Fireside secrets

A friend

January POV

" I don't know why you are here April. I am going to move my stuff to the wheel house and sleep up there. If you have ever loved me, you will stay away from me!"

I was done with all her lies. I couldn't even breath the same air that she was breathing right now.

I marched up the narrow stairs and burst into the wheel house, throwing my bag and blanket on the second captains chair.

" You are sleeping here Janu?" Captain Michaels asked as he lit his pipe and took a puff.

I loved that smell. The musky sweet smoke filled the air and instantly calmed me right down.

"I used to love my sister more than anything. I wanted to be just like her.

I can't believe that she is not the person that I believed she was." I spoke more to myself, than to the captain.

" People tend to have narrow views when it comes to family.

There is the expectation that they will always come from a place of love.

See, April loves you...but maybe she is dealing with some jealousy Janu.

She saw you getting attention from your pops that she desperately wanted." He said, as he frowned, looking at his navigation and correcting his steering .

" I got attention from someone else too...I never knew why he chose me.

Was there something about me that drew him to me. Did I do something that made him attracted to me.

You knew him, was I a tease as a child or something?" I wrapped my arms around my knees as I sat in the chair across from the captain.

" Stop that girly. That man was a pedafiler. He had a twisted mind.

You could have sang the alphabet and he would have got off on it.

Not one thing that he did or made you do was your fault.

I was there that night when your pops found out.

He put a gun to Ronald Parson's fat head and ordered him to walk off the boat.

Only thing was...Parsons pleaded for his life, begging for Calvin to remember their long friendship, the time he saved eveyone's lives once when we were far out to sea.

He stopped an engine fire before it destroyed the entire boat.

He still has scars all over his hands and arms from physically extinguishing the fire.

It would have killed us all."

" I remember feeling those scars when he touched me." I admitted with a chill.

" I regret that your father came to his senses before he actually forced that ass to jump overboard.

I wanted him to die so badly Janu. We all did. But captain was right.

It would have just ruined you kids lives not having someone to take care of you.

Plus he knew that he owed Ronald and this would make them even now. Fisherman's code I guess.

Calvin decided a life in prison would hurt Ronald more than a watery grave."

"Hah, life in prison doesn't exist. He's out on parol right this moment.

Adam arranged it. He used it to create fear and try to control me. Adam must be going crazy wondering where I went to." I laughed.

" What the hell? Ronald is out of prison. I should have tossed him over myself, piece of dirt?"

I shuddered.

" You're safe here Janu. As a matter of fact...here." He handed me a small pistol. It had a pearl handle and felt heavy in my hand.

" Was my wife's, before she passed. It's yours now." He smiled at me as he stretched and yawned.

" Come take the wheel kid. I'm going down for a few winks. You keep it to the north. I'll put the coffee on for you before I go down."

" Where the hell are we going cap?" I stood and took my blanket with me to the captains chair.

I had driven the boat numerous times. My dad taught me well.

" Hope Island. Both you girls are being let off to hide out for a bit."

" Hmmm...I'm not f*****g staying there all alone with my ugly sister.

She can stay with you. Make her cut bait, she hates to do that." I winked at cap as his mouth rose on one side.

" You are the boss. Wake me in 4 hours, and Janu...I missed you. I never stopped thinking about how brave you are. Respect girly, mad respect." He hit his fist over his heart.

My face reddened at his kind words.

The night was long and cold.

I was too amped up to sleep or feel tired. Setting the steering on auto, I ran down to the galley to grab a coffee.

No creamer, just black how all the other captains took it.

When I returned to the wheel house, I opened the side window and stuck my head out, smelling the cool salty air and looking up at the night sky.

A million stars winking down at me. I felt happy being here right now. It was when I felt most comfortable. I felt at home on the Eastern May.

I was never afraid on this boat, I guess because my dad had always kept me close. It was our special bond.

I guess I could admit, even with the attention I received from the abuse, before all of that happened, I knew my daddy treated me different.

We were much closer than April and he had ever been.

I admit that April did have good reason to feel jealous. But what she did with those feelings...she crossed the line so many times.

I sipped my hot coffee as the sun began to rise. It was utterly beautiful.

I let cap sleep in...long past the 4 hours he told me to wake him at.

I wanted to keep my spot, taking in all of the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean.

Wave after wave. Seaguls chasing us and the hum of the engines running smoothly. It was heaven.

I heard Cap coming up the stairs.

" You doing okay?" he was drinking coffee as he motioned for me to move from his chair.

I nodded.

"My bunk is still warm, go to my cabin and rest. Lock yourself in. April is still sleeping."

" Thanks, I will. Night cap, and thanks for trusting me with your boat." I smiled as I yawned.

" Your boat girly. All yours. Whenever you are ready for her."

I bit my lip. "He is giving me the boat?"

" It's done. He knows he f****d up and he wants you to know how important you are to him." he said, as he adjusted the gears.

" This boat is his life. He would never sell her or let her go." I was dumbfounded.

" You're his life Janu. He would never let you go."

Oh my Lord, my eyes were filling up with fat drops of salty tears.

" I have a lot to think about. I mean...I'm not sure I am the one to leave his legacy to.

I want things...I have been thinking about Montana, or Wyoming. I need time."

" Well kid, that's good because I need this job. Let's talk about everything after you get some sleep."

I nodded and turned to leave, but quickly turned back and kissed the old guys scraggly head.

"I love you. Thanks for being on my side. I needed a friend in all of this."

" Awe, get lost kid...I can't work if my eyes keep leaking." He wiped his eyes with the back of his calloused hands.

I giggled as I went to bed.

My heart was already lighter.