As soon as they stepped into the lido deck one could see a small crowd gathered around the bar and pool area.
The woman stared around until her deep brown eyes landed on her husband who was on the bar area in company of an elder man and a young lady, the elder was a business partner, but the beautiful young lady was unknown to her.
"Oh my, darling. Come over, sweetheart. Mr. Lee was about to introduce me to his precious daughter. She just came from Paris last week" a classic old man in a well fitted brown suit called out to his wife a couple of feet away from them.
Ramon bowed to the elders, seeing Mrs. Johnson off, making her way towards them, her polite smile drew back upon her plump lips.
Once he saw her chatting with her husband and friends he went to the bridge to check on the itinerary and, maybe, stopping by the galley to fix some unsolved business.
The man who was addressed as Mr. Lee held her hand, gently, pecking the back of it respectfully when she reached up to them, "It's my pleasure to make myself your acquaintance, Mrs. Johnson."
"Call me Geneva, Mr. Lee. We are contemporaries after all," she chuckled a little to make a point without sounding so harsh.
"Geneva, this is my graceful daughter, Siomi," introducing a beautiful young ginger-haired woman with soft features, much alike to a doll, decorating her small face.
"Likewise, Mrs. Johnson," bowing as her father did not long ago.
"Her beauty is mesmerising, and her manners, I bet Joseph will love her. She's just his type," she murmured to her husband who nodded, proud of their choice, as apparently they've been planning to set their son up at his birthday party, but didn't have any candidate on sight until now.
"Sweetie, how about you go look for your brother? It's been an hour and he hasn't arrived, nor returned my calls yet" Mr. Lee asked his daughter standing on his left side.
"As you wish, father. May you excuse me, Mr & Mrs Johnson, " the ginger haired bowed deeply at the couple.
"Be careful on your way out there, darling." The elderly woman remarked as she saw the elegant girl walking out, back to the lower deck.
The young woman took her mobile out of her bag, fast dialing her twin brother, standing at by the gangway with a serious expression.
"Are you gonna answer, cretin? I just want some booze to bear with this bullcrap, my throat is dry, Goddam!" she babbled, phone in hand, soon the signal went dead as none picked up at the other end.
"That's not like he's gonna get lost now would he?. Do I need to look for him outside?" dialling again a frown popped between her eyebrows, staring at her mobile.
"May I help you? Are you lost, Missy?" A soft, delicate yet manly voice interrupted her actions as she lifted her head ready to lash out at anyone meshing with her business.
"I don't need your help, id–" her words stuck in her throat, seeing the fine man in uniform, standing tall not so far from her, his broad shoulders looking majestic in it, doing a huge contrast with his tiny waist.
His expression was calm and gentle, softening the harshness his uniform represents, although his deep brown eyes were firm and piercing like a sharp blade right for the kill.
She swallowed her dead words to form new ones, "I mean–" her words were cut off by the stomping of feet on the side of the deck.
"Siomi! Hey, bro! Sorry it took me longer than expected. Jack said he'd drop me off on his way here so I wouldn't get lost" a young, stunning, tall, burly yet slender man dashed in, behind the stranger, out of breath.
"Oh, hey, man! How sexy! Your new target, sis? Do you mind sharing?" the bubbly boy spoke shamelessly, taking a double look at the striking handsome man, although one could never tell if he was joking or being serious he for sure took his time admiring the man's handsomeness.
"I'm afraid none of them are factual, if you excuse me, I have to go, enjoy your night, miss, um, young man" the classy man in uniform turned back on his feet, retaking his original path, right up to the lido deck
"The heck is wrong with you! How could you embarrass me like that?" the young woman hit his arm whilst the boy laughed, a heartily bunny-like chuckle showing his cute bunny-tooth.
"Don't pretend you weren't gonna make a move? I mean, if you don't I could take your place in a heartbeat," he laughed harder as her face burst in flames just by hearing her twin speaking so freely.
"Stop sputtering nonsense. Father has been looking for you since we arrived here. Picking up his calls would be a good beginning" she scolded her brother as they made their way to their father.
"I told the old man Jack would bring me here, he didn't have to worry. Let alone sending you to look for me" his reply didn't hold an ounce of remorse, if anything it was like a blunt statement to make himself clear.
"Still. You could've called him, stop being a brat" she rolled her eyes so done with her twin.
"You can keep rolling your eyes, sis, but I doubt you'd find your missing brain up there" he muttered just for her to listen as their father stood right in front of them by now.
/How dare this brat? Is he calling me dumb?/, she gritted her teeth, knowing she couldn't say her thoughts out loud in front of her father.
"Jake, what took you this long to get here?" the elder questioned his son, sternly.
"Dad, you shouldn't ask that much if you might not like the answer, but here it goes: I was on a date so, obviously, I took this long." The boy tried to rile up his father who just shook his head, avoiding more details as they were surrounded by unknown people who might judge him.
The elderly woman spoke, unknown the facts, "Oh, Simon, let the young boy live, I bet it was a beautiful lady, wasn't she? Not every girl drops off her boyfriend"
Jake and his sister hid their laugh behind a cough, pitying their closed mind, if they only knew, but it was better this way as people tend to judge what they don't know.
Mr. Lee rubbed his forehead, trying to prevent a migraine from getting worse, knowing perfectly well his son was out with his high school friend, although the idea of a date never crossed his mind, not like he was against it, but a little heads up wouldn't be too much to ask for, " At least you're here in a single piece" his words might be condescending but only his children would know his tone meant: we'll sort this out at home, now behave.
The bubbly boy choked for real this time, realizing he just got himself into trouble, but when he does not?, /I should learn to shut my mouth../ he thought to himself.
The elder introduced his son to his business partners, Mr. & Mrs. Johnson, along with the couple's son, the very same man who they just interacted with not long ago and whom he didn't hesitate to flirt with.
/I'm dead meat. If he talks I'll be grounded for hitting on a man so openly/ the young male stared at the calm looking man in front of him, his thoughts running a mile per second, /Why is he staring at me like that? He's gonna sell me out, but he can't if I beat him to it/, the younger soon found it challenging.
"This is Captain Johnson, Marine from the South-west wing, young Mister Lee" he stretched out his hand out for an amiable handshake, his face stoic, not giving himself away.
However the only thing shaking was the boy's body not knowing if it was good or bad, uncertain of the implications of his actions, /Is he testing me? No man! I ain't gonna fall for it, keep your paws to yourself, dude/.
A brusque nudge brought him out of his thoughts, his sister murmured something which got him fired up again, "If you don't get it, I'll take your place instead", her soft voice holding a venomous undertone, mostly likely trying to set him up.
Which indeed worked as he glared at his twin sister, /How dare this bish taking what's mine? Never in a thousand years/, shredding her to pieces within his head, his hand soon reached for the handsome male to shake.
Their handshake was firm and strong, strangers might see it as a display of power and superiority; However, if one looked at it closely, the fire in the young golden-eyed was well matched by the one present in the stunning brown-eyed