Chapter 3: Cruise Date Arrives

The day of the cruise departure eventually arrived. Finally we boarded our ship and I could feel tears in my eyes as I walked up the gangplank holding my date’s arm. I pulled him to me and held him tight.

We were at one of the landings, just looking around, when one of the other passengers said. “Is this your honeymoon? You look like a wonderful couple.” I was suddenly tongue tied and couldn’t think of anything to say when Roy spoke up. “This is my fiancé”, he said in a pride filled voice. “We are to be married on the ship. When is our wedding Anna???”

I was speechless. First, I was living a dream of the cruise that I had wanted for so long, second, my son just rescued me, third we were getting married????

“Oh ... Oh ... Ohhh ... I think it is tomorrow. Noon at the ... Shoot I am glad I wrote it down.” I flustered.

“Now that is one nervous bride, isn’t she?” observed Joy, the female of the couple with whom we were chatting. “Well, let us know if you need any witnesses”, said the smiling gentleman. “We are here for our second honeymoon. Hope we have as much fun as you will.”

Then Joy came to me and softly whispered, “He is a good-looking young man. If he is too much for you give me a call. Bill poops out pretty fast these days.”

My cheeks flamed red, but her smile and giggle suddenly broke through my embarrassment and I started to laugh. Roy put his arms around me and laughed with us as well.

We found our stateroom and the first thing I noticed was that it only had one bed. The second thing I noticed was that it wasn’t even a queen bed. It was a double bed. “OHHHH shit”, I thought to myself as I felt Roy wrap his arms around me from behind. “We will be ok mom ... Anna. We can do this.” He held me firmly.

As he held me, I admitted to myself for the first time ever, that he didn’t understand how I felt about him. A week ago, I couldn’t have slept with him, I couldn’t have married him, I couldn’t even have had a wedding night with him.

But now, something had changed. I felt something in me that I hadn’t felt since maybe three years after Eric and I were married. And I felt it with my son.