Chapter 17

As we rode home from our meeting with Ann Philips I reveled in the feeling of Adin sitting behind me. She had her arms wrapped tightly around my middle as she leaned against my back with her head turned to the side and resting on the back of my shoulder. Feeling her female bits pushing into my back just ... well ... made me feel wonderful and I wanted that feeling to go on forever!

As we came up to the tollbooth on the Pike I decided to turn north instead of south toward our home. Adin didn't notice a thing until we had been on the road for an hour.

"Where are we?" she yelled over the wind rushing by.

"Going on a little trip," I yelled back.

"Okay..." she yelled back but I could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

Finally I exited the Pike and headed up the coast on U.S. route one northbound passing through so many small picturesque Maine coastal towns that it was like driving through a photo album. I slowed down as we came to a small town; it was just a small cluster of buildings—a general store/restaurant, a marina, a gas station and Post Office. I pulled up at the gas station for fuel and information. Surprise, surprise! The gas pumps were full service!

I asked the pump jockey for a good place to eat and was told that the food was good at the restaurant located in the back of the store. After refueling our machine I parked, set the protective wards, and then we went into the store, hand in hand. I have to say that I was just filled with love for my wife and wanted this to be the honeymoon that we never really had. It felt great to be with Adin and away from all of the problems back home—for some reason trouble seems to always find me now that I have magical powers.

I did realize that we couldn't stay away for very long with all that was going on at home but I felt that we could manage five days without any problems. As we walked in I noticed that the whole back of the store was a long wing that went out over the water of the bay. Outside the windows we could see numerous types of pleasure crafts and working boats moored at the marina slips and out on moorings buoys.

Adin was delighted and thus, being a guy, I was quite pleased with myself.

Once in the restaurant we were seated at a window table and enjoyed an excellent meal—I had the 'Big Net' dinner of shrimp, cod, clams and fries while Adin had the lobster tail salad plate—as we ate we watched the coming and goings of a variety of vessels and the small water taxi as it shuttled people to and from the many boats moored out in the harbor.

As the sun was setting a traditional two-masted schooner sailed into the harbor. Adin 'cooed' and 'awed' at the sight causing me to have a brainstorm. I called the waitress over and asked about the schooner.

"Oh, that's Rum Runner Two, owned by Erik Saccs. He runs charter cruises. Right now he's just getting back from the boatyard. I swear that I don't know how he keeps her running she is that old and something is always breaking ... Oh..."

The poor woman blushed deeply and covered her mouth with both hands as she mumbled to herself.

"You talk too much, Mable. That sweet boy needs customers, and here you are, driving them away!"

"Don't fret, Mable," I said. "The fact that he maintains his boat makes me feel better. After all it's nice to see someone keeping something with that much history, alive."

The old woman brightened and said, "Oh my, yes! That boat really was a rum-runner. You can still see some of the repaired bullet holes from the revenuers ... but I'll let him tell you the stories. If you wait for him to tie up he'll come here for some coffee and a snack. This is his Mama's restaurant."

"Well, Mable, we'll do just that if you will be kind enough to bring us some fresh coffee, please?"

Mable all but curtsied as she rushed off to get our coffee.

"I don't think that boy gets many charters," Adin whispered to me.

I nodded and asked, "How would you like to go for a small cruise for the next few days?"

"Really?" Adin asked as she grabbed both of my hands, giggled girlishly and nodded excitedly.

"You better be ready to hang that sweet bottom of yours over the side if the boat is as old as Mable said though," I joked.

Adin, however, thought I was serious and got an alarmed look on her face as she said, "Noooooooo ... No way!"

Before I could answer a booming voice resounded from over my shoulder, "Not to worry, Miss. My vessel has all new plumbing."

Adin looked very relieved then that look turned to awe as a veritable Viking giant walked up to our table. The man was almost seven feet tall and as wide as a truck and his blond hair was so sun bleached as to be almost white—he kept his hair in a thick plait that hung down along his spine to the middle of his back.

I reach over to Adin and close her mouth—her lower jaw was quite nearly on the table.

"Mable said that you wanted to see me?"

The man had a voice like James Earl Jones: low and rumbling, yet smooth as honey.

"Yes. Would you please join us?"

However, before the man was able to respond to my invitation, the kitchen doors slam open with a resounding bang! A huge blond Brunhilda type woman stood in the doorway holding both swinging doors open with outstretched arms, roaring, "WHERE IS MY BOY?" She searched the room with a glaring eye. Since Erik is the size of a truck the woman spotted her son quickly.

The whole building shook as the big woman ran to her son. Then to everyone's shock she effortlessly lifted her son off his feet as she hugged him and twirled around—her son has to weigh at least three hundred pounds of solid muscle!

I sat, opened mouthed, as I thought, "We're caught up in the middle of a Wagnerian opera! The only things missing are the horned helmets, breastplates and spears!"

"I SHOULD SLAP YOU SILLY! YOU NO CALL FOR TWO WHOLE MONTHS, YOU BAD BOY!"

"Please put me down, Mama?"

With a chuckle the woman let Erik down and released him from her bone-crushing hug. Erik immediately placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed his mother tenderly on her cheek as he said lovingly, "I was very busy, Mama."

"Yes, yes. I know, my son, but you know how I worry about you and that old boat.

"You know that I want to restore her, Mama. She has been in the family for almost a hundred years and I want her to be ours for another hundred years, Mama."

"Yes, yes. Always the boat, I know Erik, but it is a Mama's job to worry, okay? Come, I feed you."

"These people have invited me to sit with them. I'll eat later, Mama."

"Nonsense! You all eat some pie then," she said with such finality in her voice that any argument was unthinkable. At that last statement the big woman turned on her heel and returned to the kitchen. Things on the table ratted as she walked off.

Erik smiled fondly after his mother and then, with the shake of his head he said, "So what did you want to talk about?"

"We were wondering if your vessel is ready for a small charter. We only have a few days off and thought that it would be nice to go out on a real rum runner."

"That depends ... You see my crewmembers have all gone back to college. However if you're willing to act as crew and we stay in the bay I don't foresee any problems. How many days exactly did you have in mind?"

"Are there any historic places for us to explore or some such points of interest?"

"Sure. If you book three days we could sail out to Fort Farogett Island. That's a day out a day there and a day back."