Chapter 3 Luka

They walked through a narrow hallway as Luka carried his suitcase. Now he understood why his father had told him his original suitcase wouldn’t work. The captain sent his father the dimensions for the suitcase, and Luka’s personal one was too large. Since his mother had traveled with a team of doctors to Kenya to perform surgery on children with cleft lips and palates for the entire summer months, his father sent most of his Florida vacation clothes back to a storage unit in California. He also had packers move Luka’s and Maleko’s possessions from their shared apartment and take their vehicles to the same storage unit.

Luka trailed a step behind Captain Clarke, the sturdy planks of the deck groaning beneath their tread. Every few paces, he’d tilt his head down, feeling dizzy and way too warm. Sunlight glinted off the mirrored windows, creating a dizzying mosaic against the sky which didn’t help his light-headedness. His suitcase thumped rhythmically against his leg, a metronome beat counting his nervous strides. Every corner he turned unveiled another wonder—a cascading waterfall tumbling into a sparkling pool, a troupe of jugglers twirling neon balls in the afternoon sun, and a couple kissing and dancing to a band on a balcony. Throughout their walk, Luka inhaled the smell of freshly baked bread, grilled steak, roasted chicken, pizza, and sushi. It was a kaleidoscope of aromas, sights and sounds, a sensory overload that made his head spin. I want to go home.

Captain Clarke stopped before a mahogany door bearing a brass nameplate: “Cabin A12.” He smiled kindly, his weathered face crinkling at the corners.

He unlocked and opened the door. “Here we are, Luka,” he announced. “This is your home for the next year. Make yourself comfortable.”

Luka nodded, but the smile wouldn’t quite reach his eyes. He inhaled the cleaning smells. The opulent cabin had plush furnishings and a gleaming porthole offering a view of the ocean. A single tear traced a wet path down his cheek. This gilded cage, with all its wonders, couldn’t hold a candle to the warmth of Maleko he had lost, the echo of laughter long faded. He was Luka, no one important on this ship, adrift in a sea of loneliness.

The captain followed him inside. As they entered, Luka saw the door between the cabins.

“On the other side of the door is my suite. Your side of the door between us will always be locked. I’ll open it when I check on you. This key will open your cabin only.” He handed it to Luka.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Your refrigerator is stocked with water, soft drinks, and snacks. This gold card will buy whatever you need on this ship as long as it isn’t alcohol or cigarettes. Your father put a lot of money on your card. I doubt you’ll need any more, but if you do, he will add more to it.”

“Thank you, sir.” Luka wondered if his father had stipulated no alcohol and cigarettes. Or was that Captain Clarke’s rule? He had noticed nothing on the court papers other than no illegal drug use. He would not ask the captain any more questions and look stupid or angry, which he was. The heat was getting to him even though the room was air-conditioned.

“Hey, would you like to watch the sail away from the bridge?”

“I sure would.” Luka saluted.

“Grab two waters and follow me.”

Luka set his suitcase down, opened the tiny refrigerator, and pulled out two bottles of water. He handed one to the captain.

“Thank you. I’ll replace this one for you.”

“That’s unnecessary, sir. It’s on me…my father.”

He followed the captain down the hall and to the glass-enclosed room on the upper deck near the front of the ship. Luka understood the importance of the bridge. Officers sat in front of computer screens. He didn’t know if the officers were from the military or where they came from, but they all looked official with an immense amount of power.

“This is Luka Batista. He’s a new crewmember. He’ll be under my direct supervision and training.”

As the ship began its departure, men celebrated on the decks by screaming and clapping. All Luka wanted was to go home. No one would want him around if they knew why he was here. He’d have to come up with an explanation for why a California surfer wouldn’t socialize after work. Two of the officers checked him out and winked at him. Captain Clarke must have noticed because he let another officer take over, motioned to Luka to follow him, and they walked back to the cabin.

“The day shift crewmembers will meet in ten minutes. I’ll see you there. Don’t be late.” Captain Clarke went to his room.

Once Luka got into his cabin, he took a shower and changed. He checked the map in his folder to find where the meeting was. Becoming distracted each time he saw men talking around a pool or at an open bar, he made a few wrong turns. He envied the fun they were having, but hurried past as he was running late. When he finally reached the area where the meeting was, he moved toward a seat in the back beside a young man who looked to be around his age. The whiteboard had Captain Clarke’s name and underneath it, Day Shift Meeting. The meeting had already begun.

“Your meals are served three times a day, beginning with breakfast at five in the morning. If you miss breakfast, you don’t get another chance for a meal until lunch, which is at noon, but you’ll be able to access snacks and beverages throughout the day in designated areas or vending machines on the ship. Dinner is served at seven. All your meals will be taken in the Crew Mess Hall, which can accommodate all crewmembers. Meals are all buffet style, offering a variety of dishes to cater to different dietary preferences and cultural backgrounds.” Captain Clarke paused and glared at Luka as he sat down in the back.

A crewmember in the front raised their hand.

“Yes.”

“Can we eat our meals in our cabins, sir?”

“Crewmembers may not eat meals in their cabins.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Work hours are: first shift from six to noon, second shift one to six, and we have two-night shifts as well. Some crewmembers signed up for double shifts. At all times wear your uniform with the lanyard around your neck which shows your name and assigned work number. Any questions?”

“Can we swim in any of the pools?” one crewmember asked.

“Inside your welcome pamphlet is a list of the areas you can use. Remember, this is your workplace and act accordingly. Your first shift begins tomorrow. Don’t be late. The directions to your assigned work areas are also in your welcome packet. I’m going to show you a video of the entire cruise ship.” He turned off the lights and started the video as he sat in the front, watching them.

“Hey, I’m Charlie from Miami. Where are you from?” the young man beside him asked.

“Hey, Charlie, I’m Luka from Newport Beach, California.”

“Nice to meet you. Here’s how you can tell who’s available if you’re interested. Look at the color of their lanyard. If their lanyard has a green star on their name tag, they’re available. If it has a red star, they’re taken, and a yellow star, it’s complicated. I wouldn’t mess with yellows.”

“How would you know that if you’re new?” Luka asked.

“Some guy told me at lunch. I’ll introduce you to him during dinner. He gets us in places we’re not allowed. That’s what he told me.”

“Then we might get some action.”

“Tonight, there is a traffic light party at the pool. You can wear green, red, or yellow rubber bracelets. The tops have green ones, bottoms wear red, and sides wear yellow. What color would you wear?”

“Red. Where do we get the bracelets and which pool?”

Charlie slipped his hand into his pocket, pulled out one of each color, then handed Luka a red one. “Look inside the bracelet, and the deck number for the pool is there. Starts at ten.”

Luka stuffed the bracelet into his pocket. When the meeting was over, Charlie left with the others, but Luka waited for the captain.

“Are you waiting for me?” he asked.

“What can I check out until work, sir?”

“Your cabin. Dinner is at seven. Check your welcome packet for the location and directions.”

“How will I explain why I can’t go to activities, sir?”

“Figure it out.”

“Is everyone gay on this cruise?” Luka asked.

“Who wants to know?”

“I do, sir.”

“Yes, most of the passengers on this cruise are, but not all the cruises are gay cruises.”

“What about the crewmembers? Are they all gay?”

“No, they aren’t.”

The captain left him standing there alone. Once he found his cabin, he patiently waited there until it was time for dinner.