Maggie had planned a quiet summer sailing solo after experiencing a tragic loss. What she doesn't expect is a handsome stranger joining her on her boat for an adventure of his own. Together they help each other realize what they're both missing in t...
We wait at the entrance to the cove for the tow boat to come. Maggie has stopped crying and is silent. She looks out at the open water, never letting her vision go back towards the cove and the boat. I don't know what to say to her. What words will provide her comfort right now? If I knew them, I would say them over and over to her.
Fifteen minutes later I spot a large boat heading in our direction. It finally gets close and slows pulling up next to us. Maggie doesn't change her position or even look up at the boat.
"Hey, are you the people who called?"
"Yes. The boat is in there."
No further words are exchanged and the boat powers away into the cove. From where we are, I can't see as far into the cove to where the boat is. I can't tell if the boat is still above water or not. I look at Maggie and she looks like a shell of what she was just yesterday. It hurts me to see her like this. I would do anything to take her pain away. Yesterday she was talking about whether or not she was going to keep the boat and now she has had that choice taken away.
"Maggie?"
She slowly turns her head to look at me.
"It's going to be okay. I promise you."
I see her eyes start to glisten with tears again and I pull her close to me, wrapping my arms around her tightly, hoping that somehow, I can absorb some of her pain or at the very least cushion the blow.
I hear the boat approaching us again and they idle next to us. I look up at the man, with Maggie still pressed firmly to my chest. He shakes his head at me and mouths the word 'sorry.' I let out a deep breath, trying to be the strength Maggie needs in this moment. I have never been the person that other people rely on. I've always lived spontaneously. Doing things on a whim and never looking ahead too far. But she needs me. I can be there for her. I want this responsibility.
"We can get our salvage guys out to pull her up, later today. We've placed a buoy marker where she went down."
I nod at them.
"Do you guys need a lift?"
"Uh no. I think we'll be fine. We're just going to head to the yacht club's marina."
"Okay. We'll phone you when we have her up."
"Thank you."
"No problem."
The boat motors away, leaving me with Maggie still pressed to my chest. I move just the slightest in order to start the engine and I motor us towards the marina. When we get there, I am relieved to see a familiar boat there. I get to the dock and shut the engine off. This seems to snap Maggie out of her daze, and she lifts her head off of my chest. I tie the dinghy up and start placing our bags on the dock. I then climb out and then reach back to help Maggie up. She looks cold, despite the warm July weather. I unzip my bag, pull out a sweatshirt and put it on her. I grab our bags and Maggie's hand, and start walking towards the familiar boat. Thankfully, the man I am looking for is standing on the dock beside his boat.
"Hi Glen."
He looks up at us, and then carefully at the state that Maggie is in.
"What happened? Is she alright?"
"We were on the boat and I guess there was a leak from the lightning strike... and...there was just too much water. We abandoned and she went down."
His face is both shocked and full of sympathy. He looks at Maggie and she finally looks up at him. She runs towards him and throws her arms around him. She starts sobbing again in his arms and he strokes her hair, gently shushing her.
"Maggie Lou, you're okay. You're okay. Shh."
When she stops crying, he pulls away from her but still holds her by her shoulders, "Everything is going to be fine," he reassures her. She nods her head back at him. "Go inside and rest," he says gesturing towards his boat. She listens and leaves us on the dock.
I take this as an opportunity to speak up. "The salvage guy is coming later today to lift the boat. I think Maggie should go home though."
"I think so too."
"We took the inflatable here. I'm going to call and book us a seaplane as soon as possible. What should we do with the inflatable?"
"I'll take care of it."
"Where are they going to take Maggie's boat?"
"That's up to her, whether she wants it restored or not."
"I'll do it. I'll pay for it. Let's get it to Vancouver."
"You sure? It's not cheap. Might be cheaper to buy a whole new boat."
"She doesn't want a new boat. She wants that boat."
"She could use one of her other boats."
"What? What do you mean?"
"That's one of three boats she owns. It's the only sailboat though."
"I didn't know that. I'm going to make some phone calls. Can you tell her I'll be right back?"
"Sure."
Maggie owns three boats?! How did she not tell me that? I don't know what the other boats are like, but boats aren't inexpensive. How much money does Maggie's family have?
I phone the salvage company and tell them where to take the boat. I then phone and book us a seaplane back to Vancouver. I told them I would pay extra for them to come right away so they are picking us up in thirty minutes. I go back to Glen's boat to find Maggie. She is sitting having a cup of tea with Glen, looking cozy in my oversized sweatshirt.
"Hey," I smile cautiously at her. "Seaplane is going to come pick us up soon. We should walk over to the dock."
"Okay."
She gets up and puts the mug in the sink, then walks over to Glen. They exchange a few hushed words as I wait outside and I see her hug him again before coming outside. He seems to be the closest thing to family that she has left.
She steps off the boat and next to me and I turn to shake Glen's hand.
"Thank you."
"Of course," he says, as he shakes my hand back.
I put my arm around Maggie and carry our bags with my other hand. She seems a bit less stunned than she was before which is progress. When we get to the seaplane dock, I encourage her to sit on the bench while we wait but she wants to stand, and she wraps her arms around my waist.
"Thank you," she whispers into me.
"For what?"
"For holding it together when I didn't. I never would have been able to do that on my own."
"And you wanted to ship me off back home. Aren't you glad you didn't?" I respond to her jokingly.
She peeks up at me with a hint of a smile on her face, that fills me with so much joy. I wish I could bottle that feeling she just gave me. Of being able to be there for her and have her depend on me. Coming through when she needed me and being able to be her bright spot on this awful day.
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I kiss her forehead, and we both look up as we hear the sound of the plane approaching.
