Mystery Man

Wanting to make up for our late morning start I open the throttle up the moment we’d made our port turn to head South to follow the California current at as fast as our trusty diesel engine could take us. Though Bella was about as far from a speedboat as you could get Winona is still having blast as she feels the sea spray against her face.

“Avery!” She calls. Looking up at me she points toward the island. I scan the town a moment, quickly spotting what she was pointing at. It was the picnic area and look out spot we’d gone to after Winona’s wildly romantic gesture at the store. Just behind it you could make out the brightly colored roof of the ice cream shop where I gave her bathroom head. “Ha ha ha!” She winks at me. I smile and glance down at the precious ring she’d given me that day. “Hey! I can see home!” Looking up again I can just make out Win’s Garage up at the intersection at the base of the peninsula. We’d get a way better look at it coming around the other side but thanks to it’s elevation it was visible from this side as well. “And there’s the Tits!” Indeed, though we couldn’t make out the walls or the tit-tular houses the domed crown of the big central complex of that sub-community was peeking into sight over the surrounding town. Turning from the town she looks further along the island to some of the private homes and the rugged nature beyond. Right at the tip of the bow, looking like a regal figurehead of old, Winona leans out and holds her hands aloft. “WAHOOOO!”

Looking up at Grandma’s picture I giggle and explain. “It’s her first time.”

***

Two hours later I have a green-faced Winona laying in the on-deck hammock as I sat at her side nursing her as best I could. She wasn’t cheering now. Her breakfast had already gone over the side and though her stomach was empty she still struggled with occasional heaves of nausea.

“Ohhhhh.” She groans.

Petting her hair I ask softly. “Is it g-getting any better?”

She swallows hard and nods. “The hammock’s helping a little.”

“Yeah. It helps counter the motion of the waves.”

“Grp! Don’t mention waves!”

“Sorry.” Taking her hand I give it a squeeze. How I wished I could end her suffering. I’d trade my own good feelings of her motion sickness in a heartbeat if I could. “You just haven’t g-gotten your sea-legs yet.”

“Uh huh.” She nods, clearly only half taking in what I was saying as she struggled to hold back the retching.

“We can turn b-back if you want. We could stay at the dock and still make a sleepover out of it.”

“No, Sprout. I’ll be okay. Hrf!” She pales as she holds back another dry heave. “Just gimme a bit.”

“Okay.” I lean in and kiss her clammy forehead. “Take the pill as soon as you can hold anything down.” I nod to the little anti-sickness tablet beside her water bottle. “And drink as much as you’re able. I’ll make you some p-peppermint tea when you’re up for it.”

Closing her eyes she nods. “Okay, baby.”

I look up to the cheery blue skies above. As predicted the rain had moved on leaving the most perfect weather in its wake. “Stay up here. The fresh air and sun will help. You don’t want to be below d-decks.”

“Avery.” She says. “I’m fine.” Grabbing my arm she looks me in the eyes. “I’m having fun.” I wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince me or herself, but I accept it at face value. “Go hang with Gramps. I just need a few minutes.”

“Sure.” Leaning in I give her kiss to her clammy head. “Just c-call if you need me.”

“Always.” She offers a weak smile and closes her eyes again to concentrate on her breathing. “Love you.”

“I love you.”

I sit a moment just to worry over her before rising to go join Grandpa at the helm.

“How is she?”

“Seasick.” I say. “P-Pretty bad too.”

“Most she’s ever been on is the ferry from the mainland.” He says. “Bella’s a whole different experience. It usually gets better in a couple of hours.”

“Yeah.” I say. “What…what if sh-she can’t sail? Wh-Wh-What if she’s no g-good on the water?”

He watches at me from the corner of his eye as I settle onto the bench beside the main chair. “Well…then maybe you won’t have any need for a houseboat.”

“Grandpa!”

“I said before and I’ll say again.” He looks at me. “The Anna Bella will be yours. I hope she brings you as much freedom as she did me, but if she’s an albatross around your neck I would hope you’d cut her loose. You don’t owe either of us anything, Buttercup.” He reaches over to pat my shoulder. “But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Winnie’s just a bit green around the gills. That’s not so unusual for landlubbers. It usually passes.”

“Yeah.” I say with a half grin. “That’s true.”

With a nod he turns his attention forward again, his pale blue eyes scanning the endless horizon. In those eyes I see a lively sparkle, the kind that never quite came out all the way when he was on land. This was a man in his element and it was so beautiful to see. He would swear with his dying breath that Grandma was his one and only lady, but I knew better and I knew that she did too when she was alive. Grandma might have captured his heart but his soul belonged to the sea.

We sit in silence for a time just enjoying the smells and sounds and fresh briny air of being on the waves. To our left the crags and cliffs and bays and inlets of our mighty whale island slowly drifts by while hovering sea birds glide over the water, ever watchful for a little fishy that strays too close to the surface.

“Winona couldn’t have asked for a better day to take her maiden voyage.” He gives words to what we were both thinking. “Perfect.”

“Yeah.” I say. “I just hope she c-can enjoy it soon.”

“Mm hm.”

I take a long and deep breath then slowly let it out again. Right now, right here, it was just him and I and the Anna Bella. Nobody was going to bother us. It was time.

“Grandpa.” I whisper.

“Yeah, Buttercup?”

“I…um…I th-think I’d like to learn about m-my real d-d-dad now.” I say. “If that’s okay.”

He turns his head and comforts me with a scruffy Grandpa grin. “Yeah. It’s okay.” He says. Unbuttoning the breast pocket of his worn and faded blue shirt he reaches inside and pulls something from it. It was a scrap of paper all folded up. It must have had my birth father’s name written on it. He literally held the answer to the biggest mystery in my life in the palm of his hand. In this moment I was so happy that it was him to give me this news. I wouldn’t have wanted it from anyone else, Mom least of all. He looks at his hand for a moment then back to me. “Avery. The man on this piece of paper does not change who you are. Okay? YOU are the wonderful person you are because of YOU. Nobody else. Nobody but maybe the big fella upstairs.”

“G-Grandpa.” I say. “I d-don’t mean to be rude but…you’re lying to me.”

“Wha?”

“I wouldn’t b-be a tenth the m-man, or w-woman, I am today if it weren’t for you.” To myself I add, ‘I wouldn’t even be here today if it weren’t for you Grandpa.’

“Aw, my boy.” He leans over to kiss my head and give me a one armed hug. Slipping his hand into mine he holds it for a long moment before slowly pulling it away again and leaving the paper behind. Keeping half an eye on me Grandpa returns his attention to his grand blue mistress.

I sit quiet for a time just staring at the hand that held my answer. With a fortifying breath followed by a courageous nod…I open it up.