I heard Dawn clear her throat behind me and say, “If you keep talking like that to every good looking woman you meet, I will own this home and you will be spending your evenings at the homeless shelter.” I watched Henry’s eyes light up as he walked over to Dawn and kissed her hard on the lips. She giggled and said, “That is much better. Just remember which bed you sleep in tonight, lover boy.” I saw Becky blush and Henry noticed it. He stepped up to Becky and said, “Dawn and I try to keep things on the happy side around this house. I love Dawn’s Mother as if she was my own, but she is so angry all the time. When she is not here, we often find ourselves teasing and giggling together. Pardon us if we tease too much.”
Just then, Julie came into the room and asked what she could prepare for supper before she left for the evening. Dawn thought a moment and said, “If you would take out four T-Bone steaks from the freezer and put them on the counter to thaw, I think Becky and I will cook supper tonight.” Then she stepped up close to Julie and said, “We would love for you to join us for supper tonight. If you would like to stay, take out an extra steak. I would love for you to spend some time with my father and his wife, Becky.” Julie thought a second and said, “I thank you for the offer, Dawn, but I will join my husband for supper tonight. Maybe I will take him out to dinner. We seem to never slow down long enough to enjoy each other’s company anymore.” Dawn hugged Julie and walked with her to the driveway where she had parked her car.
Henry said, “Without our Julie, we would struggle to maintain this house. We work way to many hours anymore. I have just hired another experienced trial attorney to work for us. My intention is to slow Dawn down just enough that she can manage her career and this pregnancy at the same time. I am certain she will work right up until her due date, but I am going to insist that she take time for herself and enjoys her life.” Becky said, “You could send Dawn and the baby to California when we finish this journey. I could really enjoy having a crying baby to love.” Then Becky looked at me and got a horrible look on her face. Finally, she smiled and said, “I think that Stanley and I will have to adopt a very young child to love when we finish with this adventure.” Henry said, “I hope you do just that. Do it while you are still young. I can guide you to three well-known adoption agencies that will work with you. If you ever need a referral, just let me know.”
When Dawn walked back into the kitchen, she said, “If you gentlemen will excuse Becky and me, we have kitchen work that needs doing. We would appreciate it if you males would get lost so we can talk girl stuff.” Henry and I began to laugh. Henry said, “Okay, okay. We will be in my office. The New York Rangers are playing at home tonight and I am almost certain I can interest Stanley in a beer before supper. We also have man stuff to talk about, but we certainly will not gossip as you girls certainly will.” Dawn threw an apron at her husband, which he caught and lobbed back at her.
When we walked into Henry’s office, I realized that he used this area to meet with his clients. The walls had herringbone-patterned wood and the furniture was all soft black leather. Beautiful ceramic tiles covered the floor, all carefully laid in a herringbone pattern. There was a sixty-inch flat screen television on the back wall and a microwave and refrigerator in the corner. When Henry opened a cupboard door, I realized there was a wet bar behind it. Henry turned on the television, but left the volume turned down. Once we each had a cold beer, we began discussing our lives. I wanted to know as much as I could learn about my daughter and the child she had growing in her belly, and her husband.
As we talked, Henry’s desk phone rang twice. Both times, he looked at the caller ID and let it go to voice mail. The third time it rang, he said, “This call I need to take.” I took my beer and stepped out to the kitchen with the girls for a couple of minutes. When I walked into the kitchen, the smell of beefsteak cooking over an open fire greeted me. I walked over to the stove and realized there was a built in gas grill mounted beside the range. I laughed and said, “We need one of these in the Pacifica-Two.” Dawn said, “This one is not for sale. I use this grill all the time. Henry likes to cook outside with charcoal while he freezes his ass off and munches on bugs that fly into his mouth. I like the convenience of cooking indoors. I hate the bugs and I like to be comfortable while I cook.”
In a couple of minutes, Henry came into the kitchen. He walked up to me and said, “Sorry for the phone calls, but I needed to talk to that judge for a few minutes.” The girls did not kick us out of the kitchen so we sat down at the table and joined them while they prepared dinner. I soon got the conversation around to my grandchild growing in my daughter’s belly. Dawn walked over to me and said, “Father. Please don’t fall in love with this child just yet. I am having trouble keeping this baby happy. If this pregnancy cannot go to term, I don’t want you devastated.” I stood up and hugged her. I reassured her that I would be able to face that reality if it came to that. As I hugged her, she began to cry. I held her for a few minutes until she calmed. Then she stepped back and said, “I have missed you a lot. If this child survives and things work out, when you guys get back home and this child is old enough to fly, I am bringing him to your house for a couple weeks. I think Henry could spare me if I asked nicely.” Henry smiled and said, “Your father and I were just talking about you taking some time for yourself. I think a trip to San Francisco would do you good.”
As Dawn returned her attention to preparing supper, Becky looked at me and said, “Stanley, let’s check out the pool. Dawn says it’s for swimming laps. I would like to see it.” As we stepped outside, Becky said, “Husband, Dawn has asked me if we could stay until Thanksgiving. She would like to have her father here with her for the holiday. Would you mind if I said yes. The only reason I ask is that your ex might show up. Could you deal with that for a day?” I chuckled over her words and said, “Yes. We can stay. As long as I don’t have to sleep with the witch, I can manage just fine.” Becky giggled and said, “If I find her in our bed, she will have me to answer to.” Becky slid into my arms, hugged me and held on. Then she said, “One other thing. Dawn may lose the child she is carrying. She has faced that reality. Please stay supportive of her pregnancy, but don’t discuss it unless she opens up the conversation, okay?”
As we checked out the pool, we realized that the bugs were horrible. When we went back inside, Dawn said, “I warned you about the bugs. The damn things hatched out two days ago. I think they are a form of stoneflies. They hatch out in the reeds along the streams that feed into the ocean. They seldom hatch this late in the year. It is much too cold for them, yet here they are.”
When we walked back into the kitchen, Dawn said, “Have you two agreed to stay for Thanksgiving. I know you have a long way to go yet on your trip, but I checked and you should not head towards the tip of South America for another week. The icebergs are still floating around down there. You should simply wait until they melt.” I started to laugh and said, “Okay, okay. I give up. We will stay. Besides, I really don’t want to spend my nights in the cold Atlantic when I could be spending them here with my family.” Dawn turned away and walked over to the Kleenex box. When she had wiped her eyes, she turned around and said, “Sorry for all the tears. My hormones are all fucked up.” I saw her eyes light up and her hands came up to her mouth. She said, “I am so sorry for those words. They came out before I could stop them.” I saw Becky giggling to herself. I looked up at Dawn and said, “Daughter, I think you have been hanging around your mother a little too much lately.” She said, “Again, I apologize. I try not to use such language. I fear it might slip out around our clients or in court. Instead it slipped out in front of my father and Becky.”
Becky continued to giggle. I looked at her and said, “What has tickled you so, Mrs. Becky.” She said, “I just realized how many gestures and facial expressions you and Dawn share. You both do the eye-rolling thing, and you both put your fingers over your mouths when you swear. You both have the same deep belly laugh and you both wipe your tears away with your left thumb
s. I have come to love all those things in my husband and now I discover his daughter is just as incredible. I love you both.” Henry walked over to Becky and put his hands on both her shoulders. He said, “Becky, I hope you will find that I am a very lovable person, also.” I watched Becky pat his hand on her shoulder and say, “Don’t rush it Henry.” Henry leaned down, kissed Becky on the cheek and said, “I will stop teasing you, for now.”
Dawn sat down beside me at the kitchen table and said, “I may have to ask you all to leave. If I keep laughing like this, I may deliver this child here on the kitchen floor.” I looked at her to see if she was all right and she said, “I am fine, Father. I just cannot keep laughing like this.” I heard Dawn say, “Maybe it is not the baby that is the problem.” She quickly got up and headed to the bathroom. When she shut the door, Becky said, “I hope she made it. She may have wet her pants.” Henry walked over to the bathroom door, knocked and talked to his wife. He came out laughing and said, “She is fine, just had to pee.”
When Dawn walked back out of the bathroom, she said, “Okay. It is time to eat. We have messed around long enough. The food will get cold before we sit down at the table.” We all quickly set the table and put the food on while I poured the wine. I sat a full glass in front of each of us and then sat down beside Becky. Dawn asked me if her wine was baby safe and I told it was.
Henry raised his glass and said, “A toast to our family and to this wonderful meal and a special blessing for my child.” With the toasts spoken, we sipped the wine. It was cold, sweet and delicious. I looked at Dawn and said, “I am only guessing, but I assume you have had an ultrasound.” I watched my daughter’s eyes light up as she said, “What makes you think that, Father.” I smiled and said, “The words, Son, have passed your lips twice today.” She giggled and said, “You do listen well, don’t you, Father. You always have. Yes, the child has an appendage that cannot be anything other than his manhood.” I laughed at her words and moved the conversation to our idea of inviting a young boy to join us on the Pacifica-Two for the final leg of the voyage home. Dawn asked about the boy and asked who he might be. I looked at Becky and she began to explain about her Grand Nephew.
As we sat down to Thanksgiving dinner, the gently rain turned to snow. I saw Becky stand up from the table and move to the sliding glass doors. She could not stand it one second longer. She opened the door and stepped out into the falling snow. She held her hand out and let the flakes melt in her hands. I even saw her taste a couple flakes with her tongue as they fell from the sky. I sat at the table and giggled like a little girl over my wife’s fascination with the snow. When she got cold, she stepped back inside and took her shoes off at the door. When she sat back down with us, she had a grin from ear to ear. She finally said, “I cannot wait for our first snowstorm at sea. I know the first one will be fabulous, but I am certain that the excitement will quickly wear off when I start shivering while standing watch.”
Dawn giggled and then said, “Don’t get me started giggling again or I will have to start wearing diapers.” I saw Becky almost spit her wine out on the table, but she managed to keep it under control. Becky sat her wine down on the table. She almost dumped it when she sat it on her knife. I looked at her and she winked at me. She said, “I don’t think my wine is baby safe.” I smiled and said, “I only poured Dawn the lead free wine. You got the high-octane version.” Becky said, “I would not have drunk any before eating if I had known.” I looked into her eyes and said, “Are you okay?” she giggled and said, “Yes, but I think I should eat some food to soak up the alcohol. I feel a little queasy.” I poured Becky a glass of alcohol free wine and moved the one she had over beside my plate. She looked up at me and said, “Thank you.”
When the meal was over and we had finished the dishes, we watched a movie on the big screen television. As Becky and I cuddled on a sofa, Dawn giggled and said to her husband, “No. Not while my father is in the house.” I felt Becky begin to giggle. She made no sound at all, but struggled not to let Dawn see her. Becky whispered in my ear, “We could get the ball rolling, if you know what I mean. Then Dawn might allow her husband to love her.” I said, “No. Not while my daughter is in the house.” I must have said the words a little too loud, because Dawn looked at me and then snuggled up to Henry. I heard her say, “Well maybe. Father and Becky are in need of some alone time anyways. We could sneak off while they finish watching the movie.” Dawn stood up and said, “I need a nap.” She yawned and left the room. In a couple minutes, Henry said, “I had better check on her and make certain she is okay.” When he left the room, Becky said, “Well, it seems they just needed a little prodding.” I gently poked Becky with my finger. She asked, “What are you doing?” I said, “Prodding you.” Becky said, “Can we wait until we get back on the Pacifica-Two?” I asked how long that might be. She said, “I was considering calling the marina in the morning so they can put the Pacifica-Two back into the water for us. We could leave tomorrow after lunch, if you are ready to leave. I don’t want to rush you.”
I thought about what Becky said, and decided we really should leave. We had been with Henry and Dawn for ten days. We had overstayed our welcome.
When Dawn and Henry joined us for an evening snack in the kitchen, the snow had stopped. Becky poured herself another glass of wine, but made certain she chose the alcohol free bottle. As we sat and discussed the dinner, I told them that we planned to join the Pacifica-Two tomorrow after lunch. Dawn said, “We have enjoyed having you guys stay with us. I want to thank you, Father, for being nice to Mother while she was here. I know she can be a pain in the ass, but she is my mother, and your ex-wife, so we need to make an honest effort to be her friend.” I smiled and said, “She did act civilized during dinner and I actually enjoyed talking to her for a change.” Becky said, “Did we make her mad at lunch? She left quickly after the dishes were done.” Dawn giggled and said, “She and some of the women she runs around with were going to a casino. Mother hoped to give away some of the money Father so graciously gave her at the divorce.” I watched my Daughter begin to smile, but when she looked up at me, she quickly dropped her eyes back down to her plate of food. She said, “Sorry Father.” Becky laughed and asked, “Dawn, does your Mother still work, or has she retired?” Dawn said, “She works part time at Walmart, but mostly just hangs around the million dollar beach house that Father gave her as a parting divorce present.” Becky looked at me and said, “So what did you get out of this divorce, other than a Daughter that loves you.” I looked at my wife and started to speak, but closed my mouth and said, “I should just sit here and remain silent. I have gotten over the anger and should not go back to those times.” Becky patted my hand and said, “Sorry for bringing it up.”
Dawn stood up and walked around the table to where I sat. She leaned down and hugged me, then kissed my cheek. When she sat back down she said, “I am sorry Mother turned out to be so stupid, but I can remember a time when you two were very much in love, a time before she changed.” I smiled and said, “Daughter, you surely understand that your mother and I had to get married, but what you may not know was that we did love each other during those hard times. A tiny little baby brought us together and kept our love strong. That same child keeps me tolerant of the Mother that brought you into this world. Your mother and I loved you from the moment we were certain you were growing in her belly and we still love you to this day. Your conception might have been an accident, but you were always wanted. Your presence in my life has been the one thing that has kept me sane and in love with myself. My God gave you to me to help me survive in this world. You have done that.”
The following morning, Becky called the marina. They asked that we meet at the Marina around ten o’clock in the morning. They said they would load our fuel tanks and then set the Pacifica-Two into the canal and move her out into the harbor. Becky asked how much the bill would be and discussed how they wanted payment. They said they did not take checks, but would take cash or a major credit card. When
Becky hung up, she looked at me and asked, “How much cash is in the safe? Do you know?” I thought a moment and said, “Thirteen thousand, six hundred and twelve dollars.” Becky giggled and said, “We need to transfer some money from my accounts in San Francisco so we can have more cash. I would like a cashier’s check for the marina and then another ten thousand in the safe.” Henry spoke to Becky and said, “I have that much ready cash in my safe. You could simply write me a check to cover the cash and then you would not have to deal with a cashier’s check.” Becky thought a moment and said, “That will work. Let me get my check book.” As Henry counted out the money on the desk in his office, Becky made out the check. As I counted out the cash and placed ten thousand into one pile and the remainder into the other one, Dawn walked into the office. She giggled and said, “Are we being robbed?” Henry giggled and said, “Your cooking was so bad, we are paying our guests to stay here.” Dawn giggled as she saw the check lying on the desk to cover the cash. Henry leaned over, kissed his wife and said, “We are exchanging cash for a check, it will take days to transfer money and get this kind of cash out a bank door. I can move the money around in my accounts without any hassle.” Dawn giggled as she picked up a stack of money and smelled it. She said, “Oh, the sweet smell of money.”
Henry had a few hours off, so the four of us loaded up into the Jeep had headed for the marina. When we drove in, Dawn said, “Would it be alright if we hang around and see the Pacifica-Two put back into the water. Maybe we could get a look inside her.” I laughed and said, “I don’t know. I should warn you in advance, you may fall in love with the sea.” Dawn said, “I will chance it. How are you going to sail with snow blowing in your faces? Won’t you freeze to death?” Becky said, “We have divers’ dry suits that we wear over our long underwear and fleece clothing. We could survive long enough for rescue, even if one of us fell overboard. The only thing we have to be concerned with is freezing weather. The ballast tanks could freeze if we were not paying careful attention. That error could be expensive. We have a heater inside the vessel if we should need it, and the water temperature below the surface never gets below freezing in the waters we will be sailing. We can always submerge the hull to keep things from freezing.”
SS Pacifica Page 43
