omelet and salad, with fresh fruit for dessert. She was relaxing quietly, enjoying watching the comings and goings from other yachts in the port, when a steward came to tell her there was a call for her, and brought her a phone. She hoped it wasn’t one of her children canceling at the last minute because something untoward had happened. And when she answered, she was surprised to hear Peter Williams’s voice. She was instantly worried about a legal crisis at work.
“I had such a crazy week, I never got to say goodbye to you before you left,” he apologized, and Olivia smiled when she heard him. She was instantly relieved that it was a purely social call. “How’s the boat?”
“Absolutely incredible,” she said, smiling broadly, and he could already hear the more relaxed tone of her voice. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I’m going to refuse to leave when our two weeks are up.”
“That sounds like an excellent decision. You’re going to have a wonderful time with the kids,” he said. He always enjoyed talking to her, and they hadn’t had time to chat in a while. They were too busy solving and avoiding problems involving her business. He was happy that she had taken time off. He knew what these vacations with her children meant to her, and they did her a world of good. She always came back looking years younger, and full of new ideas and happy tales of the trip.
“I think my grandchildren will enjoy it too. This looks more like a ship than a yacht. I want to try the water toys with them. I want to learn to jet ski before I come home.”
“Be careful, Olivia,” he said with a tone of concern, and she laughed.
“I’ve always wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle too, but it’s too late for that.”
“I’m glad you think so. It’s not too late for anything with the energy you have.”
“Yes, it is,” she said sobering for a moment. “I’m having a dreadful birthday on this trip.”
“There are no dreadful birthdays, looking as you do. I forget which one it is, but whatever it is, you don’t look your age.”
“Oh yes, I do,” she said stubbornly. “I was thinking about it tonight. I don’t know where the years go. One day you’re young, and the next thing you know, it’s all over. Except my mother, who is still fantastic at her age, and she looks great.”
“So do you. You haven’t changed in twenty years, since we met.”
“Your eyes are going, Peter, but thank you. When are you leaving on vacation, by the way?” She knew he went to Maine with his family every year. He had a very pretty house that she had been to once, when she’d been in the area, checking out a new location for a store, and Peter had taken her there for lunch. It was a beautiful old family home, full of Early American antiques, with a big old-fashioned porch.
“I’m leaving next week. Emily’s there already with our daughter. Eric and I are going up next week.” She knew that both of his children were married and had young children. He would be spending time with his family too. It did them all good to get away from the stress of their daily pace. They worked hard all year. “We’ll do some sailing and fishing. I want to play some golf. I haven’t had time to play in months.”
“Thanks to me,” she said, sounding apologetic, as she relaxed and looked around her. “You wouldn’t believe how lovely this is. I’m sitting here in the port of Monaco, with the castle right above me, on this unbelievably beautiful boat. Sometimes I can’t believe how lucky I am.” He always admired the fact that she didn’t take it for granted, was never blasé, and had a healthy respect for how fortunate she’d been.
“You deserve it. You’ve earned it all. I hope you have a wonderful time.” Wishing her a good trip had been the only reason for his call.
“Thank you, Peter, you too. It was nice of you to call.”
“I’ll see you when you get back. Take care, Olivia. And happy
“I had such a crazy week, I never got to say goodbye to you before you left,” he apologized, and Olivia smiled when she heard him. She was instantly relieved that it was a purely social call. “How’s the boat?”
“Absolutely incredible,” she said, smiling broadly, and he could already hear the more relaxed tone of her voice. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I’m going to refuse to leave when our two weeks are up.”
“That sounds like an excellent decision. You’re going to have a wonderful time with the kids,” he said. He always enjoyed talking to her, and they hadn’t had time to chat in a while. They were too busy solving and avoiding problems involving her business. He was happy that she had taken time off. He knew what these vacations with her children meant to her, and they did her a world of good. She always came back looking years younger, and full of new ideas and happy tales of the trip.
“I think my grandchildren will enjoy it too. This looks more like a ship than a yacht. I want to try the water toys with them. I want to learn to jet ski before I come home.”
“Be careful, Olivia,” he said with a tone of concern, and she laughed.
“I’ve always wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle too, but it’s too late for that.”
“I’m glad you think so. It’s not too late for anything with the energy you have.”
“Yes, it is,” she said sobering for a moment. “I’m having a dreadful birthday on this trip.”
“There are no dreadful birthdays, looking as you do. I forget which one it is, but whatever it is, you don’t look your age.”
“Oh yes, I do,” she said stubbornly. “I was thinking about it tonight. I don’t know where the years go. One day you’re young, and the next thing you know, it’s all over. Except my mother, who is still fantastic at her age, and she looks great.”
“So do you. You haven’t changed in twenty years, since we met.”
“Your eyes are going, Peter, but thank you. When are you leaving on vacation, by the way?” She knew he went to Maine with his family every year. He had a very pretty house that she had been to once, when she’d been in the area, checking out a new location for a store, and Peter had taken her there for lunch. It was a beautiful old family home, full of Early American antiques, with a big old-fashioned porch.
“I’m leaving next week. Emily’s there already with our daughter. Eric and I are going up next week.” She knew that both of his children were married and had young children. He would be spending time with his family too. It did them all good to get away from the stress of their daily pace. They worked hard all year. “We’ll do some sailing and fishing. I want to play some golf. I haven’t had time to play in months.”
“Thanks to me,” she said, sounding apologetic, as she relaxed and looked around her. “You wouldn’t believe how lovely this is. I’m sitting here in the port of Monaco, with the castle right above me, on this unbelievably beautiful boat. Sometimes I can’t believe how lucky I am.” He always admired the fact that she didn’t take it for granted, was never blasé, and had a healthy respect for how fortunate she’d been.
“You deserve it. You’ve earned it all. I hope you have a wonderful time.” Wishing her a good trip had been the only reason for his call.
“Thank you, Peter, you too. It was nice of you to call.”
“I’ll see you when you get back. Take care, Olivia. And happy
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