Page 72 of Marlin's Faith

“Don’t you worry about that; Cutter’s with her, and the rest of the boys, too. Hope is going to be fine. Don’t forget, she whoopedmyass once.”

I blinked and drew back looking at him, “When?” I demanded. Marlin laughed and Bobby pulled the garage door down.

“I’ll tell you later,” he put his lips near my ear and whispered, “He’d never let me live it down.”

I laughed, I had to, I knew how my sister could be, but taking on Marlin? Or any one of the other Kraken? Why would she do that? Why would she be so… I could feel my face fall into lines of sudden understanding.

“Yep. Had to do with you,” he said with a smiling nod.

“Oh,thisI have to hear.”

“Later, I promise.”

“What’s the matter, afraid whatever it is I’d hold it against you?” Bobby asked, cluing in to the conversation.

“Yes.”

Bobby shrugged unapologetically and gave a nod, “Meh, you’re right, I probably would.”

I laughed again, “You two are insufferable aren’t you?”

“Pretty much,” they both said in unison.

I let out with a loud peal of laughter and Marlin hugged me into his side. I liked how both of them smiled at the sound and I liked that I could make it again. I wasn’t all better, not by a long shot, but I felt good yesterday, and I felt good today, the medicine was working and I almost felt bad for the people around me that I’d resisted taking it for so long. It took the edge off and let me feel almost normal again and I cherished that, even as it scared the hell out of me. That voice of self-doubt whispering out of the dark,what if you need it? What if you crave it so bad you can’t give it up?

Except it wasn’t like that with the pills, I didn’t feel this driving need to take more. I didn’t wish with every waking moment for the little tablets to hit my palm. I didn’t think about them at all, really, at least not until my insecurities whispered out of the back of my mind and tried to take hold… except every time they started in, there he was with that smile that set my heart a flutter and I forgot everything else except the man at my side, holding my hand or holding me tight. I forgot everything except how he made me feel like I was, indeed, worth the world to him. I still marveled at it every time.

We walked to Marlin’s boat, my body vibrating with excitement and joy. I reallyhadmissed the water and the sound made me excited. I wanted to spend all day on it. If the opportunity arose, I wanted to swim in it and walk along it, this big, vast ocean that made me and all my problems seem so very small and insignificant by comparison.

I felt safe, warm and protected when Bobby flanked my other side and walked with his arm around my shoulders, even as Marlin’s rode along my waist. The riding gear was hot, and I was looking forward to ditching it in favor of something lighter.

Johnny was already on Marlin’s boat when we arrived, and he didn’t look happy. Marlin jumped up and helped me up after him, Bobby followed me and I felt like I was a celebrity or something, realizing belatedly that their movements were exceedingly protective and sent the message to anyone watching that it would be a very bad idea to try anything.

I felt a lightness in my chest, as if a weight I hadn’t even known I carried had been lifted. The shadows were lifting off my heart a little bit at a time, and it felt good. Still, there were a lot of shadows and a few good days were nice but I was well aware I was still severely limited and had a very long way to go towards healing.

“’Sup, Man?” Marlin asked his brother, but Johnny’s gaze was fixed on me.

“She isn’t going to go all freaking out in front of the clients again, is she?” he asked by way of greeting, and it felt like clouds scudded over my good mood, the smiles and joy of just a moment before dampening under a sense of guilt; the shadows returning.

“Nah, Man, and fuck you for saying it like that,” Bobby said and shook his head.

Marlin just smiled, but it was tight with anger, “Not sure what crawled up your ass and died, Little Brother, but after the clients are gone, I’m whooping your fuckin’ ass again.”

Johnny looked a little less certain and I sighed inwardly, “Look, I’m sorry about how I was before… that morning, but I’m trying really hard not to be that way. I’m working on it, okay? I promise to try not to freak out.” I fixed him with my gaze and tried to look as sincere as I felt. Bobby put his arm around my shoulders and I jumped slightly from the unexpected contact, it didn’t deter him at all though, he smiled down to me and gave me a reassuring squeeze.

“Don’t pay that douchepickle any mind, Sweet Thing, go get out of all that hot leather and get yourself settled.”

I looked to Marlin, “Go on, Baby Girl, I moved all your stuff from the house into my quarters. It’s part of what took me so long. Just search through until you find everything, by the time you’re back up here, we’ll be underway.”

“Okay, just try not to hurt each other on my account, please?”

Marlin stepped over and leaned down, kissing my forehead, “I’ll be down in a minute to change. I won’t punch him until we’re done with this trip.”

I scoffed, “Insufferable,” I lamented and Marlin winked at me. They let me go, and I went below deck to the stately bedroom. It felt like an age, rather than a week since I’d woken up back here after being drugged on the beach.

I went through all the myriad cupboards and storage, some of them being drawers under the raised platform the bed rested on. I found my white, two piece swim suit and settled on it, looking through the drawers until I came up with a long, light aqua, skirt wrap cover up and a thin, white cardigan that wasn’t sweater material, but rather a thin, cool, stretchy cotton or polyester type blend that felt soft against my skin.

A light rapping at my back made me turn around before I started to take anything off; I startled and turned to find Marlin in the doorway.

---