Chapter 17 Unusual Act

Clare: We didn't move a bit for a while. I kept on hugging him. He kept his face on my shoulder. He didn't try to leave me. After some time I said, "Are you okay?" "Hmm" came the reply "Do you want me to take you to your room?" "No, I want to stay with you in the open. I want the wind to crash on my face. I want to stay here" I nodded. He left my shoulders and went back to the railing. "Thanks for your shoulders" I said nothing, just kept looking at him. We stood there for some time without uttering any word. He spoke - so today you got to see a man crying. Not any usual thing to see - yes don't get to see much of a man cry. They try to show themselves stronger by dumping their emotions. - today I didn't want to hold on - I am glad you opened up. Dumping your emotions will do no help to you. - yes. I was a little uncomfortable at first. - why? - I usually don't open up to people. - why? - I don't do it. - you should have reasons? - I just don't do it. I don't know why but today I told you. This is something unusual. - you are making me feel special. I'm not worthy of it. - who says you are not worthy to feel special? - I'm an average girl with a below-average life. Anything good happens to us it makes us feel special. If you would have said this to anyone else like someone from your friends. I can say they wouldn't have felt special, as I am feeling. - maybe I felt comfortable with you - can be. Being comfortable with someone you fuck occasionally, strange. I thought. - so average Clare, you haven't told me anything about your below-average life. What is your last name? - Rose. - Miss Clare rose. Australian? - American - then what are you doing in ships running from New Zealand and Australia? - I came for work in Australia. And got work on ships - why leave the great America and come to Australia? To The other side of the world? - as I said to look for work. America is populated by foreigners looking for work. So there's tough competition. And Australia has a low population with a demand for laborers. - so you know about demand and supply - common sense - I see. - what about your parents? How often do you meet them? - I don't meet them. - do you have parent issues like mine? - I don't know what issue you had with your parents. - oh okay. Why you don't meet your parents? - they don't exist. - I'm sorry. What happened? - it's okay. I lost my mother at the age of 15 she faced an accident and I never met my father. I don't know who is my father - your mother never told you? - I asked her several times but she never responded to anything about my father. - where do you stay in Australia? Do you have any home? - am I supposed to own a home? I giggled - then? - why do rich people think everyone has money, and everyone doesn't know how to utilize it? I laughed - I'm sorry - I rent a house. I can't stay in one house for years. I hardly stay at home. So I keep changing homes or hostels. - you need a home first. You can't live like a vagabond. You deserve so much more. - you know nothing about me, Mr. Jones - I want to know. Tell me. - even I don't know anything about you. We stayed silent for some time. After some time he spoke - when did you come to Australia? - 4 years ago. I used to work as a waiter in hotels before. I left that job when I finally got work here. What about you? when do you start your business? - I thought about starting my business since childhood but I started working on it when I was 22. Much late to start a business. - So when is the ideal age for a person to start a business? - 17 is best. When you got maximum your education and you are ready to go. I could not think of starting something of my own at 17. He Thinks of too much. I was not even free at my 17. - so how old are you now? - what do you think? Guess - older than me - definitely. Guess the accurate. - Getting accurate is not possible, I can guess a range - go for it - between 30 to 35 - close, 33 I smiled - so, it's been 11 years since you started your business, and now you are here - 11 years of struggle and now I am here. - it's too dark on this side, would you like to walk with me to the brighter side of the ship? - sure, let's go. As I started walking, he again placed his hand on my ass. I quickly removed his hand by holding him with mine. "Why?," he Asked "Not here please" I pleaded "What's the problem?" "I'm not comfortable, can you please keep this intimacy inside your room?" I almost requested him. "You should tell me the reason, Clare" "I don't like people talking in my back" "Ohh Clare you---" "Mike please, please only inside your room. I'm requesting you" "Okay, I get it" he sounded disappointed "Thank you" As we walked towards the brighter side where many people were present there were talking, singing, gossiping, drinking, some are even screaming loudly after drinking. "Look at that asshole, I can tell he suddenly got some money and ruining it without thinking about the future," Michael said pointing his eyes to the guy who was screaming loudly after drinking. "So you have good observing power" I replied " I do " When we were looking at the people I noticed Dani serving juices. She noticed me too and then waved her hand in the air Tumi I waved back. We got a seat to sit on when I saw Eric coming towards me without his uniform. He might be on his break. "Hello Eric" I greeted him as he stood in front of me "Hey Clare, what are you doing here? your passenger may need your service, you should be around inside" he said "Actually she is on her service, she is where the passenger needs her," said Michael. Eric got surprised and asked, " Sir, are you Mr. Jones?" "Yes" Michael replied "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. Actually, it is quite unusual for passengers to sit outside with staff. Passengers only call the staff when they needed" Eric said "Actually I was showing him around," I said to Eric. I observed Michael looking at me for some time without saying anything. "Are you on your break Eric?" I asked "Yes, there's time before dinner time so I came outside to get some air" Eric said looking around "Ohh" "I want to have my snacks now," Michael said raising up from his seat. And continued " I will have them in my room" "Okay then, I will bring your snacks to your room," I said " This place is nice to have snacks, you can try eating here. This open space is definitely better than the fake air of AC" Eric suggested. "Thanks but I would like to eat my snacks in my room," Michael said to Eric. Eric nodded and said "have fun" "Thank you" "What would you like to have in your snacks?" I asked Michael. "Bring two lemon tea and some cakes, I'm heading towards my room," he said and started walking towards his room and in-between looking behind. "Does this man drink extra tea?" Eric asked me "He ordered for both of us for him and for me" I replied "This is so strange Clare, I don't think this person intentions are pure" "He is my passenger, I am appointed to bring anything he orders" "But---" have to go and get his snacks. Or I can lose my job again" I said and started walking. Eric started walking with me. When I knocked on Michael's room, he took some time to open the door. I kept the food on the table and asked, -why did you leave suddenly? you were looking so relaxed to sit in the open? -I wanted to have my snacks - as per as I saw you for two days you could have waited for some time or could have eaten there. - what does that man have to do with you? - Eric? - yeah - he works in the kitchen, we know each other - but why do you have to justify everything to him? - I was not justifying anything - you were acting like you are afraid of him. Like you are answerable to his every question, every doubt, and every useless thing he asks. - see Michael, everyone is talking about us behind our back so, I had to make him sure that I was only showing you around - else what? - I am not that comfortable when people are talking about me especially when they are gossiping behind the back. - why do you have to care about everyone around you else than yourself? Do you have any issue being in public with me? Don't you like it? - no I have no issue roaming in public with you. I like spending time with you, learning new things, and giving you company. - then will you stop giving shit to everything around you? He almost screamed. - okay I understand.