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Mary Lynn…
Disgruntled, she twisted the horrible dress to the left and then back toward the right. Why on earth had those mad wolves bought her this? “Are you sure we have to wear this ridiculous attire to get a steak fillet for free?”
Nana primped in the mirror in a pretty lavender number that suited her.
Mary decided she must have pissed off one of the wolves.
“Just put on the shapewear, it won’t kill you and you’ll be...” Nana waved her hands about. “Less lumpy.”
Pride stinging, she smoothed her hands down her sides. She had gotten a little thick since she had turned fifty. “I am not lumpy and those damn constrictive things remind me of the compression garments I had to wear after surgery.”
Nana arched her brows. “Maybe you should have packed one of those, then.” She waved her lipstick. “Wear what you want. Go have a burger on the lido deck if you don’t want to dress up.”
Mary grimaced. “I’ve already picked out what I want to have.”
“Then, suck it up, buttercup, and put on some lipstick.” Nana reached out, offering the tube in her hand to her.
Grumpily Mary snatched it from her. “This is not my color. Too pink.”
“Then bring your own next time.” She patted her hair. “I might even go dancing, or watch the show tonight.”
“You go to bed at seven.”
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Nana fluffed and shifted in her seat like a disturbed hen. “I like to watch TV before bed sometimes, but I can stay up at night when I want to. Let me tell you, there were times at church functions where I was up all night playing cards and monitoring the teenagers.”
“I’m sure they loved that.”
Nana rolled her eyes.
*
After getting Nana to swear that she would never tell anyone that Mary had been seen in public this way, Mary headed into the hall using her walker. If the ship rocked or swayed, she wanted to be sure that she made it to dinner. Nana had refused to push her down the hall in the wheelchair provided by the cruise. Mary didn’t want to miss their dining time because she had to wait for a crew member to come and roll her about.
“You look like you might need some new tennis balls on that thing.” A man’s voice spoke from the hall.
Mary turned and saw the annoying old man from the casino. She pushed the walker away from her. “I don’t need it, so there is no need to customize it.”
“Of course you don’t.” He tilted his head and looked her up and down. “Those shoes do not work with that dress. Do you have anything with wheels hiding in that room?”
“I’ll have you know. I am perfectly capable of choosing what shoes to wear.” She placed her hands on her hips. “You can head right along.”
“No. I don’t think so.” The smile on his lips was boyish. “I think I might like to see what your legs look like in heals.”
“Listen here, old man.”
“Is he bothering you?” Nana asked, drawn to the doorway by the voices.
“I’m fine. He was just leaving.”
“I am not.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Go put on shoes that will make you feel pretty.”
“I can’t walk in those.” Mary snapped.
“If you putt your stubborn butt in the wheelchair, I’ll roll you to dinner.”
Nana asked, “Are you at our table?”
He gave Mary side-eye as she stood still, blocking the open door, unmoving.
“Unfortunately so.” He gestured to Mary. “Although she may miss dinner if she has to use that thing the whole way. The wind is picking up on deck.” He shrugged and scratched his cheek. “I suppose she can always sleep in a deck chair down at that end of the boat when the real rocking starts if she can’t make it back to her room after dinner.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Mary, get in your chair.”
Annoyed, Marry huffed and pushed past her mother-in-law. “I’m not wearing the insane shoes they packed for me. Do they think I own a magic carpet that can float me anywhere?”
Tired of the theatrics, Nana waved dismissively in their direction. “I’ll see you both at dinner.” Without looking back, she added, “I plan to order wine on your friend’s dime. Something expensive.”