Deceit. [COMPLETED.]

Chapter 19

"Back on board"
[KIRK ATTWOOD.]

The next day I woke to sunlight streaming through the hotel curtains. The other side of the bed was cold.

I was tired. I doubt I had had more than a few hours sleep and even after going back upstairs with Cheryl I found myself thinking of Max and especially what would have happened if I had accepted her offer of a dance.

I got out of bed and moved to the bathroom taking a cold shower and I was still getting dressed when I heard the door open.

'So you're up then.'

'Morning love,' I chirped back.

Cheryl had been downstairs phoning home.

'Danny's cut her lip.'

I looked across concerned.

'No. She's fine,' said my wife. 'It bled a little. She and Elizabeth were throwing a frisbee to each other in the garden and it hit her in the face. If anything I think it will make for a good talking point when she goes to school.'

We left around ten. I paid the bill. It came to a little over a hundred pounds. The garage still had our car. It meant driving home in the one provided. It had a high clutch. I stalled it twice in heavy traffic but by the time we were out of the city and onto the open roads I had become more used to it.

'So apart from our madam, the boss's daughter,' I said eventually, pulling out to overtake a handful of lorries. 'What do you think of the Company?'

Cheryl shrugged.

'They know how to throw a party, I'll give them that but if what you said about the Jupiter is anything to go by, then I won't hold my breath.'

'Pat seems alright,' I said. 'He has been open with me so far.'

I waited a while longer before moving onto the events of last night. I wanted to make sure that she knew I was sorry. I said that it was Max who had made all the moves and that it had been her idea to pull me into the ladies toilets. I said that it was her way of having a joke at my expense but I chose not to mention the fact that she came to see me in the bar. That particular battle was still raging inside my head and voicing it now would only make matters worse.

'But that still doesn't explain why you knew her as Max.'

'Because she's a tease,' I said. 'It's what she likes to do. I wouldn't look too deep into it. She's obviously one of those bored types who loves to get a thrill out of embarrassing her employees and I just happened to be there at the wrong time. That's all.'

Cheryl studied my face.

'As long as that is all you are to her my darling.'

I was back on board the next day glad to have something else to worry about and met Tony by the gangway.

'Been busy have we?'

I motioned towards the two large skips overflowing with junk and received an unashamed grin in return and why not.

In my absence a new carpet had been laid in the alleyway and the walls had been cleaned back to their original mahogany colour while in the mess hall we had now become the proud owners of a nice cotton table cloth complete with red embroidery around the edges.

Sun up the next day saw all cabin doors opened and by the time our young superintendent had arrived we had already done a day's work.

He ushered me straight to the bridge where he unfolded a large piece of paper held in his hand ... the plans of the real Jupiter.