CHAPTER LIV

622 25 19
                                    

At lunchtime people disappeared to eat and suddenly the port of Nassau was completely empty. I sat on a bollard, looking out to sea. The wind made the masts and boat tops snap. A few moments later Jackie Jay and Dilthey appeared.

"Here you go. Your lemonade,' Jackie said, handing me one of the two glasses he was holding.

"Oh, thank you. How much do I owe you?"

"Absolutely nothing, my treat!"

"Are you sure?"

He brought his glass closer to mine, smiling. "Cheers."

As I brought the drink to my lips, a sweet, cold taste invaded my mouth. I knew instantly that the lemonade had been corrupted with brandy. Disgruntled, I gave Jackie Jay a dirty look. "I told you no alcohol."

He shrugged and took another sip of his drink. "It tastes better this way."

Eager to let him know how exasperated I was, I rolled my eyes.

Only then did I notice that Dilthey was completely ignoring us. He was looking away, squinting to make his vision sharper.

"What the hell is the Captain doing?" he exclaimed.

I looked around, confused, adjusting an unruly lock behind my ear. "Huh? Where?"

I followed Dilthey's gaze and saw her. She was on a dock, her back bent forward as she untied a boat's mooring rope. The sleeves of the red blouse she wore were rolled up to her shoulders, leaving her muscular arms exposed. She wore her hair pulled back, held back by a white headband.

"What the hell is she...?" I muttered, bewildered. Where did she want to go? I felt my chest tighten. "Wait here," I said to the two men, quickly handing Dilthey my glass. Then, with trepidation and my heart pounding, I began to advance quickly towards Arenis.

When I was close enough for her to hear me, I shouted, "Captain... Are you stealing a boat, by any chance?"

Her eyes immediately locked onto mine and a playful smile appeared on her face. "Even so... Do you think you can stop me, Miss Adler?" she asked, winking at me.

"Why on earth do you think I want to stop you?"

"If it is not your intention to stop me, then why are you distracting me?"

"I just want to ask you where you are going."

"I'm not running away, if that's what you think."

"I wasn't thinking that."

She squared me from head to toe and tried to hold back a smile. "No?"

"No."

"Hmm. For the record, I'm not stealing a boat."

"Then exactly what are you doing?"

"I'm sailing with some friends. And this is their sailboat."

"Friends? What friends?"

"There they are."

I turned around. A man and a woman were walking along the quay. The woman held a basket in her hands. Long hair framed her square face. She wore a tricorn and a filthy blouse stained with grease and torn at the edges.

"Did you get everything?" asked Arenis, straightening her posture. She hastily wiped her hands on her trousers and went to help the woman. She grabbed the basket, which was evidently heavy.

"Water, fruit and some vegetables. Also, some fishing line and bait," she informed her.

"Excellent."

Treasure of the sea |Lesbian story|Where stories live. Discover now