The Saga of Jerry-Josey-Tracy

Later the two dancers entered the ballroom and found a table and sat down to watch the other passengers hold each other and just sway in the same spot. A few couples, a very few, even appeared to be still in love with each other and enjoy dancing while a few were trying to have sex on the dance floor. The band played a modern hit tune that was slow and noisy that contrasted to the romantic mood the dancing couples were trying to achieve. The next tune was the Michael Jackson pop song, 'Not My Child.' The band just happened to play it as a cha cha dance number. Fanny and Jerry began dancing, and the others who had been shaking their bodies at each other on the dance floor soon sat down to watch. They brought the house down with their dancing skills. The couple put on a professional grade exhibition for free for the passengers. And, when it ended the ballroom exploded with applause for Jerry and Fanny, and even the band members stood to cheer the lone dancing couple's performance. Both were amazed because their first dance was an over-the-top winner for both the two dancers and the viewers.

The next song was a slow nightclub two-step and the couple held each other loosely and danced politely enjoying the moment as the singer wailed another pop song. Four of the other couples made a point to dance by and tell them just how much they enjoyed their performance of the cha cha. Incredibly, Jerry and Fanny started to enjoy each other's company to the extent that they met nightly in the ballroom. In fact, they became an icon of the dance floor for this cruise.

By day Jerry split his time three ways: the gym, writing another article for submission to New England Architecture and reading one of the four books he brought with him on his eReader. Sitting in the sun reading, he was sometimes interrupted by passengers who remembered seeing him on the dance floor. The talking at each other morphed from music to politics to health and fitness and were long and tiring but signified nothing - except to put him behind in his plans for the cruise as a single. When the ship stopped at the first port, neither he nor Fanny disembarked to browse the local shops. But, since the ship was almost empty of passengers he was at his most creative when composing his article that he wanted to submit immediately after returning to Boston. Fanny spent her days taking photography and computer courses.

In the evening, Fanny and Jerry always had last-seating dinner in the main dining room together and from there the two adjourned to the ballroom.

On the afternoon before the ship was scheduled to drop anchor at Cabo the next morning, Fanny looked closely at the pin on Jerry's lapel for the first time and said almost in shock, "You are a professional architect, aren't you? Your pin looks like an American Institute pin. Is it?"

Jerry laughed completely relaxed enjoying his after-dinner wine with Fanny and said, "Guilty as charged. In fact, would you like to see an Article I wrote for the New England Architecture magazine?"

Fanny said excitedly, "Yes. Yes. Please show me."

Jerry unzipped his sling pack and took out his ever-present eTablet and brought up the article. It was ornately titled, "Crystal Palace - a dazzling new luxury high rise condo in Boston's Back Bay." By Jerry Jackson, Executive Project Manager." His employer's logo was prominently displayed.

The aerial photo shot of the structure showed the Boston Financial District in the background.

Fanny read the opening comments, and her eyes got bigger and bigger, and she finally stopped reading when the language became technical in nature. She looked up at Jerry with a single tear on each cheek and said, "You are shocking - not only are you personable, healthy, and a skilled silver level dancer, but you are a Professional Architect. This is your building, right?"

Jerry replied, "Well, sort of. I sat for the exams and am licensed as an Architect, but I was not the Architect of record for this building. I work for such a firm. Technically it's the Architect of Record's building but she just rubber stamped what I submitted so in one sense it is 'my building.' Part of that achievement was my effort, but in the nuts-n-bolts area of getting things done, my team worked tirelessly to make it happen. And - in fact - worked together as if they might have been a winning pro-football team. Every single member of the team gave the project all he or she had and was subsequently rewarded handsomely with a bonus check. The per square foot cost of the finished building that was accepted by the owners was small enough to raise global eyebrows."

Fanny returned his eTablet while she looked steadily into Jerry's eyes unable to suppress tears of happiness for her newly found friend. She said, "The thousands of hours I practiced to get my dance patterns exactly right when I was young and competing, are eclipsed by what you must have gone through. You are not only creative, but you must work well through and with others to have achieved this," pointing at his eTablet, "And you get no recognition except by other architects and builders, and vendors, right?"

Jerry replied, "Well, the buyers of those condos worked hard all their life and every enjoyable moment living there is a silent, 'Thank You,' to me. From time to time, someone I admire, like you, understands and recognizes me, and that is enough public recognition."

Fanny abruptly blew her nose and changed the subject. She asked, "Jerry, would you meet me at the tender boat dock mid-ship in the morning one hour after the first boarding call and hang with me tomorrow on the Cabo San Lucas boardwalk?"

"Yes, Fanny, that would be fun. I will text you my location as soon as we are in the cellular 3-G range of the shore, so our cell phones are active, O.K.?"

She replied, "Yes. Let's not talk anymore or dance tonight, what do you say?"

Jerry smiled and said, "Certainly, may I walk you to your stateroom?"

Chapter 2

The next morning the initial rush of passengers to get off the Cruise ship was over, and the current tender boat carried only ten passengers, two of whom were Jerry and Fanny. The Architect felt naked because his new friend had talked him into leaving the ever present eTablet in his stateroom safe. Fanny felt exhilaration because she ached to hug her grandson. In fact, as the craft arched a right angle turn, both could make out a woman and a child standing beside several suitcases just outside the restricted docking area. As the Tender Craft drew closer to the wooden pier, a woman and child became distinct, and on the craft's final turn to dock, showed the duo vividly. The sun that had recently risen was shining through the woman's skirt. The child was jumping up and down with impatience because he had seen his grandmother who had waved at him. Just before docking the woman's blowing hair appeared to Jerry to glow as sunlight streamed through it. Neither of the two tender boat passengers watching said a word.

By the time a small physical 'bump' of the small craft reaching the pier was felt, Jerry was unable to move while the other nine passengers scampered onto the pier when directed. The architect could clearly see the woman now. The tingle in his skin started on his forearms and soon engulfed his whole body, but he riveted his eyes onto the lady's face and hers on his face. He vaguely noticed that the former Latin champion was running to exit the restricted area and embrace her grandson and daughter. A crew member touched Jerry on the shoulder and said, "We are here, sir, step carefully right this way."

As Jerry walked up to the trio, Fanny said joyfully, "Earth to Jerry Jackson, meet my grandson, Oliver Fleming - and his nickname is Ollie." The Architect came to his senses and knelt and offered his hand to the tyke and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ollie. My name is Jerry. I can tell you are excited to see your grandmother."

The youngster smiled at him and said, "Yes, Jerry, it has been a year. And I am glad you are finally here as well."

As Jerry was standing back up he thought, "My, what a strange thing for a four-year-old to say."

Fanny continued, "This lady is Tracy Fleming, Jerry, and she has had the training of a silver-level dancer, except there has been no one in her world since undergraduate school who cares to dance. Why don't you guys get to know each other while Ollie and I visit Haagen-Dazs."

Tracy Fleming was a naturally beautiful woman with high cheekbones, and the first thing one noticed about her was that she had one eye that was blue and the other green. The second thing one noticed about her is that she had no interest in being the woman that all eyes turned to when entering a room, but she certainly could have dressed and looked the part. She was one of the very few who managed to impress while trying not to do so. Boredom in a social situation was the norm for Tracy, but now her face glowed, yet it was void of cosmetics. About five and a half feet tall with boobs she tried not to emphasize, her mother was shocked today because her smiles came from within rather than from without a.k.a., the proverbial 'say cheese' smile. Her arms and her legs radiated power even though she didn't appear muscular. The Cabo San Lucas Marathon 3rd Place Winner pinned to her blouse caught Jerry's attention.

There was silence between the two, but there was no embarrassment. It was as if each was studying details of the others life while examining the face and eyes and body of the other. In a while, Tracy broke the silence and said, "Mom has been writing detailed emails nightly describing you and what you two were doing on board the 'Rhett Butler.' Did you design a luxury condo high-rise and you are only 32 - which is just a year younger than me?"

"Well, yes, I thunk it up but am not the architect of record because the owner of the company, who is my employer, does that. But, Tracy, I don't know anything at all about you. I was not aware that Fanny was in the computer room spending all that money to write and read emails while at sea - I thought she was taking courses. So, all I know is your name, and that you are relocating to somewhere near South Padre Island Texas from Mexico. Who are you and why would you escape from this paradise," as he gestured with his arm in the pleasant weather that was characteristic of Cabo San Lucas.

"Well, I am a surgeon and until a month ago I was a partner and performed knee and hip-replacement surgery in a Medical Tourism clinic near here. North Americans and Europeans fly here and have these operations for about 35 cents on a dollar compared to back home. Before I came here I was at Houston Catholic and had a lover who was an oncologist - yes, he fathered Ollie, but we never married. We bought this clinic as partners from a retiring surgeon 12 years ago. At the same time, we leased and later purchased a home in the American Community on the Pacific north of town."

Jerry said, "Everything you are describing is past tense..."

Tracy smiled broadly for the first time because this man was a good listener and said, "My ex and I kind of fell in bed with each other at Houston Catholic when he was in residency, and I began performing operations. Looking back, we were too busy to fall in love, but we became each other's habit since we hung out together often. When this clinic opportunity came along, my ex and I invested equally with money neither of us could afford, and became American Ex-pats living here. He fell in love with one of our Nurses at our clinic, and that ended his and my personal relationship. We continued in the clinic partnership for a year during which time I brought my board certifications up to date in Texas and ultimately asked him to buy me out. He gladly did at my asking price for both my share of our home's value and the clinic partnership. So, I am returning to Texas and will open an office and practice surgery at South Texas General's new Orthopedic Center."

Jerry asked, "Will Ollie and his grandmother get to see more of each other in South Texas?"

Tracy broke out in a smile and said, "To put it mildly, they will. In fact, I have bought a house near South Padre Island and Mom already has moved there. Relocating was a tough decision for me because medical tourism is very lucrative for practitioners right now - but the future? Not so much, I believe?"

Jerry said, "I am trying to imagine why?"

Tracy smiled at Jerry and said, "I'll be happy to talk about that ugly subject someday, but not today. Tell me something about yourself that Mom hasn't already said to me."

Jerry said, "I flew from Boston to California and took this cruise that was to have been for my live-in lover and me. Two days before flying she went back to her ex-husband - as her divorce was not yet final. I decided to make the trip alone. The only single woman I got to know is your mother, and that happened because I recognized her from a photo on the wall of my dance studio in high school. Allow me to explain about meeting your Mom on board. I studied the singles meet-up name tag she wore and remembered the photo where I took lessons weekly while in high school. I put the two together. She was dressed in a skimpy though elegant costume on the enlarged photo when receiving her Blackpool Award. I was so enamored with her picture until as a 10th grader, I learned about masturbation while thinking about her."

Tracy squealed with laughter and squeezed his arm and abruptly stopped laughing when she looked carefully into his eye and said, "Hey, I am amazed that someone as busy as you are, take the time to visit the gym and bother to eat healthy food even while young, thank you."

Suddenly there was silence between them as both clenched their fists wanting to hold the other but they just stood, when up walked Fanny and Ollie - who had an ice cream cone in his hand. The older woman spoke to Jerry and said, "Now you know why I invited you to come ashore with me - and considering all these suitcases we must get aboard the 'Rhett Butler' you will have saved the day by volunteering to be a porter." There was laughter at her joke amongst the three adults.

Jerry said, tongue-in-cheek, "Please let me be the porter, Ladies? I am stronger than you think because I have worked in the building trades since college."

After the logistics of who would carry which suitcases were worked out, Tracy took out her key card that had been mailed her by the ship line owner and all four flashed their stateroom key card and passport and returned to the tender boat deck. They carefully loaded the suitcases onto the Tender and stepped into the bobbing craft. Instinctively Tracy and Jerry grasped each other's hand.

Once back on the ship the four carried Tracy's luggage inside to Fanny's cabin. The problem was that Fanny's small stateroom could not accommodate the six extra pieces of luggage plus the two additional people.

There was a long silence as everyone was thinking of what to do. The sexually frustrated architect decided to play all of his chips so that he just might get laid on this cruise, and asked, "Could I offer a solution, ladies?"

Fanny replied. "So now you are not only a porter you are a problem solver; we await your insights breathlessly."

The architect smiled and said, "Tracy and two suitcases stay in my stateroom and sleep in my other twin bed while Fanny and Ollie plus four suitcases stay in this family-size stateroom with his grandmother."

There was immediate silence in the crowded space. In a moment, the Grandmother spoke up and said, "I don't think..."

Tracy interrupted her and said, "Mom! Just a moment. Jerry, you have an excellent idea. Thank you for feeling so comfortable in my presence until you would suggest this. Mom, I was thinking the same thing myself."

Fanny smiled and said, "Well problem solved. Not only do you create buildings you rescue two ladies and a child in distress - Hmm. You came equipped with everything except a suit of armor and a horse." Much laughter followed.

After more chatting and chuckles, Jerry said to the three, "I need to go to my stateroom and make it tidy for Tracy to store her things. And I shall return within fifteen minutes. In his stateroom, the suddenly walking on air and madly-in-love architect put all of his toiletries in his case zipped it and then pushed the two twin beds apart. He thought, "Is this happening to me? Has the ball finally stopped on my color? Oh to never masturbate with either a woman's body or my right hand again! Just be yourself, Jerry, God is in his heaven, and all is well."

Back in Fanny's stateroom, Jackson observed the mother explaining to Ollie, "Mom will sleep in Jerry's room, and you sleep next to Granny. You can pick up the phone and call me if you wish, as the number to dial is right in front of their phone."

Ollie said, "That is quite alright, Mom, as Granny and I are leaving soon to walk on deck."

The architect slumped against the stateroom door unable to grasp that a four-year-old could talk like a ten-year-old. Tracy noticed her soon to be roommate's bewildered expression and said, "Ollie's live in Nanny ever since I went back to work after having him was a Retired Music Teacher at a Mexico City college. Thanks to her, Ollie is fluent in both English and Spanish and can play the piano pretty well, though he doesn't like it at the moment. Thanks to the Nanny he is without peers but he is just not interested in the piano, but he will practice if I bribe him. After you have spent some time with him, be prepared to field lots of questions about what you do and how the world works. The man who fathered him and I had been so busy making money in our clinic until neither of us saw him develop into this whiz kid, sorry to say. "

Jerry asked, "What kind of relationship did Ollie have with his father?"

"They loved each other, and when his father dropped us off on the Boardwalk embarkation area this morning, the parting was warm but not tearful. Ollie will miss Bill, and to some extent, Bill will ache to visit his son."

"Will Tracy miss Bill?"

"Yes. We never shared a love for each other, but we had companionship and close friendship until he fell in love with someone - for which I was and am happy for him. It wasn't all work 24/7. The three of us took some time out to have fun and some good times occasionally - for example; we have explored southern Baja in a dune buggy twice. I like to think that at its best, Bill and my relationship was like my mother and her long-term dance partner qua lover's relationship in that neither were in love, but both enjoyed and depended on each other's company, social and erotic. Just like theirs was symbiotic, so was Bill and mine. But that is over now, and I just hope your and my relationship develop into something that is like that yet more than mutual back-scratching that Bill and I plus Mom and her dance partner had for years."

By this time, Jerry's eyes had reddened even as a giant smile dominated his head as he said, "Hear here! Are you ready to move to my stateroom, Dear Lady," holding his breath for fear that she might change her mind?

She replied, "Yes! Let's leave now and enjoy our adventure." She kissed her son and hugged her Mom as they started to leave the room to explore Jerry's stateroom and later the ship. Turning to Jerry, she said, "If we each take a suitcase then returning here will not be necessary."

In Jerry's stateroom, Tracy went immediately to the two closets that were open and empty and said, "I assume these closets obviously are for me. Say, why not take your eTablet onto the balcony and chill out while I unpack. Our starboard side is shady, and you should be comfortable. I will come get you after I finish."

Jerry said, "Excellent idea."

An hour later, Jerry heard the drapes go back and then the glass door slide open. Tracy stood naked just inside the door toweling herself dry having come from the shower. Jerry stood up, and his short pants had conspicuously tented while Tracy smiled broadly at his discomfort. She held out her hand, and he walked inside towards her. She touched his erect penis through his shorts and said, "I can not remember the last time I burned with sexual desire, but I do right now. Whatever is the quickest shower and toilet you have ever done, please break that record now." She chuckled as Jerry ripped off his clothes running to the bathroom door.