SS Valentine

[author's Note: this story starts slow and ended up longer than I expected. There is no graphic sex, hence the reason it is posted in romance. Thanks for reading and please enjoy.]

Frank Johnson was a drone – one of the many thousands of worker bees that commuted into Manhattan each morning to toil with the others. His contribution by itself was insignificant, but together all the individual parts made up the whole that was the engine of prosperity.

Frank was one of about 2000 people who worked for Global Underwriters in Manhattan, a worldwide insurance company with 6000 employees scattered throughout 26 different countries. He worked in the accounting department though he was not an accountant. He had started to get the degree out of high school, but lack of money and motivation caused him to give up a couple of years into the program. He knew that getting the degree would mean more money, but also more responsibility and right now he was not looking for any more responsibility. He made enough money to pay his bills and to save for his yearly week's vacation down at the jersey shore.

Penny Jonson was a drone – one of the many thousands of worker bees that commuted into Manhattan each morning to toil with the others. Her contribution by itself was insignificant, but together all the individual parts made up the whole that was the engine of prosperity.

Penny was one of about 2000 people who worked for Global Underwriters in Manhattan, a worldwide insurance company with 6000 employees scattered throughout 26 different countries. Penny worked in the Human Relations department, mostly keeping track of various employee benefits and making changes to employee records as necessary. She had started work at GU right out of high school, hoping that the large company would have enough eligible bachelors that she might meet someone to marry. At least this is what she told her mother who was always commenting on other women her age who had already started their families.

Frank was sitting at his desk early one Monday morning when the phone rang. Answering, he found himself speaking to a customer services rep from a ticket consolidator he had registered with after reading about them in the company newsletter. The rep asked if he was still interested in the cruise he indicated in his registration, saying that there were cabins available if he could leave this coming Sunday. Frank had never taken a cruise, but friends who had told him how great it would be and with the cold of early February getting him down, he figured why not. He knew his work was not so important that he would be able to take a week off without much trouble, so told the rep to hold a cabin for him.

"Confirm your mailing address for me and I will send out the necessary paperwork right away. You did say you have a valid passport, right?" the voice asked.

"Yes, my passport is valid for 4 more years. You can send the material to Frank Johnson, 8934 222nd St. apt. 4C, New York."

"Is that Queens?" the rep asked.

"Yes, lived in Queens all my life." Frank responded.

"If you don't get the packet by Wednesday, give me a call back."

Frank hung up, he would have to get a few things in order, but did not expect to have any problems and was looking forward to a nice week in the tropics.

Penny was coming back to her desk from the coffee machine when the phone rang. She answered and spoke to a customer service representative from a ticket consolidator. She had registered with them after she had heard of their services and put a story into the company newsletter that she helped to edit.

"We have a few cabins available for a cruise to the Caribbean leaving this coming Sunday. Are you interested and can you be ready to go by then?" the rep asked.

Penny had always wondered if what she had heard about cruises was true and the cold weather and snow here in the city early in February had her thinking about warmer climates even before the call.

"I can be ready, what do I need to do?" Penny asked.

"I will send out a packet of information with everything you will need. You do have a valid passport don't you?" "Yes, my passport is good."

"Can you confirm your mailing address for me?"

"Send mail to Penny Jonson, 8394 222nd St. Apt. 4c, New York." Penny instructed.

"I'll get this right out. Let me know if you haven't received it by Wednesday." The rep concluded.

As he had suspected, Frank did not have any problems getting a week off with short notice. He would need to pick up some things at the store, mostly summer shirts and maybe some shorts, but felt he was pretty much ready to go once he got the info and saw exactly what they would want. His thoughts turned to warm tropical weather and cold fruit drinks for the rest of the week, his work suffering due to his lack of attention. Friday he stayed late in Manhattan and managed to find 3 new Hawaiian shirts and some shorts, not an easy task this time of year. He would pack tomorrow and be ready for an early flight to Miami Sunday morning.

Penny didn't think she would need too much to go away with, but after telling her fellow coworkers of her plans, they decided to go shopping on Saturday morning. Penny's best friend since 6th grade, Gloria, and one of her other coworkers, Inez, were to accompany her. They fancied themselves the three musketeers of HR and often went to lunch together or just gossiped at one of their desks during the day. Penny had thought maybe a few summer weight blouses and some sandals, but she didn't expect to need much. Really the only reason she was going out was to spend the day in the city with her friends.

On Saturday morning, Frank was starting to get his suitcase packed. He put in his usual socks and boxers, then the new shirts and shorts he had picked up last night. He remembered noticing that his usual size seemed pretty snug, and he had to get a larger size for some of the shorts he bought. He told himself that he just had to walk 6 or 8 blocks further down the line before he caught the train into the city and he would be back in his old size in a few months. He had gone over the list of things the cruise company suggested and put in his aspirin, sun block, tooth paste, and other necessities. He took a 6 pack of condoms from his drawer that had one missing, and then saw the box was 4 months out of date. He tossed them and pondered making a trip to the drug store to pick up some new. He always had this thought whenever he had to throw outdated condoms away. With what he had heard about cruises, he figured there would be condom machines every 50 feet on the boat, so decided to put off buying any here. He went over everything 2 more times to be certain he had not forgotten anything before closing the bag and setting it by the door for tomorrow.

Penny started putting her clothes into the suitcase after she returned from her shopping trip. She had planned to take her old granny panties and bras, but Gloria had said that they would not impress any young male she might find on the trip. Both Gloria and Inez had insisted that if she would not go for the thongs and lacey bras, at least bikini panties and sexier bras. She had let them talk her into the underwear, and then the subject of sleepwear came up. Inez said to just sleep naked, but Penny would not even consider that possibility. Penny was going to take the old faithful flannel nightie she wore in the winter, but both her friends reminded her that the tropics would not be cold enough to require flannel anything. She had found a nylon baby doll outfit that showed a lot of skin and even though she wasn't too sure about it, the others convinced her to buy. The final item was a nice dress for the formal dinner. Penny had some at home, but most had not been worn in years and none was very fashionable. Gloria insisted she needed one of the 'little black dresses' that one always hears about. They looked and found something the other 2 liked, but Penny was shocked. The top was cut low and the skirt a lot shorter than she thought appropriate. She tried it on and even though it fit well, Penny wasn't sure. The dress was not meant to be worn with a bra, but Penny remembered that her mother and grandmother had said only sluts went out in public without wearing a bra. She said the only way she would get the dress was if she could find a bra to wear with it. A little looking and they found a strapless black bra she could wear. The dress did not look right with her wearing the bra, but Penny was insistent so it too went to the checkout.

As she was putting items into her suitcase, Penny started having second thoughts. She put in some of the granny panties and bras she was comfortable with, the flannel nightie, her full length terry cloth robe, the best of her old dresses and more. When she looked at the pile of clothes that would have to fit into the case, she saw she would need at least 3 more suitcases to fit everything. Penny did not want to have any more luggage than she could handle easily, so started taking out the bulkier items. In the end, even though she was not as comfortable with the choices, the lighter, newer items would make the case easier to handle.

As she was trying on different items, she looked at herself in the mirror. She noticed that her behind was getting larger, a result of sitting so many hours at her desk. She vowed to dig out the old 'Buns of Steel' video she had packed away somewhere and follow the program. Her breasts were still in good shape, no real sag to them. They were not as large as some, but she still noticed men checking them out which secretly made her happy. She was sure that she would be attractive enough to someone someday and that she would be able to start a family of her own. She took a few minutes to shave her underarms, her legs and trim up her bikini line, even though she was not sure about wearing the more revealing 2 piece suit Inez insisted she buy. She had packed it along with her more conservative 1 piece just in case.

Frank took the train to Newark International where he caught the Spirit air flight to Miami. He had never flown before and was a bit apprehensive, but was looking forward to getting away and spending time in the warm tropics. Penny had Gloria drop her at JFK International so she could catch the AirTrans flight to Miami and get on the boat. She also had never flown before so this was a new experience for her.

At Miami International, Frank found his luggage and went outside to catch the shuttle to the docks. With several cruise ships leaving this morning, there were quite a few people on the shuttle, but the ride was quick and Frank was soon able to hand off his luggage to some crew members who assured him it would find its way to his cabin. He confirmed his documentation and was given a key card to the cabin and told that boarding would start in about 30 minutes. Not having much else to do until boarding, Frank found a spot out of the way and just hung out waiting for the call.

Penny got to the airport in Miami a few minutes after Frank's flight landed. She also retrieved her luggage and took the next shuttle to the docks and went through the same process Frank had. She was a bit intimidated by the number of people hanging around, strange since being in Manhattan with its crowds did not bother her at all. She also found an out of the way spot to wait until the call for boarding came.

*****

Right on schedule, several cruise employees started circulating through the crowd, encouraging the mass of people to start heading for the ramp to board. Those closest to the ship started first, and soon there was a crush of people walking toward the ramp. Frank and Penny each got caught up in the moving crowd and although not more than 20 feet apart, did not see the other as they made their way onto the ship.

Frank was thinking it a bit odd as he followed some seniors up the ramp, most of those he had seen were rather older than he was. His vision of a Caribbean cruise had involved a lot of hot young women who would not be wearing much, but here he only saw several groups of seniors.

Penny was standing in line behind a woman who was slowing the progress as she moved with a walker, her companion walking slowly beside her. Since she was not in any hurry, the slowness of the line was not concerning to Penny, although she remembered seeing a group of others in wheelchairs going to a special entrance. She thought the talk of the others boarding was kind of loud, and noticed more than one person with a discrete hearing aid in his or her ear.

What Neither Frank nor Penny realized was that the ship had been reserved by AARP for a promotion they offered to their members. The one criterion for reserving a spot on the ship was that it was for couples only and that those couples had to have been married to each other for a minimum of 50 years. The average age of the passengers was about 80. Several last minute cancellations had made a few cabins available and those were the ones that Frank and Penny had been offered.

Once Frank made his way onto the ship, he moved away from the crowds and started looking the ship over. The decks above the main deck housed the better cabins and from his research, Frank knew that they cost a lot more than the simple one he was assigned to well below decks. He wasn't bothered by this, he was only planning to sleep there so who cared how nice it was or wasn't. As long as he could get a good night's sleep and maybe have room for one more (if he was lucky), the cabin would be fine. He knew the ship would be leaving Miami harbor shortly and that most stayed on the deck to see things as the ship passed by. After walking about and getting a feel for the layout of the ship, he found a spot he felt would offer a good view and just sat in one of the deck chairs to wait for the ship to set off.

Penny was finally on the deck, the slowness of the passengers in front of her had started to annoy her after a while. She talked to herself to calm down, it would be a long week at sea if she did not learn to let a few inconveniences go. She had made it on board and the ship was huge. She also realized that the weather here in Miami was warm, a nice change from the frigid days of the cold northeast winter. She wandered around for a bit and also decided to find a less crowded place to stand and watch as the ship pulled out of the harbor.

Boarding had taken longer than normal due to the slowness of some of the passengers. Some were quite spry for their age, but there were quite a few walkers, canes and even a number of passengers in wheelchairs. Soon, however, the ships horn blew its first blast of many as the large vessel was pushed into the channel by 2 tugs. Once away from the dock the ship started to move on its own and soon was slowly making its way out of the harbor, the decks filled with those watching and waving to others who were there to see them off. One knew the ship was moving since it was passing other ships and stationary objects, but there wasn't a hint of roughness as the ship glided toward the open sea. They would be at sea for the next 2 days until making port for the first time. Frank and Penny each watched the progress of the ship and were struck by the immense size of the vessel. This ship could accommodate 1800 passengers and the crew that would take care of all those passengers.

*****

As the ship left the harbor, the crowd of passengers started to thin out. Some went for a tour of the ship, others found their cabins and settled in. Penny decided to find her own cabin and figure out where the dining rooms were and what time meals would be served. She knew that food would be available just about 24-7, but she wanted to stay on her own schedule and not contribute any more to the big butt she had noticed earlier. She took the folded map of the ship out of her purse and looked to find her way below. She had gone over the map many times before this, but being here on the ship was a lot different than reading it in the comfort of her kitchen.

Frank watched the harbor and the last of the Florida coast disappear behind the ship as the light of the day started to fade. He wasn't sure what to do first, but decided to check out the bar scene. He wasn't a big drinker, but did like a few cold ones at home with his buddies. The idea of a fruity tropical drink was appealing, but right now, just out of the states, he decided to grab a quick brew before he checked out his cabin. He looked at the map of the ship that had been included in his packet of information and found the closest bar. It was early in the evening and there were not many people drinking so he was able to order and get a cold one without any delay. The beer was charged to his cabin and without the need for much cash, Frank decided this cruise wasn't a bad idea. He left a dollar for the bartender and finished his drink shortly and then decided to find the cabin and see what his accommodations were like.

Penny followed a maze of corridors until she came to the door that was marked with the number corresponding to her assigned cabin. As she took her key card out of its protective wrapper, she noticed that someone had spelled her last name with the 'h'. This happened often enough that she had learned to let it go unless there was a specific need for accurate spelling. It used to bother her a lot, but once she realized that her sanity was more important than someone else's error, she learned to live with what was only really a minor annoyance. The card opened the room and she went inside to see where she would be spending the next week. The inside of the cabin was a lot smaller than she had expected. She was on the lowest passenger deck and supposed that the low cost of the ticket was due to the lesser desirability of the room. The bed filled most of the space, with little room on the sides to move around. There was a bathroom that also seemed small, but she could live with it for a week without being too cramped. The crew had delivered her luggage to the cabin and it was sitting beside the small closet on the wall next to the bathroom. Penny sat down on the edge of the bed and looked over some of the information she had received and wondered what they might be serving for dinner.

Frank finished his beer and after checking his map, started to follow the same maze of corridors that Penny had walked a few minutes earlier. As he got further down into the bowels of the ship, he was seeing fewer people. He found the floor his cabin was on and then the actual number. He took out the key card and inserted it into the slot, hearing the lock click open as he pulled the card out. He turned the knob and walked into the room.

Penny heard the door click and had a flash of panic. As the door opened, she saw a man she did not recognize and put her hand into her purse quickly shouting "I have mace. Get the hell out of my room!"

"Your room? This is my room, I have the key card right here." Frank answered with a feeling of total confusion.

Penny still had her hand in her purse and tried to look as intimidating as she could. She felt the panic starting to intensify as they glared at each other, but neither seemed to be willing to back down one bit.

"This is my room! I have the key card right here." Penny answered. She had seen in the info packet that the steward was a quick call away, but did not think she could get to the phone in the room and call for help without this intruder preventing her from doing so.

Frank was confused, he did not expect anything like this to occur on a simple vacation. The woman seemed to be insistent that this was her cabin, but Frank knew that it was his. Looking around, he spotted his suitcase, the handle wrapped with orange tape to make it easy to identify when amongst other cases.