Sheila’s Vacation (1)

Sheila walked along the deck of the cruise ship she was wearing a string bikini and the air had a slight chill just enough to make her nipples noticeable. She had long wavy blonde hair and watched the world through bright green eyes. It was in the middle of the morning roughly around 2:45 on the second day of her vacation and she was enjoying the quiet. There wasn’t much activity at this time besides the night crew tending to their duties and some other vacationers.

Her mind wandered through the events of the past month. Sheila worked in the sales department of a large tech firm and she was one of the top in her department. She loved her job but after 5 years she decided it was time for a break. She put in for it through her supervisor who immediately denied it, saying that it was a very important time of year and she needed everyone working. This had infuriated Sheila so she went through the HR department and her vacation was granted both weeks. The HR rep then asked what she was doing and after finding out about the cruise. They helped arrange everything including a good discount. Then on the first day just before she was to go to the harbor her supervisor called and left a message that she didn’t appreciate her selfishness in taking a vacation during this time, and that this wouldn’t reflect well on her review when it comes up.

The other main thing that set her off before her vacation on her 27th birthday a couple of weeks prior she got a call from her mother, she barely wished her a happy birthday before starting on the usual topic of her wanting grandchildren. She had reminded her mother that she had 7 grandchildren between her brother and sister. Her mother raised her voice “And now it’s your turn, I’m not going to be around forever you know.”. That conversation ended with Sheila raising her own voice “How old do I have to be to live my own life! It’s my life to live how I want and you can just deal with it!”. Then she hung up and refused to answer her mom’s calls. Her siblings used a conference call to wish her a happy birthday with their families. She smiled hearing her nieces and nephews singing happy birthday in various keys. She told them of the conversation with their mother and they said that they would talk to their mother and not to worry about it.

While she walked lost in her thoughts she wasn’t oblivious to the looks that she was getting from some of the crew and the few other passengers that were up at this hour. As she was about to pass a young crewman who was cleaning the tables she stopped and looked at him a moment.