2. Red Rum: Chelsea

After making serious in-roads on the birthday cake, their parents officially turned over ownership of the Scylla and Charybdisto Amanda, Chelsea and Stacy. The entire family took the boat out for a spin to cap the day.

That evening, Amanda broke out her laptop and did some more work on the website she’d been designing ever since her parents told her of their plans to gift them with the boat, and provide start-up financing for their freelance dive business.

Chelsea and Stacy relaxed in their own individual ways. Chelsea was the outgoing one of the duo, the one who could, wherever they were, go into a sports bar to cheer on her teams (the Florida Marlins and the Miami Dolphins) on a regular basis, and make new friends at the drop of a hat. Stacy, on the other hand, was more of a loner, unhappy in large groups.

Stacy, therefore, chose to spend the rest of her birthday on board the Scylla and Charybdis, relaxing in her cabin (the yacht was a live-aboard with six cabins) and watching her favorite movies, James Mason’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and then The Abyss.

Chelsea went out to the Red Rum night club. Bimini was a popular tourist spot. There were many night clubs, some free standing, others within resort complexes where guests from cruise ships stayed. The Red Rum night club was a small, intime club, frequented typically only by scuba divers.

Stacy, dressed in a black t-shirt and black cargo shorts, entered the Red Rum and looked around. A steel band was playing in one corner, there were a few people on the dance floor, and a few people at the bar.

“Beer please, Harry,” Chelsea requested, snagging a stool. “Anyone around?”

“Hi, Chelsea,” said Harry with a warm smile. She’d known Harry for two years, ever since she’d turned 18, the legal age for drinking on Bimini, and indeed, throughout the Bahamas. She – and her sisters – had been attending university on the mainland for the last two years, but made frequent trips back home – their parents had run a successful dive boat operation in the area for the last 20 years, until their retirement…official today!

“You just missed Carl and Piet, they went out with a couple of girls a few minutes ago. I haven’t seen Terry yet. He’s usually in by this time if he’s coming.”

Chelsea nodded and stretched out an arm to move a bowl of beer nuts closer to her.

“Well, I’ve got news for you, Harry. Amanda, Stacy and I are opening up our own freelance diving business. Taking over from mom and dad. “

“Oh – dive boat?” said Harry.

“No…hopefully not. We’re looking more toward just diving, helping people excavate submerged sites, find shipwrecks, that kind of thing. We’ll be getting business cards printed up in the next day or two.”

“Well, congratulations,” said Harry. “I’ll put the word around.”

“Thanks.”

Harry caught the eye of a customer and hurried away.

Chelsea twisted on her stool so she could take a good look at the inhabitants of the bar. There were a lot of couples, she noted…and very few single men hanging about. And none of those who were single aroused her interest…too young or too old. Chelsea’s taste didn’t go for young men – guys her age weren’t really men at all, most of ‘em, but still boys trying to find their way in the world. She preferred guys who had filled out a little, both physically and mentally. Someone in his late twenties or early thirties, for choice.

But tonight seemed like the invasion of the college kids…

Well, that was all right. She’d go back home…probably arrive in time to watch the rest of The Abyss with Stacy. Or perhaps she would challenge her parents to a game of scrabble…

Chelsea finished her beer, and stood up.

Harry, who had been down at the other end of the bar talking with a customer, walked quickly over to her.

“Feel like diving the Bimini Road tomorrow?” he asked.

“Of course,” said Chelsea, without hesitation. “Why?”

“There’s a guy over there. Newbie. He was told this was the place to come to find divers who knew every inch of the water around here. He wants you to escort him around the Road tomorrow.”

“Fantastic, Harry. I’ll go talk to him.” She had followed Harry’s gesture toward the end of the bar, where a man – in his thirties, she guessed – held up a hand in greeting.

“Want another beer?” asked Harry.

“Sure. Just one more, I think. Send it down to the end of the bar. And one for the newbie, too. On me.”

“Right.”