“I wonder what we’re getting ourselves into,” Celia whispered to Goldie when they
walked outside. She and Goldie strolled beneath the tall palms to the edge of a
sparkling white beach.
“I don’t know, Cee,” Goldie said. “It’s scary and exciting all at once.”
“And beautiful,” Celia answered. She looked out across the horizon where blue
met blue. Closer to the beach whitewater raced along the reef in cross currents.
“Cut’s called ‘Devil’s Jaw,’” Nick said. He and Mark came up behind Celia and
Goldie. “Some good lobster holes, good spear fishing. Dangerous, though.”
“That cut is to our advantage,” Mark said, “because no one comes around
much.”
“If the Cormoran is out there, how in the world are we supposed get through
that cut?” Celia shivered.
“We’ll figure a way,” Mark said.
“What do you say about our palace?” Nick asked.
“The place needs fixing up before we could stay,” Celia answered.
“Women!” both men said at the same time.
“You can’t live with us,” Goldie said, “and in this case, you cannot live without
us.”
“At this moment,” Mark said, dancing Celia around the beach, “I am reminded
of that tender old love song, If You Got The Money, Honey, I Got The Tiiiime.” The
four of them hooked arms and sang the country tune at the tops of their voices.
After a while Celia and Mark sat and watched Goldie and Nick splash each other
in the surf.
Celia found a stick and drew pictures of fish and turtles in the sand. Then she
wrote her name. Mark took the stick and added ‘Mark loves’ in front of the ‘Celia.’
“What kind of thing is that to write?”
“I think I’m falling in love with you,” Mark said. “You’re just plain wonderful.
And smart and funny.”
“I believe I could love you, too, Mark,” she whispered. “It might take some
time.”
“We’ve got all the time in the world,” Mark said.
“Let’s eat!” Goldie yelled. Nick and Goldie had a fire started on the beach for
the hot dogs they’d brought. They slipped their hot dogs on straightened coat
hangers and sat in the warm sand. Meat juices sizzled in the fire. Celia
remembered other hot dog roasts at the Mill in her beloved North Carolina.
How far away, she thought. No frogs or crickets but somehow the same.
“How often can we get over here?” Goldie asked.
“Good question,” Nick said. “We’re not exactly free. The United States Air
Force owns us, at least for a while longer.”
“I can’t quit my job and leave Ron in a fix, either,” Celia added.
“Celia has offered to finance our search for the Cormoran,” Mark said. “But we
all need to be contributing partners.
“We have a lot to do, anyway. So why don’t we leave things as they are right
now. We can fly over on long weekends. Maybe during the week, as well.”
“I think Ron will be good about time off, as long as I’m taking pictures,” Celia
said.
“I’m not sure about McDonalds,” Goldie said. “But I’ll cross that bridge when I
get there.”
Nick popped the cork on a bottle of German wine and filled four plastic cups.
He handed them around.
“It is appropriate,” Mark announced as he lifted his cup, “that we offer a
toast.” They all stood.
“To the Cormoran! May she be resting peacefully in calm and shallow water.
And to our crew. May we be courageous in our search and, above all, steadfast in
our friendship.” They lifted their cups.
“Hear! Hear!” They answered in unison. For the longest time the adventurers
sat around the fire in silence. The covenant was sealed.
walked outside. She and Goldie strolled beneath the tall palms to the edge of a
sparkling white beach.
“I don’t know, Cee,” Goldie said. “It’s scary and exciting all at once.”
“And beautiful,” Celia answered. She looked out across the horizon where blue
met blue. Closer to the beach whitewater raced along the reef in cross currents.
“Cut’s called ‘Devil’s Jaw,’” Nick said. He and Mark came up behind Celia and
Goldie. “Some good lobster holes, good spear fishing. Dangerous, though.”
“That cut is to our advantage,” Mark said, “because no one comes around
much.”
“If the Cormoran is out there, how in the world are we supposed get through
that cut?” Celia shivered.
“We’ll figure a way,” Mark said.
“What do you say about our palace?” Nick asked.
“The place needs fixing up before we could stay,” Celia answered.
“Women!” both men said at the same time.
“You can’t live with us,” Goldie said, “and in this case, you cannot live without
us.”
“At this moment,” Mark said, dancing Celia around the beach, “I am reminded
of that tender old love song, If You Got The Money, Honey, I Got The Tiiiime.” The
four of them hooked arms and sang the country tune at the tops of their voices.
After a while Celia and Mark sat and watched Goldie and Nick splash each other
in the surf.
Celia found a stick and drew pictures of fish and turtles in the sand. Then she
wrote her name. Mark took the stick and added ‘Mark loves’ in front of the ‘Celia.’
“What kind of thing is that to write?”
“I think I’m falling in love with you,” Mark said. “You’re just plain wonderful.
And smart and funny.”
“I believe I could love you, too, Mark,” she whispered. “It might take some
time.”
“We’ve got all the time in the world,” Mark said.
“Let’s eat!” Goldie yelled. Nick and Goldie had a fire started on the beach for
the hot dogs they’d brought. They slipped their hot dogs on straightened coat
hangers and sat in the warm sand. Meat juices sizzled in the fire. Celia
remembered other hot dog roasts at the Mill in her beloved North Carolina.
How far away, she thought. No frogs or crickets but somehow the same.
“How often can we get over here?” Goldie asked.
“Good question,” Nick said. “We’re not exactly free. The United States Air
Force owns us, at least for a while longer.”
“I can’t quit my job and leave Ron in a fix, either,” Celia added.
“Celia has offered to finance our search for the Cormoran,” Mark said. “But we
all need to be contributing partners.
“We have a lot to do, anyway. So why don’t we leave things as they are right
now. We can fly over on long weekends. Maybe during the week, as well.”
“I think Ron will be good about time off, as long as I’m taking pictures,” Celia
said.
“I’m not sure about McDonalds,” Goldie said. “But I’ll cross that bridge when I
get there.”
Nick popped the cork on a bottle of German wine and filled four plastic cups.
He handed them around.
“It is appropriate,” Mark announced as he lifted his cup, “that we offer a
toast.” They all stood.
“To the Cormoran! May she be resting peacefully in calm and shallow water.
And to our crew. May we be courageous in our search and, above all, steadfast in
our friendship.” They lifted their cups.
“Hear! Hear!” They answered in unison. For the longest time the adventurers
sat around the fire in silence. The covenant was sealed.