South of Heaven (4 page)
“I’m sorry, Dad, did you say something?” Kendra was unable to hide her blush at being caught gawking at Lindsey, especially with the knowing smile her dad sported.
“Yes, darling. I asked if you’d bring the salad to the table.”
“Sure thing, Dad.” She rushed over to the fridge.
“Man, it sure smells good in here,” Lindsey announced when she walked in.
Kevin beamed at her. “Come take a seat and we’ll eat in just a few. What can I get you to drink? There’s more beer, or if you’d like, I have a pitcher of sweet tea.”
“Tea sounds great.”
“You want some too, Dad?” Kendra asked.
“Please.”
Kendra filled three glasses with iced tea and carried them to the table. “This looks great, Dad.”
“Just a simple meal,” he answered.
“Those are usually the best.” Lindsey reached for the honey mustard dressing at the same time as Kendra.
When their hands met, Kendra smiled. “Go ahead, just save me some.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.
Kendra took a piece of garlic bread and handed the plate to her dad.
“How’s the fishing going for your dad?” he asked.
“He’s been raking in the whites and rock shrimp. The water warmed quicker than usual this year.”
“That’s not a good sign,” Kevin warned.
“Especially with hurricane season just a few weeks away,” Lindsey agreed.
“Hopefully we’ll be blessed with decent weather for the summer,” Kendra said. “I’d love to get a full season of reds in.”
“We can only hope, and pray,” Kevin said.
Kendra cleaned the kitchen while her dad and Lindsey drank coffee at the table.
“Do you ladies have plans for the evening?” he asked.
“Not really, Dad. What did you have in mind?”
“I bought some fresh turkey necks at the market this morning. Those blue crabs you brought home last night were good, so I thought I’d go down to the docks and catch another batch to accompany the huge fish I’m going to reel in tomorrow.”
“You’re sounding pretty confident,” Kendra said.
“I’ve no doubt that between the three of us tomorrow we’ll catch a nice fish or two for dinner.”
Kendra looked at Lindsey. “Are you exhausted yet?”
“Nope, I’m good. I haven’t been crabbing in ages.”
Kendra grinned at her dad. “It looks like we’re going crabbing with you then. I’ll do the netting, and you two can bring them up to the dock.”
“Deal, I’ll grab the lines and net, if you two will bring those buckets from the back porch and the turkey necks from the fridge.”
“Let’s do this. I’ll get the buckets and meet y’all out front.” Lindsey got up to leave.
†
The sun was well on its way to the horizon when the group met in the front yard. Kevin had a smile plastered across his face from ear to ear. Kendra loved seeing him so happy and her worries about his being bored with retirement were fading away.
Kendra slipped a flashlight into her back pocket and wrapped an arm around his shoulders as they walked down to the docks. Moored at the dock,
Heaven Sent
sat high in the water as soft waves lapped up against her hull in a relaxing rhythm.
Kendra extended the telescoping handle on the net and peered over the edge of the dock. She could see several large crabs scavenging around the pier posts. Deciding to get a jump on the harvest while her dad and Lindsey were preparing their lines, she knelt on the weathered wood and eased her net into the calm water. As she positioned the net behind a large crab she held her breath and then quickly scooped him into the net.
“Got ya.” She lifted the net from the water. “I’m one up on y’all already,” she called out as she lowered the net into a five-gallon bucket and shook the crab free from the webbing.
Kevin laughed. “She thinks she’s gonna outdo us, but we have the ammunition,” he grinned as he spoke. “Let’s show her how it’s done while she scoops up what she can around the posts.”
“Bring ’em on,” Kendra crowed, dipping her net into the water as she went for a second crab.
“Better get that net ready, Kendra.” Kevin grinned and swung a turkey neck, sending it sailing across the water. He overturned a bucket, sat, and waited.
Lindsey moved a few feet away from him and mimicked his movements. The scent of the turkey necks would spread quickly through the warm water, and the crabs could not resist the lure of an easy meal.
Kendra netted two more crabs while she waited for crabs to approach the turkey necks. The light was quickly fading, but the darkness wouldn’t stop them. The crabs would tug at their lines as they pinched tiny bits of flesh from the bait. When they felt the first tug, her dad and Lindsey would begin retracting their lines, drawing the crab toward the pier. She lowered her net into the water, and waited patiently for them to lure the crabs into her net. Kendra glanced down the pier at Lindsey who was concentrating intensely on her line. Her facial expressions led Kendra to believe she had a nibbler.
She watched as Lindsey slowly retracted her line. The lights from the pier illuminated the sandy bottom about ten feet out from the pier. Lindsey turned toward her when the crab came into view to make sure Kendra was ready with the net. Kendra walked next to her and extended the net in the direction of the crab. “Bring him on in,” she whispered.
Kevin watched the two women as they worked together. Kendra was slightly taller, but Lindsey was just as lean and muscled as his daughter from hard days of working on a shrimp boat for most of her life. Both women were staring intently into the water as they followed the rapid approach of the hungry crab. He watched as Kendra scooped the crab in the net with a cry of excitement, and then he turned back to the tugging he felt on his line.
Kevin followed her movement as Kendra emptied the crab into the bucket while Lindsey cast out again. He returned his eyes to the line he was slowly bringing in.
“You got one on the way, Dad?” Kendra asked.
“Yep, so come on down so you can scoop him up.”
Kendra lowered the net into the water as she walked toward her dad. They had caught crabs together ever since she could remember. Sure, it was easier when they were caught in the shrimp nets, but it was so much more fun and sporting to catch them together. She couldn’t count the nights they had spent together, sitting side by side, as one would tease the crab close and the other would scoop them into a net. Some of their most important discussions had been made while they crabbed for dinner, the last being Kevin’s decision to retire. He had been dropping hints for several months, but her heart still raced in her chest when he slipped an arm around her shoulders.
“The time has come for you to take the helm. You’ve worked hard and I’ve nothing left to teach you.”
She remembered the tears in her eyes when she looked up at him and nodded. “I know I’m ready, but I don’t want you to stop fishing with me.”
“I’ll still come aboard now and then, but she’s all yours now. You’ve earned the right to be her captain.”
“Are you going to get him or do I need to?” Kevin asked her now.
“Sorry, Dad, I was out there for a second,” she carefully netted the crab.
“I noticed.” He grinned. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah, just reliving a memory,” she answered, and then lifted the net and carried the crab to the bucket.
For the next two hours, she moved between Lindsey and her dad, plucking the crabs they lured from the water until they had two of the large buckets full of crab.
“This should be plenty to accompany the fish and some hushpuppies,” Kevin finally stated.
“I’ll make some slaw to go along with them, too, if you’d like,” Lindsey offered.
“That sounds good, but you’ll have to stop at the market for cabbage during your tour,” he told them.
“Not a problem, Dad,” Kendra replied. “If you’ll get the lines and net, we can carry the buckets.”
“That’s fine. Place them in the wet well to keep them fresh. We can clean them when we get back in tomorrow.” Kevin tossed the extra turkey necks into the water to feed the remaining crab.
†
The walk home was decidedly slower than the trip down and Kendra slowed her pace. She could see her dad’s joints had stiffened while they were crabbing and she could tell he was in pain as they walked the short distance. When they reached the house, his limp was very evident.
“Let me have the net and lines and we’ll meet you inside in a few.”
Without giving him a chance to argue, she pushed him towards the door. She took the gear and watched him limp painfully up the walk before walking toward the garage.
“It’s hard to see them slowing down, isn’t it?” Lindsey asked.
“Yeah, he’s always been my rock,” Kendra answered, glad that Lindsey couldn’t see the tears welling in her eyes.
“He will still be your rock. The pace will just be a little slower.”
“I know, but I hate to see him in pain.”
Lindsey placed a hand on Kendra’s shoulder. “We’ll just have to remind him to move around a bit more, so he doesn’t stiffen up.”
Comforted by the warmth of the hand on her shoulder, Kendra knew that Lindsey was probably experiencing the same thing with her father. “Time doesn’t stop for any of us, does it?”
“Unfortunately no, we just have to make the best of what we have.”
“Amen to that,” Kendra said.
†
They dumped the crab into the wet well, and then Kendra stored the gear as Lindsey rinsed out the buckets before turning them upside down to dry.
“Do you think you can sleep yet?”
“Like a rock. The day has finally caught up to me,” Lindsey admitted as they walked to the house.
“There’s no need to be up at the crack of dawn, so sleep in if you want to.”
Lindsey chuckled. “I’ve forgotten how to do that.”
“I understand that completely. Maybe I can get up before dad and cook breakfast for everyone. Do you like pancakes?”
“Is the Pope Catholic?”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Kendra grinned as she held the door open for her. “You can hit the shower first and I’ll rinse off after. Do you need anything?”
“Thanks, but I think I’m good.”
†
Kevin was in the kitchen preparing the coffee pot for the next morning.
“I’ve decided I’m cooking pancakes and bacon for breakfast in the morning, so don’t jump up and start cooking, okay?”
“I won’t be jumping up period. You may have to come pry me out of the bed,” he warned.
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Kendra replied.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” Lindsey told them and left the kitchen.
“Do you need some Ibuprofen, Dad?”
“I took two when I came in. I forget how fast these old joints stiffen up.”
“I’ve been thinking about you taking up golf and I think it’s a good idea. It might even help to limber your joints a bit.”
“I’m thinking so, too.” He replaced the lid on the coffee canister. “I’ll look into buying some clubs this week.”
“Awesome.” Kendra leaned forward to kiss his cheek. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too, baby girl. Thanks for crabbing with me tonight.”
“I love it when we go crabbing.”
They walked from the kitchen together and she hugged him before climbing the stairs. “See you in the morning, Dad.”
“Sleep well,” he replied and walked down the hall to his room.
Kendra started up the stairs and heard the shower running. She smiled to herself.
It is going to be nice having another woman in the house
. She pushed the door open to her room and pulled off her shoes.
No more running around up here naked though,
she reminded herself with a grin.
Kendra woke with a start from a dream, her heart racing as she struggled to remember what she was dreaming. She sat up in the bed and brushed the hair from her eyes. The night was fading as she looked at her clock. It was nearly six, almost an hour later than she normally slept.
That must have been some dream to shut off my internal clock.
She climbed from the bed and pulled on a pair of jeans and T-shirt before stepping into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth.
When she emerged from the bathroom, she could hear movement downstairs and the aroma of bacon met her on the stairs. She wondered if her dad had awoken early and gotten hungry. She was surprised to see Lindsey standing at the stove, coffee mug in hand cooking bacon.
Lindsey turned her head, looked at Kendra with an amused smile, and arched her brow. “Good morning, I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“You didn’t. I think I must have been dreaming about pancakes.”
“I hope you don’t mind me getting a head start on breakfast. I woke up and couldn’t just stay in bed, so I thought I’d cook the bacon.”
“That’s fine with me. Do you need more coffee?”
“Yes, please.” Lindsey handed Kendra her mug.
“Has Dad made an appearance yet?”
“I haven’t seen him, but I heard a toilet flushing a few minutes ago.”
“That may have been me.” Kendra poured the coffee.
She handed Lindsey the mug and then walked to the pantry to gather ingredients to whip up pancake batter. “Do you like pecans?”
“I love them.”
“Good, I’m feeling a little nutty this morning.”
Lindsey chuckled at her comment. “I like nutty.” Sparkling blue eyes turned in her direction.
Kendra felt her heart skip a beat from the intensity of Lindsey’s eyes. She quickly averted her gaze, focusing on the contents of the pantry to give her time to collect her composure. She turned when she heard footsteps.
“I thought I smelled bacon,” Kevin announced as he entered the kitchen. “Good morning, ladies.”
“Good morning, Dad.”
“Good morning, Captain Drake.”
“I hope everyone slept as well as I did.”
“I don’t think I moved all night,” Lindsey answered.
“Me either, until my stomach woke up growling,” Kevin said with a smirk.
“Grab some coffee and have a seat. As soon as Lindsey finishes the bacon, I’ll start on the pancakes.” Kendra opened the fridge and took out a bottle of syrup, and placed it on the counter while she filled a pot halfway with water.
“I appreciate a cook that heats the syrup,” Lindsey said.
Kendra placed the pot on a burner, and put the syrup in the pot, rewarding Lindsey with a smile. “You okay with pecans, Dad, or would you prefer blueberries?”
“Pecans sound great. Do you need me to chop them?”
“I’ve got this, Dad. You just sit and enjoy your coffee.”
After finishing off a large platter of pancakes and bacon, the three of them worked together to clean the kitchen.
“I’ll scoop out some baitfish while you two are out and meet you down at the boat,” Kevin suggested as he emptied his mug into the sink.
“Is there anything else we need from the store?” Kendra asked.
“I think we’re good on everything else,” he answered. “Nature calls.” He grinned and left the kitchen.
“I need to brush my teeth and then I’ll be ready to go. I’ll meet you in the driveway.” Kendra nodded at Lindsey before climbing the stairs.
†
Kendra rolled back the top on her Jeep before backing it out of the garage. Country music blared to life on her radio and she reached to turn it down. The morning was blossoming into a beautiful sunny day.
This will be perfect for fishing.
Lindsey walked out and climbed into the passenger seat. “Nice. I’ve always wanted a Jeep.”
“I love it and it’s perfect for the weather here.” Kendra backed down the drive. She glanced back at the house to see her dad at his bedroom window watching as they drove off.
Lindsey realized that Kendra hadn’t exaggerated when she claimed the tour wouldn’t take long. The small island town was beautiful, but other than some stunning homes, a few shops, and restaurants, there wasn’t a lot to it. The coastline was dotted with pleasure boats, shrimp boats, and fishing trawlers. The beach sand reminded her of cane sugar, and the water was a deep emerald green.
“I can’t believe how green the water is here,” she told Kendra.
“It’s really beautiful and the whiteness of the sand really sets it off.”
“Nothing at all like I’m used to,” Lindsey replied as she gazed across the water.
“This is pretty much the grand tour. If we need special items, Pensacola is to the east and Mobile is west.” Kendra pulled into the parking lot at the local market.
“I’ll run in and grab the cabbage unless you want to come in,” Lindsey offered.
“Nope, I’m going to enjoy this morning as much as I can.”
“Be right back.”
Kendra laid her head back against the headrest, enjoying the feel of the sun on her face, until a familiar sultry voice interrupted her relaxing moment. “Who’s the new hottie?”
“Good morning to you, too, Jude,” Kendra groaned. Jude, her ex, was the last person she wanted to run into today, or any other day for that matter. She opened her eyes to see Jude standing beside the Jeep. Their breakup happened two years before, after she saw Jude and another woman making out in her car when Jude thought Kendra was out of town on business. That pain had left scars on her heart that Kendra felt she would carry to her grave. Jude had taken great pleasure in saying that she had been seeing the other woman for months.
“Not going to introduce us? You have to admit, she’s hot whoever she is.”
“Has Deidra already kicked you to the curb?” Kendra growled.
“Not at all, dearie, she’s at home cooking some lunch. Don’t tell me you’re still bitter over our breakup?”
“Quite the opposite, I couldn’t be more relieved that I don’t have to come home to you anymore.”
“Ouch, that hurts,” Jude chuckled. “You don’t seem to be doing too bad, if that’s your new girlfriend.”
“I’m doing just fine, thanks. Don’t you need to do some shopping or something?”
“Why are you being such a bitch?”
“Do I need to remind you that you were the one having an affair while we were a couple? So, it’s not so much me being a bitch, it’s more that I really don’t want to talk to you.”
“No, darling, you don’t. Deidra does a much better job of taking care of my needs,” she said sneering.
“Well don’t let me keep you from returning to your little lap dog and having your
needs
taken care of.”
Lindsey emerged from the store to see a handsome woman standing beside the Jeep. She continued walking, and when she saw and heard them having a heated exchange, her pace picked up.
“Is everything okay here?” she asked Kendra when she arrived at the vehicle.
“Yes. Jude is just leaving.”
Lindsey felt the tension between the two women. She placed the bags of groceries behind her seat. “Well, I’m ready when you are, darling. Let’s go home,” she purred, completely ignoring Jude standing there. She could see the muscles of Kendra’s jaw twitching as she turned to look at her and smiled.
“See you, Jude,” Kendra replied. She started the Jeep and pulled out of the parking spot.
“I hope you didn’t mind me putting it on a little thick back there,” Lindsey asked Kendra when she pulled to a stop before entering the highway.
Kendra chuckled. “You couldn’t have played that more perfectly. I loved the look on Jude’s face.”
“An ex, I take it?”
“Yeah, my last bad mistake,” Kendra growled. “I was busting my ass to make a life for us and she was sleeping around.”
“Stupid woman,” Lindsey spoke without thinking.
Kendra frowned and then smiled. “Yeah, you could say that.”
“I’m sorry she treated you badly.”
“You live and you learn I guess.” Kendra pulled out onto the highway to head for home.
Whoa, she just admitted she’s a lesbian, too. Damn, I knew I was right.
Lindsey couldn’t help but smile as her heart thumped in her chest.
Kendra waited in the Jeep while Lindsey took the groceries inside. She smiled as she thought about the look on Jude’s face when Lindsey climbed into the Jeep. It had felt good to get a little revenge, even if Lindsey was only putting on a show for Jude’s benefit. She was still smiling when Lindsey returned and climbed inside.
“Do I have something on my face?”
“No, I’m sorry. I was just remembering the look on Jude’s face. Thanks for giving her a nice shock.”
“My pleasure, ma’am.” Lindsey grinned.
Kendra returned her smile and they drove to the harbor to start their fishing adventure.
†
Kevin had been busy, setting up rods and reels and placing buckets of baitfish next to each rod.
“You want to take us out, Dad?” Kendra asked as she worked to untie the mooring lines.
“Don’t mind if I do.” He grinned.
Kendra and Lindsey secured the last of the mooring lines on board and then walked to the wheelhouse.
“All set, Dad.”
“I thought we’d go out a few miles and see if we can find some grouper,” he suggested.
“That sounds great to me,” Kendra replied. “Find us some fish, Dad.”
She and Lindsey left the wheelhouse and took seats along a workbench to gaze out into the beautiful morning. The cloudless sky was a deep blue and a flock of gulls chased a fishing boat off to the west, their calls screaming for a handout of scraps. Large brown pelicans dove for fish or bobbed along the surface as they digested their meals.
Yeah, this is my kind of heaven,
Kendra thought as she glanced over to find Lindsey seemingly engrossed in the beauty of the day too. Her spikey blond hair blew softly in the breeze as the sun kissed her tanned face.
She looks at peace on the water.
“Relaxing, isn’t it?” she asked Lindsey.
“I can understand why you love it here. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.”
“I can’t imagine heaven will be any prettier.” Kendra sighed.
“You might just be right,” Lindsey agreed with a smile.
Kendra knew they had just cleared the no-wake zone when she felt the boat speed up and the powerful engines roar to life. Her dad had fished the area his entire life and she could tell he was taking them to one of his favorite spots, about two miles off shore.
Kendra watched as he reached over to turn on the fish finder. Seeing the smile he sported, she knew they’d be stopping soon. She had pulled her sunglasses down to cover her eyes. The glare of the sun bouncing of the water reflected into her green eyes painfully as she gazed across the horizon. When she felt her dad backing off the engine, she knew he had found an area for good fishing.
“I think Dad’s on the spot,” she told Lindsey. “He’ll cut the engines in a minute. You ready to lose some money?” she challenged.
“We’ll see about that.” Lindsey grinned and dropped dark glasses over her beautiful blue eyes.
What a shame to hide those eyes,
Kendra thought as she stood and stretched.
Kevin killed the engine and checked the fish finder once more before leaving the wheelhouse. The waters were calm, so he felt no need to drop an anchor to remain over the spot he hoped would be on top of good fishing.
He picked up his hat to cover his head and stepped on deck. “Let’s bait them up.”
“First things first, Dad.” Kendra grinned, pulled a twenty from her pocket and handed it to him. “Ante up, folks.”