Chapter 3
They went up on deck where he cast off the last line. After that he moved to the back of the boat and started up the little motor to navigate out of the dock area into the bay. He looked at her and noticed she had found a big straw hat of his mothers and she looked gorgeous standing there holding on to the mast. He navigated his thirty-four foot sailboat out into the harbor and when all was safe from other boats, he shut off the motor and began to set the sails for the open water. He showed her a place to sit and said, “Make yourself comfortable while I prepare the boat for sailing.”
He was very busy pulling on ropes and cranking on handles making the sails go up and soon they were moving through the water very quickly. He ran to the back and grabbed the tiller and set a course for open water. She couldn’t keep her eyes off him. So intense, so positive in what he was doing. She could also tell he loved this sport. He motioned to her to come back towards him. He said, “Sit down here and hold onto this tiller and keep the boat headed towards that point of land way up ahead. I have to run down into the cabin and get something.”
He came back carrying an ice chest and he had on a Navy hat and a baseball hat in his other hand. He handed her the hat and she took off the straw hat because it would not stay on in the wind. He asked her ‘What would you like to drink. There is an assortment of drinks to choose from.” She picked up a can of coke and he opened a can of fruit juice. He was constantly looking at the sails and around the bay. He said, “You’re doing a good job of navigating. Want me to take over for you?”
“No, I’m enjoying this right now, but in a few minutes I have to go to the bathroom.”
“On the water a toilet is called a head.”
“Forgive me captain,” and she laughed and he laughed too.
They traded places and he took over the helm. She went down below and he tied his rope to the tiller and went to adjust the jib. Meanwhile, she found the tiny toilet and looked around the little room. A shower so small she wondered how you took a bath, but she would soon find out as she smiled to herself. She finished up and went into the main cabin. She saw a refrigerator under the counter next to a small sink. She opened it and saw the makings of a dinner menu: two small steaks, veggies, and things to make a green salad. Well, no doubt we are having dinner aboard tonight she thought to herself. She felt warm all over and it wasn’t from the heat outside. I know there must a bed here somewhere, but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out where. She went back top side and found him at the helm and noticed he had changed course and it appeared they were headed towards land.
She picked up her coke and asked him, “Are we headed to land?”
“Yes, there is a little cove I like to anchor in and relax for a little while. It’s very private and I usually read and drink a little wine. The water is a little cold, but a short swim is very healthy.”
She thought maybe I’m the first or only one to sail with him. He had said he likes the cove to read and relax. He must come here alone with nobody to keep him company in his private cove. ‘Wow, girl, can you be so lucky,’ she almost said aloud.
“You look happy, are you having a good time?”
“Very much so, but it’s a little hard to walk because we are tilted over so much.”
He laughed and she loved the sound of his laugh. “The wind pushes the boat over a little, but don’t worry the keel is about eight feet long to keep us from falling over. “Now, Jen, I will be busy for a little while, so sit down and hold the tiller for me while I lower the sails.”
As they approached the entrance to the cove she concentrated on the job at hand while he lowered the sails and tied them off. Soon they were almost stopped and he started up the little motor and they slowly entered the cove.
She looked around and saw no houses or other boats. Tall cliffs and pine trees surrounded the cove. A rocky shoreline formed the ‘C’ of the cove. He stopped the motor and they drifted for a few minutes. He ran up to the bow and made the anchor ready to drop into the water. That job complete, he walked back to her and asked, “Jen would you like to go for a swim? You will find a bathing suit in one of the drawers in the cabin.”
She jumped up and smiled at him and went below without answering him. Meanwhile, he went to his storage locker and pulled out a crab pot. Went below to the freezer and took out a frozen chicken. Ran back up and tied the chicken inside the pot. Tossed it overboard and tied it off at the stern. He would surprise her later and have crab cocktails and wine before dinner. She bounced out of the door and stood there smiling at him. She had on a two piece bathing suit the color of her eyes. He sucked in his breath looking at her beautiful perfect hour glass figure.
She said playfully, “Your mouth is open Doctor Todd.”
He shut his mouth and she said, “Are you ready?”
Totally embarrassed, he said, “Just a minute,” and went below to change his clothes. Setting a record for changing clothes, he went back up and then she had her first look at him with only bathing trunks on.
It was her turn to stare with an open mouth and he laughed and said, ‘Jen, your mouth is open’ and they both cracked up laughing.
He went back to the storage cupboard and took out two life belts and two pair of goggles. Handed one to her, “It helps to have the belt for floating around looking through the goggles. He also took out a ladder and moved to the back of the boat and placed it over the side and fastened it to the top of the rail. “Follow me,”
He put on his goggles and belt and sitting backwards on the side of the boat, fell backwards into the water. He popped up and rinsed his mask off and put it back on. She followed his example and soon both were swimming around getting used to the water. She stopped and said, “Man, this very cold.”
He smiled, “As long as your swimming, it is not so bad’ He took off swimming towards shore and she followed. It was only maybe thirty meters from the boat to shore. In no time they were standing up on the rocky shore line.
She took off her mask and looked at his body. He had dark brown skin, a hairy chest, strong muscled legs and arms. She shivered, not from the cold, but the thought of him holding her in his powerful arms and making love to her.
He said, “Are you cold? Let’s get back in and swim to the boat and will see how you’re holding up in this cold Atlantic Ocean.”
He swam for the boat as fast as he could. He needed to expend some energy. Just the thought of her and her supple body nearly drove him crazy with desire. He noticed she was right beside him. She must be a very good swimmer he thought. Both grabbed the ladder at the same time. Took off their masks and looked at each other only inches apart. Breathing hard from the long swim, he wiped his face and said, “You first.”
He followed her up and told her there were towels in the bathroom. “Jump in the shower first and I will follow you. There isn’t much fresh water so get wet, shut the water off, soap up first, and then rinse”
She looked him in the eyes and said coyly, “Aye, aye Captain.”
Jen could not keep from grinning all through her shower. She did as he suggested and from now on she would refer to it as her ‘sail boat’ shower.’ Very nice shampoo and soap and after they showered, they would both would smell the same. A feeling of togetherness; one body with two minds: soul mates for life. She prayed that nothing would ever stop this moment in her life. She told herself to hurry up and give him his turn to wash the salt off. She forgot to bring into the bathroom something to wear. She wrapped the towel around her and stepped out the door. He was standing there holding some clothes for her smiling. ‘Try these’ he said.
She went back in and put the new clothes on he gave her. Sweat pants and a sweat shirt? She couldn’t believe it. So warm out and he gives me these hot clothes to wear she said to herself. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now.
She came out combing her hair. “Sorry about the clothes, but it looks like a storm is coming and it will probably get a little chilly.”
> He went into the shower and ten minutes later came out with the same type of clothes on. Meanwhile she went up on deck to look at the weather. He found her walking around on deck. “Don’t worry Jen, we’re safe here and it will not last through the night.”
He went on to tell her he had listened to the radio and a thunder storm was coming. High winds and rain were expected.
“We have the protection of the cove. Some rain and a little wind, but we are perfectly safe here.” It was growing dark quickly and she seemed a little nervous.
He broke the silence by saying to her, “Come here I want to see what we have in the crab pot.”
She followed him to the back of the boat and he started to pull up the pot. The crab pot came up and he pulled it onto the deck. Inside there were many crabs moving about. Some still eating on the chicken he had placed in the pot. She exclaimed, “Oh my, I’ve never seen this before in my life. How do you get them out? Will they bite you?”
He laughed, and said, “Not if you handle them properly. I’ve done this many times and if you would help me by going to the storage cupboard and bring me the big steel pot please.”
She hurried over and found the pot and brought it back to him. He opened the screen door and reached in and picked the biggest one up by the back so the pinchers wouldn’t pinch him.
“These are rock crabs Jen. I only take what I can eat and return the rest back to the sea. I thought a nice crab cocktail would be nice before dinner. I put a bottle of white wine on ice to chill and by the time I clean and cook the crab, it should be ready to drink.”
He took only two crabs and dumped the rest back into the sea. “Let’s go cook these and while they’re cooking, I will make a salad.”
She followed him down into the cabin and saw he used sea water to boil the crabs. She frowned as the crabs were running around the sink trying to get out while he was waiting for the pot to boil.
She asked him, “Isn’t that kind of cruel to boil them alive?”
“Not so, because with the water is so hot, they live for only a few seconds. Some crab fishermen throw them in a box and let them slowly die while they continue to fish and eventually return to the dock. By then most of them are almost dead. Treat Nature as a gift, not as a thing to be abused. As a doctor I try to be as healthy as Nature intended: no chemicals and all things natural as can be. I’m lucky enough to have the money to buy organic in the market place.”
She agreed with him and told him her mother always shops at places that sell all natural and organic products.
He had finished with the salad and the water was ready and he put the crabs in to cook. He put the bowl of salad in the refer and sat down next to her at the table.
“Maybe you should call your mother and tell her you are stuck on a boat with the doctor.”
She smiled at him and his eyes made her melt into the cushions. What should I tell my mother, she thought. Come on Jen, your old enough to not have to worry about that. This is the twenty first century. She picked up her cell phone and called home.
The signal was not good as the storm was effecting the connection. Mom answered the phone and Jen told her mother the situation and said she would call her in the morning to tell her she was fine. Mom understood the situation perfectly. Even though her mother was a little old fashioned, she accepted the new generation and trusted her daughter to do what was right. She closed her phone and looked at him.
“Well, I guess we are spending the night. My first time sleeping on a sail boat but, I was wondering where the bed is?”
Again he laughed, and said “This table we are sitting at folds down and makes into a double bed.”
It was clear as she figured it out and said, “Our first date and we are sleeping together. I’m really not that kind of girl to sleep with someone on the first date.”
She was smiling at him and he was sure she was making it clear to him that it was fine with her the sleeping arrangements.
The crab was cooked and he got up to take care of them. He took pot and all up the stairs to the deck and she followed, curious how this was done. He dropped a bucket over the side and brought up cold sea water and poured it into the pot to cool the crabs off. He did this a couple times until only cold water was left in the pot. He left the pot there a few minutes for the crabs to cool off so he could clean them.
Meanwhile the sky was very dark now and it was only early evening. Far off they could see lightning and then the distant sound of thunder. Only a sprinkle of rain was falling, but soon the storm would move inland and the full force of the storm would hit the mainland. She shivered and crossed her arms across her chest
“Are you cold?’ he asked.
“A little bit,’ she replied. “
“Just a minute and we can go in,”
He cleaned the crab by pulling the backs off and using the sea water to clean out the inside of the crabs. This took only a few minutes and after a quick cleaning he said, “Let’s go in now, I’m finished.”
She followed him into the cabin and set the crabs in the sink and took out his pliers to crack the crab and take out the meat. She was impressed how efficient he was and organized. But then she realized he had been the owner of this boat for many years. He put two cocktail glasses of crab on the table, a jar of sauce and opened the wine and poured two glasses full. It was warm and comfortable and it was then she realized she had almost died and gone to heaven she felt so good. “I never want this to end,” she said to herself.
Jen could not remember when she had more enjoyable dinner. He was a great cook. She wasn’t such a good cook and she wished now she had learned more from her mother and grandmother. She promised herself that she would make an effort to learn how to cook. She wanted to please him and to make herself important in his life. Todd on the other hand, was so happy doing things for her and hoped she liked the dinner. She fell all over herself telling him how delicious the food was. He told her it was because of the swim and being outside that the food tasted so good.
They had the cabin lights on and he asked her if it was ok if he turned them off and use candles because the lights were battery operated and it would cause the batteries to lose their charge. She thought that would be fine and he went to the cupboard and brought out a big candle ready to light. He lit the candle and turned off the cabin lights. He sat down and they toasted each other with their wine glasses and she said to him, “Please tell me about your life. I would love to hear your story. Forgive me for prying into your life, but I really want to know you better.”
“Sure, do you want the Readers Digest condensed version, or the long story?”
“You decide, I’m all ears and you have a captive audience,” she said with a smile.
“Well, we certainly have a lot of time and well, here goes.
My great-grandfather emigrated from Sicily and landed in San Francisco. He heard about the rich soil in the Napa Valley from his brother who came before him. He brought with him grape plants native to his land. Great-grandfather and his brother purchased some land and started a vineyard. It’s still in the family today. The only ones left are me and my grandmother who lives north of the city. We've live in caretakers who have been there for many years now. Their parents before were workers who were born on the property. I haven’t been there for a couple years now. We've a lawyer who was a school mate of mine at Stanford who does the paper work and oversees the operation. We also have an onsite person who sees to the health and well being of the grapes. Now days you must have an expert botanist to fight the constant threat of disease. Anyway, the wine we're drinking right now comes from our vineyard.”
She picked up the bottle and looked at the label. Like most labels she looked at didn’t tell her much except where it was from. This one was no different as it said made in California. She knew about the Napa Valley. It is California’s most famous place for making wine. Now, she realized where some of his wealth came from. She asked him about his grandmother who
lived in New York.
He smiled and said “She is quite a character. Plays golf everyday at the age of sixty nine. She lives in Westchester on the golf course. She swears like a seaman and loves company. Well educated and is a retired college librarian like my mother used to be. She was the head librarian at John Hopkins University where I went to medical school. I lived with her while going to school. I usually visit her on Sundays. If I don’t make it on a Sunday, she pouts and tells me what a bad boy I am and that I don’t love her anymore.”
Jen laughed at the story of his grandmother. “I would love to meet her.”
“If you want to make a full week end, we could drive up tomorrow and have lunch with her. I can call her in the morning and tell her our plans. She will be excited to see a girl with me. She’s always after me to find a nice girl and settle down and get married and have kids.”
His face turned red with the last comment.
Jen secretly thought she was going to be that girl his grandmother was talking about. Unknown to her, he was thinking the same thing. Todd was having trouble not taking her into his arms and kissing her and holding her. His whole body ached for her and his heart sounded like a drum in a band. He wondered if she noticed how much he wanted her. She on the other hand, was hoping he would move closer so their legs would touch.
He said, “Just a minute, I have some pictures to show you if you want.”
He got up and pulled a drawer open and brought out an album. He sat it down in front of her and moved close to her so they could both view the pictures together. Now his leg was against hers and she could feel the warmth of his body, making her feel like no other time in her life. His breath had the flavor of wine and sweetness. She longed for his lips, but tried to concentrate on what he was saying about the pictures. Just then the rain pounded on the roof and it was so loud you couldn’t talk. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder boomed nearby. The storm was upon them and she moved closer to him. He put his arm around her and she snuggled into his body. She felt safe in his arms and hoped the storm would never end.
He loved the way she felt in his arms. She melted against him and he savored the moment. Life now was complete. He knew how she felt about him and she could tell how he felt about her. Just yesterday she was lying on the sidewalk in front of his office. Later drinking ice tea under the elm tree and now holding the girl who he knew would be the mother of his children. Strange how life is sometimes: one minute you’re lonely and the next minute you are so happy you want to tell the world about how happy you are. His mother always told him what a lucky boy he was. He always asked how he was lucky and his mother would only say, “Wait and you'll see what happens. Trust in God, be gentle and kind and He will see to it that good things will happen in your life.”
She turned her head up to him and looked down into her eyes and drank in the sweet smell of shampoo and her sweet breath. He lowered his lips to hers and lightly kissed her. Hardly touching her lips; only just testing her response. She raised her arm up and put it around his neck and drew him closer; the kiss went deeper than he could have ever dreamed.
The storm raged on. Rained pounded the roof and thunder and lightning was neither seen nor heard from the occupants inside the sail boat. Small waves lapped against the rocking boat. The rocking should have put the couple inside to sleep, but that was not the case with the two lovers inside the ‘Penny’