Ocean Dreams

Chapter 10

At seven in the morning, Joel's alarm went off. He blinked awake and groaned. My body is on fire. Every muscle he had, and didn't know he had, was screaming at him. He knew it was from all the exercise. There was no other way to say that it wasn't. He didn't even want to think of what Nichole went through when she had to do it. Shaking his head to remove the grogginess, he sat up and stretched himself out thoroughly. Letting his head settle back down to focus, he got up to shower, shave, and collect what he needed to start the day. Looking over his phone screen when he collected it, he nodded that he got no calls. His wallet was next to be picked up, and he wolfed down a banana from the bowl of fruit on the table. He grabbed the two coins on the table and stuck them back in the waterproof pouch. They were wrapped back up in the seaweed to keep them from clinking together. It was time to hit the airport.

"Okay, honey, I'm coming to get ya," he muttered. Heading out of the hotel, he nodded to the manager. "My wife is coming in today. She insisted. So, you may be seeing her later with me."

"Of course," Stephan nodded. "I trust your stay is satisfactory?"

"Yes. Thank you very much," he nodded back. "Oh, I need to hit up a fish market. For some salmon and mackerel. As fresh as I can get it. Is there a good place?"

"Yes, there is! There is a seafood market right by the port. Everything is always fresh. Our staff buys the fish directly from there, actually. The fishermen set up their catch there each morning."

"Thank you!" Joel nodded again and left for the cab. On the way to the airport, he called up the credit card company to let them know of the purchases he was making. He had a feeling that they likely thought his card was stolen. It was a good thing that he did call them. They were getting ready to shut down the card in case there was fraud. Talking to the representative, he informed them that he may be making another purchase on fish and various books. When he explained the camping trip, the representative laughed and understood completely. Sighing, as he was glad to have cleared that up, he paid the fare and went to the waiting area of the airport lobby for his wife.

"Joel!" she said happily. He winced at the light pink floral tourist top and shorts she was in. She was even wearing sandals, sunglasses, and a white visor! "I had to look the part! Did it work?"

"With disturbing precision," he grinned and grunted at the poke to his side.

"Don't you start!" she giggled. He sighed and put an arm around her before kissing her with a quick peck on the lips. "It's good to see you."

"Same," he smiled. "I need to go to a fish market to pick up a few things. Then it's a book store. Then we need to hit up the docks for the boat. No time for the hotel. Your suitcase is coming with us. Um...you only brought one, right?"

"I brought two," she smiled. "and more underwear and socks for you, if you need it."

"That's my girl," he said with a light smile. "Oh, I should get Nikki a pack of razors and a toothbrush kit. She mentioned it before."

"Did she?" his wife frowned.

"Oh, wait. I got her a traveling kit. It comes with a toothbrush set already. Just the razors, then. Maybe some deodorant, though. Might need shaving cream, too."

"Is she moving out here?"

"In a sense, she is. I'll tell you more on the boat, okay?"

"You had better tell me everything!" she insisted.

"Of course, my dear," he mused. He went to the luggage bay area and grabbed the two suitcases on the circling platform. Wheeling them to the next cab, they were taken to the fish market.