In Hot Pursuit (25 page)

Will sat beside
Mike. "We will when your mom's done with her bath and we've had our turn
in the pool." With his knife, he slit open the bag of sweet rolls.

Mike looked up.
"Are we going to set up the sonar stuff today?"

"We will
later," Will replied.

Mike reached
for a roll and sank his teeth into a strawberry swirl.

Garnering his
nerve, Will said, "We need to have a man-to-man talk."

Mike took
another bite of roll. "If it's about sex," he said, licking jam from
his fingers, "we learned all about it in school." He nibbled around
the jelly-filled center.

Will realized
he'd never been so nervous. He gave Mike a tight smile. "We'll discuss sex
some other time," he said. "This morning I want to talk about your
mother."

Mike looked up,
puzzled. "Why about her?"

Will ran shaky
fingers through his hair. "Last night after you went to bed, your mother
and I were, uh... talking. That is, we discussed the possibility of—" he
sucked in a long breath, held it for a moment, then let it out while quickly
saying "—the fact is, I've asked your mother to marry me and she said she
would if you had no objection."

Will stared at
a sober face. Mike wasn't buying it. They’d crossed all the other hurdles only
to find this last one insurmountable. Maybe he shouldn't have asked Mike's
approval. That way, they wouldn't be going against him if they eloped, and Mike
would have to accept it.

"When?"
Mike bit off half of the jelly-filled center.

Will looked at
Mike, puzzled. "When what?"

"When are
you gonna marry my mom?"

"Today...
as soon as we find a ship’s captain to do it," Will said, "which I
know we can."

Mike's brows
pinched together. "Does that mean you'll be staying in Mom's stateroom for
the rest of the trip?"

Realizing his
grin was wider than it should be, Will forced a sober face and said,
"Well, yes. She'll be my wife. Would that, uh… bother you?"

Mike looked at
what was remaining of the jelly center, and replied, "No. I won't have to
hear you snoring anymore. I guess Mom won't mind though because my dad snored
too."

Will laughed.
"Then you don't object to the idea of your mom and me getting
married?"

Mike popped the
rest of the strawberry center into his mouth. "I suppose
it's
okay." Dismissing that subject, he said,
"Will you teach me how to read the charts and the depth finder so I can do
everything you do in the wheelhouse?"

"You
bet," Will replied, feeling a blend of affection, and joy, and love for
this boy who would soon be his son. "You're doing real well now, so it
wouldn't surprise me if you took command of the
Isadora
by the time you’re twelve."

"No joke?"

"No joke."
Will offered a high five, and Mike slapped his palm
.
 
"Besides, I'll need someone
dependable to step in so I can—" careful now. Don't verbalize what you
want to do behind closed doors with his mother while Mike was at the helm
"—uh... enjoy the cruise."

Mike smiled.
"And you'll show me about the whales, how to talk to them and all, so
maybe someday I can do what you do?"

"Better
yet, I'll put in a request for additional funds so you can be my assistant next
summer," Will said, thrilled with the prospect of doing just that. He and
his son, working side-by-side. He never dreamed he'd be given the gift of a
son. And maybe a daughter too someday. He could do this. He was already feeling
a strong parental bond.

"And help
me build my Batmobile?"

"Batmobile?"
He looked at Mike, puzzled.

"My entry
for the race. You know, a Batmobile."

"Yep. And
it'll be the fastest da— uh...
 
darn
entry in the race."

Mike gave a
whoop then reached for another jelly swirl.

***

Nellie strolled
out of the springhouse, surprised to see Mike sitting beside Will. "That's
the way to wake up," she said, drying her hair with her towel. "It's
not too bad before going to sleep either," she added, almost feeling
Will's body wrapped around hers. She caught Will's eager smile. In fact, he
looked like the cat who’d just swallowed the proverbial canary, and she
wondered exactly what had transpired during his little talk with Mike.

Mike looked at
his mom. "Can Will and I go in the pool now?" he asked.

"Sure,"
Nellie replied.

"Far
out!"

While Mike was
fetching his swimsuit, Will pulled Nellie into his arms and kissed her soundly.
"If you have nothing to do while Mike and I are in the pool, you can clear
a place in your closet for my things. Mike doesn't like my snoring and he wants
me to stay with you tonight, now that I'm going to be his stepfather later
today."

Nellie looked
at him, wide-eyed. "He said that?"

"Yep."
Will smiled. "Is that too soon to have me in your bed?"

Nellie planted
a kiss on his lips, and replied, "The sooner the better. And the first
thing I want, after we get settled on land, wherever it is we settle, is our
own hot tub. In fact, maybe we could get married and come back here tonight.
That hot springs pool is the perfect place to spend our honeymoon. Besides, I'm
not finished doing my underwater research."

"Nellie,
my good woman, you can carry on all the research your little heart desires.
Both below and above, the water, and I guarantee, I will rise to the occasion."

"Umm,
well, yes. You do that very well."

"And
speaking of occasions, I have something for you," he said. "I bought
it when we were in Campbell River. It was for after the whale study was
over—sort of a peace offering. I figured, after a month on the
Isadora
with a scrappy little dog, an
ill-tempered cat, a contentious kid, and a stubborn, beautiful woman, it would
be the least I could give you to smooth things over." He grabbed his pants
and pulled something out of the pocket.

Nellie looked
at what was obviously a ring box. She didn't dare think it could be an
engagement ring. Will would not have considered such a thing when they were in
Campbell River. And only last night he realized he wanted to marry her. She sat
on the log and waited. Will moved to sit beside her and handed her the box.
"I hope you like it," he said.

"Honey,
I'll love whatever it is you have for me," Nellie replied, "even
knowing it was originally intended to be a peace offering."

"Well,
it's a wedding ring now," Will said, looking expectantly at the box, his
eyes bright, like a kid eager to know what was inside a glittery present.

When Nellie
lifted the lid, tears welled. "It's the most beautiful ring I've ever
seen," she said, gazing at the tiny, beautifully-crafted dolphins that
curved around the band like two golden, aquatic soul mates.

"I bought
it from the artist who made it," Will said. "I had him size it for
you. I figured your ring finger was about the size of my little finger."

"So that's
why you were gone so long when we were in Campbell River," Nellie said.
"I thought you were just giving Mike and me a chance to be alone
together."

"Well,
that too." Will lifted her hand with her wedding ring. "And since you
agreed to marry me, I think it's time to do this." He slipped the ring off
her left hand and placed it on her right. "And this." He slipped the
dolphins onto her ring finger."

Nellie admired
the ring for a moment then said, "No, it's time to do this." She
walked over to where she'd piled her overnight gear and opened her cosmetic
case and removed a velvet jewelry pouch. Slipping off the wedding ring Richard
had given her, she placed it inside. "Richard will always be with me
through Mike," she said, "but when I'm curled up with you, every
night of our lives, I want you to be absolutely certain you're the only husband
there with me." She stretched out her hand. "Could the artist make
one just like it for you?"

Will walked
over to where she stood admiring the ring. "I'm sure it could be arranged.
We'll stop by the shop on our way back through Campbell River."

Nellie turned
and put her arms around Will's neck and looked at him, and said, "By then,
I'll be Mrs. William
Edenhaw
.
 
Cornelia Edenshaw
.
 
Nellie Edenshaw. I like the sound of
them all."

"So do
I," Will said, smiling. "So do
I
." He
kissed her soundly and went to join Mike.

While Will and
Mike were soaking in the hot spring pool Nellie carried the sleeping bags and
pillows to the dock, piling them high,
then
returned
for their knapsacks and bags of trash from the campout. After transferring
everything to the deck of the
Isadora
,
she climbed down the ladder into the galley. But when she stepped onto the
floor, she felt crunching beneath her foot. She looked around in disgust. Cat
chow was everywhere. The sack, which
Will
apparently
left open on the table, had fallen over, with Zeke's help, she suspected. Or
perhaps there had been another dog-cat scrap. She opened Zeke's cabinet and saw
that he was gone. Peering under the table, she also saw that Katy's bed was
empty. "OK, you two. Where are you?" she called out.

Hearing no
thumping tail or patter of feet, she went to the master stateroom and glanced
through the door... And stared in disbelief. Katy lay sprawled on the bed,
asleep, Zeke curled up beside her. "So now you're partners in crime,"
she mumbled, trying to decide whether to scold them both for being on the bed
or let them enjoy their newfound friendship. Settling on the latter, she turned
into the galley and reached for the broom and dustpan...

While Will and
Mike hoisted the kayak on deck, she packed everything away and secured the
cabinets for the trip back. As she was fastening the strap around the
refrigerator, she heard Mike's excited voice on deck. "Mom!" he
yelled. "It's Diana! She's here!"

Nellie rushed
to the deck and looked to where Mike was pointing. Will moved to stand behind
her and slipped his hands around her waist. "It's Diana and Lester,"
he said over the top of her head. "I think they've come to say
goodbye." He gave her a little kiss on the temple, and Nellie placed her
hands over his, and together they watched the pair of dolphins.

Leaping and
diving through the quiet water of the cove, Diana swam steadily toward them.
Then she circled the
Isadora
twice,
flung herself in a jubilant leap at the bow, and dived under the boat. Moments
later, she broke the surface of the water alongside the
Isadora
, then raised upright in front of Mike and emitted a series
of clicks. Mike reached out and touched the gray snout, then stroked Diana's
bulging rubbery brow. For a moment, boy and dolphin held a strange communion.
Then Diana clicked again, raised up on her tail, made one final leap out of the
water and disappeared below the surface, leaving a trail of pearly bubbles
behind. She rejoined her mate and together the dolphins swam across the cove
toward the vast open water beyond then disappeared below the surface. Farther
out, they emerged again, leaping in unison before disappearing once again. Then
farther out
they
emerged. And yet farther. Then, they
were gone.

"It seems
she came to tell you good bye," Will said to Mike

Mike looked
beyond the bay to where the morning sun filtered through the mist hovering over
the vacant water. "Do you think we'll ever see her again?" he asked
Will.

Will squeezed
Mike's shoulder. "She has her mate and they're free. That's what's
important. And maybe next year they'll be back with a little one." Will
looked at Nellie.

Nellie tipped
her head back and smiled. "Maybe I'll be back with a little one too,"
she said, patting her tummy. She looked at Mike and quickly added, "That
is, after Will and I are married, if you still want a baby sister or
brother."

"Yeah,"
Mike said. He looked at Will. "When can you and Mom do it?"

"You mean,
get married?"

"No, make
a baby. You know. Do it."

"Do it?"
Will winked at Nellie. "Real soon, I hope. Is that okay with you,
babe?"

Nellie's lips
tipped up. "I'm ready when you are." Sliding a glance at Mike, she
added, "Ready to get married, that is. And then make a baby."

She felt Will's
hand pat her fanny. "Will!" she gasped, "You can't be doing that
sort of thing. It's beyond the boundaries we discussed last night.

Will rolled his
eyes. "At least there won't be any boundaries behind the closed door to
our stateroom," he said. Then added, "Will there be?"

"Absolutely
none." Nellie gave him a sultry smile. "Of that, you can be
sure."

###