CHAPTER 12

“Charlotte, make yourself useful now that you are here. Take them to the cockpit and give them some bread,” Lysander then turned to us and gave an apologetic smile, “I’m sorry the bread might be not as fresh as yesterday.”

The mere mention of food had us not even minding stale bread.

“That’s completely fine, we could make do with what we get. Thank you,” Tavin, obviously sharing the same thoughts as me, said in reassurance.

The little girl led us into the cockpit and gestured for us to sit. Once we settled in, she opened a crate that looked like it had seen better days and pulled out a loaf of bread wrapped in crumpled newspaper. With an eager smile on her face, she handed it to us and enthusiastically watched as we took a bite. Tavin unwrapped some cheese she had given us to go with it, and we both devoured the food as if we hadn't eaten in days - which was, in fact, the case.

After going so long without proper food, it felt so wonderful and emotional to finally have a meal in front of us; I had almost forgotten what this was supposed to taste like. The bread was devoured in mere seconds as if we had been starving for years. “Good?” Charlotte asked us with wide, sparkling eyes and I smiled at her, “Of course, it is delicious. Thank you.”

The girl seemed pleased with the response. Then her father came into view with a young man following closely behind him, “This is my neighbor’s son, Reggie. He is a military officer who is currently on a short break.”

Reggie mutely nodded at us and appraised us with his piercing green gaze. He had a bronze complexion and appeared slightly shorter than Tavin by an inch. With a brief greeting, he uttered a simple, "Hello."

“Hello,” Tavin and I greeted and Lysander looked back to his watch, “It's almost nine o'clock, so we should arrive at land by lunchtime at the latest. Speaking of, I don’t think I caught your names?”

Tavin spoke up for us, “I’m Tavin and this is Candace. We heartily thank you for your kindness. And we are sorry that we were not very welcoming at first…”

“Ah, that is fine! You may have your reasons for that,” Lysander dismissed with a wave of his hand. Tavin directed a quick glance at me, silently seeking my consent. I nodded back, feeling reassured and trusting of the group before us. Then Tavin proceeded to recount our tale, beginning with the shipwreck and narrating our journey at sea. When he reached the part about George and Greg, he squeezed my hand in support as he offered a subtle hint about what happened, cautiously side-eyeing Charlotte who was listening intently with her mouth unconsciously open as if she were being told a bedtime story.

Upon catching Tavin's hint about the subtle direction of the story, Lysander glanced down at his daughter and suggested, "Why don't you count the fish we've caught so far, Charlotte?" The young girl protested, “But I just did it this morning!” However, a stern look from her father caused her to huff and begrudgingly leave the cockpit.

Tavin proceeded to share the details of our journey and how it had made us much more cautious and aware of potential encounters with strangers. Lysander listened intently with gritted teeth that expressed his disgust and nodded in understanding. "Given the circumstances, your actions were reasonable," he acknowledged. "What happened to you was unfortunate."

“Uncommendable,” commented Reggie.

“We can assure you that you are safe aboard this boat. Our accommodations may not meet your standards, but we will do everything in our power to make you feel comfortable,” Lysander gently stated and we thanked him whole-heartedly once again.

I turned my attention back to the sea. As the morning sun shone down on us, I noticed our now empty lifeboat that was being towed behind us. A thought crossed my mind: perhaps it was time to let it go? I glanced at Tavin, who was conversing with Lysander and mentally shook my head. No, it was not the right time for that. It might be better to keep the boat with us, just in case.

“We set out to sea two days ago, and imagine my sheer surprise when I discovered my daughter hidden away in the food crate! She had snuck aboard this boat without our knowledge, and I can only imagine the panic her mother must be feeling right now, thinking she had been kidnapped or sold! She must not be sleeping, instead wandering around trying to search for our meddlesome daughter!” Lysander exclaimed and Tavin and I exchanged baffled glances. “Both she and I would get the whooping of our life when we go home today! Oh, my poor wife, she must be so troubled not knowing what happened to our daughter! Charlotte, you are such a troublemaker and a bad child for doing this to your weak-hearted mother!”

“But Papa! You never take me with you! I want to be a fisherman, just like you!” the girl bellowed with a scowl, “You never take me to sea! I want to fish like you!”

“How many times do I have to tell you that it isn’t a job for girls? You should’ve stayed home and been useful to your mother without doing the disappearing act! You are only ten! And see the trouble you are causing! And it’s called fisherWOMAN; A job that is not suited for you.”

Lysander disclosed before apologetically looking at us, “I’m sorry you had to hear this argument. But I can’t imagine what my poor Martha must be going through at home at the thought of our daughter missing.”

“Well, that was indeed not something I would do, Charlotte,” I said softly to the embarrassed girl, who was close to tears after being scolded in front of strangers. My mother used to do it all the time too, I thought, my heart aching at the thought of what my parents must be going through after the news of our shipwreck. “You should not worry your parents. But if you were a good girl, perhaps they would consider letting you become…a fisherwoman?" I beckoned her closer and whispered the last part.

The little girl gasped, “Really?”

At my nod, she cheered loudly and ran to hug her father, “Papa, I’m sorry. I will not do it again.”

Lysander's expression shifted from surprise to a smile as he looked at me, and he reached out to pat his daughter's head “Will you teach me how to fish, please?” she asked sweetly, to which her father guffawed. “That was your intent all along anyway! Come, at least let me show you something worthwhile now that you are here,” Lysander glanced back at us in, “If you want, you can come watch us handling the last of our fishnets.”

We followed the fisherman out of the cockpit and saw Reggie tugging on the end of a fishing net. With some adept maneuvers, Lysander and Reggie gradually hauled the dripping net onto the boat, revealing a plethora of flapping fish thrashing against the mesh. We curiously watched the men sifting through the net, discarding any unwanted debris or fish. It was a scene that we were too curious to stray our eyes away from, one that Tavin and I had never witnessed up close before.

The fish were spread out on the ground and Lysander goodheartedly offered Tavin to carry one. Tavin recoiled back and I couldn't help but smirk challengingly at him. Seeing my expression, Tavin, who looked grossed out before, now huffed in indignation and held out his palm, determined to prove himself. However, just as he held the tail of a long seer fish with just two fingers, his expression turned nauseous, much to my amusement.

I burst out laughing, only stopping when Tavin muttered, "This is why I'm a vegetarian." I was surprised by this revelation, but Lysander took pity on him and took the fish away. “It’s slimy and yucky.”

“Yucky?” I sniggered and he scowled, “Why, can’t the player be a vegetarian and use the word ‘yucky’?”

I liked the fact that he was slowly drifting away from the image I had of him from the beginning. He was revealing a different side of himself that I hadn't seen before. If we were going to be companions until we reached home, I would really like to get to know the REAL Tavin.

“The sun is going to be blaring at us soon, I suggest you both return to the cockpit.,” Lysander told Tavin, “The lady’s delicate skin has already been sunburnt and so has yours. Your bodies must’ve endured a lot in that small boat. You better take a rest until we reach land.”

“Oh…” Tavin trailed off, looking at me and I met Lysander’s warm brown eyes, “Thank you, that would be great.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t touch your belongings or disturb you. You can trust us,” Lysander said and Tavin smiled at him, “I see no reason to think otherwise. Come on, Candace. Let's sit for a while and relax.” With a tired-looking Charlotte trailing behind us, we made our way back to the cockpit. The young girl leaned back against a crate; a blanket bundled up to support her head. With a sleepy smile and a lazy wave, she drifted off to sleep.

“Do you think we are correct in trusting them?” I inquired in a low voice as we sat down.

“At least they are more trustable than those two hooligans. We should take our chances as long as we are reaching land, don’t you think?” he answered while giving me two of our blankets from our belongings. “Yeah, I guess,” I muttered unsurely as I realized that these blankets were too hot for me. I gave them back to Tavin with a shake of my head. “I hope what we did won’t backfire on us.”

Tavin crossed his arms and leaned his back against the boat. “Welp, this is uncomfortable.”

“Why, haven’t you ever slept while sitting before?” I mocked; I had dozed off that way amid painting in late hours numerous times. He rolled his eyes. “Why would I do that when I had the perfect bed to sleep on? Damn, what I’d do to sleep on it again.”

I mimicked his position and scrunched up my face. It WAS uncomfortable. I heard Tavin scoff from beside me. “Come here, lay your head on my shoulder.”

I turned my head towards him with surprise. "Are you serious?"

“This is not one of my ‘flirty tactics’, okay? If you lay your head on my shoulder, I can rest my head on yours and that would be less uncomfortable,” he explained matter-of-factly. I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. Before I could make up my mind, Tavin gently pulled me to his side and pressed my face against his shoulder. Wrapping his arm around my shoulders, he trapped my head underneath his, saying, "Now stop struggling and go to sleep."

Whatever. It took me quite a time for the awkwardness to go away, which cannot be said the same about Tavin who was already dozing off. His head was heavy. I hope he doesn’t drool on my hair.

° ° °

I was shaken awake by someone pulling at my hand. It took me a hot minute to register that it was little Charlotte who was pulling at my hand with twinkling eyes and wide eyes, “We are here! We are home! Wake up!”

I sat up quickly, causing Tavin who had been sleeping with his head on top of mine to fall to the ground. I hurriedly made my way to the front of the boat, hand in hand with Charlotte, my heart beating erratically against my chest.

Then I saw it.

The beginnings of an outline of a faint green canopy; a massive flock of seagulls flying in unison ahead of us; more fishing boats resembling the one we were in.

“What was that, Candace? You shouldn’t have pushed me. Wake me up like a decent human bei-” I heard Tavin from behind me, trailing off as he also undoubtedly caught the scene before us.

We gazed ahead with wide eyes and parted lips while Lysander watched us with a knowing smile as we neared land.

We were nearing land. Civilization was right in front of us.

Before I knew it, tears welled up in my eyes as I took a deep, overwhelmed breath. “T-Tavin,” I whispered and he pulled me into his arms, joy radiating through our embrace, and Tavin suddenly burst out laughing uncontrollably. “We made it, Candace, we made it!”

Tears were streaming down my face as I nodded against his chest.

We were alive.

I can reach out to my parents and wait for Larisa to get in touch with me, and then we can arrange for us to go home!

“Thank you, thank you so much,” I pulled away and shook Lysander’s rough hands with both of mine. Before he could say anything, Tavin was also clasping his hands with the man, appreciating his kindness profusely. Charlotte beamed up at me when I ruffled her hair and Reggie watched us with an expression I could not make out.

All noise drowned into the background as the shoreline came into view. Fishermen could be seen pulling in their nets, while others were busy selling their catch. People were shouting at each other, sorting through piles of fish and some preparing to set sail. Amidst all the chaos and swaying palm trees, there were also little children in ragged clothes flying kites with wide smiles that could be seen even from a distance.

Civilization. It was right in front of me.

“Tavin, I’m not dreaming, am I?” I asked breathlessly, my eyes never parting from the land up ahead. “If it was, that would be the cruelest dream ever,” he said, placing his hand on my shoulder. Seeing land for the first time after being stranded at sea for days was an earth-shattering experience, and I was choked up with a gush of powerful emotions. With my heart filled with hope, relief and joy as the sight of the solid ground grew nearer, we waited with bated breath and anticipation.

The boat was barely anchored as Tavin wasted no time in disembarking from the boat. He waded through the shallow waters until his feet touched the soft brown sand of the beach. He dropped to his knees, letting the grains of sand flow through his fingers as he observed them with a childlike wonder.

With the help of Reggie, I got down and felt the warm sand pelt my feet. I touched the ground, making sure that this was real and not a hallucination. As though stumbling upon an oasis in a desert, I scooped up handfuls of the fine sand, reveling in its warmth and texture, without paying mind to the glances of the onlookers on the beach.

With shaky legs I stood up and surveyed the area, trying to absorb my surroundings. Men with rugged features more or less like Lysander curiously scrutinized us. The coastline was adorned with various fishing boats and huts constructed with dried coconut leaves that sheltered dried fish, scallops, prawns, and various other seafood. A group of men was harmoniously singing as they pulled in a massive fishing net from the ocean, while rhythmically hauling the rope in one direction.

Tavin was also taking in everything and faced Lysander, who was bringing their catch with Reggie. “Lysander, where are we?” Tavin asked and I perked up, realizing that we had never inquired about the name of this place.

Lysander glanced worriedly at Reggie before looking at us sympathetically.

"You're on Efate Island now."