CHAPTER 171: THE OBSTRUCTED

Perhaps ironically, like her marriage, Julia was holding tightly onto the guardrail.

The young actor had left, yet his words were ringing in her ears.

"It never gets better."

It seemed like he could look past her façade.

"You believe you are holding on for dear things, for the dearest people, but it will not result in anything worthwhile. For all your sacrifice, you will only be despised."

He didn’t seem to care that he was touching a sensitive topic. In his eyes, his interference was neither right nor wrong.

Social graces did not matter to the odd actor. His attitude seemed to suggest he spoke out only his idle thoughts.

"You are a mother, yes?"

His amber eyes seemed to see through her.

In that moment, Julia felt insignificant.

In the actor’s eyes, she was just another story he had heard plenty of times. There was nothing special about her, nothing worth exploring or paying attention to.

’An unoriginal story.’

That was what Julia managed to glean through Averie’s slothful gaze.

"An awful marriage is something you will suffer for the entirety of your life. A healthy divorce, on the other hand, will only torment the present."

With those words, he retreated his steps.

"Don’t impart wrong lessons on your child. If you can’t respect yourself, if you think this is fine, what do you suppose they will learn?"

He had not allowed her a single word in response, yet his back looked infinitely confident in his monologue.

"There isn’t enough rum aboard to drown your problems."

As if he knew everything she wanted to say, he didn’t allow a single retort.

"Your husband should be sharing this view with you, not me."

With the image of his back fading from sight, those words kept ringing in her head like a church bell.

"What could be more pathetic than inaction? What are we teaching the next generation? Are you not simply passing on the sins of your predecessors?"

***

’Why do people find it so difficult to defy the norm, to defy society?’

Averie was on his way back to his room, and that thought hadn’t left his head since he bid the lonely woman goodbye.

He was unusually upset.

’Are they afraid of admonishment, or do they really seek every single person’s approval?’

He deemed it stupid.

’Who could possibly have everyone’s approval? Even saintly men find themselves being booed.’

His brows furrowed.

’And why should you care about people? Most of them are stupid anyway. What’s the point of pleasing the idiots?’

He had seen plenty of such cases like Julia.

In his eyes, her situation, at least, did not look as awful as those from the eras past.

’She didn’t have any bruises...’

Domestic violence was a term coined shortly after Gene Conti’s death.

’There wasn’t even a term for it; that’s how awful the situation back then was.’

It wasn’t an uncommon sight to hear about a father going home and beating his wife and children.

’’Disciplining,’ they called it.’

It was a widespread societal issue. Yet no one considered it a significant enough problem until one man in the UK bravely gave it a name.

Compared to those times, the situation had mellowed significantly. While sharing a pint in the pub, nobody could laugh off such crimes anymore.

’What a frustrating lady. Just dump his ass; how difficult must you make it for yourself? You look rich, and alimony should have you set for a long time. Why would you let someone else dictate your life?’

He rubbed the back of his neck.

’It’s making me mad for no reason.’

Walking past the white metal walls of the ship, he rounded a few corners with hurried steps.

Halfway through the lobby, he heard voices coming from the closest room.

The actor looked around.

He had mistakenly walked onto the lower decks where the staff’s quarters were located.

’I am not supposed to be here, am I?’

He turned one-eighty degrees but was halted by interesting voices coming from the nearby room.

"So, it’s done?"

The rough voice was that of a man.

Averie quietly glanced at the closed room.

Instead of a room number, the plate attached to the door read ’First Officer’s Quarters.’

Averie took a step closer.

With his back to the wall, his gaze studied the empty corridor.

"No one saw you, right?"

Averie attached his ear to the door, but he could only hear the rough voice; the other one was rather subdued, and he had trouble recognizing it.

’Is it a man? A woman? Young? Old? What are they saying?’

He had no idea.

"It’s fine. It’s better settled now than later."

The sound of hard boots hitting against the carpeted floor fell on Averie’s ears.

Alert, the actor lowered his posture and bolted out of there on his tiptoes.

’Shady or not, I want no part of it.’

Once around the corner, he heard the door open.

"See you later, then."

Another set of footsteps approached in his direction.

’Goddamnit.’

Again, he bolted out of there on tiptoes.

Once on the upper decks, he entered the casino and spent some time watching rich men lose money.

He did so to observe if he was being followed, or so he convinced himself. In reality, he liked watching the rich lose their money.

While there, a man bumped into him.

"Oh, I’m sorry."

It was an old man’s voice laden with a light Italian accent.

With a greying moustache and pocked skin, his rectangular face looked rather sturdy, like that of an aging boxer.

He wore a white uniform, and buried under his arm was a white hat with a black brim.

A word echoed in the empty chamber of Averie’s mind.

’Captain.’

Averie gave him a courtesy nod; it was his way of saying, ’I’m fine. Please don’t concern yourself with me.’

But the older gentleman would not take the clue.

He extended his arm.

"I am Giovanni Allegri, Captain of this vessel."

Averie reluctantly shook his hand.

The man took some time to greet the people sitting at the nearby tables. All the while, the staff following him kept a straight face without uttering a peep.

’Is this what professionalism looks like?’

Averie knew none of that. If he were in their shoes, he would have started retching and screaming like a mule just to embarrass his superiors.

’I would’ve gotten fired, but at least, it would be fun.’

But such thoughts didn’t seem appropriate when the older gentleman was addressing him.

He spent a good amount of time chatting with Averie.

"Ah, so you are with Mr. Nakamura’s party?"

"Do you know him?"

"Yes, I talked to him. My son loves his games."

’Apparently, the captain of the ship doesn’t mind entertaining large parties.’

Thankfully for Averie, the man and those around him had no idea that he was an actor.

’So, this is what being kind means? Looks tiring.’

After inquiring if the service was fine and whether he was enjoying the cruise, the good captain departed alongside his colleagues.

Just as Averie relaxed his tensed muscles, he noticed one of the officers looking back at him with knitted brows.

’Damn. Does he know me?’

Not long after, Averie left the casino.

’Is it going to rain?’

The sky looked murky, as if it was obstructing the stars from gazing at the ship alone and afloat at sea.

And only now that it was out of his sight did Averie recall the most important detail of the night.

’It’s full moon tonight.’

His steps turned towards his quarters.

’The third tattoo won’t work today.’

***

It was very early in the morning.

Unable to fall asleep, Hyerin was on her phone, reading the first episode’s reception.

Patrick Patrickson

’It made me cringe. 10/10 would watch it again.’

Rated 8.5

James Jamison

’I still have no idea if this show is a parody, a solemn attempt at documentary, or a comedy. Would sell my nan’s dentures to watch it live.’

Rated 8.6

Stuart Attleborogh

’Questioably educational, stylistically chaotic, and comedically psychotic, Long Live the Quinn blurs the line between reality and fiction, the character and the actor.’

Rated 8.9

Hyerin felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her chest.

’It’s not as popular as the BSPH’s initial reaction, but it’s still pretty good for a mockumentary.’

There were online discussions surrounding its unique comedic delivery, and the uninitiated were left wondering who this Quinn person was.

At such an important juncture in history, it was the AQuinn community who stepped up to enlighten the masses.

Satisfied, Hyerin put down her phone and turned in her bed.

The king-sized bed, where her friend and Min-Ha—who had won the deciding round of rock-paper-scissors—were supposed to be sleeping, had only one person enjoying the warm comfort.

Hyerin’s eyes darted across the room.

’Where is he?’

Doubts crept up in her heart.

The good actor was nowhere to be seen.