The next morning found the Monkees well rested. Amazingly, they woke up early, which was completely out of their usual routine. The first thing they did was head for the breakfast buffet down in the main dining room. They all headed back up to the deck and each found a chair to sit in. They watched the gulls flying over the Pacific as they held their coffee in one hand and a fresh pastry in another.
"Oh this is the life. I never want to go back home," Micky said as he sunk his teeth down into the jelly doughnut.
"We gotta go home sometime. This isn't home, but it sure is nice," Peter replied as he sipped his cofee.
"Yeah, I can't believe we are actually getting paid for this," Davy replied. "We sing and play in exchange for a nice room and all the ships amenities, plus a nice paycheck at the end of it all."
"Yeah, four more days and it's back to reality," Mike said as he stared out over the ocean. When Mike looked to his left, he saw Lillian and the man she had been with last night coming onto the deck.
"What do you know, it's the 'princess' herself," Micky said as he made quotation marks with his fingers.
"Oh Micky, don't pick on her. Her life is probably not as grand as it seems," Mike said, though he really didn't believe that himself.
"Oh sure, she's just able to buy whatever she wants, whenever she wants. You know, she probably doesn't even buy things herself. Things probably get bought for her," Micky said.
"Not to mention she has probably got servants waiting on her hand and foot," Peter added, thinking about how much he hated doing his own chores.
"Aw poppycock! Nobody has it that good," Mike said as he watched her come closer.
"You wanna bet?" Micky asked.
"Good morning ma'am," Mike said as Lillian and her companion walked past. Lillian made no reply and didn't even so much as look at Mike. She wanted to tell him good morning back, but she was afraid to do so. Her and Derreck just kept walking. Mike sighed deeply and sat back down in the deck chair, feeling rejected.
"Aw that tears it for me! That was just rude. Nobody treats my best friend like that," Micky said as he stomped off after her before Mike could stop him. He boldly approached Lillian and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Excuse me," Micky said.
"I'll beg your pardon not to poke around on the lady. Have you no manners?" Derreck said rudely.
"Sure do, but you two don't. Couldn't you have at least said good morning to my friend back there, or do you think you are too good?" Micky said with fire in his eyes.
"Sir, we are too good and better for your kind. We are wealthy, educated, and striving for success, and you're not," Derreck remarked boldly.
"Derreck please, that's not necessary," Lillian said as she pulled on her fiance's arm. Derreck jerked away.
"Stay out of this Lillian. Just look at all the rift-raft they allow on these ships. You've got four stupid and out of work musicians," Derreck replied. By this time, Davy, Peter, and Mike had joined Micky.
"I'll have you know this is one of the better gigs we've gotten. Besides, we got three offers last night after dinner to play at some partys. At least we make an honest living and don't get things handed to us," Mike shouted at Derreck, then looked at Lillian.
"Well, I don't have to take this abuse. Come on Derreck, let's leave. Their laziness might be catching," Lillian said as she turned up her nose and walked away.
"I got my eye on you four. You cause me anymore trouble and I'll see to it personally that you get kicked off this cruise," Derreck threatened and then walked away.
"Man, that guy made Ronnie Farnsworth seem like a kitten," Peter said as he remember the ex-boyfriend of his past girlfriend, Valerie.
"Oh, he's got an ugly attitude, and she doesn't seem much better. What in the world do you see in her, Mike?" Micky asked.
"I don't know, there's just something about her I'm drawn to," Mike said as he turned and went back down to the cabin.