Cayman Desires by Sabel Simmons Page A

times to force back
the sobs lodged in her throat, along with the tears shimmering in her eyes.
    The rest of the day was
torture.  Clarissa spent the afternoon on the spread out lawns overseeing the
little pirates’ ship building competition. There were four teams of ten
youngsters; each offered the opportunity to build their own ship.  The hotel
sponsored all the materials and everywhere you looked there were eager young
pirates, carrying around pieces of cardboard and thin wooden slates.
    Bette and Clarissa
stood watching the building process after just handing out refreshments to
everyone.  Bette wiped her brow and smiled at Clarissa. 
    “Aren’t they just the
sweetest?”  Clarissa laughed and nodded her head.
    “Aren’t they just.   I
wonder however, how much of the design and building process is really their
efforts or those of their Dads. They seem to be just as caught up in it than
the kids!” 
    They both laughed and
watched the contest heating up with all the Dads involved with each team.  The
little ones of course did not mind, as long as their ship was the best, they
were happy. 
    “Well, I suppose it is
time to mingle and ensure that the actual building process is handled only by
the little ones …” Full of laughter they skipped down the stairs to start their
judging process.
    “Rissa!  Look!  Our
ship is nearly finished!  And it is the best one there is!  Just look!”  
    Robby’s excitement
sparkled in his bright dark eyes, flashing in joy up at her.  His little hand
folded around hers as he pulled her closer to their ship. 
    “See…” 
    He pointed a crooked
little finger outward as if she could miss the … ship … in front of her.  She
smiled warmly down at him.
    “I see Robby and it
really is a nice ship.  Who designed it?”  
    Her one eyebrow lifted
high as she squinted like a real pirate down at him.  He shuffled from one foot
to the other, and uhmed and ahed, until Miguel rescued him.  
    “Don’t worry Robby;
there was no stipulation that you can’t have assistance with the design as long
as you and your team build it yourself.”
    “Oh, we did!  We build
it alone!  Dad and Christopher’s dad helped us to design it.  Right Chris?”  He
turned to a little blond haired boy busy gluing a piece of cardboard, which she
assumed was a door to the cabin, in place.   His head bobbed up and down, but
he kept his gaze fixed on the job in front of him, his tongue peeking out his
lips in concentration.
    “C’mon Rob, stop
talking to the lady and help me!”  Eagerly Robby squinted down next to him and
the two small pairs of hands pressed down on the cardboard door to make sure it
glued on properly.
    Miguel and Retha
laughed and pulled Clarissa to one side.  “It is so good to see Robby so happy
and carefree. He does not make friends easily and has always been somewhat
lonely.  This trip really was the best thing we could have done for him.”
    On the other side of
the ship in progress, Raymond glanced up and his gaze became fixated on the
woman standing next to his aunt. He took in her windblown hair, tumbling down
her back and took a shuddering breath at the warmth in her emerald green eyes
gazing down at his son. 
    A soft smile trembled
on her mouth and her hand clawed over her heart. She seemed to have trouble
breathing and he willed her gaze up to his.
    The moment their eyes
met everything around them disintegrated.  It was as if it were only the two of
them at that moment.  Even over the distance he noticed the pain and regret in
her eyes. He frowned and took a step in her direction, which broke the
connection.  Hastily she excused herself and hurried away towards the hotel.
    He started after her,
but Lizelle, the beautiful blond model that befriended him, grabbed hold of
him. His eyes followed Clarissa until she disappeared through the hotel doors. 
    Doubt, disbelief and
hope battled inside him; did he interpret that look correctly?  Did she