Quarantine Cruise: 4 Weeks with Family

I can’t believe we’re stuck in this tiny room for the next four weeks. This is the worst vacation ever,” Molly moaned from her bed.

“Tell me about it. I was really looking forward to exploring the ship and going to all the different restaurants,” Mom said with a sigh. “But at least we made it onto the boat before they quarantined everyone in their rooms.”

I had been staring out our window at the ocean, not really paying attention to what they were saying. I turned away from the window and looked around our cabin with a sigh of frustration. It was only a little past noon, but since everyone on board had to stay in their cabins because two passengers tested positive for COVID-19, there wasn’t anything else to do.

Our cabin was small, with two beds on one side and a third pulled down from where it was stored in the ceiling above them. A narrow desk ran along one wall with a TV above it that was showing nothing but reruns of Friends episodes.

At least there’s a balcony,” I said as I walked over to look out through the glass door. “We wouldn’t have been able to afford this room if it didn’t have one.” Our cabin was on one of the lower decks, so we couldn’t see much except for blue waves rolling by, but at least we weren’t stuck in an inside cabin with no windows or natural light like some people.

“I just want to go home,” Molly grumbled from her bed as she sat up and took off her headphones again.

“You always want things you can’t have,” I said as I rolled my eyes at her.

“Well being stuck in here isn’t any fun either,” she replied defensively. Then she yawned and laid back down on her pillow. “Wake me up when we get out of quarantine.”

I wandered back over to the window and stared out at the ocean again. We had been looking forward to this family vacation for months, and it was so frustrating that our plans were ruined by the coronavirus just like everything else this year. I wondered how long we would have to stay on the ship before it was safe to go back home.

“You okay, Sam?” Mom asked as she came over and put her arm around my shoulder.

“I guess,” I said with a shrug. “I’m just bored. There’s nothing to do in here.”

“I know, sweetie. This isn’t exactly what any of us wanted or expected when we booked this trip.” She sighed and looked out at the ocean with me for a minute before continuing. “But we just have to make the best of it and try not to get on each other’s nerves too much.”

“Yeah, I know.” I paused for a moment before asking, “How much longer do you think we’ll have to stay in here?”

“I’m not sure,” Mom replied with a shake of her head. “It could be four weeks like they told us when we got on board, but it might be longer if more people test positive. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

I let out another sigh of frustration at the thought of being stuck in this tiny room for an unknown amount of time.

“But I heard them say on the news last night that they’re going to start letting people off the ship in two weeks,” I said hopefully.

“Well maybe some people will be able to leave then, but I doubt it will be anytime soon for us since we’re all in the same cabin,” Mom replied as she squeezed my shoulder.

I didn’t say anything for a minute as I continued staring out at the ocean.

“Hey Mom?”

“Yes?”

“At least we don’t have anywhere else we need or want to be right now, right?”

“Nope, nowhere else that we need or want to be. We’re all together, and we’ll get through this together too.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said with a smile as I leaned into her side.

“You’re welcome, Sam,” she said with a smile of her own as she gave me another squeeze. “Now how about we watch a movie while Molly takes her nap?”

“That sounds good.” I headed over to the desk to see what movies were available on the TV while Mom turned off the Friends reruns and sat down on my bed to keep me company.

I still didn’t know when or how this quarantine would end, but at least we had each other and a little bit of hope that things would get better eventually.