𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒗

Chapter 12 - Summer Memories

The ship quickly sailed away from the coastline.

Maria and Anastasia decided to look around the boat while Grandmama took a rest.

As they traveled down its endless corridors, the sisters observed that the ship was lifeless, dark, and ugly. Pictures of the ship's layout covered the wall in dusty, cracked frames. This ship was nothing like the Standart. That boat had been homey, with friendly people around every corner you'd turn. There wasn't a person in sight on this ship.

Maria thought back to the happier times she had spent with her family on their beloved yacht. Her mind wandered, trying to remember that wonderful summer years ago.

It was nineteen fourteen. Maria and her sisters had spent the day on the decks of the Standart roller skating, taking photos, playing shuffleboard, and of course, flirting with officers. The sisters had resided at one end of the boat, relaxing as they talked in the shade. They all had teased Olga about her matches with Prince Carol of Romania and David, the Prince of Wales. As they did, Tatiana stood up and declared a letter had been addressed to Olga. The sisters all peered around, wondering who it could be from. Maria elbowed Anastasia but the youngest sister shrugged, claiming she wasn't behind it. Once Olga had opened the letter, she declared that Anastasia was behind this. Anastasia said once again that it wasn't her. She snatched the letter from Olga's hand and laughed uncontrollably, holding the picture up for everyone to see. It was a newspaper cut out of a photo of Prince David's head pasted onto a picture of Michelangelo's David statue. The sisters burst out laughing with Olga's face now as red as a tomato.

As Maria returned from her daydream, she bumped into a young man holding papers. They flew from his hands and scattered all over the floor. 

"Oh, I'm so clumsy! Let me help!" Maria exclaimed, dropping to the ground to help him pick up his papers.

"It's alright. I wasn't watching where I was going." the boy smiled as he bent down. He had light blonde hair and hazel eyes. He looked to be around twenty.

"Thank you. See you around." the boy smiled as he stood up. He turned the corner, disappearing from view.

"Oh, dear! Mashka has fallen in love again!" Anastasia placed her hand on her forehead and pretended to faint. 

"Nastasia! Don't be annoying!" Maria griped.

The girls walked back to their cabin to see Grandmama resting on one of the beds in the corner. Their room was small and cramped. You couldn't even walk without bumping into the bed or the wall.

"Grandmama, Maria has fallen in love again!" Anastasia laughed as she jumped onto her bed.

"Oh, dear sweet Maria. We are both so alike. I was falling in love with every man in sight growing up. I even got married at your age!" Grandmama reminisced as she adjusted a cold cloth that was sitting on her forehead. Maria and her Grandmother were very much alike. Their names were even the same.

Maria smiled at the word marriage. She hoped to see that man again during their journey.

-

A day passed and it wasn't until the family was returning to their cabin after dinner when Maria spotted the boy walking down the hallway. Instead of following, she ran after the man. Once she reached him, she tapped him on the shoulder. 

"Hello!"

"Why miss? Have we met?" he joked, trying not to smile.

"Yes, we have. I helped you with your papers."

"Right! Of course!"

"I never caught your name."

"I'm Valentin Golovin. Yours?"