Katherine's Story

by Thomas Kinkade

  “Please, sir, listen to me! Water’s rushing in!”

  Captain Gardner still looked furious. “All right. Bud, go down and see what she’s talking about. Probably nonsense.”

  “Hurry, please!” Kat urged.

  The man called Bud reappeared from the hatch. His face was drawn. “It’s filling up!”

  Kat was relieved to see the crew spring into action.

  Some of the men rushed down to bail. They immediately returned to the deck. “No use, sir, the boards are giving way!”

  “Everyone, life preservers!” Captain Gardner called. The men grabbed bright orange cushioned rings. Some sent up S.O.S. flares.

  Kat looked out at the horizon. There were no other boats anywhere. No one to see the flares and no sign of land. Just sea and more sea.

  Some of the men worked the sails, turning the boat around, guiding it back to port. “Dear God,” one of them moaned. “Let the boards hold.”

  Let the boards hold, Kat’s mind echoed. One thing she knew for sure, if they didn’t, no one could last long in the icy sea. She stood alone and terrified, in the midst of the furious activity around her.

  The captain beckoned to Kat. He took off his life preserver. “Put it on, fast!”

  At first, Kat didn’t understand. Then she realized there weren’t any extras. One preserver per man, and the captain was handing his to her.

  “But…it’s yours.”

  “Hurry up, take it! You’re young yet.”

  “I…I can’t,” Kat said.

  “Take it! That’s an order!” the captain barked.

  Shamefaced, Kat put on the life preserver. If she hadn’t stowed away, there would have been enough to go around.

  “Not that it’ll do much good if we have to abandon ship,” the captain said.

  Kat knew he was thinking of the freezing ocean.

  The captain glanced at Kat’s stricken face. His voice softened. “If we’re lucky, we’ll make shore.”

  But Kat was certain shore was hours away. They were trying to sail the boat back just to have something to do.

  A man with a telescope shouted, “No ships anywhere in sight, sir.”

  Suddenly the boat shuddered.

  Kat grabbed the railing. “What’s that?” she whispered.

  Captain Gardner looked grim. The boat shook again. Everyone on the crew stopped moving. There was a long, agonizing moment of silence. Then a splintering sound filled the air. There was a horrible shriek as the wooden boards started coming apart. The boat listed to one side and water swamped the deck.

  “Abandon ship!” the captain called.

  Another wrenching move by the boat and Kat was flung into the sea. The icy water made her gasp. Though the life preserver was keeping her afloat, every instinct told her to grab onto something.

  She kicked her legs. She reached out and hung on to a plank of wood. The boat was sinking fast. She saw some of the men swimming toward whatever parts of the boat were still floating. The captain hugged a piece of wood. Near her, men were calling to God and calling out their wives’ names.

  Kat watched as the mast, the very last part of the Evangeline, disappeared under the water.

  The water was frigid. The cold sliced through her body like a million knives. All her life, Kat had heard about Cape Light sailors lost at sea. Now she knew. This terrible, terrible cold.

  How long could a person last in cold water? She couldn’t remember exactly, only that she’d been surprised by what a very short time Papa had said it was. Oh, Papa!

  “Dear God,” Kat prayed through chattering teeth. She could no longer feel her legs. “Please help me and all these men and the captain. Please help us come home again.”

  Her arms went from the pain of freezing to total numbness. She couldn’t feel her hands clutching the plank.

  “Dear God,” Kat whispered. “I want to live. But if I can’t, please grant me the strength to accept whatever happens. Please help my family find peace in spite of the grief I’ve brought them.” She stifled a sob; she wanted to be brave.

  The words of the Twenty-third Psalm came to Kat and as she recited them, she felt her courage expand and grow. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil….”

  A sailor clinging to a board nearby heard Kat. He spoke the rest of the words with her. “For Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me….”

  Their voices carried over the endless sea.

  sixteen

  “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

  Kat felt comforted, though the sun that shone down so brilliantly could not warm her. She hoped the sailor who had prayed with her felt that comfort, too.

  The sea had swallowed up the Evangeline as if she had never been. All that remained of her was scattered debris.

  The vast silence that engulfed them was occasionally broken by a snatch of prayer or by hopeless last words.

  Kat couldn’t feel her body anymore. It wouldn’t be long now.

  Ma, Papa, Todd, James. All that love. Why hadn’t she known, every single day, how lucky she was? Cape Light, Durham Point, Amanda and Lizabeth, barn dances, the tower…. She didn’t want to say good-bye to it all.

  Kat closed her eyes. Her time was coming to an end. She had to give thanks for all she’d been given. If only her parents didn’t have to suffer…

  “Sails!” a hoarse voice shouted.

  The cry went up again. “Sails! Coming this way!”

  Kat blinked. Her vision was blurry now. There, on the horizon! A boat seemed to be heading toward them as fast as the wind would allow!

  Someone was coming for them! With her last bit of strength, Kat looked for the captain. Was that him hanging on to a plank, afloat even without a life preserver? Kat blinked again. The boat came closer, and closer.

  Everything seemed to be happening so quickly in a whirlwind of confusion. Kat was in a daze. Voices shouting. So loud. Lines thrown into the water. Sailors hauled up. Arms touching her, tugging at her. It was Papa! Papa, on the Heron! She saw him through a fog. Papa’s strong arms pulling her out of the sea, his strong arms around her on the deck!

  “Papa.” Kat’s knees buckled under her. What was he doing here? Was she dreaming him while she drifted under the waves?

  “My Kat. Thank God,” Papa said. He held her up. He pulled off his sweater and put it on her. It came to her knees. Then his jacket, the sleeves dangling far beyond her hands. His knit cap was on her head. Somehow her shoes were gone. A sailor’s huge, thick socks were pulled over her feet. She was wrapped tight in a blanket and Papa was rubbing her arms and legs. Rubbing hard. Slowly, the feeling came back into them. With it came sharp twinges of pain. Kat couldn’t help whimpering. Tears ran down her cheeks and mixed with the salty taste in her mouth.

  “Hold on, kitten,” Papa said. “It’ll stop hurting soon.”

  Kat nodded.

  “Any better?”

  Kat felt herself coming back into focus. Piece by piece, the world tilted back into place.

  “You’re all right, Kat,” Papa said.

  Kat fiercely wiped her eyes. “And the others? All the sailors?”

  “We picked everyone up. We got them all.”

  Kat looked around. The rescued men on the Heron wore odd bits of spare, dry clothing. She was overjoyed to see Captain Gardner; if he had drowned because of her…

  The crew of the Heron were passing around whatever they had: blankets, sweaters, caps, vests, brandy. The sun was beating down on the deck and the drenched sailors tilted their faces up, taking in its rays.

  Kat, too, soaked up the sun’s warmth.

  The boat was heading back to Cape Light. How wonderful to be going home!

  “How did you—how did they know we—”

  “We didn’t know,” Papa said. “We had no idea the Evangeline was in trouble. We came to intercept you. As soon as I heard you’d stowed aw
ay—Kat, what a foolish thing to do!”

  “I know. I’m sorry. Are you mad, Papa?”

  “I sure was. Running off to Boston without a thought! What gets into you, Kat? If I’d found you at the docks, you’d have been in big trouble. But I’m too glad to have you back safe.” He smiled at her; his eyes were wet. “Too glad to be mad at my favorite daughter.”

  Kat’s lips trembled as she tried to smile. “Your only daughter.”

  “If I had ten others, you’d still be my favorite.”

  “But how did you know? And on the Evangeline?”

  “Amanda and Lizabeth came by early this morning; they skipped school to tell us. Thank heaven for their good sense! I ran down to the docks and someone remembered seeing you hanging around the Evangeline. Captain Caldeira volunteered his boat—lost a day of fishing for it—and we raced to catch you. We tried to follow a logical course, not knowing if we’d find the Evangeline. You owe Captain Caldeira and his crew your apologies, and your thanks.”

  “I know, Papa.” Kat took a deep breath. “I have something to say to Captain Gardner, too.” He was standing near the railing. Kat walked toward him awkwardly. The blanket was tight around her ankles, forcing her to take tiny, hobbled steps.

  Other men were gathered around Captain Gardner. “I knew she needed some work,” he said mournfully. “But I was short on cash, and I thought just one more catch, one more delivery. The Evangeline’s withstood all kinds of weather…and now she’s gone. I can’t believe she’s gone.”

  A sailor shook his head. “It’s a shame. It tears a man up.”

  “My fault. I shouldn’t have taken her out.” Captain Gardner drew himself up. “Well, she was only a boat. The important thing is, every one of us is going home again.” He looked out to sea, his face full of sadness.

  Kat approached him hesitantly. “Captain Gardner? I want to thank you…you gave me your life preserver. And I need to apologize. I’m so sorry I sneaked aboard—I’m so sorry for the trouble I caused. Maybe women on board are bad luck, the way they say.”

  “Nonsense,” he said. “You brought us the best of luck.”

  “But how?” Kat was puzzled.

  “You’re Tom Williams’s girl, are you?”

  “Yes, sir. Katherine.”

  “Well, Katherine, if you hadn’t stowed away—if they hadn’t come looking for you—there wouldn’t have been anyone here to rescue us, would there? But mind you, don’t ever do anything like that again!”

  “I won’t! Never!”

  He put out his rough, callused hand and shook hers. “All right, Katherine. Next time we meet, I hope it’ll be under better circumstances.”

  Kat smiled. “I hope so, too, Captain Gardner.”

  Kat was feeling much better when she came back to Papa. And then she remembered.

  “Papa! Your duffel bag! It went down with the boat!”

  “You couldn’t have fit that much into it—just a few clothes? It was an old bag, nothing to worry about.”

  “The money, Papa! Twenty-five dollars at the bottom of the ocean!” She’d worked so hard for it. And that pretty green dress…. But I have my life! she thought. I’m going home. Nothing else matters.

  At the cottage, Kat sank into the tub and inhaled the steam. Ma had boiled the biggest pots on the stove for lots of hot water. Kat soaked and soaked. Nothing had ever felt so good! She soaped her hair into a high tower of suds. She scrubbed the salt off her body. She scrubbed off the odor and grime of the hold until her skin was tingling and rosy. Then she put on a heavy sweater and a thick woolen skirt; it was miraculous to feel clean again and truly warm. She ran downstairs to the heartfelt embraces of her family.

  Kat looked at them as if a cloudy film had been removed from her eyes. Ma’s face, full of love and concern, was so beautiful! James with those soft little-boy cheeks. She wanted to hug and hug him. Her sweet, serious Todd. And Papa. Papa was her rock. They meant everything to her. How she would have missed them!

  That evening, Kat insisted on taking her regular watch.

  “You don’t have to,” Papa said. “Not tonight, kitten.”

  “You want me to take it for you?” Todd asked.

  “Don’t you need rest?” Ma asked. “If you’d like to go to bed, I’ll bring up cinnamon toast.”

  “I’m fine, really I am,” Kat said. “I couldn’t be better! I want to do my share at the lighthouse. Tonight and every night.”

  In the tower, Kat saw her art supplies on their shelf. She gently touched her tubes of paint and the watercolor pad. If she had packed them in the duffel…But they were here and not at the bottom of the ocean; they were safe and waiting for her.

  I’ll keep working on my art, she thought, right here in Cape Light. Someday, she’d get the training she wanted, someday she could still go to Boston or another big city. Later, when her family didn’t need her so much at the lighthouse. When she was older and far more ready to leave everyone and everything she loved. In the meantime, she would paint and learn from her mistakes and paint some more. Maybe it’s better to keep trying and experimenting on my own for a while, Kat thought, before I depend on someone else to show me how. Maybe I’ll develop my own style and the critics will see a fresh new talent. She was dreaming again, Kat knew, but she was going to hold on to her dream. It had changed a little, that’s all. It left room for all the good things in her life in Cape Light.

  Kat followed her usual routine: climbing up the second ladder to the top of the tower, checking the glass around the light—it was spotless, thanks to Todd—and winding the spring that made the light revolve. Then she climbed down and shoveled coal into the stove. She lit the coals, trimmed the wick of the lantern, and pulled her chair to the window.

  The sea glistened in the moonlight. A merciless sea, Kat knew, but she still loved it.

  Kat heard footsteps on the lower ladder and then Amanda appeared in the tower.

  “Kat?” Amanda said. “Your mother said you were up here.” She looked very uncomfortable.

  “Hi, Amanda! Wait till I tell you what happened to me!” Kat stopped short, puzzled. “Aren’t you out awfully late tonight?”

  “I had to come and talk, even if you’re mad. Lizabeth was afraid to even face you.” Amanda cleared her throat. “Kat, can we still be friends?” She seemed close to tears.

  “Of course! Why wouldn’t we be?”

  “Because…I feel so bad, Kat. Lizabeth and I swore not to tell, but we were so worried. We didn’t know what to do. We had to tell someone. We couldn’t wait until after school, because if you were in trouble or…We were so scared. So we decided, even if you’d never forgive us, we still had to tell your parents right away. I’m sorry, Kat. So is Lizabeth.”

  “Don’t be sorry! You saved my life, that’s all! Mine and all the men on board! If you hadn’t told…I mean, no one would have come after me. They found us just in time!”

  “I hope you’ll…Will you ever trust me again?”

  “I’ll always trust you. With anything! I was plain crazy and you did the right thing. When I was in that hold, I started to realize dreaming about Boston was one thing, but actually leaving, well, Cape Light is exactly where I want to be. At least for now. And you’re the very best friend I’ll ever have.”

  Amanda beamed. “I’m so glad, Kat!”

  “Me, too.”

  “You worked so hard for that Boston money. What are you going to do with it now? Are you going to—”

  “It’s at the bottom of the ocean.” Kat shrugged at Amanda’s shocked look. “It’s all right. I owe Todd, and I’ll make Valentine’s cards and things until I can pay him back. And I discovered that I can earn money. That’s a good thing to know. I guess I’ll keep making gift paper—well, not as much and not as fast—then I can buy more paints and brushes and—”

  Kat heard more footsteps on the ladder and then Ma and Papa came into view.

  “Your father has something for you,” Ma said. Papa was holding a small package covered w
ith her ribbon gift paper. Kat looked at him, puzzled.

  “From the Pelican Street Bookshop. Nice paper.” He grinned. “Mrs. Cornell told me.” Awkwardly, he held out the package to Kat. “Here—open it.”

  Kat searched her father’s face. She’d never seen him look so self-conscious and pleased with himself all at the same time. It felt very strange to be tearing open her own gift paper! Oh, a book. Masters of Watercolor! “Papa, thank you!”

  “That’s all Mrs. Cornell had in stock.”

  “It’s wonderful, thank you!” Kat riffled through the colorful, glossy pages. So many paintings to look at!

  “We didn’t take your wish for art training that seriously,” Papa said. “Not seriously enough.”

  “We should have listened better. It wasn’t just a whim, was it?” Ma said.

  “When I saw how much you’d earned,” Papa said, “I felt terrible. So I went to the bookshop the next morning. Just a token, to show you that we do believe in your dream, even if we didn’t have the money to give you.”

  “I’m sorry, Papa,” Kat said. “I understand about the roof. I never meant to hurt—”

  “Let me finish,” Papa said. “We decided you should get all the art instruction books you need. Good ones. Order them from Mrs. Cornell and we’ll pay out of household money somehow.”

  Ma nodded and smiled at her.

  A big lump was suddenly in Kat’s throat. “Oh, Ma! Papa!” She hugged them both.

  “I bet you’ll become a great artist!” Amanda said.

  “Maybe start off by ordering just a few,” Ma said. “Give us a chance to catch up, I don’t know how much those books cost…”

  Kat broke into a huge brilliant smile. “Thank you.” Her parents were supporting her dreams now. They understood! That meant more than all the instruction books and tuition in the world.

  Out the window, she saw the light sweeping around and around in the dark. To guide wayfarers home, Kat thought. Wayfarers like me. The scene before her was hypnotic and mysterious and Kat’s eyes welled up. She had been guided home.

  About the Authors

  Thomas Kinkade is America’s most collected living artist, whose paintings bring hope and joy to millions. He is a best-selling author and has illustrated such books as A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS AT ST. NICHOLAS CIRCLE by Douglas Kaine McKelvey. You can visit him online at www.thomaskinkade.com.