Chapter 21
A New Beginning
Chief
Adams and the 331 crossed the bar about two hours later, during slack tide as
the breakers began to lay down and the worst of the storm moderated. The four
souls he rescued were to be taken by ambulance for a checkup at the hospital,
but before they left, John Ackers shook the Chief’s hand and the mother gave
him and his crew a thankful hug. Their teenage boy was talking to EN1 Conners
about the 44’s, and their preteen daughter seemed more infatuated with seaman
Andrews than anything else.
Captain
Michaels of the 1369 was on the phone with Commander Reese trying to explain
why Ian ended up in the water, Sheriff Joe was on another line passing along
information about what happened to Hoke and lined up a search team to find his
body. One of the paramedics was checking Johnson and Ian.
“I’m
telling you laddie, we’re okay. We’ll be fine.” Ian protested at the extra
attention they were receiving.
A few
moments later, Sharon, Nicki, Nathan, Ian, Johnson, and Matthew stood inside
the mess area drinking some hot coffee, Nicki hot coco, made especially for her
accented with sweet marshmallows by Cajun. Sharon applied an icepack against
the bruised and battered face of Nathan’s battle scars.
“Can’t
help but feel bad for Hoke.” Sharon said.
“Ouch,”
he flinched. “Maybe so. He was a troubled man searching in all the wrong places…ouch.”
Nathan smarted again when Sharon touched a sensitive spot.
Matt
inhaled another long slurp of his coffee, always black, never creamed or
sweetened. Its warmth flowed well into his insides calming his taut nerves. He
absorbed its fragrance, a delicate blend as soothing as any rose, more
satisfying.
Nathan rolled
his head toward Matt as he stopped Sharon with his hand from her nursing
attempts. “Matt,” he paused, swallowed a breath, “I just want to say…”
Matt
stopped him in midsentence, “No words are necessary, Nate. I’m just glad you
and everyone are okay. We did this together, a team.”
Nathan
squeezed out a relieved smile and simply nodded in agreement. Sharon continued
her attempt to doctor his wounds and as she was gently pressing the compress
against his eye, she lifted her eyes toward Matt elevating her smile of
approval in his direction. Matt winked in return as he took another sip of his
coffee.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Late the next afternoon Matt,
Sharon and Nicki sat on the retainer wall in front of the lighthouse. A golden
hue rolled across the waters stretched out before them. It was one of those uncommon
moments, a stillness actually, when the elements decided it had inflicted
enough of its wrath upon the land, and was permitting it to recover. The sun fell
below the line of clouds that hovered low across the horizon, and cast a
reflection of warm regeneration upon the coast.
The ME II,
although missing destruction on the black jetty rocks, was driven onto the
beach on the south side. She was battered and beaten, but salvageable, ready
for a refit, ready to motor again, someday, across the fertile fishing waters
she once plowed. Nathan had his work cut out for himself, but he was up to the
task, and as he stood on the beach talking to the salvage crew, the sun hurled
a long series of rays, low, over the sands, some of them catching the profile
of his Marc Eagle II as she slumbered, beached in shallow water, just below the
highwater mark.
As the
three of them, Matt, Sharon, and Nicki, paused next to the retaining wall marking
the edge of the lighthouse compound, Sharon turned toward the dominating
structure.
“She is
beautiful, isn’t she, the lighthouse I mean.”
Matt
turned and lifted his head toward its heights, the dome still rotating, the
beams still extending forward into the future, then turn his gaze toward Sharon
and smiled, “You are beautiful,” he responded, “and so are you.” He knelt to lift
Nicki holding her safely embraced in his arm. Then he rolled his other arm
around his love’s shoulder luring her in tight. She tilted her head, laying it
on his chest. “I love you Matt, I always have.”
Matt
smiled then looked over to Nicki. He examined the dark blue heavens of the
evening sky accented with the warm tones of a setting sun now spreading above
the lighthouse and across the dunes. A peaceful warmth filled his heart with a
revelation of gratitude. Holding his gaze toward the sky, he silently
acknowledged his new revelation with a subtle nod and a soft, “Thank you.”
Lowering
his gaze, it fell onto Sharon’s face. Her eyes were the most beautiful part of
creation he had ever imagined. Slowly, softly, they kissed, and the sun, now
embracing the final moments of the day, settled below the horizon, a restful
end to a trying season.
