Comfortable Distance

by Kenna White

  Dusty led them inside and up the stairs to a large room. The kitchen was at one end with a breathtaking view of Mt. Rainer from the kitchen window. The opposite wall held an enormous fireplace, charred black by years of use. The furniture was casual, a mixture of colors and styles that blended surprisingly well into a cozy and inviting space. Magazines, newspapers and books were scattered about suggesting well-read occupants. The art was modern and diverse, everything from wire sculpture to handmade Chinese dog statues. A wood-planked harvest table with benches on the sides marked the dining room. An oversized wooden bowl of yarn balls and pine cones was the centerpiece. The kitchen had open cupboards filled with colorful Fiestaware dishes and pewter serving pieces. The stainless steel stove matched the enormous stainless steel refrigerator. Both seemed exactly opposite to the rest of the relaxed and eclectic ambiance.

  “Bo,” Dusty called down the hall. “We’ve got company.”

  “Who is it?” a voice replied.

  “The Easter Bunny. Who cares who it is? Turn off the computer and get out here.”

  “You could at least tell me who it is,” a gangly teenage girl said, appearing in the hall. She was tall, taller than Dusty and nearly as tall as Jamie. The only resemblance to Dusty was her slender face.

  “Hello, Bo,” Jamie said, grinning broadly.

  “Jamie!” Bo shouted, coming to hug her.

  “Is that the best you can do, shorty?” Jamie said, holding on to her. Bo hugged her again.

  “What are you doing here? Mom didn’t say you were coming.”

  “She didn’t know. We sailed over. It was a surprise. And I want you to meet Dana and her niece, Juliana.”

  “Hello, Bo,” Dana smiled.

  “Hi.” Bo had a bright smile and gorgeous dark eyes.

  “I’m going to make us some lunch. Why don’t you show Juliana your room? I’ll call you when it’s ready. Juliana, the bathroom is the door at the end of the hall. You make yourself at home, cupcake.”

  “Come on,” Bo said eagerly, as if the half dozen years between them made no difference. “Want to play with my Game Boy?”

  “Yeah.” Juliana followed close on her heels and disappeared behind the closed door.

  “We won’t see them for an hour or two,” Dusty said, washing her hands then turning to the refrigerator.

  “Damn, she’s sure growing fast, Dusty,” Jamie said, motioning Dana toward the bar stools at the end of the counter.

  “I know. I can hardly find pants long enough. Thank God it’s summer. She can wear shorts. She’s grown four inches since Christmas.”

  “Is her father tall?” Dana asked.

  “Her father?” Dusty smiled sweetly. “Her father is a two-timing, good-for-nothing, son-of-a-bitching asshole. But who’s keeping score?” She smiled again and batted her eyelashes.

  “Oh.” Dana didn’t mean to pry.

  “It’s good to see you have gotten past the hard feelings, Dusty,” Jamie teased.

  “Nothing to it.” She gave a flip of her hair. “Now, lunch. Let’s see what the fridge has in store for us.”

  Dana was amazed how easily Dusty turned what seemed to be an ugly past into a harmless joke.

  “Mom,” Bo said, exploding through the bedroom door with Juliana right behind. “Can we have crab? It’s low tide.”

  “Sure.” Dusty peeked around the refrigerator door. “Get Juliana a bucket, too.”

  “Oh, boy. I love crab.” Juliana was like a puppy hot on Bo’s heels as she trotted down the stairs to the garage.

  “Do I need to go help?” Dana asked, knowing Juliana had never been crabbing before.

  “No. Bo will show her.” Dusty made it sound like nothing more complicated than picking Popsicles out of the freezer.

  “Juliana, stay close to shore,” Dana called as she heard the door slam.

  “Don’t worry, Dana. Juliana is in good hands,” Jamie said, watching the two girls out the window as they made their way to the stairs that led to the beach. “She’ll take care of her. Bo is a certified scuba diver and a junior division sailing champion. That’s her blue twenty-four footer at the dock.” Jamie nodded toward the glass bookcase full of trophies and ribbons. “Those are hers, too.”

  “She sails that big sailboat all by herself?”

  “Yes and very well, in fact.”

  “She’s driving me nuts, Jamie,” Dusty said, grimacing dramatically. “She wants to move up in class. She wants a thirty-foot Catalina or a Hunter. I told her we just got new sails and forestay. Now she wants something else. You’ve got to talk to her. If she goes bigger she’ll have to go older. The competition won’t be the same. She’ll be campaigning against twenty-year-olds, at least.”

  “I think it’s a good idea. She’s ready. Why don’t you have her try Stacy’s boat? She isn’t racing it right now. Keep Madonna in case she changes her mind but let her get a taste of a bigger boat.”

  “Her boat is named Madonna?” Dana said.

  “Yes. It’s the perfect name for a racing sailboat,” Dusty said, rolling her eyes. “She’s a material girl. There’s always something to replace or fix.”

  “Campaigning a boat is expensive,” Jamie said. “It takes money and a lot of time. You really have to be dedicated. But it pays off if you’re good enough.” She went to the bookcase and looked in at the trophies.

  “And Bo’s good enough?” Dana asked.

  “Oh, yes. She’s definitely good enough.”

  “I don’t think she knows just how good she is,” Dusty said.

  “She’ll probably be on the women’s cup team as soon as she’s eighteen. And the Olympics in three years.”

  “And you’ve got her babysitting a twelve-year-old and schlepping crabs?” Dana checked out the window.

  “We have to keep her from getting a big head,” Dusty said, putting the finishing touches on a salad. While they were talking Dusty had started two pots of water boiling, melted butter and shucked a dozen ears of corn.

  “What can I do to help?” Dana offered.

  “Nothing,” Dusty replied, starting a third pot of water. “It won’t be much. I hope you like crab and clams.”

  “Love them.” Dana watched as she rinsed a sink full of fresh clams.

  “Dusty attended the School of Culinary Arts in Paris,” Jamie said. “The kitchen is her laboratory. If there is a way to cook seafood, she knows it.”

  “Then maybe I should go help Bo and Juliana with the crab. They may have trouble finding any.”

  “A quarter says they’ll have at least a dozen,” Jamie said, digging a quarter from her pocket.

  “Don’t take that bet, Dana,” Dusty warned. “Jamie knows we’re sitting on the best crabbing spot in Case Inlet.”

  “Aunt Dana!” Juliana scrambled up the stairs carrying a plastic bucket. It was so heavy she had to use two hands to carry it. She was barefoot and wet to the waist. “Look! I got six crabs all by myself. Well, Bo helped a little.” She set the bucket on the kitchen floor for all to see.

  “Good job, Juliana,” Jamie said, giving her a pat on the back.

  “Juliana, you’re dripping on the floor,” Dana said, grabbing a paper towel from the holder.

  “Don’t worry about it, Dana,” Dusty said. “The floor is made for that. It’s always getting dumped on. You should see the things that get dragged across this floor.”

  Bo followed, also using two hands to carry her bucket.

  “How many?” Jamie said, looking in the two buckets.

  “Fifteen,” Bo said it as if ashamed.

  “BO!” Dusty perched her hands on her hips disgustedly.

  “There’s five of us, mom,” she said. “Three apiece.”

  “They’re rock crab, Dusty,” Jamie said, poking around in the buckets. “At least half of them anyway. That’s okay.”

  “What’s wrong with fifteen?” Dana asked. “Is that over the limit?”

  “Yes,” Dusty said.

  “No, it isn’t,” Jamie corrected. �
��They increased the limit on the red rock crabs and you know it. It’s twenty this summer.”

  “See, Mom. I told you it was twenty.”

  “I give up.” Dusty threw her hands up in surrender.

  Lunch lasted until nearly three o’clock. The five women sat on the deck, eating, telling jokes and having a good time. Bo and Juliana sat on either side of Jamie, chattering with her almost nonstop, but she didn’t seem to mind. They feasted on cooked crab, steamed clams, corn on the cob, Caesar salad and fresh Marionberry compote. They left the dishes in the sink and all went for a stroll up the beach to walk off the heavy meal. Juliana collected seashells in a pail and asked Jamie what they were. Bo visited with Jamie about sails, new techniques in rigging and changes in the rules. Dusty and Dana talked about teenagers, food and Dusty’s online consulting firm. They walked two miles up the rocky coast before turning back to avoid the rising tide. Jamie stopped at Madonna so Bo could show her the new sails and how she had rigged them. Juliana sat on the dock, tossing the shells into the water and watching them sink.

  “How long have you known Jamie?” Dusty asked Dana, the two of them sitting on the bottom step of the staircase.

  “We have some mutual friends and met at their boat party two weeks ago.”

  “I thought maybe you were a teacher at the university. One of those nerdy types like Jamie.” Jamie and Bo had gone below deck.

  “No. Not me.”

  “What do you do, Dana?”

  “I’m a cartoonist.”

  “Oh, really? Anything I might recognize?”

  “I draw Ringlet. A Scottie with an attitude.”

  “You mean that one in the magazines? The cute little black dog owned by the lesbian?”

  Dana nodded.

  “Wow! I love that cartoon. Last week’s was hilarious. I thought I’d die when she found a goldfish in her bowl.” Dusty threw her head back and laughed. “What’s she going to do next week?”

  “I submit several at a time but they aren’t necessarily sequential. I never know what order they are being used unless I indicate there is a series.”

  “Is it hard to come up with something new and fresh every week? Do you ever get writer’s block like an author?”

  “Occasionally. But I usually have enough submitted that it isn’t a problem. I try to stay several weeks ahead.”

  “Okay, Dana,” Dusty said with a stern face. “I have to know.” She grabbed Dana’s arm and scowled at her. “Is she or isn’t she?”

  “Ringlet?”

  “Yes. Is she a lesbian dog?”

  “I’ll never tell,” Dana said with a cheeky grin.

  “Oh, come on.” Dusty slapped her arm playfully. “Tell me.”

  “Do you think she’s gay?” Dana raised her eyebrows.

  Dusty stared deep into Dana’s eyes as if looking for the truth.

  “She is,” Dusty declared then frowned. “Isn’t she?”

  Dana smiled and shrugged.

  “You little stinker.”

  “How about you?” Dana said, changing the subject. “How long have you known Jamie?”

  “Me?”Dusty chuckled and looked over at Bo’s boat.“Forever. At least it seems like forever.” Dusty seemed lost in thought. As if a chill suddenly washed over her, she crossed her arms to warm herself. “Sometimes it seems like not nearly long enough.” She smiled over at Dana as a tear glistened in her eyes.

  Dana felt she had asked too much. She had opened a wound Dusty wasn’t prepared to face. Asking any more might only be punishment. Dusty stood up and walked to the end of the dock, staring out at a passing sailboat. Dana wished she knew more. Dusty had said just enough to raise her curiosity. She had said enough to make Jamie human and vulnerable just like everyone else.

  “It’s getting late, Dana,” Jamie said, climbing onto the dock. “We better head back. I’d rather not sail into Boston Harbor after dark.”

  Dusty turned around, her composure once again cheerful.

  “You come see us again real soon, cupcake,” she said, giving Juliana a hug and kiss on each cheek. “Have fun and keep that life preserver on,” she added, tweaking her nose then helping her onto Jamie’s boat.

  “Thank you very much for the crabs,” Juliana said politely.

  “Bye, Juliana,” Bo waved, still standing on the deck of her boat. “See ya.”

  “Bye, Bo. See ya.”

  “It was so nice of you to let us invade your wonderful home, Dusty. And thanks so much for the meal. It was delicious.” Dana gave her a hug. Dusty held it longer than she expected. When she released it she was biting her upper lip.

  “Thanks for coming,” she managed.

  “Come visit me sometime, shorty,” Jamie said to Bo. “And soon.”

  “I will.”

  “Now get over here and give me a hug,” Jamie demanded with a grin.

  Bo hopped onto the dock and shared a warm hug with Jamie.

  “Good luck with your sailing, Bo,” Dana said, shaking her hand.

  “Thanks.”

  Dusty had waited until all goodbyes were said before going to Jamie. She wrapped her arms around her warmly, melting into her shoulder. Jamie closed her eyes and held her, swaying slightly. She placed a tender kiss on Dusty’s neck and swallowed hard. Dusty whispered something in Jamie’s ear that made her chin quiver. Dusty then kissed her and whispered something else. Whatever it was, Jamie stiffened and frowned at her, as if she didn’t agree.

  “You come back soon, you hear me, doctor?” Dusty scowled at her then took Jamie’s face in her hands and placed a sloppy kiss on her mouth. “And that does not mean in six months.” She turned to Dana. “You make her bring you back real soon.”

  “I will. Thank you.”

  “Helms alee,” Dusty said, touching Jamie’s cheek then stepping back.

  Jamie climbed on board and turned on the motor. Bo untied the lines and tossed them onto the boat.

  “Thanks again,” Dana said as they slowly moved away from the dock. Dusty blew her a kiss then waved. Bo and Dusty stood arm in arm at the end of the dock, waving and watching until they had cleared the shallow water and hoisted their sails.

  “She’s a sweetheart,” Dana said, giving one last wave. “Both of them. And what does it mean when Dusty said ‘helms alee’?” Dana asked.

  “Yes, they are sweethearts. And the helm is the wheel or tiller, the thing that steers the boat. The helmsman says that to announce he’s about to turn the boat. The crewmembers have to watch out for the boom as it swings to the other side. It roughly means taking a new tack, going in a new direction. It’s one of those expressions like bon voyage or happy landing.”

  She went to work trimming the sails. She repacked the spinnaker into its bag and stuffed it into the forepeak.

  Dana steered south, retracing their route out of Case Inlet. Juliana watched from her perch on the top of the cabin.

  “Are we using Old Betsy on the way back?” Juliana asked.

  “No. We’ll be tacking into the wind. Spinnakers are for running with the wind.”

  “That’ll take us longer to get back, won’t it?” Dana said, already feeling the wind battling the sails.

  “A little. That’s why I wanted to leave when we did. Boston Harbor is a little tricky to get into after dark.”

  “Will our heading be two-twenty-three?”

  “Yes. But not until we get into Dana Passage.”

  “Dana Passage?” Dana smiled.

  “Yes. Didn’t you know that’s what they call the section between Budd Bay and Case Inlet?”

  “No, I didn’t know that.”

  “Is it named after you, Aunt Dana?”

  “No,” she chuckled. “It’s been around a long time before me.”

  “Are we in Dana Passage now?” Juliana asked, staring out over the bow.

  “Not yet. We have to be past the blinking buoy,” Jamie said.

  Dana was dying to ask about Dusty, their past, and what she whispered. She didn’t know Jamie we
ll enough for that. It could be so private that she may never tell her.

  Juliana took a turn steering but lost interest as the wind began to fade. The slow progress toward the blinking buoy was pale in comparison to the thrilling ride up the inlet with all sails full and straining. She sat down next to Dana and rested her head against Dana’s side as they quietly slipped into Dana Passage.

  “Are you tired, sweetheart?” Dana brushed a few stray locks behind her ear. Juliana nodded, her eyes growing heavy.

  “Juliana, why don’t you go below and stretch out on the bed,” Jamie said, patting her on the knee. “I’ll need your help later so why don’t you take a little nap.” She winked at her.

  Juliana went below and curled up on the bench. She was asleep almost instantly.

  “It’s been a long day for her,” Dana said.

  “She’s great. I love curious kids. That means their brains are working.”

  “Then hers is in high gear most of the time. She’s been like that since she learned to talk.”

  “I bet she’s a good student.”

  “Yes. All A’s, so far.”

  “Did she get that from you?”

  “From her father. Steve was valedictorian in high school. He graduated in the top ten percent from law school.”

  “How about her mom? What’s she like?” Jamie asked.

  “We have no idea. She gave Juliana up to my brother at birth.”

  “So she’s adopted? It’s amazing how much she looks like you considering she isn’t related.”

  “No. She’s my brother’s child all right. She’s a Robbins,” Dana chuckled as if that was a moniker she couldn’t avoid. “Steve is gay. The woman was artificially inseminated. She didn’t want to take care of a baby, so Steve convinced her to give him full custody. He was in the delivery room when she was born. He cut the cord and everything.”

  “Any second dad in the picture?”

  “There was for a few years.”

  “What happened to him? Was he jealous of Juliana?” Jamie whispered it so Juliana wouldn’t hear.

  Dana looked up at Jamie in amazement.

  “How did you know that? But yes. He was extremely jealous of all the time Steve spent with her. Brad gave him an ultimatum. It was give him equal time or else. Steve thought about it for two seconds and took door number two.” Dana smiled victoriously. “Best decision he made since he took Juliana.”