Chapter 2: A boat trip

For the next two weeks I only glimpsed Jerry as he passed on his way to service the computers in other departments, but at night I lay in bed and wondered what it would be like to have him as my boyfriend. "What if we'd met in a situation where we had to be together without all the racket going on? Without others around? What if we were forced to live together? Would we actually get to know each other, or would we still be too reserved to talk? We conversed when I had to explain the computer problems and I know he wanted to say more and I did too but couldn't get the words out. I wonder what it would be like to sleep with him? Make love to him? Why do I think about him so much now? Is it because I am secretly attracted to him?" These and many other thoughts ran through my head as I gently fingered myself. I knew though, that it was unlikely that we would ever get together again; I would never make the first move and neither would he. However, I hadn't reckoned on Rachel once again playing matchmaker.

"How do you fancy a boat trip down the Orwell on Saturday?" Rachel asked and went on, "Michael and I have booked a trip on the 'Lady Isobel' and if weather permits we'll sail down the Orwell and up the Deben for a little way. We wanted a quiet day out for a change and thought a little boat trip for an hour or two would make a nice change. You've been pretty miserable since the works party and I know that didn't work out too well but this time it will only be Michael and me — and the boat's skipper, of course." Still I demurred but in the end, Rachel had her way and indeed, I actually wanted to go. The July weather was warm and prospects for the weekend were good and I looked forward to a pleasant day on the river.

Eight o'clock on the following Saturday morning saw us walking along the pontoons at Woolverstone Marina, me wondering which of the grand craft was the "Lady Isobel'. It turned out to be a 26 foot Stella class (I found that out later) sailing boat rather than one of the bigger motor cruisers. As soon as we arrived I knew Rachel had set me up again. Jeremy did too, for he was the skipper and owner of the boat. Both of us glared at her and Michael and I refused to get on board. It wasn't so much that Jerry was there as the fact that my life was being interfered with again by two people who were in a loving relationship.

"Sorry Claire," Jerry stuttered and looked disappointed, "I didn't know you were coming." I believed him. "Please come. Treat it as a normal cruise and ignore the fact that we work together and we've been set up again." Remembering how he'd helped me earlier, and, seeing the way he pleaded with his eyes, I allowed myself to be persuaded to go with them. Prior to that morning I had no inkling that he knew anything about sailing and it was no small wonder to me that Jerry owned a boat, albeit a small one. I wondered what else I might learn about him during the course of the day.

"Let's get you all kitted out with lifejackets and then we can get under way. Claire, you sit there," he indicated a seat near the back, "Rachel you sit in the front of the cockpit and Michael, will you go to the bow and cast off when I give the signal." That was another surprise. Jerry actually gave us orders. He was the skipper; he was in charge and he acted like it. This was his element.

We left the marina under motor power and when we were clear of the moorings he slowed the engine right down and made me hold the tiller (I quickly learned some of the terms) and told me to keep the boat heading for a buoy some distance away. I almost panicked. He left me to steer the boat while the others helped hoist the sails. There was no need to worry and soon he sat opposite me and steered the boat as we made our way down river under sail. There was a nice breeze to speed us along, and warm sunshine made it a very pleasant experience. Jerry pointed out various landmarks and made comments on the handling of the boat but otherwise we remained silent. Rachel and Michael laid themselves on the cabin roof to sunbathe and cuddle but I think it was as much to keep Jerry and myself together as to work on any tan, the breeze kept the temperature to a cool level. I wondered if they were trying to goad us into copying them but I knew I would never wear anything as revealing as the costume Rachel wore, albeit some of it was covered by her lifejacket. Jerry seemed embarrassed by her near nudity.

An hour after leaving Jerry stood and ordered me, "You take her while I go and make some coffee." More of a panic this time as we were heeled over at an alarming angle and rushing through the water. I had no idea how to stop it should I need to do so. Shaking my head no, I almost didn't grip the tiller. "Just keep her heading like she is," he added and disappeared into the cabin. After a minute or two being bodily frozen and not daring to do anything except grasp the wooden stick in a death grip, I began to relax especially when I saw Jerry's head appear several times to check on how we were going. Suddenly, to my great surprise, the boat came upright and the sails flapped noisily. It startled Rachel and Michael enough to make them sit up and Jerry's head appeared in the hatchway and his hand signalled me to pull the tiller towards me a little. Soon the sails filled again, we heeled over and resumed our lively passage through the water. I blushed at having done something wrong and I expected all the other boat crews around would have noticed and be staring at me. Jerry though, just treated it as something that happened and went back below.

Even when he returned with the coffee, I continued steering the boat while he explained in a matter of fact way, why in my moment's inattention, the sails suddenly started flapping. "Drink your coffee. It will get rougher when we round the fort and are into the North Sea for a few miles. So it proved. Still he left me in charge but he worked the ropes controlling the sails. At times we had to turn and the boat heeled the other way and I had to change sides too and steer with my other hand. Gradually as the miles passed I began to get the feel of things. Michael and Rachel retired to the cockpit as well because of the spray coming over the boat and I think they watched me more than noticing where we were going. I actually began to enjoy myself and, with Jerry's gentle instruction, began to feel at one with the boat and the sea and started to respond with small movements of the tiller when the wind or waves altered our course slightly or the sails began to flap again. Of course if anything went wrong I wouldn't have a clue as to what to do but at the time I found it exhilarating.