Crissa's Mate

Chapter Fifty-Eight

"David?. . . David are you there?"

"Yes. Crissa?  What's up? I'm on a boat right now. Working."

"A boat? Where?"

"Out in the sound. I told you. My landlord . . . the professor at UBC? He helped me get this fishing boat job. It's my first day. I can't talk long. We're on our way out to the Pacific side of the island. We'll be hauling the nets soon."

"Oh my gosh . . . David. Is it safe?"

She heard a laugh. "Of course, it is. I told you . . . I did this kind of work up in Alaska. It's tough. OK. But the pay's good. The company down here is solid. It's got both fishing and crab boats on the Ancora docks. Pretty nice equipment. A sizable business. Listen . . . I really can't talk now. So will I see you tonight or tomorrow?"

"Yes. I hope tonight. I'm still dealing with Julie right now. But we need to meet about Professor Dekker. He attacked me!"

"Attacked you?"

"Well, practically. Right here on campus!"

"That bastard!"

"I'm OK. But he made promises . . . to find you and Julie. He sounds very serious, David."

"Look. He doesn't know where I'm staying, right? So don't worry, Crissa. He'll eventually give up and go home. Hey, I gotta go . . ."

She heard the line close.

Crissa had made the call while in the cafeteria restroom, so Julie couldn't hear. When she came out, she planned on walking Julie back to the dorm to discuss the girl's immediate future. But not seeing her at the table, caused a panic to come over her.

As she looked around frantically, she finally saw Julie across the room. Speaking to other students. As she approached, she could clearly see she was engaged with Trisha and her new romantic interest, Troy. The two were sitting opposite her, together enjoying a lunch. They were all in animated conversation when Crissa interrupted their small talk with her presence.

"Hey Crissa," Trisha said cheerily. "Julie was just telling us she's thinking of moving here. To Vancouver . . . permanently."

"Is that so, Julie?" Crissa asked with calm reserve in her voice. "I thought you were here just . . . visiting."

"Well, it's so much better than Alaska, God! And beautiful!  You people have such a wonderful life here."

"Yeah, thanks to our parents," Troy said surprisingly, then smiling.

"Are your  parents so well-off, Julie?" Trisha asked her, a little rudely.

"Well no. But I guess . . . if I got a job here . . ."

"Not so easy," Troy added.

"So, would you transfer here?" Trisha continued. You're up at U of Alaska, right?"

"Yeah, well . . . I was."

"Come on Julie," Crissa interrupted. "I have to share something with you . . . about David."

"Is he coming here today?" Julie asked enthusiastically.

"Hardly. He's working. Works hard to afford the life here. He's not even a student anymore, unfortunately."

"Wow. Really?"

"Let's go, Julie."

Julie looked at her with a surprised expression. She sensed that Crissa did not want to discuss David any further. And that she wanted desperately to get her back to the room.