First Class Voyage

4.

DAY 2 – KEY WEST

“Daddy!”

No response.

“Daddy, wake up!”

Matt felt a small chubby but determined finger trying to pry open his eyelid.

“Daddy’s awake,” he mumbled.

“Open your eyes!” Ella was now using two hands on Matt’s stubborn eyelids.

“Ella! Daddy’s sleeping,” Janie ran to the bed and grabbed the tiny hands away from Matt’s face.

“Not anymore,” he grumbled.

Matt opened his eyes and Ella squealed and tried to jump on the bed. She was not successful, so Matt lifted her up and snuggled her under the blankets with him.

Janie picked up the phone on its second ring.

“Yes, Maureen. We are all up.” Janie turned to Matt and grinned. “Breakfast at eight will be just fine. Bye.”

There was a knock on the door of the adjoining room and Janie opened it and Patty stepped into their room.

“How did everyone sleep?” she asked.

“I miss my bed,” Matt muttered.

“Breakfast is at eight,” Janie smiled at her mom.

“Let me take the baby while you get ready,” Patty offered.

Janie handed off the tiny bundle and Patty headed back to her room, shutting the door behind her. Janie went and sat next to Matt on the bed. Ella peeked out and giggled.

“Wish you would come back to bed,” Matt growled.

Janie grinned and kissed his cheek.

“Time to get up. Your mother has a full day planned.”

*****

The sun was streaming through the window reminding Mark and Katy it was time to get dressed.

“Let’s do that again,” grinned Mark.

Katy was still trying to catch her breath, little beads of sweat on her forehead. She laughed as she rolled off him and onto her pillow.

“That was fantastically wonderful, as usual,” she smiled.

Mark kissed her cheek. “You are fantastically wonderful.”

“I love you.”

“Mmm. I love you too,” he smiled and kissed her again.

Katy sat up and swung her legs off the side of the bed. She turned to Mark, gloriously naked and leaned over and kissed him.

“It’s time to get ready for a fun day in Key West with your mother,” she sighed, but smiled.

“Why can’t we just go to the beach by ourselves?”

“Because she says today is the day we all have to spend together on the island. The rest of the ports we are on our own to play as we please.”

Mark frowned. “Well, at least there will be all of us there to share the joy.”

Katy chuckled.

*****

Andrew stepped out of the shower and opened the bathroom door. Rory was sitting on the bed deep in thought.

“You okay?”

Rory looked up and smiled. They had been married for almost four years and together for nearly fourteen. Andrew knew every expression he had.

“I know that things are very different now than say, twenty years ago, but I still wonder. Our income is above average, we both have great jobs and we own a nice apartment. But will someone pick us to adopt their baby? I mean, we’ve been waiting for over a year.”

Andrew sat down next to Rory on the bed and sighed. He had wondered the exact same thing a million times.

“The right one will. And, we can always look at adopting a child a little older. Our lawyer says that is always an option.”

Rory smiled at his husband and nodded.

“We just have to be patient,” he said.

Andrew held Rory’s hand and hoped they could both be patient.

*****

Paul had his own cabin. His ticket had been booked after everyone else’s because he didn’t know if he would be able to join the family. He had promised his mother he would try his very best and when he had called her a few weeks ago to say he would be coming on her anniversary vacation, she had squealed into the phone. So he got his own room. He was glad about that. Not that he planned on having company, or that he didn’t want to share with one of his brothers or his not-so-new step-nephews, but the difficult decision of his future weighed heavily on his mind and the peace would hopefully help him to sort things out. He had a lot to decide and not a long time to do it.

Paul looked in the bathroom mirror as he shaved. He was a Navy Seal and very proud of the last ten years he had served his country faithfully. He never questioned a mission; always performed to the best of his ability and always believed in the cause. Whatever he could do to ensure the safety of his family and his country was of the utmost importance to him. But he wanted a wife, a partner, a lover, a best friend. And he wanted children. Ella had reinforced his desire for children. He wanted to be a dad. He smiled every time Ella called his brother, Matt, daddy. He wanted that for himself and he couldn’t have that and his Navy career.

He needed to make a decision. Or had he already made it?

*****

Maureen had rented a grand cabana on the island to spend the day with all the family playing and eating. The family was met at the pier and escorted the short distance to a beautiful white sand beach with clear turquoise water. There was a large wooden cabana that came with staff and food. Maureen was pleased.

Within minutes, clothes were stripped off revealing bathing suits and a day of fun ensued. Swimming, hot-tubbing, dancing, eating, and laughing were the activities of the day. Maureen sat in the shade and watched her family together. Much of her time was spent with Ella reading books and playing with her dolls. Janie snapped several photos of the two enthralled with each other.

Katy draped her arm over Janie’s shoulder as she took another picture.

“You will always be the favorite, you know,” she smiled.

“What? Why?” Janie frowned.

“Because you gave her Ella,” Katy smiled.

“No…I…I’m sure…”

“It’s perfectly fine,” Katy smiled. “I’m not upset. I’m thrilled Maureen is happy and has grandchildren.”

Janie sighed, “If you had children with Mark…”

“Stop right there!” Katy laughed. “Not gonna happen, but yes. If we had a baby I know she would love it just as much.”

“She loves you Katy. She really does.”

“In her own way I know,” Katy smiled. “Just not as much as she loves you.”

Matt slipped his arms around Janie’s waist and didn’t give her a chance to respond. Matt kissed her shoulder and Janie leaned back into her husband.

“Let’s go swim,” he said and pulled her towards the water.

Katy watched them go and looked back at Maureen. It had been three years and while she knew she was accepted into the Lathem family, she was sure Maureen didn’t really approve. And Katy didn’t know how to change it. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. There had been a barbecue prepared with lots of delicious food to eat and the most beautiful water Katy had ever seen to swim in. She waded into the water and closed her eyes. Heaven.

*****

They could see the ship from the cabana and could see the line of passengers returning to it. Soon it would be time to head back. It had been a marvelous day and Maureen and Peter sat in the shade and watched their family. They were truly blessed with their boys and now they had Janie and Katy as daughters, along with three grown boys and the two little ones for grandchildren.

Peter held his wife’s hand and smiled. “You did good.”

“We did good,” Maureen smiled.

“And it’s time to get on with this vacation.” Peter stood and helped his wife up. “Time to get this bunch back so we don’t miss our ride.”