South of Heaven

by Ali Spooner

  “I’ll get the rest of them up if you want to start working on breakfast,” she told him.

  “Good luck getting them moving,” he replied, and went topside.

  Lindsey walked from berth to berth, gently shaking each occupant awake. “Wake up you guys. The captain wants nets in the water before we have breakfast.”

  Charlie groaned. “I was having the nicest of dreams.” He wiped the sleep from his eyes.

  “You can get back to it later. We’ve work to do before we can head home,” she explained. “I’ll meet you all on deck.” She left them to get ready and walked out to prepare for work.

  †

  When the wind hit Lindsey in the face, she knew what was making Kendra anxious. It had picked up noticeably from last night’s gentle breeze, and was coming up from the southeast. She didn’t need a weather report to know Dani was on her way.

  Twenty minutes later, the nets were in the water and Kendra began the trawl as the crew headed to the galley for breakfast.

  Lindsey carried a tray into the wheelhouse for Kendra. The plate, full of scrambled eggs, slices of leftover steak, hash browns, toast, juice, and a thermos of coffee, had her mouthwatering as she placed it on the small table beside the captain.

  “Enjoy, and give me a shout if you need anything.”

  “Thanks. Eat a hearty breakfast. It’s going to be a busy day,” Kendra warned.

  “Will do, Captain.”

  Harvey served Lindsey a plate when she returned to the galley.

  “Thanks, you going to join me?”

  “I’ll be right behind you.”

  “What’s the plan this morning?” Tim asked her.

  “Two quick runs, then we’ll head for home. When we start north, we need to load the frozen bags into the bins to prepare for unloading once we reach the harbor. Then we need to prepare the boat for the storm, securing anything we can below and making sure things are tied down on deck.”

  “Will we make it in tonight, Harvey?” Charlie asked.

  “No, probably not, loaded down as we are, but we’ll be damned close. Maybe an hour or two from home at most. I’d advise each of you to call home sometime today to get your family started making preparations for the storm, if you haven’t already done so.”

  “I almost hate to ask, but do you think we’ll get paid when we get home tomorrow?” Charlie asked. “I’m not sure if we’ll evacuate, but if we decide to, some extra money would be helpful.”

  “The captain plans to write paychecks later tonight. They won’t be exact, based on this week’s run, but they’ll be identical to last week’s check. She said she’d adjust them next week once she gets the final total on this week’s haul.”

  “That’s awesome,” Charlie shoveled the last bit of food into his mouth. He noticed Tim and the other men where already finished eating. “We’ll get the bins in place and the bags ready to go, while y’all finish eating. Thanks for another great meal, Harvey.”

  “You’re welcome, and thanks for getting us set for the first run. We won’t be long,” he promised.

  “Take your time. We’ve got this handled,” Charlie answered, winking at Lindsey.

  Lindsey watched the crew leave and then turned back to Harvey, smiling. “You’re really good with the crew.”

  “I learned a long time ago, if you treat your crew good, they’ll run through walls to get the work done. Even Charlie, though still young and inexperienced, he’s falling into stride with the rest of the crew.”

  Lindsey stabbed the last morsel of steak and popped it into her mouth. “That really was a good breakfast. Do you want me to start cleaning up in here?”

  “That would be great. I’ll go check on the captain, and be right back to help.”

  †

  Kendra was on the phone with her father when she saw Harvey walk into the wheelhouse.

  She looked at Harvey, smiled, and shrugged. Her dad had finally seen the weather report and was giving her an earful, never pausing for a breath, for not keeping him informed.

  When he did finally pause, Kendra said, “We will be headed home before lunch today, and I’ll have the crew safely delivered home, and the boat tucked away in the bay by nightfall tomorrow.”

  Kendra shook her head. “No, Dad, you’re right where you’re needed. Uncle Henry and Aunt Betty need you there with them. Trust me, I’ve got things under control here. Besides, you probably can’t get a flight back in until after the storm moves through.”

  “I do trust you, Kendra, I just worry about you.”

  “I’ve got the best crew a captain could ask for, and Lindsey is going to help me with the boat, so stop worrying.” She winked at Harvey.

  “Do you need anything?” Harvey whispered.

  She shook her head, mouthed thanks, and watched Harvey leave.

  “Well, you had better call me every few hours once you get the boat in the bay. We should be able to stay in touch with the satellite phone at least,” he grumbled.

  “I promise, Dad.”

  “All right. Call me tonight so I’ll know how close you are to home, and keep an eye on the reports.”

  “Yes, I will.” It was her turn to groan. “You taught me well, remember?”

  “Yes, I did, and I’m very proud of you.”

  “Thanks, Dad. I love you, and we’ll talk again tonight.”

  “Stay safe, Kendra,” her dad said before ending the call.

  †

  When the final nets of the trip were hauled onboard, the crew worked quickly to empty them into the bins. Then they began securing the riggings, and storing the doors below deck. Lindsey and Harvey continued to bag shrimp and when done, set them up in the freezer. Tim and Charlie had already stacked the frozen bags in the storage bins, leaving plenty of room for the new bags to freeze.

  It was well past lunchtime when they had the boat in order. “What would you guys like for supper?” Harvey asked.

  “What are our options?” Tim asked.

  “We can have chicken Alfredo, or we can process those grouper we netted and fry them up with some hushpuppies and coleslaw.”

  “I vote for the grouper,” Charlie piped in. “I’ll even volunteer Tim and me to clean them.”

  “Done deal. Lindsey and I’ll start preparing the rest of the meal.” He turned to Lindsey. “Will you check on the captain to see if she needs anything, and run the supper menu past her?”

  †

  Kendra’s timing was perfect. She turned off the engine and set the anchor, just as Harvey was removing the last filet from the fryer. She shut down the wheelhouse and walked to the galley in search of her crew and a cold beer.

  “Just in time,” Harvey told her when she entered. “Charlie, get your captain a cold one.”

  “This looks delicious.” She joined them at the table filled with food and accepted the icy beer from Charlie.

  “Just wait ’til you taste Lindsey’s hushpuppies.”

  “Have you already been sampling, Charlie?” Kendra asked.

  “I couldn’t help myself, Captain, they looked too good not to try.”

  She looked at the massive pile of hushpuppies. “There’s enough there to feed a small army, so no harm done. Thanks for another great week.” She lifted her bottle to the cheers of the crew. “Now, let’s eat before it gets cold.”

  They finished the meal and shared another beer while discussing the next day’s plans before retiring for the night.

  “I hope to have us in port by eight in the morning and have the truck there ready to offload the haul. If all goes well, you’ll be back home by nine,” she told them, and handed out the week’s paychecks. “They aren’t exact, but I’ll make up the difference next week once we’ve tallied this week’s haul.”

  “Thanks, Captain. Can I ask one more favor?”

  “Sure, Charlie, what is it?”

  “Can you give me the satellite phone number so I can call you to check to make sure everything’s going well in the bay?”

 
Kendra smiled warmly at the young man. “Of course I can. I’ll give each of you the number before you leave tomorrow.”

  “I hope you know you can contact any of us, if you need anything,” Harvey reminded her.

  “That means a lot to me, and I’ll call if there is anything I need. I’m just praying everyone will weather the storm safely, and we can get back on the water soon.”

  “Amen to that,” Tim replied.

  The men started to filter out of the galley after it was cleaned, leaving Kendra, Harvey, and Lindsey to finish their beer.

  “What time do you want to be underway in the morning?” he asked.

  “Just as soon as it’s light enough to see,” she answered. “Dani is picking up speed, and is hell bent on paying us a visit. She’s still a Cat Two, but she’s predicted to strengthen further.”

  “Do they have an estimate on landfall yet?” he asked.

  “Two days tops at this point, and anywhere between Panama City and Mobile.”

  “That gives us plenty of time to prepare. Are you sure you don’t need one of us to help with the boat?”

  She looked at Lindsey. “I don’t think there’s anything else we haven’t prepared for. I’ll call and let you know when we’re safely tucked away in the bay.”

  “I’d appreciate that,” Harvey replied. “For goodness sakes, please don’t forget to call your Dad. I can just see him renting a car to drive back in the storm.”

  “I’ll do my best to keep him safely in Arizona.” She grinned.

  Harvey stood. “I’m going to call it a night, ladies. See you in the morning.”

  “Goodnight, Harvey. Rest well.” Kendra turned to Lindsey. “I think we should call it a night, too.”

  “You won’t get any argument from me,” Lindsey answered. “I’m toast.”

  “Thanks for all your hard work this week.”

  “Just doing my job, ma’am.” Lindsey grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

  Kendra chuckled. “Goodnight then.”

  As they started to leave, Kendra called out, “Lindsey.”

  Lindsey turned and Kendra reached for her and leaned in close. She kissed her softly on the lips. “Thanks for all of your support.” She left Lindsey staring after her, speechless, and walked to her cabin, wearing a huge grin.

  Lindsey lifted her fingers to her lips. The kiss was so soft, she wondered if she had dreamed it but she could taste the lip balm that Kendra used. “Damn,” she whispered and retired to her bunk, her cheeks filled with a smile.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The next morning dawned with cloudy skies and a brisk wind blowing across the deck. Kendra was thankful that the crew had finished preparing the boat for the storm the day before, and they could remain inside for the rest of the trip. Once they got into port, they’d unload the shrimp and depart for home. Kendra was focusing on staying the course when the door opened and Lindsey entered with a thermos of coffee.

  “Good morning, Captain.” Lindsey placed the thermos on the table. “Harvey is going to make pancakes and sausage for breakfast.”

  “That sounds good. I’m actually hungry this morning.”

  “Do you want me to take over here so you can go share a meal with the crew? I think they’d appreciate it if you did.”

  Kendra looked at her curiously, but nodded. “Just keep on this course and I’ll be back soon.”

  “Got it.” Lindsey took the seat Kendra vacated. “Wow, look at how much bigger the waves have grown overnight. The water is slapping the side of the boat and sea spray is covering the deck.”

  “Keep her steady,” Kendra said before leaving the wheelhouse.

  †

  Harvey took a plate of food and glass of juice to the wheelhouse for Lindsey.

  “Thanks, I was afraid Charlie would eat all the pancakes,” she teased.

  “He’s giving it a good try, but I think I’ve finally managed to fill him up. Thanks for giving Kendra a chance to do some bonding with the guys.”

  “My pleasure. I get to work with them on deck, but she spends most of her time alone in here behind the wheel. She needed a break.”

  “I understand. Most people assume the captain has the easiest job on board, but I’d rather deal with the physical work all day long than have the responsibility that rests on her shoulders,”

  “I agree with you, but sometimes it’s good to get behind the wheel.” She grinned.

  “I’m sure she appreciates having you on board. It takes some pressure off her, knowing there’s another licensed captain on the crew.”

  “It’s good experience for me, too. You and the boys have taught me a lot already.”

  “You’re a hard worker and it’s been a pleasure having you with us.”

  “Thanks, Harvey, that means a lot coming from you.”

  “Enjoy your breakfast and give me a holler if you need something else.”

  “I’ll be doing good to finish all this,” she answered, motioning to the plate.

  Harvey had been gone only a few minutes when the next weather alert came across the system. Lindsey watched the video from the hurricane hunter’s report and whistled when she saw the size of the storm. More importantly, the storm was picking up speed and heading northwest. There was no doubt that Dani, or at least the effects of her outer bands, would be in the area much earlier than planned. She picked up the microphone and radioed the galley.

  “Captain Drake, will you return to the wheelhouse?”

  †

  Kendra looked at Harvey. “This can’t be good. Let’s go see what’s going on.”

  “Can you boys clean up here?” he asked.

  “No problem, Harvey. Thanks for a great meal.”

  “You’re welcome, Charlie. Let’s go, Captain.”

  “What’s up?” Kendra asked as she and Harvey walked into the wheelhouse.

  “A new weather report.” Lindsey pointed to the monitor and clicked the mouse on the video.

  “Damn, she’s getting big. Faster too,” Kendra groaned.

  “Looks like we’re getting company sooner than planned,” Harvey pointed out.

  Lindsey looked at the notepad. “As close as I can calculate, we’ll begin to feel her effects by midday tomorrow. If she keeps the same speed.”

  Kendra looked at the clock. “We should be in port in a half hour. Let the boys know the update and get them ready to unload us quickly, so we can all make for home,” she told Harvey.

  “Is it too risky to go ahead and move the bins to the deck?” Harvey asked.

  “I’d rather not risk anyone getting hurt from the bins shifting unexpectedly, Harvey. Just tell them to move quickly once we approach the dock.”

  “Yes ma’am,” he answered, and left to return to the galley.

  Lindsey could see the worry on Kendra’s face. “Do you want to top off the tanks while I shut down the house when we get in?” she asked.

  “That would save us some time. Do you know what all needs to be done?”

  “I think so. I was paying attention.” She grinned. “Unplug all the unnecessary electrical items, secure the shutters on the windows, check the connections on the generator, and lock up behind me.”

  “Impressive,” Kendra said. “The shutters are self-locking once you’ve pulled them shut. You’ll have to pop the screens from the inside on the second floor to shutter the bedroom windows.”

  “I can handle that. Is there anything you need from the house?”

  “Nothing that I can think of that we don’t already have on board.”

  †

  The boat begin to slow as Kendra positioned her for entry into the slip. She looked out the wheelhouse window and saw the crew pulling the bins out of the freezer.

  “Let’s hoof it, guys,” Harvey was telling them as they went into action.

  Kendra’s eyes then tracked to the dock where the truck was already in place, waiting to take the shrimp to the market, She let out an audible sigh of relief. Once the truck was loaded,
she signed over the paperwork on nineteen hundred and twenty bags of shrimp, pleased that they had nearly reached the quota for a full week.

  Proud of what they had accomplished, the crew’s celebration was short since they were eager to leave the boat to go to their families and prepare their homes for the storm. She hugged each one and wished them luck as they left.

  “I’ll see you soon.” Lindsey waved and hurried up the dock toward the house.

  She entered the house and climbed the stairs to close the second story shutters and unplug clocks and lights. The house was eerily quiet as she moved from room to room. The shutters locked with ease, and when she moved downstairs, the ticking of the grandfather clock welcomed her. With the interior secured, Lindsey closed the downstairs shutters, and checked the generator. Everything was set, so she locked the house and started back to the harbor.

  †

  Kendra returned to the wheelhouse and left the slip to top off the fuel tanks.

  “Are you heading up to the bay?” the man at the fueling station asked Kendra.

  “Yeah, I still think that’s a safer bet than being out on the open water.”

  “You’ll have some company up there. Captain Lucas left about an hour ago.”

  “That’s good to know. Hopefully, the storm will turn or at least pass quickly.”

  “Let’s hope. Stay safe, Captain.”

  “Will do.”

  The fueling finished, Kendra drove the boat back to the slip where Lindsey was already waiting. She jumped on board and Kendra kept moving.

  Lindsey walked into the wheelhouse. “All set at home,” she said.

  “Thanks, you probably saved us an hour or so.”

  “Would you like some coffee?” Lindsey asked as Kendra began to guide the boat through the channels that would take them inland to Perdido Bay.

  “That sounds great.” Kendra kept her eyes fixed out the front window as they approached the narrow pass.