Page 36 of Marlin's Faith

I laughed a little, “Someone mix their rum up with Tequila?” Brent laughed and shook his head.

“There’s no telling with these wise guys. So, tell me, where are you from originally?”

“California. Sacramento to be exact.”

“Ahhh, so east meets west, nice! So I guess you’re used to the weather here in sunny Florida. Isn’t California about the same?”

“Sunny and warm, yes, the humidity, not so much, but yeah, I’m sort of used to the humidity by now. It can be awful, sometimes, but I guess that’s what air conditioning is for.”

Brent laughed again, a little more nervously this time and I sipped my drink, “Wow, look at us, is all we really have to talk about the weather?”

“Mm, safe enough topic as any,” I returned and it was. I closed my eyes a moment and opened them, the firelight beginning to swim. Brent reached out and took my arm and I jumped.

“Hey, you alright? Maybe that drink was a little stronger than expected,” he tugged on me lightly and I resisted.

“No, it’s not that…” I dropped the cup in the sand as I was swamped with a dizzy spell. Oh, God. Oh, God help me, there was something in it… this wasn’t right.

“Maybe you should come and sit down.”

I put my arm out and staggered slightly and opened my mouth, “Marlin!” I called but I didn’t know if it was loud enough to be heard over the music.

“Marlin!” I shouted, at least I think I shouted louder.

Suddenly arms wrapped around my waist and pulled; I was up in the air and panic seized me. I screamed, wordlessly and my mind screamed louder,no, no, no, no, no! Not again, not again!

“Hope! Hope, help me! Marlin!”

I kept screaming, everything’d gone blurry, the blood was rushing in my head. Male voices were shouting, an urgent voice near my ear, warm breath on my neck. I struggled, fighting like mad, but he had me, he was holding me and dragging me back, away, I was terrified, and just when I thought my heart was going to explode in my chest I was turned loose, pitching forward only to crash into leather and wall of muscle.

Arms went around me, and I was enveloped in the comforting scent of cigarettes, alcohol and peach shampoo.

“I’ve got you, Baby Girl. Arms up, around my neck; that’s it.” I was lifted, just like back in that house in New Orleans, and just like the house in New Orleans, I felt, deep down in my heart, what the true meaning of the wordsafemeant.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” I wailed.

“Shhh, you’re good, Baby, I’ve got you. I promised you, no one would ever hurt you again; I meant it. You’re okay now.”

I buried my face in the side of his neck and squeezed my eyes shut against the dizzy sensation threatening to overwhelm me, but I didn’t have long to think about it because as Marlin made strides to who knew where, I think I lost consciousness.

19

Marlin…

I kept my eye on her, she’d made her way down the beach; head bowed. She had run almost head long into a guy and I closely watched their exchange. I waited, I didn’t want to jump in if it wasn’t needed; she had to do some things on her own, after all. If she needed me I would go, but the guy reached out and steadied her and they began talking, so I let it be. Keeping my silent guardianship from a distance, the same way I’d been doing for weeks now.

Cutter got up and dragged Hope to her feet laughing a few moments later and I took my eyes off of Faith for a minute.

“Well, it’s been swell, but the swelling’s –er, gone up and I need to go fuck my woman,” the Captain said to a round of rowdy cheers; Hope laughed and shook her head.

“Marlin, you got Faith?” she asked; worry deepening her dark brown eyes to near black.

“Hope, do you really need to even ask me that?”

She smiled, an almost rueful turn of lips and laughed softly, “No. No, I guess I don’t.”

“Go on, Captain. I’ll take Faith back to the house, later.”

“We’ll be on the boat,” Cutter said slinging an arm across Hope’s shoulders and turning her toward the Marina.

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