After dining alone, Viv thought she'd get an after-dinner cup of tea at the Crow's Nest Beverage Bar. During the day, the view of the ocean drew people away from the fray of sitting poolside to sit and sip their hot beverages. After the last show, people also gathered in the evening to view the dark expanse of sea.
A female member of staff held a ceramic mug under a dispenser, her back to Viv. The woman turned. "May I help you?"
"We meet again," Viv replied in a friendly voice.
"What can I get you?" Tonya asked.
"Lavender tea, no sugar," Viv responded.
As Tonya reached for a fresh mug, Viv wondered about how many hours the staff worked before they got a break. Hopefully they have an airtight contract and a union. Her doula agency made her sensitive to such matters since doulas worked long hours with no hourly compensation.
Tonya put a napkin under the mug and placed it in front of Viv on the counter. "Anything else? A cookie maybe?"
"Oh no. I had dessert in the dining room. Thank you so much."
Viv took a sip and continued to make conversation. "You must be exhausted, working all these hours. Didn't I see you earlier this morning?"
Tonya looked away and then back at her. "You're right. I'm beat. I got a break in the middle of the day, but this shift is the hardest. My feet hurt." She offered a half-hearted smile.
"Not that it's any of my business," Viv said, sipping her tea again casually. "But if you want to put your feet up, is there a break room for employees?" Aware that she might sound too inquisitive, Viv smiled again, trying to make it seem like she was only interested in Tonya’s well-being.
"Below on deck three. The fore side is for exclusive passenger berths. Celebrities and passengers who basically go from cruise to cruise live there. The middle is for staff. We have a little community. Lots of partying too. At least we did until…"
When Tonya's voice trailed off, Viv’s skin prickled. She's hiding something. And she nearly let it slip.
"I used to have a small group of good friends," Viv said quietly. "We had each other's back for a long time. Until just this past year when..." She let her voice drop in the same way. She was deliberately using her own experience to commiserate with Tonya and hopefully draw her into more conversation.
Tonya looked over Viv's head. "I'm not supposed to tell passengers my sob story," she explained. "But you seem really nice. And it's late. Want a refill?" She pointed to Viv's empty mug.
"One more and then I'll head back to my stateroom." Viv slid the mug closer.
After Tonya poured the hot water, she offered a fresh tea bag. Leaning her arms on the counter she asked, "You cruising alone?"
"I am alone." Viv dunked her tea bag, biting her bottom lip at the sympathetic tone of Tonya's voice. It's as if being alone is a bad thing. I thought women were more independent nowadays.
"I like it that way," Viv added. "It's fun to wander by myself and be treated so well. I think I'll book another cruise before we disembark."
"You get a discount if you do it now," Tonya explained. "Someone from staff will come talk to you, if you like. I can tell them to give you a good deal."
Viv took her time before answering. "Sure, go ahead and refer me. I can always use a deal. Speaking of your quarters, does everyone sleep on deck three, including the performers?" Is that where Rex has been staying? She cleared her throat and added, "If you don't mind me asking."
Viv knew she'd put Tonya in a bit of a quandary. She assumed her interest in booking another cruise might make her more eager to share information.
"Like I said, we're not allowed to get too friendly with passengers." Tonya's eyes took a furtive look around the room. "It could be a problem for me. Some travelers get too close and try to fraternize. Not that you're one of them." She eyed Viv with an intense stare. "I don't want to be fired." She pulled away from the bar, turning her back, stepping toward the sink.
Realizing she'd gone too far, Viv took a sip of tea. How am I going to recover this to get the information I want?
"Oh, I'm not a fraternizing type," she said firmly to Tonya's back. "I didn't mean to give that impression. I'm just a curious woman who has a lot of free time to think about things."
Tonya turned back around and took Viv's empty cup. "I didn't mean to imply you'd be that kind of woman." She hesitated, inhaling deeply. "You can't imagine what I see on board. Older men and women using their money and passenger status to get their needs met. It happens all the time."
"I'm not rich," Viv said immediately. "In fact, I'm out of work at the present."
"What do you do?" Tonya looked curious.
Viv hesitated. Do I make something up or tell the truth?
"I run a doula agency, or at least I used to. I had some employee challenges this past year, which makes it difficult," she explained.
"I've never had children," Tonya said. "That must be rewarding work."
And then to her surprise, Tonya's eyes teared up.