by Rick Potter
Emily was right, she would be more help than Jake. His courage was commendable, but he wasn't as strong as Emily. She agreed.
"The same goes for you what I told your brother. Stay low, and..."
"I know, attach the jack-line first thing." She grabbed a life vest, and darted for the door.
Maddie started to say, "Put your vest on first," but it was too late, a wave caught Emily and thrust her outside, slamming the door behind her.
Maddie turned toward the gun on the sofa. She held it in her hand and balanced herself toward the galley. She then turned, facing the closed bedroom door again. After grasping the mast pole from another sway of the boat, she decided to head back toward the bow.
Chapter Eleven
Lightning flashed, striking the surface of the raging sea. Madeline breached the peaks of tireless onslaughts of rolling swells, slamming down in preparation for the next. The constant battery of waves exploded topside, flooding the cockpit faster than it could drain. Madeline had dwarfed in size, becoming a focus of target practice for the determined salty moguls. Sam guessed swells to be eight to ten feet, with winds from thirty knots. Attached to the jack-line, he leveraged himself behind the wheel.
With the engine running, Sam battled to keep Madeline at a twenty-degree angle into oncoming swells. Sam aimed the bow into each relentless wave, then spinning the wheel to control her as she traveled down the backside. It was textbook storm sailing, but he wondered if he could keep this up all night.
Jake was clutched to his father's leg. "How big do you think the waves are?"
"Too big," Sam answered.
The numbers didn't matter to him, it was the length of time it would last that concerned Sam the most. "Don't worry, squalls vanish as fast as they appear," he yelled back. "They can last from minutes to hours."
"Let's hope for minutes," Jake yelled.
A light appeared from the cabin door. Emily crouched from the crashing wave, as it forced the door shut behind her. "Emily!" Sam yelled. "Get back inside."
Before Emily could respond, another wave launched her into the lifeline. The vest flew in the air and into the darkness over the sea. Emily grasped the line screaming, "Dad!"
"Jake, take the wheel and aim for the swells."
Jake took over the wheel, putting all his weight into it. Sam waded through the flooded cockpit, warding off oncoming waves. Emily fought to lift herself up, but another forceful wave pushed her further between the lines. "Dad! Help me!" she screamed again, dangling above the waterline outside the boat.
The turbulent sea rocked Madeline, tossing her about like a bottle floating on the water. Jake's weight wasn't enough, as the wheel spun through his fingers.
Friction from the lifeline bit through Emily's fingers. She held tight with one hand, while the other dangled behind her. She struggled to reach for something to grasp, but the weight of the water was too much. "Dad! I can't hang on!" Her grasp was slipping.
He stretched his arm and yelled, "Grab my hand."
Her voice shivered in terror. "I can't reach!"
He reached farther, finally grabbing her flailing arm. "Hold on tight!" he yelled.
He used his last ounce of energy to pull, but another relentless wave crashed, pushing him into the lines.
"Don't let me go!" she screamed.
His grip was slipping. He leveraged himself to use his other hand, but as Madeline leaned, his grasp loosened. "Dad!" she screamed, before sliding into the sea.
"Emily!" Jake yelled. "Dad! Do something!"
Sam froze at the edge, staring into the water. It was the same place on the boat he stood as a child, watching his mother climb on his father, pushing them both under until they vanished forever. "Dad!" Jake yelled, again. "Do something!"
Jake's voice sparked life back into him. He unhooked the carabiner, releasing his tie to the jack-line. "Throw the life ring to her, and keep pointing at her!" he yelled back to Jake.
Jake released the wheel and grabbed the life ring. Before being hit by another wave, he heaved it into the water near her, then grabbed the wheel with one hand, while pointing at his sister with the other. "Grab the ring!" he yelled to Emily.
Jake couldn't bear to watch his sister in helpless fear. He began regretting arguments, and wished he and his sister had been closer. He loved his sister, and knew she had a kind heart. All she wanted was her independence and privacy, and he should have given that to her. Now, at the risk of losing her forever, he promised to himself, if she made it out alive, he'd treat her better. 'Please, God, don't let her die,' he whimpered.
Emily reached for the ring, when a large swell dragged her under. With his life vest still on, Sam cut through the mountainous swells toward her. "Emily!"
Emily emerged, and attempted to swim toward the boat. The swells pushed her toward it, but Madeline's distance increased as she passed over the peaks. Emily's legs were like windmills kicking through the heavy current, but it seemed hopeless as she drifted farther away. "Dad, where are you?" she yelled.
Choking and spitting out sprays of water, Sam glanced over the swells. He knew just seconds could be the difference between life and death for Emily. Seeing her head merge to the top, he yelled, "Swim toward me!" He gurgled, as he swam with unforgiving intention toward her distant cries for help.
For a split moment, he remembered his mother's refusal to wear that, "Bulky faux of fashion." He now realized what she meant. The vest was awkward, and prohibited speed. Each stroke seemed to increase distance between them, as he wobbled from side to side over the swells. Spotting the rope, he pulled the ring toward him, then threw it like a Frisbee to her. "Grab the ring!" he hollered. "Grab the ring, Em!"
Emily's arms matched her legs, propelling her through the current. "I can't get to it!" she screamed, then vanished.
"Emily!" Sam yelled. "Emily!"
Jake's arm teetered with the rocking of the boat, still trying to maintain his pointing direction. "Emily!" he screamed.
Sam continued swimming toward his sight he last saw her. "Emily!" Then he spotted the vacant ring ahead of him.
"Do you see her?" he yelled to Jake.
"No," Jake answered, then Emily emerged, taking a deep breath and choking.
"Dad!" she yelled, as the swell subsided.
"Grab the ring! It's beside you," Sam said.
"I got it!" Emily pulled the ring to her chest and hugged it.
"Kick, Em," Sam yelled.
She kicked toward him, as he hovered between the boat and her. "Jake, pull me in!"
The current's weight proved too strong for Jake. He wrapped the rope around a spare winch that wasn't being used, then began cranking. "Kick, Em! You're almost here!"
Out of energy and exhausted, Emily's kick slowed. "I can't anymore." Her lack of energy effected her voice, too weak to yell anymore.
"Hang on. Don't let go!" Sam insisted. "You're almost there."
Sam pulled her near him, as she lay weakened on the ring. Sam looped her arm through his vest. "Try and hang on. We're just about there," he instructed, then draped himself over her and kicked to the stern ladder.
While Sam was stretching for a rung Madeline breached the peak of a swell, lifting her stern out the water and away from Sam's reach. The moment the bow slammed down, Sam reached for the ladder again, and shoved Emily up. "Jake! Pull her up!"
Another swell swept under them. Madeline rose in the air, with Emily's arm wrapped through a rung. The bow slammed again. Jake leaned over the edge and grabbed Emily's arm. "Come on, Em. You can do it," he told her.
Sam boosted her from behind. "Climb, Em," he said, with a final shove, pushing her over the edge.
Sam followed behind, toppling beside her in the water-filled cockpit. "Can you make it to the door?" he asked her.
"I'll try," she answered, then began crawling through the water.
"Go on, Jake. You, too," he said.
"What about the boat?"
"Just get inside, I'll handle it."
Sam prodded them through the door, as another wave pummeled him against the lifelines, again.
Chapter Twelve
The following morning, mountains of swells had transformed into a flat oasis, while Madeline drifted, wounded by her lengthy thrashing just hours before. The welcoming sunrise brought warmth of pleasing solace, as Sam lay slumped from exhaustion in the captain's chair.
Sprays of water shot through the air from the tranquil surface like a blowhole enveloping the cockpit. Disturbed from his sleep, Sam glanced at the compass making sure they were heading back toward Key West. A vertical spray aroused his attention to the side of the boat. He slumbered out of his chair and peered into the water. A pod of whales were seen breaching. 'Sign of freedom,' he thought.
He wished Jake would have been there to see it. It wasn't a shark or alligator liked he wanted to see, but it was a rare sighting that he knew he'd remember for a lifetime.
The flooded cockpit had drained and everything appeared undamaged, with the exception of the missing seat cushions, and radio antenna swinging from the mast. Sam had ignored the advice of his sailing instructor and Captain Kent, who had suggested he study some electrical know-how before going on the trip. "At least take a book on the mechanics of electricity," his instructor had advised.
Sam had never figured they'd be far enough off land for a breakdown to matter. If he was knowledgable in electrical wiring, he'd still be apprehensive to climb the tall mast, a fear he managed to conceal from his family. Even their Christmas lights remained hung year round. He'd just have to settle on sighting another vessel on the way, or return unannounced and without assistance. Either was fine with him.
The roof hatch over the cabin had a piece of weather stripping pealing away, an easy fix. He searched for the two bullets holes, but only found the one near the hatch over the cabin. After his inspection, he pushed the throttle into high and found the cruise control to be operating fine.
He cracked the cabin door open to find Maddie, Emily, and Jake huddled behind the table. Maddie's arms were wrapped around them, with their heads resting on her chest. She was like a mother Eagle protecting her young.
The door to the room that housed Carlos and Andrea appeared undisturbed. The door to the bathroom was the same. Everything appeared cleaned as if nothing had happened, even Andrea's blood had been wiped clean. He closed the door, then strolled over to the edge and peered down. The whales had moved on. He wondered where they might be going. Maybe they were fleeing danger, as well.
Taking his seat behind the helm, a sudden sense of grief came over him. As if in a confessional, he whispered, "It's all my fault. If I wouldn't have taken them on this damn trip in the first place, all this wouldn't have happened."
Keeping his eyes on the horizon with long-shot hopes of seeing land, he continued torturing himself. All the events leading up to this moment had culminated into guilt and regret. "What was I thinking? Was this trip really to improve our family, or was it to fulfill some mid-life crises? Did I ever have a mid-life crisis? Hell, I don't even know what a mid-life crisis is."
The more he thought, the more depressed he became. He knew whatever the reason, it was irresponsible what he had done, placing his family in the hands of sex-traffickers. 'God, strike me down right now,' he demanded, as his anger grew.
It was an absolute certainty Maddie would leave him now. Who would want to stay with someone who had lied and deceived the ones he claimed to love? Her earlier ultimatum at home confirmed his thoughts. "If this excuse for a plan fails, so do we."
His eyes swelled. His mouth twitched. He felt like breaking down, releasing his anguish. "Man up," he told himself, using Maddie's words.
He sniffled, wiped his eyes, then the cabin door opened. 'Here they come,' he thought.
He guessed they had discussed matters, and were ready to tell him their decision. He listened to their footsteps, then shifted tall in the chair with his shoulders back, a defendant ready to hear the verdict.
Maddie was first out of the cabin. Dark shades of bruises framed the bandage that concealed the gash above her eye. Her smile appeared forced and painful, as she approached him. "Good morning, Captain," she said.
Thoughts of a Black Widow spider flashed before him. "Good morning."
Emily followed behind with a platter of sliced pineapple, mango, oranges, and bananas. She placed them on the helm table in front of Sam. "Good morning, hero," she said, then approached him with a hug.
Sam's thoughts became askew, a total state of confusion.
Maddie reached for a piece of pineapple and hand-fed him. She shrouded him with her arms, then whispered in his ear, "The kids told me everything. I can't believe what you did."
The last time he heard those words, he was sitting in a dining room chair being berated for purchasing the boat.
Then she continued, "You actually jumped in and saved her life?"
"I just did what anybody else would do," he said, in a modest and humble tone. "Jake was a big help, too."
Jake pulled up the rear holding a coffee pot and two cups. "Coffee, Captain?"
"Sure, skipper. But what do you say about calling me something else besides, Captain?" That's the last thing he wanted to be reminded of.
"What do you want me to call you?"
"How about, just plain old, Dad?"
"You got it... Dad."
Emily weaved in between Maddie and Jake and presented her own hug and kiss. "Thank you so much, Dad. You saved my life last night."
Sam was smothered with hugs and kisses by the two women he not only loved the most, but feared most. "You were so brave," she added. "I was ready to give up, but you made me keep going."
"Yeah, Dad, you were awesome. Like those guys who jump out of helicopters to rescue people."
"Hey, you were there to help too, buddy. Without you, neither of us would have made it."
After a moment of silence, Sam added, "I'm sorry I put you guys in this kind of a situation. I should have listened to you from the beginning, Maddie. We never should have gone on this damn trip."
"Hey, I'm a big girl," Maddie said. "It's not your fault. Stop beating yourself up. If it wasn't this, maybe it would have been something else. Besides, I know you had good intentions."
Her understanding was worse torture for him. He didn't deserve her kindness.
"Besides, looks like your aversion to water is gone," she added, with a grin.
"I didn't even think about it," he lied.
Jake was getting restless, he wanted to begin his new day of freedom. "Where's the binoculars?" he asked. "I'm gonna see if someone's looking for us."
Sam reached in the compartment under the cushion. "Keep your eye out for whales, I saw some earlier, swimming right next to us."
"No way," Jake said, excited.
"Yeah, it was a pod of about five. They were only about ten feet away."
"Cool. Maybe there's some sharks nearby, too." Jake leaped topside and ran toward the bow.
"Careful, buddy," Sam said.
"I see the storm knocked out the antenna," Maddie said. "No wonder we can't get ahold of anyone."
"We've come this far without it. We can make it the rest of the way."
Emily nudged Sam from the wheel. "Why don't you guys relax, I'll chauffeur you," she said. "Think of it as a romantic gondola ride in Venice."
"It's on autopilot," Sam said. "But since you offered."
Sam and Maddie snuggled like two sweethearts falling in love. "I don't think I've ever seen you two like this before," Emily remarked.
"Get used to it, kiddo," Maddie said, then kissed Sam.
Sam hadn't felt this proud since the day he and Maddie proclaimed their love. They were watching the sunset from the tailgate of his small pickup at the beach. He held the sushi, she held the blanket that was wrapped around Emily. "I love you," he had told her. Something he wanted to say since the day they met in the college cafeteria.
"What about, Emily?" she had asked. "Don't you
love her, too?"
It wasn't exactly the response he was hoping for, but he said with a mouthful of calamari, "Of course, I love her."
But then she finally turned to him and planted a kiss on his lips, "And we love you, too."
Knowing she could have had her pick from any guy, he never felt her sincerity. But he was content with the fact that in some cultures, relationships weren't based on love, but rather, convenience. So he accepted her reply and would spend his life proving she made the right choice. Now, they were somewhere in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, on a trip she didn't really want to be on, a trip designed to save their marriage.
He wanted to ask if she checked on their uninvited guests, but didn't want to spoil the moment. This is what he had waited for.
They spoke about home, and how nice it would be to get back. She told him that she and Emily would teach him and Jake what they learned in their kickboxing classes after each lesson. They spoke about having family picnics, and going for pizza after watching Jakes little league games. They spoke about taking the kids to cinemas, and eating popcorn. She suggested they choose one or two nights a week, just for a private date night. "Maybe we can even rent a hotel room for a night," she suggested.
Sam talked about buying a tent trailer, and going on local camping trips, "The operative word being, 'local,'".
Emily honored their private moment by pretending she wasn't listening. She stared across the sea, and watched Jake surveying the water with the binoculars. After a moment of silence, she said, "It's surprising how the ocean can be so calm after a storm."
"It felt more like a hurricane," Maddie said, before taking a sip of coffee.
"How did you come up with this idea, Dad?" Emily asked. "I mean, sailing."
Sam liked her calling him, Dad, it made him feel accepted by her. They had told her the truth about her real father just last year, a few days after her birthday. She deserved the truth, but they agreed to wait and tell her when they thought she was old enough to except it. "You mean, I'm a half-breed?" she had asked.
