Part 6 (2/2)
Jonathan reached the top section of the stairs at the same time Kevin did. Candi and Sarah were waiting on the top landing for them to catch up, not because they wanted to hang out with them apparently, but because they had no clue where to go.
”Where's the muster spot?” asked Sarah, not looking at anyone, instead staring out the window across from the foyer where they were standing.
”Don't worry,” said Candi, ”Jonathan will know.”
”Of course he will,” replied Sarah snidely.
”What's your problem now, Sarah?”
”Nothing. I don't have a problem, I'm glad your brother knows everything about everything.”
”Well, it's coming in handy right now, since neither of us bothered to figure out where this muster thing is.”
”Whatever.” Sarah turned her back on Candi and looked down, examining her fingernails.
Candi just sighed in response.
Jonathan was so busy taking this in, that he missed the last step of his climb. He tripped and landed on his face at the top of the stairs, just next to Sarah's feet. He rolled over onto his back, b.u.mping up against her leg.
Slowly he opened his eyes, mentally checking at the same time to make sure his legs, feet and arms were still movable. As his eyes focused, all he could see at first was a bunch of leopard print, a beautiful tanned leg, and then some pink lace.
Pink lace? What the ... ?
”Stop looking up my dress, you pervert!!” yelled Sarah. She kicked Jonathan in the shoulder with her toe.
”Ow! No! I wasn't looking up your dress! I fell! I fell!”
Kevin stood next to them, laughing his b.u.t.t off and holding his ribs.
”Yeah, right. How convenient.” Sarah backed up to get away from him, b.u.mping into Candi who was standing behind her.
”Watch out, Sugar Lump.”
”Watch out, yourself, leopard lady,” Candi replied in an angry tone. ”Jonathan just tripped. He didn't look up your dress intentionally.”
”Okay, okay everyone,” said Kevin, holding up his hands, still laughing. ”Everyone, calm down now.”
He offer his hand to Jonathan. ”You okay buddy?”
Jonathan stood up with Kevin's help. He started brus.h.i.+ng his pants and arms off, afraid at first to look at Sarah. ”Yeah, I'm fine.” He gave himself a quick inner pep talk, telling himself to man up. He looked cautiously over at Sarah and sighed heavily.
”Sorry, Sarah, I really didn't mean to look at your pink underwear.”
”Aaaargh! That's it!” She made a move to come at Jonathan, who surprised himself with how fast he could move, running around behind Kevin.
”I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!” was all he could think to say.
Kevin grabbed his sister as she tried to get around him. He wrestled her while he continued to laugh at the mayhem.
”Come on, Sarah, let it go. It's time to go to the stupid muster. Let's just forget about the pink panties, forget about Jonathan being a pervert, and go to the lifeboat area.”
”I'm not a pervert!” Jonathan yelled, just as a group of people came to the top of the stairs. They walked by, snickering.
Jonathan's face turned beet red. He looked down at the carpet muttering, ”I'm not a pervert. It's not my fault she's wearing pink underwear and I fell under her dress.”
Jonathan looked back over Kevin's shoulder tentatively and noticed his sister's face slowly relax to reveal a sweet smile. Kevin must have winked at her or something. He was glad she wasn't mad at Sarah anymore.
”Watch it, Kevin, or you're gonna get it next,” threatened Sarah, pointing a manicured fingernail in his face.
Kevin turned around. ”Don't worry about it, dude. Consider it your lucky day. Free peep show. Now, tell us where are we supposed to go for this muster thing? Do you know?”
Jonathan brightened up immediately, his face going back to its normal color. ”Yep! Just follow me. I've memorized the layout of the s.h.i.+p, we're on deck C.”
He was going to force himself put the underwear incident out of his mind, intent on capitalizing on the time he had taken studying the s.h.i.+p's floor plans. s.h.i.+p specifications were a much safer thing for him to be thinking about than Sarah's underthings, anyway. He walked across the foyer and out the doors that led to the outside deck area.
The others followed him out. Within two minutes they were standing in a line with a group of other people out on the deck, just across from where their lifeboat was secured to the side of the s.h.i.+p. There were twelve pa.s.sengers in their line.
They stood there for about twenty minutes in a huge, boisterous crowd of people holding life jackets, before they were told they could leave.
”Is that it?” asked Candi. ”I'd kind of expected more.”
”Yep. Now what? Anyone feel like having some c.o.c.ktails?” Kevin put his lifejacket under his arm, rubbing his hands together in antic.i.p.ation of the fun he was obviously envisioning.
”What time do we need to get over to dinner?” asked Candi.
”We're supposed to meet in the Nautique dining room at six for the first seating,” answered Kevin.
Jonathan checked his watch that had a big calculator on it. ”That's still a few hours away.”
”Yep. Time to hit the bar. You in, Jon?”
”Sure. That's fine, but I'm just going to drink soda since that beer made me a little clumsy.” His face reddened just thinking about his earlier run-in with Sarah.
”Suit yourself,” said Kevin as he started walking away, expecting Jonathan to follow him.
”Are you guys coming?” Jonathan asked Candi. He was afraid to speak directly to Sarah and she wasn't acknowledging his existence now anyway.
”I'm not sure, just go ahead without us, I'm sure I'll catch up with you later. Want us to take your lifejackets?”
”Sure,” said Jonathan, going over and taking Kevin's before handing them over to Candi. ”See you later.”
Candi stood there awkwardly, wondering if she should suggest that Sarah come with her or just go back to the room and let Sarah decide what she was going to do. Before she could make up her mind, Sarah spoke up.
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