Found Family

With the nervous Jennifer between them Richard and Aria make their way to the Captain's gala. Between the tight revealing gown the voluptuous Aria was wearing and the smoking teen hottie accompanying them heads are turned their direction from all over the room. More than a few guys look to Richard with a jealous “you lucky bastard” look in their envious eyes.

In the plain the light of their suite Ted's transformation into Jennifer had been nearly perfect, but in the dimly lit club setting the illusion was absolutely flawless. There wasn't a hint that anybody saw her as anything but the beautiful young woman that she was this night. Even Richard found it difficult not to let his eyes stray to the lithe blonde sharing their table. Ted inhabited the role of Jennifer as if he were born for it. Every gesture, every giggle, every flutter of her big blue eyes impeccably feminine.

From their table they watched a stream of other guests file up to the head table and inundate the captain with questions and complaints about shared quarters and the invasion of privacy. The captain, a burly giant of a man, politely addressed each lotto winner in turn. Watching person after person walk away still angry, clearly their complaints had fallen on deaf ears, Richard felt there was no use adding his voice to chorus just now. There was no need to spoil such a lovely evening with things that could be settled in the morning.

Jennifer proved to be wonderful company. She laughed freely, spoke eloquently, and was simply a joy to be around. Richard could tell Aria was really taking a liking to her, and so was he. Together they ate and drank and laughed the night away.

At one point a dashing young man in a tuxedo approaches the table.

“Sir, Ma'am.” He nods to Richard and Aria in turn. “I was wondering if you would allow me the pleasure of asking your daughter to dance?”

Jennifer's sparkling blue eyes widen and a lovely blush colors her fine cheeks.

“Oh!” Richard laughs at the misunderstanding. “She's not our...ouch!” A hard pinch from under the table cuts his words short. Rubbing his leg he looks at Aria wondering what that was all about.

Aria gives him a look before turning to their temporary roommate with a warm smile. “How about it Jenny dear? Want to dance with this polite young man?”

Jennifer gasps then says. "M-Mum?"

Aria nods slowly, signaling her to go along. "That's right. So, what do say Jennifer?"

Jennifer, momentarily lost in Aria's eyes, eventually shakes her head no. “No thank you...Mum.”

Aria's gazes for a long moment as her smile widens and she strokes Jen's slender shoulder. “You don't have to then.” She turns to the young man. “I'm sorry, not tonight. My girl is a little shy around strangers. Maybe later in the cruise.”

He nods his head and shoots a sly wink at their 'daughter'. “I'll be around.” He says then bids good night and wanders off.

Jennifer looks to Richard then back to Aria again. “Sorry. I didn't think people would think...that. That was embarrassing.”

“It's okay!” Aria says a bit too vehemently. “Really. I don't mind you calling me Mum. It's perfectly fine. We don't mind at all. Isn't that right Richard?”

“Er...yeah. Yeah sure.” This strange situation had just gotten a whole lot weirder but he could tell this was important, both to Aria as well as Jennifer.

Jennifer is at a loss for words for a moment. Eventually that sweet smile returns and she whispers just loud enough to hear. “Thank you. Thank you so much...for everything. I'm so...happy right now.” She wipes a tear from the corner of her eye. “You can't know what this all means to me.”

“Ohhh my girl!” Aria pulls her into a big motherly hug, years of pent up maternal instincts at last given a release. “We're so happy to have met you too! Anything you need you just let us know baby.”

And just like that Richard realized that they be sharing their cabin for the entirety of the trip as Aria played Mommy to this young person they'd only met a few hours ago.