Couer de la Mer

Chapter Three

The next afternoon, when Mimi was able to escape the sociable life she hurried to find Roger in the Third Class. He was in a sort of gathering room, she supposed it was that at least. He was drawing cartoons for a little girl while a blonde man videotaped them. Her attentions were briefly deterred when she saw the lovely young transvestite from up on deck, out of drag, sitting on the ground playing his plastic tub makeshift drum for a few little kids. She smiled and walked over, cleared her throat so as to get his attention.

"Hello Angel."

Angel gazed up at her and set the drum aside with a smile, told the kids to come listen again after supper. "Miss Marquez this is a rare treat." He stood and she studied him. Although thin and maybe a little sad in the eyes he made for a very handsome man. It was almost a pity, but only almost. "How are you today?"

Mimi smiled and reached to take his hand. "I'm very well and I'd like to thank you, for having been so very kind and helpful to me."

Angel gave her hand a squeeze and pulled her into a hug. "Let's go for a walk, chica. I want to tell you a story."

This was, to say the least, not as Mimi had planned it but she nodded and followed him up onto deck. He was silent as they moved along the railing for a brief time, and then looked at her. She studied his eyes is that brief second between when he looked at her and when he spoke. It was like gazing into a dream, and she was shocked to find herself admitting him, even though he was gay. And yet so so. . .

"Being in the status you are, I'm sure you're familiar with the Schunard family?"

She shook herself from her trance and smiled a little, politely. "I'm sorry?"

"Schunard Industries. . ."

"Oh!" She covered her mouth with her hand and giggle very softly, embarrassed to not have recognized the name sooner. "Yes of course, Gomez Schunard the real estate tycoon. He's your fa-. . ."

"Was my father." Angel corrected softly, the femininity that he had adapted flashed through briefly within those words. "He disowned me when I turned down the family name, his business in order to become what I am."

"A Drag Queen?" Mimi asked, looking sympathetically to him.

He smiled, and instantly he was her best girlfriend. "God, no, honey! A diva!"

Mimi giggled slightly and nodded, smoothing her dress with her palms, her eyes moving from the planks of wood that the deck was made of to his sweet, compassionate face. She bit her lip and looked him square in the eyes. "What does this have to do with my thanking you?"

Angel stopped walking and looked very seriously at her, but his eyes were still filled with friendly love and kindness. "Well look, honey. I know you saw that boy in a different light and that being around so many people of a different 'class' may be confusing but I just want you to realize, just because we don't have any money doesn't mean we can't relate to you."

Mimi nodded a little, wringing her hands slightly. "I feel like I'm in the middle of a crowded room, screaming. And no one even looks up. No one notices me."

Angel smiled very warmly and nodded. "Well some of us in the other room are finally getting into that room to help you. I know a certain Mr. Davis would be glad to bust down those oak and crystal doors to get to you and make sure he knew you were all right." The dinner alert went off and Angel sighed. "It's like being at a damn cattle recharge. Sweetie, I'll see you at dinner. I'm dining with officer Collins tonight."

Mimi smiled at him, a sisterly smile of 'mmmhmmm'. "You two seem to have become quite the pair. I can tell he really cares for you, we all can."

"Oh honey, don't make me blush!" Angel giggled. "Well I have to go get dressed and put my face on. See you later!!!"

Mimi waved as Angel sped off toward the Third class entrance. "Bye Angel."

Mimi often wondered about Angel after that conversation. Not wishfully or worriedly, it was just a curiosity that all young girls feel in their years. One that grows with them, matures with them. It was wonderment concerning Angel as a man, and what would have happened had he never became a 'diva' and how close their parents may have brought them. How close indeed.

This was, however, due to circumstances, impossible. And she understood that no matter what, it must be kept and understood that way.

She was dressed for success, descending the Grand Staircase to the Dining Saloon when she saw him. It was Roger, no mistaking it, but he was so elegantly dressed and so refined. Her heart almost caught and she smiled wide as he extended his hand, she gave him hers. He kissed the back. "I've always wanted to do that."

Mimi laughed and introduced him to everyone, Benny hardly recognized him and Joanne was appalled by him only because he was what she knew he was. He was a poor artist. Mimi led him to the table and they survived caviar and Joanne's sharp tongue, talk of politics and everything else Mimi hated. Roger told her he was going back to 3rd class and the almost believed him until he slipped her a note while kissing her hand.

Let's live for today. Meet me at the clock.

She looked around and saw Angel watching her with a smug smile, blushed and waved. "Excuse me, I'm going to bed." She said softly, standing and walking to the staircase and up to the clock, where he smiled down at her. "All right, we went to your boring party." He pretended to yawn and she laughed. "So let's go to mine."

To her surprise Angel and Collins came up behind them, smiling and so she nodded, very hesitantly took Roger's hand and allowed him to lead her to the third class, where people where whooping and hollering, singing and dancing, eating and drinking, playing cards and having arm wrestling matches.

Angel took her hands and pulled her onto a table, showed her the steps to one song and then a faster song for couples came on. Collins joined Angel and Roger came up to join Mimi, slid his arms around her. "C'mon."

"I don't know the steps. I can't do this."

"Neither do I, just come on."

They danced and danced and then went and drank and Mimi showed them some rather painful ballet. They all laughed and made it outside onto the poop-deck, happily sitting on a bench to gaze at the stars. Each one talked about their life and current place in it, Collins had been in the Navy since a very young 19, and had never found love before. He and Angel smiled knowingly and Angel gave his hand a squeeze. She was an aspiring performer, willing to make room in her life for a sea boy.

The conversation quickly moved to Roger and Mimi, and Roger bit his lip and shrugged. "Just a guitar kid from New York trying to see the whole world and everything it does or doesn't have going for me." They all looked to Mimi who looked down at her hands, unsure, really, how to describe herself.

"Well," she began softly. "I'm to be married in June to Benjamin Coffin III," she showed them all her ring and Roger made a comment about her going straight to the bottom, had she jumped off the ship. "500 invites are out, all of New York's big shots will be there and I just want to be. . .to be. . .free!"

Roger gazed sympathetically at her and nodded, looked at his watch and then sighed, looked to Collins and Angel. "It's late, we should get the cherub back to heaven and then go to bed." He suggested. "Plus I don't want Mark getting all too drunk and unable to get back to our room."

"Maureen should take care of that."

Mark was laughing hysterically as he gazed at a mug of beer, Maureen chanting for him to chug it down. He did and she squealed happily, wrapped her arms around his frame and gave him a quick kiss to the cheek. He smiled back at her and stood from the stool, telling the tender to tab Roger. Maureen giggled as she helped him back towards his room.

"Baby, you really shouldn't make Roger pay for everything you order from there."

"I won't," He smiled. "I'll pay for what I order for you." Hiccup.

She smiled softly, stumbling, walking with more and more difficulty. "That's really sweet of you, Marky." She collapsed into a heap on the ground, pulled him to snuggle up with her. "Oh sleep with me here, I don't wanna walk anymore and I don't wanna be alone."

He nodded and rested his head on hers as hers rested on his shoulder, his arms slid around her clumsily and they were found that way by Collins and Angel when they were returning to their room. Both took one of them and carried them (as best as they could be carried) to Mark's room, where they were laid down to rest.

Maureen stirred only to kiss Mark's cheek one last time before passing out.

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