Chapter 6. Memories of the Past
The signal light was ahead on the coast, a few miles away though. Minnie laid on the steam whistle and the foghorn to let the people there that the Rose had seen them. It was too late tonight and too cold for first contact, Will laughed when he said that. So the plan was to anchor as usual and hit the beach tomorrow. But before dinner, before cards and before sleep, there was something to do. Something that all three of them had just let slip out of their mind, busy days and plans had just made them forget.
Throttle in off position, the boiler was left on to supply water to the radiator system and anchored securely. Minnie and Naomi were about to go below when Will called out. “Hold up a second guys. My memory got jogged a little while ago, about something important. Help me lower the dory Min.”. Putting the boat in the water took a few minutes and then, “Jump in guys.”, Will stepped in the little boat followed by Minnie and Naomi. He pulled it to where the boarding steps were and where the large wooden rose had been carved into the side of the boat.
“When I first touched this I was accepted as captain, Minnie was with me and she became first mate, and her change was faster, I think she became who she is because of this boat, our boat and home.”. He took Naomi’s hand in his own larger one, “Daughter of my heart, touch the rose and see what we have.”. Naomi looked at his caring face, felt Minnie’s hand on her shoulder. Thoughts ran through her mind, what if I’m not accepted, would they throw me off… “Wouldn’t happen, you’re stuck with us as long as you want to be.” Will said. Decision made she reached up to the incredibly detailed rose and pressed her hand to it.
Loss, the pain of being alone, abandoned, half of a soul torn away, companionship, love, absolute love, never alone again, finding family, growing whole again, all this flashed through Naomi’s mind as her hand touched. Every detail of the Rose, back to when she was a sail ship, past that to when she was a rowed longboat, back to the felling of the only heartwood tree to ever grow. These must be the deep memories that Will and Minnie had looked into. There was more, the voyages, the captains, crews, laughing young faces growing old and becoming land bound. As it became nearly more than she could bear she woke, cradled by Will. “Look at your hand”, came Minnie’s voice, serious for once. Her hand tingled like it was too cold, radiating from her palm and covering the entire surface, even the sides of the fingers there was a rose, mostly black but red highlights seemed to come and go in the depths and lines. “Now we are truly linked, forever.”, Will said “Welcome aboard.”. She burst into happy tears, the loss of her parents had been hard. Regina had raised her as best she could and had done the best she could. But there was always a missing part, that connection to the past. Now she had that and so much more. The rich history of the heartboat had been given and shared with her. Wills and Minnie’s memories were there too, being the newest. And somehow she knew they would be the last crew of this boat, this wonderful boat sailing the seemingly endless lake.
After this emotional ride, they took a minute floating in the dory, no need for talking. Then the cold started leaching in and it was time to get back on board and have a meal and a cuppa, probably not in that order though. Will was going to cook tonight, a favourite of his, bubble and squeak. “Bubble and what?”, asked Minnie. Laughing he explained “That’s what my mother called it, it all bubbles together in a big fry pan, and sometimes it squeaks too.”. Weird thought Minnie. But when it started cooking, the potatoes, carrots, ham bits and cabbage, it smelled great. Naomi had taken a while to bathe and change, so Minnie left Will to his creation and did the same.
There was much complaining whenever his little friend took a bath, mostly about the awful state her fur was in after. “You were always like this.”, he yelled down the companionway, “Whenever I mentioned bath time you would hide on moms lap.”. As he flipped the dinner in the pan he had started some bread slices sizzling in another, fried with cheese on top. “Yup, made me feel awful but you loved running into water.”, he continued, “River or lake, didn’t matter, you loved it. And then the brushing.”. He grated cheese onto the frying bread, set the bubble and squeak to the side of the hob. “That part was particularly fun but it always got done. Sure glad you can do it yourself now.”. Taking plates and silverware he set the table in the galley. Only one now, bolted to the deck in case of rough weather. The large room seemed smaller and cosy from the warm light of the safety lantern. Returning to the galley for salt and pepper he took a minute to miss ketchup again. “One day I’ll try again, but not until summer”’ he muttered.
“What you on about dad.”, Minnie asked as she came in, “Ooh something smells good, dinner time?”. “Nuh uh, gotta wait for Naomi.”, he laughed, fending her off from the galley. With a pout Min sat in her chair and continued to fuss with her ears, “Fine then.”. Back to the galley for glasses and a jug of juice, and his teapot. Sitting and pouring a tea Will absently took one of Minnie’s brush’s and started helping with the back of her head and ears. She leaned into him “Thanks dad, I love my fur, especially when it’s cold but I think I’m growing more lately, was staying nice and short then boom, it’s everywhere and longer and thicker, driving me nuts.”. Naomi came in then looking much refreshed, “What’s driving you nuts, what did dad do.”. Minnie snickered “Well he did stop me from eating all the dinner like a meanie.”. Will interrupted with a laugh “Complaining about too much fur, it’s just her winter coat growing in.”. Putting the brush back in its special case, patting Minnie on her shoulder “Let’s eat.”. He returned to the galley and brought the two large pans in and set them on the trivets.
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Dinner was devoured in short order and for afters Will had mixed up a nice sticky molasses gingerbread. Very easy to make but quite delicious, Minnie had two pieces and was sighing longingly at the still half full pan. “It will still be there later, have a piece while we playing cards, or for breakfast.”, Will told her. “I know, but it’s just there, looking at me, saying ‘Minnie come eat me, I’m tasty’, but if I eat anymore I might pop.”, she sighed. Naomi laughed and made a show of reaching toward the cake and taking a small piece for herself. But she did break off a forkful and shared with Min. A few games of cribbage were enjoyed, no real clear winner for the night but no one cared. Just having fun. Will bowed out to write in his log for a while. Recording todays events like the deep memory dive, Naomi being accepted by the Rose, seeing a signal fire.
The temperature was dropping fast and being this close to shore the blizzard that had just blown down from the north was going to be a bad one. The boat was snugged down and safe but was getting a real dump of snow. Already eight inches on deck and building, the deck lantern on and throwing it’s light across the midship of the boat. The howl of the wind was blowing across the Rose causing her to rock at anchor. Not too harshly yet but there was a promise of much more to come. Inside, the cabins were warm but Will was filling hot water bottles for their beds, placed down by his feet and higher for Minnie’s, two more for Naomi’s and hopefully a warm toasty bed would be waiting. If that wasn’t enough then it would be the dreaded bed socks and long johns, he was pretty sure he had some in the cabin but yuck. After these chores he went back to the mess for a final cuppa and perhaps another piece of gingerbread, if any was left. He found Minnie and Naomi half asleep in the galley, sitting by the still warm wood stove. His kettle wasn’t hot enough for tea so he built up the fire and told the sleepys “I’m going on deck for a last check, from the porthole it looks bad but I like to see more.”, “Do you want us to come too dad, won’t take but a minute for us to get ready .”, Minnie asked. “Sure would, more company the better.” Will said.
The three trooped over to the stairs and shivered when the doors were opened. A blast of cold air was coming down, even through another set of doors up top. “I’m just going to wear my long jacket, and huddle by the stairs, it’s gonna be horrible.”, griped Minnie. Naomi nodded “Me too, I’m just here to give support.”. Will laughed and threw his own long jacket and boots on, “Ready?”, and the started up the stairs closing the lower doors. Minnie was holding a lantern and it cast shadows across their faces, changing and shaping them to strangers. The upper doors, in the stair shed, were hard to push open because of a drift across the bottom half. Easy to force open but tomorrow would be worse.
The deck of the boat was nearly unrecognizable, drifts of snow had built up against every side. In some places three or four feet deep. Will slogged to the bow and checked the anchors and the wheelhouse doors, all good. “Hey you guy, don’t get lost out there.”, came Minnies voice from midships. As if I could get lost on my own boat, thought Will, and promptly tripped over the forward hatch cover that had apparently moved over night. Sighing he silently told the boat “We won’t tell anyone about this, okay.”. Calling out “Hey lift that light up a bit.”. A shivering arm poked out of the stairwell, holding the light up a little higher. Enough to see a bit better by and he walked back through his tracks. “We’re all good, let’s get below before there’s three snowmen up here.”, he shivered out. Going back down Minnie was muttering “If it’s like this tomorrow morning I’m not getting up.”. “Oh yeah, we’ll stay in bed all winter, like bears and wake up in the spring for breakfast.”, Naomi shivered out.
Closing off the winter world and hanging their coats to dry in the warm engine room Will gave his shoulders a stretch and was deciding on more tea or just bed. All the lanterns were out in the galley and mess so that decision was made for him. Dim light from Naomi’s cabin showed the two sitting on her bed talking quietly, he waved a goodnight in passing and went into his own. The hot water bottles had done their job and the big bed was warm for his chilly feet. They had taken to wearing thick felt slippers inside which helped but it was getting very cold outside and there wasn’t much insulation. The hull was four inches of heartwood but if he rested his hand the cold was leaching in. Hmm thought Will, insulation. What could I do for insulation, maybe straw and a sub wall, or wool. There were enough sheep near Laketown to wrap the Rose in wool. Newspapers shredded enough would work, but what a project that would be. Minnie came in while he was just sitting up in bed, writing ideas down. “Hey dad me and Naomi were just yapping about snow drifts and cakes, we’re having pancakes for breakfast but no eggs, fried ham and oh oh what you thinking about, I know that face.”, she said. Will smiled at her “Nothing much, just a project to keep us warmer.”. Minnie snorted “I know an easy way to do that, turn us around and go south.”. Well he couldn’t argue with that.
Getting ready for slumber took a few minutes, teeth and ears to brush, long warm pyjamas. Will slipped in the warm sheets and Minnie cuddled beside him. His last thought was of pyjamas with feet, hmmm.
When they woke it was a new world. Still warm thanks to the radiators and the crackling boiler but something was off. Will felt he had been sleeping for a good eight hours and it should be light out, but nothing was coming in the portholes. Minnie and Naomi were still asleep, he had to check on deck, even before tea. This time it was full winter gear, thick insulated coveralls, heavy boots, hat and gloves, and a scarf over his lower face. Opening the lower stairs, he closed behind him and climbed the few stairs to the main deck. The shed doors were not opening easily at all, as he pushed the wood was creaking with his efforts. Using more and more of his strength the doors finally cracked apart revealing a six foot drift of wind blown snow. Hard as rock from the harsh winds. Continuing to push and kick the doors he was finally outside. “Yup, should have turned south yesterday.”, he said into the wind.