The first night of the cruise, everyone was learning their way around the ship. Taylor Brooks did a two-hour show that had the ship and everyone on it rocking. She dedicated one of her new songs to Luke and Sasha. They stood and danced through the entire song. When they left the theater, everyone knew they would not see them for the rest of the night. But no worries, Cynthia had so many activities planned throughout that no one missed them.
There was a total of seven hundred people on board, not counting the staff. At least one hundred security personnel were on board, however, everyone else was family and friends. They all had access to the entire ship, with the exception of deck seventeen. That was totally the Harrisons’ domain. The children and preteens had activities that Roz was sure they would not be able to finish before the cruise was over. The staff provided supervision over all events to give the parents an opportunity to enjoy themselves as well.
No one was aware of JD’s arrival. Cynthia had to admit, Agent Price knew how to handle the President’s arrival without interrupting the flow of wedding activities. Now that JD and Tracy were both on board, Sasha, Monique and Kaylan ventured up to see them.
Each time Sasha saw a picture of her and Luke, a smile appeared on her face. They were in the elevator leading up to deck seventeen when they saw yet another picture of her and Luke. This one was taken at his parents’ house during one of their dinners.
“When in the hell did they take all these pictures?”
“I don’t know,” Monique replied. “But look at the grin on your face. Girl, you are so gone.”
“Like you can talk,” Sasha replied as the elevator door opened.
Secret Service agents lined the corridor. One looked them over, then stepped aside.
“Scents, Spicy and Sweet Tea are on their way up.” The Secret Service agent announced in his earwig.
“What? What did he call me?” Sasha asked.
“Pay them no mind,” Kaylan said. “They have names for all of us.”
“He called me Scents,” Sasha looked back over her shoulder at the man with a frown. The man winked at her.
“That’s because you always smell good,” Kaylan stated as she pulled her along.
“I do?” Sasha asked.
“You do,” Monique nodded as she walked to the door leading to the presidential suite. “You have this honeysuckle sweetness to you.”
Another secret service agent opened the door for them to enter.
“Hey, you all made it,” Tracy held out her arms and hugged each of them.
“Well if it isn’t squirt number three, with pains in the butt one and two,” JD smiled.
“Ha ha, Uncle JD,” Monique smirked. “I haven’t been a pain since last week.”
“I’m never a pain,” Kaylan added as they walked in to take a seat.
JD stood with his arm over Sasha’s shoulder. “Those two have caused nothing but trouble since that one was sixteen.”
“Oh, don’t listen to him,” Tracy pulled Sasha away. “He will hurt anyone who tries to change them.”
“True,” JD replied. “So you have something you want to tell us?” He sat on the sofa next to Tracy, across from their nieces.
“Yes,” Monique sat up. “We are planning a surprise.”
“Oh lord, does it involve explosives?” JD asked.
Kaylan laughed, as Sasha frowned.
“No, not this time,” Monique replied. “I think you will enjoy this one, and I’m going to need your help.”
“Okay, I’m listening,” JD nodded.
The three nieces shared their plan with JD and Tracy.
“Oh, my goodness, I think that is a wonderful idea,” Tracy beamed.
“You know, I think you two just graduated to squirt four and five,” JD smiled. “This is straight-up family love. I’ll help any way that I can.”
Sasha beamed. “Thank you, Uncle JD and Aunt Tracy. This is something I really want to do. All of you have embraced me with open arms, and I don’t feel like I’ve done anything to deserve that.”
“You did—you were born into this family,” Tracy said. “That’s it. You don’t need to do anything else. But this plan of yours tells me that you are beginning to love us, too.”
“I am,” Sasha smiled. “I really am.”
“I’m glad to hear that, because we kind of like you,” Kaylan smiled.
“Speak for yourself, I’m still debating,” Monique huffed.
“You know you love me,” Sasha replied.
“I can’t believe that both of Al’s daughters are getting married,” JD replied.
“You might as well take notes, you have Jazzy,” Kaylan added. “It won’t be long.”
“What about you, Ms. Kaylan?” Tracy teased. “Monique is married and Sasha is walking down the aisle in two days. When are you going to meet someone and settle down?”
“Yeah, I never thought I would beat Ms. Dollhouse down the aisle,” Monique stated.
Kaylan shrugged her shoulders. “No man seems to be interested in me. I’m not closed to the subject of marriage, but I need a man to complete the package.”
“They hit you when you least expect it,” Sasha advised. “One minute I was in Monique’s condo, and the next I was on my ass in a tunnel, looking up at one of the finest men I had ever seen.”
“I sure wasn’t expecting Gray to fall into my life,” Monique added. “All I was looking for was a good lay, and here we are.”
“TMI … TMI,” JD exclaimed. “My ears are too delicate for this conversation.”
“All I can say is, love will find you,” Tracy added. “It does not announce itself. It just falls in your pathway and blocks you from going in any direction until you accept it.”
An agent walked in, then whispered something in JD’s ear. JD nodded. “We have entered international waters. Security is going to get a little tighter.”
“Do we need to change anything we are doing?” Sasha asked.
“No. They have worked everything out with Cynthia,” JD replied.
“I have no idea where Samuel found her, but she has been a godsend through this process.”
“Godsend?” JD looked at Sasha. “You mean the devil’s spawn.”
“Jeffrey,” Tracy warned him.
“Let me tell you about Cynthia …”
“You will not fill that girl’s head up with your crazy talk,” Tracy shook her head. “He loves Cynthia. Don’t pay him any mind.”
“Love is a very strong word, sweetheart, and you should not lie to your niece like that.” JD replied.
Kaylan and Monique laughed. “Aunt Tracy is right,” Kaylan said.
“And so is Uncle JD,” Monique stood. “There was a time when Cynthia was a royal pain in the ass when we were growing up.”
“No more than you,” JD laughed. “Did you know that Monique …”
“The girl is just starting to like us, Uncle JD,” Monique pulled Sasha up from her seat. “There is plenty of time after the wedding for you to share your war stories on Kaylan.”
Kaylan’s eyes widened. “On me? You have got to be kidding.”
“Come on Sasha, the Lassiter sisters are waiting for you.” Monique began rushing her out of the door.
“See you later,” Sasha smiled as she and Monique started walking out of the room.
“Oh wait,” Kaylan stopped before following them out. “Aunt Tracy, how is that rope coming?”
“Getting tighter and tighter every day.”
“Are you handling it okay? Do you need my help?”
“No, thank you. I’m good,” Tracy replied.
“Okay,” Kaylan replied then left.
When the door closed behind the girls, JD looked at Tracy and asked, “What rope?”
Tracy smiled. “I knew you were going to ask me that.”
“Well?” JD raised an eyebrow.
“It’s nothing for you to concern yourself with. Luke and I are handling it.”