by Jordan Rivet
Michael grinned. “What kind of favor?”
Judith fought a smile and scowled unconvincingly. “You can go to the plaza two decks below us and find me some clothes from the shops. Just take them. No one will stop you.”
“Sure. Any particular requests? Lingerie or—”
“Leave them outside the door when you come back.”
“I’m just jok— ”
“If you can’t find the plaza, someone will direct you. And get something warm, if you don’t mind.”
Michael chuckled. What did he think was so funny? He retrieved his now-dry undershirt from the bathroom and came back into the room to put it on. He did it slowly, reaching his strong arms above his head and pulling the hem slowly over the muscles in his stomach. Judith pretended to look the other way.
As soon as he was gone, Judith wished she could call him back. She hadn’t meant to snap at him. She’d been embarrassed. It was not like he could hear what she had been thinking about him. She should really apologize.
No, it was probably just as well. Michael was a distraction, one that would never go anywhere. And he had no right to flaunt himself in front of her like that! She ran her fingers through her hair and gingerly began to check her wounds.
Simon
When Simon left the bookstore, he felt calmer about their next course of action. They’d have to press on and find somewhere to make landfall in Asia. There was no point going back. He needed to talk to Ren about the particulars, and he wanted to run the idea by Judith too. He had come to rely on her judgment.
As he walked toward his cabin, he ran into Michael. The seaman was limping, and he seemed to have some sort of hand towel bound tightly around one foot. But he straightened to attention when he saw Simon.
“Sir,” the younger man said, nodding at him. They stopped on the grand staircase for a moment.
“Hello, Michael. Did you find somewhere to stay last night?” Simon asked.
“Temporarily. But I might need more permanent quarters, sir. Are there any spare crew cabins available?”
“I can find out where Nora was staying. That will probably have to do for now.”
Michael made an odd face that Simon couldn’t read.
“That might not . . . Thank you, sir,” he said. “Can I take clothes from one of the shops? I can’t pay for them now but—”
“Yes, of course,” Simon said. “I should have offered sooner. We’ve been using whatever we need.”
“Do you have a system for it, sir? Like a rationing station, so that everyone gets an equal share.”
“Not an official one yet, but that’s a good idea,” Simon said. “We may need to rotate through what we have here. Some people have their own luggage.”
“Some of you came on with nothing, right?” Michael asked. “Judith said . . . Never mind.”
Simon raised an eyebrow. “Yes. I’ve been wearing the same thing for a week and a half, and so has my daughter.” His navy-blue trousers were looking quite washed out from their repeated drenchings in salt water. “Let me show you the shops. They’re a mess, but you should be able to find a few things that fit.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Please call me Simon. And I’ll keep calling you Michael instead of Seaman Williams if that’s okay.”
They walked together along the second level of the plaza. Simon was still trying to get a read on Michael. He treated Simon like a superior officer and on the surface showed the disciplined carriage you’d expect from an enlisted sailor. He seemed like a navy man through and through. And yet he had deserted on the off chance it might help him get home to his family sooner. Perhaps it was a sign of how much the world had changed.
Simon and Michael went into a boutique filled with stylish patio clothes. Simon figured he’d pick up a few things for himself and Esther while he was at it.
“How old is your daughter?” Michael asked.
“Six,” Simon said. “She’s a wild one. She loves the ship. She keeps pestering the engine crew, trying to get them to teach her things.” He picked up a pair of green board shorts that would fit Esther nicely.
“It’s not that safe for a little kid in an engine room,” Michael said.
“Nowhere is safe,” Simon said. “But she’s smart, and she knows not to get into anything that’ll hurt her.”
“That’s great that you have her here with you,” Michael said.
He had gone straight to the women’s clothing section. Simon didn’t comment on it as Michael sorted through a stack of sweaters, holding them up to compare the sizes.
After a while Michael asked, “Where’s her mother?”
“She was in San Diego with my other daughter, Naomi.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t know whether I should assume they’re dead or hold out hope that they’re alive,” Simon said. “Neither perspective is helpful right now.”
“You don’t think anyone survived in San Diego at all?”
“I don’t see how they could have,” Simon said. “There was so much ash. It may look light and fluffy, but it would cling to the insides of your lungs and throat. Anyone who breathed it in wouldn’t stand a chance. And if they’ve had any rain, the weight of the mud would collapse the roofs of the buildings. I can’t imagine they could have lasted long.”
“What about hiding in basements?”
“Wouldn’t have made the air any cleaner,” Simon said.
He had gone through these arguments before. Each time he ruled out a possibility, it felt like a tiny betrayal of Nina and Naomi. He wanted to keep hoping, but how could they possibly have made it?
“Does your daughter know?” Michael asked.
“Not sure she grasps it,” Simon said, “but I’m trying to make her understand. The sooner she can accept it, the better.”
“I don’t grasp it myself,” Michael said.
He had selected two piles of clothing. One would fit him; the other was obviously for a woman. A small puzzle piece clicked into place. Perhaps he had found somewhere to stay after all.
Simon and Michael shook hands at the door.
“I’m calling a meeting this afternoon to discuss our next course of action,” Simon said. “We’ll gather in the Mermaid Lounge on the ninth deck, if you’d like to join us.”
“I’ll be there,” Michael said.
“Good. And would you please make sure Judith comes too?” Simon said.
The look of surprise on Michael’s face confirmed Simon’s suspicions. He smiled and clapped the younger man on the shoulder, leaving him gaping as he headed back up the stairs.
Chapter 17—Decisions
Judith
Judith arrived in the Mermaid Lounge wearing the outfit Michael had brought for her. He had simply knocked, called to her through the door about the meeting, and left the clothes on her doorstep. She had been more than ready to apologize for snapping and invite him back inside, but he just left, making her angry all over again. She should have pulled him straight back into her room.
The slim-fit trousers were exactly the right size, and he had also brought her a gray sweater that might have been cashmere. She was lucky it was soft because her side and arm still burned from the rope. She’d only managed to make it through an early lunch before she had to return to her room to clean her wounds again.
Now she joined the other members of the informal leadership council to hear what Simon thought they should do now that Guam was no longer an option. There were about forty people there already, more than usually attended the meetings. The lounge was somewhat the worse for wear after the storm, and everyone pitched in to pick up broken glasses and overturned chairs before the meeting.
Judith tried to help, but her injured skin still pulled at her. She went over to the bar overlooking the ocean and leaned on her good side. The sea outside was remarkably calm, but the sky was much darker than it should be. Would they ever see the sun again?
There was no point thinking like that. They’d pr
ess on and be back on land soon. This couldn’t last much longer.
Judith scanned the small crowd for Michael but spotted Ren instead. She was sitting in a corner of the lounge, her face withdrawn and her eyes red. Judith knew she should go over, but she didn’t want to talk about Nora. She hadn’t been to see Ren at all today. She couldn’t face her friend’s grief as she tried to stamp down her own. She kept trying to remind herself that she’d only known Nora for a little while and they probably wouldn’t have met or become friends in other circumstances, but it didn’t matter. She felt her loss like the cut of a razor.
Michael arrived, limping, with Reggie and a handful of men from the crew, many of them carrying leftovers from lunch. They were laughing and shoving each other jovially. They chose a booth on the far side of the lounge. Michael sat in the outermost seat and put his elbows on the table. He’d obviously gotten his clothes from the same shop as hers. He wore white linen trousers and a polo shirt underneath a navy-blue sweater, like a banker on his way to the Bahamas. It was an illusion, though. There was something homegrown about him. He fit in better with Reggie and the crew than he would have with the guys from her university.
Michael glanced up and spotted Judith. He looked her up and down and gave a thumbs-up. She folded her arms—or tried to, until it made her rope burn hurt—and stuck her tongue out at him. She regretted it instantly. Ugh. Why can’t I just act like a normal person? But Michael just laughed and pretended to take a picture with an imaginary camera. Judith giggled in spite of herself.
Reggie noticed the exchange between Michael and Judith. He said something that made the whole table laugh. Michael chucked a bit of a roll at him. Judith scowled at Reggie and scooted further around the bar toward the sea, her face reddening.
When she peeked at the group of men again, Reggie held everyone’s attention. The conversation had turned serious, and the men were leaning in to listen. People were really beginning to look up to Reggie, especially after his efforts on the beach. He was becoming more and more of a leader each day. If Judith wanted that for herself, she couldn’t have Reggie catching her flirting.
But no one was more in charge than Simon. He worked the crowd, speaking softly, patting backs and pressing hands. That’s what Judith aspired to. She would never command the sort of respect Simon got if she allowed herself to be distracted by a guy. Maybe she shouldn’t open herself up to another friendship anyway. Losing Nora was too recent, too raw. And it would never last.
“Whatcha doin’, Judy?” said a voice near waist level.
“Oh, nothing. Hi, Esther,” Judith said.
The little girl had come up beside her.
“Are you hiding?” Esther asked.
“No.”
“Then why are you standing over here?”
“I’m just . . . I thought it would be easier to see from over here.”
“Me too,” Esther said. “But I’m short.” She climbed up onto a bar stool. She had a clump of seaweed in her hand, and she was pulling pieces off and chewing them thoughtfully. “You look pretty, Judy. Where’d you get those clothes?”
“A friend got them for me.”
“What friend?”
“Oh, no one. You’re wearing new clothes too, aren’t you? Where’s your Thomas shirt?”
“Daddy said we had to wash it again,” Esther said. “I didn’t think it smelled like fish, but he got me this Catalina shirt to wear instead.”
“I like it,” Judith said.
Esther crossed her legs so she was perched like a little genie on the bar stool.
“What’s Daddy going to talk to everyone about?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Doesn’t he tell you things? I thought you were his assistant or something.”
“I guess I sort of am. He hasn’t told me, though.”
It made Judith smile to hear that Simon apparently thought of her as his assistant.
Across the bar, Simon stepped to the middle of the room. There were about fifty people here now, and they all quieted immediately.
“Good evening, everyone,” Simon said. “I hope you all came through the storm all right. You’ve all been doing a lot to keep the ship in order. I think it’s really helpful and a great habit to get into.” Simon scanned the room, stopping often to look individuals in the eyes. He smiled at Judith when he saw her standing by the bar. Then his eyes landed on Esther and he smiled wider. “I think it’s time that we talked through our options and decide our next course of action,” Simon continued. “Ren tells me we’re about three days out from Southeast Asia in one direction and four days from Hawaii in the other. We’ve already established that Hawaii has its own problems. It may not be the best place to go. We just don’t know if Asia will be any better. If we go back to Hawaii, we’ll be in a disaster zone, but we’ll be in our own country. If we make landfall in Indonesia, for example, we may be better off, but we’ll be foreigners. We’ll just have to hope they’ll help us.”
“So you want us to pick a direction?” Reggie asked.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have enough fuel to sail for more than four or five days, though yesterday’s salvage expedition helped a lot,” Simon said. He hesitated for a moment. “I’ll be honest with you,” he said. “I think we should keep moving forward. We’ll have lots of options to disembark somewhere in Asia. We’ll likely reach the Philippines in a few days, but if we end up with more weather problems we could try Japan or Indonesia or even China. If we sail back to Hawaii, we may overshoot, just like last time. And we’ll be out of luck if they still can’t help us. I say we go west—to the East.”
“I agree!” said someone sitting at the table nearest to Simon. “Hawaii’s a bust.”
“The further away we get from the volcano, the better.”
“Simon’s right. I say we do whatever Simon thinks is best!”
“Hear! Hear!”
Simon waited until everyone had voiced their opinions and then took a vote. Sailing west toward Asia won by a significant margin. No one wanted to sail back the way they’d come from. It was too late to go back.
“Thank you for voting, everyone,” Simon said. “Now there’s another issue I want to raise. We don’t have visas obviously, and we have no idea how welcoming of refugees whatever country we end up in will be. I think we should prepare for a longer time living on the ship, just in case we need to use it as a floating hotel offshore for a little while. Let’s fish. Let’s make better use of the cruise stuff and divide up clothes and personal items so everyone has a fair share. Let’s salvage whatever we can find floating on the water. Anything at all. We never know when we’ll be able to use it.”
“What about water? And electricity?”
“Good point. We should conserve as much as possible.”
“I just want to get off this godforsaken boat,” Horace said from one of the tables.
“So do I. But let’s take these precautions just in case. It’ll give us something to do over the next few days while we’re on our way.”
Most people seemed to think Simon was overly cautious, but he persisted. It was getting late, and they were growing restless and hungry. Finally, they agreed to indulge him. By the time the council meeting broke up, it was past dinnertime. Judith wondered if Simon held the meeting late so that people would be eager to agree with him so they could head to dinner. Could Simon be that shrewd? If not, it was certainly a tactic he should make use of in the future. She made a note to remind him.
Judith stood up from the bar, the pull of her skin reminding her of her injury. She scowled at the pain and then glanced up to see a look of surprise on Michael’s face. He’d been limping toward her, but he turned around again at the sight of her scowl. It hadn’t been directed at him! Judith started to go after him, but Simon was heading her way.
“How are you feeling, Judith?” he asked. “Manny told me you had a rough time in the storm.”
“My arm and side got scraped up and I pulled a muscle or tw
o, but I’ll be fine. It just hurts to move too much.”
“I’m sorry about Nora,” Simon said quietly. “I know she was your friend.
“Thanks,” Judith said. “It’s harder on Ren than on me.” She looked over at her other friend. She should go and console her, but she felt a fierce flash of panic at having to confront Ren’s pain directly.
Simon just nodded and offered his arm to help her toward the door. He seemed to sense that she needed assistance without her having to say so. His presence was comforting, as always. Why couldn’t her father have been more like him? Judith had tried so hard to get him to recognize her capabilities, and he had barely noticed. But Simon took her seriously.
“What did you think of the meeting?” Simon asked as they walked.
Esther had hopped off her stool and darted ahead to pester Frank with questions.
“You’re obviously right about Asia being the only sensible choice,” Judith said. “But you don’t think we’ll be getting off the boat anytime soon, do you?”
Simon was silent for a moment. They ambled along, Judith unable to move too fast. A few people skirted them in the corridor as they headed for the dining hall.
“That’s partially it,” he said.
“You want everyone to get used to following a system, just in case the worst happens,” Judith guessed.
“People need to stay busy,” Simon said. “If we follow a routine every day, they will already be in the habit, and they’ll have something to look forward to each day. I’m concerned about what will happen to this group if their hopes are dashed yet again and they don’t have anything to do on top of it. Better to get some routines going first.”
“That’s smart,” Judith said.
“It’s necessary, unfortunately. Do you think it’s too calculating?”
“Even if it is, it’s for everyone’s good,” Judith said.
Simon gave her a cautious look. “Perhaps.”
If she was honest, Judith thought he was probably worrying too much. Someone would help them. Basic human decency had to prevail eventually.