River Cruise - 1. RC Chapter 1

With the sudden death of his father, due to a car accident while away on business in Europe, 17-year old Reeve Harcourt Owen Lawson was now an orphan, as his mother had passed away when he was just ten years old from a brain clot, just days after hitting her head heavily after tripping over the family dog. For Reeve, it was quite shocked at the news of the death of his father and stepmother in Europe, with the news delivered to him in the office of the headmaster at the exclusive private school in Perth. Reeve was a top student at the school, both in studies and in sports, his school mates called him Rhol because of the initials of his name, and Reeve didn’t mind this at all.

Since the age of 11 years, Rhol had been attending the same school, with the first two years living at home under the guidance of the housekeeper and butler, to ensure that he was well looked after and that he attended school each weekday, and completed his homework, while his father and stepmother were away, which was very often. Rhol had decided not to tell anyone of his sudden loss, and he asked the headmaster to not tell any staff or students of his personal situation, and that he would deal with the loss in his own way.

Two nights later Rhol was not able to sleep, as he was thinking about his father, he loved him very much, but never had the chance to get close to him and spend time with him as he was growing up, and soon it became too much for him and he began to cry softly, burying his head in his pillow so as to not make too much noise to wake up his dorm mates. Not long after, Nicholas Gregson appeared in his cubical, made aware of his friend’s family loss just earlier that afternoon, as the headmaster was beginning to worry about him. Nicholas sat on the edge of Rhol’s bed and put his hand on his best friend’s shoulder, to let him know that he was there.

They had been friends from the moment they met on their first day at school, 6 years ago, and that never changed even when Nicholas admitted to Rhol that he was gay, shortly after Rhol’s 14^th birthday, and it was a secret that they kept from everyone at the school. When Rhol felt his best friends hand on his shoulder, Rhol sat up in the bed and went into a tight embrace, crying into his shoulder, this time not worrying about who may hear him, and it was not long after that, when others in the dorm arrived at the doorway to Rhol’s Cubical to see what was happening, and eventually the duty house master appeared and ordered everyone back to their cubicles, except one who was asked to go and fetch the matron.

Twenty minutes later Rhol had been settled into a bed in the medical centre and was given a tablet to help him to sleep, with Nicholas permitted to stay with him, since they were close friends. The next morning after breakfast, Nicholas went back to the boarding house to shower and change so as to get ready for school, Rhol was told to remain in bed and rest.

About an hour after Nicholas left, the headmaster arrived to see how Rhol was feeling and he informed Rhol that a visitor, a Mr Jordan Bateman had arrived at the school ten minutes ago, wishing to speak to Rhol about some business that needed to be discussed urgently.

Rhol said that he would be fine to see him, as he is the family lawyer, and he has met him a number of times over the past few years. Rhol said that once he is dressed he will meet Mr Bateman in the administration building and the headmaster left the room to pass on the information. Twenty minutes later, after a shower and change of clothes, Rhol arrived at the administration building, and he was directed to the conference room down the hallway, which he had never seen or been to before.

Mr Bateman stood up and shook Rhol’s hand as he entered the room, and invited him to sit, Rhol took a quick look around the room before sitting, noticing that it was just them in the room.

Over the next 45 minutes, Jordan Bateman, who is a junior associate for the law firm he represents informed Rhol of the situation that leads to the tragic accident in the French Alps, he was also informed that the law firm has arranged for the return of his father and stepmothers bodies back to Western Australia, which would take a few more days to finalise.

Next Rhol was informed that he was the sole beneficiary of his father’s assets and personal belongings, which was the family home that Rhol has grown up in all his life, two cars, a family holiday home to the south, a large business portfolio of shares and stocks, and also a newly established private company that has some property on the Swan River, and a newly acquired cruise boat, that is being shipped to Australia from France.

All that Jordan knew was that it was a very expensive one that is paid in full, including all shipping costs, and that it was due to arrive at Fremantle in a month’s time, Rhol was handed a briefcase and an envelope before Jordan said that he would be in touch as soon as the funeral arrangements have been finalised, and he was sorry to see Rhol again in such difficult circumstances.

After Jordan Bateman had left, the headmaster entered the conference room to see Rhol staring at the briefcase and envelope that are on the table, and he informed Rhol that the family butler was at the school to collect him and take him home for a few days of rest.

For the next four days, Rhol lounged around the house in his pyjamas, only showering when he was told too by the butler – Langley, and the rest of the time he watched television in the main lounge or in his bedroom.

When Langley informed Rhol that Mr Jordan Bateman was in the drawing-room to see him, Rhol sighed loudly, knowing that he was here to let him know when the funeral would be held, and he stood up and changed into some casual clothes before making his way downstairs.

When asked if Rhol had taken some time to go through all the papers in the briefcase and the envelope, he just shook his head no, and indicated towards the small table by the bay window, where the items were as he left them four days earlier. Jordan stood up and retrieved the two items and placed them on the coffee table in front of Rhol, and told him to open the envelope.

After a few moments hesitation, Rhol did as he was asked, and he found a letter and small key inside, opening the letter he began to read it out loud. “My dear son Reeve, if you are reading this letter then I have passed away, and this letter and the briefcase have been presented to you by the family lawyer.

I have prepared all of this so that in case something does happen to me, you are made aware of all of my businesses and property that I own, which on my death is now all yours. I am very proud of you my son, you have achieved great results in school, far greater than I expected, and I hope that you live a full happy and healthy life, no matter what you decide to do, with all my love, your father.”

Rhol had tears trickling down his cheeks by the time he had finished reading it and he placed the letter back in the envelope and picked up the key and unlocked the briefcase, inside was a full list of assets that he owned, including this new company – “RHOL INVESTMENTS”.

Listed as the company assets, is a $32 million Aria River Ship, that has 3 full decks and a sun deck, it is 135 metres long, 11.4 metres wide, with 82 guest cabins for a maximum of 164 guests, and crew cabins for 49 crew. Rhol was shocked as he read this out loud for Jordan to hear, and he wondered what his father had planned for such an unusual ship for Perth.

When he opened a folder located in the briefcase, he saw a number of applications to the Swan River Trust, Department of Waters and Rivers, Department of Transport and the Department of Liquor and Gaming, all of them from his father, as the owner and operator of a new river ship, applying to operate the river ship on the Swan and Canning Rivers as a floating hotel.

Rhol handed the documents to Jordan to look at, and he was surprised to see that this was, in fact, all genuine and also that all the applications had been granted pending a final inspection of the vessel when it arrives, as there had been some renovations and some changes done to some cabins before leaving Europe.

Two days later with Jordan, Langley, Mrs Garner - the housekeeper, Mr Lichen – the Headmaster and Nicholas attending for support, Rhol attended the private funeral service of his father and stepmother, who had requested just a close family and friends service and a cremation afterwards.

Once the service was over, there was a small gathering afterwards at the family home, and with the headmaster’s permission, Nicholas was allowed to stay over for a night, to keep Rhol some company on this difficult day and the night to follow.

Rhol had tears in his eyes for most of the service but tried to not let anyone see that he was crying, and he left the eulogy to Jordan to do, as he did not know what to say, and later that evening as he was preparing for bed, he again began to cry, uncertain what would happen to him in the future.

What Jordan had managed to do, was to stop the authorities sending him to foster care, as he was just three months shy of his 18^th birthday, and just 9 weeks short of graduating from school, once he had completed the final examinations that begin in 7-weeks’ time.

Jordan convinced them that he was much safer to remain at home or boarding school, where he will be looked after by those who already know and care for him. Two days after the funeral, Rhol returned to the boarding school, and he was treated just as normal, which is what he wanted, as he already has all the support of his best friend and the staff at home, and for the next few weeks Rhol kept to a normal routine as much as he could, so as not to think about his recent loss too much.

Just a month before the start of the exams, Rhol went home for the weekend as he had been since for the funeral, but this time Jordon was parked at the front of the house waiting for his arrival shortly after 4 pm, with Nicholas joining him this weekend, as they were going to study together, in preparation for the exams. Jordan asked Rhol and Nicholas to leave their bags just inside and to join him for a drive, as he has something to show them.