poor old nerves are in pieces.’

Carmen sighed. Already her mother’s bad temper had returned. But as Carmen reached for the hook at Betty’s collar, she noticed something was missing. ‘Mum,’ she slowly asked, ‘where are your pearls?’