The Heart Break Vacation

Oliver

"I have a mighty fine boat you know" Charlottes father was doing exactly what she said he would, he offered me a cigar, which I declined, he applauded me for that and then we started talking about golf. One of his friends then mentioned a boat in the distance "you do Jeff," "she certainly is yar" there was other slight talk about their boats when the conversation was directed to me "you like sailing Oliver?" Charlottes dad asked "I do, I used to race sailboats in the summer at our country club" "in California?" He laughed blowing a puff of smoke and hitting his drive off of the 18th tee box. "My parents were from Massachusetts, they loved sailing" "you haven't been on my boat have you?" He asked "no sir" even though that was a lie because when they were in Europe one month, a group of us went up to Connecticut and sailed around for a long weekend. "Boys I'm going to cut this game short, the wife will be yelling at me anyway for staying out here to long"
            "isn't she a beauty" he touched the ropes on the sails lovingly and smiled at the beautiful vessel "she's beautiful" "thank you, I just don't know how much longer I'll be able to sail her" don't get sucked in "why not?" "The sea doesn't agree with me anymore, makes my joints hurt" "what a shame, a boat like this should be out all the time" "exactly my thought" he patted me on the back... I got sucked in... "I'd love for you to have it Oliver... But I don't think I can bear for it to go to someone who isn't family" I can't even believe he just said that. "What a shame... But you'll find her a good home, I know" his jaw kind of clenched before he chuckled "we should be going in"
"did he use the car?" Lotte whispered when we fell behind them walking through the hotel "no... The boat" "your one job was to steer clear of the boat Ollie" she hit my shoulder a little, but I did like her calling me Ollie. "They were already talking about boats and then there was a question directed at me specifically about sailing" I whispered back, she sighed brushing her hair behind her ear, "I was given the wedding talk... This is going to be a disaster"
"so you remember when Carlton proposed?" Her mother asked "yes, it was in front of all of us on Christmas" Charlotte then proceeded to stab her fish. "I thought it was so romantic, and come to think of it he wasn't much older than you two are" "mother, Ollie and I both agree that young people shouldn't be married until you are secure in your job, and have lived a little" that put her mother in a sour mood "there's no need to speak so harshly about marriage it's not a business transaction, it's about love" "then why are you treating it like is business" Lotte asked, tensing up I could tell she was 5 seconds away from reaching over the table and strangling her mother. "I don't know what your talking about" her mother was acting dumb and I knew this wouldn't turn out well, her father and I both knew this yet we just sat there. "You showing me all the acceptable marriage spots in the hotel until I fall in love with one, having Oliver go out with dad and have him offered a boat if he marries me... If this is about love you shouldn't have to bribe someone to marry them..." With that she threw her napkin on the table and turned to storm out "Come on Oliver we're leaving"
"are you ok?" I asked seeing her let out a few tears as we reached the car "come on Oliver don't act stupid, you saw what happened, you know me... You make the call now" I looked into her eyes and knew what I had to do. I wrapped her up in a hug, kissing the top of her head, she sobbed into my shirt for a minute before she went back to her normal self. "Good call" she muttered