Playing the part, Greer looked at me. “We’re in love.”
“Newlyweds,” the two women said more or less together.
“How did you guess?” Greer asked as he placed his glass on a table by his armrest. He was right, let people talk first and they’ll tell you what they’re thinking. Greer's eyes locked on mine. So good-looking. Too good-looking.
“She looks at you like she’s never had to clean your toilet,” one of them said.
“And he’s looking at you like he’s never seen your dark side,” the other said, but I didn’t know which one and I didn’t care because Greer was selling this loving thing hard and he was still gazing into my eyes.
“She doesn’t have a dark side.” His free hand pushed my hair back from my face.
“Oh, yes, she does. All women have a dark side and a light side. She’s showing you the pretty one right now, but give her time and you’ll see the dark all right.”
“Never.” Greer’s fingers gingerly lifted my face up towards him and chastely, ever so softly, he placed his warm lips on mine. The kiss lasted only a second, but the taste of mint lingered. His face was full of dissatisfaction and longing for more. Or at least that was what he wanted the woman to believe. I wished so hard I was merely acting.
“Oh, get a room,” the blue-jeweled woman said.
“We had a room,” I said, and they all laughed. If we had our own room, I was sure Greer would be sitting on the other side watching the cows go by.
“Young love,” the polka-dot woman said between sips of her drink. “I remember my Harold looking at me that way. Oh, I’m done already. Mary, please get that nice stewardess back in here. Drink up... what’s your name? It’s free.”
“Hannah, and my husband is Andrew.” I swallowed the rest in a large gulp and the champagne slightly burned my throat. I held out my glass, but Greer took it and placed it next to his.
He whispered in my ear, “Champagne hits harder than people think, and you don’t drink.”
“Iris and Mary, and we’re on our way to visit friends on the shore.” Iris pushed her lavender shawl off her shoulders.
Mary fluffed her hair. “A whole week without the husbands. Just seven fun-loving gals and the ocean.”
“And drinks.” Iris opened the car door. “Oh, Stewardess. We’re empty.”
When the stewardess returned a few moments later, I understood what Greer had meant. My head felt fuzzy and warm. As if he had read my mind, Greer pulled me in closer with his arm, and I leaned on his shoulder. This was an act, but I’d enjoy it while I could.
“It’s so nice to see a happy couple,” Iris said. “Especially when the country is falling apart.”
I nodded because that was the best thing to do when someone says something like that.
Mary with the blue jewels finished her drink and handed the glass to the stewardess. “Make it a double this time,” she said to her and then turned to us. “Just dreadful. Dreadful. There was another Galvantry attack this morning, and then the poor lost princess—”
“I’m sorry, we didn’t hear about the attack,” Greer explained. “We were very busy this morning.”
“I’d suppose not.” Iris blinked at us. “You were too busy with that love business, I suppose, but it’s been all over the news. Tragic. Kansas.”
The stewardess had added an umbrella to Mary’s glass, and Mary plopped it out of the drink and onto the table before saying, “Twice the casualties of Boston.”
“Boston was terrible.” The smells and sounds flashed in my memory all too clear. I trembled, and Greer’s arm squeezed me closer to him.
“Boston was. All those poor dock workers. Twenty-seven in total. Please don’t let us spoil the honeymoon. We should have kept it quiet.”
I recalled my cousin attempt at killing me by dropping my hand in the chaos.
“Are they sure it was the Galvantry?” I asked without control. What the hell? My hand went up to my mouth. What was I thinking? I shouldn’t have asked that.
“Yes. Of course. Who else would do it?” The woman took offense that I would think for a second it wasn’t them.
“Hannah, I think you’ve had enough to drink.” Greer put a bottle of water in my hand. “Next time the stewardess comes in, I’m ordering you a sandwich. I apologize. She comes from a small town. It’s not like it is in the cities. I blame her uncle. He’s a conspiracist on all things Merric. He believes the most ridiculous rumors. He told me once that the Merrics have unnatural powers.”
“Oh, yes, dear.” Iris nodded sincerely and took my hand. “We all have people like that in families, but you mustn’t believe their tales. The Galvantry have done many terrible things to this country. You’re young, but when you see a little more of the world, you’ll see. You’ll see.”
“My, you are young looking.” Mary squinted at me. “How old are you?”
Geez, I hadn't expected that question. Eighteen was way too young to get hitched and I couldn’t remember Hannah’s stats so I went with Andrew’s age. “We’re both twenty-two.”
“Andrew looks his age but Hannah, you barely look sixteen.”
I’d always looked young. It was the genes. “My mom and grandma look young too.”
Greer nodded. “We get that all the time. You should see the looks people give us.”
“To be young and in love again,” Iris lamented.
“Forget love, to be young and have fun.”
“I’ll drink to that.” The women clashed their glasses together.
“So what other theories does your uncle have?” Iris asked, and her eyes went to slits. “I hope we’re not riding with a Galvantry sympathizer.”
Greer stood up. “You’re running low. How about I get you both a New England Sunrise?”
“I like how you think,” Mary replied.
“How about four! The more the merrier.”
“All right. Four drinks and a turkey sandwich.” Greer came over and hissed in my ear. “Say
