“I had nothing to do with it. I was in Puerto Rico or on the crew deck all day and evening. Go ahead and search my cabin.”
Vicki’s chest tightened. Was he looking for a watch in her bed? Was it a coincidence? She wanted to get back to her cabin and see what was under her mattress.
“Other incidents of theft have been reported since Miklos or Domenic, or whoever you are, came on board, and none of that was happening before. I know what gypsies are like, Miklos. I grew up with them in Kosovo. They would steal anything they could get their hands on. I wouldn’t be surprised if you found someone who looked like you, followed them around, and stole your passport too.”
She turned to the security guards. “We have the right man. Keep him in the brig while his cabin is searched. Even if we can’t prove anything, we can’t have him roaming around looking for trouble.” She glared at Miklos. “Hopefully, we’ll have some evidence and you’ll go off in handcuffs, but either way, you’re getting off at the next port. You’re fired.”
Miklos shrugged. “Then Vicki and I will pack our things and you can let us off at the next port. I prefer not to be where I’m not appreciated.”
His words hit Vicki in shock waves.
Vicki and I?
“Miklos, you can’t be serious. I love living on the ship, and I need this job. What would we do to make a living?”
He took her hand and placed his other hand over it. “We will manage. My people always have. Prejudice and persecution are nothing new to us.”
Gizela shot a warning look at Vicki. “You might want to think twice before choosing the life he’s offering you. I have no argument with you, Vicki. You deserve better. You’d be wise to stay aboard when we drop him in Key West.”
Vicki’s heart thudded and the two men escorted her lover, her husband, away. But how much did she really know about him? Suddenly her head was full of questions. Once they hit Key West, they were in the United States, a country that required blood tests and marriage certificates. They wouldn’t be considered legally husband and wife, would they?
She watched as the group disappeared into the elevator and bit her bottom lip. I should find that bloody love charm and toss it into the ocean and then see if I love him as strongly as I thought she did.
* * *
Vicki didn’t want to talk about what had happened or why Miklos wasn’t at work, so she avoided socializing with her coworkers and concentrated on her customers. Even though she enjoyed them, the day dragged by. When she looked at her watch for the fiftieth time, it was noon. Of all the days to finally get a lunch hour!
Perhaps she could grab some take away in the crew mess or buy a snack in the store and try to see Miklos. What would she say? She’d have to get rid of that love charm and tell him how she felt about him. That was the only thing she knew she had to do.
Just before the elevator doors closed, Simone stuck her hand in to stop Vicki’s clean getaway.
“You’ve been scarce today. What’s up with you, roomie?”
“I really don’t want to talk about it, Simone.”
“When I stepped out of the mess this morning, I saw security guards walking by with Miklos. I watched as they ushered him into the ship’s prison.”
Vicki gasped. “You saw that? Simone, did anyone else see?”
“I don’t know. What did he do?”
The elevator slowed.
“Let’s wait until we get to our cabin. Promise you won’t tell anyone?”
“As always.”
Vicki wanted to cry, but she held back the tears until they were safely ensconced in the privacy of their room.
“Now, tell me what happened.” Simone took the chair, and Vicki sat on her bed.
“Oh, God. I don’t know what to believe, anymore.” She suddenly remembered the love charm and rose to look for it.
“Don’t keep me guessing, roomie. I might guess the worst.”
Vicki looked under her bed and withdrew the willow knot. “You couldn’t guess this.” As she stared at it, she burst into tears.
Simone jumped to her feet and wrapped her up in a hug. “When you can talk, please tell me what happened. Maybe I can help.”
Vicki calmed down and sniffed. She blew her nose and said, “There is something you can do for me, Simone.”
“Sure. What is it?”
“I don’t want to go to the mess or even the store looking like this. Can you get a sandwich for me?”
“Of course.” Simone was about to leave when Vicki thrust the willow charm toward her.
“And, here. Throw this over the side on your way.”
Simone frowned at it.
“Don’t ask,” Vicki said.
Simone shrugged, took the knot and left.
* * *
Miklos, alone and miserable, stretched out on the bed in his cell. He had no choice but to wait there while security searched his cabin. His only request that they would honor was to ban Gizela from the search. If he couldn’t be there to slip something out, then she shouldn’t be there to slip something in.
But, Vicki. He needed to talk with her and make her understand that it was all a set up. If only he knew what she was thinking. Trying to read her mind from this distance was giving him a headache and he was receiving nothing in the way of a message, so he gave up. He was left to simply wonder. When he exited the ship, would she follow?
At last one of the guards returned, and Miklos bolted upright.
“You found no valuables, did you?”
“Nothing that fit the description of missing items, but yes, there are some valuables. We have to ask your roommate to identify the items that belong to him when he gets back from work. He’ll be packing your bag after that. You can check it before you’re escorted off.”
“But I’ve done nothing wrong. You must have found the receipt for the ring.”
“I’m not saying you have. We found a receipt from the ship’s jewelry store, but your roommate needs to tell us that it isn’t his.”
“I don’t believe this bullshit!”
“Look, you can just wait until you’re cleared. If thefts occur on the ship people will tell their acquaintances. That sort of bad publicity can ruin a business.”
“All I have are my guitar, the clothes in my drawers, and a couple of things in the closet.”
“You travel light, my friend.”
Miklos doubted that he and this guard could be friends, but at least he wasn’t treating him like a criminal.
“May I go back to my room and pack my own things? You can watch me.”
“Sorry. You’re to be held here.”
“Can I get a message to my wife, then?”
“I was told you aren’t married.”
Miklos feared the worst, but tried anyway. “We are in my country.”
The guard merely shook his head.
Miklos collapsed on the bed and covered his eyes with his arm. He was completely innocent, yet they were still suspicious. Vicki was his only precious “item” on the ship, and he didn’t know if she wanted to be with him anymore.
* * *
Vicki had been leaning against the sink watching herself in the bathroom mirror when she suddenly snapped out of her desperate mood. What in bloody Hell…?
She became lightheaded and felt as if she were rising from the dead. Simone must have thrown the twig in the ocean at that exact moment. The spell was broken. She winced at the pain her bum and how it got there. She had literally asked for it! The realization that she had been such a whiny, dependent droob horrified her, but now, thank God, she was herself again. What had that spell done to her? And what would she do now?
She dried her eyes and blew her nose, then went to the bathroom to wash her face. When she looked at herself in the mirror, anger bubbled up from some deep well inside.
I’ve never been so humiliated. I’ve been acting like an idiot. I even asked him to spank me like a disobedient child! And for what? Being a modern woman? I can’t believe he actually did
it! Then she remembered that he stopped before it was over and what he had said. Everything he had said from the day they met replayed through her cranium.
Vicki didn’t know what to do with all of that. Should she march down to the brig and give him a taste of her assertive wrath? Or should she stay in her cabin and refuse to give him the time of day.
Because of her dire embarrassment, she chose to stay in her cabin--in fact to stay right there in the bathroom. Her hair and face were a mess. She’d try to put her brave face back on now that she was no longer overwhelmed with depression. It could take a while since she looked as if she had fallen overboard and been washed ashore with the seaweed.
Simone returned a few minutes later and called to her. “Vicki, are you in there?”
“Just a minute.” Vicki opened the door and stepped out with her face clean, hair neatly arranged, and her attitude adjusted.
Simone put Vicki’s sandwich on the desk. “You look better.”
“Yeah, I am. You could say I feel like a different person.”
“Oh? So, who are you now?”
“Go bite your bum.”
“You’re back!” Simone grinned and hugged her.
Vicki felt as if they were celebrating her return after a long separation. “Try not to be shocked, but that thing you threw overboard was a love spell. You did throw it overboard, didn’t you?”
“I sure did.”
“Do you think I’m stupid for believing that stupid little twig knocked me off my rocker?”
“Nothing surprises me anymore. You know the Jamaican? He claims to know Voodoo. I didn’t believe him until he told us that a particular passenger was about to fall ill. The guy had been a pain in the ass to everyone, but he stepped over the line when he ordered this guy around and told him to ‘snap to’ like he was his own personal slave.”
“What happened?”
“The passenger came down with Dysentery. He hadn’t left the ship and no one else was sick, so it wasn’t like he got it from drinking the water.”
“And you think the Jamaican used Voodoo? What about poison?”
“He’s not an idiot.” Simone cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. “So now that you suspect Miklos put a gypsy love spell on you, and that he may have stolen, and lied, and who knows what else, are you going to leave the ship with him?”
Vicki flopped into the chair and unwrapped her sandwich. “I need to eat and get back to work, then I’ll think about it.”
Simone shook her head. “I’ll tell you one thing, you’d better be thinking clearly about this because if you leave before your contract is up, you’ll never get your job back. Even if you get off the ship to talk with him and get--uh--sidetracked as only you two can, if you miss the ship sailing, you’ll be fired and have to come after all of your stuff. Take your time before you decide what to do.”
* * *
Miklos had been going through sheer hell waiting all day until his roommate finished working his shift, returned to their room, and identified his things. Hopefully, once security knew he was in the clear, they’d let him go free.
The guard who had been with him earlier had gone off when his shift ended and someone new was in his place. The guy wasn’t much for conversation. Every time Miklos tried to ask him if the search had taken place yet, he had been completely ignored.
When the phone rang, Miklos jumped to his feet. He hungered for any news of his pending release. For a Rom to be kept in a cell was the same as a non-domesticated animal being kept in a cage.
At last the guard finished a hushed conversation. He replaced the phone and came toward the cell jangling the keys on his ring. Miklos could feel his whole body quiver in anticipation of the door being opened.
The guard placed the key in the lock and finally spoke. “You will be escorted off the ship by me and another guard who’ll meet us here shortly. The thing you don’t want to do is to run, shout, or cause any commotion that anyone would notice. You’re being given the opportunity to leave quietly without being charged or further investigated. Do you think you can manage to do this?”
The question surprised him. Miklos had hoped he’d be allowed to at least say his goodbyes. Apparently not. The guard was still waiting for his answer instead of opening the door.
“But I am innocent. Why can I not see my friends and say goodbye?”
The guard’s expression didn’t change. “Orders. You’ll just have to see them off the ship.”
“Will I be allowed to call them to arrange a meeting off the ship?” He already knew the answer but was desperately groping for any way to talk to Vicki.
The guard shook his head and walked away.
“But the door… You were about to open it.”
“Not until the two of us are here. You’re a big guy, and you’re antsy. I have the feeling you may try to run.”
Miklos looked at the ceiling and let out a long breath. It was time to ask his ancestors what to do. He closed his eyes and in a quiet moment of meditation was given his answer; Accept the consequences and let God make things right.
The other guard entered a moment later and the jailor returned to the cell door telling his cohort, “Get a good grip on this one. I’m not sure we can trust him to behave like a gentleman.”
That stung. Miklos narrowed his eyes.
“Should we get someone else?”
The jailor turned to Miklos. “What do you think? Are you going to cause trouble?”
Miklos had experienced this kind of attitude most of his life. Gypsies equaled trouble. It didn’t matter if they were minding their own business or not. Showing he didn’t deserve their prejudice was almost as important to him as honoring his marriage vows.
He had to have faith that his wife would honor hers too. She was probably already packed and waiting on the dock for him.
“I will cause you no trouble. I just ask to be allowed to leave as soon as possible.”
“That’s what we needed to hear. Now don’t make us sorry for trusting you to keep your word.”
It was all Miklos could do to hide in his irritation. Just to get out of that cell he lowered his head and stared at his feet allowing himself to look defeated. Vicki would be worried about him the longer she had to wait. He was sure of it.
At last the door opened and the guards led him into the hall with a painful grip on his upper arms. His duffle bag and guitar sat in the hallway looking as abandoned as he felt. No matter. He’d be with his beloved in a few minutes. The guards let go of him long enough for him to pick up his things, then the three of them walked down the corridor together.
Chapter Eleven
Now that the love spell was broken, Vicki was having a very hard time keeping that smile plastered on her face. There was too much to think about and too much at stake.
Could she leave the fleet forever with a man she had thought of as her husband, or was he really just her boyfriend and hot lover? Should she stay on board and start over with a new perspective giving herself the chance at independence that she had wanted in the first place? How could she know how much was real and how much was a fantasy created by a now broken spell? Her angst wasn’t winning her a Miss Congeniality award today and her tips were lousy.
At eight p.m., when her workday was over, she nearly ran back to the sanctuary of her cabin. The close quarters weren’t suffocating at the moment. They were comforting. She felt as if she needed to be enclosed in a tight private womb to ponder her future without any distractions. She had until eleven p.m. to figure this out. After that, this ship would sail--literally and figuratively.
Vicki flopped on her bed and cuddled her pillow. She didn’t even know if she had until eleven. If they sent him packing before that, would he wait for her? She sighed knowing damn well he would. Would less than three hours be enough time to make up her mind, though? She rolled onto her back and covered her face with the pillow.
A knock at her door startled her. Oh Lord, please be a sign. Tell me what to do.
> She thought she might find Miklos standing there cleared of charges and given a second chance. Oh, if only…
She yanked open the door to see the purser with the ring box in his hand.
“We found the receipt and the jewelry saleswoman verified that he bought it. You can have this now.”
She stared at the box a moment before taking it from the purser’s hand. Was this her sign?
“Thank you.” In a daze she closed the door and sat on the hard wooden chair. She opened the velvet box pulled out the shiny gold ring and slipped it over her finger. It was simple, unadorned, and fit her perfectly--like the man who had given it to her.
Tears sprung to her eyes, and a lump the size of a ship formed in her throat.
Vicki heard the door click and knew that Simone was returning. She desperately didn’t want to talk to her roommate right now or anyone else who might drive her crazy with advice she hadn’t asked for. She ran for the inner sanctuary of their bathroom and closeted herself inside just as Simone let herself in.
“Vicki? Are you all right?”
She took a deep breath and called through the door. “I’m fine. I just really need to be alone right now.”
“That’s the last thing you need. Now come out of there. I have something for you.”
Maybe she had some word of what was happening to Miklos. If not she could just closet herself back in the bathroom.
Vicki opened the door slowly and saw Simone standing with her hands behind her back.
“What do you have for me?”
Simone pulled a bottle of rum from behind her. “Compliments of our Jamaican bartender.”
“Oh sweet Jesus!” Vicki rushed to grab it from her. “That’s exactly what I need. Thank you! And thank him for me in case I’m not here to do it.”
She wrenched the cap off and poured a generous gulp over her lips straight from the bottle. It burned on the way down, but she shook it off knowing that relief was in sight--at least it would take the edge off.
“Still haven’t made up your mind?”
Vicki shook her head and poured another large gulp into her mouth before handing the bottle to Simone.
Sensation of the Seas Page 14
