Chapter 26

The First and Last Hyde Family Cruise

Part Five

The family peace at the table didn't last long between Hyde's, sunglasses attached to his shirt, looks to Tiffany to "knock

it off" with the dirty looks to her sister and Hunter only ate one piece of chicken tenders before needing to find a

restroom toilet to puke in. Jackie wanted to go but Hyde didn't think a public men's restroom with her ten-year-old son

on a public cruise ship was the best place for a well-meaning and loving mother.

"Is Hunter sick again?" Hannah asked her mother while dipping her shrimp in the small sea-shell shaped ramekin

containing the cocktail sauce.

"I thought he was feeling better…" Jackie ignored her jittery feeling to get up and check on her son, but her husband

was more than capable, so she took out her phone just in case her husband needed to send her a text.

"Mom, can I go back to my room?" Tiffany asked

"No," Something Jackie thought she should have said to her daughter more often, especially when it was just the two of

them living in New York City, "We're a family…"

Tiffany crossed her ankles together to avoid kicking Hannah. She couldn't help it. She was ugly and would have

deserved being kicked if their mother weren't there keeping watch.

Hyde didn't think Hunter was going to make it to stall to vomit in and that was when you knew you were a grown-up

when you would have cleaned up your child's vomit instead of waiting for staff to do it. He couldn't help but think that

would have been a good job for Tiffany and her "smart mouth".

He leaned down to help his son get up when he was done heaving in the toilet.

"Oh…" the young boy replied, "I feel so much better…" Hyde helped his boy up as Hunter flushed the toilet with his foot,

a trait taught by his mother. His head was cool, but not warm. "Do you want to go back to your room?"

"No. I'd like a glass of ginger ale." He was relieved that Hunter was going to be all right.

If he wanted something to drink that was a very good sign that the worst was over and all he needed was to puke in

the toilet. Hunter went to the sink to wash his hands like he was taught as Hyde handed him a paper towel from the

dispenser.

"Are you sure that you're okay, baby?" Jackie asked when Hunter came back with his glass of ginger ale.

"Yeah…after I threw up I felt better…but I don't want to eat anymore." He pushed his plate away.

"Dad, can I go to my room…?"

"What did your Mom say?"

Damn.

"No." Tiffany sighed

"Then finish your supper and learn how to have fun."

Hannah finished her shrimp and hoped that her Daddy would love to share a hot fudge sundae with her after.

Jackie thought it was so adorable when her littlest daughter wanted to share an ice-cream sundae with her father and

he wouldn't be able to eat the whole thing so it was a win-win.

"Tiffany, you can have your wish granted, take Hunter up to his room."

That caused the most sensitive of the Hyde children to sit up right, "No. I can go by myself…like I did in Chicago…"

"Okay, son…" Jackie got up to give him a kiss on the cheek. Her son would thank her for this someday.

"Mom, I'm okay…"

She spared telling him that a mother would always worry about her children. It was in the handbook.

"Can I still go…?"

"Yes…" Hyde said. He loved her, she did come a long way with loving her parents, but he was sick of her attitude at the

moment and especially how she treated her younger sister, "Stay in your room."

"Yes, warden." Hyde let that comment go. Someday she was going to have grow up and he hoped that it happened

sooner rather than later.

Hannah smiled when Tiffany left. She moved her spoon around the whipped cream. "Daddy, how come you aren't eating

the cherry on top?"

"Because it's for you."

"While you two bond…I think I'm going to see if any of the shops are still open…."

"Now?" Hyde questioned not that he didn't want alone time with his daughter, but his wife could be in Antarctica and

she would still find an available shopping center.

"Yes! Bye…" She kissed Hannah on the head and Hyde on cheek.

"Bye, Mommy!"

Hannah felt a million times better with Tiffany gone. Hyde pushed the sundae closer to the ten-year-old. "You eat it,

honey…it's for you."

She smiled. "Thank you, Daddy."

Tiffany surprised herself by checking on Hunter, but he blew her off and commanded her to "leave me alone", she

shrugged her shoulders like her mother and decided to go the arcade before her parents stopped her from having any

fun on this trip. All you had to do was put your room card key in this slot by the door and you'd get a pack of 10 free

tokens that came out in a single coin wrapper. When she was little and spent some time with Eric, he introduced her to

all of these cool freestanding games at one of the local pizza places. It was much more for fun than a Wii or X-Box. She

liked Ms. Pac Man. Surely, her Mom and Dad wouldn't mind her doing this before going back up to her room before bed.

Jackie came back to the restaurant table with a stack of postcards. Hannah wanted to send one to Megan and Jackie

thought it was super cute that Hunter wanted to send one as well. Hannah was tired after finishing her ice-cream

sundae.

"Let's go put this one to bed." Hyde said.

"You didn't get to eat much of your dinner." Jackie commented. Between Hunter being sick and Hannah wanting the

attention of her father.

The old Hyde would have eaten his cold half-eaten steak, but this was a well-deserved family cruise and tomorrow was

another day. His family always came first. A lesson he learned from Red and Kitty Forman.

"It's all right…" Hyde secretly wished that Hannah was three years old and needed to be carried. "Hannah," he gently

shook her and whispered in her ear, "Wake up. It's time to go to bed."

The girl wiped her eyes and put her hand over her mouth to refrain from yawning. "Oh-kay, Daddy."

Great. Where was that girl? The girl who was in such a hurry to be an adult? Hyde did think of having Tiffany be paged

on the PA System to embarrass the slight rebellion out of her.

"Don't be mad, Steven…. she just wants to have fun." Jackie said while covering Hannah with blankets.

"She could afford to learn some common courtesy…I'm looking for her."

If she was trying to find that older man again Hyde was going to ship her to the Moon!

Jackie kissed her husband on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you, too…but Tiffany is still in trouble."

Tiffany was playing regular Pac-Man as she noticed a cute guy that was her age leaning against the side of the machine.

He had sandy blond hair and green eyes. He smelled like Polo cologne. Such a retro throwback to what the boys in the

'80s used to wear before she was even thought of. She put moved the yellow pizza man across the dots on the board

and was about to eat the bigger circle that turned the ghosts blue when a hand went on her shoulder. She turned her

head losing her concentration and while the screen flashed Game Over.

"Dad! What are you doing here?"

"Seeing where you went to. Tiffany, if you want to go someplace, let me or your mother know…it's called common

courtesy. So tell me who your friend is here?"

Tiffany's cheeks flushed a light crimson color. Hyde could tell that this kid was harmless, he was like a taller version of

Forman, but was still twitchy.

"I don't…"

"Mick, Sir."

Hyde laughed on the inside. This was a good night Tiffany was embarrassed and he had a teenage boy quivering in his

designer sneakers.

"Dad…can I stay here for a little while?"

He looked at his watch. "Sure. But your curfew is at 10."

Tiffany knew if she was even one minute late getting back to her cabin her father would probably come downstairs to

embarrass her again and she didn't want that.

"Fine." She replied without a huff in her voice.

"Nice to meet you, Mick," Hyde played with the boy's head by extending his hand for him to shake. "Later, Tiffany."

"Bye, Dad." Thank God he was gone! This was all so embarrassing!

"Hi, Mick…sorry about that…"

"We all have annoying folks. Where are you from, Tiffany?"

"Pennsylvania."

"Oh…I'm from Minnesota. Do you want to get a soda?"

Tiffany smiled. She didn't think this guy was "thee one" but you never could tell. "Sure.."

10:00 p.m.

"Steven…" Jackie buttoned up her nightgown. They just had a wonderful night. "Where are you going?" She put her

hand on his shoulder as he tied his robe.

"I'll be back, doll…let's order some room service…" She had a craving for chocolate cake and a big glass of milk. She

didn't think Steven's doctor would mind him having a treat on their vacation. Jackie grabbed the small white ring binder

that was by the in-house telephone.

Hyde knocked on the door. "I'm here." Tiffany said from her bed. Hyde opened the door.

"Good to know. How was your date?"

"It wasn't a date. Mick is from Minnesota, we exchanged emails, but I don't think he'll write back."

"Then he's not worth worrying about." Hyde kissed his eldest daughter on the cheek. "Goodnight, See you tomorrow,

love."

"'Night, Dad."

Tiffany was glad that she had parents that cared, but she wished that they wouldn't care so much.

"Jackie, you are the best." Hyde said while piercing his fork with the chocolate cake treat that was waiting for him when

he returned after he checked on Hannah and Hunter.

"Thanks, Steven. I knew Tiffany wouldn't break curfew…she's not that same girl that we had trouble with earlier this

year."

"I knew too, but sometimes a man needs to see things with his own eyes."

"Like if I wear my new blue bikini with the tiny stars on it tomorrow?"

"Especially that." He winked as he continued as they continued to eat their chocolate cake in bed. "Yours is better."

Hyde said while finishing the milk.

"Of course it is, Steven. The chefs here don't cook with the love that I do."

Postcards

Hannah to Megan: We had a nice time. We're leaving soon. By the time you get this I'll be home. Love, Hannah Hyde

Jackie to Donna: You, Eric, and Megan should take a cruise sometime. It's really fun. I'll phone you when I return home. Truly,

Jackie

Hunter to Megan: I don't like being this far away from land. I drew some pictures. I'll scan them when I get home for you to

see. From, Hunter.

PA

The kids were asleep, except for Tiffany who was probably sulking in her room after Jackie yelled at her for shoving

Hannah at the last rest stop. Jackie was leafing through the family mail as Hyde was adjusting all of the thermostats

after taking all of Jackie's suitcases to their bedroom. A task that took two trips but was well worth it when his wife

slipped into something long, white, silky, and flowy as she joined her husband in bed.

"Jackie, I think the mail can wait…" Hyde observed

"When you're right…" She took the letter from the school board that held her interest over the prospect of going to a

banquet and getting her husband in formal clothes yet again and placed it on her end table, "you're right. Steven, do

me a favor and turn off the light…we didn't get to have our welcome home making love session yet."

"I think that can be rectified…" He heard Tiffany's walk to the kitchen and knew once she had a snack she'd return to

her bedroom. "Mrs. Hyde…"

"Oh, Mr. Hyde…" Jackie giggled as he kissed her on the shoulder and tickled the nape of her neck with his fingers. "I

think I like THAT!"

Author's Note: And thus concludes the first and last Hyde family cruise. Will do a few more chapters to end

this story properly like I wanted to when I started it. Thanks to all!