Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
night I shall never want to forget. We both knew we were passing ships in the night, but it
made that night so much sweeter because of it.
The stars came out chorusing their approval, and a honey colored moon rose out of the dark
trees behind us. “I had better be getting back,” whispered Penny in my ear, her hot, clean
breath returning to normal, her eyes now open.
“Yes, I believe we should,” I agreed, taking her hand and walking her back to my dinghy.
I rowed back to her boat, squeezing her hand as she climbed silently over the rail. I rowed
quietly back to Déjà vu and tried to be as silent as possible lest Gavin were to hear me. I
glided soundlessly up to the boat and was about to stand up and disembark when I heard
a quiet, heartfelt sob from the front of the boat. I looked over, alarmed, and saw the back
of Gavin's shoulder shaking slightly as he cried. I have never seen my brother cry, and I
felt as though I had stuck a knife into his ribs. I knew why he was crying, and there was
nothing I could do about it. Nature takes her course. I crept quietly aboard and sadly went
to sleep, trying desperately to justify my actions.
Gavin was quiet and sullen the next day. There was no need for words, actions having
yelled out the message last night loud and clear. I snuck around the boat on tiptoes. Nothing
I could say or do broke the ice. In the end I said, “For heaven's sake Gavin, can't you at
least give me credit for not making the first move? Don't you see that it's usually women
that make the choice anyway? I would much rather it turned out in your favor, but it didn't.”
In time, Penny and I were forgiven by Gavin, and it was decided that she would move
aboard and sail with us to Samoa, where she would then rejoin her parents. I was quite
amazed that Kevin and Elizabeth would allow their lovely daughter to sail with two young
lads that they really didn't know that well. I imagined Penny had been quite forceful in this
decision. She was, after all, born under the Taurus sign in the intriguing and very often ac-
curate world of the zodiac. Judi had been a Taurus, and there is no arguing with them. They
usually get their own way.
In due course, Penny moved aboard and was welcomed heartily by both Gavin and myself.
She loved Gavin and made no bones about it. Gavin felt her sweet honesty and was content
to be friends with her. We bid her parents and Craig an au revoir, giving them an estimated
time of arrival in Pago Pago, American Samoa. They would be leaving in a few days as
well.
We motored out through the channel, holding thumbs that the jury-rigged valve spring
would hold for a while. It held through the channel and, as Kevin predicted, broke just not
too far out at sea. We had the sails ready, which Gavin and Penny then hoisted, swinging
joyfully on the halyards as the wind filled them up. The sun was brightly shining as the
