Chapter Text
Anchors Away
Jo checked her ticket for what appeared to be the hundredth time. She was paranoid about losing her passport, tickets, wallet, all the important stuff, although she didn’t normally lose this stuff as a rule. She caught sight of herself in a window and sighed. She didn’t look as she had forty years ago, but who did at age sixty-two?
Back then, in 1984, she’d been much thinner with an asymmetrical short haircut as was the rage, sporting neon clothing, jelly shoes in every color, t-shirts with the phrase – CHOOSE LIFE splashed across the front or whatever thrift-store finds she could get her hands on. She also frequently hit every bar she could on the weekends in search of fun and frivolity, but life definitely opened up when she went away to college in Boston, Massachusetts, Commonwealth College. She took a job at the famed Newbury Comics record store and then became an intern at her college radio station WBTT. Or ‘Butt Radio’ as everyone loved to say. Working there got everyone in at all the best shows at the Orpheum Theatre, which wasn’t far from their school. Those days were literally the best of Jo’s life. Forty years ago, she was twenty-two and full of piss and vinegar, saucy, unafraid of much, full of vim and vigor. Now, she had health problems that had her racing to Google to research and pains that she was taking handfuls of medications to combat. Getting old wasn’t for pussies, that was for damn sure. After Jo left college, she remained in the Massachusetts area and moved to the country with her former college roommate Paula. They split the rent on a home just outside Milford while working for a radio station in Milford but as the radio business waxed and waned, they were fired and soon they were living all over the country.
Jo wasn’t even in radio at all anymore. She was working in healthcare insurance as a customer service representative in Florida. Paula had been married and divorced and lived in LA. She was working for an insurance company as well but as an agent selling Medicare supplement plans. Jo had never married and had no kids. Paula hadn’t had kids either. The two had kept in touch all through the years though and their love of music hadn’t changed and they spent many hours in the phone in the evenings with a glass of wine reminiscing of the mischief they got into with the bands they got to ‘party’ with via their college station ‘back in the day’.
So, when Jo heard about the upcoming ‘It Came From the 80s’ Cruise coming up, she got on the horn and called Paula and asked if she was interested in going with her. Normally, Jo was short on money because these cruises cost a fortune and she wasn’t normally a cruise person but this one sounded really cool and Wang Chung was on the bill. Way back in the day, Wang Chung had opened for someone that Jo couldn’t even remember back in 1982. They had spelled their name Huang Chung back then and they had been pretty freaking good for an opening act. Jo remembered the lead singer Jack Hues, especially. He had a good voice and he was sexy as hell. Nick Feldman, the bass player, was also quite a looker as well.
The other bands on this cruise included Tears for Fears, A Flock of Seagulls and Adam Ant. Jo and Paula liked all these people and back in college, they’d also wanted to bang Adam Ant and their dorm walls were plastered with posters of him too. They thought he was sexy as fuck. But back to Jack Hues…Jo had met him at an After Party at the Copley Hotel after the show and shared a joint with him in the tour bus. They had ended up in bed shortly after. As they like to say ‘when this bus is rocking, don’t you coming knocking’ and it had been. Jo never forgot that and she didn’t tell too many people. She was sure that Jack banged other women over the years and was pretty certain that she was long forgotten by now. Paula liked to have a good laugh every now and then at her expense.
So, there they were now aboard the ship…not one of the Royal Caribbean or one of the more well-known lines but it was a nice one at least, a good size…The Oceanic Pearl. Paula had kidded that it sounded like something Jack Sparrow would sail on.
Jo took another look in the window, pulling her hair out of her face. She’d cut her hair into a bob, letting nature take its course, so it was a pleasing white. She’d lost about forty pounds through a combination of eating less and walking. Today she was wearing a black t-shirt dress and black sandals and held a green bag.
Paula stood beside her. She was short like Jo was at five foot two. She had grey and white hair to her shoulders with a streak of purple in it. She was wearing a Red Hot Chili Peppers t-shirt and jeans. She was aging backwards as she liked to say.
“Okay, I guess we go check in,” Paula said, as she looked over Jo’s shoulder at the itinerary.
Jo turned suddenly and her shoulder collided with someone.
“Shit!” Everything in her hands went flying. The other person leapt into action and grabbed everything so fast while her brain was still catching up to what was going on.
The person straightened up, collecting her things into a neat pile, his right hand bore silver rings and he had bracelets on his wrist. He held her things out to her.
“Christ, I am so sorry! Got so bloody much on my mind!” He had a thick British accent.
Jo just gaped at him. Jesus Christ, it was Jack Hues. Older, sure. But, my Lord…still sexy as….his hair was still long…thinner sure…clad in an open necked shirt, showing a generous amount of chest, wearing some black beaded necklace with an Asian symbol dangling from the end. Jack’s eyes were a deep sea blue, framed by thick lashes.
“Jack…oh my God….” Jo’s brain was still trying to fire and form thoughts.
“You might want this.” He placed the things into her hands, allowing his hands to remain on hers an added minute.
“Um, yes. I do, I want it. From you. Definitely.” Next to her, Jo could see Paula facepalm. “Um, I meant. Shit. Never mind, vacation brain.”
“That’s all right, not a problem. Guess I’ll be seeing you.” He left them.
“God, idiot.” Jo sighed. “But God, he is still sexy as hell, he still brings it, doesn’t he?”
“You’re just horny!” Paula laughed at her.
“Between you and me, the last time I had sex, George Bush was in office.”
“Wow.”
“Not the dad, W.”
“Yikes.”
“Indeed.”
“Do you even remember how?” Paula teased, her voice lowered.
“Of course.” Jo smacked her arm.
They finally made it through the maze of checking in and eventually found their microscopic cabin. It wasn’t facing the ocean or had a balcony but they both were just happy to be there. They decided to walk the decks and see the sights.
“So, the only bands on this cruise with mostly original members are Wang Chung and Tears for Fears?” Paula asked, as they strode past one of the pool decks which was swollen with half-naked people already diving in. “I swear, there are bodies over there that shouldn’t be in Speedos, I’m just sayin’!”
“Adam Ant at ten o’clock.”
“WHAT?” Paula whipped around and sure enough, there he was, strolling along, dressed all black jeans and a black t-shirt. He had a doo-rag on, sunglasses and long black hair. No one was bothering him at all. He had a laminated pass dangling from a lanyard around his neck. That’s all it took for Paula to make her move.
“Hey ladies,” Adam said, very friendly, not at all put off by people coming up to him.
“Hey, is this the first time you’d done one of these cruises? Pretty cool that you are,” Paula said.
“Yeah, Chris Hughes, who’s good mates with Roland Orzabal and Jack Hues told me about it. He’s on this cruise too. He said they pay pretty good and it’s a nice way for the bands to be together,” Adam explained.
“Wait, Merrick is here?” Jo gasped.
“Oh, I see some old fans here,” Adam stated, with a grin.
“Since 1981, when we were in college in Boston actually. I worked at Newbury Comics and got your imports. I tried to see you when you came to play Spit but couldn’t get in, not old enough but got to see you other times. God, so many times,” Jo enthused.
“See, this right here, makes playing these gigs so great! Hearing you all talk about this stuff!” Adam threw his arm about Jo’s shoulder and gave her a peck on the head.
“Would you mind terribly getting your pic taken with me?” Jo asked, her phone in hand.
“Not at all.” He posed beside her as Paula took their pic with Jo’s phone.
“Do you ever do any work or do you just play?” Chris Hughes strolled over then and stopped to chat with Adam.
“Play, that’s what I’m here for. These young ladies are fans of yours from back in the day.” Adam had both arms around the women now.
“Is that right?” Chris smiled. He looked the same but like anyone else, his hair was now silver. He posed for photos with the two women.
Nick Feldman, the bassist from Wang Chung, was next to stroll over. He was still looking pretty well. He had long curly dark hair streaked with grey. He was the one that Paula had the hots for back in the day. He was wearing a grey t-shirt over jeans and black motorcycle boots. Jo nudged Paula in the side.
“Hey Chris, you got any…you know?” Nick kept his voice discreet. “Edibles?”
“I have some,” Paula piped up. “I can hook you up. What do you need?”
“Well, thing is…I have some back pain and it’s flaring up. Getting old sucks. Yeah. If you can share whatever you have…but not here, we can go to my cabin and, if you don’t mind,” he invited.
“Sure.” Paula’s eyes lit up.
“Yeah, we got one of those deluxe cabins, it’s me and Jack actually. Your friend can come too. We can have some drinks too, since you’re being so kind,” Nick said, looking grateful.
Jo looked like she’d won the Lottery. She and Paula walked off with Nick and to his cabin which was twice the size of theirs which was more like a suite. The cabin had a balcony and faced the ocean. Jack was hanging out on the balcony, sipping beer with his feet up on the rail.
The smell of whatever Jack was smoking drifted in through the opened door the minute the two women walked into the cabin with Nick.
“Are you guys performing tonight?” Paula asked.
“Nope, tomorrow. No one is tonight. It’s just an opening night thing, where all the fans gather and get smashed.”
Paula opened her purse and pulled out a joint.
“Does this work for you? I have a medical marijuana card, so it’s not like street stuff.” She held the joint up for his perusal.
Nick stroked his scruffy jaw, nodding. He flopped onto the sofa and Paula sat next to him. Jo sat across from them. Paula lit the joint, toked and then handed it to Nick who took a good pull on it, he then gave it to Jo. Jo didn’t normally get high, so this would probably hit her hard. And sure enough, she was buzzed very quickly. Jack wandered in to see what was going on.
“I smell something good in here,” he said. “Oh, hey girls.”
“You want some?” Jo held the joint up.
“Sure, I’m always game.” He took the joint and had a long toke.
“It’s medical,” Paula told him.
“That’s fine.” Jack leaned over to hand it back to her and Jo had a peek into his opened shirt. He had a nice body. She’d totally do him. He slung himself into the seat beside hers, his elbow atop the sofa beside her as he studied her with his deep blue yes.
Jo blushed, feeling like she was twenty-two and not a sixty-two-year-old with some mileage on her.
“Do you still talk to Tony Banks?” Jo blurted. She was referring to Tony Banks of Genesis, another musician who she’d admired for years. Tony had a side project with Jack in 1995 called Strictly Inc and Jo had bought the CD, finding it awesome. She still listened to it currently.
Jack’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting that question and then he smiled widely. He cupped the side of his head.
“Yes, often. We’re still mates. Wow, I do get that question from the random interviewer and then the diehard fan like you.”
Jo wasn’t going to reveal that she would have wanted a threesome with him and Tony.
“Do you remember me?” She figured he might not. It was over forty years ago but nothing ventured, nothing gained. “We met in Boston. I worked for WBTT, also called Butt Radio. Not really the name, we just called it that. Your band opened for I forget who but you played the Orpheum in 1982. You guys were amazing. You and I had a joint in the bus and then um things got a bit…. well, you know…” She broke eye contact and pushed her toes into the carpet and stared at her polished toes. She had black nail polish. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this but I’m high as fuck. So, while I’m on the topic, I really want to bang Tony Banks too. Okay, I’m done now.”
Paula and Nick were both silent and staring at Jo, their mouths agape. They both burst into laughter. Jo put her hand over her face.
"Wait, yes, both of you from that dodgy college station. Which of you was the on-air talent?” Nick asked, glancing between them.
Me!” Jo looked up.
“And me,” Paula said.
God, I was so horny back then,” Jack put in.
Are you still that horny now?” Jo was curious.
Actually yes.” Jack settled his arm about her shoulders. Jo put her hand on his thigh in response.
Jo was done with smoking that joint and was ready to smoke his pole now. It had been far too long. But she was sure she could pull it off if push came to shove.
"Did you mean horny in the present moment or horny in my advanced age?” Jack inquired, glancing at Jo.
Both.” She pushed her calf into his leg.
"Why don’t we discuss this privately?” he asked, softly as he rose, extending his hand down to her. Just then the whole room shuddered and horn sounded.
"Going out to sea, finally! Took long enough!” Nick exclaimed.
Jack led Jo into his cabin and closed the door. The actual sleeping quarters were small, just a bed and smallish set of drawers and closet. Jack turned to Jo and just like in the movies, grabbed her face in his hands, hungrily kissing her. Jo kissed him back just as eagerly as if this was the most natural thing in the world. Guiding her to the bed, Jack pulled her down beside him, drawing her hands into his shirt, allowing her to stroke his chest. He wasn’t very hairy, which was nice. Jack kissed the palms of her hands, down her wrists, in places that no one ever had, really ringing it in ways that other lovers hadn’t gone. But soon, he was groping at his zipper and Jo was pulling her dress hem up.
Jack’s hand was under her hem, his fingers down her panties and to have someone else touch her there was exquisite. That it was him was exhilarating, thrilling and she threw her head back, gasping, clutching at his shirt. Then he was inside her suddenly and she was still high and couldn’t believe it was him, that they were really doing this…it all felt so unreal.
"Oh…my God…oh fuck…Jo, fuck…” Jack gasped.
"Sadly, he was older and it didn’t last as long but my Lord, it was pretty good for what she did get. Jo sat up to get her dress totally off along with everything else. Jack was completely nude by now next to her. He didn’t appear to be kicking her out.
"So, you wanna fuck Tony?” he mused, as he stroked her hair.
"If he’s half as good as you, yes.”
"Well, he’s remarried. I’ve not banged him. I don’t go that way. He got married in 2022 to Helena Rosi Fortner. She’s Greek, lives in London and is the CEO of Fortner Photos, think Getty Photos, a company like that. You know those black and white Strictly Inc promo shots that came out of Tony and I for the album?”
Those are hot. Tony looked especially fetching in those.” Jo nodded.
"Helena took those. They met then. They had an affair then and broke up for a bit. She’s like fifty-four, so a lot younger. But Christ, Tony lives a great life with her.”
"I’m glad for him, truly. I’d like to discuss raising your sail, Mr. Hues…” The effects of the medical marijuana had not yet left Jo’s system as she inched her way down Jack’s body as she massaged his dick which fortunately sailed up like a flag in a stiff breeze...she couldn't wait to see what else awaited her on the seven seas with Mr. Hues.