"I'm going to miss you so much." Andy said to Chris as he kissed her.
"I'm going to miss you more." Chris replied as she returned his smooch.
Off to the side Valerie rolled her eyes as this went on.
"Come on guys, its only a week." She said as she looked at her watch. "We're going to be late."
"But Val," Andy protested. "we've never been apart for this long before."
"You were before you met." Valerie said.
"I can't remember what went on before I met him." Chris laughed. "Shes got a point, we gotta get there so we can wave to you." Chris leaned over and and lifted Tommy, their now one year old son. "Say goodbye to Auntie Valerie. She and mommy are going very far away, but don't worry. We will come back." Chris pointed Tommy at Valerie. "Say goodbye!"
Valerie frowned slightly but then let a little smile take over her face. He was a cute little guy. "Bye kid." She said. "Its been fun." Valerie paused for a second as a smile started to spread over his face, but at the last second Tommy stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry at her. Valerie stood back and smirked. "See ya later brat."
"I'll pick you up here in seven days." Andy said as he gave Chris a final hug and a kiss. An announcement over the speakers called out, five minutes till departure. Final boarders must get on now. Chris smiled and grabbed her bags, and Valerie grabbed hers.
"This is gonna be fun!" Chris said as they made their way to the gang plank.
"I hope so. You been talking about this for weeks." Valerie said. She looked around as she walked up the gangplank. A strange sight stopped her. A man was walking far ahead of her with a familiar looking hat on. It was green.
"Isnt that?" Valerie started to ask. Chris looked at the same man .
"You do realize that more than one green felt hat exists in the free world right?" Chris smiled. "After all, I would never put you on the same ship as an ex boyfriend."
"You would." Valerie said. "After all how did my ex Elijah show up at my family reunion, where I must remind you were also a guest." Valerie pointed out as a man checked their tickets. They got their keys to the cabin from an assistant.
"Coincidence."Chris said. "Relax. If I was gonna try to get you back with Mike it would have happened by now."
Valerie looked down the hallways as they walked to their cabin room. Whoever had the hat was gone now. "They probably have a head cold." Valerie decided. She looked at her friend with a little more trust. In the past she was able to blindside Valerie with her surprises but nowadays she was able to sidestep the stupid ones.
"You could be right." Valerie said. "This could be fun. Okay friend, lets dump our stuff. We gotta do the cliche thing."
"Cliche?" Chris asked.
"Don't you want to wave at Andy from the boat?" Valerie teased.
"Oh yeah." Chris said. "I didnt think you would want to do that."
"I have decided for one week to have total trust in you.Whatever you want to do, I will do." Valerie said honestly as they entered the room. They dumped their stuff between the two beds. A dull clinking sound was heard as they did so.
"What was that?" Chris asked.
"Probably nothing. Come on, lets go wave at people we don't know." Valerie said as they left the cabin. She closed the door behind her.
"Did you bring the keys?" Chris asked.
"Yeah, in my pocket I think." Valerie said. "Should I make sure?"
"Nah, we'll worry about it later." Chris said. A loud horn sounded. "Hurry, we'll muss the fun."
Michael Nesmith paused as he saw the two ladies run down the hall. The blond girl looked so familiar to him. He shook his head and went inside his room. Inside his friends Micky, Davy and Peter were putting their stuff away.
"I thought I saw a girl I knew." Mike said as he came in from the hallway.
"You say that whenever you meet a blonde girl." Davy said. "On second thought maybe that was me."
"What girl was this Mike?" Peter asked.
"The girl looked a lot like Valerie." Mike said. "Exactly like her."
"Oh come on, Mike." Micky said. "What are the chances of her being on this boat? Come on, lets go wave goodbye to everyone at the dock."
"But we dont know anyone out there." Peter said.
"I know, but we can go Goodbye suckers!" Micky laughed. "Come on Mike, lets go topside."
"I still say I saw her." Mike said. "I'm not crazy."
"No one said you were buddy." Micky said. "Hey, even if it was her, this is a big boat, what are the chances you will run into her?"
Mike considered this, the odds were pretty out there. "Ok." Mike said. "After all," he thought to himself "who says we will even talk to each other, let alone see each other."
The guys locked their door with the key and headed topside as the last horn blew before the boat moved away from the dock.
"Aw crudpuppy." Chris said. "We missed it!"
"Awww." Valerie fake moaned. "Sorry we missed it."
"Thats ok, we can wave on the way back." Chris said. "Lets go back to the room, I wanna go swimming."
"Now that I can get with." Valerie smiled. "I got that new bathing suit you wanted me to try."
"Well do the world a favor this time little darlin', tie your top on tighter." Valerie heard a familiar texas twanged accent floating from behind her. She turned and faced a familiar texan. She almost didnt recognize him cause he lacked the green hat. The woolie.
"Mike?" Valerie said squinting.
"Valerie." He said. "Funny catching you here."
"Yes." Valerie said looking at Chris who was suddenly in full cringe mode. "It is funny."
