Flirting with Mermaids by John Kretschmer

Author:John Kretschmer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sheridan House
Published: 1999-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Enjoying another gourmet meal offshore.

“John, I have bad news,” she said quietly. “Real bad news.”

“What is it, what’s wrong?” My mind raced with horrible possibilities.

“Tim is dead.”

“Tim?” I was blank for moment.

“Tim, your mom’s Tim.”

“Tim! Oh my god, Tim!”

The last 300 miles disappeared in a blur. I ached for my mother. Their relationship, which at first had seemed so unlikely to a selfish, impossible-to-please son, had grown and blossomed during the course of their voyage. EPOCH was in Majorca, just a tradewind passage away from completing her circumnavigation, and now Tim, her captain and champion, was dead, and so was their dream. He was in California, a rare trip home to visit his family. My mom was in Michigan, also visiting family. In a few days they would rendezvous in New York and return to EPOCH. An aneurysm exploded in his head and changed their plans forever. There was no warning, nothing anyone could have done. It was as sudden as if he had been shot.

My watches melted into one another as I recalled Sri Lanka, India, Oman and, of course, the madness in Aden. I remembered my anger, my frustration, my harsh words, and I regretted that I didn’t say the kind things that I wanted to say to him. Why does death bring such clarity, such brutal, honest clarity? Tracking over the long, low, summer swells, I finally understood that Tim had loved my mother as much as I did.

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