South of Heaven

by Ali Spooner

  “One hundred and fifty, and a half-dozen nice grouper,” he reported.

  “A good start, but we have a long way to go.”

  “We’ll get there, Captain.”

  “Yes, we will,” Kendra agreed.

  Two more passes brought in three hundred and ten more filled bags. When they finished storing the shrimp, Lindsey and Harvey went to the galley to prepare lunch. They had a nice stack of sandwiches ready. Harvey handed her a plate of sandwiches and chips for the captain.

  “Do you care to do the honors?” he asked.

  “I’d love to.”

  “Send the rest of the crew in as you go. We might as well eat while we can.”

  Lindsey picked up a glass of tea and left the galley. “Lunch is ready,” she called out on deck.

  “I’m starving,” she heard Charlie say as she entered the wheelhouse.

  “Lunch is served, Captain. I brought tea, but do you want a refill on your coffee thermos?”

  “That would be great, but eat your lunch first. Thanks for bringing it to me.”

  “My pleasure. I’ll bring your coffee in just a bit then.” She picked up the thermos and returned to the galley.

  They managed to get in four passes before darkness overtook them. Kendra called it a day and the crew began cleaning the decks and preparing the nets for the next day.

  “Once you are done, why don’t you guys get cleaned up while I start cooking some spaghetti? Y’all did a great job today, and it’s time for the captain’s special,” Kendra said.

  “You won’t get any argument from me,” Harvey replied. “A hot shower and a cold beer might make me feel human again.”

  “Charlie, will you take a case of beer into the freezer to get good and cold while y’all are getting cleaned up?” Kendra asked.

  “Yes, ma’am, I’m on it.”

  Kendra turned to look at Lindsey. “Would you like to use my shower so everyone can shower quickly?”

  “I would love to, thanks.”

  “Let me get started then.” Kendra entered the galley wearing a huge smile.

  †

  “That was a great meal, Captain,” Charlie said.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Y’all deserved a steak after the hard work you put in today, but we didn’t have time for that.” She looked at her tired crew. “I don’t think anyone will have trouble sleeping tonight.”

  “Definitely not me.” Harvey stretched.

  “I think Tim’s already on his way,” Charlie teased.

  Tim had finished eating and was starting to nod off. Charlie nudged him awake. “Go hit the bunks, man.”

  “I think I will. Goodnight, everyone.”

  “I’ll clean up here and then hit the sack,” Lindsey said.

  “I can get this. All I did today was drive.”

  “You cooked, so I’ll clean,” Lindsey insisted.

  “We’re going to leave you two to hash it out,” Harvey chuckled, and ushered the tired crew from the galley.

  “Seriously, you can keep me company and have a beer if you want, but I’ll clean up here.”

  “Very well,” Kendra relented and twisted the top off a fresh beer. “You want one?”

  “I will in just a minute, when I get these dishes in the washer.”

  Lindsey filled the dishwasher and placed the few leftovers in the refrigerator. “We had a good day today, didn’t we?”

  “Yes, we did. If we can repeat it tomorrow, and the next, we’ll head home Thursday.”

  “I forgot to ask if you heard from your dad today.”

  “He called twice. Uncle Henry’s doing well. Already complaining about the hospital food.” She chuckled.

  “That’s a good sign.” Lindsey took the beer Kendra handed her and sank into a chair.

  Kendra noticed a grimace on her face. “I think the crew will all be sore tomorrow.”

  “That is a very good possibility. I know I will be. I can only imagine how Harvey’s feeling right about now.”

  “I’m planning to come out of the wheelhouse to help out tomorrow and hopefully give him a bit of a rest.”

  Lindsey looked at her with bright blue eyes. “No offense, Captain, but have you heard the expression ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’?”

  “Of course I have. What’s your point?”

  “We have a system in place that works well. While I appreciate your intention, having another body on deck may be counter-productive.”

  Kendra appreciated her candor. “I understand. I just don’t want you guys getting hurt from being overly tired.”

  “We’ll be fine. Just keep finding us good shrimp.”

  “That I can do.” Kendra lifted her bottle to Lindsey. “To finding good shrimp.”

  “Cheers.” Lindsey took a long drink. “That freezer makes the beer perfect.”

  Kendra smiled. “Another plus of having a freezer on board.”

  Lindsey yawned. “I’m toast. See you in the morning.”

  Kendra reached over to push a strand of hair back from Lindsey’s face and let her fingers caress down her cheek. “Get some sleep. Tomorrow will be another long day,” Kendra warned.

  “You too, goodnight.” Lindsey dropped her bottle in the trash bin and left the galley.

  Kendra smiled. “You have a wonderful crew, Captain Drake. Cherish them,” she reminded herself.

  †

  Kendra felt like she had barely fallen asleep when she heard an alarm sounding from the wheelhouse, jarring her awake. She leapt from the bed and rushed into the room to find the computer screen flashing an update from the Hurricane Center. She clicked on the screen and read the alert. Dani was now a Category One hurricane and was drifting further west toward the Gulf. The torrential rains she dumped on Puerto Rico and Cuba had left mudslides and flooding in her wake. Kendra winced when she clicked on the storm path projections, which revealed the percentage was increasing of the storm coming their way. She checked wind speed and the rate at which the storm was moving. Still relatively slow moving, the storm wouldn’t reach south Florida for another day. She and the crew could safely work two more days at this speed and still have time to race the storm back to land.

  The crew would have ample time to go home and batten down the hatches to ride out the storm or collect their families to evacuate to the north. She would apprise them of the situation when they met for breakfast in a few more hours.

  Kendra expected her dad to learn about the storm sooner or later, but she hoped for later. She would have the crew safely returned to their homes, have the shutters closed on the house, and be fully prepared to face the storm as she took the boat deep inland into the protected waters of the bay. She doubted Lindsey would choose to evacuate, and honestly, she would appreciate the extra pair of hands and the company as she rode out the storm on board. Kendra had weathered two storms on the boat with her dad and felt confident she could keep the boat safe from the storm.

  She climbed back in bed, eager to fill their quota and head back home.

  †

  Over breakfast, Kendra gave them the news. “I think we need to decide what we want to do later today. We can work one more day or head for home. I’ll keep an eye on the reports so we have the most current data.”

  “I think we all want to work another day, if we can do so safely,” Harvey said.

  “Does anyone plan to evacuate? If so, we need to head in sooner.”

  “You are the only one close to shore. I think the rest of us have heeded your dad’s advice and bought stand-by generators for our homes, so we should be in good shape,” Charlie stated.

  The rest of the crew nodded in agreement.

  “Will you need help securing the boat?” Harvey asked.

  “Not if Lindsey will join me. I’ve taken the boat deep in the bay with Dad twice, so that’s what I’ll do again. Stay with your family and if you can, keep an eye on our house. I’ll make sure that the shutters are closed and the generator is ready. It’ll run the house as long as the
natural gas isn’t interrupted. My main worry will be the storm surge and trees.”

  “I think we can keep an eye out on it. You know Charlie’s going to be out in the storm until his wife locks him in the house,” Harvey added.

  Kendra looked at Lindsey. “Are you up for a few days on the bay?”

  “That beats being cooped inside a house any day.”

  “Okay, so now we just figure out the timing, and we’re set.”

  †

  The nets were filled to their maximum each time they arrived on deck, and the crew worked quickly to empty them and get them back in the water. They opted to work through lunch to get another run in and get that much closer to their quota.

  Kendra returned to the galley, took packages of steaks out of the freezer to thaw, then again to soak them in marinade, and put potatoes in the oven to bake. She would grill the steaks while the crew cleaned up and relaxed.

  As the sun raced to the horizon, the crew brought up the final nets of the day. The extra run helped as they harvested nine hundred bags, placing them three quarters into their quota.

  Kendra silenced the engine and dropped anchor for the night before going to set up the grill.

  Charlie looked at what she was doing. “I hope that means we’re getting a steak tonight.”

  “Absolutely, Charlie, y’all have more than earned it these last two days.”

  “All right. I call dibs on the first shower,” he called out.

  “Would you mind if I use your shower again so I can come back and help?” Lindsey asked.

  “Sure, will you put the beer in the freezer before you go?”

  “Absolutely, boss.” She grinned, went into the pantry for a case of beer, and placed it in the freezer. “What else do you want to go with the steaks?”

  “I’ve got potatoes baking. Would you mind putting a salad together and a couple bags of corn on to boil when you get back?”

  “No problem,” Lindsey answered and went to shower.

  “I’ll go ahead and get the water for the corn boiling,” Harvey offered.

  “Thanks, Harvey,” Lindsey called and kept walking.

  “We did well today, huh, Captain?” he asked.

  “Yeah, we did excellent. I think we can head for home around lunch tomorrow, and make it most of the way home, even loaded down.”

  “That sounds like a good plan. Do you need anything before I head down?”

  “Nope, just put the water on to boil. Once the grill is heated, I’ll start on the steaks.”

  “I can taste the steak already.” He grinned.

  Kendra was proud of the effort the crew had put in and was happy to crank up the grill to prepare steaks for their dinner. She smiled even more broadly when Harvey reminded her that there was half the cake left, too, for dessert, if anyone wanted something sweet.

  He handed her a cold beer. “Those look and smell delicious.”

  “They do smell good, don’t they?”

  “My mouth’s watering. The water was boiling so I went ahead and dropped the corn in to boil.”

  “Thanks, Harvey. Lindsey will make a salad when she returns. Do you think that will be enough?” she asked.

  “Looking at the size of those steaks? I’d say that will be plenty. Poor Tim may fall asleep mid-chew they are so big.”

  Kendra laughed at his comment. “He did look worn out.”

  “He’s having trouble adjusting to sleeping on the boat. I think I’ll recommend some Melatonin to him for our next trip out. It’ll help him sleep, but not leave him groggy.”

  “That’s a good idea, Harvey. Thanks.”

  †

  Lindsey found herself smiling as she stepped into Kendra’s shower. She couldn’t resist the urge to open the bottle of shampoo to get a whiff of the fragrance. Her stomach flipped with excitement at the visual that flashed before her eyes. Locked in an embrace, she had her face buried in Kendra’s hair. “Down girl,” she whispered, and finished bathing.

  She returned to the galley and dropped half a dozen eggs in the boiling water to add to the salad. The aroma of the steaks cooking had her stomach growling as she prepared the remainder of the salad.

  Charlie walked into the galley, handed her a beer, and asked, “Anything I can help with?”

  “Go ahead and set the table for us. Check to make sure we have plenty of tea for supper, too.”

  He opened the refrigerator. “Two gallons,” he reported.

  “That should be plenty, with beer for those who want it. Thanks for the beer.”

  “You’re welcome.” He started setting the table.

  “Can you also pull another of the big bowls down for me for the corn?”

  “Sure thing, short stuff.” He chuckled and reached over her head to pull down the bowl she requested.

  She pulled out a large pan, lined it with aluminum foil, and handed it to Charlie. “You want to run this out to the captain? She may have some steaks ready to come off the grill. I’ll cover them and keep them warm until they’re all done.”

  †

  Lindsey pushed her plate away and groaned. “I can’t eat another bite.”

  “It looks like we can have steak and eggs for breakfast in the morning,” Harvey announced.

  “You’re always looking ahead, aren’t you, Harvey?” Kendra asked.

  “This steak was way too good to let it go to waste. I’ll cut up the leftovers and we’ll have a feast to get us started in the morning.”

  “Sorry, boss.” Charlie grinned as he held up a bone stripped of every morsel of meat.

  Kendra grinned at him. “Did you get enough to eat?”

  “Yes, ma’am, but that’s not gonna keep me from having a slice of cake and a glass of milk.”

  Lindsey groaned at the mention of more food. “You go right ahead. I can’t even watch.

  “Go ahead and relax. Tim and I are cleaning up tonight.”

  “You won’t get an argument from me.”

  †

  Lindsey took her beer, and walked outside. She eased down onto the bench and lifted her face to the breeze. The winds were picking up and felt good against her skin.

  “Do you mind some company?” Kendra asked.

  “Never, especially when it’s you. That was a great meal.”

  “Thanks, I’m glad everyone enjoyed it.”

  “So you think two more runs will fill us tomorrow?”

  “Even it if doesn’t we’re heading in. I won’t risk us being caught out here.”

  “What’s the storm doing?”

  “Waffling east to west, but I don’t trust she won’t make a strong turn our way. I want to be protected before she arrives.”

  “Is there anything we need to pick up in town before we take her into the bay?”

  “I’ll need to top off the fuel. I’ll ask you and the crew to stow away everything possible inside, or get it tied down as soon as we head home. That’ll save us some time.”

  “What do we need to do at the house?”

  “Secure the shutters over the windows, unplug anything not necessary to run the house, put chairs, and other outdoor items in the garage. Then pray.”

  “How long will it take us to get safely tucked in the bay?”

  “Usually about an hour and a half, but it depends on the traffic on the water. Most of the smaller boats and pleasure craft go into storage for the storms. Some captains prefer to ride out the storm on the open water, but Dad and I have always preferred the bay.”

  “That has to provide you more protection, especially from rogue waves.”

  “Yes, there’s that, and it’s less far to swim or paddle if something goes amiss,” she answered with a serious face. “I prefer the comfort of seeing land in bad weather.”

  Lindsey gazed out to the south at the clear skies and brilliant sprinkle of stars. “It’s hard to believe that just a few hundred miles south, mayhem is on its way. It seems so peaceful out tonight.”

  A comfortable silence had fallen between the
m. They relaxed against the bench and Kendra’s hand was resting on Lindsey’s thigh. The warmth of their bodies pressed close together brought her a sense of contentment. Her eyes were growing heavy and she felt Kendra stand and stretch. “I’m going to call it a night. Sleep well, my friend.”

  “You too, Captain.”

  Lindsey enjoyed the cool night for several more minutes before retiring to her berth for the night. The gentle swaying of the boat rocked her to sleep within minutes.

  †

  Kendra looked up when Harvey came into the wheelhouse the following morning. She had the engine idling low as it warmed and was studying the weather maps. He was looking as worried as she felt.

  “She’s growing, isn’t she?” he asked.

  “Yes. She’s up to a Category Two this morning.”

  “Last night, as I was smoking a cigar on the deck, something just didn’t feel right in my bones. She’s small now, but I’ve seen too many storms increase in size quickly once they hit the Gulf. I’m worried that a big storm is brewing.”

  “Me, too. How would you feel about getting the crew up and dropping the nets so I can trawl while you cook breakfast? I think it’s time for us to finish our work here and get back home.”

  “I’ll get them up and moving.” He exited the wheelhouse.

  Kendra pressed a few switches and felt the anchor winch engage as it began the ascent from the floor of the Gulf. “If that noise didn’t wake the crew, Harvey certainly will.”

  †

  Lindsey was surfacing from a dream when she heard the groan of the anchor winch. She sat up in the bunk just as Harvey walked in. “Is everything okay?”

  “So far. The captain wants to get a jump and get the nets wet so she can fish while we cook and have breakfast. She’s anxious to get us home.”