Chapter 20
SAPPHIRE PRINCESS
The girls had breakfast with Chase and Aiden the next morning, and then spent the day in Skagway. There, they took a tour of the town (which is only two blocks wide and five blocks long), and heard about a man named Jefferson Randolph Smith II (known to the locals as “Soapy” Smith. He was a criminal mastermind, as well as a con artist and gangster, from the 19th century. He would open business across most of the western U.S., and cheat all of his customers, slowly taking their money from them. He was killed in a spectacular fashion in the Shootout on Juneau Wharf in Skagway, and was buried there. The girls both found this fascinating. They spent the next two days wondering around the ship, until the final day when they heard that whistle as they were packing.
CAPTAIN (VO): Attention, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We will be coming into port back in Seattle, Washington in just about an hour from now. The currently local time is 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Please make sure that you have all of your belongings with you when you depart. We thank you for spending the last week with us on the Sapphire Princess, and we hope that you will take another cruise with Princess Cruises in the future.
The girls put the last of their things into their bags.
CIARA: Well, here we go.
CLAIRE: It's been a good cruise, hasn't it?
CIARA: Totally!
There was a knock at the door.
CLAIRE: I got it.
Claire opened the door to find Chase and Aiden on the other side.
CLAIRE: Chase, Aiden, hi.
CHASE: Hi, Claire.
AIDEN: Ladies, hope you don't mind us stopping by for a moment. Just wanted to say one last goodbye.
CIARA: No, that's fine. I was hoping I'd see you.
CLAIRE: And I was hoping I'd see you.
Claire smiled at Chase, which he returned. They had become relatively close in the short amount of time they'd spent together.
CHASE: Same here.
He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Claire.
CHASE: Claire, this fell out of your pocket the other morning at breakfast.
CLAIRE: Oh, did it?
CHASE: Yeah.
Claire took the paper, opened it up and smiled.
AIDEN: Well, it has been lovely to see you, Ciara.
CIARA: It's been great to see you too, Aiden.
Ciara and Aiden hugged.
AIDEN: Please, tell your mom we said hi. And, if you're ever near Portland, don't hesitate to call us.
CIARA: I'll remember. Thanks.
Next, Aiden walked over to Claire.
AIDEN: And, it was very nice to meet you, Claire.
CLAIRE: You too, Mr. Jennings.
AIDEN: Please, call me Aiden.
CLAIRE: Okay, Aiden.
The two hugged, as did Ciara and Chase.
CIARA: We'll see each other soon, right?
CHASE: Yes. I'm gonna try to make it out to Salem again sometime. It won't take almost eight years for us to see each other again.
CIARA: Cool.
Aiden looked at his watch.
AIDEN: Well, Chase, what do you say we get going?
CHASE: Okay.
AIDEN: It's been lovely to see you, ladies. Have fun on the rest of your trip.
CIARA: Thanks!
CLAIRE: We will!
CHASE: Bye, guys.
CIARA: Bye, Chase!
CLAIRE: Bye!
Chase and Aiden left.
CLAIRE: They're really nice.
CIARA: Yeah, they are. Seems like you and Chase got along pretty well.
CLAIRE: He's cool.
CIARA: I'm glad you guys got along.
The loud whistle of the ship came once more, signaling that they were in port.
CLAIRE: Well, here we go.
The girls picked up their bags and departed the ship, ready for the next part of their adventure.
