Part 21 (2/2)
”Let's hope we never see the day!” Olivia said, and laughed with her. ”Let's make some coffee.”
”Sure.”
They were about half an hour into the flight. They enjoyed their cappuccinos, and the aroma of the brewing coffee beans brought Nick back to the land of the living.
”What's that wonderful smell?” he said.
”We have a cup for you, darling! How're you feeling?”
Nick stood and stretched, ran his hand through his hair, and said, ”I feel perfectly well, thank you. And if I may say, I think a cup of whatever you ladies are savoring would make me feel even better.”
”Let me get it for you, Nick,” Maritza said. ”Sometimes caffeine can be a miracle drug.”
”I heartily agree, Maritza,” Nick said and smiled, thinking, She's pleasantly tolerable some of the time.
Maritza handed Nick his coffee and said, ”So, Nick, you know you're welcome to come with us to look at the house.”
”Well, thank you. I think, however, that I'd like to pay a visit to the Nantucket s.h.i.+pwreck and Lifesaving Museum. Every time I've been to Nantucket the time gets away from me and then I don't go. I've wanted to see it for some time. Nantucket has a fascinating maritime history, as I'm sure you know.”
”I do know that. I used to go there when I was just a little girl.”
”How nice! And of course, I'd like to drop into the Whaling Museum, if time permits.” He took a sip. ”This is delicious! I already feel better!”
”You're welcome! I have a car and a driver who can take you there. It's off the beaten path.”
”And that is precisely why I never got there! Anyway, you ladies don't have to worry about me. I know how to amuse myself.”
”Well, you can have the car all afternoon.”
”Why, thank you. I won't be gone too long,” Nick said.
”Olivia and I can walk to the house I want her to see from the hotel. In fact our hotel is so close, it's like my daddy used to say, you could spit on it in a good wind!”
”What a thought!” Olivia said. Spit? Not again! Olivia thought. Really?
”I know! Y'all, it looks like we're going to be landing in a few minutes. We'd better buckle up!” Maritza said.
They all took the rules seriously, so they buckled their seat belts and raised the seat backs.
”So the plan is to check in, have lunch, go see the house, and go shopping. Drinks are at six at our hotel and dinner is at CRU at eight o'clock. How does that sound?”
”It sounds perfect!” Olivia said.
The plane landed so softly that Nick didn't even realize they were on the ground. Olivia could tell he was dumbfounded by the look on his face.
And Maritza, who knew that Nick was a nervous flier, smiled and said, ”Featherlight landings are a point of pride for our pilots. They know I really don't like getting the fillings jiggled out of my teeth.”
”Well,” Nick said, ”I used to think I was going to die in a plane crash, but now that I've flown in a helicopter and actually skippered a submarine, I'm no longer terrified.”
”Honey? When your number's up, it's up,” Maritza said, ”and the chances of you cras.h.i.+ng in our plane are zero.”
”Intellectually I understand, but you know these fears are never grounded in rational thought,” Nick said. ”But I feel perfectly at ease on your plane. In fact I may have been cured!”
Headline in the New York Post: PHOBIA CURED BY A G650! Olivia could see it in print. Maybe we should line up all the worrywarts and take them for a ride on Bob's jet, Olivia thought.
They went through the tiny terminal with a snack bar and a gift shop and Maritza said, ”Y'all remember that TV show called Wings?” She pointed to a picture of the cast of Wings hanging on the wall.
”I remember that show,” Olivia said. ”I used to watch it late at night.”
”Well, they used the outside of this airport terminal as theirs. But they shot the interior shots out in Hollywood. Isn't that fabulous?”
”No kidding,” Olivia said.
Nick said nothing, but Olivia could smell his wood burning. When they had checked into their hotel room, she said, ”So, I take it that you're not impressed that Wings was partially shot here?”
”Most definitely not,” Nick said. ”This island used to be the whaling capital of the world.”
”I think I knew that. This is a nice room, don't you think? Look, we have a water view!”
Nick stepped over to the window and looked. Then he grunted. ”It's beautiful. And did you know the first American female astronomer, Maria Mitch.e.l.l, was born here and discovered a comet when she was only fifteen years old?”
”No, I did not. Just fifteen?”
”Yes, it's a fact. And in 1820, Herman Melville was inspired to write Moby-d.i.c.k because of what happened to the whales.h.i.+p Ess.e.x and her crew.”
”No kidding. Well, that's impressive.”
”Yes, ma'am. I think so too. And in 1841, Frederick Dougla.s.s made his first antislavery speech right here on this island. Those stories ought to be on the walls of the terminal. Wings. Please.”
”You need to eat something. You're cranky. Maybe there's a Snickers in the minibar. Do you want me to look?”
”No, but I am starving. All I'm saying is please, let's not trivialize this island. Give her her well-earned dignity.”
”You might need a b.l.o.o.d.y Mary too.”
”I just might.”
Soon they were seated on the covered terrace reading over the menus, drinking their water, and picking at the breadbasket. The waiter placed a b.l.o.o.d.y Mary in front of Nick, and Olivia and Maritza raised their mimosas in a toast. Nick lifted his gla.s.s.
”Mr. Seymour is about to become very agreeable. Cheers!”
”Cheers!” Maritza and Olivia said.
”What did that mean, Nick? Are you feeling disagreeable?” Maritza said.
”My sweet husband thinks pop culture is ruining the world.”
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