Epilogue

I saw him for the last time at the terminal, after leaving the ship as our journey concluded. We had been on the same group for the disembarkation procedure. The entire cruise was taking turns filling the Theatre after the group before them had left, and, as luck would have it, we both were on the rose group. Maybe a signal from the great beyond? We'll never know.

He was by the exit closest to the stage when I saw him. It was hard to know for sure if it was him, but as the distance grew smaller I recognised his eyes. The same hazel ones that had enamoured me that night, the same small features that made that night so risky to my heart. The hair style that had drawn my attention, and the same golden hair.

He saw me as well, and we both stared at each other for a few seconds before looking down again, for it was still a bit awkward after that night. When the lines began departing the Theatre, he was gone beyond my sight, and stayed that way the three floors we had to go down, all the way until stepping down the gangway to the port. There, we were in the same line for the bus, so we'd see each other again. Unluckily, we had not left out suitcases out the night before, so the staff hadn't taken them to the pick-up point, which meant I had to carry both suitcases down three floors, down the ship, inside the bus and outside again. Needless to say, I was tired. Not sweating yet though, so it wasn't as bad as it could've been. I took the suitcases up the bus's stairs, and they got stuck at the hallway only twice: at the very beginning both went against the edge of the seats, and only the one I was carrying behind me got stuck one seat before him.

Which meant I was stuck right in front of him.

Neither of us met the other’s gazes, but I knew he had been looking before that, because he was looking straight into the seat in front of him, which had no design to even interest the most boring person ever. Last time I saw him do that was that day before that night, and just as I saw him in the crowd he looked at the floor and didn't match my gaze. But I wanted to see those eyes one last time, and I did.

We got to the terminal, and I thought I had seen him for the last time, but I was wrong. I would get one more glance at him.

He was walking to the far right end of the terminal, and as he vanished into the crowd, he turned around, and we met each other for the very last time.

**

I was home again.

My dog had gone crazy when he saw us, but kept most of his enthusiasm on my mother. Grandma was having her noon nap, and her maid was cleaning the house.

I went up to my room, and started unpacking. All the clothes could use cleaning, so I just dumped it all in the cleaning basket.

At the end of all of it was the blue, rectangular box, which contained a metal replica of the Seaview. I picked it up, opened it, and set the ship on my desk, next to my other replicas of various planes and helicopters.

I looked at it, the ship that had caused within me so many feelings, loves, and delusions.

To this day, I get emotional whenever I see it. So much had happened on that ship, so many memories, so many laughs, disputes, and cringes. But only two loves.

Maybe, just maybe, it was him that made cry.