Chapter 36: Gary

I shut off the car and sat there for a moment, despite the heat that crept in once the A/C was off. I was glad to be back to Furthurmore, but I was half-dreading my reception. I swallowed back down the brick-sized lump I felt in my gut. I still didn't move. There was motion on the decks, though, and I knew people would come down to meet me if I didn't get on with it, so I gave a large sigh and opened the door.

Reaching down, I pulled the lever to pop the trunk, then went to the back for my bag. Looking up towards the ship as I locked the car, I saw Moira, watching me. I could see her concern, and almost feel her love. I swallowed again, but this time more easily. These were my friends I was coming back to, my family really.

Moira met me at the top of the gangplank with a long hug, and then a brief kiss. She pulled back, and rubbed her knuckles against my cheek. I hadn't shaved in a week, and I had the beginnings of a beard. "That will take some getting used to, if you decide to keep it," she said, her displeasure evident. Joanne was next to give me a hug, though she said nothing but "welcome back" and "we missed you".

Jake shook my hand and offered to take my bag.

As he moved aft with it, I saw Saralinda. She looked annoyed.

"No Kate? I need her help."

I blinked. "Help with what?" I finally managed, puzzled.

"I'm trying to learn JaZZBooks, so I can do some of the accounting stuff for her. I've figured out a bunch of things, but I still don't want to do too much without Kate to guide me," she said in a rush.

I was floored, and momentarily at a loss for words.

"Oh, and – hi, welcome back," she said, pulling me into a hug and giving me a kiss.

"Hmmph. Scratchy," she added, wrinkling her nose. I made a note to myself to shave as soon as I got to my room.

Just then, Simone and Tori came around from the bow. Simone barely waited for Saralinda to release me before she rushed into my arms. "Querida, welcome back," she whispered in my ear. Then, as she pulled back, she peered over my shoulder, down to the empty car. "No Kate?" She frowned.

The deck was getting crowded. I was still stuck, barely onboard, and rather unsettled. Michelle chose that moment to come out of the galley. Maybe she recognized my discomfort, for she announced that she'd just made a fruit salad, and perhaps everyone should head to the dining room to relax. Bless her.

"Jake, what's on tap?" It was only mid-afternoon, but screw it, I thought. I needed a beer.

"Fiji Baby on the left, and I think we've still got some Mac & Jacks on the right. Everybody's been drinking the Fiji, though, in this heat."

'Fiji Baby' is what the locals call 'Fiji Bitter', a decent, light colored beer that goes down well in the tropics. I pulled myself a glass and sat down heavily. Some of the girls were helping themselves to fruit salad. The sliding door opened, and Tony and Henri came in.

"Hey, Boss. Welcome home. You been gone a damn'd long time. Ingrid, she say you drive up alone. What's up with Kate, eh? She comin' back too, or what?"

Trust Henri to just blurt it out. Everyone quieted down, sat or leaned on something, and turned to hear my reply.

"Okay, well ... Hi Henri. It's good to be back." I took a large drink from my beer. Delaying? Maybe.

I took a deep breath and let it out. It seemed to me I could hear the bubbles in my beer mug, it was so quiet in there. I finally let the words out.

"Kate and I had a good time together. We went out to Turtle Island, and we did some horseback riding on the beach, and some snorkeling, and even a little scuba. We relaxed. We talked about a lot of things. Everything really. The past. The present. The future. Me. Her ... Us.

"In the end, Kate decided she needs some time, some space. She's going to take a six month of, well, 'sabbatical', she called it. Six months, or maybe a year."

There was a tumult of murmurs.

"But she's not leaving just yet. She'll rejoin us in a day or two – Monday at the latest. She's got to pack her things and straighten out the office, and she and I will have to find someone to come on board and act as business manager. Kate's agreed to train whoever we find for a couple of weeks. And then, well, she's not sure where she's going to go yet, I don't think. At least, she didn't tell me her plans, really, except to say that she wanted to, well, get some distance."

I looked up at the faces surrounding me. Captain Tony was looking down, and was just shaking his head slowly back and forth. Simone looked like she was about to cry, which made me realize I'd gotten through the announcement without crying. Maybe I was cried out. Moira and Joanne looked like they each wanted to give me a hug, but were holding themselves back. Jake just grimaced. Saralinda had her hand half-raised, like a school child wanting to talk in class. I raised my eyes at her, and she sheepishly lowered her arm and shook her head.

"What?" I asked, quietly encouraging her.

"Um, Jake and I have the office organized, and, well, I've been learning to do some of the work there – invoices and bills and stuff. I wanted to be useful..."

"Okay, thanks, Saralinda. That will be a big help." I made a mental note to check up on what they'd done there and thank her properly, later.

Tori came over and knelt down next to my chair. She took my hand in hers and said, "We will all help, however we can." It was so unlike her that I blinked stupidly at her for a moment. Finally, I got a hold of myself and pulled her forward so I could kiss her on her forehead. The two women who had been onboard the shortest time, the two who might perhaps not really understand just how deep my connection to Kate was, had just offered their assistance to me now. I was very touched. Suddenly looking a bit embarrassed, Tori stood up, let go of my hand, and went back to Simone, who wrapped her into a hug.