12-TABITHA12
"So were you really surprised, Captain Gregg?" Jonathan asked as they finished Martha's cake.
"Very much so!" The Captain replied with a smile that almost split his face, "And I love your gifts!"
Candy, Jonathan and Martha looked at Carolyn expectantly.
"Well, Mom? said Candy ". . . Come on . . . it's your turn!"
"Yeah, Mom!" Jonathan said, "Where's your present for the Captain?" To Captain Gregg he added; "We don't even know what it is . . . Mom wouldn't tell us! Come on Mom . . . Hurry up!"
Carolyn went out into the hall and returned with a large oddly wrapped package. "I found it at Deke's today Captain," she hesitated. "If you don't like it, he said we could make an exchange . . ."
Even as she was speaking, Captain Gregg was ripping the paper away. There was a collective gasp from the Captain, Martha and the children.
Captain Gregg unveiled a model of a ship . . . unlike anything else in his collection. A three-masted sailing ship made entirely of cut wood — even the sails. It was fully rigged, and at the top of each mast was a 'crow's nest.' And three small wood pennants 'waived' in the breeze from each mast.
Captain Gregg kept looking at the ship . . . moving it around, eyeing it from every angle. Finally, on the hull of the ship, he noticed that one word had been painted on it.
"Pax . . ." he said softly.
"Pax, Captain . . ." said Carolyn, just as softly. "Peace . . . Please. I don't want to play any more April Fool jokes ever . . . Won't you please agree with me on that?"
"Aye, my dear . . ." I think we've both been silly enough for the whole year today. "This is beautiful. I can't imagine where Deke picked it up. Are you sure you didn't . . . spend too much?"
"It's rude to ask . . ." Carolyn said quietly, ". . . But I promise you, I didn't. Just take it and enjoy it. It's yours. Happy birthday, Captain!" Carolyn turned away and began to pick up the discarded birthday wrapping, but if someone was to look closely, and he did, they could see tears standing in her eyes.
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An hour later, Carolyn announced bedtime for the children, but they begged for one game of 'Ghost' with Captain Gregg. Being in a peaceful frame of mind after her tiring, yet productive day, Carolyn agreed. While the Captain and the children played the game, Carolyn and Martha attacked the dinner dishes, and quietly started discussing plans for Captain Gregg's 'real' birthday eight days away. After Carolyn and Captain Gregg tucked Candy and Jonathan in bed, the Captain vanished.
When she did not find him in 'their' room, and feeling too keyed up to sleep, Carolyn told Martha she was going for a walk, grabbed her jacket and headed out the front door to the beach.
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"May I join you, Madam?' The Captain said as he materialized beside her, "Or did you wish to be alone? He asked, hesitantly.
"Of course . . . join me, Captain!" said Carolyn. "It's really your beach after all!" she laughed. "Tell me, did you really have a good birthday celebration after everything we did to each other today?"
"I don't think I've ever had a nicer one . . ." he said in a low tone. "You know, not having much of a family and being at sea three-hundred days a year doesn't really make for celebrating too many birthdays."
"I'm glad we could make a happy one for you." Carolyn said as she bent to pick up a stranded starfish and threw it back into the sea. "You know, I did mean what I said . . ." she paused and stopped and looked at him. "We were the ones acting like children! Candy and Jonathan didn't play one April Fool joke on anyone today . . . except for having the idea to surprise you early for your birthday, of course!" She smiled again, and continued walking, thinking about the surprises she and the children and Martha already had started planning for April eighth. "You know . . ." she continued. "I really don't like practical jokes. They can get too cruel, too quickly. Harriet and Hazel are crazy about them!"
"That figures!" said Captain Gregg with a snort. "Practical jokes sound like the type of thing those cousins of yours would enjoy! But, tell me. I know you like a good romance novel every now and then, or watching an old movie with Martha, and a good game of chess, or Acey Deucy, But what did you like to do for fun before you were married? Before Candy and Jonathan?" He hesitated again, "Before you married Robert?"
Carolyn stopped again and looked up at him calmly. "Promise you won't tell? It would be a very bad thing to expose Candy and Jonathan to . . ."
Daniel Gregg looked alarmed. What could this intelligent beautiful, woman have buried in her past? He had to know!
"I promise!" he declared solemnly.
"I used to collect morbid poetry," she said, with a blush.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Morbid poetry," she said flatly. "Little Willie' poems especially. It was a kind of a fad when I was in college . . . That was in the fifties — very popular at Temple College, where I attended. The fad didn't last long, but my friends and I collected everything we could find, memorized it, and wrote some . . . I can't remember any of what I wrote, but I can remember some of the classics — want to hear some?"
He looked at her in dismay, trying to imagine the classically beautiful woman before him spouting anything unseemly.
"All right . . . maybe an example of one."
Carolyn stopped and cleared her throat. "Okay, here goes:"
Willie with a thirst for gore
Nailed his sister to the door.
Mother said with humor quaint,
"Willie dear, don't scratch the paint.
The Captain stared at her in mute shock.
"Or how about this one?" she continued.
Little Willie full of hell,
Pushed his sister in the well,
Said his mother while drawing water,
It's so hard to raise a daughter.
The Captain stared at her without saying a word, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see one corner of his handsome mouth start to twitch.
"I saved my favorite for last," she said with a grin, "Just for April Fool's Day, Captain!"
Little Willie, on the track,
Didn't hear the engine squeal.
Now the engine's coming back,
Scraping Willie off the wheel.
Daniel Gregg burst out in laughter.
"What a very strange way you have of celebrating the holidays, my dear!" he chortled, "Morbid, indeed! I can assure you. Your secret is safe with me! I suggest we turn around and go back now . . . you did say you had a writing assignment to finish tomorrow?"
"I do, Captain! You bring out the worst — and the best in me! You do know that, don't you?"
"I do, do I?" The Captain twinkled back at her. "You are right, my dear. I'm sure you have a great deal to get done tomorrow. Thank-you for your company . . . and this most educational discussion! By the way, Madam — – I have found all your April Fool booby traps for this year, have I not?"
"Oh yes, Captain! You're safe! Am I?"
"Only from April Fool jokes, my dear!"
On that happy note, they turned around and started walking back toward Gull Cottage.