Distracted √

Distracted: Chapter Nineteen

Beth Andersen made a face. "Don't let that dog kiss you. I swear – you spoil her rotten."

Once inside, Erin opened the door to the spare bedroom and learned that Mariah had lied: no redecoration had occurred. Fishing poles of all sizes lined one wall and tackle boxes filled with lures and spoons and floats and fishing line crowded the top of the dresser. Old life preservers were piled in one corner while a bait box dominated the other. The room reeked of fish and salt and mildew.

"Gag, Mom! You expect me to sleep in here?"

Bewildered, her mother asked, "Why? What's wrong with it?" She glanced around and saw the bait box. "Oh, that. Don't worry about that. I'll have Jake move it outside."

Erin made her way to the sliding glass doors at the back of the room and slid them open. "Don't you ever lock the house?"

"What for? We're out here on the fringe. I worry more about the boat than the house,," her mother replied. "Jake! Come help me clear this room."

The three of them heaved and hauled until the most offensive smelling of the fishing gear was stored on the patio. Erin rummaged for air freshener in the hall closet, then saturated the room with the aroma of lilacs.

Her mother's nose crinkled as she returned with clean sheets. "Ew; what's that smell?"

"Not fish, thank god. Mom, how can you live like this?"

"What are you talking about? Jake and I have a perfectly fine home and a great boat. Now, don't get too comfortable. We have to leave here in twenty minutes to make the Christmas boat parade."

Erin enjoyed the parade more than she realized. Hundreds of small and large boats, power and sail, with twinkling lights and colorful Christmas decorations circled around the harbor.

Her father relaxed in the captain's chair, a cocktail in his hand and his little dog on his lap. "Pretty, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is pretty," she said. "I'm glad we came."

Her mother stepped out of the cabin. "Honey, where's that bottle of rum? Sorry, Erin, we're out of vodka."

"That's okay, Mom. I don't need anything."

"Well, how about a glass of wine? I've got some crackers and cheese spread, and there are some pretzels in the locker."

Erin smiled as her mother fished, unsuccessfully for once, for party food. Beth could bait a hook faster than she could spread Cheese Whiz on a cracker and filet a fish more easily than fry an egg. With a husband who fancied himself a chef, why should she care?

"Sure; a glass of wine would be fine."

A couple of hours later both Erin and her father were loopy and laughing. The timid Cookie made her way into Erin's lap and closed her eyes in content as Erin stroked the dog's ears.

Beth, back at her helm, started the massive diesel engine and turned the bow homeward. She smiled to herself, enjoying the alcohol-induced camaraderie between father and daughter. Jake always knew what to say to the girls, she thought. Her own careless fumbling frustrated her daughters as they moved through puberty and into their teens.

"Boys I understand," Beth thought. As the little sister of four older brothers she had learned to toughen up. Her tomboy ways had barely subsided when she met Jake Andersen in high school. She fell head-over-heels in love with the shy farm boy and after graduating from school, they married.

She knew her daughter needed to find her own way, however, that didn't mean a little fatherly advice couldn't help.

Jake waited until the giggling stopped.

"Remember when we were crossing the Skyway Bridge today?"

"My eyes were closed the whole time, but yes, I remember."

"Well, that's fine, because I was driving. Your mom is driving now, because I'm too impaired to helm the boat. We're a team that way."

"You're a great team." Erin wondered where this was going.

"Yes we are. But she's just as afraid of bridges as you."

"Really?" Erin never noticed.

Her father took another sip of beer.

"Over time, she grew to trust me to get her across. There are all kinds of dangers out there but if you have someone to help, you can learn to live with them. You become one person after a while."

Erin thought about Spence and how protected she felt with him, even sailing a thousand miles and back. But she would never have what her parents have. Spence was gone forever.

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