Deadly Reunion

by June Shaw

  “I’m not sure.” He leaned closer. I kissed his lips. “Thank you, babe, but Jane wants to know what you said.”

  “Mm,” I said, lips tight with my smile. Had I said other words?

  “She took that medicine. It’s putting her in la-la land,” Jane said with a laugh.

  La-la-la ran through my mind.

  “Do you need any more help?” an unfamiliar man’s voice asked.

  I managed to get both eyes open. He was a security guard, I saw by his badge and cafe au lait colored uniform. He stood near Aunt Sue. Uh-oh, had I gotten her into trouble? I’d told that nurse something about Sue. Had the nurse told the police?

  “No, I think we’ve got it,” Gil told this man. “I’ll let you know if she needs anything else. Thanks for letting us in.”

  The guard spoke to one of them. The door closed and clicked.

  “It looks like you took more of these pills during the night.” Sue held up two small medicine containers.

  I shrugged and glanced at her clothes. Sexy. And below the lovely skirt hugging her hips, did a penis still hang? That would make her feel horrible. No, it must be gone. And that was none of my business—unless someone died because of it.

  “Cealie?” Gil’s nose came close to mine. He shook his head. “I think she’s out of it. At least those meds are probably keeping her free of pain.”

  “Where’s your…?” I asked Gil but could not get tux out. I saw his broad neck, the curly charcoal gray hair below it that sometimes tickled my cheek. No black tie or vest. I managed to half-focus on what I wore. Still my shiny top, maybe the long skirt.

  “She needs rest. I’ll stay with her,” Gil said.

  “Let us know how she’s doing,” Jane told him, and my classmates left the room.

  Gil wrapped his arms around me. I snuggled, content, and gave in to the rocking watery heaven.

  * * *

  “Yow! You’re killing me.” I shoved on Gil’s chest. “And I’m freezing.”

  “Wha—Cealie?” Stretched in bed beside me, Gil blocked my hand and sat up. “I didn’t do anything except sleep with you.”

  His slight morning’s growth of whiskers let me know we’d slept a long time. And what hurt was my leg. I reached toward my ankle and discovered my long skirt was gone. Peeking under the covers, I found I wore only a black bra and bikini panties.

  “I’m sorry.” I shivered and drew the covers up to my neck. “I’m just remembering what happened. My ankle hurts, and I need to pee. Where are my clothes?”

  “They were bothering you. I removed them.”

  “How did you know they were bothering me?”

  “I figured. Oh, and I put more ice in that bag on your leg.”

  No wonder I was so cold. Numbness fought with ache in my ankle. “Thanks. Now please help me to the bathroom before I wet what little clothes I have on.”

  He sat me on the side of the bed. “Be careful. Hold on to me.”

  I placed a hand on his arm and stood. Head spinning, I slid toward the floor.

  He grabbed me. “Let’s go in the wheelchair. Take your time.” He maneuvered me to sit and rolled me toward the bathroom. I snagged a wonderful whiff of coffee. A side table held a coffeepot and large dish of sliced fruit and overflowing basket of pastries near a vase holding a rose.

  “Yummy,” I said. “Oh, my leg aches.”

  “You need to eat, and I think you can take more medicine soon.” Gil wore only briefs. Probably he’d slept with them instead of in the buff as usual since he might need to call for medical help for me.

  “Oh, it hurts. I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate your help.”

  He helped me into a thick white robe and slipped a matching one from the closet on himself. He refilled my ice pack while I emptied my bladder. “You don’t know how worried I was when you didn’t answer your door or the phone in your room last night. At first I thought you were just staying out late with your friends, but then you weren’t coming back to your room.” He helped me sit in front of the food and fixed my coffee. “Take these pills. I can see you’re still in a lot of pain.”

  I felt tension in my face from the throbbing in my leg. The warm coffee and sweet flaky Danish eased my anguish. My head cleared a little. “I saw my classmates in here last night. Why did everyone come?”

  He drank coffee and ate a crescent roll. “I found Tetter and Randy in a bar. They hadn’t seen you. While I was talking to them, Sue and Jane walked past, so I stopped them. They didn’t know where you were, either.”

  I gobbled the last Danish and grabbed a lush strawberry. “So then I guess you checked with your uncle to find out if I had a medical problem and discovered what happened.”

  “Yes, and he said the meds would make you really sleepy. He had security let us in here to check on you.”

  “I’m not sleepy anymore.” I nibbled on juicy cantaloupe. “Randy and Tetter were together?”

  He nodded, pouring more coffee. “They looked mighty cozy.”

  “Hmm. But why were you looking for me in the first place?”

  “For sex.”

  “Sex! With this pain? How could you even think about sex?”

  His face neared mine, a smile tugging the outer edges of his lips. “With the way you were playing with some parts of me last night, how could I not?”

  “Oh,” I said and glanced at the bulge in his briefs. His robe had fallen slightly open. Tempting…except for the aches and numbness spreading through my body. I grabbed his thigh.

  “Not now, cowboy,” he said with a grin, moving my hand away. My head leaned to the side, and he lifted me off the chair and slid me onto the bed. “I’ll stay while you sleep.”

  “I’m not sleepy,” I mumbled. Eyes shut, I envisioned him walking away. “Oh, why did you leave me last night? We were in a bar, I think.”

  “I got paged from the galley. The Executive Chef was arguing with my chef.”

  “Why?” I asked, but slept before hearing hear the reply, which no longer interested me.

  * * *

  “How are you?”

  Darkness slipped from my mind, leaving slight fuzziness behind. “I’m okay.” My mouth felt extra dry and cottony. I still lay in bed.

  Gil stood near, fully clothed. “Good. Do you want me to help you shower?”

  His offer was tempting with that sexy smile he wore. I knew it would not take him long to toss off his clothes and shower with me. “Not yet,” I said, noting the blend of numbness and throbbing in my leg. “I showered yesterday evening before I dressed for formal night.”

  “You were especially beautiful in your formal.”

  “And you were terrific in the tux. Oh, would you throw those damn pencil heels I bought in the trash?”

  “Maybe you can pass them on to someone—like your aunt—or uncle.”

  “Sue,” I said, again sympathizing with her.

  “How about if we go and look for everyone?” He pulled the covers off me and took away the ice pack. My leg felt thirty pounds lighter but hurt more. “Jane called this morning and asked how you were doing. I said tell your gang you’re doing all right. We’d find them some time today.” He opened the closet. “What will you wear?”

  “I’d like the white cotton blouse and navy slacks.”

  “Let’s have this red shirt. It’s nice and low cut.”

  Now he was stepping on my nerves. “The white would be fine, thank you.”

  He brought me the red shirt. “This might brighten your mood.”

  I crumpled the shirt and shoved it under the bedspread, then reached out my hand. “My mood is great. The white cotton please.”

  He gave me what I wanted, and I rolled around the bed, getting into clothes without having to stand on my throbbing leg. He kept his lips tight and chin set while I dressed. Gil knew what he wanted and normally got it. That was the main source of his not getting his main desire—our getting together for good.

  Maybe one day I’d feel secure enough to share my
life with a man again. But like right now, Gil went after what he wanted—me wearing the red low cut shirt. But I needed to get what I wanted, even though the red shirt might make me feel better. I couldn’t give in. I am woman. I can make my own way—alone! I considered, wrapping myself inside my mantra and my white shirt.

  Dressed, I tried to stand. “Yow!”

  He shoved the wheelchair behind me before I toppled. “I’ll ride you.”

  “Okay, but I’m going to walk after while.”

  “Good. Do you need the prescriptions? My uncle said that, by today, over-the-counter meds might be enough and wouldn’t make you sleep away your cruise.”

  “Tylenol would be fine. There’s some in that drawer. I’ve been on lots of cruises, but I definitely don’t want to miss seeing Tommy and Ramona and the little ones tomorrow. God, I miss them.”

  Gil helped me into a jacket. “I understand. I know how you love your kids and their families.”

  “What time is it?”

  “Mid-morning. Oh, some plans have changed. You won’t see your son and his family tomorrow.”

  My heart plunged. I opened my mouth to blurt protests.

  Gil gave me a gentle smile. “You’re going to see them today.”

  “Today? Fantastic! But why? Are you sure? Did I sleep through an entire day?”

  He laughed. “No, it’s the same day. You just dozed a little while. The ship had a slight problem and needs to pick up some equipment, they announced, so they changed plans. Instead of sailing into Glacier Bay today, we’re going there tomorrow. This afternoon we’re going to Skagway.”

  “Why? When?” My heart made tom-tom beats. “Oh, I need to change clothes.”

  “Cealie, you look great. And that outfit is much better for your family than that red sexy thing I wanted.” He raised a hand to stop further questions. “It’ll be a couple of hours or more before we reach shore. And don’t worry. I called Tommy and told him to meet you today instead of tomorrow. He’ll be there.”

  “Oh, wow,” I said, trying to take it all in. Within a short time, I would see some of the people I loved most in this world.

  “Okay, primp up a little if you want. And then I’m taking you out of this room.”

  I zipped on a light touch of makeup and peach lipstick. Checking my outfit, I decided it was perfect for meeting the family.

  “I love you,” I told Gil.

  “I know. I love you, too.” He wheeled me out of my stateroom, my leg throbbing when the wheels bounced over passageways. “Let’s get a little lunch.”

  “I’m not hungry. I’m too excited to eat.”

  “Right, , but you might get too excited the rest of the day, and you need something in your belly, especially with those meds you’ve been taking. We’ll just get grilled chicken, okay?”

  “Fine,” I said, and he took me up, exchanging greetings with many jacketed people on the Lido Deck. I felt the smile plastered across my face, not veering away until we were in line for the chicken. Then I noticed the cooks preparing our food. “Gil, earlier you told me there was trouble between…two people. What happened?”

  He carried our trays to a table away from others. “The Executive Chef blamed my chef for trying to take over his galleys. I straightened things out.”

  “How?”

  “Sandkeep and I had a talk.” Gil huffed, apparently not wanting to replay the argument he must have had with that man.

  “I managed to speak to my uncle on the phone a few minutes,” he said, changing topics.

  “I’m thrilled that we’re going to land today instead of tomorrow, but did he tell you what was so important that they needed to get it today?” I nibbled the edge of a dry grilled breast.

  “The morgue isn’t staying cold enough, and some cameras aren’t working.”

  I choked on the chicken. Gil patted my back, and I raised a hand, letting him know I was all right. “I just need some water, and then I’ll be okay.” I did not want to dwell on what might happen if a morgue wasn’t working well. I envisioned Jonathan, blocked out his image. “What else did your uncle tell you?”

  “A ship’s doctor works on a person presumed dead for sixty to ninety minutes before making the final call.”

  “Oh.” I leaned closer, ready to learn what had really happened to the man my aunt met. I needed to make certain she didn’t kill him.

  “The body is placed in the morgue. The doctor has about six hours of paperwork to complete.”

  “Goodness. And?”

  “He needs to inform the Coast Guard and nearest quarantine station. If the deceased had fever or any rashes, he’d have to report it.” Gil sliced his chicken.

  “What about Jonathan Mill?”

  “There were needle marks on his arms.”

  “Wow, so he was a drug user?”

  “Right, insulin. He was severely diabetic.”

  “Your uncle told you that?”

  “Actually some people around me last night were talking about him. One man was one of the first to see him down. He’d rushed down the stairs and noticed his arms.”

  “How did he know Jonathan was diabetic?”

  “He didn’t. That’s one of the few things my uncle would tell me about him. He was letting me know that many things could have caused his fall. Maybe he became weak and couldn’t grip the stair rail.”

  “What else?”

  “That’s all I know. Ready?” He wheeled me from the table, and my mind raced, trying to sort through what he’d said. I wasn’t satisfied. We returned to the elevator.

  “Care to tell me where we’re going?” I asked as we descended. We exited on a deck near the photo department and rows of thin stands. Passengers’ pictures covered both sides of those stands. A few people ambled, looking through them.

  “I figured you’d like to see some of these.” We stopped at a board filled with photos of couples and families looking exceptional in evening wear. Gil wasn’t a man to spend time staring at photos of people he didn’t know. That wouldn’t normally interest me, either, but confined to a wheelchair, I had little else to do while I waited to reach shore.

  Gil pointed to what interested him. “How about that one?” It showed him standing behind me.

  “You look terrific in a tux. Why don’t you wear one every day?” I teased.

  “You didn’t look bad yourself. Of course, you always look great.” He nuzzled my neck. “I believe you were pressing yourself against me for that picture. Does that give you ideas?”

  “Yes. I want to get rid of those damn shoes.”

  He snickered, surely giving up on the idea of sex. “How about you and your friends? One person doesn’t look too happy.”

  I spied photos that my classmates and I took together. In them, Sue and Jane and I looked fairly glamorous with our fancy dresses and big smiles. Tetter’s casual clothes did not stand out since she’d partially hidden behind me. Randy dressed nicely in a suit, but in each picture, he was frowning. He aimed his frown at me.

  “Looks like Randy was really unhappy since I stuck myself between him and Tetter,” I said. “I told you he seems to want her.”

  “It seems when she’s drinking, she tends to forget she’s happily married.”

  “Well, look at you out of bed,” Sue said, striding toward us. In heels and snug black pants with a fluffy red turtleneck and dangling earrings, she looked fantastic.

  I couldn’t believe a twinge of jealousy ripped up my spine.

  “I tried to keep her in bed,” Gil said, “but she wouldn’t cooperate.”

  Sue covered her mouth and giggled.

  “Where are the others?” I asked.

  “I’m going to meet them.”

  “Then would you mind taking my patient with you?” Gil asked.

  “I’d be glad to.”

  I whipped my head toward Gil, not believing he wanted to get rid of me, not happy he’d pawn me off on my aunt. “You don’t like me anymore?” I asked. Surely he couldn’t be angry because I didn�
�t want sex at this moment.

  “I still like you. I just have a few things to do.”

  I watched him take long strides away and glanced up at Sue. She rolled my wheelchair toward other pictures.

  “Did y’all have a good time last night? I sure wish I could have stayed with you instead of what I did,” I said and really grinned.

  She glanced to the sides. No one was near. Her face came toward mine, a scowl erasing her beauty. “You did that on purpose.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You only twisted your foot so you could get to see the doctor.” Her face grew angrier, her tone bitter.

  “Why would I do that?”

  “So you could find out what happened to Jonathan.”

  “Are you kidding? Is that why you went to see the doctor?”

  “I cut my cheek and almost lost my eye. Does that sound like I was being curious?” she snapped, yanking my wheelchair and almost shaking me out.

  “Stop. What’s wrong with you?” I shot a worried glance around, wishing Gil or another of my other classmates was near.

  “I’ll tell you what’s wrong with me.” She wheeled me into a tiny alcove. “People think I’m some type of weird monster.”

  “You’re gorgeous.”

  “That’s just it.” Tears squeezed from her eyes. “I look like a beautiful woman—mostly. But I was created as a man.”

  “Oh, Sue.” I reached up to hug her. She bent partway down, letting her cheek touch mine. My hands barely reached to pat her shoulders.

  She straightened. “You have no idea what it’s like, all the things I have to put up with.”

  “Like what? Did something bad happen to you on this ship?”

  Her furious glare held on me. She peered toward the left at the stairwell, the long marble stairwell that wound two decks down. She stared at me.

  Apprehension gripped me. Had I stirred up bitter emotions so that she wanted to get rid of me? Had she killed Jonathan and determined I knew? Her fierce look made me believe she wanted to shove my wheelchair off the top of that stairwell.

  “Sue,” I said, arms straight as though I could block her if she tried anything. I wondered if I could hop out of my chair. There was no way I could get past her if she wanted to stop me.