“All marriages are different,” Broderick supplied. “And different doesn’t even mean good or bad. People are just different.”
“Now isn’t that the truth!” Daniel said.
Pies and coffee went around as did compliments on the dessert, the different coffees and the food in general.
And then Daniel posed the question.
“Shouldn’t we be checking up on Sally? Making sure that she’s really all right?” he asked.
“Maybe we could call Edward and see what he’s learned,” Celia suggested.
Broderick had his phone out. He dialed. After a minute, he shook his head. “Straight to voicemail,” he said.
“Well, you know, Daniel, she is a super sweet lady. I don’t know... I mean, I guess the infirmary is small and we don’t need to flood it, but...” Gina murmured, looking at them all with a troubled grimace.
“On this ship, it’s like a real hospital,” Chloe provided. “There’s plenty of room in the little waiting area. We can all take a walk, check on Sally and maybe enjoy the rest of the night doing something.”
Daniel laughed. “For me? Enjoyment is going to be sleeping! I’m a decent diver, but not the best ever and I want my beauty sleep before heading out for that kind of physical activity.”
Daniel looked at Gina, arching a brow.
“One or two dances!” she said. “I’m going to need my sleep, too.”
Jeff laughed. “Notice Gina didn’t saybeautysleep. The kid doesn’t need any more beauty!”
“Thanks, Jeff, But, yeah, I’m like Broderick. I love to dive, but I want to be rested to head out on that excursion,” Gina told them.
“Okay, then!” Wes said, rising and looking at Chloe before addressing the group. “I think that if we’re going to visit, we should stop chatting and actually head down!”
The group gave assent with various mumbles, and they rose and left the dining room, heading for the elevators to take them down to the ship’s hospital.
Sally was in the room right off the waiting area where Edward had been after his fall into the ocean. The drapes over the windows were open and they could see that George was perched in a corner of the room while Edward was seated in a chair at Sally’s side. He held her hand and watched her sleep.
Doctor Kilbride came out from the doorway right behind the reception area that led to his office.
“I’m afraid I can’t allow her more visitors. Sally is sleeping peacefully, and she should be fine by morning. I can tell her that you all came to see to her welfare, but I’m afraid that I can’t let anyone else in,” Kilbride told them.
“Well, unless Edward wanted to come out!” Jeff said lightly. “Ooh. That’s not going to happen. Anyway, Dr. Kilbride, would you be good enough to tell her that we were here, that we wanted to check on her and let her know that we were all thinking about her.”
“Of course, and thank you, I’m sure that will mean a lot,” Kilbride said.
“Well, I’m off to bed!” Broderick said. “Good night, all.”
“Dance floor, briefly,” Gina told Daniel.
He groaned but waved to the others and followed her out.
“I guess all of us are going on that dive tomorrow,” Jeff said. “Celia—”
“Bed,” she said firmly. “Good night!”
Wes and Chloe were left with Amelia, who was still looking through the windows.
“Well, I’m not going on that dive tomorrow,” she said. “But...” She paused and looked at Wes and Chloe. “I guess I’ll call it a night. I hear the island is beautiful, so... I’m off to my beauty sleep! Good night, all!”
“Good night, Amelia!” Chloe told her.
But Amelia still hesitated. “Oh! Edward has looked up at last. He sees us, maybe he’ll come out.”
