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“Axel and I shared a one-bedroom cabin. There are no secrets I get to keep from him,” Doris added with bulging eyes. “He knows all. And you know what? He still loves me.”
Alice twisted her lips as she thought, then shook her head. “No. He won’t. He’ll think I’m gross and leave me for one of the other million beautiful women who parade around on his cruise ships every day. And you know what? Even if he does still love me when he finds out the real me, what’s the point? I’m seventy-six. I’ve got one foot in the grave. We’ll barely have any time to enjoy each other before I turn into a decrepit old corpse.”
“Seventy-six is not that old anymore!” I said. “I mean, when we were kids, yeah ... it was old. But now? Now it’s different. With medical treatments and health care changing, people are hitting a hundred all the time. That used to be a newsworthy story when we were kids. Now it’s not even a blip to hear someone joined the century club. Hell, they’ve just readjusted the life span chart, and guess what. You’re far from being too old to find new love.”
“Well, he wouldn’t want me anyway. Not like this. He still deserves a young, beautiful woman.”
“But don’t you at least owe him the chance to weigh in? He may surprise you, Alice.”
“We still love you right now, and I don’t want to throw salt on your open wound, but let me tell you.” Marge paused and pointed a finger at her. “Right now. You’re no beauty queen. In fact, you look like dog shit.”
“What?” Alice’s hands flew to her face. “What are you talking about?”
“Um, we got dragged underwater through a rapid. Your makeup is like ninety percent off, and the other ten percent is just deposited in strange places on your face. Like you have some mascara streaked on your nose. Or maybe that’s dirt. And your hair?” Marge snorted. “I mean... you’re putting Alfalfa to shame with the way it dried, sticking up in every which direction.”
“What?” Alice covered her face and looked away. “Why didn’t you tell me? I need a mirror! Who has a mirror?”
“No one. And you haven’t looked in one all day and had no idea you are over here looking like a drowned rat. Just like the rest of us. And did we treat you any different? No. Because, unlike this notion you have in your head, everyone doesn’t just love you for your looks.”
“It’s different. You’re women. My friends.” She uncovered her face. “If Alejandro saw me like this, he wouldn’t love me anymore. I could handle being replaced as a trophy wife, upgraded for a younger model. It’s expected. But you don’t marry for love when you’re a trophy wife. You get the money and then a nice big settlement when they upgrade. That’s the gig. But with Alejandro, I don’t think I could bear to have him leave me for a younger woman. My heart ... it couldn’t take it.”
“Or maybe if he saw this real side of you, he’d love you even more,” Doris said.
We all sat quietly and let those words sink into Alice. Finally, she looked up, more tears sparkling in her eyes. “And what if I do this? What if I show him the real me and hedoesn’twant to be with me? What if you’re wrong?”
“Then you have us.” I smiled. “And we will love you. Always.”
Marge nodded along. “Chin hairs, bunions, pee pants and all. You’ve got us, Alice.”
“Always.” Doris smiled.
“Thank you, ladies.” Alice pinched her lips tight as a stream of tears poured down her cheeks. “I love you all so much. And I know I chickened out with Alejandro. I did. You’re right. I’m just so scared.”
“That’s because loveisscary. It means you’re putting your heart in the hands of another human being and asking them to take care of it. But love is so much more than sex and romance. It’s intimacy. It’s trust. It’s letting them take care of you when you’re sick and look like hell or taking care of them when they aren’t at their best either. It’s beautiful to be in a place so secure that you can sit in the bathroom and hold someone’s hand while they are constipated and crying out.”
Alice’s face pulled back in a cringe. “Okay, yeah. That’snevergonna happen for me.”
Marge mimicked Alice’s face. “Yeah. Me neither. There are still some lines that don’t need crossing, no matter how strong the love. That is one of them.”
I chuckled. “Well, I wouldn’t look forward to it either, but Iwouldif I had to. I just mean it’s not all sparkles and glitter all the time. Give it a shot, Alice. You stole his chance to have a say in the matter. That wasn’t fair. And if you’re worried you’re gonna get so old you start pissing and shitting your pants, just take comfort in the fact you won’t be embarrassed long. When you’re that bad, you’ll be senile, and you won’t even remember it happened.”
She tipped her head and chuckled. “Valid. But I don’t care how senile I am. I don’teverwant him wiping my butt.”
“Well, the good news is you’re loaded. You can pay people for that. When things go south, just hire a nurse to handle all the dirty work. Then you can keep some semblance of mystery.”
Alice pressed a finger to her chin. “Hmm. You’re right. I am rich. I can hire people for the gross stuff.”
“Exactly!” Doris said. “So, now you see? You have to give him a chance. You owe it to him and yourself to try to trust in your love.”
“But aren’t I too late? I literally jumped off a cruise ship to get away from him. I don’t even know where he is now. The ship is back in the States, and he has the next three months off. I didn’t get his off-ship phone number, so I have no way to find him. I really messed up.” Another tear started down her cheek. “I love him, and I threw it all away.”
“We’ll find him,” Marge said decidedly. “We found Tom for Sylvie, and we’ll find Alejandro for you. You have my word. I won’t rest until you’re back in his arms. We’re gonna get the hell out of this jungle, get Sylvie to her wedding, and then we’ll go find your man.”
A small smile tipped her lips. “Thank you, Marge. I am so scared, and I have no idea what I will say to him when I see him, but you’re all right. I have to try.”
Determined to help my friend reunite with her true love like I’d reunited with mine, I started brainstorming how we could find him fast. “You said he’s off for the next few months, right?”
“Right. He has a place in Florida he usually goes to or a place in Spain. I’m not sure which one he’s heading to. We were going to travel together, so he’d planned on coming back with me.”
