Bon Voyage

by Michelle Betham

  ‘Okay,’ Robbie said, jumping up off his lounger, pulling on his T-shirt. ‘I wasn’t going to do this until tonight, but…’

  ‘Robbie! Where are you going?’ Aimee asked, swinging round on her lounger as he pulled on his trainers.

  He leaned over and kissed her quickly, smiling. ‘I’ll be five minutes. Don’t go anywhere.’

  ‘Robbie!’ But he was gone, sprinting back inside, leaving Aimee wondering what the hell was going on. She felt as though she’d been in a state of total confusion ever since he’d turned up on this cruise, and things didn’t seem to be getting any less confusing as the days wore on.

  ‘What’s ‘e in such an ‘urry about?’

  Aimee looked up to see Bob standing there, a cup of coffee in one hand, unlit cigarette in the other

  ‘I have no idea,’ Aimee sighed, crossing her legs back up underneath her. ‘You on your own this afternoon? Where’s Barbara?’

  ‘She’s in the Clipper Bar. Your mam’s doing some kind of meet and greet or something in there at three 0’clock…’

  ‘She’s what?’ Aimee asked. This was news to her. But that was Marcie Marcello for you. Never one to back away from a self-promotion opportunity.

  ‘Talking about ‘er new book, I think,’ Bob shrugged.

  That’d be right, Aimee thought. And she didn’t really know why she was surprised, in fact, in a way she should be wondering why it’d taken her mother until the second week of the cruise to get this self-plugging opportunity sorted. Ricardo was obviously more of a distraction than Aimee had first realised.

  ‘Brendon over there told me about it,’ Bob went on, lighting up his cigarette. ‘Says ‘e’s going to act as ‘er bodyguard, just incase any over-eager fans get too excited.’

  Aimee rolled her eyes. Bodyguard? Who was he kidding? Firstly, Marcie Marcello was nowhere near famous enough to warrant a bodyguard when she could quite easily navigate her way round Tesco’s on an average Saturday afternoon without anyone so much as batting an eyelid, and secondly, Brendon was no Kevin Costner. This cruise was getting more surreal by the day.

  ‘Jesus f’ing Christ!’ Bob spluttered, choking on a mouthful of coffee.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Aimee asked, hoping he wasn’t going to need some kind of medical attention because her First Aid training was way out of date and she hadn’t watched Casualty for months now.

  ‘That bloody Irish twat!’ Bob coughed. ‘He asked me if I wanted anything at the bar and I said get me something non-alcoholic, a coffee or something, but the bugger’s only gone and put a frigging brandy in there! I can’t be doing spirits at this time of the chuffing day! I’ll frigging swing for ‘im…’

  And he was off, striding back across the pool deck in the direction of the Calypso Bar and a chuckling Brendon.

  Aimee lay back on her lounger, her hands behind her head as she stared out at the port and the sea and the blue sky dotted with tiny white fluffy clouds, watching as birds flew above her, the noise of people going about their day filling the air. She could just go to sleep if she was honest, just close her eyes and have a little nap, after all, wasn’t that what holiday’s were for? Relaxing, doing whatever you wanted whenever you wanted?

  ‘Aimee, babe, come on. You can’t go to sleep, not now.’

  She opened one eye and looked at Robbie as he sat back down on the edge of his lounger. ‘You were quick.’

  ‘I told you I’d only be five minutes. Come on, sit up. I’ve got something I want to ask you.’

  ‘Oh yeah? Can’t you ask me when I’m lying down?’

  ‘Come on, Aimee. Please. Just sit up.’

  She sighed, pushing herself up again, turning to face him. ‘Okay. What’s so important that I have to be sitting up for you to ask me? Robbie – what are you doing? Get up!’

  She watched with a mixture of amused excitement and surprised shock as he proceeded to get down on one knee in front of her, squeezing himself down between the two sun loungers.

  ‘Aimee Anderson – I know I was a bastard to you before…’

  ‘You got that right,’ she said with a raised eyebrow, aware that quite a few eyes were on them now. Even Brendon’s voice had gone quiet.

  ‘Well, anyway, I’ve learnt my lesson. I truly have, you have to believe me…’

  ‘To be fair, Robbie, I don’t actually have to do anything…’

  ‘Jesus, Aimee, can you just let me get this out?’

  He looked a touch panicked and Aimee couldn’t help but smile. She kind of knew where this was going because he’d already shown her the ring, told her he wanted them to try again, but because of what had happened last time she saw no reason why she shouldn’t let him sweat a little bit before giving him an answer. Why should she make it easy for him? Although, on the other hand, she’d never really liked being the centre of attention so the quicker she let him get this out the sooner people would stop focusing on them. Hopefully.

  ‘Okay. Mouth shut, promise,’ she smiled, shuffling about to get comfortable, her back straight, her legs crossed underneath her, her hands clasped together in her lap.

  Robbie smiled too, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the same small black box he’d produced in Hemingway’s on his first night on the boat, at which point Aimee almost felt her heart stop, her breath catching in her throat. Oh, my God! she thought. This really is happening! ‘Aimee, I’m so sorry for everything I’ve put you through. I was stupid…’

  ‘Hey, son! Can you just hurry up and ask her? There’s a darts match starting in The Pub in five minutes!’ Someone shouted from across the other side of the pool, and Aimee couldn’t help but giggle. It was hardly the most romantic of venues for this to be happening, but she didn’t really care. It was happening, full stop. And that was all that mattered.

  Robbie looked away for a second, obviously trying to regain his composure, the little black box still held out in front of him, and when he turned back to look at Aimee he quickly flipped it open to reveal that gorgeous diamond solitaire ring. A different ring, a new ring, even though he could quite easily have used the old one he’d given her the first time they’d got engaged because she’d posted it back to him after the engagement party fiasco. She hadn’t kept it, she hadn’t wanted to, although quite a few people – including Jemma – had said she should have flogged it on eBay to pay for her holiday, but Aimee had a conscience. And so did Robbie, obviously. He’d picked out a new ring to signify this brand new start for them both. Maybe he did have a romantic bone in his body somewhere then.

  ‘I know you needed some time to think about things but, I can’t wait any longer, Aimee. I need to know, babe. So, will you… will you marry me?’

  ‘Yes!’ she squealed without taking a beat, bouncing up and down on her sunlounger, clapping her hands together as a wave of excitement flooded through her. What was the point in dithering any longer? She loved Robbie, he loved her, so where was the sense in waiting? Danny Johnson hadn’t wanted her, so he now had to be filed away under a very happy memory that she’d pull out and re-visit from time to time, but that was all he was ever going to be. Even though she’d hoped – during that wonderful first week on this cruise – she’d hoped that maybe he could have been more.

  But Robbie was her reality, and she couldn’t sit still as he carefully slipped the ring onto her finger, pulling her up off her lounger, hugging her close, and it was all Aimee could do not to cry. She suddenly felt stupidly happy, as if everything was finally starting to fall into place, and she couldn’t help laughing as the pool deck suddenly erupted all around them in a barrage of applause, cheers and whistles, and somewhere close by they heard a cork pop and Brendon’s booming voice looming closer as he suddenly appeared beside them carrying a tray containing a bottle of champagne and some glasses.

  ‘Brendon!’ Aimee gasped as he proceeded to pour her and Robbie a glass of bubbly. ‘Champagne isn’t included in the all inclusive option.’

  ‘My treat, lovely,’ he winked, planting a quick kiss
on her cheek. ‘Congratulations, both of you.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Aimee smiled, kissing him back, taking the glass he held out for her as she leaned into Robbie, holding tightly onto his waist. The bugger wasn’t getting away a second time, she’d make sure of that.

  ‘Listen, do you want me to tell your mammy, or do you want to wait and tell her yourself?’ Brendon asked. ‘Only, I’m off to the Clipper Bar now for her talk…’

  ‘Oh, God, no! Don’t tell her!’ Aimee spluttered, the champagne slipping down the wrong way at the thought of her mother’s reaction to this news. ‘Not yet. Let her get this – whatever she’s doing this afternoon, let her get that out of the way. I’ll break the news to her myself later. And thanks, Brendon.’

  ‘My pleasure, me darling,’ Brendon winked again, before making his way back across the pool deck and back inside the ship to go play “bodyguard” to Marcie Marcello, the North East’s number one romance writer. In her head, anyway.

  Aimee looked up at Robbie, smiling what felt like the biggest, widest grin ever.

  ‘Are you happy?’ he asked, squeezing her waist tight.

  She nodded, standing up on tip-toe to kiss him quickly, the bubbles from the few sips of champagne she’d taken already going to her head, making her feel slightly giddy. Or was that just the excitement of having Robbie Cartwright back in her life again?

  ‘I’m happy,’ she smiled, kissing him again, letting him pull her closer until she was enveloped in his arms, lost in his kiss. ‘I’m very, very, very happy.’

  CRUISE DAY 11

  Casablanca – Morocco

  10:30am

  Despite both her mother and Jemma’s less-than-enthusiastic response to the news that she and Robbie had got re-engaged, Aimee felt as though she was walking on air. She felt as though a curtain had been drawn to let the sunshine back in and now she could see everything clearly instead of that feeling of stumbling round in the dark that she’d felt before. She had a future to look forward to now, and she’d already started planning the wedding in her head, right down to the colour of the tablecloths at the reception to what song they’d have their first dance to. Robbie Cartwright – her handsome, sexy fiancé. Just thinking about him made her skin tingle and her stomach flip like an over-active acrobat, more so when she remembered their own private celebration last night in his cabin after a particularly romantic meal in Sirocco’s. They’d eaten, given the entertainment a miss, and spent the entire night just getting re-acquainted, in the best possible way.

  Aimee couldn’t stop a smile spreading across her face as she sat at a window table in the Lido Café, enjoying a late breakfast. She didn’t care if people thought she was slightly deranged. She liked smiling, and she had a lot to smile about right now, didn’t she?

  Holding her left hand up to the window, she squinted as the sun bounced off the diamond solitaire, which only made her give another silent squeal. How lucky was she? Gorgeous fiancé, gorgeous ring; a fantastic future ahead of her.

  ‘You could have told me.’

  Aimee jumped as she heard the familiar voice behind her and she swung round, the smile slowly fading from her face as she saw him standing there, tall and handsome as hell in jeans and T-shirt, his dark hair all over the place, falling loosely over those beautiful blue eyes.

  ‘Told you what, exactly?’ she said quietly, quickly hiding her left hand underneath the table as he sat down opposite her, without being invited.

  ‘About the engagement,’ Danny replied, resting his arms on the table in front of him, his eyes looking right into hers, until she looked away.

  ‘I don’t really think it’s got anything to do with you.’ Jemma had obviously told Cal who, in turn, had thought it his right to tell Danny. Not that she could have kept it from him anyway. Not really.

  ‘Aimee, look at me, will you?’

  She shook her head, aware that she may be coming across as slightly childish but she really didn’t want to be this close to him, not anymore. Not when she knew he didn’t want her. It still hurt a little bit, and she couldn’t deny that. Just because she was back with Robbie it didn’t mean she couldn’t still mourn the fact that her fantasy, her dream man, well – he obviously hadn’t wanted her the way she’d eventually wanted him. ‘There’s nothing left to say really, is there, Danny?’

  ‘Isn’t there?’

  She still couldn’t look at him. And just knowing he was sitting there, just a few inches away from her and she couldn’t lean over and kiss him, couldn’t reach out and take his hand…

  ‘I’m back with Robbie now, okay?’ She slowly turned back to face him and just looking at him, just watching him, seeing how incredible he really was, how gorgeous and beautiful and handsome – she knew he could never have been hers. Not someone like him. It had all been nothing but a silly, out-of-reach dream. ‘I’m back with Robbie, and it’s for the best.’

  ‘For who, Aimee?’

  ‘For me, Danny. Things have worked out just how they should have, for both of us. I’ve got Robbie, you’ve got Davina…’

  ‘And you think that’s the right thing for both of us, do you?’

  She wished he’d get up and go, leave her alone. She was just beginning to get back to normal, just beginning to think of their week together as nothing but a fabulous holiday romance and truly believing that’s all it had been, and now he was sitting here, in front of her, asking her things that were only succeeding in confusing her.

  ‘Well, you don’t want me anymore. That’s been made perfectly clear,’ Aimee said, her voice almost a whisper as she stared right into those ice-blue eyes.

  ‘And who told you that?’ he asked, his voice just as quiet.

  But there was no time to answer that question as Robbie seemed to appear out of nowhere, sliding down onto the seat next to Aimee, his arm slipping protectively around her shoulders. ‘Something wrong?’ he asked, staring at Danny.

  There was no point in hanging around any longer. The appearance of Aimee’s fiancé had put paid to any kind of conversation Danny had tried to strike up. ‘No. Nothing’s wrong,’ Danny replied, returning Robbie’s stare. He was flogging a dead horse here, he was just wasting his time. Everyone was right; she didn’t want him anymore. He’d just needed to see that for himself. Didn’t really make it any easier to accept, though.

  He stood up, pushing his chair back under the table, looking at Aimee one last time. ‘Be happy, okay?’

  Aimee nodded, surprised at the sinking feeling in her stomach as he said those words, and if she hadn’t had Robbie sitting there beside her she may well have stopped Danny from leaving. But what would be the point in that? He didn’t want her anymore, he was just being friendly. He was just making sure she was okay, that she was happy, that was all. She shouldn’t read anything else into that because, why torture herself any more? He had Davina, she had Robbie – that was the natural order of things. Anything else just wouldn’t have worked.

  ‘You too,’ she whispered, watching as he left the Café, his hands in his pockets, his head down.

  ‘What did he want?’ Robbie asked, reaching over Aimee to grab a piece of toast.

  ‘Hmm? Oh, nothing. He just wanted to say hello,’ Aimee replied, staring out of the window. She was looking forward to getting off the ship for a couple of hours today, and funnily enough she was looking forward to spending those couple of hours without Robbie. They’d been almost joined at the hip for all of yesterday and she’d hardly seen Jemma at all so it would be nice to spend some time with her today. Nice to have some fun, even though she’d had quite a lot of that with Robbie. That thought made her smile again, quickly pushing away all stupid thoughts of Danny Johnson and what was never going to be. Get a grip, Aimee. He’s a pop star, you’re a fan, and that’s all you’re ever going to be to him. Get over it!

  ‘Yeah, well, as long as that’s all he wanted,’ Robbie said through a mouthful of toast. ‘I’m not having him coming onto you anymore, not now I’ve got you back.’

&nbs
p; Aimee ignored him, checking her bag to make sure she had everything she needed for the day ahead – sun lotion, bottled water, money. All present and correct. Now all she had to do was go and find Jemma.

  ‘You off?’ Robbie asked, and Aimee looked at him, that smile she’d had plastered on her face for the past couple of days returning with a vengeance. She wasn’t going to let Danny Johnson spoil her happiness at being back with Robbie. After all, it wasn’t Robbie’s fault that she’d fallen for her pop idol and let herself be sucked in by a silly holiday romance. Actually, it probably had been, in a funny, round-about kind of way…

  She leaned over and kissed him, quickly at first, then a little slower and a little longer.

  ‘Get a room, the pair of you,’ Bob winked as he walked past carrying a tray piled high with croissants, jam and two pots of tea.

  ‘Going all continental, are we, Bob?’ Aimee smiled, standing up and squeezing past Robbie’s chair.

  ‘Not for me, lass. This is for Barbara. She’s been reading one of your mam’s books and ever since some bloody character or other had croissants for breakfast she’s decided that’s all she’s going to ‘ave too. Daft old mare. I’m going back for a bacon sandwich once I’ve dropped this tray off with ‘er. You off out then?’

  ‘Me and Jemma are going on the ‘Casablanca City Tour’. We thought we’d see a little bit of what Morocco has to offer,’ Aimee replied, kissing Robbie quickly one more time. ‘I’ll see you later, babe.’

  ‘Have a nice time,’ Robbie said, reaching over for more toast.

  She threw him a smile and fell into step beside Bob as they walked out towards the Lido Deck.

  ‘Your young man not fancy it then?’ Bob asked, looking at Aimee out of the corner of his eye.

  ‘Not really his thing. He’s not a huge culture fan.’

  Bob said nothing for a second. ‘I saw the other one just now. That pop star fella. He was just coming out of the Café as we were coming in.’