Page 66 of The Hitchhiker in Panama
I considered. “Yeah, okay.”
“Okay.” He climbed out of the water and offered me his hand. I gripped it tightly in mine. “On the count of three. One. Two. Three!”
Eivind and I leaped off the step and out into the Pacific Ocean. We both splashed under and resurfaced, hair slicked onto our faces, laughing at the cool slide of water on our skin.
“Do you want to hold on to me?”
I nodded and he welcomed me in for a water-treading snuggle. I wrapped my arms and legs around him and he kicked hard, keeping us afloat.
“It scares me more than I thought it would. It’s so endlessly deep. Like looking out into space or something.”
“I am proud of you.” Eivind kissed my cheek and I grinned at him.
Jonas threw some toys out: a few pool noodles, a beach ball, and, at my request, a snorkel mask. I disengaged from Eivind and donned the mask.
I put my face below the surface of the water and looked down into the abyss. The water was blue, blue, blue, with beams of light streaming down from the surface.
To my right wasEik, floating peacefully in the water. I could see her bottom! Thanks to my little sailing book, I could identify the keel, a heavy flange in the middle of the hull balancing the boat upright, and the rudder, a rotating board at the stern we used to steer.
We splashed around in the water until we grew tired or cold. When Eivind climbed out, Jonas hopped in, putting a mask and weight belt on, free diving down to inspect the underwater parts of the boat.
There was a hose in the cockpit that provided fresh water for us to shower with. We took turns rinsing the salt off our skin and toweling ourselves dry, sharing two beach towels between the four of us.
“This is a big bruise.” Eivind traced a finger gently over a blue-and-purple spot on my thigh.
“I know. I think I ran into the kitchen counter? I have another one here.” I pointed at my shin.
Eikmoved constantly under my feet, making it hard to stay balanced, and I often walked around like a drunken sailor.
“I have a few too.” Marcella twisted her arm around so I could see a fading yellow spot on the back. “We call them boat bites. For whenEikjumps up and gets you.”
“Boat bites. I love it.”
When Jonas climbed on board, he and Elayna began to set the sails again,Eikpicking up speed and back on course. Marcella began preparing dinner, and Eivind and I slid back downstairs for a rest. We fell asleep quickly, rocked by the boat and tired from our biggest adventure in days.
After dinner, we watched the sunset together. Jonas came up last, carrying a stack of papers.
“I have something for you all.” He looked down and read from the top paper. “Marcella.” He handed it to her. “Lila. Elayna.”
The paper was burnt at the edges, with tea stains and soot smudges. I read the print:
I, Captain Jonas, declare that Lila Ryan has crossed the equator aboard the good shipEik.She has been declared worthy by King Neptune, and a capable crew member by her captain.
00°00.000 North, 088°54.484 West
Jonas had signed his name below it as the captain, andEik’s official stamp sealed it. Opposite, a line was indicated for King Neptune, and a stylized wave served as the signature.
It brought tears to my eyes. Looking up, the rest of the crew was misty-eyed as well.
Jonas and Eivind embraced, muttered Norwegian passing between them. Pulling back, they smiled at each other and clapped shoulders.
With a glance at Elayna and Marcella, the three of us crowded in and gave Jonas a group hug. He laughed and hugged us back.
Downstairs, Eivind brought some tape into our cabin and posted our certificates on the wall. Stepping back, we both admired them.
I intertwined my fingers with Eivind’s. “You have a good brother.”
Thirty
