Seashore Voyage

XI

After a long day of exploring the island, the two ended their day at the beach. Gabriel was stunned to see the ocean. He'd seen it, he lived in it, but he never got the chance to see it in a different perspective. Now it was beautiful. The two of them sat in the sand away from the water.

"This is breathtaking. Is this how you always see it?"

"Yes. Actually. It seemed better in my young age. When Malin would visit me. All the times I ended up in the waters because of him." Amell chuckled.

"He really did mean the world to you." Gabriel said.

"He did. Perhaps one day, you'll find someone that means just as much to you." Amell said as he got up. "Come on. Abigail probably made dinner, she'll have my head if we don't eat it."

They walked back to Amell's house. Just before they got to the door Gabriel started to throw up. It was the black sludge he drunk early in the day.

"You can't keep your beer down can you?" Amell laughed.

Gabriel wiped his mouth and glared at Amell. They continued walk back to their home. When they walked through the door Abigail was waiting for them. She had the table set and dinner was almost ready.

The two of them walked in the dining room. Gabriel got the sense that Abigail didn't like him too much. She always gave him a funny look when she saw him. They sat down at the table.

"Gabriel who's your mother?" Abigail asked while serving their food.

"Leave the boy alone." Amell said more as a warning.

"What, if he ran away from his mother one of us should know the name of your old lover."

Gabriel looked at Amell from across the table worried. Amell shrugged.

"My mother's name is Aimi. She's a beautiful woman, nice too. There was not a thing in the world she wouldn't give to me." Thinking about his mother made him feel guilty about leaving.

"So why'd you leave you mum?" Emily asked.

"That's enough questions let him eat in peace." Amell said.

The four of them ate. It was a weird dinner to say the least. Emily played with her food while Amell and Abigail silently fought at the table.

"Uncle Amell tell me one of your stories!" Emily yelled.

"Alright. I've got one." Amell said.

"No, no, no, don't go filling the girl's head with those tall tales of yours." Abigail said.

"Come on. There not talk tales they're all true, and it wouldn't jut be for Emil. Gabe don't you want to hear about my glory days?"

Gabriel nodded. He didn't quite understand the question but he was curious. He looked at Amell. Abigail cleared the table. Amell followed her with his eyes until she was out of ear shot.

"One day I was getting off of my ship the Mary-Rose when I saw something move in the water. It was too big a fish, but it had no back fin so it couldn't be a shark. I put my things at my house, at the time. I went back out to the beach a man on a mission. The mission was to catch whatever I saw in the water."

"What was it uncle?" Emily asked with suspense.

"I'm getting to that." He said to calm her curiosity. Then his eyes fell right on Gabriel. "I cast out my net and waited a bit. Then I cought something really, really, heavy. When I pulled it in I could hardly believe my eyes. It looked like a man at first, but it had the tail of a fish." Amell said. Gabriel smiled.

"That didn't happen." Emily said.

"Hey, you want a story or not?" Amell said. Emily didn't say another word so he continued.

"He was scared and confused. I tried to calm him while I cut him out of the net. He told me his name was Malin. Then he swam off and I never saw him again. One day if your lucky maybe you'll met one of his kind too." Amell said to Emily.

"Uncle Amell your full of it. I'll go help mum now." Emily left the table and ran to help her mother.

Gabriel started to cry. It was the first time Amell actually talked about his father. Amell had a happy look in his eye whenever Gabriel asked about Malin or just now when he told him how they met, but he had a sad look too. Gabriel has taken note of this and stopped asking questions about his father.

Perhaps now was the time to start again. 

Amell reached over and wiped the tears from Gabriel's face. Amell flashed a sad smile. It was like he was in pain. It was a pain he didn't want anyone to see.

"When did you know? That you were in love, I mean." Gabriel said.

"When he came back. He had so many questions. We sat for the whole day and talked I answered his questions and he answered mine. But there was one day that really stood out. Malin came to the shore crying he had been all day. I bought him the blade that day. I wiped his tears with the cloth bag." Amell stopped and smiled. It was a big happy smile. "Then he jumped out of the water and we kissed. It was our first kiss. I really knew I loved him then. Sometime you look so much like him." His eyes got sad again.

"Do you think the pain will ever go away?"

"The pain will end yes, but the fact that we miss him will never stop Gabe." Amell got up and rubbed Gabriel's back. Then he left him at the table.

I think I'm beginning to like that man more and more. Gabriel thought.

Abigail walked in. She glared at him as she always did. It was like she was permanently upset with him. Gabriel thought that she hated him.

"So, why'd you really leave?" She asked. Abigail didn't sit down so she loomed over him.

"I wanted to find myself. I haven't been feeling like I belong where I'm from. I have so many responsibilities and duties, I just needed a break from it all." Gabriel explained.

Abigail didn't look satisfied with the answer but she took it and left him alone. Gabriel eventually got up and sat in front of the hearth. It's fire burning. Amell had warned him not to touch the fire. So he tried to stay away.

The fire itself was something new to him. The fire was warm and bright, where as the ocean was cold and dark. He loved the feeling of warmth on his skin. Gabriel eventually feel asleep in front of it. He dreamed more of the life he wanted to live on the Mainland.