I had just bu.ried my husband, and nobody knew that during that very same week, I had purchased a ticket for a year-long cruise.

the message and put my phone away.

Weeks passed.

The cruise carried me from Miami to Jamaica, through the Caribbean, and eventually toward Europe.

I finally saw places I had spent forty years promising myself I would visit someday.

Someday always came after somebody else.

After Austin needed help.

After Chloe needed a babysitter.

After Ernest recovered.

After the bills were paid.

After everyone else was comfortable.

There had always been another after.

Until there wasn’t.

So I stopped waiting.

I learned to dance on the upper deck.

I ate