Chapter 22

The start of the engines woke the boat.

Cynthia was the last to waddle to the helm. She was supporting her watermelon with both hands. “What’s wrong?”

Of course, she looked right at me when she said it ... and THIS time it was on me.

Tyke said, “We ran out of wind and had to motor.”

“Oh.” Then she said, “Why are we stopped?”

“We ran out of fuel.”

“Really? Why?”

“Current and head winds,” I said.

And Tyke ... yeah ... little miss stick her nose in it ... her ... the four year old ... SHE ups and said, “And we only had a quarter tank because ‘SOMEONE’ didn’t check when SHE was on watch and sailed right by the fuel dock yesterday.”

“Who screwed up?” growled Cynthia ... before she thought about WHO was Supposed to be on watch ... and then she did think it. “Oh. I was busy.”

And that’s as close as Cynthiamae McWilliams-(Flintkote) has ever gotten to admitting she fucked up ... in her life!

And I said, “I had to pay FedA prices just now.”

It’s not the fuel price ... it’s the FedA $1.29.9 tax per gallon that I object to. The Princessapality charges a nickel.

I will admit that we could have made South Lancaster and The Wharf and the Esso would have delivered ... by pumper truck ... free ... if we bought 200 gallons. We’d just bought 445 gallons and would have saved ... I had to figure that in my head ... Five Hundred dollars.

My wild hair cost me $500 ... but I wasn’t going to tell Cynthia that.

If Tyche keeps her mouth shut...

And WE still have to get back to the Saint Lawrence.

At least we could sail ... pretty much wing on wing ... or spinnaker ... Spin ... sure ... it’s pretty and I love going down wind.

Tomorrow though... ‘The Wind is shifting to westerlies, tomorrow.’ so saith the Tike... 4 year old smartypants ... but ... make hay while the sun shines.

We motored out to the Ottawa and turned south ... and Cyn didn’t say a word. She just wants a place to have this baby ... and that’s Virginia or Tennessee ... places she’s familiar with. Pentwater works too ... but ... for sure ... she’s not going to make it.

Unless ... Junior plays with her magic watch.