Alan

"I… um… I had laryngitis" Charlie said in a very fake croak. "I didn't wanna worry you"

"Laryngitis???" I repeated with doubt, not believing him for a second. "Why didn't you at least email?"

"Well uh..."

"Did you get carpel tunnel too??" I started to get mad. Here I was worried sick! "Don't you realize that Nat and I were just about to make arrangements to leave the ship ahead of time???"

"Leave?" he echoed.

"Yeah! And here you are lying to me! What the hell is going on with you???"

"Nothing!" he replied defensively.

"Then why did you give me this bull about having laryngitis?" I was getting more and more frustrated.

"Do you really wanna know what's going on?" Charlie's tone turned sharp. "Did it occur to you that maybe getting married again is something that should be shared with family?

"Charlie" I began. I sensed that he was upset. Don must have told him, despite my express wishes. "When you get to be my age, you'll realize how fleeting and precious life is."

"Will I also exclude my family?" he asked sarcastically. "And remarry soon after my wife of many years dies?"

"Soon? It's been a while, Charlie." I reminded him. Margaret had wanted me to see other people and be happy.

"Did you think that Don and I would just be okay with this???" he asked me reproachfully.

"Don's happy for me!" I countered.

"I'm uh...sure he i-is but, I know that he would have wanted to play a part...you know...as your best man or something..."

"Tell ya what, we could all do something when Nat and I get back" I suggested.

"sure..." he told me sullenly. "But it's not the same thing is it?"

"Charlie..."

"I gotta go!" he suddenly said. "Bye!"

Charlie!" I repeated but all I got was a dial tone in response.

With I sigh, I joined Nat on the couch.

"What happened Babe?" she asked.

"Charlie just feels excluded. He thinks it's wrong that Don and he weren't there."

"I'm sorry to hear that" she affectionately put her hand over mine.

"But don't feel guilty!" I caressed one of her cheeks. "He'll grow to accept our marriage, just as he did our relationship"

"I hope so…" she said.

"Why don't we uh…take advantage of some of the shipboard activities?"

"I was thinking of maybe just relaxing and reading" she admitted.

"Relaxing and Reading?" I repeated. "Why don't you wanna try something new?"

"Like painting ceramics?" she rolled her eyes.

"They're giving a tour of the galley in an hour!" I told her. "It'll be fun!"

"I already went on one with my parents." Nat sighed. "Look, why don't you go on that, and we can meet up afterwards and do some other activates together?"

"Okay...I agreed reluctantly.

"I'm gonna read at the indoor pool at Dolphin deck. Why don't you join me until the tour?" she suggested.

"I could do soduku" I told her, having brought a book of it for the plane ride.

Thankfully, we found two lounge chairs next to each other. She kind of helped me with a puzzle.

"You should put a two there" Nat pointed to the top middle square. "And a five at the right of it"

"I think that just might work" I remarked. She smiled and soon returned to her book. I left for the tour in a while. It was very fascinating to learn all about the logistics involved in supplying food for the ship, and how a kitchen at sea worked.

Afterwards, I returned to the pool at Dolphin deck. Nat seemed to be staring into space, despite holding up her book

"Nat?..Nat?" I tried to get her attention.

"Huh?" she jumped slightly.

"It's just me" I teased.

"How'd the tour go?"

"It was fascinating!" I told her and suggested. "I was uh...thinking that maybe we could go to the napkin folding class?"

"Okay...uh...when is it?" she closed her book.

"In two hours. We can stay here until then" I told her.

She nodded and returned to her novel, while I went back to my soduku puzzle.

This was the life!

TBC