He has since reclaimed his spot, with a victorious sprawling across the width of Emma's bed. In this coveted spot, he has entitlement over the prized real estate - the flat screen TV. With her dog curled up next to him, he looks like a king on his throne, commanding respect from all those who enter the living room.
"Uh-oh." Emma entered the living room looking surprised.
"What?" His Majesty breaks his attention from the television.
"You're sprouting roots. You've been sitting there so long. I think it is time to get out and get some fresh air. The roads are dry and free from ice. How does a road trip sound?"
Davy looks down at the dog who is peacefully snoring at his side. He examines the comfortable expanse of the bed around him and then looks to the girl who is planning on dethroning him. "No. I will not lose my spot again."
"Need I remind you that this is MY bed? And it's going back in my room as soon as Niko finishes painting. You need to get some sun on your skin. We're going." She reaches out and slaps her hand down on his knee.
Jones frowns. "I lived in the Caribbean almost my entire life. I don't need sun."
Emma stands and walks away. "You're going!"
Excited about hitting the open road with her three favorite men, Emma wakes early to pack a lunch and to plan a route that will impress them. Her home is a vast expanse of mountain ranges and ocean waters stretching to the horizon. Surely this new route she's planned will impress the Captain.
As much as she loves Niko and Jim, it is Davy she wants to spend time with. But it would be unfair to not include them; she drags them along even if they don't want to follow. She is desperate to find out what Davy thinks about her. Maybe these little excursions will bring out the truth.
"Alright, I have a great day planned for us." Emma announces to the men who are waiting for her outside. The spring air is chilled but the sun provides enough warmth to make the day pleasant.
"Problem." Niko announces as he follows her to the car.
"No problems, not today." She responds cheerfully.
"Where are we heading?"
"Wherever the road takes us, dear Niko. I'll probably take you to some waterfalls. They shouldn't be frozen now."
Davy and Jimmy are the first to reach the car, and the Captain makes another one of his characteristic sarcastic comments to Jimmy. "She's going to get us "lost". And then she's going to abandon us in the middle of nowhere." He snickers.
Jimmy decides to join in. "Nigh, Sir...she's going to get us lost and then molest us when no one can help us."
The two of them chuckle as Emma unlocks the car door. "Oh! You guessed my plan!"
Seeing Niko, Davy races around to the front passenger side and exclaims, "I call shotgun!"
Niko sighs heavily. "And that was my problem. He's going to put me in the back seat and squish the hell out of me."
"He's the tallest, Niko. Therefore he needs the most legroom." Emma offers. "Not to mention he's the Captain.
"Ha!" Davy pokes fun. "Ye damn pussy, suck it up and take it like a man!"
"Okay. Let's not spill blood over this issue." Emma intervenes before Niko can retort.
Jimmy sees his chance and announces his placement in the ranks. "I call the seat behind the short driver girl!"
Niko sends a dirty look over to Emma. "Thanks for not caring. Why couldn't ye own a mini-van instead of this little two door rust bucket?"
"Do I look like a soccer mom?" Emma pushes her seat forward to allow the bosun to squeeze into the back. "Can we go somewhere without it becoming an ordeal? Can we just once go a day without fighting like spoiled children? When I bought the car earlier this year, I didn't realize I would have to squeeze three gigantic men into it. Besides, it's not like I enjoy having Jim's knees crammed into my back, but he's taller than you and needs the space."
"This is height discrimination! If ye weren't the one driving…"
"Then I'd be the one squished behind Davy. I know."
"Yer not tall enough to be squished." Jim adds and has the car door slammed in his face.
"I'll see if I can get you the front seat on the way back." Emma offers the disgruntled coxswain her support.
"Huh…not bloody likely." Davy snorts in protest, overhearing the comment. He grins as Niko gives him a dirty look as he prepares to climb into the back seat.
"Stupid Emma with her stupid road trip." Niko growls to himself. As he settles in Davy throws himself into the front seat and pushes it all the way back. "Ah! The leg room!"
"I fucking hate you!" Niko lets out multiple profanities as he is crushed deliberately. "I hate this fucking clown car!"
An hour has passed and very few words are exchanged other than Emma's pointing out important landscapes. The snow is almost gone, only remaining desperately in low lying areas and in the thick alpine forests. The ocean waves look deceptively inviting, the empty beaches tell the truth of how cold it still remains.
"Are we there yet? I have to unkink my body!" Niko suddenly announces angrily.
Davy, in his casual cruelty, lowers his seat back and laughs. "What?" His eyes gleam in his chaos.
"Stop trying to squish Niko." Emma hides her laughter as she reprimands Davy for his cruelty. She pulls off the main highway onto a dirt road. "I'm the captain of this vessel. Don't make me pull this car over! Just another minute and we'll be there."
"Where the hell on Earth are we?" Jimmy snarls, frustrated by his own cramped quarters and Niko's constant fidgeting.
"Washabuck, dear Jimmy."
"Ye can wash yer deer here?" Niko asks with a smirk.
"No. It's just a funny name. There's a waterfall back here." The road is sloppy with spring mud and Emma decides they are better off getting their feet dirty than getting the car stuck. She parks the car at the base of a small hill. "We're here!"
"For the love of God, let me out!" Niko shrieks as if he's smothering. Davy laughs coldly as he refuses to open the door. When Jimmy and Emma have exited, he clambers over to freedom through the only available escape route. Once again Davy laughs and opens the door and easily steps out as Niko struggles his way out the opposite side. Niko gives him the stink eye as he stands up straight. "Yer an ass!"
Davy slams the car door and ignores the comment. When he sees that Emma's back is turned toward the path, he picks up a handful of muddy snow and tosses it at Niko. It hits him on the shoulder even though he was aiming for his head. "That is common knowledge, mate!"
"Be careful, Davy. Tell Niko the path has ice." Emma calls back to the stragglers.
"What'd she say?" Niko asks, still on the road wiping the snow and mud from his leather jacket.
"She said your crotch has lice!" Davy shouts over his shoulder.
"No I believe she was speaking to ye about that one." Niko grumbles.
It takes a few minutes for them to reach the waterfall. The path is wet with thick ice, making it incredibly slippery. Emma and Jim are already standing in front of the fifteen foot waterfall that flows freely. Along the riverbank, jagged ice remains clinging to the rocks. The air is thick with a cool mist and the fresh smell of pine and spruce.
"Nice." Davy is forced to raise his voice over the roar of the rushing water.
"I'm going to get closer to take a better shot of the falls." Emma announces. As she steps away, a hand grabs her coat and pulls her back. She turns around to see a now frowning Davy.
"I don't think so. That path is too icy and steep."
"Davy, I'm used to walking on ice. I've been doing it for almost twenty-six years. I'll be fine." She breaks away from his grip and starts traveling the ice-covered path.
Davy sternly looks over to Niko and snaps his fingers. Pointing in her direction, he gives a silent order for the coxswain to follow. Despite the disrespect Niko just received from his superior, he nods and faithfully heads off in Emma's direction.
"We'll leave the old farts behind and get a better view." Emma announces as he joins her on the path. She smiles when he places his arm around hers for support.
Every step must be carefully planned. A short distance takes several minutes to travel. Niko does surprisingly well and credits it to being used to walking on slippery decks. The last part of the trail is a sharp drop down to the water.
"If I want to get my shot, I'll have to get down on the rocks." Emma calls over her shoulder.
"That is close enough!" Davy's voice is only slightly audible over the roar of the waterfall.
Emma looks back at the two older men and laughs. They both look like they are about to jump out of their skin. "I'm fine!" She yells back. She quickly takes the best pictures she can despite the mist fogging up her lens in a matter of seconds. Satisfied, she turns to Niko, "Ready?"
He nods as he takes another look at the falls. "Ye head back first. I got yer back if ye fall."
Looking back, the trail looks worse than it did on the way up. For some reason it looks steeper, more treacherous. Grabbing the overhanging tree branches, Emma slowly makes her way across the narrow path. On the other side of them, freezing cold water rushes over jagged rocks. She looks up and catches the eyes of Davy.
"One step at a time! Take it slow!" He announces as he slides his was down the path to get closer to her. A terrifying vision of her falling into the freezing water is running through his mind.
Emma takes a step forward and her foot slips out from underneath her. Niko's hand reaches out in time and stops her from falling over the edge. As he pulls her up, she watches helplessly as her camera and cell phone slide out of her pockets. The camera falls and lands on a small patch of ice, hanging precariously over the raging water. The cell phone bounces off the ice and heads straight into the water.
"Shit, my cell phone!" Emma shrieks and tosses herself over the muddy bank to retrieve it.
"Emma!" Having seen enough, Davy hollers and flies over the icy river bank.
Emma pockets her camera and reaches into the water for the cell phone. Her hand burns with the cold as she fishes it out. Flipping it open, the photo of Davy and herself she has as a background greets her as it should and she is relieved. But when she starts pressing buttons the screen goes insane, making a screeching noise as multiple numbers randomly display without prompting. "Ah, crap."
Niko is the only one who seems to find the humor in this. He's being verbally assaulted by both Jimmy and Davy to rescue Emma from this scene. He reaches down and hauls her up. "Are ye alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. But my cell phone is screwed."
He looks past her and chuckles. "Well, prepare yerself. Ye have bigger problems. Yer about to get disciplined by the Captain."
Davy's hand reaches out and grabs hers as she reaches him on the trail. There's no gentle touch here, he roughly drags her onto the gravel where he was standing with Jimmy. He looks her up and down, examining her mud soaked clothes. "Are ye absolutely insane? Do ye realize what could have happened?"
"I'm fine, Davy. It's just my cell phone is all screwy." She announces, realizing her disappointment in its malfunction.
He grabs her arms in his hands and shakes her. "What if ye had fallen and hit your head? None of us can drive. We're miles away from civilization, let alone a hospital! Ye could have drowned by the time any of us got to ye! And your cell phone is busted which means we couldn't call for help!"
"I think you are over reacting…"
"No, Emma! Ye could have just killed yourself in front of us all and we'd be helpless to save ye! Ye are being too immature and naïve to realize that!" He hisses viciously at her.
Emma continues to be verbally reprimanded for her actions as they head towards the car. He continually tells her that she is foolish for doing what she did and should have known better. Emma finds herself shocked by his approach, he's never yelled at her before.
"I am getting to old for this." He grumbles as he reaches the car. "Ye children have too much energy for me." He points at both Emma and Niko with an accusing finger.
Children? He sees me as a child? Emma thinks to herself as his words sting her. Well there goes any chance of them possibly starting a relationship! He doesn't even see her as an adult, let alone a possible partner. Out of everything he's said, this hurts the most.
The night sky swallows the landscape around them as they head home. Emma hasn't said anything to Davy and he's been silent with her as well. Just looking at his face, she can tell he still has plenty to say but he's biting his tongue. She can hear the soft sounds of breathing from the other two in the back, now asleep from the long trip. So it is just them, caught in a tense and awkward silence.
He clears his throat finally and speaks. "Look, I'm sorry I snapped at ye back there."
The only thought that runs through her mind is, 'Yeah? You better be!' But she decides to give him the silent treatment for a bit longer.
"I didn't mean it. Ye just scared me, that's all." He looks over in the darkness.
No response. She wants him to stew on it a bit. He's only apologizing now because he knows Jimmy and Niko won't hear. If he thinks she's immature, then he should hear the thoughts running through her head at this point. Something along the lines of 'bite me' and 'kiss my ass'.
He looks away, not receiving the forgiveness he was hoping for. "Ye just cannot see the dangers in life. Ye haven't experienced enough."
"Fuddy duddy." I grumble.
"What?" He looks over.
"That's right! I said it. You're a fuddy duddy!"
In the darkness, she can hear him chuckle. It's not the worst insult he's ever received but it's true! Sometimes he is too serious.
"Oh, and if I were to be like ye and Niko? Where would we be then? If anything, ye are a big baby." He snickers.
"Bite me." Her thoughts finally escape her head.
"Em. Someone has to keep order. Ye live your life with such passion that sometimes ye do things without thinking."
Momentarily she takes her eyes off the road to look over to him. "Do you really see me as a child?"
"I spoke in haste and again I apologize. But ye are ten years younger than I."
There's her answer. "That's fine. Apology accepted." She says the words but doesn't mean it.
"Somehow I don't believe that it is. I suppose ye are going to make me suffer?"
"And how! You better start puckering because you have a lot of ass kissing to do!" She says with all seriousness and is met with laughter.
"Emma, I feel it is my responsibility to look after ye."
"Davy, I am going to be twenty-seven this summer. I can take care of myself."
His head snaps back over in her direction. "And ye certainly proved that today."
No response.
"You're not used to having someone fret over ye. It is obvious to me now. Ye have always lived your life as ye planned it. And frankly, I'm not used to worrying over someone. So we both have some issues to become accustomed with."
She looks out the driver's side window as if watching her chances for a relationship with this man disappear on the night wind. She might as well face it. He doesn't see her that way. She's more of an inconvenient burden than anything else. "It's not a responsibility you are required to uphold." She informs him.
"Oh, but it is. Ye are the first person to admit that they actually care for me. And I must admit that this gives me a sense of comfort. So heaven forbid I want to keep ye safe from harm, to keep a good friend around a bit longer."
Suddenly she is flooded with guilt. If she can't have him as a partner she should be grateful to have him as a friend. "I'm sorry I scared you."
He nods. "Apology accepted."
