So that night, we all sat in the main cabin, trying to play a drinking game of sorts. We had on the movie Super Troopers, and the idea was that anytime anyone said Farva’s name, we all had to take a shot. We made it through the movie somehow, but it was only by a miracle that no one accidentally fell overboard.
We all made our way below deck to our bunks, and promptly passed out. A few cabins had some moaning noises emanating from them, but I had no idea whose and didn’t care. I went to sleep quickly, and awoke with the sounds of the waves.
I got up, and was only the second to be awake yet. I found Diane up, and in the Galley waiting for coffee to finish brewing. I sat with her, and waited as well. She didn’t look like she had too much to drink, the night before, or she somehow managed to fake it. Either way she was pretty, in a kind of girl next door way.
“So, Mr. Holmes, you’re going to be flying us today? Hope you are sober enough for it.” Her tone was abrupt, and totally unexpected.
“May I call you Diane?” I asked politely, she nodded, “I don’t ever drink and fly. That’s one of my pet peeves, and I would never risk my life or that of my passengers by doing it.”
“So you live here like some kind of bum then?” Again with the harsh tone. I must have pissed her off in another life or something.
“Look, I am not sure what I did to offend you, but please don’t mistake my comfort for laziness. I used to own my own business back in Virginia, and was very profitable at that. Thanks to my ex breaking my heart in a big way, I moved here to start over. I still own my own business, but now I do it at a much more reasonable pace. I DON’T need you coming here, and telling me how to live.”
I was severely incensed, so got up, poured a mug of coffee, and went up on deck. How dare she come at me like that, accusing me of being a drunken bum? I sat down at the captain’s chair, looking out over the water. There were no other boats in sight, and only one commercial airliner flying way up high, at probably 37, 000 feet or so. The solitary quiet was as peaceful as always.
“I’m sorry,” I barely heard from behind me. I turned around in the chair, and Diane stood there looking sheepish. “I was being rude, and you didn’t deserve it. I saw how you were talking with Tanya yesterday, and was just worried that you were another leach, trying to get close to her and her money.”
I paused to think for a minute, and recognized that she was behaving like any good friend should. Hakuna Matata! “No harm done, Diane. You are just being a good friend, and I can appreciate that. Honestly, it was just very nice to sit and talk with her. I haven’t done that with anyone in a long while. I have no intention of trying to weasel my way into her money.”
“Thank you. Sometimes I just feel like I have to watch out for her, because no one else will. She doesn’t have the best radar for losers and moochers.”
I smiled at her. “So, what do you do when you aren’t hanging out with your superstar friend?” I chuckled to soften the question.
She joined my chuckling, before responding. “My husband and I are both doctors, actually. He is in sports medicine, as an orthopedic surgeon. Me, I work in Obstetrics. We were friends as kids, and all through high school. Tanya went off to college at some arts school in the northeast, while I went to med-school at UW Madison. Tanya and I grew up together, but we lost touch after high school. We both knew what we were going to college for, but time and distance split us apart. It was pure chance when we ran into each other again out in L. A., at a charity function for children with cancer. We immediately resumed our friendship, and have been close since.”
“Wow, I’m envious, that sounds idyllic. My best friend, Todd, lives very far away. I haven’t seen him for about 8 years now. Shawn is a great friend, and is rapidly moving to take over the spot, but I still miss some of the good times I had with Todd. Oh well, Hakuna Matata.”
“What’s that? Did you just quote Disney?” She had a good laugh at my expense.
“Yeah, I did. Ever since I got here, I decided I wasn’t going to let things get to me, so I started quoting that line in my head. It applies fairly often, actually.”
She was smiling, but not openly laughing at me anymore. “Oh, well it’s a happy thought anyway, right? Well look, I am sorry again for being rude earlier, and look forward to chatting with you further.” She stood up and paused, “You know Tanya likes you, right? As in, she LIKES you… I can tell just by the way she was behaving around you last night.”
I was not expecting to hear that. I mean she was great, but totally out of my league. She was gorgeous, not to mention so famous that even the dolphins knew who she was. I think the look on my face told Diane just how crazy I thought that was.
“Believe it, she likes you. Honestly, if you get past all the movie star stuff, and all the fame, she’s just like any other woman. And you, James, are actually quite an enigma. She is attracted to your mystery, I think, that and that you are very handsome. Anyhow, get to know her, and you never know where it might lead? Just don’t hurt her, or you’ll have to deal with me,” she finished with a grin, and went back down to the main deck.
Well that was definitely an interesting conversation. By this time, I heard others talking down below, so decided to get down from the upper deck, and get ready for the day. I ran into basically everyone, aside from Howard and Shawn. I think those two had the same sleep cycle, as they were always sleeping in after a night of festivities.
Tanya smiled as I passed, and I turned to the group. “Is everyone ready for a fun time?” Everyone was nodding their heads. “We are going to fly out to a small island, as you requested, and camp on the beach. Once we get back to the dock, be ready to head out about an hour after that.”
I pulled up the anchor, and started the large yacht’s turbo-diesels, pushing the throttle forward to half. The boat lurched forward as the propellers began to spin faster. I turned the boat around, and we sailed back towards our home port. After about twenty minutes, Shawn finally made his way above deck, and gave me a nod with no smile. I felt for him. He must have tried to get into another drinking competition with Howard. Always a mistake, always. That man had years of experience over most of us.
I shook my head and kept us on course. Another half-hour and Howard finally made his way up to the land of the living. He looked like hell. There was no real way to sugar coat it, but at least he had a smile, oddly contrasting the rest of his disheveled appearance. He came to the wheel where I was, and just stood next to me.
“So, how are you feeling, Howard? Honestly, you don’t look too good.”
“I’ve been better. About how long ’til we get to port?”
“About another forty minutes or so. I already told the rest of the group that once we dock, to get their things ready and meet me at the plane after an hour. I have to pre-flight it, and get all my supplies ready for the trip, too.”
“OK,” he grunted, and went towards the galley.
All in all, the night on the water was a great time, and the next few days promised to be just as exciting, if not more so. I couldn’t wait to spend more time with Tanya. I hadn’t had a crush since college, and felt a bit like a teenager again. I just hoped that I would be enough for someone like her.