Chapter 15: Family

"This is Carol can I help you?"

"Hi Mom."

"Tony! Is everything OK?"

"Not exactly, Tina and I are fine though. It's about Anita."

"Anita?"

"Yeah, the girl who is with us, Anita, her parents died on that bridge in Virginia yesterday, have you seen the news?"

"Oh! That was awful! I saw the paper this morning."

"Yeah, well mom, I need you to come up here."

"When?"

"Now Mom, I'm kind of out of my element here. Anita only has one relative and she's 83. I'm kinda asking for like the first plane out kind of thing. I reserved a condo for you and Dad, if he can make it. I know you trusted me to make this trip but I'm not sure I can handle this. I've got an eleven-year-old girl here with dead parents. She's as OK as she can be given the circumstances and I know what I want, and I know what Tina and Rebecca want, but it can't be done without you."

"Tony, did you make another promise?"

"Yes Mom, I did, so did Tina."

The implications of that hit Carol Smith hard. "We'll find the first flight Tony. Your dad will come as well."

"Thanks Mom, I knew I could count on you. I'd say I'm sorry about that promise if I could, but I meant it."

Telling Anita that her parents were dead was, Tony hoped, the hardest thing he would ever have to do except for Tammy's funeral. When he had gotten back to the boat Anita was up bright and early as usual, Tina was with her expecting Tony to drive her to the college early. He handed her the paper and then sat down and pulled Anita into his lap and began to speak softly to her. "All right Little One, we need to talk."

"About what Tony?"

"First of all I want you to know that we all love you and we will always take care of you. There's been an accident, a terrible accident. Your parents and uncle were involved."

Anita's face clouded over, "Are they OK?" she asked.

"No Sweetheart, they aren't. A barge hit the bridge they were driving on. The car went over the side of the bridge. I don't know how to tell you any other way, but they all three died in the accident yesterday."

Anita's first reaction was denial, "Tony don't say that!" she cried. When she looked him in the face she saw that he was serious. "Tony? Tony it's not true is it?"

"Yes Anita, it's true. I'm so sorry."

Reality then set in and Anita broke down. There was nothing to do at that point so he simply wrapped his arms around her and held her. Tina had been half listening and half reading the article. She joined them in a three-way hug crying just as freely as Anita and Tony.

Tina was the first to speak. "Tony what do we do?"

"There's nothing left to do right now. I talked to the police in Virginia so they know she's safe. I talked to her aunt, which is really a great aunt. She can't care for her. So for now we just take care of her."

"But what will happen Tony?" Tina thought for a moment and said, "Do you think?"

"Yeah sis, that's exactly what I think."

"Think what?" Anita sniffed.

"Well I was told your Aunt Opal can't care for you. Do you know where you would go?"

Anita shook her head against Tony's chest.

"Well then, perhaps you'd like a brother and a couple of sisters. Would you like that?"

"Do you think I could?"

"Yes," Tina interjected. "We'll take care of you Anita. We'll always take care of you!"

Taking care of Anita was a complex process. Tony made the phone call to Carol. He also talked to Rupert Winslow who agreed to speak with his counterparts in Virginia and to Scott Wainright who assured Tony he was still on retainer and agreed to meet Carol Smith the following day.

Another call went to Erickson's Funeral Home in Virginia Beach. They allowed him to make funeral arrangements on the simple expedient that he was willing and able to pay for them. His only real request was that the services be aimed squarely at the eleven-year-old surviving daughter and that was to be their primary concern.

The tone around the boat was bleak. Rebecca herded Tina and Anita to the stateroom when she arose. Both had cried themselves out and fallen asleep draped across Tony. She took charge of getting the others organized and moving. Tina couldn't be replaced at Gilchrist and neither could Dewayne, Jerry, or Kyle for their classes that day. They'd just have to do without Tina, but she sent the boys, minus Tony on their way.

It was another revelation for Tony. Rebecca taking charge and giving directions was a new side of her. While he saw the big picture, it would have never occurred to him to figure out who needed to go where and do what on an individual basis. There didn't seem to be a clear head among them except hers, until things settled down and she settled into Tony's lap.

"I'm proud of you sweetie." He realized at that point that he'd seen yet another side of Rebecca. He also realized quite quickly where her limits were as she sagged against him and began crying. Again, the only thing he could do was comfort a crying little girl; but this was his little girl.

In time Tony picked up Rebecca and laid her on the bed beside Tina and Anita in the master state room. Then he had some time to think, that lasted all of ten minutes and got Tony nowhere because Rupert Winslow showed up.

"Captain Smith? May I come aboard?" he spoke, snapping Tony out of his reverie.

"Oh, Mr. Winslow, hello, yes, please come aboard. And can't we drop the 'Captain' now?"

Rupert came aboard and sat down next to Tony. "Eh not yet, I have to visit the premises legally. I know you said your parents are coming, but I either have to take the young girl or leave her with a good reason why, so let's keep up appearances."

The boat was gleaming. When the boys had to leave in the morning, Gwen and Chrissie had enlisted Cheri and done the normal morning chores inside and out. Tony doubted Rupert Winslow would have held it against him if things were a bit off this morning, but he was glad that they weren't.

"OK," Tony said. "It's a bit late for coffee, some tea or something else?"

"Nothing Tony, this is just a formality. Where is Anita?"

"She's below, sleeping. Tina and Rebecca are with her."

"Tina? Oh, your sister, sorry, I forgot."

"Yes, Anita's become very close to Tina. She teaches her flute and helps me teach her guitar."

"I know we talked this morning Mr ... err Captain Smith but what is your intent here? You say your parents are flying in and they want custody? They've never met Anita have they?"

"No, they are doing it on our, mine and Tina's, request. I think it is exactly the right thing to do right now. Tina and I already think of her as a sister."

"And your parents?"

"They are pretty predictable Mr. Winslow. One look at her and it won't be a problem. They are on a plane right now just because we asked. We lost a family member a few years ago, a girl, my, well our baby sister, to leukemia. If we can help it at all we won't let Anita down."

It only took ten more minutes to satisfy Rupert Winslow. He was only going through the motions and he'd already said as much. He had to satisfy State requirements that he had investigated and then report that to the State of Virginia. He did ask about Cheri but Tony didn't have to answer, she came out and talked to him herself. Mr. Winslow was now on her 'trusted' list of males.

"I'm fine Mr. Winslow, more than fine. I'm happier now than I've been since daddy died. Well, not this morning maybe, we all love Anita, that's kind of hard to deal with. Of course the captain here sometimes makes me swab the decks." Tony chuckled at that, "But really, I'm fine. Everyone helps out here. The boat, Kalliste, is like a living thing. We all care for her. I'm not sure how to describe it, but I'm enjoying being a part of it. Tony's teaching me about sailing her and navigation!"

Tony laughed again. "Well," he said, "we haven't exactly busted out the sextant yet. We're just doing time-distance calculations and plotting LORAN coordinates onto a map. If you sail with me you have to learn that and how to use the radios as well."

"So Cheri is going to sail home with you?"

"That's the plan. I assume the court ruling means I can make these decisions. If not I don't see why we bothered."

"Absolutely Captain Smith, it's actually encouraging to me that you are teaching her so much. You have to admit it does fit the spirit of the laws we used."