The Sea Maiden (35 page)

After weeks at sea the Sea Maiden had arrived in Yucatan to pick up their last shipment and head back to New England. That morning Lynnette, Karina and Gail were anxiously discussing their arrival. Being a missionary, Gail had persuaded Karina to discontinue her intimate contact with the Captain. Karina knew Gail was right; she faulted herself for being a willing participant in the affair but was unsure how long that would last as drawn as she was to Eric’s romantically persuasive nature. He had become accustomed to their sensual union.

Now that they had arrived in Yucatan the quest to find the Barrett’s a
 new source of travel to complete their trip to Panama was in order. Soon Captain Drake arranged for locals to accompany Gail and her children to find her missionary husband, who was also the local doctor.

Although the arrival in Yucatan was exciting for everyone including Karina, who was usually full of energy, today of all days she was feeling tired and noted that her breast were tender, later when she felt a wave of nausea at the smell of food…her eyes flew open…SHE WAS WITH CHILD! She had been around Lynnette and Gail talking about their symptoms for 2 weeks, she was now on expert she thought. How could she keep it a secret, the symptoms would be obvious soon at least to Lynnette…Gail was leaving. She should not be surprised she scolded herself, she was well aware of the consequence of her behavior. It would be another few weeks to arrive to New England. If she became as ill as Lynnette had been she wouldn’t be able to keep her condition a secret from anyone. She would need to tell Eric and talk to Dr. Tibbs, who was probably anticipating this.

The Sea Maiden docked close enough to the peer and the crew began to disembark. She and Lynnette had planned to visit the area and hopefully buy some much needed clothes. Karina was now down to only one suitable dress. When Gail Barrett came on board Karina gladly gave her the white dress given to her by the pirate Captain Tate who made her wear it. She was also glad to rid herself of the disturbing memories, so the yellow dress was worn constantly now that Captain Drake had a say in her attire, she did wear breeches occasionally when her dress needed washing. The burgundy dress with its high neck and long sleeves was much too warm for the Caribbean but she would surely use it in New England.

After a while she started feeling better and Karina wondered if she was mistaken about her condition. She and Lynnette were getting ready to go on shore when she saw Peter coming back; he avoided her and Lynnette and instead went directly to Captain Drake. Karina noted both men looking toward the peer then back toward them; they seemed to be assessing some situation. Karina saw nothing unusual. Lynnette approached Peter who mentioned something to her and Lynnette turned and looked back at Karina. Karina became suspicious. Peter and Lynnette came toward her. Gail was feeling much better but was still a bit weak and Karina and Lynnette offered to help her. A tug on her dress made Karina turn.

“Karina will I see you again?” Amelia asked.

“Of course you will darling. I have given your mommy an address where she can reach us if you’re ever in New England.” Karina said and smiled at Amelia.

Peter and Lynnette stood right behind her.

“Karina, Lynnette is not feeling well perhaps you can accompany her to the cabin to lie down a few minutes.” Peter suggested.

That was odd, Karina thought, Lynnette had not reported feeling ill much lately.

“Of course I can Peter no hurry if she’s not feeling well.”

Peter smiled at her then turned to Lynnette.

“I will see you in the cabin in a little.”

“Peter we need to help Gail off first.” Karina told Peter when Amelia asked a strange question,

“Mommy who is the lady in the white dress talking to Captain Drake?”

Karina automatically turned toward the peer and went numb when she saw a beautiful brown skinned woman with long dark silky hair, holding a light skinned child. Eric seemed to be trying to block her from view. Karina straightened out. Peter lowered his eyes and bit his lower lip.

“Peter, who is that?”

“Who?” Peter said playing dumb.

“Why that woman holding a child talking to Eric?”

Peter continued to play dumb as long as he could.

“Where?”

Frustrated, Karina took his chin in her hand and turned his head in the direction where Captain Drake and the woman where standing.

“That one, nearly stepping on his toes!” Karina said sarcastically.

“Oh! …Um she’s um…asking for directions.” Peter blurted.

Karina blinked and squinted at Peter in disbelief,

“WHAT? A local woman is asking a man who just stepped off a ship for directions? Uh-uh.” Karina said shaking her head, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “That’s ridiculous!”

Lynnette looked at him and rolled her eyes. Karina pushed Peter out of the way and started walking toward Eric and the woman. Peter, Lynnette and Gail exchanged looks.

“Is that someone from the Captain’s past?” Gail asked.

“Apparently.” Lynnette said.

Peter caught up to Karina.

“Karina wait!” Peter pulled her by the arm, “Look-”

“Let go Peter!”

“No! Not until you hear me out!”

Karina’s mind was racing.

“Well?”

“Come let’s sit?” Peter said. Karina yanked her arm loose in frustration. “Alright, alright, wait…look.” Peter tried to talk to her once more.

Peter paused for a minute trying to think how he was going to explain. “Captain Drake, he has, I mean
 had a few lady friends.”

“Obviously!” Karina blurted.

She turned toward them; now closer she could clearly see that the child had lighter skin and hair than the woman holding him. ‘Was this Eric’s child’, she thought.

Peter hesitated, thinking back to what the Captain told him just a few days earlier when he mentioned that he was hoping the
 hot tempered Maria wouldn’t come looking for him. He had a wild affair with the dark haired beauty on more than one visit and feared she might show up. When he saw her at the peer holding a young child, he panicked and asked him to keep Karina occupied while he talked to Maria.

Enraged Karina Suddenly felt sick to her stomach and threw up…most of her breakfast landing on Peter’s boot once again.

“GEES! Not again! Same boot you got in Florida too.” Peter said in frustration.

Gail gasped and watched while holding her baby and Amelia who stood nearby blurted out,

“Mommy is Karina going to have a baby too?” Amelia said, having been a witness to her own mother’s morning sickness.

Everyone’s mouth dropped open as they looked at Karina. Peter poured a bucket of water over his boot then helped Karina sit on a crate. Karina sat in between Peter and Lynnette holding her head in her lap. Peter suddenly remembered Gail and stood at once and offered her his seat on the crate. Gail knew instantly that Karina was with child. Karina started to cry.

“Come on let’s go to your cabin”, Lynnette urged her and helped Karina up.

Now that it was entirely possible that Karina was with child and that Maria might also be holding the Captain’s child, Peter decided to go down to the peer and find out exactly what was going on. Captain Drake was in a real crisis if things turned out, as they seemed,
 two children, wow! Well at least he could afford them. Then it occurred to him, what if he faced a similar situation on some port, would he lose Lynnette? He concluded that being confined to a ship for extended periods of time and the short liberty calls at different ports could have very negative consequences for seamen like himself and the Captain.

As he approached Captain Drake and Maria, he saw another man approaching, obviously a foreigner with a light hair and green eyes. Then he heard Captain Drake introduce himself and the man extended his hand to him.

“Jim Coulter, my wife Maria told me she knew someone in the shipping business that might give me a good price on shipping supplies….”

The man went on explaining his business needs, when Peter noticed the child reach for the man and called him ‘papi’
 the Spanish version of daddy. The man took the child from Maria. Captain Drake was all smiles after that. As it turns out Captain Drake just made a new client. Peter turned around ready to go give Karina some good news before she felt well enough to go looking for her sword. As he turned he heard the Captain and the man come to an agreement. Peter waited for Captain Drake as he concluded business and turned toward Peter. He seemed to be recovering from the scare of his life, he placed his hand on his stomach, and blew air out of his mouth looking like he was about to be sick too.

“Close one ay Cap?”

Peter grinned. The Captain let out a low whistle of relief and rubbed his temple.

“Good news! Looks like I have a new client. Her husband seemed clueless to Maria and I having some history together.”

“Well Karina has some news for you too Captain.” Peter smiled and raised his eyebrows. “She…um…saw you with Maria and the child and assumed the worst. I was only too happy there were no weapons around. Lynnette and Gail are in your cabin with her. They’re probably plotting your early demise.” Peter chuckled

“Very funny Peter.” Captain Drake stated.

They arrived at the Captains Quarters, Peter gestured with his hands, to go first.

“You first Captain…um…you might want to duck as you go in...” Peter warned and grinned to himself. “…oh and don’t drink anything she gives you.” Peter was enjoying himself.

“Alright Peter I get it!”

Captain Drake walked in Karina was lying on the bed crying and facing the wall. Lynnette and Gail both stood and decided to leave. Lynnette pulled Peter out with her. Then Amelia announced,

“Karina is going to have a baby like my mommy.” Captain Drake blinked and looked at Peter, Peter gave him a half smile and raised one eyebrow then Lynnette pulled him harder till they were all out of the room.

Captain Drake sat on the side of the bed and called her name softly.

“Karina darling…”

“Go away!”

“Not until we talk …first of all it’s not what you think out there.” She buried her face in the pillow. “Turn around! I don’t like talking to your back”

She continued to ignore him he pulled her around to face him she tried to strike him he pinned down her arms on the pillow. She looked away from him.

“I know you don’t want to hear this but that woman was someone I had an affair with in the past, you know I have a past!” Karina tried to turn away, “Stay still and listen. Her name is Maria and she is now married, that child is hers and her husbands, not mine.” Karina looked at him. “They came looking for me because he needs to get materials from London; it was just a business call.”

Karina hesitated for a moment digesting everything.

“So you and her are not…?”

“No, we are not!”

“And the child is not…?”

“No the child is not mine.”

Ecstatic, Karina jumped up wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. He smiled at her happy everything turned out good.

“Now… is it true what Amelia just said? About you having a baby, our baby?”

“I think so.”

“Well you’re the only woman I would love to have a child with.”

He smiled and placed his hand on her stomach then leaned down and kissed her there and then kissed Karina sweetly on the lips. They forgot about the clothes she wanted to buy in town…they wouldn’t be disembarking just yet.

Later Gail and the children thanked everyone and urged both Karina and the Captain to make right their union in the eyes of God, which Captain Drake assured her that was his full intention upon their arrival in New England since it was Karina’s wish to have her brother attend.

The Sea Maiden was there over two weeks getting needed repairs both Lynnette and Karina purchased simple frocks and open footwear worn by the local Indians. They experienced delicious, spicy native dishes and drank plenty of the cacao beverages as prepared by the natives, which were said to inspire love. Dr. Tibbs confirmed Karina’s condition. “It’s the force of nature.” He concluded.

It was several weeks before docking in New England. Karina was very excited and anticipated the arrival and meeting of her half-brother Jonathan. As promised upon arrival, Captain Drake sent a messenger to Jonathan’s shop requesting an urgent visit to the Captain’s home. Karina had never been happier; she counted her blessings to see this day come. Her meeting with Jonathan was among the final steps in accomplishing her goal to meet her half-brother and get her father’s business running again. If all went as hoped it would be a family business but she would be fully involved in running it. Karina had no intentions of letting the men run it alone. She wanted to know everything there was to know about the shipping business and never be in the dark again.

Before arriving Karina and Lynnette had been discussing their new homes in New England. Since Peter now needed a home for his wife and coming child, as a gesture of good will, Captain Drake had offered to let out the extra apartment on his property to them at a bargain price. To Karina it was like the icing on the cake to have both Peter and Lynnette living close by. Both young women loved the idea that they would have each others company while their husbands were away.