Below Deck || C. Leclerc

i

"Alright, crew, everyone in their whites?" Captain Sam sounded over the radio.

"I'm sweating so much, I can't," Marion complained, causing Liliana to grunt in agreement.

Liliana managed to get herself in the white button-up and skirt, the stripes on her epaulettes showing off her well-earned status as Chief Stewardess in the yachting industry.

"I'm glad this charter ended, though. They weren't difficult, but they brought luggage for a family for three weeks. And they were staying three days!" Marion complained. She wiped the sweat off her forehead as the two shared the small cabin on the yacht, and she had just been packing the suitcase of one of the guests.

"Smile and say thank you, there's an envelope waiting for us," Liliana squeezed Marion's shoulders as she moved behind her, exiting the cabin while tightening her ponytail. She rushed up the stairs to the deck and then of the yacht. The crew lined up just in time to say goodbye to the guests.

Liliana was glad to feel the breeze of the Monaco marina blow in her face. It had been warm, and running from the kitchen to the deck, to the sun deck, back down to the cabins didn't specifically help with it at all. She was happy there was a break. The crew of the motor yacht Nautilus was halfway through their charter season, and the most exciting was yet to come. The yacht they were on had to be the best one Liliana had worked on so far. It was clean, huge, the cabins were gorgeous, and everything helped everyone do their job better, eventually increasing their tip.

"We had the best experience of our lives," one of the guests started. "We want to thank you all so much for the marvellous charter. A little token of our appreciation is in here," the guest handed the envelope to the captain, who smiled at them. The crew waved the guests goodbye.

"Get changed and meet me in the main salon for our tip meeting!" Captain Sam announced, to which everyone gladly went back onto the yacht.

Liliana reached for the blue polo shirt that was a daily part of her outfit on the yacht. She slipped into some slippers and made her way to the main salon with a bottle of champagne under her arm. Some of the deckies were already there, and they helped her to pour in the champagne. The rest of the crew joined soon enough, and they squeezed onto the sofas with each other while waiting for the announcement of the tip they got.

"Well, first of all, this was a perfect charter, balanced, organised. This is how I want to see it; keep it up like this," Captain Sam started. "So, our tip is 18.000, which means 2571 euros per person, there you go," Sam said, handing over the envelope, so everyone could take out their part.

Liliana took her money and leaned back with her champagne. The last two charters had been good but also very tiring. "Good job, everyone. Let's turn the boat around and get ready for our next charter. Pick up is at eleven tomorrow morning!" Liliana clinked her glass with Collin, who was seated next to her.

"You know, I'm actually glad we don't have the chance to go out," he spoke up. "That way I'm sure I will not be washing this boat while totally hungover."

It caused Liliana to chuckle as she put her empty glass down on the table. "For sure, we can get some rest, finally," Liliana said.

Everyone went back to work after the tip meeting. It was time to clean all the cabins, and Liliana needed a meeting with the Captain about the preference sheets of the next guests as soon as possible, so she knew what groceries to order for tomorrow morning. Back-to-back charters were good, but they were also deliciously busy and demanding.

"Can Lili, Julien and Collin come to the crew mess, please?" Sam sounded through their radios, so Liliana gathered herself to move down the stairs and meet the captain and her two other colleagues there. "I have the preference sheets of our next guests right here," he started, shoving copies around the table.