A Shipboard
Romance
by Melodie
Corrigall
Betsy’s
two romantic fantasies—remarrying one’s
first love and a shipboard romance—were
within reach.
As a teenager, Betsy had read about the
remarriage of Richard Burton, what a voice, and
Elizabeth Taylor, what a face, and longed to
imitate such passion. Her husband Peter was out
of the running for remarriage as they weren’t
divorced and his only passions were his work and
betting on the horses.
But the possibility of a shipboard romance had
materialized when her sister, having come into
money, offered Betsy a weeklong cruise and a
promise to look after the home front. However, as
always with her sibling, there had been a catch.
“You have to promise that on the cruise you
won’t mention how your workaholic husband
drives you crazy.”
“Okay, will do.”
“And not drone on about the girls: the
toothaches, ballet recitals, etc.”
“Why all the rules?”
“You have a chance to be free and kick up
your heals. Sitting in a corner, as you do at
parties, waxing eloquent about how cute Trixie is
in her new dress or how stubborn Lucy is about
homework won’t make you friends.”
“I have friends.”
“I mean shipboard friends.”
And, for once, her sister was right. At dinner,
on the cruise no one talked about kids or errant
spouses, instead, they told of the exotic
destinations they had visited or the day’s
excursion. Betsy relished the tales of adventures
and imagined possibilities for future trips. One
man, Thomas, a gentleman with no wife in tow,
became her dance partner on the dress-up nights
and a companion on deck surveying the stars.
Betsy realized she’d done it: a shipboard
romance. When they arrived back in port, Thomas
slipped her his card, asked for her e-mail (no
harm in that) and stood with her on the deck (like
on the Titanic but drier) as they docked.
She had planned to take the bus home, having
assured her sister that she had no need to pick
her up.
But suddenly to her horror, there on the quay,
waving like crazy, were her five girls decked out
in straw hats, polka dot blue dresses and smiles.
Her sister, standing behind them, gave her a
shrug and a grin.
Betsy jumped when a voice behind said, “Look
at that adorable group of girls: probably a
school group. I’m sorry and I Rita didn’t
have kids. I’d sweep those ones up in a
jiffy. Then I’d never worry how to spend the
weekend and finally have an excuse to go to the
fall fair.
Wow, Betsy thought. Dreams come true. Now if she
could only sidetrack her husband with an
agreement to remarry again later, she could enjoy
the best of both worlds.
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