Familiar Waters - Chapter 11
Some journeys lead us forward. Others carry us back to what we long to believe.
Quinn wanted to believe the hardest part was behind her.
Chapter 11 - Mirage of Trust
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Sydney - The Cruise
Quinn stood at the rail as Sydney slipped away, her grip loosening without her permission. She still didn’t know what to believe. The Robbie who abandoned her in Sydney, or the one who had come back without warning, stepping into the cruise as if nothing had broken between them.
The moment she had seen Robbie standing there already felt distant. The hardest part was over before the ship left the harbor.
Robbie didn’t speak when she joined her. The quiet between them settled into something that almost felt familiar and easy.
Quinn leaned over and whispered in Robbie’s ear so no one would hear.
“I want us to stay in the suite with Connie and Liz. They invited me, and it’s the right thing to do.”
Robbie turned toward her, already drawing a breath to answer.
Quinn lifted a hand.
“No.”
Her voice stayed quiet, but there was no uncertainty in it.
“We’re staying with Connie and Liz.”
Robbie held Quinn’s gaze another moment before lowering her eyes. She gave the smallest shrug.
“If that’s what you want.”
Quinn nodded.
“It is.”
They went back to the suite to unpack. Connie and Liz had gone to lunch and suggested they meet at the sundeck for the sailaway.
As the last shirt was hung up, Robbie turned toward Quinn.
“That was quick work of unpacking. I love that we’re both good at packing light. Do you want to go to the buffet and get something to eat?”
Quinn looked up. She wished they had gone with Connie and Liz but understood they were giving the two of them a chance to reconnect.
“Sure. I could use a drink.”
Taking her hand, Robbie led Quinn out the door. Quinn withdrew it to press the elevator button, then slipped her hand into her pocket as they waited. They wandered through the buffet sections, each selecting a few items from the hundreds of choices. Quinn suggested they sit outside, and they found a shaded table for two. She pressed the call button to request a server.
“I’ll have a dirty martini,” Quinn said.
Robbie glanced at her, just long enough to register the choice.
“White wine for me, please.”
“A martini this early in the day, Quinn? That’s not your typical drink.”
Quinn gave a small shrug.
“I guess I’m not over the shock of you showing up for the cruise. I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again.”
“I’m sorry you were so insecure, Quinn. I just wanted to surprise you. Once I received your comm that you were going on the cruise, I couldn’t get the idea out of my head.”
Quinn’s first sip of the martini sent warmth through her chest. She lifted her chin.
“I wouldn’t call it insecure,” she said evenly. “When I didn’t hear from you, I assumed we were done. And I was furious with you, Robbie.”
“I already apologized for my behavior. I want our relationship to work. You mean the world to me. Please let me show you how much I love you while we’re on this cruise.”
Quinn listened, taking another slow sip.
“Robbie… I just don’t know. Yes, we’ve had some wonderful times together, and I did want us to build a life together. But I need to trust that you’ll be here for me.”
Robbie leaned in for a kiss and whispered, “I will, Quinn. I promise.”
Quinn turned her face just enough that the kiss landed softly against her cheek. She pressed the call button and ordered another martini.
Back in the suite, they showered, changed, and met for a late drink before dinner. The rhythm of the ship picked them up without effort. Meals appeared when they wanted them. Music drifted through the open lounges.
Robbie reached for the drink menu.
“The usual?” she asked.
Quinn smiled slightly.
“Another martini.”
Robbie looked up.
“Still?”
Quinn met her eyes.
“Yes.”
A smile crossed Robbie’s face.
“Another martini it is.”
Her shoulders relaxed as she handed the menu back to the server.
Quinn watched her for a moment before looking out across the water.
Later, at dinner, Robbie drew Connie and Liz into a story about one of her hotel openings in Tokyo, describing a rooftop space that changed with the seasons. Connie asked questions. Liz laughed at the right moments. Quinn listened, watching the way Robbie held the table without seeming to. It had always been one of the things she admired about her. Robbie made people feel included, as though the conversation naturally belonged to everyone. Quinn found herself smiling more than speaking.
The next morning, the coastline rose slowly into view. There were soft blues and greys at first, then sharper lines as the ship moved closer. Passengers gathered along the railings, cameras lifted, voices low as if the place required it.
Quinn stood with her coffee, watching the shoreline unfold. For the first time since boarding, she realized she had gone several minutes without wondering what Robbie was thinking. The water held her attention instead, the changing light slowly revealing the land. Sunrise always seemed patient. Sunset, by comparison, felt as though it hurried to disappear.
“Better from this side,” Robbie said, stepping beside her.
Quinn glanced toward the upper deck.
“I was thinking about going up there.”
Robbie followed her gaze.
“You’ll miss the best view if you do. Stay here with me.”
Quinn hesitated a moment before resting her hands on the rail again.
“Okay.”
A few feet away, Liz lowered her camera.
The pier was already busy when they docked. Trucks idled in long lines. Workers moved in practiced patterns, loading and unloading with quick efficiency. Beyond the terminal, the town had begun to wake, shop doors opening, people drifting along the sidewalks as if the ship’s arrival were simply another part of the morning.
They stepped ashore together and wandered toward the market.
A vendor called out from behind a table stacked with fruit.
“Where are you visiting from?”
Quinn smiled and started to answer.
“We’re from the States,” Robbie replied easily.
The vendor grinned and offered a slice of fruit across the table. Robbie accepted it, handing it to Quinn. “Try this.”
Quinn laughed softly after tasting it, bringing her fingers to her lips. “That’s good.”
“I’m glad you trusted me enough to try it.”
Quinn laughed again.
“Maybe.”
Robbie touched her elbow lightly.
“Come on. I spotted another market farther down the street.”
The four women wandered to the next stall, where colorful handmade pottery, woven baskets, and fabrics fluttered in the breeze. Connie picked up a carved wooden bird, turning it over in her hands.
“I wonder who makes these.”
The vendor smiled and began explaining. Before he finished, Robbie glanced toward the street.
“We should keep moving if we’re going to make lunch.”
Liz looked up.
“I thought we were just wandering.”
“I found a place earlier,” Robbie said with an easy smile. “It looked wonderful.”
Connie set the carving down. The vendor’s smile faded just a little before he turned to greet another customer.
“Lead the way.”
As they crossed the street, Connie glanced quietly at Liz.
Liz answered with the slightest lift of one shoulder before following the others.
Not every conversation happens out loud.