Page 37 of A Ferry Merry Christmas
“I have good news to report. The necessary part has been located and is on its way.”
For a moment, the room went silent and still before bursting into chatter, filled with complaints. Avery understood and, like everyone else, was upset.
“You mean to say they didn’t even locate the part until now?” James cried as he rammed his fingers through his hair. He looked both despondent and angry at once. And he wasn’t the only one.
Although the captain’s voice was nearly drowned out, he continued.
“The part will be delivered shortly. Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience, but I promise the fix will be an easy one, and we’ll be on our way as soon as possible.”
“I need to get off this ferry!” James stood and cried out in desperation.
“Listen, we all do!” a man close by shouted back, his voice raised in anger.
“You don’t understand—” James argued.
He was cut off by a dozen others all shouting at once.
“What makes you think you’re more important than anyone else?” was one of the questions Avery heard.
“No one wants to stay on this ferry a minute longer than necessary. The last thing we need is someone like you thinking they’re more important than anyone else.”
“Yeah, buddy, I have a wedding . . .”
“My family is waiting.”
“I could lose my job because of this.”
The barrage of harsh comments continued, to the point that James appeared to go pale. He slumped down in his seat, bent over, and buried his face in his knees.
Feeling bad for James, Avery considered explaining the situation. She stood, but before she could speak, Harrison placed his hand on her arm, stopping her. “Nothing you say will do any good.”
“People don’t get it,” Avery said. “Don’t you think everyone would be more sympathetic if they knew about his wife?”
“I doubt it,” Harrison countered. “This is an angry crowd; no one is going to listen to reason. Everyone wants off this ferry.”
“Surely there’s something that can be done?” Avery felt terrible for James, who so desperately needed to be with his wife. Her heart went out to him. Harrison was right, though. This crowd wasn’t likely to care one way or another. Not in their present mood.
Harrison grew quiet, as he appeared to be thinking. “From what the captain said, the fix will be here soon. That meansthere will likely be a speedboat or some other means of water transportation coming to the ferry, right?”
Avery nodded, as she followed his train of thought. “And if there’s a speedboat due to arrive, then it will need to return. You think it might be possible for James to ride back?”
“Exactly,” Harrison said, grinning.
“Let’s talk to him,” Avery said, anxious to come up with a solution for James.
“We’ll need to get the captain’s permission, of course,” Harrison continued, thinking out loud, “but once he hears the circumstances, I have to believe he’ll agree, don’t you think?”
“I don’t know why he wouldn’t.” Avery was excited. Harrison’s idea might well work.
Avery moved to the empty seat to the right of James and Harrison took the one to the left. Harrison spoke, keeping his voice low.
“James, listen, Avery and I have an idea.”
The expectant father raised his head. “Will it get me off this ferry?”
“It just might,” Avery told him and squeezed his arm.
They had his full attention now. “Then tell me; I’m open to just about anything.”
