SS Pacifica

by Coleinger, Ronnie

  ***

  Once we had the Pacifica-Two anchored in the canal of our boathouse, we used the dinghy to carry our luggage and computer cases to shore. Once we checked out the boathouse to make certain everything was okay, we headed for the house. When we were inside, Becky got her cell phone out of the laptop case and turned it on. Within five minutes, she was in a discussion with the woman at the adoption agency. When Becky hung up, she said, “I hope you don’t mind, but our weekend is now booked. If you want to make love to me, tonight is the only night this house will be empty. Around ten o’clock tomorrow morning, we will have guests staying with us.” I walked up to her, picked her up and carried her to my bedroom. I stripped her naked, washed her in the shower and made love to her on my bed. When she sat up on the edge of the bed, she giggled and said, “I guess I asked for that. I will learn to post start times in the future. It is not even four o’clock in the afternoon and we are both naked and sweaty; but I did love it, as you surely could tell.” We took a second shower and this time I was in no rush to get out from under the hot water.

  After we fixed supper, we returned to the Pacifica-Two and removed the guns and cash that we had stored there. By the time we had moved our valuables into the boathouse safe, it was starting to get dark. We returned to the house and turned on the television to watch CNN news for a few minutes. It seemed strange to watch television after not having it for the last year. As we checked out the house, everything was dusted and perfectly clean. Everything was ready for our company except for the bedroom. Becky said she would make certain the housekeeper got a good bonus for taking care of the house during our absence.

  We decided to have Sandra and her foster mother use one of the two guest bedrooms. Becky and I had already discussed the fact that if Sandra were to move in with us, we would move her into my bedroom, since it was much larger than the guest rooms.

  As we sat down on the sofa in front of the television, Becky fell asleep with her head on my lap. After a few minutes, I woke her, carried her to her bedroom and sat her down on the edge of the bed. Once she had put on her pajamas, I tucked her in for the night. When I kissed her, she said, “You have never tucked me into bed like this. It is nice being home again. I love you.”

  As I started to shut the door to her room she said, “Tomorrow night, could you sleep here in my room with me? I miss having you close at night. Besides, if Sandra should come to live with us, I intend to move you into this room with me so I can have you next to me every night, even if we need to put two beds in here.”

  Chapter 43 – Sandra Marie McCarthy

  The foster mother, who Sandra lived with, agreed to bring the thirteen -year-old girl to our home for the weekend. When Sandra arrived, she and her foster mother agreed to stay for two days. Once we had the girls settled in their bedroom and they had a tour of the house, we took the girls to the boathouse. We showed Sandra where we outfitted and prepared the beautiful sailing vessel anchored off shore for the yearlong adventure we had just completed. Sandra was born and raised in California and her foster parents tried to allow her to spend as much time surfboarding as they could. Sandra had been home schooled and her foster parents explained to Becky that we could also home school her if we chose to do so.

  When Sandra’s foster mother said it was time to return to their home, Sandra did not want to leave. She cried in Becky’s arms before she climbed into the car. Becky took the foster mother into the house where they could talk privately and asked if she and I could adopt Sandra. The foster mother explained that she had hoped for that result when she brought Sandra here for a visit, but understood that that might not happen. Sandra loved being on the sea, she had fallen in love with the Pacifica-Two and fell in love with our way of life.

  At the adoption, Sandra asks if she could keep her birth name, Sandra Marie McCarthy, explaining that the name was also her mother’s maiden name. Becky and I both agreed to allow the name to remain as it was and signed the paperwork.

  When I drove into the driveway after the adoption with Sandra riding in the backseat, I realized that she was crying. When I stopped the car, she got out and leaned against the side of the car. I stepped up to her and said, “Are you alright, have you changed your mind about living with Becky and I?” Sandra wrapped her arms around my waist and said, “I cannot believe I am actually going to live here. This is the most incredible place. I love you and Becky more than you can imagine for adopting me.” When Becky walked up to us, she handed us each a tissue for our eyes. I realized at that moment how much I loved this child I now called, Daughter. I hugged Sandra and said, “You have got to stop making me cry. This is simply not very manly.” She giggled and just hugged harder.

  Later that day, I moved out of my room and into Becky’s room. After the three of us cleaned the room and changed the sheets, I watch Sandra begin putting a few of her own possessions on the chest of drawers and nightstand. She had a picture of her mother and a picture of her two foster parents who she seemed to idolize.

  When the room was perfect, I said, “How about if we eat supper at the new restaurant down the road. I would like to celebrate this union between the three of us.” Sandra smiled and began pulling out the clothes she had packed in her two suitcases. Shea had packed her clothing so tightly in the suitcases that everything inside had wrinkled. Sandra picked out what she wanted to wear to supper and asked if she could use an iron to press out the wrinkles. Becky laid the clothes on the bed and said, “We can quickly fix the wrinkles, let’s finish unpacking and then I will show you where the iron is stored and help you with the task.”

  As the girls hung up the remaining clothing in the closet, I gave them some privacy so they could put Sandra’s girly clothing into the chest of drawers. As I was walking down the hallway, I heard Sandra tell Becky that she should hide the condoms so Stanley does not see them. I was instantly angry. I wanted to walk back into the room and lecture the child, but finally calmed myself and decided that conversation needed to take place between Becky and Sandra. Becky would deal with the issue calmly and firmly, I would only get angry and say things that I should not say to a thirteen-year-old girl. I struggled to remain calm.

  While we ate supper, Sandra asked if there was anywhere in the house or boathouse where she was not welcome. Becky giggled and said, “You are now family and every inch of the house and boathouse are part of your home. There are two safes in the house and one in the boathouse. Those safes have guns in them and we will keep them locked. Other than the safes, you may explore anywhere you wish, use the pool, and snoop around in rooms you have not seen yet, look through our picture albums and do as you wish. We will also solve the phone and laptop computer issue. In this day and age, it is important that you have Internet access to research the things you love, things such as the sea, sailing and surfboards. Our home is now your home. I hope you learn to love it as much as we do.”

  Sandra said, “I saw a lot of engineering manuals and books about sailing vessels and sea adventures. I would love to look at every one of them.” Becky said, “You may read and enjoy every book in the house and the boathouse. All we ask is that you return the books to the place you found them when you are done with them.” Sandra smiled and asked, “When can I get a laptop. Is that something we need to save money for or can I get one right away?” I giggled and said, “You will need the computer to keep up with your school studies while we travel and to research the fish and islands we will be visiting when we set sail on the Pacifica-Two, so the laptop can be purchased right away.” Becky looked at me and asked, “Can we also get Sandra a cell phone? She will need that when we begin traveling. I would not want to lose this child on some remote island with no way to contact here. She will also want to stay in touch with her foster parents and friends.”

  As we drove back to the house, Becky and Sandra talked nonstop. It was good to see these two exploring their new relationship. Becky deliberately brought up the subject of boyfriends in front of me. I kept my mouth shut and let the c
onversation between the girls progress. I felt a hand on my shoulder as Sandra said, “Stanley, Father, I need to tell you something and I know you will be angry with me, but I need to say the words. I had a boyfriend up until a couple of months ago. I loved him a lot and I allowed him to make love to me, hoping that by doing so, he would never leave me. I soon found out that he told all of my friends what we had done and bragged about it. I hate him for breaking our oath of silence, but it matters little now. I will never speak to him again and I hope he drops over dead.”

  Sandra sat back in the seat and did not say anything more. When I looked in the mirror at her, she was looking back at me. I finally decided to try to discuss this with her, as a Father should. I took a deep breath and asked the question that was haunting me, I asked “Is that why you have condoms with you?” Sandra struggled with her answer, but finally said, “Yes. I hoped to use them often to keep my boyfriend happy. I now understand, after some long talks with my foster mother and Becky that if he bragged about loving me, then he was not someone I need in my life. A real friend would have kept our secret and protected our love.”

  When we arrived home, Becky and Sandra disappeared. I put on my bathing suit and took a swim in the pool. I had sat a bottle of beer on the edge of the pool when I first entered the poolroom. When Sandra and Becky entered, Becky spotted the bottle of beer and sat it in the refrigerator. I did not say anything, but I knew that there was a story there that Becky would tell me when the time was right. As the three of us enjoyed the pool, Sandra swam up to me and said, “I love to swim, but I cannot float on the top of the water like you do. Would you help me learn how?” I agreed and took her out into water that was waist deep to me. Every time I tried to lean her back and support her in the water, she panicked saying her head was going to go under. I finally stood her up and asked. “Are you afraid that I will let you sink and drown?” She turned to look at me and said, “One of my friends pulled my head under the water and I have been afraid to trust anyone ever since that day.” I pulled her into my arms and hugged her, then turned her around and said, “I am your father. I will not push your head under the water.” She looked me in the eyes and said, “Okay,” as if I had scolded her. I chuckled and said, “Sorry, I did not mean to sound angry at you.” She giggled and moved closer to me to try floating again. This time I talked to her and kept reassuring her until she relaxed in my arms and allowed her body to become one with the water. When she was floating, I moved my hands from under her body, but kept them close in case she panicked. Then I said, “You are now floating by yourself. I am not holding you. If you slowly move your feet and paddle with your hands, I will stay with you while you learn to use your new found swimming skills.”

  At first, when she moved her feet, she would lose her concentration. After a couple attempts, when her head came up out of the water and she saw me move closer, she would relax and begin moving her feet again. Finally, she managed the task. Within a couple minutes time she moved away from me and was floating around the pool with confidence. When she came over to the edge of the pool where I was setting, I asked if she wanted to try floating face down. I explained that if she ever needed to save herself at sea, she would need to be able to float on her back and stomach to rest. She was a little hesitant, but by now seemed to trust me. I had her lean forward while looking at me so I could see her mouth and nose. With my hands under her, she relaxed and soon mastered the task. I was glad to see the girl willing to practice her swimming skills. Having confidence and keeping calm in the water was her best ally if she ever needed to save herself from drowning, especially in cold water. Being comfortable in the water would also make her a better surfboarder later on in her life.

  The next morning, we had a meeting with the home school administrator at the high school in our neighborhood. We wanted Sandra to have access to a local teacher who could guide and help her when we were home and work with her over the Internet when we were out at sea. The administrator had told Becky over the phone that we could easily work out a functional program that would meet the State’s guidelines for homeschooling. When we arrived, I could tell Sandra was excited, maybe even a little nervous. It seemed the new kid in school is always the center of attention. Even though she felt out of place for the time being, she spoke to everyone around her and soon had a few girls giggling with her over some of the cute boys she had spotted.

  When we met with the administrator and Sandra’s new teacher, we did the paperwork and paid for the books she would be using this year. When the teacher had spent some one-on-one time with Sandra, they stepped out to the waiting room to talk to us. Sandra said, “I would like to spend the afternoon attending the classes I am scheduled to take if you don’t mind. I would need a ride home today, but I think the bus can begin picking me up in the morning. I would like to get started with my classes so when we sail again, I will not end up behind and struggling.”

  Becky said that we would pick Sandra up this afternoon and then they could talk to the bus driver and see what her schedule was. As we walked out of the school, Becky high fived me and said, “This girl is incredible. I know she will do well in this world. We will need to give her a lot of guidance, but she understands the way of the world and can easily manage if there is always someone nearby to support her when times do get tough. I intend to be that support every day of her life.”

  When the weekend came, Susanne called and asked if she and Charlie could come for a visit. We quickly agreed and told Sandra about our company. Sandra listened carefully to our story about Charlie’s Father dying and then said, “I know how he must feel. My father died when I was eight.” I hugged Sandra and said, “What do you like to eat? I intend to cook on the grill this weekend. We need to go grocery shopping and you might just as well help us make a list of what we need. Some new ideas for meals would be splendid.” As we worked on a shopping list, I pressed the issue of Sandra’s parents. She seemed willing to discuss them, but seemed more comfortable with stories of her life with her foster parents.

  As I took a sip of my beer, Sandra moved away from me a few feet. I looked at her and said, “I am sorry if the beer bothers you. I will not drink it if you are uncomfortable.” Sandra walked a little closer to me and said, “I am not afraid of you as much as I was my father. When he drank, he got mean and would beat me with a belt.” The can of vegetables I had in my hand slipped and spun around on the floor, finally rolling a few feet up against the refrigerator. I turned to Sandra and said, “I am sorry Sandra. I had no idea your life was so unpleasant. I will not drink beer around you again.” I walked over to her and started to hug her, but she shied away and stood in a corner between the refrigerator and the pantry. I sat down in a chair so she would relax and said, “I would never hit you, not for any reason, and I never drink enough to get drunk. I have never hit Becky or any woman and I will never hit you. I have no idea how to make you understand that I love you and would never hurt you.”

  Just then, Becky came into the kitchen. Sandra looked at Becky and instantly began to cry. Becky walked over, hugged Sandra and looked at me with a million questions in her eyes. I finally said, “I was drinking a beer and Sandra is now afraid that I might beat her with a belt as her father did. I do not know how to make her understand that I would never hit her for any reason, under any circumstances.” Becky snuggled Sandra into her arms and said, “Sandra. You need to understand that most males would sacrifice their own lives to protect you from harm. They would fight to protect you from anyone who hurt you, including your father. Your father has beaten you and your boyfriend has seduced you and then bragged about it to your friends, but that does not make all males bad, only those two. Please try to remember that Stanley loves you and you will come to no harm when he is near you.” I stood up, poured the remaining beer into the sink and put the bottle in the recycling bin. Sandra and Becky walked out together, leaving me wondering how many other horrible events people had subjected this child to endure. I now feared that I would have a long
wait before Sandra would trust me again, and I had done nothing wrong.

  When Susanne and Charlie arrived, we began the introductions. We had not told Susanne or Charlie that we had adopted Sandra so they were very surprised. Charlie was now at the shy age around older girls. He talked to Sandra but we could tell he feared her presence. Sandra tried to make friends with Charlie and finally asked him to go for a walk on the beach with her. As they walked away, Becky said, “Charlie had grown up since we last saw him. He seems like a man now instead of the fun loving child we once knew.” Susanne said, “Losing his father took a lot out of him. He just has not accepted that his father is gone. I fear it will be awhile before he has adjusted to the reality.”

  While I cooked chicken and baked potatoes on the grill, the girls set the table in the poolroom. It was extremely hot and muggy outside. It looked like it might rain in California. When the kids came back, they both were hot and sweaty so the air conditioning felt rather good. As we sat down at the table to eat, Becky and Sandra served water to everyone at the table except me. Sandra carried a bottle of beer and a glass to where I sat and placed them in front of me. She leaned down, kissed my cheek and said, “I am sorry for being such a child over you drinking a beer yesterday.” I looked up at her and said, “I will slowly prove that I am worthy of your trust.”

  She sat down next to me and said, “I would like to say the blessing if I could.” I reached over and squeezed her hand while she said the words. When Sandra looked up after the prayer, I could tell she was about to explode with excitement. As we ate, we passed pictures of our trip to New York around the table. When we finished eating, Sandra looked at me and said, “Becky got a phone call before we sat down to eat. My laptop and cell phone are ready to be picked up.” Then I understood the excitement I had seen in her eyes while we ate. I said, “Maybe you, Charlie and I can go pick them up. We could ask Susanne and Becky to do the dishes and you and I could do them all day tomorrow to make up for it.” Sandra smiled and said, “My life is good.”