Page 52 of Love Overboard
“Hours!”
The home-kit dye-job, earring stud–wearing man from orientation day rose from the back row like an angry Grim Reaper. She’d avoided him all day on the tour, but there was no escaping now. There would definitely be no umbrella drinks for him in this place.
Emily slid from her seat with her purse on her arm. “What a relief. Just a few hours.” She stepped into the aisle and blocked the angry man from a clear view of Lacey. “Lead the way, dear.” She shooed her with both hands.
The bus driver jerked the lever, and the automatic door whooshed open. Lacey sprinted through the rain and reached an awning that stretched from the side of the gymnasium. She turned the dented knob at the entrance and pushed. The rusty metal door creaked as she crossed the threshold. A cavernous room lay before her, and a musty smell emanated from the peeling paint. Battered wooden floorboards reflected the flickering fluorescent lights. Rows of army cots with blankets piled on top lined the far wall, and a cafeteria table was set with sandwiches, chips, and drinks.
Emily appeared at her side, brushing a soggy gray curl from her cheek. “What can I do to help?”
Lacey pressed wet fingers to her overheated forehead and resisted the urge to bury her face in the woman’s neck. “Honestly, I don’t even know where to start.”
Horrified passengers filed into the cold, dreary room. Disgruntled murmurs rose. People held their cell phones high, checking for a signal. Were they planning to leave scathing reviews on every website available?
A woman wearing a damp sundress and holding a small child by the hand stared at the last-minute accommodations. “Is this the best they could do?”
Lacey approached her. “I’m so sorry for this inconvenience. We hope it will only be for a short time. As soon as the weather clears, they can come and get us.”
Emily scuttled up. “Think of the great anecdotes we’ll get from this. I can hardly wait to tell my friends.”
“That’s one way to look at it.” The woman shrugged. “At least my husband kept the other two kids on the boat with him. I should consider this a mini vacation.”
“How old is your daughter?” Lacey waved at the little girl beside her. The strawberry-blond stuck her thumb in her mouth and hid behind her mother’s skirt.
“Four.”
“Four and a half,” a tiny voice behind the woman’s legs corrected her.
“Yes.” The mom rolled her eyes at Lacey. “How dare I forget those extra six months?”
“It’s a good thing you told me.” Lacey crouched. “We have a special spot for big girls. I don’t want to put you in the four-year-old section.”
A blue eye peeked around her mother, and a lopsided smile appeared.
An expletive exploded from the gym doorway, and the little girl’s smile disappeared. Lacey saw her black-haired nemesis stalk into the room.
“You got to be kidding me.” He dropped a large black bag, pitched his jacket on the ground, and swore again.
A mere sixteen customers were stranded because of the rough waters. Why did Mr. Online Review have to be one of them? Lacey considered her chances if she were to try swimming to the boat.
No.
Even if she made it, she’d be in trouble for deserting the passengers.
Emily stood on her toes and whispered. “We’re going to have trouble with that one.”
Lacey showed the mother and child to an empty cot and spent the next hour comforting people. Emily served food and tried to bolster morale, and Lacey left her as a lookout while she scrubbed the locker room showers and toilets.
“Finally,” Mrs. Oklahoma said when Lacey emerged with her bucket and cleaning supplies. “How long does it take to get a shower here?”
“I apologize for the wait.” Lacey swept her arm to the door. “The bathroom is clean. There’s soap and a stack of towels on a table by the stalls.”
“Great,” the young woman grumbled.
Lacey noted the rough white lines on her own palms and hid her hand. Her skin cracked like a desert floor in July from prolonged contact with the harsh industrial cleaner. She wandered through the cots, checking on everyone and offering bottles of water. Most had accepted their sorry lot and were posing for pictures to post on social media. She hoped their comments wouldn’t be too harsh.
A clang sounded from the entrance.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!”
