My phone buzzed while I was reviewing the balance sheet from our last charter, sitting on the upper deck and enjoying the sun. It was a text from Tom. ‘Picking up A at transient. Will be there in 30.’

I acknowledged with a thumbs up emoji and went into the adjoining Master Stateroom to let Meg know.

“They’ll be here in 30 minutes,” I said.

Meg sat at the vanity, naked, finishing her makeup. I was tempted to mess it up in the best way possible, but knew better.

“Thanks love,” she said, finishing her lips.

She got up and went to her closet, picking a mini-dress of some blue shade that only women know the name of and carefully slipped it over her head.

“Did I get any makeup on it?” she asked, holding her arms out as I inspected.

“Nope, looks good.”

She selected matching heels and some jewelry.

“Um, I’ve got jeans and a polo on, should I re-think that?” I asked.

“No, you look fine. I like that color on you.”

“You’re kinda dressed up…” I added.

“I’m a girl. $10 she’s at least as dressed up as I am. Trust me on this one. We’re fine as we are.”

I held my palms up in surrender.

“So how are we going to handle the sleeping arrangements?” I asked.

“To an extent, I was going to play it by ear. I planning on giving her A cabin as hers, so she has her own space. Tommy can take B. I’m going to assume that she’s going to want to have sex with me at least.”

“I think that’s a given,” I chuckled. “If we’re moving beyond client/Echo with her though, if this isn’t something you want, this is the time to say no.”

Meg doesn’t blush often but she did.

“Uh, no, I’m kinda looking forward to it,” she giggled a little nervously.

“If it comes down to it, I’ll crash in the Captain’s cabin and give you both the master. Alexander’s the captain anyway and he won’t mind my using his room,” I smiled.

Alexander has never spent the night aboard in physical form, he usually only manifested while having a conversation with us and then went into another room and disappeared. His having his own cabin was sort of a running joke between us.

“You’re better than I deserve,” Meg said, hugging me.

“Yes I am, don’t forget it,” I joked, hugging her back. “Pay me back by whispering the details of what you did in my ear next time we’re doing it.”

“Be good and I’ll let Alexander record it for you.”

“With that as incentive I’ll be a positive Saint.”

“Don’t be too saint-like,” she replied, squeezing my cock through my pants.

“No worries there,” I assured her.

Shortly, we heard a car pull up on the pier.

We went down to the gang-plank as Ani followed by Tom were just coming up.

“Welcome to my home!” Meg said, grinning broadly and holding her arms out for a hug.

“I can’t believe I’m here!” Ani squealed and ran the rest of the way up, hugging Meg.

I was out $10. Ani had on a very expensive looking, almost translucent dress with gold heels. Ani gave me a nice hug after Meg. Tommy kissed Meg on both cheeks and then gave me a hug.

“Alexander said that you wanted to experience ‘normal’ life as an Echo,” Meg said, taking Ani’s arm and guiding her up the stairs to the upper deck then out to the poop.

Alexander informs me that the deck outside of our cabin is technically the poop deck while the deck above us behind the bridge itself is called the ‘flying bridge’. I’m still giggling at ‘poop deck’ and try to use it in conversation as often as possible, much to Meg’s annoyance.

I bit my tongue and didn’t make my usual, ‘no pooping on the poop deck’ joke as I don’t know Ani that well.

“What, no cracks about the ‘poop deck’?” Tommy asked.

“Am I that predictable?”

“As far as dad-jokes go, yes,” Tom laughed.

“So we may be a little better off than ‘normal’, but we’d be happy to show you some of our favorite places,” Meg said to her. “You mentioned the beach, so we’re going to go out to an island that we like and spend the night anchored there. Is there anything special you want to do at the beach?”

They settled in on the curved bench at the aft end of the deck.

“I just want to walk around,” Ani said. “Alexander said that he told you…about me?”

“He did,” Meg nodded sympathetically, touching her arm.

“I have no memory of ever walking on a beach. I haven’t been able to walk for years now, let alone walk on a beach, unaided. That would be a very big deal for me. Hell, just being ‘outside’. Feeling wind on my face, smelling the ocean, feeling the sun. I know it’s a simulation, hell I wrote some of the code, but right now it FEELS real! Does it feel that way to you?”

“It does,” Meg nodded.