by Vivian Wood
Late the next morning, I wake up in my little bunk. My phone is switched on but it’s on silent; if I’m honest about it, I have basically had the ringer put in silent mode since 2008.
I realize that I woke up because my phone keeps buzzing. I also realize that everyone else has already gotten up, leaving me to sleep in. Checking my phone, I see five texts from Cate.
How is the cruise going?
Are you actually getting these messages?
I really need to talk to you about what is going on with Harper and Smith.
Your brother is a real jerk. I love him, but also, I kind of want to punch him in the mouth sometimes.
It’s been a week! Call me already!!
I can’t help but grin. As my best friend, I knew that Cate would have a hard time adjusting to me being gone. But her texts serve as a reminder that there is a whole other world waiting for me at home.
It’s not just Gabe and Malkia and this boat, even if they are all I see day to day.
Getting up, I dress in casual clothes and head to the kitchen for coffee. The guests are spending the day on a nature hike, so I’ve got time to kill. I pop up onto the main deck and look around.
Alex nods at me from her post above me on the upper deck. I smile and wave, pulling my fleece tighter against my body.
Then I walk to the very back of the boat, checking to make sure that I still have signal. When I video call Cate, she answers almost immediately.
“Whhhhaaaaaattttt?” she cries. “You’re alive!”
She is dressed for work at the bar in a short black dress and an apron. She grins. “Just a second, let me go somewhere private.”
“Take your time,” I say, looking out over the bay. The water is a distinctly gray color just now, but it’s relatively smooth inside the bay. It’s windy today, the air chilly. Glancing further out to the horizon, I see that the ocean is pretty choppy.
“Okay!” Cate says, calling my attention back to the screen. “It’s so bright where you are.”
I push a couple strands of hair back that are blowing across my face. “Yeah, it’s bright but cold up here in British Columbia.”
“Ugh, I’m jealous. There is nothing happening over here for me.” She wrinkles her nose. “Tell me everything that you’ve been up to. I wanna live vicariously through you.”
That makes me chuckle. “I am living pretty glamorously. You should see my sleeping quarters. They are seriously so small, it’s a little ridiculous.”
“Whatever, you’re on an adventure.” Cate sighs. “I wish I was on an adventure.”
I give her a look. “You know that my brother would take you anywhere you want to go in a heartbeat, right?”
Her cheeks grow pink. “Yes. I want to hear about you, though. How is it working for Gabe?”
I consider that for a second, puffing out my cheeks. “Frustrating, mostly. He’s very grumpy. Secretive too.”
“That really sucks,” she says, frowning.
“Yeah. Did you know that Gabe had a fiancée? Apparently, her name was Michelle and she died.”
Her eyes widen. “What?”
“I know! When did she die? Was it before or after I met him in Vegas? But of course, he asked me not to tell people about that night… so I’m walking on eggshells, trying to tiptoe around Gabe’s feelings…”
Cate shakes her head. “I had no idea that you were going through all that.”
It takes a second for me to find what I want to say. “It’s not so bad, really. At least Gabe’s sister is really cool. She’s the first mate and she keeps everything running smoothly.” I pause, a thought occurring to me. “We should totally charter a yacht for a few days. Not this one obviously, because Gabe apparently hates all the ‘clients’, as he calls them.”
I make air quotes, which causes Cate to giggle. “Why does he hate them?”
“He hates rich people, I guess. Some kind of classist nonsense. I mean, you grew up with less money than Luca and I did. Are we really that bad?”
I cock my head, expecting Cate to laugh. But there is a strange hesitation on her face.
“Well, no…” she says carefully. “But you do have to imagine that to anyone who grew up struggling to make ends meet, your lifestyle can be a bit… flashy and in your face…”
That gives me pause. “Really?”
She rolls her eyes. “Yes, really. The fact that we are even having this conversation is really sort of absurd. You were extremely privileged growing up. I would just… I don’t know, bear that in mind.” Her gaze narrows. “Especially when you’re talking to Gabe and his sister, who you already find to be sort of sensitive on this subject.”
“Huh.” I chew on that bit of advice, mulling it over. “Thanks for putting me in check.”
She smiles. “Anytime. What else are best friends for? Besides, I want you to have the best chances of falling in love with this guy as possible— “
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who said anything about love? Because that is just not in my five year plan, Cate.”
She wiggles her eyebrows. “Exactly. When you aren’t looking for love, love sneaks up on you and explodes all over your life.”
“Luna!” Malkia yells.
I look toward the sound of her voice, down on the dock. She looks serious, so I whisper goodbye to Cate and stride to the side of the boat.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“Get your medical supply kit and come up to the village. There is a villager who got trampled by a horse and the doctor is an hour away.”
“On it!” I call, rushing downstairs. I grab my medical bag and race back upstairs, hurrying down to the dock.
Malkia is there, waiting to hustle me up the gentle curve of the dock and toward one of the stubby little buildings. “Gabe is keeping him company inside here.”
She opens the door and I duck inside. Gabe and three other people are standing by an overstuffed chair, concern written all over their faces.
I hear a groan and can make out a young man clutching his ribs, sitting on the chair and making noises.
When Gabe sees me, the intensity on his face only increases. “There is Luna, our boat’s doctor.”
I move toward the patient. The circle clears enough for me to see the young man, his face contorted with pain.
“Doctor, please help my nephew!” one of the women gathered around him says.
But my eyes are laser focused on the young man. I kneel beside him, my fingers finding the pulse point at his wrist. I look him in the eyes, trying to ascertain whether he has neurological damage or not.
His pulse is thready, his heart rate high but not outside the realm of what I expected. He’s warm to the touch, but I just came in from the cold weather.
“I’m Luna,” I say, releasing his wrist. Wrangling my stethoscope from my bag. “I’m going to need you to be really still, okay?”
“Okay,” he says, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“What’s your name?” I ask. I notice that he’s sweating just a little bit.
He stares down at me, his brown eyes filled with pain. “Hank.”
“And Hank, what day is it?”
He licks his lips. “Uhh… Tuesday?”
“And who is the president?”
“Justin Trudeau.”
“Great.” I listen to his breathing and his heart for a minute. Then I pull the stethoscope around my neck. “Everything sounds good. Where do you feel pain? Can you show me?”
He makes a quiet sound of distress. His hands go to his ribs again, hovering there. “Right here hurts the worst.”
“Okay. No problem.” I look up, finding Gabe’s eyes. “Do you mind giving us some privacy?”
Hank’s aunt starts to wail as Gabe opens his arms, starting to shoo everyone out. “We’ll be right outside.”
Once the door closes behind him, I look at Hank. “Do you mind if we take off your shirt? I’d like to get a look at your injuries…”
Hank flushes but peels off his t-shirt. I wince
at the large red marks all over his torso.
“I’m going to have to touch your torso, I’m afraid.” I palpate the red marks, being as gentle as I can. Hank still cries out a couple of times but overall is a trooper.
I finish, standing up. “Okay. I have good news. Even though it’s painful, I think you’ve just cracked a couple ribs.”
Hank looks surprised. “Yeah?”
“Mmhm. Do you want to put your shirt back on? That way I can let your family back inside.”
He nods, reaching for his t-shirt. After he gets it on, I open the door and urge everyone to come back in.
“Alright. So despite it being very painful for Hank to cough or laugh or even breathe deeply, it is my best guess that he isn’t in any immediate medical danger. It seems like two or more of his ribs are fractured, which… ouch! But they should resolve themselves, given time.”
Hank’s aunt bursts into tears. I smile, trying to keep things professional.
“It would be best if someone were to drive Hank to an emergency room, where they can X-ray his ribs and check more thoroughly for a punctured lung. But aside from doing that, he just needs rest and some ibuprofen.” I blow out a breath. “And make sure that you take lots of deep breaths the entire time your ribs are healing, Hank. We wouldn’t want you to catch pneumonia, okay?”
Hank nods, wincing. “Okay.”
“All right.” I pack up my medical bag.
“Do we owe you anything?” a solemn-looking older man asks me.
“Oh, no. I’ve barely done anything. You should take him to the ER though… Get those ribs x-rayed.” I give him my practiced, professional smile. “Goodbye, Hank.”
Stepping back out of the building and into the cold, I shiver a little. Malkia is nowhere to be seen but Gabe does follow me outside.
I glance up at him. His expression is neutral, his gaze roving over my face.
What is he thinking just now? I wish I knew.
And why do I find his terseness to be an invitation?
“I guess I should go back to the boat,” I say, looking briefly into the brightness of the midday sun.
He shoves his hands in his pockets, looking down at the ground as he kicks a rock away from his foot. “If you want.”
“Oo-kay…” I say awkwardly. “I’ll see you around, then…”
I start toward the docks again, but Gabe’s voice stops me in my tracks. “Thank you for coming.”
I turn around, a little frown on my lips. “You don’t have to thank me. I’m a healer. If anyone calls, I come running.”
One corner of his mouth bends downward. “I wasn’t sure you would. You aren’t responsible for anyone who isn’t a passenger of the yacht.”
I lift my brows. “By whose definition?”
He just shrugs but he pins me with that eerie green-blue gaze of his. “I don’t know. I just figured that you only care about people who can pay you for your services.”
I pull back, fully scowling at his words. “That’s horrible, Gabe. We may not be from the same set of circumstances, but I can’t believe you thought so little of me.”
He dips his head. “If it helps, I feel like a fool now.”
I look at him, tall and dark, his short hair blowing in the wind. His expression is dark, his lips set in a firm line.
“You should work on that,” I say. “People aren’t only out for money, Gabe. You should really try to see that people are mostly good.”
He just nods noncommittally, looking off into the distance. After a second more of staring at his face, I turn and continue down toward the docks.
15
Gabe
The next couple of days go by extremely slowly. I spend it mostly alone in the pilothouse, chewing over what Luna said to me the other night.
You should try to see that people are mostly good.
I mull over her words, trying to understand their context. Luna is a little rich girl with an undercurrent of daddy issues. That much is obvious. But will that have affected how she sees this issue?
Looking out the windows before me, I frown. The weather is getting colder as we sail north, although it won’t be nearly as cold once we anchor and head inward to hike along the coast.
It is beautiful here. The gray sand beach looks bleak, but just beyond that I can make out greenery. The land is very much alive right now, being that it is summer and all.
I continue to mull things over even as the yacht approaches the beach cove where I will drop the anchor. The waves are pounding violently against our hull; I’m certain that the wind outside is fierce too.
I bunch up my mouth, returning to my thought about Luna. Coming from the opposite side of the wealth spectrum, I am inclined to think so. Then again, my own childhood, growing up with so little… that defines my own views as well as her growing up with everything does.
I sigh. Does that add the context that I am looking for?
The rolling door behind me squeaks a little. I glance back to find Malkia standing there.
“Hey,” she says. “Everyone is prepped and ready for the trip to the shore.”
I nod, piloting the yacht into a little cove. “That’s great. Thanks.”
Malkia doesn’t move. When I glance back again, her expression is unreadable.
I narrow my eyes. “What?”
Her lips twitch. “You have been quiet for the last bit. It makes me nervous when you get all stoic.”
I don’t answer right away. I cut the engines instead, pushing a lever up all the way to drop the yacht’s anchor. “I’ve just been busy working, I guess.”
She squints at me and makes a mmm sound of judgment. “As long as you are not worried about Michelle…”
That makes me turn around and cock a brow. “Michelle has been the last thing on my mind over the past few days.”
Her eyes scan my face for a second, then Malkia gives me a relieved nod. “Okay. Good.”
“I’m ready to head to shore,” I say with a sigh.
She nods and vanishes. I head out of the pilothouse onto the main deck. The engineers have been busy, because they’ve already lowered all the inflatable skiffs into the water. Two of the little boats are already starting their engines, loaded down with yacht passengers. As they start pulling away toward the shore, I see Luna struggling to carry her medical bag and another clunky messenger bag. She’s so tiny and what she’s carrying is obviously heavy. Hurrying to lift the medical bag from her grip, I surprise her a little.
“Oh!” she says, losing her balance.
I reach out and grab her by the waist, steadying her. She looks up into my face as we hover there for a second.
Her clear blue eyes examine my face. The tiniest of frowns wrinkles her brow.
Then I turn her loose again.
“Thanks,” she says, blushing. She brushes a strand of hair away from her face and nods to the bag. “I have to bring extra supplies. You know, blankets and rolls of bandaging tape…”
One corner of my mouth quirks at the way she defends her supplies that are a medical necessity.
“Great,” I say. “Go ahead. I got this bag.”
She looks at me with relief, then turns around and scales down the ladder that leads off the side of the boat. I follow her, lifting my chin at Malkia when I reach the bottom.
Luna scurries to find a seat. I look around at the skiff’s other passengers, Emma, Alex, Sam and Luke.
“Is that everyone?” I ask Malkia.
She nods. “Yep. I mean, aside from the guys that took the other two skiffs to shore. Everybody else wanted to stay on the yacht.”
“Okay.” I nod, moving carefully to sit down beside Luke. After being on the yacht, this little plastic skiff seems like a toy. “Let’s go.”
Malkia pulls the motor’s starter rope and it roars to life. I look toward the beach where the engineers are already pulling the skiffs onshore.
I frown at how furiously the waves pound against the little boats. The waves are violent here, tossi
ng our boat back and forth a little, making the engine work harder.
When we finally land on the beach with a soft thud, I move forward and hop off the boat. I set the medical bag down a few feet up the shore so that it is out of the reach of the wild ocean.
Malkia cuts the engine and I call over my shoulder to her. “Here, I got it. I’ll hold it steady while you guys get off.”
Once everyone is off the little boat, Mal helps me to drag the skiff up away from the water.
“Do you think we need to tie it to the trees?” she asks, wincing into the wind. The wind whips around us, cutting right through the fleece I’m wearing.
“Yeah,” I say, wincing. I trudge along the pebble-strewn beach, Luna’s medical bag in one hand and the other hand hauling the skiff. “God, it’s too cold to be nice today. Thank god we’ll be more protected when we leave the beach…”
She nods. “Yeah. I can see the tops of the trees from here. We should be fine.”
We hustle up the steeply sloping beach, cresting the top of the sand dune. There grass begins growing sparsely; a little further ahead, the two engineers have tied their skiffs to the trees.
When we finally tie our skiff down, I tuck Luna’s medical bag under my arm. The rest of the party is waiting in the shelter of the first few trees.
Walking over to them, I look around. “There will be a fire pit where we are headed. Don’t worry, we are freezing too.”
Everyone laughs and hugs their warmest layer a bit closer.
I nod Mal and she takes up the lead, weaving her way through the trees. “This way, please! We only have a quarter of a mile to go…”
I follow up the party’s tail, making sure that everybody else makes it there okay. Mal leads the party to a base camp, which is basically a house in a clearing with four walls. There is a hole cut in the top of the makeshift building and a fire pit in the middle.
Everyone hustles inside. I follow and stack the logs left there for us into the fire pit. Mal rubs her hands together, blowing her warm breath onto them.
Without the wind blowing inside the shelter though, it’s actually relatively pleasant. There are several large logs serving as seating near the fire. After I get the fire going, I look around at the group.
