Page 2 of If They Knew

Because I was there.

PART 1

JUNE 2012

1

THEO

As we board the ship, I immediately turn to see my wife Julie’s reaction as she crosses the gangway.

“Aren't you amazed?” I ask with a broad smile. She hesitates before responding, and I observe her carefully as she takes in the opulent interior. Currently, we're the only ones in the atrium, and I can't help but notice how stunning she looks in the gentle glow of the chandelier's light. Her eyes widen, and a smile as broad as mine spreads across her face.

“It’s incredible,” she says softly. “I’m so proud of you. It feels surreal to be here after all the years of listening to your dad talk about building this ship.”

I didn’t expect her to bring up my father. I feel a tinge of sadness at the thought, but I push through and keep smiling. “You’re right, babe. It has been a long time in the making. I feel like I’ve worked my entire life for this moment. I wish my dad were here to see it with us.” My smile must not be all that convincing because Julie quickly grabs me by the hand and changes the subject.

“Hey, how about you show me around before the passengers start to get on.”

Quickly, my thoughts turn positive. “Right this way, my lady,” I say, placing my hand on the small of her back to nudge her forward.

As the owner and first officer, there are perks like getting to board before anyone else. I know I'm not supposed to let my wife or anyone else on board before everyone else, but I have some pull, and security turned a blind eye. Before we arrived, I mentioned to my brother, Tyler, that he could join Julie and me for an early tour of the ship if he wanted to. However, when it was time for the tour, as expected, Tyler never showed up, so we decided to start without him.

This is the first time Julie has seen the ship since all the furniture and interior touches were finished. Six months ago, Julie and I had the chance to walk through the ship while it was being built, but at that time, only the structure was complete, and none of the interior decorations or furniture had been installed.

“I could never have imagined the finished ship would look so amazing,” says Julie as she slowly takes in our surroundings as we walk. I agree. Having been on the ship multiple times, learning every room, practicing all the emergency drills, and becoming familiar with all the equipment needed to navigate, I never once stopped to admire the interior. Feeling every ounce of pride and joy, I take a moment and look around at all the beauty the ship has to offer. I know that in just a few moments, the peace and quiet will be over, and this ship will be bustling with excited guests.

As soon as you step on board, you're greeted by a breathtaking three-story atrium. The polished pearl-white floors feature various sea creature designs, creating the illusion of ocean life swimming at your feet. At the center of the room, a stunning glass staircase winds its way up three floors, with frosted glass steps that cast a soft white glow. The mahogany wood railing is stained a rich reddish-brown and carved to resemble intertwined ropes. To the right of the atrium, you'll find two elevators with glass walls and gold-accented doors. A chandelier with 500 teardrop-shaped crystals arranged in a spiral hangs from the ceiling, emitting a gradient of light blue to sea green from top to bottom, mirroring the colors of the ocean. On the left side of the atrium, the guest services desk is just as luxurious, featuring quartz countertops lit from below with sea creature designs etched along the edges.

After standing in the center of the room for a few moments, I feel Julie tug on my arm.

“Let’s go,” she says, excitedly. “I'm dying to see the rest. I’m so excited to check out the pool deck and do some sunbathing.” Together, we rush to the elevators, smiles plastered on our faces like high schoolers on their first date.

Entering the elevator, I press the gold button labeled “12.” It slowly ascends. When the doors open, we step out into a warm breeze that ruffles our hair and soothes our skin, struck by the stunning view. The 12th deck is quiet, with only a few crew members preparing for arriving passengers. As we stand there, enjoying the breeze, I take Julie's hand and gently tuck her strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear. I lean in for a deep kiss, but she pulls back briefly before smiling.

“Save that for later, mister. I want to see where you'll be working.”

“Okay, okay, it's this way.”

I take Julie by the hand, and we walk up to the 13th floor and the bridge. Inside, several seats and screens line the entire length of the room. I make my way over to where I'll sit when working, grab the chair, and swivel it around. “Come on, take a seat.”

Julie sits down and turns to face the screen. I quickly pull out my phone and snap a photo of the moment. “Well, what do you think?” I ask, smiling. She smiles back and lets out a laugh.

“What are you laughing at?” I ask, confused.

“This isn't what I was picturing at all. Where's the big wooden steering wheel like on TV?”

“This is a cruise ship, honey, not a pirate ship and it's a lot different than the others I used to work on.” Laughing, I point to the joystick in front of her and do my best to explain. “This is how we steer the ship. There's a small steering wheel we use for tight maneuvering or docking, but it's not like in the movies.”

She nods, and I can tell right away she’s not really getting how a joystick can steer a large ship. After years of being married, I know she really isn't interested in the logistics, so I move on and decide to show her some more restricted areas, hoping to impress her. We walk back out into the sun and feel the warmth on our skin. Before we continue, I grab Julie by the waist and pull her close.

“Thank you for being here with me. Of all the people in the world, I am so happy to share this incredible moment with you, my beautiful wife.” She gently cups my face and pulls me in closer, locking us in a slow, passionate kiss. My heart begins to pound, and I feel a twitch between my legs as she runs her palm along the crotch of my white slacks. Instantly, I feel myself growing at her touch. I look down and realize that my bulge is extremely obvious. “Hey, don’t get me too excited; I can’t walk around with this.”

She giggles, then leans closer to my ear and whispers, “Then show me our room,” giving me a quick squeeze, and I almost lose it right there on the 13th deck. Excited and eager, I look around and check my watch.

“Okay, I wanted to wait until later to show you the room, but now works great too,” I say with a wink. I’d specifically selected the room we would stay in—the presidential suite. Another perk, of course. Grabbing Julie's hand, we walk aft of the ship where, behind the elevators, a small hallway is lined with the ship's most luxurious rooms. At the end of the hallway, a single door faces us.

“Close your eyes,” I whisper softly, standing behind her and covering her eyes. “And no peeking, okay?”