The sudden loud slap echoed across the sunny deck, making nearby guests stop talking and turn their heads in complete shock. Blood started to bead up along the red scratch line on Evelyn's cheek, dripping down toward her blue suit collar. Tiffany stood there grinning wide, shaking her hand slightly as if she had just accomplished something very special and brave today. She looked around at the crowd, expecting them to cheer or laugh along with her nasty action against the old woman.
Tiffany: Know your place, old woman!
Evelyn raised her left hand slowly, touching the warm drops of blood on her face with three fingertips gently and carefully. Her eyes did not blink once as she looked straight into Tiffany's bright blue eyes with absolute coldness and conviction. The air on the yacht felt heavy and freezing despite the hot afternoon sun burning down from the Florida sky. Evelyn did not scream, she did not cry, and she did not raise her voice to attract any pity from spectators.
Evelyn: You just made the biggest mistake of your life!
Tiffany: What are you going to do about it, you washed-up relic?!
Tiffany threw her head back and laughed hysterically, teasing the older woman as if she were totally helpless and weak. She leaned forward to poke Evelyn's shoulder, but before her fingers could touch the blue suit, Evelyn moved like lightning. The older woman lunged forward with sudden strength, grabbing Tiffany by the thick shoulders of her gold sequin dress tight. Evelyn pushed her weight forward, driving the younger woman backward toward the white metal railing at the edge of the vessel. Tiffany's heel caught on the wooden floorboard, making her lose her balance completely as her back slammed into the bar. Evelyn gave one final strong shove, lifting Tiffany's legs up off the high deck floor before anyone could stop her.
Tiffany: No! Wait! Ahhhh!
Tiffany flipped over the metal railing, screaming at the top of her lungs as she fell twenty feet down through empty air. A massive splash of white foam shot high into the air as her body hit the deep blue ocean water below. The cold salt water instantly filled her mouth and nose, sending her down deep into the dark blue water below. She kicked her heavy dress hard, fighting against the heavy sequin fabric that felt like wet rocks dragging her down deeper. She broke through the ocean surface, gasping for air and coughing wildly as sea water burned her eyes and nose inside. She looked up at the high deck of the yacht, her neat blonde hair now plastered flat against her pale face.
Up on the top deck, three security officers came running over in total panic, their radios buzzing with loud static sounds. They looked over the side of the boat and saw Tiffany flailing around in the water like a desperate helpless bird. One young officer with a life ring stepped near Evelyn, who was standing quietly near a large mounted American flag. Her blue suit was neat, and her posture was straight and strong as she dabbed her bleeding cheek with a napkin.
Security Officer: Should we send a rescue boat, ma'am?
Evelyn: Let her swim.
Security Officer: But ma'am, she is struggling against her heavy wet dress in the current!
Evelyn: Swimming in cold water helps cool down a hot head very effectively.
The security guards looked at each other nervously, suddenly recognizing who the calm older woman in the dark blue suit actually was. They lowered their hands away from the rescue boat controls, stepping back respectfully to give her plenty of room to breathe. Down in the ocean, Tiffany screamed for help again, her arms flailing wildly as she tried to stay floating high. Nobody threw down a rope, nobody lowered a ladder, and nobody jumped in to save her from her wet consequence. Guests leaned over the rail, taking out their smartphones to record videos of the golden dress floating uselessly in the ocean.
Tiffany felt cold fear grip her chest as she realized nobody on the high luxury boat was coming down to help her. She kicked her feet with all her energy, trying to reach the back swimming platform of the ship by herself now. Her arms ached with pain, and her gold dress felt heavier with every passing second in the salty ocean wave. She looked up and saw Evelyn standing at the railing, looking down at her like an officer looking at garbage. Evelyn did not smile, she did not wave, she simply turned around slowly and walked away toward the ship office.