Becalmed: When a Southern woman with a broken heart finds herself falling for a widower with a broken boat, it's anything but smooth sailing.

by Normandie Fischer

  “We could. But then having it wouldn’t be so special, would it?”

  She seemed to think about that as she caught a drip with her tongue. “I guess not.”

  They flopped to the ground under one of the few trees that fronted the boardwalk. When a man in a flashy, flowered shirt scurried past, they followed his progress toward the wharf-front restaurant and a squawking, sun-visored woman.

  “Uh-oh, he’s in the doghouse,” Jilly said.

  Will whooped. “Where’d you hear that?”

  “Aunt Liz. She said it about Uncle Dan if he came home late. Did Mommy ever put you in the doghouse?”

  “If she did, she never told me.”

  “Oh.” Jilly licked again, pressing the last scoop into the cone with her tongue. “When Aunt Liz said it, she was angry. I think it meant she wasn’t going to be nice to Uncle Dan.”

  “Your mommy never got that angry.”

  “Because you weren’t late.”

  “Well, I was sometimes. But I always called her to explain.”

  Jilly wiped her lips with the back of her hand. “That made it okay.”

  “Here. Use another napkin, or you’re going to be all sticky.”

  “I already am. We need some water.”

  “Soon as you finish.”

  He found a public restroom and waited while Jilly cleaned up. Bouncing out to the sidewalk again—how did she manage a bounce in this heat?—she pointed across the street toward the Maritime Museum. “You promised we could see what they have, the pirate stuff, like on the poster. You said so yesterday.”

  “I know I did.” He glanced at his watch. “Tell you what. We’ll ask them if there’s a taxi stand in town.”

  “We used a taxi yesterday. You just stuck out your arm.”

  “But that was luck. I don’t see any driving past now, do you? And we can’t walk all the way to the West Marine.”

  “Can I look at some of the museum stuff?”

  “Fifteen minutes.”

  “Thirty?”

  “Twenty.”

  Jilly’s smile widened, and she hopped ahead of him up the museum steps. She scanned the pirate exhibit while he chatted with the fellow at the information desk. Soon, she was tugging at his shirt. “Daddy, a book, please … for when you’re busy? We didn’t have time to go to that other place. I mean, we’re here, so could I?”

  Will shooed her ahead, waited as she browsed, then let her count out her recent earnings—as first mate, she received a stipend for certain chores on board—to pay for a story about old Blackbeard himself.

  Back on the sidewalk, she skipped toward the corner, her hair flapping at her shoulders. The heat, which made him long for a tall iced something, still hadn’t fazed her. “At least,” he said, squinting as he wiped fog from his dark lenses, “you can’t complain about boredom tomorrow.”

  She slowed and turned toward him, her freckles crinkling along her nose. “I know. You’ll be busy working, and I’ll be getting smarter.” She stepped off the curb into a blind spot just as tires screeched and a shiny green BMW convertible lurched toward her, its side mirror homing like a heat-seeking missile.

  Chapter Three

  Will yanked Jilly hard against him as the convertible barely braked. Her bony shoulders shook, and his own heart threatened to pound through his ribs. He glared past her. “You fool!” he yelled at the driver, who probably couldn’t hear over the blaring music.

  Will wanted to chase the fellow down and beat the snot out of him. Instead, he took a deep breath and smoothed his hand over his daughter’s head. “You okay, kiddo?”

  She turned to look after the nasty piece of work, her breath catching as the car took the corner and the driver’s flashy sunglasses stared in their direction.

  “The taxi stand is down a couple of blocks.” Taking her hand, reminding himself that he shouldn’t squeeze too tightly—in spite of wanting to pick her up and hang on for dear life—he stepped into the now-quiet street. “Let’s case the shop windows on the way and hope we never see that cretin again.”

  Distracted, Jilly looked up at him. “I know that word.”

  “You do, huh?”

  “It’s a fancy way of calling him a dumb jerk. Right?” She danced up on the other curb, let go of his hand, and shuffled backward. “Am I right? Am I?”

  “Close enough. Who taught you that one, Miss Dictionary?”

  “Oh, Daddy.” She giggled, sidling close enough to grab his hand again. “You did.”

  The clothing stores did not seem to interest Jilly, though she did stop to look at a hat she declared would be perfect for Tubby, her favorite bear. “But it’s okay. We don’t need it.”

  Which was a relief to Will, because Jilly’s animal collection already took up much of the V-berth.

  They passed a pub-like restaurant, and Jilly braked in front of a plate-glass window full of the odd and interesting.

  “Daddy, look. Don’t you just love that frog?” A large green toad sculpted of painted metal looked ready to devour the over-sized fly perched at the tip of its tongue. The eyes were spirals of metal with penny-sized pupils bulging toward the fly.

  Will had to admit the thing had charm.

  “Can we go in, just for a second? Please?”

  “Sure, punkin.” What did a few more minutes matter?

  He helped her with the door. The jingle that sounded their entrance brought a hello from a silver-haired lady in a flowing green dress. “Come in,” she said, smiling at them both, but concentrating on Jilly. “I see you met Jasper.”

  “Is that his name?” Jilly peered back toward the window.

  The lady nodded. “Jasper Toad. And what’s yours?”

  “Jilly.” She pointed to her father. “And my daddy’s name is Will.”

  “I’m Isa,” the lady said, holding out her hand first to Jilly, then to Will. “I’m very pleased to meet you both.” She turned back to Jilly. “Would you like to see Jasper’s friends?”

  Jilly’s eyes brightened. “Oh, yes.”

  The jade lady glided toward some shelves at the back of the store where a menagerie of metal animals held court. “These just came in. Aren’t they wonderful?”

  “Daddy, come here.” Jilly pulled him to her side. “Look at the fish.” A ribbed construction with brass scales and a mouth that resembled a small-toothed barracuda stood on its own pedestal. “Does he have a name?”

  “I don’t know,” Isa said. “Why don’t you ask him?”

  Jilly did. They waited, the two adults watching as Jilly bent close to the metal object. Will bit his lip to stifle a grin.

  Finally, Jilly’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, dear, we goofed.” She giggled. “Her name’s Penelope. She’s a girl fish.”

  Isa’s eyes twinkled, but she spoke seriously to the sculpture. “I’m sorry. How do you do, Penelope?” She turned to Jilly. “I’m glad you found that out. Imagine if I’d gone on referring to her as a him?”

  Jilly nodded. “I’m sure she forgives us. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have told us her name at all, would she?” She looked up at Will.

  He merely shrugged. Shrugging seemed safe.

  Fortunately, Isa took up the slack. “You’re absolutely right, Jilly. I can’t tell you how grateful I am. My bosses will be pleased.”

  “Oh,” Jilly said, looking around. “This isn’t your store?”

  Will’s gaze followed the sweep of Isa’s hand.

  “Well, you know,” she said, “I sometimes feel as if it is. But to tell the truth, two wonderful ladies merely allow me to work in this magical place.” She indicated a shelf of pottery. “Those are Hannah’s. She’s one of the store’s owners.” Turning toward the front of the shop, she motioned with her hand. “Come, let me show you Tadie’s work.”

  Jilly leaned back against Will as Isa reached into a glass case and pulled out a lacy necklace with a ruby or some other deep red jewel at its center. Jilly’s fingers hovered just above the gem.

  Isa nodded. “You may
touch it.”

  Gently, his daughter ran a finger over the surface of the gem and the gold that surrounded it. “It’s beautiful. Like a fairy necklace, but big enough for a lady.”

  “Now look in the glass there,” Isa said. “See that ring and the other pieces? Some are silver, some gold.”

  Will leaned in behind Jilly as her nose touched the glass.

  “Tadie must be a very nice lady.”

  “Why do you say that?” Isa asked.

  Will watched, fascinated.

  “She makes things my mommy would have liked.” Jilly turned to Will. “Wouldn’t Mommy have liked that necklace?”

  Will couldn’t have said anything if his life depended on it.

  Isa must have noticed, because she directed Jilly’s attention back to the array in front of them. “Would you like to try on something?”

  Jilly pointed to one of the smaller rings, a simple setting in silver with a stone the color of her own green eyes. She had just slipped it on her finger when the bells jingled over the door, and a dark-haired man in jeans entered. Will recognized him immediately.

  Isa looked up and smiled. “Be with you in a minute.”

  Either the creep was blind, or he wanted to pretend their earlier encounter hadn’t nearly killed Jilly. With a casual wave at Isa, the man wandered just as casually toward them, keeping his sunglasses in place, even though the store’s lights weren’t overly bright.

  Will guarded his expression so Jilly wouldn’t see the anger he wanted to unleash, but she evidently hadn’t noticed the man. When the ring spun around on her finger, she slipped it over her thumb, holding it up so everyone could admire it. “Pretty,” she said as the stone’s facets refracted the light. “Daddy, do you think we could buy something of Tadie’s when I grow up?”

  Will was about to answer when the stranger cleared his throat and took a step closer. “Speaking of Tadie,” he said, drawing everyone’s attention, “is she coming in today?”

  Jilly sucked in an audible breath and sidled closer to Will, hiding her face in his shirt. He held her close with one hand. His other hand fisted.

  Isa stepped around the counter. Her back straightened perceptibly, and her frigid glare reminded Will of his elementary school principal. He wanted to applaud. “She comes in when she wants. May I give her a message?”

  “I’d like to surprise her.” The creep’s gaze traveled around the store. “She’s done well for herself, hasn’t she?” When he nodded toward the case, those dark lenses seemed to probe Jilly. “These hers?”

  Jilly trembled at Will’s back.

  Just let the fellow say something to her. Just let him do something remotely threatening.

  Isa’s lips thinned. “Why don’t I tell her who was asking.” She didn’t make it a question.

  The man raised his palm and his eyebrows along with it. “No need. I’ll check back later.” With a dismissive salute he sauntered out of the shop.

  Will unclenched his free hand. It itched.

  “Hmm,” was all Isa said.

  Jilly slid the ring off and handed it back to Isa. “Thank you for showing it to me, Mrs. Isa.”

  “You’re welcome, but it’s just Isa.”

  “I like your name.”

  “And I like yours.”

  Taking one last look at the closed door, Jilly pressed toward the glass case, her hands resting on top as she examined its contents. “How old is she? Tadie, I mean.”

  “She’s not as young as you, nor nearly as old as I am.”

  “I’m seven. And almost a half.”

  “Then she’s much older.” Isa seemed to study Will for a moment. “I’d guess she and Hannah are more your daddy’s age.”

  “Aren’t you and my daddy the same age?”

  With a tinkling laugh that sounded like the bells over the door, Isa said, “You little darling. No, I think I’m old enough to be your daddy’s big sister, if not his mother.”

  Jilly’s jaw dropped open and her eyes rounded. “Oh, not his mother.”

  “Why not?”

  “That would make you as old as my grandmother, and you can’t be.”

  “Why ever not? Don’t you like your grandmother?”

  “I like her a lot. But she’s so old.”

  “Well, of course, I wouldn’t want to be that old.”

  Will coughed and put a hand on Jilly’s shoulder. “Now that we’ve settled the age issue, perhaps you’d like to move on to another topic.” He mouthed, I’m sorry, to Isa.

  Isa’s hand fluttered, reminding Will of a butterfly’s wing that settled instead of taking flight.

  “I hope you and your daddy will come back to see me whenever you’re in town,” Isa said, leaning toward Jilly before turning to include Will in her invitation. “It’s fun to meet someone who likes Jasper and his friends.”

  “When we’re not busy working on the boat, we’ll come, won’t we, Daddy?” Jilly said, glancing back at the toad. “We’ve got to get her fixed so we can go to Baltimore.”

  “Baltimore, is it? And what will you be doing in Baltimore?”

  “Our friends are supposed to meet us there. Only, something’s wrong on the boat. So we can’t go until it gets fixed.”

  “If you need information,” Isa said, “I’m pretty sure we have a list of parts places and phone numbers somewhere. Tadie will be in either this afternoon or tomorrow. She’ll know where it is.”

  “You certainly make a stranded cruiser feel welcome. I’d love to see the list.” He patted Jilly’s head. “Good thing you wanted to stop in here, First Mate.”

  Jilly beamed.

  “She’s indispensable,” Will said, holding the door for his daughter.

  “I can see that.”

  Back on the street, Jilly asked, “What’s indispensable?”

  “You. It means I can’t do without you.”

  She reached for his hand. “You’re indispensable too.”

  “So, Miss-Most-Important-Person-in-My-Life,” he said, glancing at his watch, “what do you say? Let’s grab that cab, go to West Marine, and see if we can find what we need. We’ll come back to have an early dinner in town.”

  “Could we? A hamburger would be lovely.”

  Oh, Jilly. Will touched her soft cheek. Sometimes she was so like her mother. He could almost hear Nancy’s low voice whispering through Jilly. “Lovely,” Nancy used to say. “That would be lovely.” He knew Jilly’s mimic was unintentional, but the pang of loss felt like the scrape of a blade on raw flesh. He looked out over the water for a moment so she wouldn’t see the flash in his eyes.

  Will was pretty sure a ka-ching went off in the cabbie’s mental cash register at the prospect of a trip to West Marine, all the way on the far side of Morehead City. Jilly didn’t seem to mind. She wiled away the drive by discussing their promised dinner.

  “Can we go to that place we saw, Daddy? That place next to the shop with Jasper and Penelope?”

  Will dipped his head as if considering the matter. “It did look very much like a restaurant where a person could get a real hamburger.”

  “With fries and ketchup?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “And a soda?”

  His eyes narrowed, and he exaggerated a frown. “Soda?” He cleared his throat. “You mean, one of those terrible-for-you-full-of-sugar drinks that the crew of the Nancy Grace has forsworn?”

  Her eyes widened as she nodded.

  Touching one finger to his cheek, he raised his brows. “Madam First Mate, do you consider this the sort of day that requires an exception to the no-soda rule?”

  Jilly straightened her spine even more and mimicked his finger on the cheek for a moment before her head bopped back up. “I do, Captain, sir.”

  Will peered down his nose at the skinny creature next to him, who seemed ready to burst into giggles. “Then,” he said stiffly, “I so order it.”

  That sent Jilly over the edge. “Oh, Daddy, you are so funny.”

  * * * * *


  Will rowed them back to the Nancy Grace, the oars sliding into the still water with barely a splash, pressing them forward, up and in, up and in, occasionally slapping the surface when he missed a beat. Their trip to West Marine had proved fruitless, which meant another day’s delay. But they’d had fun, and that’s what mattered. That had to be what mattered.

  Jilly brushed her teeth and climbed into bed. She said goodnight to her animals while she combed out her hair. Laying her comb aside, she expelled a deep, loud sigh, apparently for his benefit. “Daddy,” she called. “You haven’t heard my prayers.”

  He sat on the edge of her bunk. Enough light filtered in the open hatch that he could see her expression as she waited with her hands folded, ready.

  “Dad-dy.” She drew out the word in rebuke. When he smiled and bowed his head, she began. “Dear God, thank you for the soda and the hamburger. And thank you for that pretty store. And for telling me Penelope’s name. Please bless Isa.” She popped open her eyes. “Is it okay if I call her Isa?”

  “It doesn’t feel polite enough?”

  Jilly gave her head a quick shake.

  “Well, I think it’s polite to do what she asked.”

  Jilly shut her eyes and bowed her head again. “Sorry, God. I’m back. Would you please tell Mommy I love her and miss her? She’s doing okay, isn’t she? And please bless Daddy and Nana and Pop-pop and Auntie Liz and Uncle Dan and, oh yes, bless Andrew and Daffy and I don’t remember the big brother’s name, but bless him too. And help Daddy figure out what’s wrong with the motor thing and help us get to Baltimore in time to play with them again. You know we promised—”

  “No, we said we’d try. Remember?”

  “I know. Cruisers never travel by schedule. Okay, but, God, if you could get us there in time, it would be lovely, and I’d thank you a whole bunch.”

  She looked up at Will through her lashes, pressed her eyes closed, and said a quick, “Amen.” When she opened them again, she held up her arms.

  He leaned in and let them circle his neck. She smelled slightly of little-girl sweat. He’d have to see about showers tomorrow. “Goodnight,” he whispered, kissing her cheek.

  “Goodnight, Daddy.”

  “Don’t let the bedbugs bite.”