Based off of the 1978 movie Overboard.
It was a dreadfully hot day in New Orleans when Alastor received the phone call from visiting millionaire Seviathan Von Eldritch. As soon as he finished the conversation, he immediately picked up his tool box, straightened out his hair and clothes, and headed straight for the harbor, as giddy as he could be. The man just couldn't believe his luck. Mr. Von Eldritch had caught a shark while fishing off the coast of New Orleans and he intended to mount it on his wall, so he called in New Orleans's best taxidermist, Alastor Devalcourt, and was going to pay him six-hundred bucks to get the job done. The taxidermy business had been dreadfully slow and the bills on his house, water, heating, and electricity were just getting more and more difficult to pay. Poor man feared that he was going to have to dip into the grocery fund to pay for it all. But the extra six-hundred dollars should be enough to cover everything.
He arrived at the yacht around 9:00 in the morning. For a moment, he just stopped gazed upon the incredible sea vessel. It was as elegant as it was massive. The outside was painted pure white and clean to perfection, and through the windows, he could see that the inside was sumptuously furnished, with the kind of taste and elegance only New Yorkers enjoy. He never was particularly fond of places like New York. Too busy and commercial for his liking, though he wouldn't be opposed to seeing a Broadway show up there once.
"Hello?" He called out. "Mr. Von Eldritch?"
A man who stood at the top of the yacht looked over the railing. Looking down on Alastor. He was good-looking, nautically attired, but somewhat anaemic. He briefly made a disgusted expression, not pleased with the presence of such a rural looking man.
"Hello, are you Seviathan Von Eldritch?" Alastor asked.
"I am." He said. "Who are you? State your purpose."
"It's me, Alastor Devalcourt. The taxidermist you hired?"
"Oh yes. You. Wait right there, I'll have Moxxie let you in."
Seviathan went inside the yacht cabin to make the arrangements with his butler Moxxie, who at the moment was serving Seviathan's wife. A stunning blonde, richly dressed, and bearing a cold-stare, she was called Charlotte Von Eldritch née Morningstar, and unfortunately for everyone on the yacht, she was in a really bad mood today. It was because New Orleans was the last place she had ever wanted to be in, or rather the last place she ever wanted to return to. Her father was a sugar baron and he first set up his business in Louisiana so Charlotte was born in New Orleans but she was about seventeen, he moved his business up North to open his own factory. It had been twelve years since then. She never thought she'd ever come back but then the engine of her husband's yacht broke down right as they passing through.
"I don't suppose it occurred to you to have the boat examined before we left?" She snarked to her husband.
"Why should it?!" He snapped. "This yacht has never broken down, not in 20 years!"
"Or been serviced, apparently. I can't believe I was lunatic enough to go out in the open sea in one of your heirlooms."
"This is the Von Eldritch yacht, kings and Presidents have been entertained on this yacht, the least you could do is appreciate it."
"I'd appreciate it a lot more if it had closet space." She then turned to their butler. A short but charming man, who had a polite and sweet disposition yet a bit of an attitude. "Moxxie, how long did they say it would be before the engine would be fixed?"
"Well Madame, Blitzo says that depends on the availability of the parts, around two days." Moxxie answered.
"Two days? Obviously the innards of this boat are a complete mystery to him."
She stood up from the sofa and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Seviathan asked.
"I am not remaining on this boat for two days. I am going for a walk on dry land.
"Are you insane?"
Why would that be insane?
"Charlotte, this is obviouly a town of impoverished rednecks, hicks, and zealots who are bitter and resentful of people like us."
"Your point being?"
"They might hurt us."
"Oh please!" She scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"I don't want you going out there! If you want something to do, keep an eye on the taxidermist. Make sure he doesn't steal anything."
"I'm not doing that."
"Look I don't care what you do! Watch him, don't watch him! Sun bathe! Read! Re-organize your closet! Whatever! But you're not going off this yacht! And that's final!"
Charlie looked at him coldly.
"Now Moxxie, let the taxidermist in and show him my latest kill." Seviathan instructed.
"Yes sir." Moxxie said.
He exited the cabin and went on board deck to politely escort Alastor inside, they went down to the lower region of the yacht where the dead body of a shark had been currently kept frozen in an enormous ice box.
"Well what do you think?" Moxxie asked, after giving Alastor a moment to really examine his challenge.
"I can work with this." Alastor said with a chipper smile. "No problem. I'll get started on it right away, just let me wash my hands."
"The nearest bathroom is upstairs and it's the first room on the left."
"Thank you."
Alastor put down his tool box and went upstairs just as Moxxie had said. He was just coming around the corner on the left when he bumped right into Charlotte.
"Watch where you're going, you dunce!" She practically screamed at him.
"Oh I'm terribly sorry." Alastor said stepping away from her. "I wasn't expecting anyone else on board, but I guess with a boat this size, it can hold just about-"
But once he got a good look at her and realized who she was, he suddenly stopped cold. He stared at her as if he had just seen a ghost. His face became flushed and for a moment his heart was sent into an extreme case of pulsing speed, as his brain tried to register what his eyes were seeing.
Charlie. His Charlie. It was really her. He thought he'd never see her again. Oh she was as beautiful as he remembered her. Same soft blond hair though it was shorter now, same flawless, alabaster skin, same graceful form, and same striking silvery-grey eyes that were like ocean waves. Though her eyes now lacked that spark of true passion they used to have within and her face no longer bore that wonderful smile that he had never forgotten. A smile that was like the sun rising over a field full of mist. A smile that always expressed warmth and love.
"Charlie." He said when he could finally find his voice. "Charlie, it's so good to see you."
She didn't respond for what seemed like an eternity. She just stood there, looking at him. He thought he saw fear in her eyes, then the fear turned to ice.
"My name is Charlotte but the likes of you shall address me as Mrs. Von Eldritch."
For a moment Alastor thought that he might have misunderstood what she just said. Or rather he might have misunderstood her tone. Since when did she talk to people like that? Especially to him?
"Oh...You...You got married?" He said. "That's good to hear."
"I beg your pardon, but do I know you?"
"Charlie it's me, Alastor. Alastor Devalcourt."
"I told you to address me as Mrs. Von Eldritch and I'm afraid you must be mistaken, I am not this Charlie you're speaking of and I have never in my life ever known an Alastor Devalcourt."
Alastor thought he felt a knife being stabbed into his heart. Was she actually pretending not to know him? Why would she do such a thing?
"You're are you pulling my leg or something right?" He said. "Don't you remember me? Don't you remember my mother and Angel and Vaggie and-"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Okay Charlie I know things ended badly between us but don't act like you don't know me or that you don't remember our time together or our friends or-"
"If you call me that one more time then I'll have my husband fire you immediately!" She snapped. "I don't know you, I've never met you, or these people you've mentioned and honestly I wouldn't want to. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get some sun. You do your work and leave me alone, is that clear?"
If Alastor had not been used to tragedy and betrayal already, he probably would have started crying right then and there. It was like she had just slapped him right across the face just for looking at her. He never thought she of all people would behave this way. But this was the real world after all, so he buried his hurt feelings and put on his usual fake but convincing smile.
"Crystal clear Mrs. Von Eldritch." He replied.
She then waltzed off outside and on to the dock, laying down in a beach chair, leaving Alastor returned to the lower deck to begin working. For the next two days, Alastor worked diligently on that tiger shark, carefully cleaning and crafting something that would be most incredible and worthy of its price. But as he worked, he could not help watching Charlotte's every move when possible, studying her behavior and her mannerisms and her routine.
She mostly spent her time laying about in the sun or talking on the phone, although she didn't appear to have any friends. She was always complaining about something. About the servants, about her clothes, even about the air being to humid for her hair. Lord, he couldn't believe how much she had changed.
"Your caviar Madame." Moxxie said bringing her a silver tray of caviar one afternoon.
She scooped up some of it into her mouth and then spat it into a napkin.
"Ugh! What is this gelatinous muck?" She gagged. "Moxxie, Must I specify, when I ask
you to pack caviar, that it be good caviar, and not this fish bait?! Or is that too great a leap?"
"My apologies Madame." He said taking it back inside. Alastor gave him a sympathetic look.
"Is she always like this?" He asked. "Or is this just a bad day for her?"
"Actually this is a good day." Moxxie said. "You should have seen her last week when she lost her ruby earrings. She had us all check the street she had shopped on for them."
"Well if it's any consolation, my good man, you and the rest of the staff deserve better. If I had ever spoken to anyone the way she has, my mother would have taken a hickory switch to my behind."
"Ditto." Added by Moxxie's pretty wife and the maid, Millie. "I'd take a switch to her myself if it wouldn't cost me my job."
"Shh!" Moxxie hushed her. "She has the hearing of a bat, you know."
Finally the two days had passed and after working non-stop, he had successfully created a fine tiger shark model out of fiber glass and wood. It was absolutely perfect, every last detail sculpted and shaped in the right way.
"There, all done." He took off his gloves and then went to find Seviathan to show him his work.
"Alright! Where are they?!" Charlotte demanded as she came barging into the room.
"Where's what?" Alastor asked.
"My diamond bracelet and ruby earrings! Where are they?"
"How should I know?"
"I know you took them!"
"No I didn't."
"Yes you did! You were in my room yesterday, I saw you come out of there."
"I only went in there to look for your husband, and I didn't take anything from there."
"Prove it then, let me search your pockets."
"I will not. You have no proof I stole anything and you have no warrant to search me. Besides, why would I steal from you?"
"The same reason why anyone would steal my jewelry. To sell it and make money."
"You honestly think I'd stoop to that?"
"If you just let me search your pockets, we can clear this misunderstanding right up."
Unfortunately, Alastor couldn't let anyone search his pockets because he kept a revolver in one and a pocket knife in the other. If anyone here found out he had brought two concealed weapons, he wouldn't just lose this important client but he'd probably get arrested.
"I'm not letting you search my pockets. I may not have a lot of money but I've got rights and you have to respect them no matter how rich you are sweetheart."
Rage flared in Charlotte's eyes. She looked ready to scream but then she spotted a container of motor oil which gave her an idea. She picked up that container and waltzed right over to the shark taxidermy.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Alastor asked.
She unscrewed the lid of the container.
"Return my jewelry to me now or I'll pour this motor oil all over your latest project."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Try me."
"I already told you, I didn't steal anything!"
"Fine. Have it your way."
She raised the container up and before Alastor could stop her, she poured it all over the taxidermy.
"No! Damn you!" He cursed. "You owe me six-hundred bucks!"
"I owe you nothing, and you're lucky that I only did this instead of having you arrested for theft. No leave before I change my mind."
She callously walked away and headed back up on deck but Alastor was finished with her yet.
"You can't do this! Do you have any idea how bad I needed that money from your husband?!" He said following her.
"Not my problem." She brushed off. "Now get out of here."
"Fine! But you're going to pay me back for that stunt you pulled."
"I most certainly am not. It serves you right for stealing."
"Oh you're unbelievable!"
From below deck, Moxxie, Millie, and the other staff were going about their usual work routine while complaining about ther mistreatment at the hands of their employers.
"A know-nothing twit." Complained Blitzo the yacht's captain. "That's what she called me. Is it my fault that they don't have the parts ready for the ship?"
"At least she didn't tell people that you're illiterate." Millie said. "Apparently I was brought up by brainless bumpkins, who don't know how to read."
"Shhh!" Moxxie suddenly hushed, when he heard the extremely loud conversation from above deck. "Listen."
"You know you're lucky I'm only demanding that you pay for the damage you've done instead of all horror I've had to witness!" Alastor berated. "Your behavior is the most atrocious thing I've ever seen, and you have the gall to pretend you don't know me? I should be the one pretending I don't know you!"
"That's quite enough!" Charlotte cried but he was no where near done.
"I've been watching you these past two days, watching how you act nasty toward everyone for no reason at all! You know what your problem is? You're so damn bored that you have to invent things to complain about! You don't have a single thing to do on this boat except for your hair and you behave cruelly because you need something to take up you're useless nail polishing, toe polishing, rich bitch, sun tanning day!"
"Yeah!" Blitzo, Moxxie, and Millie cheered and applauded from down below. Pleased that someone finally had the gutts to give her what for.
"How dare you to speak me that way!" Charlotte cried angrily. "Get out! Get off this boat and get out of my sight! Now!"
"Not a chance! Not until you give me the money you owe-"
But then roughly Charlotte shoved him overboard, right off the yacht and into the water. When Alastor swam back up to the surface he was dripping wet and boiling mad.
"What the hell is the matter with you?! How can you treat people like this?! What happened to- Oh no! No! Not my tools!"
Without a shred of remorse, she threw his tool belt and tool box into the water.
"You crazy broad! You'll pay for this! If I ever get my hands on you, you're dead! Do you hear me?! Dead and buried!"
As expected she only brushed off his threat and continued about her day. Unaware that fate intended to make good on the man's threat.