A little trip
A romantic cruise takes an unchartered course when a stranger shows Alice things aren’t what they seem, in this short story by What I Did and To Keep You Safe author Kate Bradley
As the first morning light peeked through the gap in the curtains, Alice left her new husband in bed. She wrapped her silk kimono around her; a present from Jeremy, it reminded her yet again just how generous he’d been since their wedding. Even this unexpected second honeymoon had been a surprise. “Just a little trip,” he’d laughed, showing her the booking information. “Just to show how much I love you.”
Alice stepped into the sitting room of their suite and, without opening the curtains, slid back the balcony doors. She inhaled deeply; the briny air felt intoxicating. The grey Atlantic Ocean stretched ahead of her, with not even a bird in the sky. After touring the American and Canadian coastline, they’d left Nova Scotia yesterday for the four-day trip home.
This was her first time on a cruise ship and it had been an instant love for Alice. Her work had never allowed time for holidays: building a successful business from scratch had taken a decade of focus.
But Jeremy was right – sometimes a change in pace was a good thing. While Jeremy loved sightseeing, she felt the real magic was being out at open sea. It felt wild, free and desolate – and now, so far from any coast, perhaps even a little dangerous.