A Reunion to Remember

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Ronnie spent the next day hanging with her friends. The ship docked for a few hours, giving them time to shop for souvenirs. Surprisingly, when she wasn't thinking about Josh, she was able to enjoy herself. This is how the entire trip should have been, she thought. 

She laughed as she and her friends tried on hats and scarves in a tourist shop. Time seemed to fly. The next time Ronnie looked at a clock, they had fifteen minutes until the ship left port. As she boarded the boat, she couldn't help but wonder how Josh had spent his afternoon. 

As they walked toward their cabin, Mia came running towards them. "Can you do me a big favor?" she asked Ronnie. 

"What do you need?" Ronnie sweetly asked. There were about a thousand other things she would have rather done than help this woman - going to the dentist included - but she felt terrible for almost sleeping with her soon-to-be husband. 

"We need someone to read a poem at the wedding, and I thought of you. One of our readers missed her flight, and we've run out of options," she explained. 

"I'm sure Jemma or Karen would be honored. They love poetry," Ronnie said, attempting to get out of the spotlight. 

"We asked them, but they suggested you for the job. Since I was thinking the same thing, I figured it was just meant to be," Mia gushed. 

"Yeah," Ronnie said, "meant to be." Meant to be a disaster maybe, she thought. 

"Thankyousomuch!!" Mia shouted. "Josh is going to be so surprised. Please don't tell him." 

"My lips are sealed," Ronnie promised. Maybe this woman is stupid, Ronnie thought. Stupid or trusting, a little voice in the back of her mind chimed in. 

She looked at her friends. She could tell that they were thinking that Mia must be nuts as well. Even Maggie looked stunned, and it took a lot to stun that woman. 

After Mia walked away, Kara asked, "Are you comfortable with this? You haven't said much, but it seems like something is up. Are you sure 'special time' went off without a hitch yesterday?" 

"I really don't want to talk about it. Let's just say it was a bumpy road," Ronnie said. "I'm glad it's over." 

"Did you two hookup?" Kristy asked tactlessly. 

"Alm....I mean, no. Yuck. Why would I let that happen?" Ronnie exclaimed. She hoped they hadn't caught her slip up. 

"Whatever you say, Ronster, but you could practically feel the sexual tension last night when he asked you to dance. I thought you two might start bonking each other on the dance floor," Maggie said without much finesse. 

Ronnie's mouth hung open. She wasn't sure how much of that was true and how much was part of the Maggism, but she was still embarrassed that the subject had been brought up. "That's ridiculous," Ronnie said, feigning innocence. She walked back to cabin as quickly as possible. Dinner was going to be a train wreck. 

Man, Ronnie thought as she was changing for dinner, I forgot to ask her exactly what I will be reading. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.  

"Is everyone ready?" Kristy asked. "I don't want to be late for our last group dinner," she exclaimed.  

She likes these people way too much, Ronnie thought. Next time I take a cruise, it's going to be with a bunch of strangers, she decided. 

Ronnie and her friends were right outside of the dining area when Mia approached them. In an over exaggerated stage whisper, she said, "Here is the poem, in case you want to practice. It's called 'Love' by Roy Croft. It's beautiful. I've gotta run before Josh misses me."  

As she entered the dining room, Ronnie glanced toward Mia and Josh's table. Mia was just approaching the table and beginning to sit down. Once Mia lowered herself into the chair, Ronnie had a clear view of Josh. He was looking right at her. She had to consciously make herself walk to her table.  

"Isn't that right, Ronnie?" Maggie asked. 

"Huh?" Ronnie said, confused. 

Maggie looked at Kristy and huffed, " I TOLD you she wasn't listening. She was too busy making goo goo eyes at the groom over there." 

"Maggie, drop it," Kara said. "If it wasn't for the discounted cruise rate, I would not have taken part in this dumb reunion in the first place. I don't like drama. If Ronnie wants to talk to us about anything, she will. For right now, though, let's just have a nice, quiet dinner." 

Ronnie was extremely thankful that Kara was so level- headed. Talking about Josh was a lose-lose. She didn't want to think about how she felt. He was getting married tomorrow regardless. The less she thought about him, the better off she was. Disclosing her feelings would only be cause for her own embarrassment. In twenty-four hours, I will be home, Kara thought. At this point, she was unsure as to whether that was a good or bad thing, but at least this ordeal would be over. 

Ronnie shot Kara a look that said 'thank you' across the table. Maggie took the hint and shut up. When most of the guests had finished with dinner, Sonny Lincoln took the stage. He was their esteemed class president. He had a few sappy things to say, then he called his high school band up to perform with him. It wasn't great, but at least the DJ wasn't there encouraging anyone to dance.  

As the band finished its fourth and final song, Ronnie saw Jemma Watson coming over to her table. Jemma struck up a conversation with Ronnie and her friends about their current careers. It turned out her passion for becoming a microbiologist had amounted to a book editing job she worked from home.  

Then, with very little warning, the conversation turned toward Josh. "I hear you two secretly dated back in the day," she sneered.  

"Yeah, I guess that's the rumor around the ship," Ronnie shrugged. 

"I know you never went out with him. It was me he came crying to when you were ignoring him and chasing Austin Salinger," she said. "Why the lies?" she probed. 

Ronnie's shoulders slumped. "It wasn't my lie," she answered. "It was Josh's. I just went along with it for his sake. Please don't mess him up now. He's getting married tomorrow," she pleaded. 

"Hope he likes having his secret ex-girlfriend participating in his wedding ceremonies. He's going to be so surprised," she practically cackled. 

"Get out of here Jemma," Kristy commanded. "We don't really like you."  

With an insulted expression and a flip of her hair, Jemma left them in peace.  

"It'll all work itself out," Kara comforted. 

Ronnie could only hope Kara was right. As the women got up to leave, Ronnie noticed Josh looking at her. I would give almost anything to know what's going on in his mind right now, she thought.