The Anvil

Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The yellow taxi cab moved slowly through the mid-day traffic as it approached the Port of Miami. Still over a mile away, the tops of the majestic cruise ships were already visible. There were four cruise ships in port today, each turning over their complement of passengers.

In the back of the cab sat Marie and Alex Wilson. The couple was eager to board their ship and enjoy a week at sea. They’d cruised nineteen years earlier for their honeymoon and had a fantastic time. Now that their kids were old enough to be left alone, they were excited to go again.

As the cab entered the busy port area, they passed a dozen motor coaches heading in the opposite direction. The buses were ferrying those disembarking back to the airport so that they could head back home, their wonderful vacations already only memories.

When they got closer to the mammoth ships, they could see the many semi-trucks parked close by. They were waiting to unload all the provisions that would be needed to keep the thousands of passengers well fed and entertained for a week.

Their ship could hold close to 6000 passengers and had over 1500 crew members. It was one of the largest in the fleet and indeed was the largest in port today. Alex enjoyed thinking how all the passengers, arriving to cruise on smaller ships, would look at theirs and wonder what their ships lacked that the giant monster had room for.

Marie took her husband’s hand in hers, physically sharing the excitement of their arrival with him. He smiled at her, knowing the thrill she felt because he was experiencing it too.

“The ship is beautiful,” she exclaimed.

“It’s huge,” Alex responded.

“This is going to be a great week,”

Nodding, Alex added, “Sun, sea, and no kids.”

Marie laughed at his comment. They’d considered waiting a few weeks until school let out and bringing the kids, but decided that they needed time to themselves as a couple.

Thinking of the kids, Marie said, “I hope they’ll be okay. We’re putting a lot of responsibility on Lucy.”

“Yes, but she’s proven time and time again that she can handle it.”

“I know,” Marie agreed with a rueful smile. “I’m afraid that when we get home, if everything went smoothly, I'll realize that she doesn’t need us as much anymore.”

“She doesn’t. She’s growing up, and we did our part right. This trip is a chance for her to prove it and for us to learn to accept it.”

Porters met them as they arrived at the embarkation area, ready to take their luggage. After paying the cab driver, Alex got out and showed their documents to the porter, who verified that they were at the correct ship and on the right day.

Slipping the porter twenty dollars, Marie watched as he took off with their six bags. If all went well, the luggage would arrive at their stateroom by dinnertime. Hefting their one carry-on bag, Alex led them into the cruise terminal building. From here, they moved from station to station, presenting their passports and making sure all their documentation was in order.

Since boarding had begun an hour before, the crowds in the embarkation area had largely cleared out, and the lines had shrunk, so they were able to move through the stations quickly.

After clearing the final station, they followed a few other passengers heading to the gangway that led to the ship. They made one last stop, where a photographer from the ship took every group’s photo before they boarded.

Alex tried to bypass the photographer, but Marie grabbed his arm to stop him, saying, “Come on, let’s get the picture.”

“I’m not sure if you remember, but they’ll be taking these pictures the whole week,” Alex responded.

“I know,” Marie said with a smile. “And this will be the first one.”

Minutes later, they crossed the gangway and were officially on the ship. They paused to take in the amazing scenery. The spacious lobby was elegantly decorated, and there were three glass elevators whisking passengers to different levels. It was an excellent first impression.

Almost immediately, a member of the ship's crew approached them. She was a perky young woman with an Australian accent, and she held out a small folding piece of colored card stock. “Welcome aboard. Here is a map of the ship.”

“Thank you. The ship is beautiful,” Marie replied.

“I’m glad you think so. We’re very proud of it. May I see your boarding documents?”

Alex held them out and she looked at them briefly. “Your stateroom in on deck six, midship. It’s still being cleaned and should be available in about a half-hour. Until then, feel free to explore. There’s a buffet open up on the main deck and also one on deck nine at the back of the ship.”

“Thank you,” Alex replied with a quick smile. He opened up the map and tried to orient himself.

Marie shook her head and said, “Just follow me. We want to go this way.” And she took off across the lobby.

“How do you know which way? I have the map,” Alex asked with a smirk.

“We don’t need a map. I memorized the ship's layout a month ago.”

They headed to the glass elevators just as a car was arriving. The elevator rose smoothly but stopped twice for other passengers to enter as it made its way to the top. Stepping out, the Wilsons approached a door that automatically opened, allowing them access to the top deck. The first two things they noticed were the blast of hot air as they left the ship’s comfortable air conditioning and the calypso music playing from a live band on the deck. They made their way to the rail and looked down on the pier. There were still passengers arriving, and different semi-trucks were unloading their cargo. The ship would be departing in two hours, and everyone was finishing up preparations.

They enjoyed the view for a few minutes and then headed toward the rear of the ship, hand in hand, to look at the other ships that were also in port and loading passengers. As they walked, Marie asked, “How do you think the kids are doing?”

“They’re fine. They’re both trustworthy and are probably enjoying taking care of themselves.”

“I know, but I worry about them.”

“This is good for them. They get to taste a little extra responsibility, and we’ll be back in just a week.”

They approached the rear of the ship and looked at three other cruise ships. There were many others also enjoying the view and taking pictures. Many of the other passengers already had drinks in their hands.

“Interesting, how different they all look,” Marie commented.

“They may be a bit smaller than us, but they’re all impressive to look at,” Alex added.

They waited for several minutes for those standing in front of them to clear out enough that Marie could get to the rail and take a few photos with her phone.

Seeing his wife finish, Alex asked, “How about we head over and get something to eat? I’m hungry.”

“Okay. Do you think you can find your way without the map?” Marie teased.

“Yes, I can. It is on this deck. I saw the lines as we were walking here.”

“Good, I was just checking,” she said with a grin.

“I’m not that directionally challenged,” Alex replied defensively.

Taking the lead, he guided them to the buffet line, where they waited several minutes. They could smell meats grilling and see passengers walking past with heaping plates; their hunger grew. Eventually, the line split, with half the people going toward the grill and the others toward previously prepared salads and entrees on the buffet table.

Marie had a grilled chicken sandwich and fries, and Alex went with a cheeseburger. They got beverages and took seats near the pool, which was closed since they were in port.

“We still have a little while before we can get into our room. What do you want to do?” Alex asked between big bites.

“Let's go down to deck eight and check out some of the lounges and the casino.”

“Okay, that works for me.”

As they were talking, there were two loud blasts heard from a ship's horn.

“Sounds like one of the other ships is leaving ahead of us. Let’s go watch as it departs,” Alex suggested.