Chapter 4

Bob joined Patrick who was leaning on the railing appearing to be lost in thought.

"It's eight o'clock, Patrick. Your duty is over."

"Right. Okay." Patrick took off his binoculars and hung them on a nearby hook. He went and stood by Bob again; reluctant to leave.

The two sailors stared out at the ocean waves that were reflected by the full moon's bright light. "Isn't it beautiful?" Bob asked with a peaceful look.

"Beautiful, so it is," Patrick replied and once again fell into silence. "Bob?"

"Hmmm?"

"Well...don't ya ever…" Patrick stammered. Bob looked at him. "Don't ya ever, you know, get tired of it?" he asked gesturing to the sea.

"There have been times, Patrick. But no, to me, the sea is like a jealous woman. And I can't leave her," Bob told him simply. "This is my home."

Patrick shook his head. "I've been doing a lot of thinking…."

Bob nodded. "You've been thinking about life on land. About Lizzie and Frankie."

Patrick smirked at his friend's perceptiveness. "Is it that obvious?"

"Jesus, Patrick! I've never seen you so obsessed." Patrick looked down, slightly embarrassed. "Look, we've been gone for a month and a half. When this assignment is done I already know where I'm going next. Do you?"

Patrick shrugged. "I haven't really gotten that far."

"That's a load of crap and ya know it. I think ya know already what it is you want to do."

Patrick was surprised by his friend's earnestness.

"I do, do I, Smart Boy?"

"As a matter of fact," Bob told him exaggeratedly, opening his eyes wider,"Ya do." Bob sighed and became serious again. "And unfortunately for yer old pal here, it doesn't involve being on a ship."

Lizzie gaped at Marie holding the letter for Frankie. Lizzie's mind began to race.

"He wrote to Frankie?"

Just then Cindy walked through the door and smiled hello to Marie and Lizzie. She was getting ready to take over Lizzie's shift.

Marie smiled at Lizzie who looked like she had seen a ghost. "Yeah…and tell him to write back. He sure does like receiving letters while he's at sea…"

Cindy couldn't help herself. She eagerly rushed over and stood facing them on the other side of the counter interrupting their conversation. "Ooooh...are we talking about your toothsome brother?" she nosily inquired.

Marie looked at her. "Aye, we're talking about him...hold the phone...toothsome?"

"Her word for the day, no doubt," Lizzie laughed and Cindy nodded, pulling her blond hair away from her face and putting it into a ponytail.

"Yes, toothsome," Cindy informed them. "Defined as delicious, a pleasing taste. Listen, I'll use it in a sentence." She cleared her throat. "I enjoy eating the toothsome pies Marie sells." Marie and Lizzie looked at her confused. "Or definition 3, and more appropriately, I might add, sexually attractive, exciting."

The ladies scoffed at her. "No listen, I'll use it in that context as well." Her blue eyes lit up. "I find your brother, Patrick to be one hell of a toothsome man!"

Lizzie's eyebrows shot up. "His name is Patrick?" she asked looking at Marie and Cindy.

Marie nodded. Cindy added,"Aye and he's a very toothsome fellow, so… he… is," she told her punctuating the words.

"And too old for you, Cindy," Marie added. "And I don't like hearing my brother discussed in this manner, little Missy," she told the 21-year old.

Cindy looked down guiltily. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Marie told her and finished counting her drawer while Lizzie hung up her apron and collected her purse to leave. Cindy walked to the back, fetched her apron, and returned. "Now if ya want to talk about toothsome men, let's talk about Sean Connery!"

Lizzie shut the door behind her entering her flat and noticed Frankie sitting at the table doing homework. She hung her purse on the chair and sat next to Frankie. Frankie looked up and smiled hello to her.

"Did ya have a good day at school today?" she asked him. Frankie nodded to her with a smile. "Marie gave me a surprise for you, Frankie."

Frankie looked up at her questioningly as Lizzie handed the folded letter to him. Lizzie sat there with hands folded and nervously tapped her foot on the floor watching Frankie's face light up as he read the letter. She had desperately wanted to read it herself beforehand but decided to respect his privacy.

Lizzie got up from the chair and filled the tea kettle with water and set it on the stove.

Frankie startled her by patting her on the shoulder and jumping up and down excitedly pointing to the letter. Lizzie smiled at her son seeing how happy this made him and was grateful to this man, Patrick for doing this. She felt inspired to write her own letter to him just to thank him.

Frankie disappeared to his room. Lizzie was left in the kitchen alone with her thoughts. She recalled Cindy's "toothsome" comment and laughed. There's a lot more to it than being toothsome, she thought. Even if his green eyes made her weak in the knees…she pushed that thought away. "Move on," she could hear her mother's voice telling her in her head. "Time to move on," Lizzie told herself.

Frankie came out a short while later and handed an envelope to his mom while she fried some chicken on the stove. Lizzie guessed it was his reply. Lizzie looked at him curiously with a smile. Frankie also handed her the letter from Patrick and gestured for her to read it. Lizzie gratefully read it quickly; her eyes devouring the words on the page.

She couldn't help but be touched by his words. Had he really thought Frankie would be upset? She wished now that she had sent the letter Frankie had written to him after all.

Perhaps, she still would and send this newer one along with it.

"Should we take it over to Marie then?" Lizzie asked Frankie holding up the envelope.

Frankie shook his head and pushed the envelope toward her, mouthing for her to read the contents.

Dear Patrick,

Thanks for your letter. I've been hoping you would write but I understand that you are busy. Maybe you didn't get my last letter. That's okay.

My dad did pass away but I never knew him. Ma and I are fine. I'm not upset that you pretended to be him. You were nice to me and I had a good time with you. You helped me win the bet! I did believe that you were him until the three of us got together and I saw the way Ma looked at you. I knew you couldn't be my real dad.

Anytime you are in town we would really like to see you again. Ma too. Take care and try not to get seasick. Write back often, if you can.

Your Friend,

Frankie

Lizzie gulped as she read the letter. Was it that obvious to Frankie? Apparently so, she thought. Lizzie smiled at Frankie as she folded the letter and replaced it in the envelope.

Frankie tugged on Lizzie's sleeve and she looked up at him. Frankie looked pleadingly at her and mouthed, "Your turn."