Larry and Trisha stayed near my side and wouldn’t leave me even when an officer approached us. The handsome man, dressed in his tuxedo, turned toward me and made a short bow. “Why was I feeling warm out here among the ocean breezes?” I asked myself. I’m usually not used to this kind of treatment.
“Madam Edwards,” he began, “may I have the pleasure of this dance?”
“Sure, I love to,” I replied, sensing a giddiness rise in my chest. I took his gloved hand as he guided me to the dance floor.
My friends took their cue to begin dancing as well. As I watched them, I never realized Larry, who could pass for two hundred and fifty pounds, could be so light on his feet.
“Mrs. Edwards, I’m Lieutenant Jensen,” my dancing partner said. “When I seat you, you may want to remove your wrap so the necklace can be easily seen.”
For the moment, the magic of dancing with a handsome young man dissipated into reality as I nodded my head in confirmation. He whirled me around and drew me close to his chest from his right hand. I was having the time of my life when the music ended. The officer guided me back to a table where my friends had returned to sit.
“How was he?” she asked me.
“Wonderful. An excellent dancer,” I replied, removing my light sweater.
Trisha elbowed Larry in the arm. That gesture gave me the impression she wanted her husband to know he should offer me a dance. The music started again and he stood in front of me, offering his hand.
“Madam, may I have this dance?” Larry asked.
“Yes, you may, good sir,” I replied in the formal way they may have done in the nineteenth century. I suppressed a giggle and rose out of my chair.
Larry’s dancing was different than the lieutenant’s but he knew the proper moves for this waltz. Then someone tapped him on the shoulder.
“May I have this dance?” a younger man in a dark suit asked.
“Susan?” Larry asked me.
“It’s all right,” I replied and Larry handed me over to the debonair dark-haired man who looked like he was in his twenties.
The music ended and my dancing partner escorted me back to my chair. Larry was dancing with someone else but Trisha sat there sipping a drink.
“It’s the raspberry ice tea that you like. Would you want one?” she asked.
“Now that I think about it, I am a little thirsty.”
Trisha stood and waved her hand toward the steward who weaved in and out of the crowd. He hurried over to us holding his tray of mixed drinks.
“Yes, what can I get for you ladies?”
“Two more ice raspberry teas, please,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied and took off toward the bar.
“There sure are a lot of people here. I hope someone wants these jewels so we can get this over with,” I said.
Larry guided his dance partner to her table and strode back to ours about the same time a man from the bar brought our drinks. I recognized David Brooks.
“Here you are, oh hello, Susan.”
“Hello, David. I want you to meet my good friends, Trisha and Larry Paige.”
“Good to meet you both. My that’s a lovely necklace you have on,” he remarked.
“Thank you. It was a gift from my late husband,” I lied.
“Well, you people enjoy yourselves.”
“We will, thank you,” Trisha said and then turned toward me after David left. “He seems nice.”
I watched Larry sip his ice tea.
“Larry, you seem quiet,” I said.
“Nothin’ to say,” he said, leaning back in his chair.
“Honey, I know you and I can tell when you have something on your mind. Spit it out,” Trisha said.
“It’s nothing. I just haven’t heard from my contact yet on David Brooks. You shouldn’t always judge a person by their manner.”
“Do you see something I don’t?” I asked, placing the straw from my tea glass between my lips.
“No, he seems like an all right guy from what I could tell and the Purser said he’s prompt and a good employee.”
Trisha leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed, staring at him. The music started up again, this time with a slower rhythm.
“Susan,” he said, nodding to someone behind me.
Another gentleman in a tuxedo headed in my direction.
“Good evening everyone. Madam may I have this dance?” he asked me.
I looked at Larry and back at the man towering above me.
“I would be delighted,” I replied as I rose out of my chair and took his hand.
This man’s dancing could have used some improvement, but beggars can’t be choosy I always tell myself. He returned me to my table and I noticed Larry was gone. Trisha still remained seated sipping her drink through her straw.
“Larry found another partner?” I said, looking around for him.
“No, he’s visiting the little boy’s room, which is something I’ll have to do when he returns,” she said.
“I do too,” I said, taking my seat.
When Larry returned, I rose out of my chair. Trisha did the same.
“We’re going to the lady’s room,” she told him.
“If you can’t watch her, take one of the women over there standing by the post. You can’t watch her all the time in there,” he said.
“I will,” I sighed and approached four women having drinks around a table.
“We need an escort to the restroom,” I said.
One of the ladies was a hefty woman about my age in a blue taffeta dress. When a slender lady acted as if she would step forward, the larger woman said, “I’ll take her.”
She walked behind me, leaving Trisha to trail behind both of us. The restrooms were located in the hall to our right as we passed the stage band.
We each went into a stall while our ‘guard’ stayed outside. Trisha chose one of the stalls two doors from me due to the Out of Order sign on the one next to mine. I could hear someone turning on the sink faucet I assumed to wash their hands.
