Chapter 44 A Deserted Island
Lucas and Jack set out on their mission to gather enough food for the two days. Knowing there was no way for anyone to cook on the ship and absolutely no way to keep the food cold, he needed to get practical things. Despite being the well polished, confident businessman, Lucas spent a lot of time outdoors as a young man. He knew how to survive for two days on a deserted island. They made several trips back to the room making sure to get plenty of food and drinks for the two days. He got lots of crackers per Elizabeth's request and lots of potato chips for Jack. His stock pile consisted of bread, peanut butter, bananas, pickles, syrup, cooking oil, bottles of seltzer water and sparkling juices as well as regular juice for Jack. He took some of the meat to use as bait. He had brought back plates, cups, cutting board and silverware as well as napkins and a picnic basket, making sure to forget nothing. He had also found some cast iron cookware in the kitchen he brought back thinking he could use it to cook fish over an open fire if he could catch some. He knew how to make a fishing pole. He had gotten some string from the gift shop and paperclips.
"Elizabeth I know this is not going to be the ideal situation, but I think we can survive two days out here until the rescue ship arrives. Let's pack some of this up in a picnic basket and take a blanket and spend the day out on the beach. I will show Jack how to make a fishing pole and we will try to catch some fish to cook." He made a mental note to take his lighter, papers, pocket knife, string and the paper clips. They grabbed the blanket, pillow, candle, basket, the pan and a spatula and headed for the beach where they would spend the day off of the dark ship. They ran into Julie and Carson on their way out and told them where they would be. Julie was more than content to hang out with Carson.
Lucas escorted Elizabeth and Jack to the beach. He laid out the blanket and placed the pillow there for Elizabeth. He helped Elizabeth to sit down. He took off her shoes.
"Darling, how do you feel today?" He asked placing his hand gently on her abdomen and slowly rubbing it.
"Lucas I am feeling better." She said to reassure him gazing into his piercing brown eyes while cupping his chin and giving him a sweet kiss.
"Why don't you and our children sit here on this blanket and relax while Jack and I show ourselves around this Island. It looks to be fairly small. We are going on an adventure." He told her as he got up to begin gathering supplies to build a fire and make a fishing pole.
"You Mr. Bouchard are such a kid at heart." She teased.
"That's why you love me Mrs. Bouchard." He winked. "Jack, do you want to go with daddy on an adventure?"
"Yah, Yah!" Jack said excitedly jumping up and down."
Lucas took Jack by the hand and they gathered kindling, as well as some wood they could use for a fire. He broke off some small trees that he could whittle down to make a fishing pole and a tripod for the cooking pot. He and Jack came back several times with the supplies and set them down by the blanket. Elizabeth watched in surprise, curious to see her husband build a fire and catch fish with a homemade fishing pole.
Elizabeth and Jack watched as Lucas whittled away the fishing pole attaching a string to the top of the pole and whittling it down to a point at the other end to stab the fish once they got it on the hook. He made a hook out of a paperclip of course it didn't have a barb, but he hoped it would work well enough for him to be able to stab the fish once he hooked it.
"I must say Mr. Bouchard, I am impressed with your creativity." She teased.
"I wouldn't be impressed yet. I don't know for sure this will work." He said unsure of himself.
Lucas then proceeded to whittle cutouts at the top of the three other trees strategically interlocking them to make a tripod. He tied the string to the top making a loop to be able to raise and lower the pot as needed. He then ran the string around the handle of the pot. He had to keep it high enough the string would not catch on fire. They needed a fire just big enough to cook the food.
"How is it you can make all of this out of nothing, but you can't use a hammer and nails?" She joked.
"I am amusing you, am I?" He stopped to give her a deep kiss.
Lucas got the fire started and everything in place. It was not long before he attracted an audience. Several people joined them on the beach.
"Alright Jack, let's go catch some fish." He said excitedly.
Jack took Lucas by the hand and walked with Lucas to the water. Lucas could see Herring in the water so he new they were there. He let go of Jack's hand. He let Jack watch as he tore a piece of meat off and placed it on the hook. "Okay Jack stand very still and quiet. If we catch one I will let you try. Just watch." Lucas rolled up his trousers and slowly walked out into the water where there were schools of herring and softly threw the line into the water. He repeated the process about ten times; finally he felt the pull on the pole. He pulled the line in with his hand and stabbed the fish. It was a nice size herring. Then Lucas took Jack out there and let him try. Jack was so excited. Of course Lucas had to help him, but Jack got so excited when he caught one he jumped and caused them to drop the pole. "Okay Jack let's try it again. This time you can't jump around." It took several more tries but they finally caught another one. They spent an hour catching fish. They had caught a total of five herring. They cut off their heads, filleting them and then rinsed the meat in the ocean water. They took them over to Elizabeth. Lucas threw the fish in the pot with some oil and they sat there waiting for their fish to cook.
"I am so impressed Mr. Bouchard!" She said giving him a passionate kiss.
"Oh yeah!" He said teasingly. "I am a magician." He winked and then returned her kiss.
Soon they were joined for lunch by Carson and Julie. They had fish sandwiches, chips and seltzer water.
"Lucas this maybe the best fish sandwich I have ever eaten." Elizabeth said adoringly.
Julie and Carson had to agree.
"Everything tastes better when you have to work so hard for it." He replied jokingly.
They sat there talking for an hour and enjoying being together and alive. Carson and Julie left to go back to work. Lucas laid his head in Elizabeth's lap and Jack crawled up on his chest. She gently stroked Lucas's soft fine hair while looking at him and whispering, "I love you."
"Not as much as I love you!" He said reaching up to gently caress her chin.
Soon he and Jack were sound a sleep.