3

 

Though Lisa eventually gave up watching for Joe, she waited until the ship was well underway before she went to look for their room. His room, she reminded herself. At least now he couldn’t send her away. On the other hand, neither could she change her mind and turn back.

Once out of the cold, Lisa pulled a small compact mirror from her bag and inspected herself with dismay.

The misty Northwest air had taken its toll and her short blonde curls sprang in every direction. She fiddled with it to no avail and finally puffed out a sigh. She could do nothing more.

Yes, she wanted to look her best, but it really wouldn’t matter to Joe. She tucked the compact into the front pouch of her floral mini backpack and sighed again.

Even if she looked cover-model perfect, Joe would probably still take one look at her and run screaming into the night. Her heart fluttered, and she willed the sudden butterflies in her stomach to quiet down.

Now was not the time to lose her nerve. Too much hinged on this, and she hadn’t waited all that time in the cold for nothing. She had to reach down into the very core of her being to re-light the spark of determination that brought her here to 608 Denali Deck and the door standing between her and Joe.

Holding her breath, Lisa inserted the key with a shaky hand.

An alarm sounded as she pulled the card from the slot. Startled, she jumped back, waiting for someone to tell her she had the wrong room. People scrambled out of their rooms as someone from the ship’s crew began yelling.

“This is a drill, folks, just a drill. Please, report to your emergency muster sites. Hurry along, now.”

Don’t panic. Just breathe. Everything will be fine. Lisa took a breath and tried to think. If she reported to the muster site, Joe would see her. She wasn’t ready to see him yet.

When she’d come off the elevator, she’d noticed a ladies’ room. She watched while the man yelling instructions turned to answer questions from an elderly couple. While his back was turned, she raced down the corridor and ducked into the restroom. Hopefully no one would come searching for passengers, and she could wait there until the drill ended.

 

****

 

It seemed to Joe he’d just begun to drift into a restful asleep when the blast of alarms and sirens startled him. He bolted upright, hitting his head on the bunk above him.

A sharp rap on the door was followed by a young man’s voice. “Emergency muster drill. Please report to your muster site.”

Could nothing be easy? He wanted to be left alone. When the clerk at check-in mentioned the mandatory drill the cruise line had at the beginning of each cruise, he’d hoped it would be quiet and quick, and he could skip it without being noticed. Maybe even possibly sleep through it. No such luck apparently.

With a groan, Joe searched the floor for his shoes then pulled them on.

Just as he reached the door, a knock came again. He opened it to find a fresh-faced steward in a crisp, white uniform.

“Sir, the muster is mandatory.” He spoke loud enough to compete with the alarms. “You and your wife need to report to the muster site right away.”

“I’m on my way, thanks.” Joe tried to be as polite as possible while shouting to be heard. It wasn’t this young man’s fault his life was falling apart. “But my wife isn’t here.”

A crease wrinkled the steward’s forehead as he consulted the clipboard in front of him.

“Joseph Kendall?”

“Yes.”

“This says Joseph and Lisa Kendall.”

Stepping away from the doorway, Joe gestured for the steward to come in. “I can assure you I’m alone.”

“Sorry, sir.” The young steward crossed the threshold. “It’s not that I don’t believe you, but we’re under strict orders to check all rooms to make sure everyone attends the drill.”

“I understand.” Joe shut the door, hoping to drown out some of the shrillness.

“And this,” the steward tapped the clipboard, “says Mrs. Kendall has checked in.”

“There was some confusion when I checked in, too. But I promise you, I’m alone.” Joe followed him as he opened the first closet then the bathroom door. “If you contact the terminal, they’ll tell you the same thing.”

“It’s OK, sir. I believe you.”

But Joe could tell by the man’s tone and body language, he didn’t.

“Please follow me to the muster site.” The steward stepped to the side to let Joe pass through the door first as if to make sure he didn’t try to escape.

When he opened the door, Joe winced as the alarms pierced his ears all over again. But he did as instructed, thinking of Lisa every step of the way. This continuous mention of her made it seem like God conspired to keep her at the forefront of his mind.

Joe just wanted to push her from his thoughts.

Throughout the demonstration by the ship’s crew on how to use the floatation devices, Joe remained distracted. If someone asked him to demonstrate what he’d just learned about the lifeboats, he would fail.

Images of Lisa nagged at him. Lisa, Cody, and the precious moments he’d let slip away while he built and maintained his law career.

When the drill ended and the sirens stopped wailing, there was no blessed silence for Joe. Instead, unwelcome memories raced through his mind as he headed back to his room feeling even lonelier than he had before.

 

****

 

Long after the drill ended, Lisa left the plush chair in the comfortable lounge of the ladies’ room and headed toward Joe’s room. Heart pounding, she twisted the door handle and prepared to greet her husband and their future.

As she opened the door, her breath escaped in a whoosh. This definitely couldn’t be right.

Standing on the threshold of the ship’s room where she fully intended to spend the next two weeks saving her marriage, Lisa stared in disbelief. Bunk beds. Two twin beds bolted to the wall, one directly on top of the other. Yet this was obviously the right room because directly in front of her, his back to her, Joe sprawled out on the bottom bunk wearing a pale yellow polo shirt and faded blue jeans.

Just the sight of him warmed her heart, and she forgot her distress over the room. Hot tears stung the back of her eyes. It had been far too long since she’d seen her husband. She wanted to run to him, gather him in her arms, but he wouldn’t welcome it.

Lisa plopped down in the olive green chair at the foot of Joe’s bed and looked around the room with a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach. This was so not the luxurious stateroom they’d booked all those months ago.

This tiny, cramped room with a dime-sized porthole so high Lisa would have to stand on her tiptoes just to see her expensive ocean view…this couldn’t be what they’d paid for.

A second olive chair sat under a tiny round table near the little porthole. A vanity stood bolted to the wall near the bottom bunk, next to a closet that looked like it might hold most of the clothes she’d brought. She was tempted to open it to see how the porter managed to squeeze her suitcase into it, but she didn’t want to wake Joe.

Behind her, a door led to the bathroom. At least, she hoped it was the bathroom.

Where were the huge picture window and private balcony with cushy patio furniture she’d seen in the brochure at the travel agency? The kitchenette, the sitting room with the day bed, and the queen-sized bed were also missing.

Clearly, they’d been scammed by the travel agency. Especially considering this room should have originally been occupied by three people.

Her surroundings were nothing even remotely romantic. Not that romance was her main goal, of course. It wasn’t even a secondary goal. Saving Joe was the main goal. Joe and his heart and soul. Romance, if it ever returned, would be an added bonus.

Feeling suddenly sad and claustrophobic, Lisa bit back tears of disappointment. She’d just have to make the best of it.

Her marriage depended on it.

As quietly as possible, she tiptoed to the bathroom. The longer Joe slept, the more time she had to repair the damage to her hair. And the more time she had to come up with the right words to say when he did wake up. Words to explain exactly why she’d come and why she intended to stay.

It wouldn’t go over well, that much she knew. Joe had been running from her, his feelings, and their marriage since Cody’s death. But the time for running was past.

Inside the small bathroom, Lisa made herself look as presentable as possible then slipped back into the room. She sat in the chair near Joe’s bed and waited. He tossed and turned in his sleep and each time he moved, her heart pounded in anticipation of his reaction when he woke and found her there.

Not quite ready for the confrontation she knew would occur, Lisa could no longer quell the butterflies in her stomach.

In all his tossing and turning, Joe moved so his back faced the wall. The unsettled look on his face ripped at her heart. His dark brown hair fell across his forehead in unruly waves. Fine lines that weren’t there a few short months ago now fanned the corners of his eyes. His lips pressed tightly together. She remembered a time when his soft, generous mouth always smiled, and his dark brown eyes were warm and inviting. Even during the years when she hadn’t yet realized her marriage wasn’t what it should be, Joe never failed to light up a room with his presence.

He may be able to run from his pain during his waking hours but, obviously, he couldn’t escape it while he slept. Her husband was a tortured soul, and she ached to give him comfort.

“Joe,” she whispered before reaching out to smooth his forehead. She stopped just before she actually touched him, let her hand hover for an indecisive moment, then settled for simply watching him toss and turn. Touching him would do nothing to ease his pain. It would only wake him, and she still needed a few more minutes to refocus her thoughts and gather the resolve that brought her here in the first place.

Afraid that if he stirred again she would grab on to him and never let go, Lisa rose and walked to the little window. Standing on her tiptoes, she stared out at the gray-green chop. White froth churned the angry saltwater, yet a strong sense of peace slowly settled deep in her being.

Yes, she needed to be here.

Here, with Joe.

Here to repair her husband’s heart and, hopefully, with help from the Lord, their marriage.