Part 27 (1/2)

”Ask her,” Bob said and pointed to Olivia. ”Olivia is the official decorator of my personal life.”

Olivia was remembering going to David Fletcher's studio and talking about the origins of this kind of table from the nineteenth century and a furniture designer named Robert Jupe.

”Oh! Well, uh, this is a capstan table, custom designed for this boat and made by a designer in northern England. Kendal is the town. David Fletcher is the name of the furniture maker. Anyway, I've been following his work for years and I think he's just brilliant.”

”You don't worry about leaving it out here in the elements?” Ernest said.

”Well, that's a really good question. We gave it a UV resistant finish and it's constructed of teak, custom painted to look like walnut and mahogany. It's been in place for ten years, and I think it still looks great.”

”I've never seen anything like that in my whole life!” Betty said.

”Take me now, Lord! I've seen it all!” Ernest said. ”Say, Bob? I'll bet that set you back a pretty penny.”

”I knew I liked you, Ernest! A man of the cloth who recognizes the beauty of pennies!”

Ernest chuckled and Bob continued.

”Yeah,” Bob said, ”we had this guy Fletcher on the boat for a week while he put it together. Nice guy.”

”This is really something else!” Betty said.

”Come on,” Bob said. ”Let's get you to your stateroom.”

”Stateroom? Oh my!” Betty's eyes were as big as saucers.

Maritza said, ”Yep, you're bunking with Kitty and Ernest is in with Daniel. We can't have any moofky-poofky until these two tie the knot!”

”You're a fine woman, Mrs. Vasile,” Ernest said.

”Tell that to him,” she said and hooked her thumb in Bob's direction.

CHAPTER 12.

I Do! I Don't!

Their first night pa.s.sed quietly. It was true that everyone was somewhat fatigued from the trip, but it was quiet because half of the pa.s.sengers had almost no interest in Betty or Ernest. In fact, when Olivia thought about it, it seemed odd that Bob didn't fill the staterooms with Kitty's and Daniel's friends instead of his own. As a result, there was no traditional bachelor party. No hoopla at all. There was only Bob at the helm of the dinner table telling stories about himself and the few things that he could remember about Daniel's childhood to try and entertain Kitty's family.

”I was working and traveling a lot during those years,” Bob offered as an excuse.

Betty, on the other hand, regaled them with nearly every moment of Kitty's formative years. ”She could twirl a fire baton like n.o.body's business!”

”I'd be afraid to catch my hair!” Maritza said.

”So would I!” Olivia said. ”You're very brave, Kitty.”

Kitty grinned and shook her head. ”Mom? People don't want to know all this stupid stuff.”

”Yes, we do!” Maritza said. ”I couldn't twirl a baton to save my soul, much less one on fire!”

Betty laughed and continued. ”I know now that I'm here that this might seem like a silly thing, but I brought you two jars of strawberry rhubarb preserves.” Betty said. ”I put up ten gallons in quart jars every summer and I just thought you might enjoy them. They're in my cabin.”

”Stateroom,” Dorothy said, correcting her, adding. ”Rhubarb. How quaint.” She reached for the bottle of wine and filled her gla.s.s to the brim, even though dinner had been cleared from the table. Betty's affectionate manner toward Maritza irritated the h.e.l.l out of her.

”Stateroom! It just sounds so grand,” Betty said.

”Well, that's 'cause it is grand,” Dorothy said. ”Where's Toto? h.e.l.lo! We're not in Mississippi anymore.” She alone laughed at her joke.

”We're actually from Nebraska,” Ernest said.

She's looped, Olivia thought, and looked at Nick, who smirked in agreement. He reached out and took Olivia's hand in his, kissing the back of it.

Betty did her best to ignore Dorothy, who was obviously swimming the River Vino. ”Anyway, Maritza, tell me about your folks. Are they still in Mississippi? I had a cousin there. I haven't spoken to her in years.”

”Well, my momma is in Cartaret, which is out of the way, but it's so pretty. She's a very serious gardener, and you should see her yard when all the azaleas are in bloom. It's just gorgeous.”

”Is that where ya learned 'bout tha birds an' tha bees, Marizza?” Dorothy said, slurring her words enough to cause Buddy and Mich.e.l.le and Olivia and Nick to lean in and finally stare at her.

Dorothy just cackled, as though she was Amy Schumer and Tina Fey rolled into one. Sam ignored her. Kitty and Daniel snickered. Dorothy drained her goblet just as the waitstaff was putting down dessert, cherries jubilee flambe.

Olivia thought, Uh-oh, somewhere in between Necker Island and tonight Dorothy developed an unquenchable thirst.

”Oh! How beautiful!” Maritza said.

”I thought we needed something celebratory in honor of the wedding,” Bob said.

Olivia said to herself, That's some bull. He has it every chance he can. She looked at Nick, who smiled in agreement.

”Looks great!” Kitty said. ”I'll make this for you, Daniel.”

”Sweet,” Daniel said.

Dorothy looked at her plate, frowned, and said, ”Do you thin' I mi' have another gla.s.s of wine? I'm so bored I cou' scream.”

”Have whatever you want,” Sam said.

”Then I think I'll have a lil' nap.” Dorothy pushed her cherries jubilee to the center of the table, folded her arms on the table, put her head down on her arms, and pa.s.sed out cold.

Sam ignored her, still talking to Buddy about whatever their sidebar discussion was about-golf, Olivia guessed-and seemed to have no intention of removing her from the scene. There had to be some trouble in their paradise, Olivia surmised.

As soon as she could, Mich.e.l.le sneaked away, saying that she was very tired. Ellen was the next to fold on the excuse of getting Gladdie to sleep.

Maritza hated herself-but not really-for enjoying seeing Dorothy make a complete fool of herself. Olivia and Nick hated to admit it, but later on admit it they did in pillow-talk whispers. In fact, they snorted with stifled laughter.