Captain's Choice Ch. 01-02

"Probably good advice," Tom said.

***

Our first four parade nights went as planned and we had no problems at all. Del fitted in well with our people and she got along particularly well with Tom. They seemed to have lots to talk about, generally marine subjects but not exclusively.

"What did your father do?" Tom asked her as the three of us stood on the bridge late one evening.

"He was a newspaperman. He was editor in chief at the News Herald."

"He's retired now I suppose," Tom said.

"No ... I wish. He passed away a couple of years ago. He had cancer and it had been in remission for many years. It came back on him when he was in his fifties and there was no stopping it this time."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Your mother is still alive?"

"Yes ... she lives in Osoyoos. She likes the dry climate and has some friends who live there as well. I don't get to see her as often as I'd like. My sisters live in Kelowna and Calgary and both of them visit her fairly regularly."

"Two sisters?" Tom asked.

"Yes ... Wendy and Joan. Daddy's two princesses."

"And you?"

"I was supposed to be boy, someone to carry on the family name. It didn't work out that way. I was the tomboy of the family. Wendy and Joan were my older sisters and I was the runt of the litter," she grinned self-consciously.

"You didn't turn out to be much of a runt," I suggested, butting in on the conversation for the first time.

"No ... not after I was about fifteen. But I always felt I was supposed to be something I wasn't. Anyway, that's all in the past. Nearly twenty years in the past in fact."

"Will you be getting together for Christmas?" I asked, knowing we would be out of operation through the New Year after the last parade.

"Yeah, I'm driving up Sunday, weather permitting."

"That's nice," I smiled. "It's good to be around family this time of the year."

"What about you?" Del asked.

"No family left. I'm having dinner on Christmas Eve with Joel Burger and his family. They are old friends of my father and that will be nice."

"What about you, Tom?"

"I'm off to see my son and daughter-in-law and their teenagers. They live out in the Fraser Valley and I'll spend a couple of days with them until they get sick of the sight of me," he chuckled.

I knew for a fact that Tom was close to his only son and his family. He would probably spend most of the week through the New Year holiday with them. I was glad he had that connection still strongly intact.

"Just one more parade after tonight and it will be all over for the year," I mused. "I'm glad I don't do any more than six of these cruises. It isn't the cruise that wears you out, it's the clean up for the next cruise."

"You can afford to hire some professional cleaners to come in and do that for you, Pat," Tom said.

"I know, but you know what a fuss-ass I am about this boat. If it's going to be done, it's going to be done right. If I do it myself with Del's help, I know it's going to be the way I want it."

"So, Del, it appears that you meet Pat's exacting standards. Congratulations," he grinned.

"Gee, thanks ... I think," she shot back with a raised eyebrow.

"You know better than that, Del," I said quickly. "You're a hell of a lot more important than just a clean up person."

"Relax, Pat," she chuckled. "No offense taken. I know what you meant."

It wasn't any great revelation that Ardele Quinton was becoming a very valuable crew member in a very short period of time. She had chosen to live aboard with my blessing. It was good to have a full-time guardian on board. Del had a sense of discipline about her that was impressive and she quickly found a routine that allowed her to keep an eye on what was needed on the boat at all times. It meant I could relax, knowing that a second set of keen eyes was ever watchful of what was happening on or about the Captain's Choice.

To Be Continued.