Free Dark Waters by Susan Rogers Cooper

– Day Two
    The comedian was just stupid, and not that funny. Jean and I left and headed to the bar next to the auditorium. We were followed out by Lyssa’s mom, Esther Monte, who joined us at the bar, with a tall, dark and OK-looking guy in tow.
    â€˜I swear if he said the C word one more time I was going to throw something at him,’ she said. ‘You guys, this is Lance. He was sitting next to me and had the good taste to hate that guy as much as I did.’
    Lance took off his suit jacket as he sat down and I saw Armani on the label. I decided to keep my Sears best on. Didn’t need any label comparisons going on. Though the comparisons of the ladies’ dresses were quite obvious: Jean’s red, one-shoulder dress looked fairly classy up against Esther Monte’s black minidress with what they call a sweetheart neckline (Jean told me later) that showed way too much cleavage (she also told me this later – personally, I thought it was just enough), had a plunging back, and (again according to Jean) was entirely too tight. She looked fine to me. I’m just saying.
    The new guy held out his hand to me and I shook it. ‘Milt Kovak,’ I said.
    â€˜Lance Turner,’ he said.
    â€˜My wife, Jean,’ I said.
    â€˜Ma’am,’ he said, shaking hands with Jean.
    Rose Connelly came out of the auditorium alone. She was wearing a gauzy dress of pale pastels, kinda like a kaftan. I thought she looked like a nun, but Jean told me later that it was a lovely gown. Women – totally different mindset, I’m telling you.
    Esther called out, ‘Rose!’ raising her arm to wave. Rose saw us and came over. We’d been at the bar, but with three new people we’d moved to a table.
    â€˜I think “funny” is a generational thing,’ Rose said as she sat down and introductions had been made.
    â€˜Definitely,’ Jean said. ‘My parents thought Bob Hope was funny; my generation had George Carlin.’
    â€˜Personally, I’m an Andy Kaufman kinda guy,’ Lance said.
    â€˜Should I call John?’ Jean asked, holding her hand out for my phone.
    â€˜You never gave it back to me,’ I said.
    â€˜Oh, right!’ She dug in her bag and came up with it.
    â€˜Your son has a cell phone?’ Esther asked.
    â€˜No, not one of his own,’ Jean said. ‘We lent him mine to use when we’re separated aboard ship. It seems to be working,’ Jean said. She held up a finger. ‘Hi, honey,’ she said into the phone. ‘Are you two having a good time?’ She listened for a moment, then looked at her watch. ‘Well, it’s almost midnight—’ She stopped. Then, ‘Well, OK, one o’clock. But you and Early take care of each other, OK?’
    Esther waved her hand at Jean. ‘Let me talk to Lyssa!’
    Jean said, ‘John, put Lyssa on the phone for her mom.’
    It took a minute, but Lyssa obviously came on the line and Esther spoke for a moment.
    Rose Connelly asked Jean, ‘Do you think I could speak to my boys? How late does the pavilion stay open?’
    â€˜John said it’s open until one a.m., and of course you can talk to your boys,’ Jean said.
    â€˜Children’s pavilion?’ Lance asked me, an eyebrow raised.
    â€˜Yeah, the ship provides daycare of sorts for the kids. Babysitters and a nice-sized play area. Our son and his friend who’s traveling with us both enjoy it a lot.’
    Lance was a little too pretty for me to want to engage him in small talk, other than ‘what do you do?’ which would lead to him asking me what I do, which would blow my anonymity. So I was actually glad to see Mike and Lucy come out of the auditorium.
    â€˜Funny guy!’ Mike said, pointing with his thumb behind him.
    â€˜If you like misogynistic assholes!’ Lucy said.
    â€˜Which you certainly do!’ her husband said, kissing her on the neck.
    Lucy laughed.