Chapter 5 Luka

Inside, Luka was seething with anger, his thoughts racing and his heart pounding after being humiliated at dinner and now this. The captain had absolutely no reason to check on him in the Crew Mess Hall and to return to his cabin so early. “Is there a reason I can’t have visitors in my cabin, sir?” Luka asked.

“No visitors are allowed in your cabin.” Captain Clarke turned to Charlie. “You’re not welcome in this section of the ship, and you know that. Leave now!”

“Yes, sir.” Charlie shot Luka a troubled glance, then rushed out of the cabin at once.

“Let’s get something straight, Luka!” he shouted. “This is my ship, and you follow my rules. You’re not on vacation.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Sit down.” His expression stilled and grew serious.

Luka sat down, his head hanging low, avoiding eye contact. He’d assumed Captain Clarke would have been having dinner in the Grand Dining Room, then later dropping in on various parties. He’d said he was going to dinner. Why did he return early? To check on him because he didn’t trust him was the only possible explanation. He’d never be able to sneak away and have some fun at the parties.

“First of all, your friendship with Charlie needs to end. He is trouble. I know he’s new, but this afternoon, I caught him in a passenger only area. He’ll only wave temptation in your face. You must follow the rules, or you will serve the rest of your time in prison with your boyfriend.”

“You said I can only associate with the crewmembers. Charlie is a crewmember. Even prisoners make friends on the inside. We were just talking in my cabin. I don’t understand why that’s a big deal,” he said.

“The reason you’re in the situation you’re in is because of who you associated with. You need to learn to distinguish between the good and bad influences in your life. Do you want another man to drag you into a deeper hole?”

“I like Charlie as a friend, and he won’t drag me anywhere I don’t want to go. We have a lot in common. I think you haven’t gotten to know him.”

“He’s a bad influence.” He sat down in a chair across from Luka. “I want to get to know you better, so I understand where you’re coming from. Why did you allow your boyfriend to talk you into committing a crime?”

This conversation was reminiscent of the old fights with his mother about Maleko. Though she had been right about him. He was a manipulative person who distracted Luka from his dreams and ambitions.

“You just threatened me and now you want me to confide in you? I don’t feel you have my back, and anything I say can and will be used against me.”

“I didn’t threaten you. I warned you about the consequences of not following the court orders.”

“Your personality type is one reason I never joined the military.”

“What do you mean by that? You couldn’t join the military if you wanted to. You’re not a citizen.”

“See, when you talk to me, I feel like you’re shouting at me or talking down to me. You don’t talk to me like someone I want to confide anything to.”

“I don’t do well in personal relationships. That’s why I don’t have them. However, for my goals for you to be reached, our relationship has to be personal. I want us to have the kind of relationship where I’m helping you get back on track. I didn’t mean to shout at you, but no one under my command has ever disobeyed and disrespected me in the manner you have. I know it’s been a tough day for you.”

“I don’t know if I can trust you or any other man.”

Captain Clarke touched his arm. “I’m on your side and I’m your go-to- man between you and the court. You need to trust me and tell me what’s going on. I’m in charge of you, so I need to know how you feel.”

As soon as he touched Luka, it felt like a jolt of electricity coursed through his veins.

“You want to know how I feel? Well then, today I found out my boyfriend lied to convince me to help him during the robbery. I feel like shit! All I wanted to do was forget all that crap and have a few drinks.”

“Are you blaming him?”

“I blame myself for believing his damn lies. My father told me I was his blind fool. And he was right. That makes me a loser for being involved in the robbery.”

“You didn’t just rob a home.”

“What do you mean?” Luka felt sick to his stomach and the waves banging against the ship weren’t helping the situation.

“The house was burned down. Did you have any part in setting the home on fire?”

Luka closed his eyes, thinking back to that horrible night. “Why are you asking me this?”

“If you did, I need to make sure you’re not going to try to set fire to my ship.”

“I didn’t burn that house down. I had nothing to do with that.”

“Did you know the house you invaded burned down?”

“I learned about it in court, but I never saw it on fire.”

“You said you drove the car. Did you go inside the house?”

“I parked around the block and waited for Maleko. He never said he set the house on fire.”

“What do you think now?”

“I don’t know why he would set fire to the house. He said he didn’t.” Talking about setting the house on fire brought back memories of when his car was destroyed by fire in the University of California’s parking lot. No one saw anyone nearby his car, but it was around the time Maleko told him to quit college. After the fire, Luka left school. He hoped Maleko didn’t have any part in destroying his car.

“Weren’t you two on vacation in Florida at the time?”

“We were. I don’t know why he thought what he did was a good idea. I just did what he told me, but I could have said no. I was afraid he’d dump me for someone who would help him.”

“Would you like to sit on my balcony with me to clear your mind? I’d really like your company.”

Luka nodded.

“I’ll make us a drink.”

“I thought you said I couldn’t have alcohol or cigarettes.”

“You’re not allowed to buy alcohol and cigarettes with the gold card. Do you smoke?”

“No.”

“Follow me to the other side of my cabin. I have a well-stocked bar.” He opened the door between them, and Luka followed him.

His suite was of course much larger than Luka’s, and he admired the perfection of the cabin. Nothing was out of place. Luka couldn’t imagine having everything in the right place at any time of the day or night. His mother told him he was a slob, and his bedroom was always a complete disaster. Luka knew the cleaning service took care of everything, so he got very lazy. When he moved in with Maleko, even he had said he was messy.

“What do you want to have?”

“Scotch on the rocks.”

He nodded and pointed to the balcony. The sun was setting, painting the sky in orange and purple hues. Luka felt a breeze on his face and heard the waves crashing below. He wondered what secrets the captain was hiding behind his position on the ship.

The captain handed him a glass of scotch and gestured to a pair of chairs. Luka took a sip and felt the warmth in his throat. He sat down as he caught the captain smiling at him.

“So, Luka, tell me about yourself.”

“I grew up in a Newport Beach condo right on the beach. I surfed a lot. My mother gave me the freedom to explore anything I wanted to learn. I attended the University of California in Los Angeles. Then I dropped out in my third year.”

“What were you studying?” He sipped his scotch.

“Cybersecurity.”

“Why did you drop out?”

“I met Maleko on the beach. He surfed too. Then he wanted to spend more time with me.”

“So, you just quit?”

Luka nodded. “It was another mistake, but I can return.” He didn’t want to go into the fire on campus that destroyed his car. It had freaked him out and now he wondered if Maleko was behind it as he’d wanted to spend more time with Luka.

“I find you very interesting. You’re so different from the men in the military and the crewmembers too.”

“I wouldn’t fit in the military, and I don’t think I belong on this ship cleaning toilets all day.”

“No one wants that job. Tomorrow, I’ve assigned you to the kitchen in the Grand Dining Room. You will be under Mr. Harrison. He will tell you what your job is for the first shift. The second shift you will report to the Tahiti Bar and wash glasses. They will give you an apron to wear over your uniform.”

“No toilet scrubbing?”

“No, that’s reserved for real mess ups. When you show some respect towards me and the rules, you might make better use of your time here besides manual labor. Do not disrespect your supervisors. They will report that to me, then you’ll be assigned to scrub toilets.”

“Are you going to talk about you?”

“No time right now, but I promise the next time we talk, you can ask me questions. I have several parties to go to. It’s part of my job. Go to your room and stay there. I’ll be locking your outside door.”

“Yes, sir. Thanks for the drink.” Luka stood to leave.

“Make sure you make it to breakfast at five.”

“I will.”

“Good night, Luka.”