Aurora

Mostly English beer. I gave my friend a six pack. He was waving and drinking as I rowed away.

Eager to get underway I put the supplies on the back deck and get to untying sails. They crank up and the near constant breeze sets them to billowing out. A turn of the wheel and the dark waters catch the nose of the 'Aurora'

Plopping my butt down on the transom I hook a six-pack to the rope and drop it behind me to cool in the sea. British stout, I'm sure I'm committing a crime of some kind, but I like beer cold. I fill my pipe and prop my foot up on a case of fruit. I really should go put it all away, but I'm drained from my time ashore.

Interaction with my fellow humans does that to me now.

I reach down and make a meal of some of the fruit. It won't last long anyway.

Soon comfortably full, I reel in a cold beer and settle into the padding watching the sail as I drift on the edge of a nap. I watch the sunset and the first stars fighting for the sky. My moneys on the stars to win.

Standing up I go to the side rail and take a piss then go to the wheel and flip on my lights, front and aft. I check my course by the stars. Close enough, I think and lock the rudder on this course.

As I go to sit back down I trip over a box and nearly take a header off the back of the boat. The adrenaline rush at how bad that could have been pops my eyes open like nothing else could have.

Still shaking at the idea of having to watch the 'Aurora' sailing away a flying Dutchman as I tread water in her wake, I make my way carefully back to the wheel and flip on the main lights. The six big spotlights on the mast wash the deck with light. I grab up a case of canned soup and make my way past the cabin to the front storage hold. When I lift the hatch to the hold I again nearly fall off the ship.

I look down into Tamara's eyes. Her face aglow in the lights from the mast, it looks up at me from the darkness. She's sitting on a large coil of rope next to my chain locker.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" I ask finally when my heart starts to beat at a regular pace again.

"Please no send me back." Her english has deteriorated with I'm guessing fear. "Please don't"

"Come up out of there." I tell her sitting down the case of soup. I catch her hand as she goes to step out and all but pull her up. She weighs almost nothing. As I get her up close to me I see her face.

There are large swellings under her eyes and crust of blood at her nose and lip. I see dark places on her arms as well.

"Please." She says in a soft whisper.

I sigh.

"Look I'm sorry your father beat you..."

"He no my Father!" she says hotly.

I shrug.

"Your husband then."

"He no my husband either! Though my father making me marry him." She looks down and sniffles.

Oh god a crying woman. The ultimate bane of all men the world over. I sigh and shake my head.

"Look, I'm sorry. Some of it maybe my fault. Look I rally can't let you stay with me here though." I look at the length of the ship.

"Just take me to the next Island." She looks up at me. Her tongue gives the split in her lip a compulsive lick that makes her flinch.

I look up to the stars for guidance, but the bright spotlights, so very rarely used for this very reason, hide them from me.

"I'm an idiot for saying yes but ok." I tell her looking back down at her.

"Oh thank you sir." She says with the south London accent back. I'm startled as her arms go around me.

I hesitantly hug her back, patting her shoulders lightly as she hold me in a death grip. I finally have to force her arms apart as I feel myself start to respond to her. What? Give me a break. It's been two years since I've held a woman close to me and this delicate flower of the pacific, smelling of coconut oil and female sweat is enough to tempt a priest.

"If your staying onboard help me with the supplies." I tell her as I separate us.

She looks up gives a sniffle and nods her head.

Working together we quickly get everything stored away up front.

Sitting down on the transom seats I turn off all but one of the lights. I heard the generator kick on to help the battery about half way through the packing.

"Do you want a drink?" I ask looking at her.

She nods.

"Will beer do?" I ask as I start to pull in the rope. If she doesn't want one I sure as hell do.

She gives me another nod.

I pull two off and toss the rest back in. She holds the cold can and looks at me strange.

"Cold?" she asks with a raised eyebrow.

I roll my eyes heavenward.

"Either drink it or go get a hot one from up front. You know where we just put them." I tell her as I pop the top on mine.

She opens hers and hesitantly takes a sip. Making a face she sits it down and goes to the front of the boat. Chuckling I flip the switch giving her back a light till she gets back here. When I turn it off the single light seems dim in comparison.

"So what happen, Tamara?" I ask after taking a long pull on my beer. The condensation drips onto my chest like icy drops of fire.

She looks up at my face for a second.

"You still remember my name?"

I nod and smile.

"I don't know yours.' She says looking at my face. I realize then that I must look as exotic to her as she does to me.

"It's John Paul, but you can call me JP."

"Jeepee?"

I laugh.

"Close enough." I say smiling she grins back at me. "Now what happen Tamara? Why did he hit you?"

Her smile fades.

"He's always hitting me. Ever since father tell me I going to marry him." She shrugs.

"Your father know he's hitting his daughter?"

She nods.

"Why does he let him?"

"Fetu, tell father I look at other men. I need to be disciplined. Father getting old he wants me to be married. He tell me to mind my place." She looks down at her drink and takes a long sip.

"Fetu? The guy at the restaurant right?" she nods. "He did this to you because of me looking at you while I ate?"

She nods. I see her swallow.

"What else?" I ask softly "I can tell there's more."

She looks up at me.

"He saw the money you gave to me. Called me a whore. Accused me of planing to sneak off to be with you tonight. Said that's why you give me so much."

"Well he clearly isn't a good judge of women, in addition to being a fool. As beautiful as you are you would be worth a hell of a lot more than five dollars. Hell that wouldn't even buy a kiss. I'm sorry if what I did got you in trouble. That wasn't my intent." I shrug and get up." Are you hungry? Or did you eat up all my stores up front?"

She looks terribly ashamed of her self. Even with her complexion I can see her blushing. I laugh.

"It's alright. Come on I'll fix you something." I grab up the sipped at beer. It's probably still too cool for her, but I figure that make it just right for me.

I turn on the cabin lights and turn off the spotlight. They seem even dimmer still. It takes me a moment to adjust. As I head for the galley she brushes past me.

"I can cook. I fix dinner." She turns and looks at me in the dim light. "You sit, drink ...cold beer. I cook for you."

Laughing I have a seat and watch her bustle around the small galley. I call out to her where things are till she has everything she's looking for then she shushes me.

"You drink." She tells me sternly.

I chuckle again.

"Yes mam."

She gives me a strange look then returns to her cooking.

Though the smells are different, having a woman cook for me brings back a flood of memory. I find myself turning the worn ring on my finger.

"Where your wife?"

I look up from my hand to see Tamara placing plates of food in front of us. I don't recognize anything, but it smells delicious. Looking up at her face I see her eyes leave my ring and meet my eyes. I sigh.

"I'm a widower. She passed away." I tell her softly. Her dark eyes furrow as she hands me an empty bowl.

"Passed away? Oh died! I'm sorry." She starts to fill my bowl with food from the platter. "How long ago?"

I pick up my fork and take a small bite. I nod at her.

"It's delicious. She passed two years ago."

She again looks at me strange.

"Two years? You no remarry?' as I shake me head she looks at me with a sad expression growing on her battered face. "You loved her very much."

I stop with the fork in my bowl. It takes me a moment to answer.

"She was my life. I didn't find that out till she was gone." I take a sip of beer. It goes with the food rather well.

She eats in silence for a few minutes.

"What happen to her?" She asks me softly.

"Oh she got on my nerves so... I toss her off the back of the boat and the sharks ate her."

Tamara head comes up and her eyes go round. Then she gives me a look as I grin at her. The grin slowly fades.

"She got sick. Though we didn't know she was sick till it was too late to do anything. She felt fine, then felt bad, then she was gone." I go to put a little more food in my bowl but she grabs the spoon before I can touch it and fills my bowl. It's more than I was going to get but I can't refuse its so good. I smile at her.

She smiles back at me, her swollen lip making it look odd.

"Jeepee, you good man to love woman that much."

I shake my head.

"I'm just a man. I don't make no claim to be a good one." I'm soon swallowing the last bite from the second bowl. "This was delicious, thank you for making dinner."

"You want more?" she goes to pick up the spoon. I shake my head.

"I'm full. Thank you though."

I sit back in the seat and just look at her.

"Why would your father have to worry about you being married? You cook wonderfully and you're beautiful to look at. That the two prime qualities most men look for in a wife, in every part of the world I've been to anyway."

She looks down at her empty bowl. She doesn't answer.

"What is it Tamara?" I softly push a hand across the table towards hers. "You can tell me. I won't judge you no matter what."

She looks at my hand then up at my eyes. She gives a small sigh.

"Father was married twice. When he was young he was very handsome man, like you. He catches the eye of a woman from England. She young, far from home. He nice man my father. They have lot of fun together. They marry " she grins "Have even more fun together, Then I born. Mother gets...with child...again. Her and baby both die. Father remarries local girl. Friend from childhood. She nice to me."

She pauses still looking at the platter of food. I realize then she's still hungry but won't eat because I've stopped. Moving quickly I take the spoon from the platter and fill her bowl to the brim. She looks up at me startled then smiles at my grin. I sit back.

"So she treats you nice, but others don't. Because your mother wasn't from the islands?" she nods. I nod understanding. "Back in America they call that being a half breed. I wouldn't think the men of your island would care all that much about something like that." Then I recall that the english held this island for centuries. They can be some of the more pureblood snobs in the world. "Then again maybe I can."

"Mothers' no want sons to marry...half breed girl. Not when plenty of island girls around needing husbands. So father get Fetu, old friend of his, to promise to marry me. Offer him part of restaurant." She gives a sniffle. "Brothers very angry with father. Can't take it out on father he old."

"So they take it out on you?" she nods. My fist clinches on the table. "Your Brothers have they hit you as well?"

She gives a small nod. I realize her eyes are on my hand and I make my fingers relax.

"So your brothers have been hitting you because your Father all but sold you to a man who also hits you." I give a nod. "I can see why you ran away. Okay...well. I'll help you in anyway I can. If I take you to the next island will you be ok there?'

She gives me a nod, but I can see something in her eyes. I decide to let it go for the moment. I get up and scrap the last of the food into her already half-empty bowl. As I head towards the sink she goes to hop up but I stop her with a finger.

"My boat! My boat my rules. You cook I clean, I cook you clean. Understood?" she gives me a quick nod. I smile, "Finish your food so I can wash that bowl."

As I tidy up the galley she eats like she's never even seen food let alone just finished three bowls. Going to her I take the empty bowl and slide my half-finished beer to her. It's warm by now. She looks up at me and gives me a puzzled smile.

"Drink the rest. I only like them cold." I take the bowl to the sink and give it a scrub.

"You a strange man Jeepee." She tells me softly.

I chuckle.

"Just raised in a different part of the world. Come outside when you want. I want a smoke."

I head upon deck and to the box by the transom. My pipe takes moments to pack. The tobacco I bought this morning was from England and still has the flavor of the pubs in London where I first tried it. I sit on the padded transom and watch the stars appear from behind the sail. The wind is light so I leave the sail higher than I would most nights. I see her hesitantly make her way through the hatch.

"Sit where you like." I tell her as I take a sip from my now super cold beer. I have two more left if the sharks aren't getting drunk again.

She takes a seat on the small steps by the side of the cabin. She sits quiet for a bit then looks over at me. I know my face must look demonic light by the glowing red coal of my pipe and the clouds of smoke that curl out from my mouth can't be helping the look.

I rest my pipe in my hands and look out at the moon as she rises up past the water line. Her face is huge as she clears the horizon. I can make out individual craters.

"You from America Jeepee?" I her ask softly.

Looking over at her she is lit by the moonlight. The shadows of pale light across her face give her an angelic quality.

The demon and the angel. How appropriate.

"Yea. I was born in a little town in Mississippi." I take a puff on my pipe stem. "Have you ever seen a map of the US?"

"Yes in school. I don't know where Msippy is though."

I grin. I could correct her but even Americans have a hard time with that one sometimes.

"Remember there is a big river runs through the middle?" she nods. "It's where that river nearly meets the Gulf of Mexico."

"New Orleans?" she asks getting up and moving over to sit closer to me. Curiosity brings the angel to the demon. That the demon has no bad intentions wouldn't be believed, even when it's true.

"It's not to far from my home town. Just a few hours drive." I see her eyes widen. I smile as I realize that she's from a place where if you drive a few hours your in the water. "I use to sneak down there with my friends for Mardi Gras every year."

"Mardi Gras?" she asks leaning in towards me.

I take a sip of my bear and lean back.

"It's a big party, last for days. My friends and I would go there to watch the women." I tell her grinning at the memory.

"Why? What are the women doing?" she asks me. I can see her smiling her face back lit from the moon now.

"They lift their tops and flash their breast at he crowd. The crowd throws them coins and beaded necklaces. It's a lot of fun. Good food, good music."

""And women getting half naked." She says with a grin.

I lift my pipe to my mouth and nod as I relight it. She laughs at me. She sniffs the air as I puff my pipe.

"Does it bother you?" I ask sending the smoke away from her face.

She shakes her head.

"No I don't think half naked women would bother me."

I chuckle.

"I meant the pipe smoke. Does my pipe bother you?" I ask with a grin.

She looks at me strange.

"Why would it? It smells nice." She tilts her head and takes a long sniff at the air.

That I'm not in America where even outside some people act like your waving arsenic at them hits me forcibly. I look at this beautiful woman sitting next to me. Young enough to be my daughter. Beautiful beyond belief. And so very exotic.

Getting up I go crank down the mainsail to about half its full height and tighten the front sail down as well. I give the boat a once over then head back to where she's sitting watching me.

"It's getting late." I flip on the cabin lights again. "Lets get some sleep."

I head into the cabin and go to the locker at the foot of my bunk. I grab out some sheet and a blanket. Going back to the table I reach under it and pull a pin. It drops to about two foot off the floor. I rearrange the cushion on it and Walla a near full size bed. I look up as she stands at the doorway watching me. I can see a look of almost apprehension in her eyes. I smile at her softly and spread out the sheets on the bed.

"You can sleep here, Tamara. It's more comfortable than it looks." I have to fib a bit this table hasn't been used as a bed the whole time I've owned the 'Aurora'. "You get colder than the blanket can help there are more in the locker by the foot of mine. Use what ever you need."

She looks around the cabin

"A...lo...restroom?" she asks almost pleadingly.

I smile and take her back out on deck and show her where I have a bit of the rail cut away and a place to hook your feet as you hang your butt off the side. She looks at me for a second then bursts into laughter. I shrug.

"Pray for no sharks." I tell her as I head back down to give her some privacy. I can still hear her laughing even as I crawl into bed.

She comes back inside and looks at me in my bunk and then at the big bed I've made up for her. A very sweet smile slowly graces her beautiful face. A single tear rolls down her cheek.

"The light switch is there by the door." I tell her softly.

She nods. Turning she flips off the light. I hear a rustle of cloth.

"Good night Tamara." I tell the dark softly.

A darker shadow appears by my bed. The moon light wane now as she rides high in the sky shows me an image of unsurpassed beauty. Her skin glows.

I feel her lips as she kisses me. The silk like feel of a woman's lips against my mouth is something I've almost forgotten. Her kiss lingers for several seconds then she softly parts us.

"Goodnight Jeepee. You very good man." She tells me softly her lips just inches from mine. "Money you already gave me, plus help you giving me. I would have sleep with you. I owe you at least that."

"Tamara, You don't owe me anything. I owe you." I tell her catching her hand in the dark. I give it a small squeeze.

"Why you owe me?" she asks puzzled.

"Because I was right. Five dollars couldn't buy a kiss that wonderful from a woman as beautiful as you." I see her smile in the dark. "Now go to bed. Sleep well. Have beautiful dreams."

"I think I'm in one already." I hear her say softly. I don't think she meant for me to hear her. As she turns to walk away I see the curves of her bare ass lit from the moonlight.

I turn over in the bed facing away from her.

'Your not the only one " I tell my pillow softly.

It's a long time till I can get to sleep. My cock a hard bar in my shorts. The need to cum is almost overpowering, but I don't dare.

I know that I couldn't be quiet.

I wake to the smell and sound of food cooking. I turn over to face the galley and get an eye full of wonderfully shaped ass as my morning wake up.

In her cut off shorts and tank top, wearing an apron I never use she's standing in front of the hot plate. As I turn over she looks at me and pouts wonderfully.

"I wanted to have this done for you before you wake Jeepee." She tells me giving her foot a little stamp. "Where you keep tea? I couldn't find it."

Chuckling I sit up, giving my beard a scratch.

"That's cause I drink coffee. Although I think there is some tea it the back of the top cupboard." I point to the door in question.

She turns and reaches up to open it. Her legs stretch up and her ass does wonderful things in those shorts. Seeing that she can't reach I get up to help. Reaching past her I catch the box and bring it down to her. For a second she is all but in my arms. The smell of her is intoxicating.