Eleven Years Ago...
The bright sunshine sparkled on the blue water, turning the sea into a giant twinkling gemstone; the waves shushed against our small boat in loving caresses, begging us to stay out on the ocean just a little longer. I wanted to stay out on the water with Robbie forever. Today was my last day with my best friend.
I played with the end of a rope, hoping that the day would just freeze and that I wouldn't have to leave. My dad had quit his job with DS Oil and Gas to start out on his own and now we were having to move. I didn't understand why he wanted to quit; things were good the way they were. I was happy. I liked my middle school, I liked this neighborhood, but mostly, I liked being with my best friend. Moving was going to take all of it away.
The other boats from our sailing class were already tied at the docks and the students and instructors were getting ready to go home. Robbie and I sat out in our sailboat, sails down and bobbing gently on the waves, pretending that the class wasn't over yet. Our instructor, Mr. Henderson, was still out on the water in the boat next to us, but he understood why Robbie and I didn't want to go back to shore. This was the last time we were going to sail together. Mr. Henderson just sat in his small dinghy, pretending not to see us dawdling. There was a reason he was my favorite teacher.
"Hey, Robbie, come here! You have got to see this fish!" I cried out, peering down at the water. There was no fish, but I knew Robbie couldn't resist. He fell for this every time.
"Really? Coming!" Robbie hurried over, his skinny frame brushing against mine as he came to see what I was looking at. As soon as he leaned over the edge, I gave his shoulders a strong push, and he toppled into the blue water with a yell.
"Yup, it's a Robbie-fish!" I yelled, laughing as he surfaced. He sputtered and wiped the water out of his green eyes. He made a face at me and started swimming to the rear of the boat where he could climb back up. Our boat was a simple two-person sailboat. It didn't have a motor and was just the right size to teach two kids how to sail.
"Hey, help me up," he called from the side of the boat. I knew what was coming, but I reached my hand out toward his. This was tradition with us. Our hands met, his hand cold and wet as he wrapped his fingers around my wrist. His small arms yanked down hard; Robbie was much stronger than he looked, and he easily toppled me off the boat and into the water.
The cold water made me gasp; my mouth filling with cold, salty brine. I surfaced and wiped my eyes, spitting out a mouthful of ocean at Robbie's face. The two of us looked at one another and giggled. As we tread water, he splashed me and I splashed him back. I loved this; I didn't want it to end.
"Come on, you two, it's time to head back in," Mr. Henderson called. I sighed. Robbie lifted himself out of the water and into the boat. I followed, wringing the water out of my blonde ponytail, and leaving a trail of water across the deck.
Robbie raised the mainsail, keeping the smaller jib sails down. It was easier to manage the tricky maneuver into the dock with only one sail to worry about. I took the tiller and began steering the boat back to shore.
The wind was just right to sail smoothly into the wooden dock. Robbie had the dock lines ready and he jumped easily to the dock and tied up the boat. I started bringing down the sail and tying everything up to prepare the boat for the night. Our instructor sailed in easily behind us, Robbie catching his ropes and tying him to the dock as well.
"Good job, you two," Mr. Henderson praised as he watched us carefully. "Pop quiz: Sam, what are the names of the sails and what do they do?"
"The sails are the mainsail and the jib. The mainsail is the big sail that gives most of the power and the jib is the smaller sail in front that increases speed and improves handling," I answered.
"Very good. Now, Robbie, tell me about rigging and sheets."
Robbie finished tying off one of the ropes that held the instructor's dinghy to the dock before standing and answering.
"The rigging is the cables and ropes that support the mast and sails. The lines that control the sails are called sheets, and they are held in place by cleats and winches. You use a winch to tighten the sheet to trim, or adjust and position the sails to go faster." It would have been the perfect answer, if his voice hadn't cracked, dropping him from boyish soprano to a manly bass mid-sentence. I managed to keep the smile off my face since I knew he hated when that happened. Robbie ran his hand through his hair, sending little water droplets flying through the air as he tried to look nonchalant about it.
The instructor gave us both a big smile, completely ignoring Robbie's puberty crisis. "Very good, you two. Everything looks all tied up here. Good job today." He paused and put his hands on my shoulders. "Sam, I'm sorry that this is our last class together. You are an amazing sailor and I'm so glad I got to have you as a student. Keep at it, and I'll be cheering for you at the Olympics in a few years."
I leaned forward and gave him a hug, feeling my wet clothes soaking his dry ones. He hugged me back before letting go.
"I'll see you next week, Robbie. Sam, good luck with everything," he said as he pulled away. He gave us both smiles and turned and walked away. I watched him go down the dock like I had after every sailing lesson, but today I felt my heart sink because it was my last lesson. As soon as my dad arrived to take me away, this would all be over. Now that I was off the boat, the fact that I was leaving was suddenly very real.
Robbie must have sensed my sadness, so he grabbed my hand and pulled me down the dock. "Come on, let's go rinse off," he said. His hand was warm in mine, and I hoped he wouldn't let go. He was my best friend. We had been paired up as sailing partners when we first started sailing, and now, I didn't want to sail with anyone else. I didn't want to leave and have to start over. I wished again that Dad wasn't quitting his job. This sucked.
At the end of the dock was a small spigot with a banged-up white bucket next to it. Robbie let go of my hand and turned it on, filling the bucket with freshwater. I watched the clear liquid sparkle in the afternoon sun as it filled the pail. It seemed to take forever, but I was glad. I wanted to stay here forever. I wanted to stay with Robbie.
"Do you have a house in Texas yet?" Robbie asked. His eyes stayed on the bucket, watching it fill up slowly. Our hands had found their way back together again.
"No. He's not even sure if we'll actually end up there. I don't know why he can't just keep working for your dad. He says he's wanted to start his own company for a long time and this is the best opportunity, but... I don't care. I don't want to move," I said. Robbie squeezed my hand.
"My dad doesn't want yours to go, but there isn't anything he can do about it. You promise you'll keep in touch? Maybe you can come back to New York for Christmas or something?" Hope raised Robbie's voice an octave.
"I hope so. That would be great." It was my turn to squeeze Robbie's hand. "I'm going to miss you."
"Me too," he said softly. There was a note of hurt in his voice that made me feel even more awful. Despite being a billionaire's son, Robbie didn't have a lot of friends. It was usually just him and me. Sometimes Gavin would join us, and we'd be the Three Musketeers, but Gavin didn't like to sail. Robbie and I lived for sailing. I wasn't sure what I was going to do without him.
Robbie turned off the water, and then dipped a finger into the bucket to test the temperature.
"It's warm today," he said, turning to me with a grin. Some days it was ice cold, but the sun had been shining all day. Warm was always better.
A car's brakes squeaked in the parking lot, and I saw my father's black Mercedes pulling into a parking space. We didn't have much time. Robbie saw it too, and so he lifted the bucket over our heads. We would just have to share the bucket this time, pouring it over both of us to rinse off the salt.
I stepped in close to him, feeling my heart start to beat faster. I didn't know why, but being around Robbie recently made my heart start to pound. He was my best friend, but I could feel my body starting to ask for more. I wondered if he felt the same way.
Robbie steadied the bucket and then slowly tipped it over to cascade the water down over the two of us. I moved without thinking, leaning forward and kissing him on the lips. The water sparkled around us in the sunshine as I pressed my mouth against his.
Robbie froze. The bucket fell from his hands with a clatter. My father's voice called my name, and I gave Robbie a hug, squeezing my eyes shut tight. I didn't want to let him go, but I knew I had to. He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed back, holding me like he was never going to let go.
"Samantha? It's time to leave," my father called from the car. I had to go. Robbie's arms slowly released me, and I stepped back. There were tears in his green eyes.
"Bye, Robbie," I whispered and darted away as fast as I could. I didn't want him to see me cry.
I ran to the car, leaving a trail of wet footprints behind me. My dad was standing in the open door of his car, resting his arms on the frame as he waited for me. I knew there would be dry towels in the back seat for me to sit on.
I slammed the door shut, wrapping a towel around me like a blanket. I wiped at my nose, feeling the tears trickle down my face. Dad's door closed, and he backed out of the parking lot. He stayed quiet, letting me have a moment alone. Through the window I could still see Robbie standing there, the bucket rolling gently at his feet.
The car backed out, and I pressed a hand to the glass to wave goodbye. Robbie mirrored my gesture, raising his hand toward me. The car turned down the street, and Robbie was gone.
I pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine. It was a cute little house, quaint with a big white door. It looked like something a grandmother would live in, which was appropriate because Betty lived here, my niece’s grandmother. Or rather, she had lived here. Sighing as I leaned back in the truck's seat, I still couldn't believe I was here, but family has to stick together. My sister, Grace, needed me. When she called to tell me Betty had died, I packed my truck the next day. Grace wouldn’t officially ask me to move in, but Grace was going to have a rough time without Betty’s help watching her daughter. Five years old and one of the smartest little kids I had ever met, Avery was incredibly independent and a total handful. It wasn't that she misbehaved; but just like her dad, she was too smart for her own good and she had an impulsive spirit, just like her father. Often, she didn't think before she acted. I wondered how well Grace was holding up. She was strong, but I was s
The sheriff returned to our porch in exactly one hour. He wore a white t-shirt with a fishing logo, a pair of khaki shorts, and a ball cap with the same fishing logo as the shirt. Even wearing very casual clothing, he still somehow managed to exude an aura of authority. He quickly looked at my messy packing and figured out the best way to get everything into the house. Avery, Grace, and I followed his orders as he handed boxes off the truck and kept us moving. His methodical ways had the truck unpacked and in the house in almost no time. "I just realized I didn't actually introduce myself when we first met," he said to me as he lifted the last box from the truck. Grace and Avery had gone inside to get more lemonade and cookies ready. "I'm Matt Grinswald. I'm the sheriff here in town." "Nice to meet you, Sheriff Matt," I answered with a grin. He laughed and hoisted the box onto his shoulder. Despite the limp, he carried the heavy boxes with ease. "Your sister says you race sailboats
"Bye, Mike, I'll see you in a few hours," I called out to my boss, stepping out of the restaurant and into the warm autumn sunshine. The job at the restaurant wasn't the best, but it had paid the bills over the summer. Fall was just starting to touch the trees, turning them into glorious balls of fire against the blue sky. The change had come early this year, but I was enjoying the extra color in the trees. "Make sure you're back in time!" Mike yelled after me. I raised my hand to acknowledge him, but I kept on walking. I had three hours before I had to pick up Avery, and then once her mom got home, I had to go back to the restaurant for a second shift. It was going to be a long day, but the extra time was going to ensure we could pay the bills this month. I walked down the pier, heading to a small shack by the water. It was technically for boats bringing fresh fish in to the restaurant, but it was the perfect place for me to store my windsurfing gear during a shift. I had three hou
A quiet beeping and a steady hiss woke me. The late afternoon sun was shining in through the windows, coating the strange room with a buttery warmth. I blinked hard, trying to clear my vision and make sense of where I was. My nose itched, and as I rubbed at it, my fingers caught the small plastic tubing. I frowned as I realized I was in the hospital. A large white-board on the adjacent wall proclaimed that my nurse was Jaime and my doctor was Dr. Robins. It took a moment, but I could remember his concerned face above me. He had nice eyes. I groaned and leaned back on the pillow, letting the memories of the ER wash over me. I recalled the kind brown eyes, the calls to the nursing staff and the glorious relief when they pushed some sort of liquid into the IV in my arm. The entire experience was blurry and surreal, but at least I remembered something. Grace would laugh when I told her about this. Grace. Avery. I sat up in a panic, adrenaline flooding through my system. I was supposed
I stared at the book the nurse had given me, but I wasn't really reading the page. It was some sort of romance novel, but I wasn't looking for love. I was looking for something to keep myself from freaking out. Despite Grace's calm assertion that we would somehow make it work, I was panicking. My boss was pissed, if the two voice-mails and three texts complaining about my not being there were any indication. He was probably going to fire me. Or at least reduce my hours for being "unreliable." I wanted to scream. My extra shift was supposed to make sure that rent and Avery's private school tuition were going to get paid without us having to skimp on groceries. It was going to be another lean month, especially since I knew my boss wouldn't schedule me for an extra shift ever again. Throw in the lack of health insurance, and this medical bill-- I was going to be broke until I was a hundred and two. A knock on the door caught my attention and made me look up. An attractive woman in her
The water splashes against the hull of my boat, a soft comforting sound. The sky is bright blue without a cloud in sight. I am at peace. This part of the dream is always pleasant. I like this part of the dream. Evan is alive and happy with Grace. Mom and Dad are safe at home, and we are going to have meatloaf for dinner. Then, the rigging starts to tangle. Impossible knots form on the lines, turning the sails into flying monsters that catch the wind and threaten to tear my boat apart. A storm is rising from the depths of hell, the sky going black in an instant. The peace and calm is gone. I have to move quickly; if I'm fast enough, I can escape the storm before it gets to me. If I just go fast enough, maybe this time I can avoid the storm. My hands fumble on the rigging, and every movement seems delayed. Wind howls through the now ripped and tangled sails, and giant waves slosh over the deck, threatening my every step. I wasn't fast enough. The storm has found me, and I can't escape
I lay in bed watching bad TV. Some girl was waiting to hear the paternity test results for her baby and had narrowed it down to five possible guys. I shook my head at her, wondering exactly how she got herself into that situation. Two guys, I could understand. But five? That must have been some party. At least a celebrity dancing show was supposed to be on next. That I could understand. I glanced at the clock. It was still early afternoon, but I was ready to get home. The concussion checks, as well as my nightmares, had made for a poor night's sleep, and the food was the usual terrible hospital fare. I was looking forward to going home to my own bed and my own fridge. As soon as the doctor came by to release me, I could leave. It was going to be a little while, though, as the nurses said he was stuck on an emergency case. Since the Saunders were covering my medical bills, I didn't really mind the wait. If nothing else, I was catching up on my trashy TV. A soft knock on my door drew
I blinked as I stepped into the bright afternoon. After the dim restaurant, the sunlight seemed almost unnaturally bright. The sky was still a cloudless blue, and the water smelled salty and clean as it came off the ocean. The afternoon was almost unseasonably warm, and it felt surreal to have the warmth with the fall colors filling the trees. Despite my manager's best efforts to make my life miserable, it was a beautiful day. "And Sam, if you miss another shift-- you're fired!" Mike called out before the door swung shut. I didn't even turn around; I just kept walking. It was a gorgeous day, and I wasn't about to let him spoil it. He had been pissed about my missed shifts and had cut my hours just like I suspected he would. Normally, I would have been panicking, but I knew the money Rachel had promised had already been wired into my bank account. The freedom of knowing that my credit cards were going to be paid off and that the tuition for Avery's private school was covered, despite
The October sun was warm on my skin, complimented by a cool breeze coming in off the lake. It felt good to be on Avery's Hope, even if I was still docked. The gulls cried overhead and the boat bumped occasionally against the dock, creating a strange harmony that I loved. I checked my watch again, wondering when Robbie was going to get here. He was already ten minutes late, but I figured he had just gotten stuck talking business with Jack. I frowned, going over the sails once again just for something to do. Robbie had hired a local to clean up the boat after the storm since neither one of us had been in any condition to do it. The entire cabin had been strewn with food, clothing, charts, and gear; the local had cleaned the inside and put the sails and sheets back in order on deck. The cabin still smelled slightly damp, but it had mostly dried out after the storm. Robbie and I had wanted to take the Hope out one last time before shipping it back to Winchester, just to make sure that ev
I finally broke away from the throng of well-wishers, darting off into a hallway and ducking around the corner. The hallway was cool and open after the warmth of the ballroom, and it felt good to have some space around me that wasn't full of satin gowns and suits. At the end of a darkened hallway, peering out a window overlooking the lake, was Robbie. His good arm was up against the window, and he cast a fine silhouette with his dark suit and strong lines. Even with the sling on his arm, he looked handsome. I put my hand on his shoulder and looked out the window, following his gaze. Boats bobbed peacefully in the harbor, a sliver of moon casting silver light across the waves. It was beautiful and serene. He turned and smiled at me, the soft light from an open door catching the green of his eyes. "Enjoying your moment in the spotlight?" he asked, straightening from the window. "Yes, but I'd like to have you with me. You won this race just as much as I did." Robbie turned to face m
The Gala was spectacular. It was like something out of a movie and more elegant than I could have imagined. I had taken the plastic crown from my hair in the car, but there were several women wearing actual diamond tiaras in their hair. This was not only the award ceremony for the Champion of Champions Invitational, but also one of the biggest social events of the year. Everyone was dressed to the nines. A string quartet played in a corner, and the dance floor was already beginning to fill with women in beautiful dresses and men in tuxes. I watched the dancers as they waltzed around on the black and white checkered floor, the heavy red, velvet curtains not even moving as skirts swished past. I recognized the back of Robbie's head, even though his sandy hair was cut short. I stepped forward, working my way toward him when I noticed his dance partner. She was beautiful. Not model beautiful, but real-life, girl-next-door beautiful with long dark hair and curves that seemed to stretch i
I slipped on a comfy pair of sweats and headed down the stairs. The little bed and breakfast was cozy and warm with a maritime theme. Paintings of ocean scenes and ships decorated the walls, with soft yellow and navy blue accents. I could hear laughter coming from the kitchen so I made my way there. Avery and Robbie sat drinking tea out of doll-sized tea-cups at the cozy wooden table. Grace wasn't in the kitchen, but I figured she must be nearby. I leaned against the doorway, watching Robbie play at tea with Avery. "Would you like some sugar, sir?" Avery asked him, batting her eyelashes as she poured more imaginary tea into his cup. "Why yes, good miss. I'd love some more," he answered her solemnly. His arm was nestled against his chest in a dark blue sling. Sandy hair brushed the tops of his eyebrows; his green eyes were bright despite his pale skin. My heart ached with happiness to see him sitting there alive and well. I had been terrified that I might lose him. "Hi, Aunt Sam!"
The room was dark, and I could hear rain on the window. Something had awakened me, but I wasn't sure what, so I sat up slowly in the unfamiliar room. There was a dull pressure behind my left eye; I wondered if going back to sleep would make it go away. I knew it wouldn't, but getting up and finding some medicine seemed like a worse choice than just staying in bed and dealing with the pain. Every muscle of my body ached, and any movement sent tendrils of fire into my limbs. To say that I had overdone it yesterday was an understatement. I had never pushed my body as hard or as fast as I had in that storm. I knew I needed at least a glass of water and a potty break if I was going to go back to sleep. I coaxed my weak body to sit on the edge of the bed, letting my feet dangle just above the cold, hardwood floor. The room was decorated with a cheerful maritime theme, and I could hear activity in the rooms below. Dark curtains kept whatever sunshine was outside at bay and gave me no concep
I was awakened before my alarm by being thrown out of the bunk and onto the floor. The boat was sloshing from side to side, and I felt like we were suddenly out in the open ocean instead of an inland lake. The radio hissed a Coast Guard warning. "...expected 70 mile per hour winds, tornado warnings... high wind advisories in effect..." the pre-recorded voice droned as interference crackled through the speakers. This was not a good time to be out on the water. I picked up the radio, ready to call in our position, but we were too far out. The lake surrounded us like an ocean, and with the storm, we couldn't call out. We were on our own. I stumbled to my feet, feeling the boat roll beneath me as I worked my way up the hatch and out onto the deck. Robbie stood tall at the helm, the wind whipping his hair as he kept our course straight. He smiled as he saw me. The sky was dark, but lightning was beginning to flash along the horizon, silhouetting him against the black sky. Where the sai
I stepped into the Chicago Yacht Club, feeling a nervous exhilaration rippling through my body. I was here. I was finally, actually here. Robbie guided me gently inside, the two of us heading for the pre-race skippers' meeting. We were to go over the sailing instructions one last time, any potential weather hazards, and any clarifications needed on the rules and regulations of the Invitational. I usually hated these boring meetings, but because this was the Champion of Champions Invitational, I was actually excited to attend. Robbie pulled out a chair in front of a prettily decorated table near the windows. The meeting wasn't supposed to start for a few minutes yet, so I stared out through the glass at the view. Chicago's skyline rose in the distance, the gray and metallic buildings looking over the undulating waters of Lake Michigan. Yachts of all sizes bobbed gently in the early morning waters, the sun had started its journey into the day and turned the sky into a brilliant scarlet
I stumbled into the bedroom and started stripping. Everything was sore. I didn't know it was even possible for my eyelashes to ache, but somehow they did. All I wanted was to crawl into a hot shower, eat something full of carbs and fat, and crawl into bed with Robbie. We had been sailing nonstop for three days since losing the race to Thomas Grant. Robbie had taken the loss personally and was determined to get us ready for the Invitational. We had risen before the sun today, stopping our tacking drills only long enough to eat a quick lunch. A storm was beginning to brew. Not a hurricane, but it was bad enough that the sails were tangling and the going was rough. I was grateful he had decided to let us end the day early. I was so tired I was starting to make mistakes. We still had one more day of practice left on the island before leaving for Chicago for the race. Even though the Invitational was still three days away, I was already nervous. We had improved dramatically in the short
We maneuvered the two boats toward Shark Tooth Rock. A jagged piece of gray granite reared out of the water, looking very much like a giant shark had left a tooth pointing to the sky. I had the jib up, the wind crackling through the sail as we coaxed our boat to a strong starting speed. Robbie and Grant exchanged nods as they both crossed the imaginary starting line emanating from the rock. I grinned. The race was on. The buoy was upwind, so we began a series of tacks. The Gauntlet and Avery's Hope crisscrossed paths as we each zigzagged at 45 degree angles to the wind, allowing us to sail "against" the wind. Each turn required us to change the sheet positions, controlling the sails in unison. If we didn't do them properly, or in sync, we would fall behind. The sails crackled like strange clouds, and water sprayed up into the air, shimmering like diamonds as it landed on the boat. My feet thudded against the deck as I hurried to and fro, adjusting sheets and following Robbie's comma