Captain's Choice Ch. 05-06

"Okay, what's the other?"

"That you would still want to be first mate," I managed a little less certainly.

"Uh huh," she said with a knowing grin. "That's it?"

"That's it," I nodded.

I must have had a worried look about me because she took my hand and held it as she replied.

"I'd be hurt if I didn't get to help you find another boat. I'd be even more hurt if I didn't have a chance to keep my job," she said, looking me right in the eye.

"You know ... and I know ... it won't be just a job," I said, still serious.

She nodded and smiled. "I'm counting on that."

***

That evening I met with Dean, Pete and the clients to make sure everything was okay with their day.

"It was great, Pat," Dean said. "It was different than your boat, but no problems with the equipment or the accommodations. Ernie is going to pick up a Zodiac to give us a second fishing platform, but other than that, he's got everything he needs on board."

"I'll vouch for that," Bob Crandall, the oldest of the clients agreed. "We're all fine with Ernie and his boat. I just want to let you know how badly we feel about you losing your boat. If we come back here, and I'm sure we will, we'll be contacting either you or Ernie for our charter. You've done everything possible to make sure we weren't disappointed."

I heard general agreement from the three other men and I was satisfied.

"Mind you," Bob said, "It wouldn't have hurt if your other crew member was on board either," he grinned.

That gave us a little chuckle and at that point I let the boys know Ardele and I were heading back to Vancouver on the morning plane. If there was any problem, they had our cell numbers and we'd help any way we could. Both Pete and Dean thanked us for helping them to stay employed for as long as we had.

It took very little convincing to persuade Ardele to move in with me. The apartment had been little used this summer as Del had stayed on board the boat since signing up last winter. It would be nice to have the privacy and freedom that the apartment gave us. If she was going to be a part of my future life, this was the time to find out.

We stopped off at my insurance carrier's office and left a copy of the RCMP theft report and the contact name in Campbell River to confirm that the boat had been destroyed. I was hoping that I could get a settlement from them in short order to give us the money to find a new boat.

We had not lost all our possessions on the boat when it was stolen. By good luck, I had taken some clothes, the photo album, and my laptop with us when I transferred to the motel. Ardele had most of her possessions with her when she went to Nanaimo to visit her friend. My boat had a small safe, but there was little in it aside from my log book, some receipts for expenditures, and miscellaneous papers. Unhappily, it wasn't fireproof and that was something I vowed to correct on my next boat.

Our next mission was to get some clothes and other necessaries for Ardele, along with replacing what I had lost on the boat. We were within walking distance of the city center and had no trouble quickly finding everything we needed. Del was not a picky shopper. She knew what she wanted, found it, bought it, and left. More or less the way I shopped, in fact. It gave us plenty of time for a leisurely lunch.

"Your salary will still go into your account twice a month," I said to her as we relaxed after the light meal.

"You don't have to do that, Pat. I'm not broke," she smiled.

"You're still my employee and you're still on the payroll. Enough said."

"Pat, there's something you should know. I'm not hard up for money. I never have been in the last few years. I inherited some money from my late grandmother and I spent very little of my earnings when I was on the towboats. Until Kurt decided that he didn't have to work and could live off me, I really didn't spend very much at all.

"We rented our apartment and our only car was Kurt's. I've never been one to spend just for the sake of spending, so I can live a pretty modest lifestyle and still be content."

"I've come to recognize that in the last several months," I said. "That's a very good discipline to have. Seems it's another common thread between us. Neither of us is really looking for status or wealth. We do what we do because we love it. I think if someone had told me that this is how my adult life might turn out, I'd have probably laughed at them."

"Not me. I'd have jumped for joy," Del smiled. "I told you I was a tomboy and I wasn't kidding. Maybe I still am at heart. I don't need a big fancy house in the suburbs or a flashy car."

"What about children?" I asked, wondering if I'd hit a sensitive subject as just the wrong time.

"Yeah ... I've thought about that. It's getting near the end of the ideal time for me. I'll be thirty-two soon and I still haven't made up my mind. If it meant giving up this life, I'd probably have second thoughts," she said reflectively.

"Is it the boat and being on the water, or is it also the chartering?"

"Good question. If you had asked me a year ago, I would have said boat and not thought twice. Now ... with you ... I'm not so sure."

You're still young, Ardele. There's time to decide. You should do what you really want to do, not what you think others would want."

"Don't worry about that, Pat. I've always done what I wanted to do. Sometimes to my regret, but it didn't stop me from living that way. I guess that's being selfish, isn't it?"

"Not totally. Not so much that it bothers me," I admitted.

"Let's just drop it for now, okay," she said. "Just promise me you won't hold back if there's something I do that you don't like."

"That's an easy promise to keep," I chuckled. "You have to promise me that you won't get too upset if I lose my temper once in a while. It's the Irish in me."

"I've been around you for nearly eight months and I haven't seen you lose your temper yet. Lord knows you've had the opportunity. So I guess that's an easy promise for me to keep too."

"I've come close a couple of times," I admitted, "but I didn't want to upset you or the clients. I guess I'm still growing up."

"I thought you'd lose it when the boat disappeared."

"No ... I was just sick. There was no anger, even when we found it. Two of the guys who stole it died. That's the supreme penalty for them. I'd still like to know why they grabbed it."

She nodded. That was the question all right. Why?

To Be Continued