Page 39 of Companion Required
Chapter Seventeen
Kennedy
On the morning of their ninth day at sea, the day after leaving Hanoi in Vietnam, the weather took a turn for the worse. Torrential rain lashed the deck as the ship skirted a typhoon. Colossal cruise ships such as the Diamond Princess had decent stabilisers, but the constant rolling motion still had a number of passengers holed up in their cabins.
Steph and Leonard went to ground for an entirely different reason. They’d both made a point of sampling street food on each of their excursions ashore. In Hanoi, both had come down with mild cases of food poisoning, according to the ship’s doctor, who had prescribed loperamide to help reduce bouts of diarrhoea and oral rehydration sachets to mix with water and keep them hydrated. Apart from that, they were advised to drink plenty of room-temperature water, and get lots of bed rest while staying confined to their cabins.
Kennedy sat at lunch in the half empty restaurant with only Kieran and Laurie. Pete, who suffered acutely from seasickness, had also barricaded himself in his cabin. Eric had stayed to keep him company.
“Are we going to bail?” asked Laurie, who had stepped out for half an hour to grab some food. They had been chatting about Patrick’s cocktail party. “I really ought to keep an eye on Steph.”
Laurie had been with the group in Hanoi, and would usually have sampled the street fare, but her strict diet meant abstaining—luckily for her. Kieran had declined this particular excursion, preferring to stay onboard and keep Kennedy company.
Kennedy sighed. Not only had they all been invited to the drinks party in the early afternoon—and he felt a duty to make a show—but this was the evening of the captain’s table event, where he and Steph were supposed to strut their stuff across the dance floor. Now everything had gone to pot.
“We can still go to Patrick’s,” said Kieran, leaning into Kennedy. “If you want.”
Kennedy turned to him and grinned. Something had crystallised in Kieran since Koh Samui. Kennedy felt the change, but assumed he’d had high expectations of the island and had been disappointed. When Kennedy had questioned him, he’d shrugged off the concern. Whatever the reason, he’d become really relaxed and had stayed close to Kennedy ever since.
“Shame,” said Kennedy. “I was looking forward to the dinner and dance. You don’t think Steph might feel better by tonight?”
He’d watched the video Kieran had recorded a number of times, memorizing the steps. Now their moment in the spotlight had been snatched away.
“’Doubtful, Kennedy,” said Laurie, worry creasing her forehead. “She can barely get out of bed, except for the occasional rush to the loo—”
“I know, I know. Sod’s law,” he said, before checking his watch. “In which case, one of us ought to make an effort to attend the cocktail party. To make apologies for the others, at the very least. We did get a gentle reminder, after all.”
Patrick, who had been pretty much invisible the whole cruise, had sent Joey to Steph and Laurie’s cabin the day before they arrived in Ho Chi Minh—the port before Hanoi—to remind them about the get-together.
“Kieran,” said Kennedy, his hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “Would you mind if I do this on my own? Might give me a chance to get Patrick alone and clear the air.”
A brief frown passed across Kieran’s face, replaced quickly by a faint smile. But Laurie answered before Kieran could respond.
“Why do you feel you have any air to clear? I don’t, and neither does Steph,” she said, her quiet anger sounding so much like her partner’s. “He’s the one that caused the rift. How about you gethimto do some apologising?”
“Okay, Laurie,” said Kennedy, somewhat surprised. Of the two, Laurie usually let Steph take the lead. “Play nicely. I wasn’t talking about me apologising for anything—apologising is not something I do. But we need to have a conversation. Besides, my question was for Kieran.”
He turned and watched Kieran mull over the words a moment before answering.
“As long as you’re sure,” he said, with a gentle smile that tugged at Kennedy’s heart. “Do what you need to, Kennedy. But I’m also happy to come with you, to stand by your side in case you need me.”
And there it was again. Simple words of support. Nobody in his life offered him that, not even the staff to whom he paid significant wages, not even the partner of nine years who now hated his guts. And until recently, not even his own parents. But really, he needed to get Patrick alone and have the talk. What better opportunity?
“In which case,” said Laurie, her obvious annoyance completely out of character, “if it’s okay with Kieran, I’ll accompany you. Maybe just for half an hour. They know me, so hopefully they won’t start anything. But you’re not going alone, Kennedy. Fuck that. You’re not throwing yourself to those fucking wolves again. I still haven’t forgotten that party six months ago. Anyone picks on you today, I’ll sit on them.”
Kieran laughed aloud. Something in his posture changed too, a slight relaxation of the shoulders.
“Okay. Then let’s head there now,” said Kennedy, standing to make his point. “I know it’s bit early, but I’m with you. I’d prefer to get this over with. But please, can we keep things civil, Laurie?”
“Fine,” said Laurie, rising too. One single word, and she sounded anything but fine. “Let me quickly text Steph. Let her know what’s happening.”
Kennedy felt bad about leaving Kieran. Like a trooper, he nodded and said he’d go back to the cabin to catch up on emails and messages, maybe read a little. Laurie led the way into the elevator and down a couple of floors, until they emerged into a long corridor. Halfway down, they stopped outside the door to Patrick’s cabin, which stood open.
Four steps inside the living space of the two-bedroom cabin—a narrow area with a dining table against one wall, a three-seater sofa and a small bar—and Kennedy realised how grateful he felt to have Laurie with him. Looking at her face, he noticed how she’d also tensed up on seeing the cool stares they’d received as they entered. The truth hit home instantly from the expressions on Mike’s and Richmond’s familiar faces. Neither had expected them to show up. Fortunately, the four other guests were unknown and, apart from a quick once-over, paid them no heed. Patrick and his new partner did not appear to be around. But Richmond and Mike stood together at the bar assessing them like judge and jury. Kennedy approached with Laurie glued to his side, both adopting their game faces.
“You guys are early,” said Mike, pleasantly enough.
“Yes, sorry. Thought we’d get here before the masses arrived,” said Laurie. “Are you boys enjoying the cruise?”
