Catch of a Lifetime

by Andrew Grey

  THIS FISHING trip went more smoothly, and the weather was perfect almost the entire time. “How long before we get back?” Katherine asked as she finished packing up the gear and helped Jamie clean up the deck.

  “A few hours. We should come into cell phone range soon.” Arty guided the very full boat back toward port. The coolers they usually used for drinks and extra food had been emptied and cleaned, then filled with fish, as well as all of the regular iceboxes on board. It had been a wondrous trip.

  “We’re almost done here,” Lyle said. “I thought we’d clean up the cabin next so that would be done as well.” During the entire trip, none of them ever stopped, and they were back in record time, loaded to the gills—literally. Once they were in range, everyone checked their phones, and Arty called to make arrangements for the sale of the catch.

  “Do you want the catch or not, Gerald?” Arty asked when they were a mile out. “I’m getting tired of this. All you have to do is be fair with me and the rest of the fishermen, and we won’t have any more issues. We can let the past rest. But it’s up to you.”

  “You made me look—” Gerald paused.

  Arty sighed. “Then I’ll call Sampson.” He ended the call and went to make another. His phone rang before he could redial, and Arty settled things and headed in. He knew Gerald needed the catch just as much as Arty needed to sell it.

  “Is everything okay?” Jamie asked.

  “Yes. We’re on our way in. Are there any messages from your dad?” Arty asked. Jamie had been worried for much of the trip. He had called his dad to tell him he was going to be out of touch, and apparently the man had reiterated his threat to come get Jamie, forcibly if he had to.

  “Yeah. There are about eight. He must have called every day. Dad is nothing if not persistent. Judging by the messages, I don’t think he’s done more than talk up to now.” Still, it was enough to add to Jamie’s worries, and Arty put an arm around his waist to comfort him as they passed under the bridge into the bay.

  They approached the dock ten minutes later, and Gerald was there to meet them. Arty thought it strange, but once they moored the boat, he cut the engines, got off to greet him, and shook his hand. “I’ve been giving things a lot of thought,” Arty said.

  “Yeah.” Gerald met Arty’s gaze.

  “It’s time we buried the hatchet. You treat the fishermen well from now on, and you’ll have no more trouble from me.” He didn’t need to tell him that Arty was planning to return to New York just as soon as he could. Two runs and coming back dog-tired for the second time was enough. Gerald shrugged. He seemed wary, and Arty didn’t blame him. “We all need each other here.”

  Gerald nodded. “That’s very true.” He didn’t say anything more on the subject, but they did shake hands one more time. “Take your boat on over and let’s get your catch into the plant.”

  “Fair enough.”

  They unloaded the catch and then went to work cleaning the boxes once they returned to the dock. By the time they were done, Arty was exhausted and hungry. He and Jamie said good night to Lyle and Katherine in the parking lot, and lugged their things back toward the house.

  “Hey, Dad, I’m back,” Arty called as soon as he stepped inside.

  “In here,” his dad called, and Arty found him with his leg up. “I fell the other day. I’m okay, but I….” Arty barely heard the rest of it. The plans Arty had for being able to go back to his life sprouted wings and flew out the damned window. Hell, and damn…. This was so not what he’d been expecting, and he did his best not to let the anger that welled up inside him show. His dad was still laid up, and actually looked worse than when Arty had left on his second fishing run. It looked like he wasn’t going to be able to work for at least another few weeks.

  Arty dropped his bag by the door and went back outside to pace the yard, swearing under his breath. He knew what he had to do, but still wanted to yell at the top of his damned lungs. Not that it was going to do a fucking bit of good at all. He was stuck here, and that was all there was to it. His dad needed to eat, and he had to work the boat to make sure he didn’t lose everything. Hell, for a second, he wondered if his dad might have done it on purpose. He clenched his hands, shaking them until the feeling passed. Finally, once he’d gained some control, Arty went back inside and picked up his bag, returning to where his dad and Jamie waited.

  He closed his eyes and tried not to think about it too much. He’d have to make some calls to New York to make sure his job would be waiting for him and to tell Ryan what was happening. He’d been looking forward to calling Margaret to ask her to set up as many auditions as she possibly could. After these four, almost five weeks, he was ready to throw himself back into his career. “It will be fine, Dad. Just get better.” He patted his dad’s shoulder and went to take care of his things, needing to put some distance between the two of them.

  “I’m sorry,” Jamie said, and Arty hugged him just as soon as they were alone. Arty buried his face in Jamie’s neck, inhaling and then groaning softly. He felt so vulnerable right now and Jamie felt like his rock, holding and supporting him. Arty knew he had to be strong most of the time, but with Jamie, he could let go of some of that and be vulnerable. He closed his eyes and relished the support that Jamie offered, and then he gave it right back to him. Inhaling and releasing his breath, he held Jamie even tighter.

  “I was hoping we could leave soon.” And now he was nearly back where he started, at least as far as his dad’s health was concerned. The two successful trips would pay off much of his dad’s business debt and get the bills current, thank God. But it basically meant he had been working for nothing for weeks. Arty got a load of laundry going and then closed the washer lid and leaned against Jamie. He was so tired.

  “It will be okay. I can wait a little longer.” Jamie stroked his hair, and Arty was grateful for the comfort. Then Jamie’s phone rang and broke the silence. He moved away and pulled out the phone, shivering before answering it. Arty knew it was his dad on the line, just by Jamie’s pained expression.

  “Yes, I’m back. We got in this morning.” Jamie’s eyes grew wider. “No, Dad. That isn’t going to make a difference. I told you when I left that I wanted to try something different…. Can’t you just accept that?” Jamie sighed. “No, Dad. I’m going up north, and by the time you get here, I’ll be gone. I promise I’ll call you when I get there. I’ll be staying with a friend….” Jamie rocked his weight from foot to foot. “Well, thanks for the warning.” He ended the call, and his fearful eyes lifted to Arty’s.

  “I take it he’s coming here?” Arty said, and Jamie nodded harshly.

  “He says he knows where I am. How he did it is beyond me, but he said he was going to come to Longboat Key to get me.”

  “Then the easiest thing is for you to not be here. Before you go, though, I’d call your cell company to make sure he doesn’t have access. Maybe change the password to your online account.”

  “Shit,” Jamie swore. “I gave him access a while ago so he could pay my bill for me one month.”

  “That’s all it takes,” Arty said and let Jamie use his computer in the bedroom. He tried to think of how they could make this work, but Arty didn’t relish Jamie’s father coming here to make a huge scene. Neither of them needed that.

  “Got it,” Jamie said as he closed the application. “He can’t see my stuff any longer, and I changed passwords on all my other accounts as well. But the damage is done. And I don’t want to have a huge fight with my father. He won’t listen, no matter what.”

  “You should talk to your aunt. You don’t have to tell her exactly where you are, but she might be able to convince him that coming here isn’t going to help his cause.” If nothing else, he’d hear a second person telling him not to come. It might help defuse the situation. Though Arty was wondering if anything would. He had dealt with headstrong stubborn men before…. He actually looked into the living room, where his dad had fallen asleep. “See what she says, and we’ll go from there.�
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  Jamie nodded, and Arty left him alone to make his call. He got some water for his dad and set the glass on the table next to him, along with the pill he was supposed to take. Arty tried not to think of how these walls seemed to be closing in around him. This was where he had grown up, but it wasn’t his home, not any longer. Yet there was a certain level of comfort here… if he was honest with himself. He had almost instantly become some sort of leader among the local fishermen. They asked his opinion, specifically on selling their catches, which was unusual and rewarding.

  Jamie joined him in the kitchen and pulled out a chair. “Aunt Livvy said she’d call him and tell him to give me a little space. I don’t know if it will do any good.”

  Arty nodded and snagged a tablet from near the phone. “I’ve been thinking. Maybe you should go on to New York, if that’s what you really want.” God, he didn’t want to pressure him, but the thought of Jamie with him in New York, maybe the two of them building some kind of life together, got his blood racing. “I’ll have to be here a few more weeks. We can arrange for a plane ticket and to get you to the airport in Tampa. You can stay in my room. Ryan has already said it’s okay. I can call and tell him, and he’ll pick you up from the airport. Ryan is a great guy, and he loves New York and showing it to people. You can get a job and start to get settled, and I’ll join you as soon as I can get Dad back on his feet.” It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than Jamie’s father bullying him into going back to Iowa. “What do you think? You’ll get paid in a day or two and should have the money for a ticket. They aren’t that expensive, and Southwest flies from Tampa into all the New York airports.”

  “It’s a lot to think about,” Jamie said with a slight smile.

  “Think about it. I can call Ryan and let him know about the change of plans. You can talk to him as well, so you won’t be total strangers, at least. And like I said, I’ll join you as soon as I’m able.” This could really work out.

  Jamie didn’t really respond. “I better change the laundry around and get the next load washing.” He pushed back the chair, and Arty watched him go. Excitement warred with the thought that they’d be apart. Part of him worried that he and Jamie hadn’t really known each other all that long. What if he found someone else once he got to New York? Arty was well aware of the fact that there was always someone around the corner… someone better looking, richer, on the way up…. Arty didn’t really think that Jamie was that kind of guy, but temptation was definitely there. He’d be much happier if he was going with him, but Arty had no other option. He would follow when he could. Hopefully everything would still be good, and the two of them could figure out a way to be together for good.

  “Aunt Livvy called. She said that Dad was completely unreasonable and determined to bring me back one way or another.” Jamie sighed. “I’d better try to talk to him again.” That was clearly an unhappy notion, but Arty nodded and pushed out the chair next to him. If Jamie wanted privacy, he could have it. But if he wanted support, Arty wanted him to know he had that as well.

  “Why is he so insistent? I understand wanting to leave you a legacy, but forcing it on you….”

  Jamie sighed. “I didn’t get it for a long time. I think that after Mom died, he was determined to control everything and everyone, so nobody else could ever leave. She was his life… and he never figured out how to build another one without her.”

  Jamie sat down and made the call. “Have you come to your senses?” his dad said loudly enough that Arty heard it clearly through the phone.

  “I’m not coming back. I want to see some of the world, and you coming out here isn’t going to change my mind. Stay there and run your farm. Let me be to have my own life.” Jamie wasn’t taking his dad’s anger bait, which impressed Arty a lot. Jamie put the call on speaker and lowered the volume.

  “I built this farm and it’s all I have, my whole life’s work. And you want to just throw it away.”

  Jamie paled and looked like he’d been beaten. “Why do I have to be saddled with your life’s work when I don’t want it?”

  “Do you think I wanted to be a farmer? I wanted to go galivanting off to the city, but my father got this land from his father, and it was passed on to me for you, and your son after that. It’s your legacy. I built it up and made it a thriving and going concern and….” Jamie’s father seemed to be running out of steam, which was a good thing.

  “I’m done with farming, Dad… at least for now. I’m going to New York. If you want to come get me, then you can go there. Good luck finding me among nine million people. And you can’t track me anymore either,” Jamie said. “I want to live my own life. This is what kids grow up and do, Dad. I promise to call when I get there in a few days to let you know I’m okay, but I’m not coming home.” Jamie pressed End on the phone and sat back. He seemed winded, and yet there was a gleam in his eyes. “I think I just decided.”

  “You definitely did.”

  Arty used Jamie’s phone to call Ryan. “Hey, Ryan, this is Arty.”

  “How’s Florida, and why are you on a strange phone?”

  “Well, things have gotten complicated here. Dad isn’t doing as well as I’d hoped, so I’m going to have to stay for a bit longer, but Jamie is going to come to New York. He can stay in my room. But I wanted him to meet you… sort of…. Jamie, this is Ryan.”

  “Hey, Jamie,” Ryan said. “Are you ready to take New York by storm?” Leave it to Ryan to be welcoming and open.

  “Yeah. I appreciate you letting me stay for a little while. I’ll find a job as soon as I can, and I won’t be a nuisance. I promise.” Jamie seemed as excited as Ryan usually was. Those two were probably going to make the apartment combust. “I grew up on a farm in Iowa, and I know how to cook.”

  “A roomie after my own heart. You let me know when you’re arriving, preferably from Newark, and I’ll pick you up and get you to the apartment. I’ve seen a number of places that are looking for help, so I’ll make a note of them and hopefully you can find something pretty quickly. I’ll show you the town and help you navigate so you don’t get into any trouble.”

  “Thanks, Ryan. Arty said you were a good friend,” Jamie said with a grin. “We’ll forward you everything. Thank you so much.” Jamie looked up, and Arty took the phone off speaker and thanked Ryan.

  “Is he as cute as he sounds?” Ryan asked. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him until you can get up here to join him.”

  “Thank you.” Arty wasn’t sure what to say. “I appreciate everything. You are a good friend.” He was ready to end the call.

  “I just hope you know what you’re doing. I don’t want you to get hurt, and I can already tell you’re in over your head on this. Please be careful.” Ryan could be so damned insightful sometimes.

  “I’ll do my best.” It was the best answer he had. “I’ll talk to you soon.” Ryan ended the call, and Arty handed the phone back to Jamie. “It looks like we just need to get you an airline ticket and you’ll be on your way.”

  Jamie nodded. “I’d feel better if we were going together.”

  “I know you would, and so would I. But unless you want to stay here for another three or four weeks arguing with your father… you should go and start building the life you want.” Arty wished he could get back to his, but it was only a matter of weeks.

  Jamie put his arms around Arty’s neck. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am for what you’re doing. I never would have been able to do this if I hadn’t met you. I don’t know anyone there, and it’s such a big city….” He sighed.

  “You’ll be fine. And you can call and talk to me whenever you want, unless I’m out fishing. Ryan will be there, and he’ll answer any questions and make sure you know where the basic things are.” Arty leaned closer. “And when I get there, I’ll take you around to all the fun places to see. We can go to the park, see the zoo, take a boat ride on one of the ponds.” He ached to go with him, but Arty couldn’t leave his dad.

  “Arty,” his dad ca
lled, and he closed his eyes, taking a quick kiss before moving away to see what his dad wanted.

  “Go ahead and use my computer to check flights. I can put the ticket on my credit card.” He turned and left to look after his dad. “Did you take your pill?” he asked him.

  “Yes,” his dad said, growling as Arty helped him get up, and he hobbled his way down to the bathroom. The wheelchair seemed to be history… at least for now. Arty waited for him to get back and then checked the wounded leg. It was finally healing well, which was a relief. The infection seemed to be a thing of the past, and now it was just a matter of waiting for his broken leg to mend. Arty made a note to ask the doctor about physical therapy for him. “Is Jamie leaving?” his father asked.

  “In a few days,” Arty answered softly.

  “That’s too bad. I really like him.” He turned on the television, searching until he found basketball, and sure enough, it wasn’t long before Jamie came out to watch along with him.

  “Did you find a ticket?” Arty asked.

  “They were really expensive, so….”

  Arty left him and went into the bedroom, grabbed his laptop, and brought it into the living room. He went to a couple of sites that offered last-minute deals to see what was possible to New York. “I got one for two hundred out of Tampa. The plane goes through Baltimore, but you don’t need to get off.” He continued searching and then showed what he’d found to Jamie. “Does that look good?”

  Jamie nodded. “Lots better than anything I could find.”

  “Good.” Arty reluctantly helped Jamie buy the ticket. He made sure Jamie had a license and ID and then sent the information to his phone. Once he was done, Arty closed the laptop and set it aside. Fatigue quickly caught up with him, and soon enough, he put his head back and dozed off. He probably should have gone into his room to sleep, but he wanted to spend as much time with Jamie as he could.

  When he woke, he went to the kitchen to make some lunch. He took in sandwiches, and they ate and watched the end of the game. “What a basket,” Jamie said, leaping to his feet and nearly sending his lunch flying. Where he got all his energy from was a mystery, but Jamie seemed to keep going and going.