Chapter 56: First Interview

Because we were using carts for the celebrity round, I didn’t need my dad to caddy, so he took the afternoon off. I went through the clubhouse and got my pairing sheet and scorecards and then went by my locker to get my clubs and shoes. Then I headed out to the staging area to meet the rest of my foursome.

Ben Albemarle was a big strapping guy from the Pacific Northwest and had a full bushy beard hiding his face, but I could detect warm eyes and a ready smile when we shook hands. Nara Ipowhani was the other tour player and he was from Bangladesh. He shook my hand but didn’t smile. I could tell he was focused on the upcoming match. John Sweeting was our celebrity.

“Call me Sweetie,” he said as we shook hands. Sweetie owned the largest boat store in the islands. When I told him about the crossing we had just completed in the Serendipity, he became my instant friend. I didn’t mind because we ended up as partners and discussed the various aspects of sailing catamarans versus mono-hulls.

“Don’t you need to warm up?” Nara asked me.

“No thanks,” I told him. “I’ve already played a full round this morning.”

“Do any good?” Ben asked.

“Middle sixty’s,” I replied.

“I think we’re in trouble, Nara,” Ben said.

“No way,” I told him. “It was mostly luck.”

“I should be that lucky,” Nara said under his breath.

“I’ll pass this time,” I told them when Sweetie asked if I wanted to wager anything on the round. “I’d lose everything I own if I start making wagers.”

They let it go and Sweetie got the honors. He even teed off on the black tees with us. Unlike this morning, I didn’t put my ball in the right out-of-bounds. Instead it ended up on the fringe of the fairway less than 100 yards from the hole.

My high school coach used to claim that a fast round of golf and a slow round of golf both took about four hours. Well that round took every bit of four hours, mainly because the course was crowded with foursomes, all with celebrities wanting to play with the professionals, and the professionals were working to get their games ready for Thursday. There would be no rounds played tomorrow (Wednesday) in order for the grounds keepers to get everything ready for Thursday morning.

I had carded a 34 when we made the turn and changed partners. I got to ride with Ben for the back nine. He had carded a 40 on the front nine and Nara had a 39. How I scored a 34, I didn’t know as Sweetie and I had discussed boats and crossings the entire way.

The back nine almost started off with me in deep trouble. My tee shot landed on the green, then rolled back, almost to the lagoon. It stopped in the high grass at the edge. Then I used my putter for two strokes and parred the Par 3.

I ended the round with a 71. Secretly, I was pleased because it was only my second round ever, under par. I had shot a 38 on the back nine. I think it was because I was tired. But Ben had kept breaking my concentration with questions when he found out I was only eighteen.

I said my goodbyes and wished Nara and Ben luck for the weekend. I told Sweetie that I would give him a tour the next time the Serendipity was back in Bahama. They had sailed for Ft. Lauderdale this afternoon.

When I got back to the house, I found my mom had made me meatloaf for dinner with mashed potatoes and green peas. I drank a gallon of ice water and cleaned my plate. Twice. Then I begged off from talking with everyone and went to bed.

Wednesday dawned overcast and muggy. Highs were only going to reach the low 70’s Fahrenheit (low 20’s Celsius). I fixed myself a cup of coffee and sat out on the rear patio and watched the sun break the horizon. I could imagine Captain Alfred on the bridge of the Serendipity doing the same thing and it gave me a warm feeling.

Suddenly I jumped to my feet and ran inside. “Isabella!” I cried. “Come help! Quickly!”

Isabella was there in a heartbeat, her hair tussled and sleep in her eyes. She had her ever present pistol in her hand, still in its holster.

“What’s wrong, Alex,” she asked, looking all around.

“It’s the Serendipity! She’s got a weird harmonic in her electrical pulses. I think its in the port engine. We have to radio them now! Before something blows and she sinks.” I said almost in panic. The lights began to flicker on and off as I told her.

She grabbed my hand and told me to calm down. Somehow, she wasn’t as effective as Carina had been, but she led me outside to the patio and made me sit down. Then she told me to practice my breathing so her phone would work to make the call. When that didn’t work, she moved inside as Jenna and Carina came out together.

“There he is,” she said to Jenna, then, “Watch this.”

Carina quickly straddled my lap, her short, sheer gown riding up to semi-expose her privates while her breasts practically fell out of the loose-fitting top. She didn’t sleep in any underwear. Then taking my head in both hands, she kissed me.

“I can’t ... I don’t think I can ... kiss my brother!” she told Carina.

“It’s like a conditioned response and Alex responds very quickly to it,” Carina told her. “You saw what good it did for Isabella to ignore him, right?”

“Well, yeah,” Jenna replied hesitantly. “But kiss my brother? I don’t know...”

“If you value your life and the lives of your family, somebody has to,” Carina said before letting it go. She knew the teen would figure it out on her own and pushing wouldn’t help. Then she looked into my eyes and then down to our crotches. She could both see and feel the tent in my gym short.

“So we meet again, Mr. Masters,” she said with a giggle.

“Didn’t I warn you about sitting practically naked on young men’s’ laps?” asked Roland from the door. Followed by “ ... and here’s your tea, my dear,” as he sat the steaming mug beside me on the table.

I just looked into her eyes and got lost in so many memories. I was brought out of my reverie when she stood to get off my lap. I frowned a little as her light gown dropped without me getting a visual treat. I missed going naked at that moment.

“The Coast Guard was able to raise them and gave them your message,” Isabella told us when she returned. “But they were skeptical about me when I wouldn’t tell them how I knew. And we’re going to have to do something. I had to go to the middle of the street to get any reception, and then kept getting honked at by horny golfers as I stood there in my gown.”