“Ugh,” groaned Drew. “Why do we have to leave so early? It’s the middle of the night, for fuck’s sake!”
“So, not a morning person, huh?” Kris chuckled. “Sorry, but my mom took care of booking the flights, and she’s all about getting on the ship as early as possible.”
“I didn’t even have time for coffee.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll have time to get something once we go through security,” Kris promised. “Breakfast is on me.”
Drew hadn’t traveled much, but he could see how savvy Kris was, maneuvering through check-in and security, then leading them to their gate.
“Okay,” Kris said once they’d found seats. “There’s a Dunkin’ right there. What would you like?”
Upon Kris’s return, Drew inhaled the coffee’s aroma and sighed. “The nectar of the gods,” he murmured. The wait passed quickly, and before he knew it, they were on the plane and heading to Florida. Early in the flight, they went over their notes and questioned each other on various details. After Drew yawned a couple of times, Kris suggested they rest for a while. Drew slept the rest of the way.
Check-in was a breeze. Not that Drew would know any different, never having been on a cruise before, but Kris said it was smoother than normal. Once on the ship, Drew couldn’t help but ooh and aah as his head swiveled back and forth. He’d watched a couple of videos, but it was so much more when he saw it all in real life. Plus, it was all decorated for Christmas, giving the ship a more magical feeling than he had expected.
“This is amazing,” he said, his voice filled with awe. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Kris directed him toward the elevators, and soon they were at their cabin. To the left of the door was a touchscreen panel, which detected their OceanAccess bands and unlocked the door for them. Kris noticed an envelope sitting on the top of the panel. It had both their names on it. He groaned.
“What’s wrong?” Drew asked.
“It seems that my mom has struck already,” Kris replied, opening the envelope and pulling out an invitation. “We’re invited to a welcome-aboard party in the Lighthouse Lounge up on Deck 16.” Shaking his head, he added, “I didn’t think she’d start this early. Let me just apologize for everything now.”
“Hey, it’s fine,” Drew reassured him. “I knew I’d be meeting everyone anyway, so maybe it’ll be easier if we get the worst of it over with now. And it’s in a lounge, so there’ll be drinks, right?” He gave Kris his best smile.
“You’re right. And thanks again for agreeing to do this.” Kris smiled back. “I gotta pee, but then we’ll head up to the lounge.”
* * *
“There’s my baby!”a woman exclaimed as she wrapped Kris in a hug. “And you must be Drew.” She followed with a hug to Drew.
“Mom, settle down,” Kris said. “And yes, this is Drew. Drew, this is my mom, Deidre.”
“Please, everyone calls me Dee,” she effused. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. Kris has been a bad boy, keeping you such a secret.” She took them both by the arm. “Aunt Diane’s flight was delayed a bit, but they should be here soon. C’mon, your dad and sister are at the bar.”
A man stood up as they approached and hugged Kris.
“Drew, this is my dad, Tony. Dad, this is Drew.”
Drew went to shake his hand but was pulled into a brief hug. “Nice to meet you, Drew. I can’t say Kris has told us anything about you, but hopefully we’ll get to know you this week.” He was a couple of inches taller than Drew’s five eleven, with dark hair that was starting to gray and a little scruff.
“Nice to meet you too, sir,” Drew said.
“None of that ‘sir’ shit, please. Makes me sound old. Just Tony is fine.”
“Hi, I’m Kris’s sister, Katherine,” said the woman standing next to him. “But please, call me Kat.” She was Drew’s height and strikingly beautiful, with long, dark hair.
“Nice to meet you, Kat. I’m Drew. Well, Andrew, but no one calls me that,” he said nervously.
“Oh, good.” Dee looked up from her phone. “Di just texted me. They’ve landed and will be heading here shortly. I told her to take an earlier flight, but she never listens to me.”
“Relax, Mom,” Kat told her. “It’s fine. They’ve got plenty of time.”
Kris and Drew ordered drinks from a bartender wearing a Santa hat, and they chatted with Kris’s family. Drew said a silent prayer that he wouldn’t screw anything up.
* * *
“You were fine,”Kris reassured him when they got back to the cabin. They’d hung out with Kris’s family for a while but wanted to go to the LGBTQ get together at the Neptune’s Reef bar before dinner. Dee wasn’t too happy since they left before Diane and her family had arrived, but Kris had said they’d all be together for dinner.
