that for weeks. The girls didn’t even notice what she was reading. They were sitting together and chattering excitedly about the trip. They both loved their grandmother and always had fun with her. She was far more attentive to her grandchildren than she had been with her own children. Now she had more time, and they were more interested in her and what she’d done, and the business that was her world.
After takeoff, a stewardess offered them champagne. Both girls helped themselves to a glass and Liz asked for a Bloody Mary. She sipped it slowly, as she quietly worked on her book, and then set it down next to her and forgot about it, until they hit some turbulence half an hour later, and the glass toppled into her lap. The stewardess was quick to bring damp towels and help her clean up the mess. Liz managed to save her manuscript from the accident, but Sophie’s shorts and her own white shirt were a mess, and she had nothing else to change into. She looked at the girls, laughed, and shrugged. It didn’t really matter, she could change her clothes when she got to the boat.
By the time the plane headed out over the ocean two hours later, all three of them had turned their seats into beds with pillows and comforters, and they were sound asleep. In spite of Liz’s usual trepidation about spending time with her family, they all knew it was going to be a fabulous two weeks. And other than the minor mishap with the Bloody Mary, they were off to a great start.
Chapter 5
W hen Olivia reached the port in Monaco, the day before her children were scheduled to arrive, it took her breath away to see the yacht she had chartered for them. It was three hundred feet of pure luxury, and an exquisite sight. All twenty-four crew members were lined up on deck in uniform, waiting for her to arrive. The captain stood on the dock, ready to escort her on board and introduce her to the crew. It was evenly divided between women and men, and impossible to remember all of their names. There was an enormous outdoor bar, with a spectacular arrangement of orchids in a crystal vase, and a stewardess offered her champagne, which she declined. She was tired from the long trip, and rarely drank.
There was beautiful deck furniture in seating arrangements, and a helipad on the upper deck, along with a large sunbathing area. The purser escorted her around the boat, showed her into the movie theater, the gym, and the spa. Crew members were stationed at each location, and in the hair salon, three young women waited at attention. She glimpsed the main dining salon and an outdoor dining area, peeked into the sumptuous bedrooms her children would occupy, and was finally led to her own, which they referred to as the Owner’s Suite, filled with beautiful furniture and impressive art. And there was a huge, inviting king-size bed, with impeccably pressed linen sheets. She could hardly wait to get into it. She was tired after the flight, but it was too exciting to be here. They asked if she would be dining aboard tonight or in town, and she said she would be staying in. She wanted to get some rest before they all arrived. They would be constantly busy after that. And Olivia couldn’t help thinking, as she looked around her suite, how blessed she was to be able to provide something like this for her children and grandchildren. It had been well worth all those years of hard work, even if she had missed some time with them when they were young. How fortunate they all were now, and so was she. She never took for granted what she and Joe had built, and the fruits of it.
When the stewardess left her in the cabin, after unpacking for her, Olivia took a long luxurious bath. She came back upstairs afterward wearing a long white linen caftan, and they served her dinner in an outdoor dining area, with a beautiful table setting of French china, with flowers in small vases, and silver seashells scattered around the table. They had given her precisely what she ordered, an
After takeoff, a stewardess offered them champagne. Both girls helped themselves to a glass and Liz asked for a Bloody Mary. She sipped it slowly, as she quietly worked on her book, and then set it down next to her and forgot about it, until they hit some turbulence half an hour later, and the glass toppled into her lap. The stewardess was quick to bring damp towels and help her clean up the mess. Liz managed to save her manuscript from the accident, but Sophie’s shorts and her own white shirt were a mess, and she had nothing else to change into. She looked at the girls, laughed, and shrugged. It didn’t really matter, she could change her clothes when she got to the boat.
By the time the plane headed out over the ocean two hours later, all three of them had turned their seats into beds with pillows and comforters, and they were sound asleep. In spite of Liz’s usual trepidation about spending time with her family, they all knew it was going to be a fabulous two weeks. And other than the minor mishap with the Bloody Mary, they were off to a great start.
Chapter 5
W hen Olivia reached the port in Monaco, the day before her children were scheduled to arrive, it took her breath away to see the yacht she had chartered for them. It was three hundred feet of pure luxury, and an exquisite sight. All twenty-four crew members were lined up on deck in uniform, waiting for her to arrive. The captain stood on the dock, ready to escort her on board and introduce her to the crew. It was evenly divided between women and men, and impossible to remember all of their names. There was an enormous outdoor bar, with a spectacular arrangement of orchids in a crystal vase, and a stewardess offered her champagne, which she declined. She was tired from the long trip, and rarely drank.
There was beautiful deck furniture in seating arrangements, and a helipad on the upper deck, along with a large sunbathing area. The purser escorted her around the boat, showed her into the movie theater, the gym, and the spa. Crew members were stationed at each location, and in the hair salon, three young women waited at attention. She glimpsed the main dining salon and an outdoor dining area, peeked into the sumptuous bedrooms her children would occupy, and was finally led to her own, which they referred to as the Owner’s Suite, filled with beautiful furniture and impressive art. And there was a huge, inviting king-size bed, with impeccably pressed linen sheets. She could hardly wait to get into it. She was tired after the flight, but it was too exciting to be here. They asked if she would be dining aboard tonight or in town, and she said she would be staying in. She wanted to get some rest before they all arrived. They would be constantly busy after that. And Olivia couldn’t help thinking, as she looked around her suite, how blessed she was to be able to provide something like this for her children and grandchildren. It had been well worth all those years of hard work, even if she had missed some time with them when they were young. How fortunate they all were now, and so was she. She never took for granted what she and Joe had built, and the fruits of it.
When the stewardess left her in the cabin, after unpacking for her, Olivia took a long luxurious bath. She came back upstairs afterward wearing a long white linen caftan, and they served her dinner in an outdoor dining area, with a beautiful table setting of French china, with flowers in small vases, and silver seashells scattered around the table. They had given her precisely what she ordered, an
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