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Captain's Choice Ch. 07-08

By: coaster2



This story was edited by ErikThread and DaveT with my thanks and appreciation. Any errors are mine alone. Previously posted on another site.

Captain's Choice

Chapter 7 A Decision to be Made



I'd pretty much put the matter of the boat being destroyed out of my conscious mind while Ardele and I used the Internet to search out potential replacements. We had made a mutual list of the things that were must-have, should-have, and would like-to-have on our next craft. The more things we listed, the more we realized we were going to need a boat bigger than fifty feet. While we were going to have to make compromises, we were in agreement about what the most important features were.

Late in August, I had a call on my cell from the RCMP detachment in Campbell River. The constable wanted me to know that they had identified the two dead men on my boat and it turned out both had criminal records. They were going to e-mail me pictures of them to see if I could identify them. A few minutes later two mug shots appeared attached to an e-mail on my laptop. I opened the jpeg files and looked at the two men. Ardele was right beside me when their images appeared.

"Well, well, Pat," Ardele said. "Those are two of the guys who chartered from us in July. Surely you remember them."

"Oh yeah. I remember all right. Randy, wasn't it?" I said, pointing to the one on the left.

"Yeah," she said. "I think the other guy was Corey. I'm pretty sure that was him."

I walked to my file cabinet and pulled out my charter booking register.

"Here it is. Booked by Terry Shatzenberg and listed Corey Butler, Fred Lepper, Randy Brezinski, and Chad Lepper. I wonder if all five were on board when it was stolen?"

"You better call the RCMP," Del suggested.

"Right away," I agreed. I picked up the phone, checked the last number called and pushed send.

My conversation with the constable was fairly brief. I gave him the names and contact phone numbers for the five men who had chartered with us in late July, advising him I had reported them to the detachment after they left the boat. I identified the two pictures I had been sent and was thanked for my cooperation. 

"I should have guessed it might be them. What the hell were those guys up to?" I grumbled. "And why did they want my boat? ."

"We keep asking the same question," Del replied. 

We sat in silence for a while.

"To hell with it," I concluded. "We'll just have to be more careful who we accept in the future."

She nodded agreement, but in truth, I wondered how we would know in advance. I certainly didn't have any clue or hint beforehand that these guys were undesirables other than my niggling thoughts while cruising.

***

The Internet yielded a large number of potential replacement boats; however it was going to be necessary to see some of them in person before we knew what would suit us. Our first objective was to find something on the west coast, eliminating a long transportation problem. That would narrow our search to start.

I was getting a little bleary-eyed looking at boats for sale, and had flopped on my sofa with a beer while Del continued to peruse the possibilities. I had almost dozed off when I heard her call me.

"Pat, come and have a look at this," she called, her back to me, not turning away from the laptop screen.

I rose from the sofa and stretched before approaching her from behind, putting my hands on her shoulders. 

"Whatcha got?" I asked, looking at a set of specifications.

"It's a 54 foot Bertram," Del said. "According to the specs, it sleeps eight. Two staterooms and a bunk room with four singles. It was built in '82 and is sitting in Astoria, Oregon. It has no engines. What would a pair of diesels cost? They want $199,000 for it as is. The photos show it's in good condition if they're current. It's got all the electronics, plus some extras. What do you think?"

"Let's have a look at the pictures and specs, Del. If we're interested, it isn't that far to go to have a look at it. I can phone around and see what a pair of reconditioned diesels would cost. It's probably not out of our price range if it's as advertised. Hard to sell a boat with no engines, so that may be why the price is so low."

"There's a comparable boat for sale in Marina del Rey that's listed for $358,000 US," she continued. "If we could get the Astoria boat up here and re-engine it for less than a hundred grand, we'd be ahead, right?"

"I'm pretty sure we could do it for that kind of money," I agreed, "but it might need some other work as well, so we'll need an expert opinion. Do you think you could do the survey? You have the education."

"I know the technical aspects, Pat, but I don't have any experience. I don't think we want to take a chance that I miss something important."

"Okay, I understand. Let's do a little homework first and then decide if we want to drive down to Astoria and have a good look at this canoe," I kidded.

"Who are you going to call?" she asked.

"Damned if I know as far as the engines go, but Baldur Gerhard did the survey on Captain's Choice before I restored her and his assessment was right on the money. I'd want him to look this boat over too before we made a commitment."

"Yeah, of course. I know who does know about engines. Hec Taylor, my old boss at Inlet Towing could put us on to the right people."

"Great, give him a call. You know what we're looking for. According to the specs, this boat is about thirty metric tons, or 65,000 lbs displacement. That should give them an idea of what we'll require. The draft is a little over five feet and we'll want a cruise speed of twelve knots at least. I'm guessing we need six or seven hundred horsepower. If we can keep the consumption rate down below fifty gallons-per-hour at cruise, we should be okay."

Del was scribbling notes and nodding as I talked. She ripped the page off the pad and pulled out her cell phone, punching in a familiar number. I went back to the laptop and looked over the specifications and features on the boat once more. She was right. It had everything we needed for charter work. It had a crane and inflatable with outboard on the bow deck and plenty of room for another on the transom. 

In addition, there was plenty of room to fish from the stern on this model. Apparently there was a live bait tank built into the deck at the transom, along with an ice locker. It wasn't a sport fisher design, but it had some of those features that we could use when needed. In addition, there was plenty of room on the command bridge for the crew to bed down if we stayed out overnight. We had accommodations for six to eight clients for overnighters. That was a bonus.

I was getting excited again. This looked like a good possibility. If we could get it cheaply enough and bring it up to our standards, it would be an ideal charter boat. Even if we didn't, I knew where we could buy one just like it in California. I'd have to pay a premium, but I'd have a boat that on surface examination was just right for our needs.

Most of the Bertrams for sale were on the east coast, with a couple in the Great Lakes. I carefully examined both the Astoria boat and the Marina del Rey boat for differences. They were only a year apart in build date, so the structures should be similar. The electronics were quite different with seemingly more modern equipment on the Astoria boat. 

There was no indication of why the engines were pulled on the boat, but I assumed it was to have them rebuilt. They would have been nearly thirty years old if they were the originals and maybe the owner ran out of money. 

Del had been on the phone for some time before returning to the living room.

She was smiling as she approached. 

"Hec says we should be able to pick up some very good rebuilt engines for less than ten thousand each with a trade-in. He said we should only buy rebuilt by manufacturer-approved shops. That way we'll have a warranty. If he's right, we'll have a lot of room to bring that boat up to our standards."

"What about new?" I asked.

"He thought, depending on brand, that you could double that estimate, or more. He said he hadn't bought new in a long time. He was trading in his tired units for re-built, keeping the cost down. He's been happy with that."

"Okay, that's a big help. Looks like the Astoria boat is the first one we want to look at," I said.

"Let's do it," she grinned.

"I'll call the number and see when we can view it."

It turned out that we could see it almost any time as long as we gave the broker a "heads up." We decided that sooner was better, so we planned to drive to Astoria the next day, leaving early in the morning. We should be able to see the boat by late morning the day after. I called the broker back and told him when to expect us. He called back a few minutes later confirming that he and the owner would be waiting for us to arrive.

We stayed in Longview, Washington, overnight before crossing the Columbia to the Oregon side and making the run down to Astoria. The broker had given us good instructions and my Blackberry GPS led us right to the site. The boat was out of the water, and we boarded by ladder after Ardele and I had inspected the hull, the rudder and props. 

We learned that the owner was a sixty-something widow whose husband had died unexpectedly some months ago and left the boat's refit unfinished. Although a number of people had advised her to have engines re-installed before trying to sell it, she wanted no part of that. I got the sense that any reasonable offer for the hull would be accepted.

"What do you see," I asked Ardele.

"It's in good condition, Pat. The galley could be updated and some of the furnishing and fabrics need to be replaced, but I don't see anything major so far."

"I agree," I nodded. "The hull has been cleaned and bottom painted. The props and rudder look good externally - don't see any signs of abuse or damage. And, a bonus, did you see she's even got a bow thruster."

"I talked to the woman and she said they had four children, all grown now, of course. That was the reason for the bunk room. They bought the boat new in 1983, so they've had it almost thirty years. She said there weren't that many places that they wanted to go. There isn't much sheltered water around here unless you go up the Columbia."

"Yeah, no doubt about that," I said. "Anyway, I like what I see so far and I think this is a good opportunity. How about you?" 

"I agree," she nodded. "Let's get Mr. Gerhard down here and have him give us an opinion."

"I'll call him now," I said, pulling out my cell phone.

I arranged to pick Baldur up at Portland International the next day and bring him over to the boat. It was fortunate he was available that quickly.

"Baldur, nice to see you again," I said as we met in Arrivals.

"You're welcome ... nice to see you, too."

"This is my partner, Ardele Quinton, my invaluable first mate in our charter operation," I smiled, turning to Del.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Quinton".

Turning to me, "I was very sorry to hear about the loss of your boat, Patrick. Your restoration made it a crime to have it destroyed."

"Good choice of words. It was a crime. We identified the two victims as criminals with a police record. They and three buddies chartered us a couple of weeks earlier."

"That is frightening," Baldur said, showing alarm.  

"We'll try and be more careful in our screening of potential clients, that's for sure. Now, to the subject - we're looking for the ideal boat to carry on our charters. This boat has no engines installed. Our visual inspection showed she's in good condition. But I won't pass judgement on it until you've surveyed it."

He nodded. "I'll give it my best effort, Mr. Hamelin."

Ardele and I left him alone to work. We sat by the little espresso shack on the edge of the property with coffee and a muffin. Later, we sat in my car until we saw Baldur climb down the ladder. We walked over to meet him.

"Well, what do you think? First impression?"

"I don't see anything that gives me concern," he said. "The hull is sound and in good condition. The engine room is clean and looks like it has been kept that way all along. Nothing in obvious disrepair - the hydraulics and the generator need to be operated. I'd say this would be a reasonable buy at the right price."

I looked at Ardele and saw a big smile on her face. Baldur's comments were music to her ears. It confirmed to me that she really wanted this boat. I didn't see any reason to disagree.

"Well, that leaves us with three decisions," I said. "Where do we buy engines? Who installs them? And, how do we haul her to Vancouver?"

Baldur laughed. "That I can't help you with. However, I have seen large boats brought in on barges. This boat is too big for trucking or rail."

"That's right!" Ardele said immediately. "Inlet could barge it back. They tow log barges here a couple of times a month. We could get them to bring it back."

"Okay, you can check that out with your old boss," I said. 

"I'll bet he knows who could do the installation, too," she said confidently.

"Then, that just leaves us the question of where to find the engines," I grinned. "Back to the Internet, I suppose."

We drove Baldur to the airport, the three of us in an upbeat mood. Baldur's day trip would be profitable for him, but equally worthwhile for us. There is no substitute for peace of mind when buying a big asset like a boat. I had already arranged financing based on the payout of my insurance policy. 

Before leaving the boatyard, we contacted the broker and made an offer of $175,000 US, cash. I was prepared to haggle, but within a half hour my cell phone chime rang and we had an agreement for sale. The broker would fax the documents to us and we would get a ten percent deposit to them immediately, with the balance when we took possession. For all intents and purposes, we now owned an engineless boat.

There was no problem arranging for Inlet Towing to pick up the boat and derelict engines in Astoria and bring it back to Vancouver. In fact, when we found the engine installer, our new boat would be delivered directly to them. Our only concern was to get the boat picked up no later than the end of September as the weather along the exposed west coast of Washington could become problematic. 

We hemmed and hawed about which engines to purchase and finally went with rebuilt Volvo six cylinder turbocharged units producing a rated 330 horsepower. Apparently the original units in the boat were V12 Detroit Diesel units with twin turbochargers, detuned to 350 horsepower from 450. The fuel consumption would rival one of Inlet's tugs. We would still have the power we needed, but with less weight and reduced fuel consumption. 

However, it also meant we needed new transmissions and that was going to be costly. We chose Twin Disc units, since their reputation for durability and reliability was very good. What we saved on the purchase price from asking to actual on the boat didn't cover that cost. However, it seemed sensible to have a reliable drive train to match with our engines, so the money would be well spent. 

We swapped out the two well-worn mid-sized Northern Lights generators in trade for a single 20kw Mariner, again saving space and cost. The new unit was well shielded for sound. We also planned on a small emergency generator if the main unit should go down for some reason. We knew the boat had a small bow thruster and happily it was in good condition - very handy for docking in tight places. It also had trim tabs and they were functional and more than adequate.

Our new boat was very little more in weight than Captain's Choice, but with at least a hundred and fifty horsepower more, we should get a couple of knots more speed at cruise. It was never going to be a water ski boat, but it should move along just fine for our purposes. These boats were built in Florida for Atlantic coast water conditions. Our quieter, sheltered waters on the inside of Vancouver Island would seldom if ever test this boat's seaworthiness.

That brought us to what we should name her. Early on, I thought I would just call her Captain's Choice and be done with it. But after a while, I began to have second thoughts. There was something about my Dad's old boat that demanded I retire that name. It was special to me and I didn't want to dilute the memory of it. I already had the new B.C. registration number to be painted on the hull but I had nothing for the transom, waiting for some inspiration.

*** 

Ardele took the ringing phone. "That was Hec. The barge is in - they'll unload the boat close to high tide at 6:40 am tomorrow. Weather was fair - no reported issues, but we might want to have your insurance adjuster there to inspect."

"Great news. I'd like to meet your old boss. He's been a big help to us."

"He said he'll be there at about nine after he gets some work done."

"Okay. I hope all we find is some scuffing on the bottom paint from its cradle. Once we sign off on the delivery, hopefully the installers can start work on the engines and transmissions."

"You still hope to have it in the water by December?" she asked.

"Yeah, that's my wish. It will only take a couple of weeks to get the furnishings and galley equipment installed. I'm hoping that we'll have our sea trials in early December."

"Getting excited about it, huh?" she grinned.

"Yeah ... I am. I didn't think it was possible after what happened, but I have to admit, I'm really looking forward to this boat, this adventure."

"You better get to work on a name, then," she warned, waving her finger.

"I'm open to suggestions. Most of the ones I've come up with are pretty obvious."

"Like what?" she asked.

"Like Del-icious," I chuckled.

"You wouldn't dare ... would you?"

"I might."

"What were some of the others?"

"Double Dip, Ardele's Pick, Second Try, and a few more that aren't worth sharing." 

"This is your boat, Pat, not mine," she said with a frown.

I was shaking my head. "No, Ardele ... she's our boat. Partners, remember?"

"You're serious about that?"

"Yes ... very serious. Maybe I wouldn't have replaced Captain's Choice if you weren't pushing me. The pleasure of being with you this past year is what told me this is what I wanted to do. Without you, I'm not so sure."

That seemed to be a shock to her and I could see the confusion on her face. I wasn't sure myself exactly what I was telling her, but it was more than just a compliment to an employee. We were intimate and living together. I wondered if I was admitting to myself that I had fallen in love with Ardele. I had no idea. I'd never been in love before. I just knew that she was very important to me.

"Does that bother you?" I asked her. "I mean ... that you are someone who is very important to me?"

"I don't know," she said, still registering surprise. "I don't know what to think."

I stepped closer to her, taking her in my arms. "I'm not very good at this, am I? I want to tell you how much you mean to me, but I don't really know how. I've never had anyone like you in my life before. No one that gave me the feelings that you do."

She didn't answer for the longest time until, "What kind of feelings, Pat?"

"I think about you most of the time. If I'm trying to decide something, I wonder what you'd think. If I'm going to do something, I want to know you'd approve. This whole business of buying the boat and everything that went along with it. None of it would have happened without you. You found the boat. You knew where to go to haul her back here. You were the one who convinced me that we should replace Captain's Choice in the first place."

"Are you having second thoughts?" she asked.

"No! That's not what I'm saying. I guess the truth is, I find I'm always trying to please you. To do things that will make you proud of me ... or happy."


Captain's Choice Ch. 07-08



She smiled then, an easy, comfortable smile, one that carried a message. She pulled me in for a warm, passionate kiss that seemed to last forever. 

"You've never been in love, before, have you?" she murmured, looking into my eyes intently.

"No ... I guess not. Is that what this is?"

"It sure sounds like it to me. The trouble is, I don't think I've ever been in love before either. I might have married a guy, but I know I didn't feel about him the way I feel about you."

"You didn't? You do?"

"We were so careful not to get involved. You didn't want to mess up our working relationship and I didn't want to get hurt again. We've already proven we can separate work from our relationship. Your old rule doesn't seem to apply to us. So maybe if I told you I'm sure you would never do what Kurt did to me, would that help you?"

I kissed her once more, again trying to express just how deeply I felt about her.

"I guess," I said carefully, "that if we don't take a chance, we'll never know."

"That's right," she smiled lovingly again. "Now why don't we take this to the bedroom and spend some time proving what we already know."

Chapter 8 A Month to Remember

"Boats are females, Del. You know that. The name makes sense and I like it," I said strongly, hoping to put an end to the discussion.

"I give up. Go ahead and do what you want," she said, resigned.

"Good, it's decided then. Del's Choice it is," I announced, trying not to sound triumphant.

I glanced toward Ardele and saw that she wasn't pouting or looking unhappy, so I decided I had achieved what I wanted. My argument had been that she had found the boat, organized the transfer and engine installation, and been totally involved choosing the interior fitments and décor. It really was her choice as much as mine. I just happened to agree with much of what she did. I wasn't sure, but I suspected she was very proud of my support.

Our love life was wonderful. As our moods shifted, so did our lovemaking. There were times when it was slow and soulful, others when it was fun and rambunctious, and other times when it was wild and crazy. We seldom went more than a couple of days without having sex, and often that was because of Del's monthly visitor or we had been so aggressive that she was sore and needed a day or so to recover.

I'd made up my mind that I wanted to make this permanent, but I hadn't quite decided how to broach the subject. On my own, I had been looking at rings and when I found one I knew was just exactly what I wanted, I bought it and stashed it away until the time was right.

The completion of the work on the boat was a little behind schedule, but it would still be done in early December. We agreed we would enter the Parade of Carol Ships this year and I notified the organizers of our intention and the dates we would be participating. We decided not to charter this year since we hadn't had our sea trials yet and didn't want a problem to crop up that would force us to cancel on our clients.

The finishing touch on Del's Choice was the lettering on the transom and some minor interior and exterior painting. I had installed some propane heaters in the boat shed to allow the work to be done in the otherwise cold, damp air of the harbour. When we pulled the boat out to view it in its final form, I was smiling from ear to ear. It looked terrific and Del was taking pictures from every angle.

"So, there we are," I said to her. "We're back on the water. Hell, we're back in business. What a great day!"

She hugged me to her and nodded, herself a picture of happiness at the product of our efforts. 

"Baldur will be along for sea trials," I said. "Said he wouldn't miss that."

"What about Tom Thompson? Is he coming too?" she asked.

"I should have thought of that," I said, angry with myself for forgetting my friend. I pulled my cell out of my pocket and punched in his number.

"Tom, It's Pat. Sea trials are tomorrow. Can you make it?"

"Of course. What time?"

"Ten o'clock to about one or two, depending on weather."

"Perfect. See you then. I'm anxious to see the finished boat."

"I think you'll be impressed with it. Del's done a hell of a job with the interior."

"I'm sure she did. See you tomorrow."

I ended the call and nodded to Del. "He'll be there."

"Should we get some food for lunch?" she asked.

"Good idea. A couple of those trays they sell at the deli counter would be perfect. We can graze as we sail."

***

Tuesday morning dawned with some overcast, but signs of blue sky to the north and west. Better still, little wind. The temperature might make eight or ten degrees by early afternoon, but not more. We would need to dress for a chilly three or four hours.

Baldur arrived early, almost twenty minutes before departure.

"You're early. Would you like some coffee?" I asked.

"Thank you. I wasn't sure about the traffic and I didn't want to be late. I'm very interested in your new boat. The last time I saw it in Astoria, I saw promise, so I want to see what you have accomplished in the last three months."

"Come aboard and Del will show you what we've done."

Del welcomed Baldur with a hug and then stepped back as he looked around the refurbished cabin. He paid particular attention to the galley and staterooms, nodding his approval with each step. Then he spent a few minutes in the engine room, checking the new Volvo power and genset.

"It looks very good, Ardele. You must be very proud of your accomplishment."

"Thank you, Baldur. I'm happy with it. We'll be spending a lot of time on this boat, so I wanted it to be just right."

Baldur nodded and showed his approval with his smile. I poured his coffee, waiting for Tom to show up. I was sure he would be on time. 

"Mornin' everyone," Tom said, stepping aboard. "Hello, Baldur. Good to see you again. Ah, coffee. Just what I need."

"Help yourself, Tom. Have a look around. I'll get the engines warmed up, then we'll head out."

I had been practicing for a few days on getting used to the throttles and rudder response, but I had yet to use the bow thruster. Both Tom and Baldur had experience with that device and I decided I needed a tutorial before I played with it. For now, I would use my cautious skills to get us away from the dock and into the harbour.

The command bridge had both side and back curtains as well as a heater, so I decided to work from there to begin with since it gave me better visibility. I carefully powered aft from the shed into the narrow slipway before putting the transmissions into forward. Slowly we motored out of the marina. 

The engines had been dynamometer tested and were showing their expected 330 horsepower and plenty of torque to turn the big bronze props. The trim tabs were at zero degree pitch to begin with and I soon found I wanted some lift in the aft section and moved the tabs fifteen degrees to measure the effect. Immediately the engines sounded less laboured and I shifted the revs up to bring the boat to its cruise setting. 

Tom was watching the gauges and noticed that the starboard engine was running at 100 rpm less than the port. I dropped the port engine back to match and found the wheel was free from pull. It was going to take some experimenting to find the ideal settings. I could tell right from the start that this boat felt more lively than Captain's Choice and handled much more nimbly. Whether it was the shape of the hull or the weight distribution or something else entirely, it just felt lighter and quicker.

I handed the boat over to Baldur and he began to put it through its paces. Nothing extreme, mind you, but I could see he was enjoying himself. After fifteen minutes of fun, he handed it over to Tom for his turn. After Tom, Ardele took over and I could tell by the look on her face that she was in love with this craft. It was so completely different from my previous boat that it didn't bear comparison. 

We had left the aft curtain open and the bridge was still warm enough with the heater on. There was a light chop on English Bay and that seemed to be exactly what this boat wanted. It rode through the small waves without pounding or bucking. At thirty metric tonnes, I didn't expect any. As our trial continued, I knew I had the boat I wanted. This was exactly what I imagined and more. I could tell that Del felt the same way.

We rounded the corner at Point Atkinson, passed Whytecliff Park, and then hooked back into Horseshoe Bay for lunch. Aside from the ferry traffic, it was quiet in the bay. December wasn't much of a month for boating other than a few hardy fishermen and the odd sailor. The snack trays were soon emptied as we chatted about Del's Choice and compared notes, searching for any shortfall to address. 

"Very stable," Baldur said. "Handles very well for a boat of this size. Before we leave, you should get some experience with the bow thrusters. They are very helpful, but require practice to use them effectively."

"I agree," Tom chimed in. "I'm a sail type guy myself, but compared to our previous experience together, this boat is more responsive, Pat. The engines don't seem to be working hard to maintain cruise at 1800 rpm. I made it to between twelve and fourteen knots by my reckoning."

"That's better than we expected," Ardele said. "It will be interesting to see what the fuel consumption is. The tanks were full when we left, so we can top them up and see what we used. The Hobbs meter is logging the engine hours."

Baldur nodded. "Good. Pat, have you checked all the electronics?"

"Yes," I said. "All tested and working fine. Radar, sonar, GPS, and VHS radios. The collision avoidance system and sounder were tested as we moved out into English Bay and then again when we came in here. Everything seems right on the money."

"Noise level was good," Tom said, "considering it's a stink pot."

The got a laugh from all of us. Sailors always bragged about how quiet their boats were.

Ardele had turned on the stereo system and had some soft rock station playing in the background. She came and sat beside me, her arm wrapped inside mine.

"Happy?" she whispered.

"Very," I replied, kissing her cheek.

"Me too."

"When are you two love birds going to tie the knot?" Tom asked brashly.

I wasn't ready for that question and Ardele's reaction said she wasn't either. 

I stammered and stuttered to find an answer. "When we do, you'll be among the first to know," I finally managed.

That seemed to satisfy Tom and I felt Ardele relax somewhat, although I still think she didn't know quite how to react to the blunt question.

We took turns cruising Del's Choice back to Coal Harbour. After I had been given some instruction on the bow thrusters by Baldur, I would put his lesson to use when we arrived at the marina. It turned out to be less difficult than I expected and I was satisfied that with a little more practice I could really take advantage of the docking device.

The cruise debriefing was positive on all fronts. The boat looked good, both inside and out, but more importantly, it ran and handled well. True, we didn't have any bad weather or strong winds to contend with, but the big cruiser felt sound and responded very well to our inputs. We all agreed we had a very good craft that suited our needs.

***

In the back of my mind, Tom's abrupt question to us about our relationship was still gnawing at me. I had bought the ring and it presently was in my little safe in the bedroom closet. I'd had it for a couple of weeks now, but still hadn't worked up either the courage or confidence to present it to Ardele. It wasn't that I was in doubt about my feelings for her. No, it was more my uncertainty about her feelings for me. But Tom had set the cat among the pigeons today and perhaps that was the stimulant I needed.

I extracted the jeweler's box from the safe after we arrived back at the apartment and put it in my pocket. We were both in an upbeat mood, chatting about decorating the boat for the Carol Ship Parade taking place in a few days. 

After dinner, I poured each of us a second glass of wine as moved to the sofa, supposedly to decide what we needed to decorate the boat. Sitting side by side I wondered if I was going to keep my supper down. I was that nervous.

"Del," I began shakily, reaching into my pocket for the little box, "you know how I feel about you. You must by now know I love you. I may not have known what love was before, but I do now. I want to know ... ahhhh, I want to ask you ... will you marry me?"

I opened the little box and took out the ring, almost dropping it as my hands trembled. I stole a look at Ardele and saw surprise, but more importantly, I saw a smile and soon tears.

"Yes, Patrick," she said, sniffing and wiping the tears with her fingertips. "Yes."

I placed the ring on the finger she held out to me and slipped it on. It was a bit snug, but that could be adjusted later.

"It's beautiful. I know you didn't buy it today. How long have you had it?"

"I've been trying to work up the nerve to ask you for several weeks. I've known for a lot longer than that how I felt about you. This is all new for me. I've never proposed before."

"You did it beautifully, Pat. I love you and I will happily be your wife. This time I know I'm right."

I had an enormous sense of relief and pleasure come over me. All my worry was for nothing. She had said yes and there wasn't a hint of doubt or hesitancy whatsoever. I could feel the tension drain out of me. I had what I wanted. What a perfect day. The new boat and soon, a new life partner. A wife. I never would have thought.

"Was it what Tom said that made you ask me to marry you?" Del asked as we lay in bed later that evening.

"Yes, I suppose it was. I knew I wanted to ask you and my only worry was whether you felt the same about me that I felt about you. I wasn't so sure about that, and that's why I was hesitant."

"You shouldn't have been. I know the difference between lust and love. I've been there and have the scars to prove it. You've proven yourself, Pat. You act like a husband around me. You ask my opinion. You listen to me. You let me do things that other men might want to do themselves. Most of all, your actions tell me how you feel about me. It was easy to fall in love with you. Very easy."

"I'm glad. That's all I really wanted to hear. So that leaves us with a couple of questions that haven't been asked yet. One is about children."

I felt Del stiffen beside me and wondered if I was going to get a negative response.

"How do you feel about our having children?" she asked carefully after a long pause.

"I hope you want one or two," I said. "But, it's really your decision."

"Well, that's good news, then," she sighed. "I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant."

"What! Are you kidding me?" I said, rising up in surprise.

"No. It's not for sure, but I've missed my period and I haven't been feeling great in the mornings. That's the usual sign, isn't it?" she giggled.

"I guess so. Oh, Del, I'm the luckiest guy in the world. This is so perfect. I guess we'd better plan on a wedding pretty soon, then."

"I'm so relieved you feel that way. You were afraid to ask me to marry you, and I was afraid to tell you I might be pregnant. Don't we make a pair of goofs?"

I pulled her close to me and kissed her deeply. "You're my kind of goof. We are going to have a beautiful baby, I just know it."

"I hope it's a boy," she said quietly. "That way the Hamelin name will carry on."

"Yeah. Hadn't thought of that, but you're right. Here I was thinking the family name would die out with me. Looks like there's a fifty-fifty chance it might carry on."

"We could always help the odds if we have another one in a year or two," she smiled.

"That would be perfect, especially if we had one of each. Oh, God, Del, I love you so much. Our life is going to be so good."

"Shall we have a civil ceremony?" she asked. "We don't have any relatives nearby." 

"I don't have any relatives at all. Why don't we invite your mother and your sisters? We'll have a civil ceremony, but a nice reception for them and our friends. In fact, we'll post a notice in the newspapers announcing our engagement. We'll get a nice picture of the two of us together and let everyone know we're getting married. How about that?"

Del was laughing at my enthusiasm. "Whatever you want, my love. Whatever you want."

***

The first weekend of the Christmas parade of carol ships had come and gone. As in the past, I chose not to participate until mid-December and this year, we booked no charters. This year I was celebrating something very special. I had found my wife and I would be a father next year. I was so energized by the thought that it consumed my every waking moment for the first few days.

I placed a notice in the personals section of both daily papers announcing our engagement and including a picture of us that Tom had taken. We had chosen Friday, January 20th for our civil wedding and Saturday the 21st for the reception at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, adjacent to our Coal harbour marina. I was surprised at how many calls we received from friends and old classmates of mine, congratulating us and naming me the last hold-out of our group. 

It didn't take any effort to put together a list of almost fifty people for the reception. Between Ardele's family and friends, my friends and associates, it would be a great chance for us to reconnect with them. In fact, we invited several of them to join us for one of the carol ship parades - many accepted.

It was Wednesday before our first cruise of the second weekend. We were relaxing in the living room after a light lunch, trying to decide what to do with the rest of our day.

"Happy?" I asked. 

"Yes ... very," she crooned, leaning over and giving me one of her passionate kisses.

I put my hand on her tummy and rubbed it gently.

"How long before it will show?" I asked.

She laughed. "Another couple of months I guess. Then I'll get big as a house."

"I can't wait. I don't want to know if it's a boy or a girl. Even if you know, don't tell me. Agree?"

"Okay. Old fashioned, huh?"

"I guess so," I admitted. "Say, how long can we keep having sex?"

"As long as you want me. We might have to make some adjustments in position, but I've heard we can have sex up until a month before our baby is born."

"Really? Man, I've got so much to learn. What about those classes we have to go to?"

"Lamaze? You want to be with me all the way, huh?" She seemed surprised at my interest.

"Of course. It's my baby too. I want to make sure everything is just right for you and our baby."

She turned toward me and held me tight. "I love you, Pat. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"I love you too, Ardele. You've made me understand what love really is."

The knock at the door surprised both of us. No one had buzzed the intercom to gain entrance, so I assumed it must be one of our neighbours. I walked to the door and opened it. A middle-age woman stood there, looking very nervous. She was well dressed in what I took to be a business suit. I was hoping this wasn't a door-to-door canvasser who had sneaked into the building.

"Yes, can I help you?" I asked.

"Hello, Patrick," she said very timidly. 

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" She didn't look at all familiar.

"I ... I'm your mother."

To Be Continued