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

  “Sorry, Mr. Merritt. They promised, but you know how suppliers are. Say one thing, mean another. If that heat exchanger doesn’t get here tomorrow, I’ll send one of my boys over to Jacksonville.” He leaned over the counter, his arms jutting like two hairy sticks out of the blue work shirt that had his name on the pocket: Billy W.

  “I’d appreciate it,” her daddy said. “I need to get the engine working again. So, by tomorrow before closing?”

  “Sure thing,” Billy W. said. “That is, if the hurricane don’t come this way.”

  Daddy halted and jerked his head around. “Hurricane?”

  “Didn’t know as you’d heard or not. Thought you’d have mentioned it if you had. I know how you fellas are, always listening to your weather radios. I’ve got friends come in here—”

  “What hurricane? Where’s it heading?”

  “That’s just it. They ain’t quite got that figured out. That tropical storm down there was heading kinda toward the Gulf. Seems it changed course, and in the process it stayed over the warm water long enough to graduate to bein’ called a hurricane. Hurricane Delia.”

  “It’s a bit early in the season, isn’t it?”

  “We get ’em anytime mid-August on. My daddy always said that in a hot year, you’re gonna have your share. Don’t know that’s gospel, but it was to him. Anyway, we’ve had some scorchers all the way up the coast. Probably heated up the water. Sucked the storm this way.”

  Jilly looked up at her daddy. His forehead was wrinkled and his eyes sort of squinty, like he wasn’t sure if the man was crazy or not.

  “So where’s it headed?”

  The man scratched his head and loosened white flakes. They dropped to his shoulders, and a few hit the counter, but the counter was so dusty, he probably didn’t notice.

  “Someplace between Savannah and Norfolk,” he said. “Least, that’s what they’re saying. Now, my bet is Norfolk. It’s their turn, ’cause we’ve had Floyd and Isabelle. Irene not long ago, though that knocked folk for a loop all over the place. Anyway, I figure this one’s bound to turn north, only not so far up as New Jersey. They got smacked with Sandy. So, percentages.”

  “Sure hope you’re right.” Daddy held the door for her.

  Jilly didn’t like the sound of that at all. A hurricane? Here? Daddy’d said that’s why he wouldn’t stay in Beaufort A hurricane coming now would really set him off.

  His brow was still wrinkled when they climbed into the cab. “What are we going to do?” she asked.

  “Well, the first thing is to listen to the radio. Then maybe we’ll take the computer to that coffee place that has Wi-Fi.”

  The driver turned around. “You folks talkin’ about that there storm down in the Caribbean? Delia? Hope it don’t come here.”

  “You and me both.”

  “Daddy, I wish we had the Weather Channel.”

  He tweaked her nose. “So we could watch those guys standing in the rain, telling us what’s happening while they look as if they’ll blow away?”

  Jilly nodded. “If it comes here, maybe they’ll come too. You think?”

  “Probably. But I don’t imagine we have to worry about a hurricane. What are the chances?”

  Jilly bit her lip. She knew all about those chances. She knew her daddy said it to make her feel better, but bad things happened. She didn’t know why. They just did.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Tadie would have to write this off as a particularly unproductive day. She’d stared out the window as clouds built to the southeast. She’d fiddled with stones and broken a link while soldering a clasp to the chain. Oh, she’d managed to dust the downstairs rooms, but that didn’t count because she’d just have to tackle those same surfaces in another day or two.

  She was back in her studio, about to turn on the soldering torch, when Eb showed up, his tail twitching.

  She looked at her watch. “Already?” she asked, knowing the answer.

  “Coming,” she told him. Of course, she was coming. Eb had trained her well.

  He darted ahead into the kitchen, waiting like a sentinel while she filled his bowl. She watched as he sniffed at the dry food before turning to glare at her.

  “Eat. That’s all you’re getting. You heard what your doctor said last time we went for your check up. You, sir, are fat. And I’m not to give you so much people-food.”

  Eb turned his back on her.

  “It’s for your own good.”

  The back door opened and Rita poked her head in. “He giving you trouble again?”

  “Look at you,” Tadie said, pulling Rita through the door and giving her a hug. “Can’t believe you’re here already.”

  “I’m taking vacation in lieu of notice, on account of the hurricane. Here,” Rita said, setting a wrapped package on the counter. “I picked up flounder at Fishtowne.”

  “I appreciate it. You been up to see your mama yet?”

  “Going now. I think I’ll stay there at least tonight.”

  “You’re welcome here any time.”

  “Thanks. Talk to you later.”

  Tadie turned on the Weather Channel and pulled out a cast iron skillet. A little oil, a dab of butter, a little salt, a hot pan. There was nothing better.

  She listened as she browned the filet. Hurricane scares were a fact of life in coastal Carolina, but when a bad one hit, it could be devastating. They’d never faced the trouble New Orleans had because they weren’t built the same. The dunes and barrier islands helped Beaufort, and with all the low-lying country round about, there was more room for the storm surge to spread out. Her own home had weathered more than a century of hurricanes. Isabelle hit some areas with severe flooding, and Irene made a mess with trees down all over the place. Seems FEMA had run out of aid money, so they’d best hope this one blew itself out and headed east.

  She needed to haul Luna and make sure the shutters were ready to close, especially that one on the south side. They’d never boarded up the shop, but this year she would. And she had to stock up.

  Isa couldn’t stay at her new place on the beach, not in a big storm. Good thing this house had lots of extra rooms.

  Tadie was forking bites of food when Hannah phoned. “We’re getting ready, just in case,” she said. “I’m putting Alex to work tomorrow. He’d better earn his keep if he’s planning to live with us for any length of time.”

  “Did you forget to tell me something?” Tadie asked, her fork stilled.

  “What? Oh, didn’t I mention he and Bethanne split?”

  “First I’ve heard.”

  “They had some big confrontation, and Alex moved in this afternoon. I just hope it won’t be for long.”

  “I imagine you do. Can’t he find a rental?”

  Hannah sighed loudly, sounding exasperated. “He hasn’t had time to look, and Bethanne closed up the house. Matt had to invite him.”

  “I’m sure it’s only temporary. Alex won’t like it any more than you do.”

  “Except here he won’t be paying rent.”

  “There is that.” Tadie laughed, but without much humor. When they said goodnight, her thoughts went to Alex and his non-marriage. Maybe that’s why he’d been hovering. Well, he’d better not get any ideas. He hadn’t wanted her then, and he sure wasn’t going to get her now.

  * * * * *

  Will had been listening to NOAA weather radio every hour, and they’d just announced that Delia would center-punch the coast as a Category Three hurricane. He worked madly to get things ready so all he’d have to do was install the stupid cooler when it got here—if it got here. At this point, that didn’t look promising.

  They were talking about Delia having the potential to strengthen while it slithered closer to land. Great. He wished he could have hightailed it up the Ditch to some hurricane hole, but without a functioning oil cooler, he didn’t have that option.

  He looked at his watch. Five-fifteen. There wasn’t a boatyard in town open at this hour, and he needed somewhere to haul ou
t that was close enough for a quick limp. The engine would work in short spurts if he reinstalled the old, leaking heat exchanger and poured oil in every few minutes. But he couldn’t go far. And he’d need an extra pair of hands other than Jilly’s.

  Jilly lay curled on the V-berth, trying to be good. He could hear her discussing something with Tubby, perhaps a secret she didn’t want him to hear. He worried sometimes because she never whined or complained anymore. Not that he wanted her to misbehave, but he wasn’t sure this kind of perfection in a kid was normal. He’d read about children worrying when they lost a parent, figuring that if they weren’t perfect, the other one might go away too.

  He bit the tip of his pen as he stared at clouds forming to the south. Should he do something different? Maybe talk to her about it or find a counselor?

  He climbed to the top of the companionway and let the questions swirl out and up.

  What should I do?

  If only Nancy were here to tell him. Or if God would.

  Nothing came except waves slapping gently against the hull, the occasional splash of a pelican, a dog barking from a nearby boat. Jilly was a happy child, and if she were better behaved and more mature than the average seven-year-old, he should rejoice. He’d read that home-schooled kids grew up faster than their peers. That had to be it.

  Besides, he had more pressing things to think about, like a hurricane spiraling up the coast.

  * * * * *

  Jilly’s tummy did a flip when Tadie breezed into the shop with curly hair sticking out all over the place. She sucked once more before pulling the straw from her mouth and called, “Hi!”

  “Good morning, ladies. You look mighty cool.”

  “You,” Isa said, eyeing her boss from shoes to hair, “look as if you’ve been jogging for miles.”

  That didn’t sound nice. Trying to fix it, Jilly turned to Tadie. “I think you look pretty. You always do.”

  “Thanks.” Tadie pushed stray hairs off her face. “Sure is hot out there. I walked, so it’s a good thing I’m not trying to impress you two, isn’t it? With this mop, that’s not happening.”

  “I love your curls,” Jilly said. She did. Tadie had perfect hair. Not red and straight.

  “When they act like curls, they’re fine.”

  “You know what?” Jilly said, bouncing up on her stool. “My daddy’s gotta find someplace to put our boat so the hurricane won’t hurt her. Isa gave him some places.”

  “Wonderful. I need to do the same thing with Luna. And, if you ladies will help me, I’d like to make the shop a little more hurricane-proof. Isa, can you bring a pen and paper?”

  Jilly climbed off the stool and followed Tadie outside, ready for her assignment. “What can I do?”

  “Here, take this.” Tadie handed her a tape measure. “You hold this end, okay? Hold it right there. Good girl.”

  She pushed the end of the tape where Tadie had said, and Isa wrote the numbers down for the big windows and the glass door. Then they went back inside where it was cool.

  “The previous owner of my condo always closed up the place,” Isa told them, “so all I have to do is get the boards out of storage and find some strong man to put them up.”

  “My daddy can do it. He’s very strong.”

  “I bet he is, sweetie. But I imagine he’s going to be a bit preoccupied.”

  “Which reminds me …” Tadie said.

  Jilly could tell Tadie was talking to Isa, but Isa ducked down behind the counter to pick up something. Jilly leaned around to look. It was the pen.

  When Isa stood back up, Tadie said the thing she had started. “If they evacuate the beach, you come stay with me. I have loads of room.”

  Tadie’s house? Jilly slammed her eyes shut for a quick Please, God, before opening them to hear Isa say yes. Of course, Isa said yes. Jilly’s tummy bounced and she stared hard at her sneakers.

  What if Tadie just went away and didn’t say anything about people on a boat—people who needed a place in the storm?

  Someone cleared her throat. Maybe Jilly was supposed to look up and pay attention. She peeked.

  “I have a very big house,” Tadie said, looking straight at her. “It’s much too big for one person—or even two. If you and your daddy need a place to stay, you can come to my house with Isa.”

  She’d said it! Tadie had said it. Jilly could feel her grin get really wide, because who could help smiling when someone did exactly what you’d prayed? “Oh, yes, please,” she whispered.

  “Only if your daddy wants to.”

  “He will. I know he will.”

  Tadie didn’t stay long enough to be there when Jilly’s daddy got back, but he’d fixed things so the Nancy Grace could get out of the water. Jilly was back on her stool, listening when he told Isa he needed help moving to the boatyard. “And then you and I,” he said, talking to Jilly now, “will get to live on land for a week or so. What do you think of that?”

  Jilly started to tell him about Tadie’s house, but he was back talking to Isa and not looking. “I’ve got to get there by this evening so they can haul us, because they’re not going to pull any more boats after today. The news isn’t looking good. We’ll get some heavy winds at the very least—which will land Jilly and me in a hotel.”

  Isa shook her head. “You can always try, but our motels fill up fast when people hear the word hurricane. Everybody from the beach starts booking rooms if they don’t have family inland. They probably already have.”

  Jilly couldn’t wait any longer. She reached out to grab her daddy’s arm and make him look at her. “We have someplace to stay.”

  “We do?”

  Finally, Isa helped out. “Tadie invited us all to her place,” she said. “I live over on Atlantic Beach, so she said I should come—”

  “Us too, Daddy!”

  His brows rose as he looked from one to the other. “Us too? Just like that?”

  Jilly’s head bobbed up and down.

  “We barely know her,” he said. “We can’t impose like that.”

  “She has a gigantic house, Daddy. She said so. She said it’s way too big for one or even two. I guess she gets lonely in there.”

  “I think you’re absolutely right, Jilly.” Isa’s hand rested on her shoulder. It felt good. Like Isa was saying she was on Jilly’s side and not to worry. “I think Tadie would love an excuse to have a house party like in the old days.”

  “Doesn’t that sound like so much fun, Daddy? We can go, can’t we?”

  He didn’t look real happy. “We’ll see. I’ll have to talk to Tadie about it. Besides, the hurricane may hit someplace else entirely or even behave itself and head to sea. Let’s not go off half-cocked until we know more, okay?”

  “But we’re still going to put the Nancy Grace in the boatyard?”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “Then we might need a place to stay.”

  “If the storm comes, yes.”

  Jilly crossed her fingers behind her back. “Okay.”

  “About moving the boat,” Daddy said to Isa. “Do you happen to know anyone I could hire to give me a hand?”

  “What about me, Daddy?”

  He grabbed a pigtail and tugged, grinning down at her. “I’ll need you to help me drive her, no doubt about that, but we need an adult at the wheel while I’m below pouring in oil every few minutes. I bought out the store.”

  Isa looked like she was thinking. Then she held up a finger. “Let me go make a call.” A minute later, she stuck her head out of the office. “Is your dinghy at the dock?”

  Daddy nodded. Jilly tugged at his hand, but before she could say anything, Isa came out.

  “Tadie’s going to meet you at your dinghy.”

  “Tadie?” Her voice sounded squeaky, but she didn’t care.

  “Yes ma’am.” Isa grinned down at her. Isa was so nice. “I asked her for the name of someone who could help, and she gave me hers.” Isa turned to Daddy. “Is that okay with you?”

  Jilly held
her breath.

  “I hate to bother her.”

  “Oh pooh. She’ll love it.”

  * * * * *

  It didn’t take Tadie ten minutes to get her things together and head down Front Street toward their rendezvous at the dinghy dock. She longed to be able to whistle. This was a whistling moment. Her feet felt light, as if she’d added insoles to her boat shoes.

  Jilly bounded down the sidewalk to meet her. “Hello! Isn’t this going to be fun?”

  “Yes ma’am, it certainly is.” She waved at Will, trying to contain her excitement. She was thrilled to be going on that lovely boat, even if the distance traveled would be less than a mile. “Where are we headed?”

  “Up to Fowler’s Yard. Ever been there?”

  “Nope.”

  She climbed down into the dinghy and helped Jilly buckle on her lifejacket as Will started the outboard. No one said much on the way out, but Jilly seemed as excited as Tadie.

  At the Nancy Grace, she helped Will hoist the motor and stow the dinghy on deck. “If you’ll stand with Jilly at the wheel,” Will said, “I’ll add oil and start the engine.”

  It chugged to life. Will hoisted and stowed the anchor, then dashed below again to add more oil.

  “I can’t check the level while we’re underway,” he said when he came back on deck. “I hope that’s enough to get us there. Anyway, let me get the lines and fenders out while you head to that marker at the end of town.” He pointed first to the marker, then down to the chart. “Fowlers is just inside there, this side of the bridge.”

  “I’ve got it.”

  Tadie allowed Jilly to steer, correcting when necessary. Will made one more trip below as they neared the harbor entrance before he took the wheel and used the VHF to check back in with the marina.

  “Can you handle the lines, Tadie? And Jilly, be ready to help me. Someone will be waiting at the dock.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain,” they chorused.

  It all went very smoothly. Tadie tossed the bow line to waiting hands and went aft for the stern line. Will had already stowed the sails and bimini, so he needed only to secure the dinghy and take down his dodger once the boat was on the hard. The travel lift looked ready to haul them.