The Decision
The next morning on the Vast Exploder Judson was the first one awake he got dressed in a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans and walked into the small kitchen. He turned on the coffee maker and went up on deck to get the morning paper. When he came back below deck Mac was up and sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in her hands. Dark circles were underneath her eyes.
"Didn't sleep very well last night did we?" Judson asked.
"Do you think that he's going to leave us?" Mac said.
"Like I said before I don't know? He's coming by the boat later on this morning he'll tell us and
we will be supportive of his decision, understand!" Judson said.
"But..." Mac augured.
"No buts."
As Gabe pulled up to the dock he saw the Vast Explorer right were it had been yesterday morning when he had left. The place he had called home for over two years. He just couldn't think of leaving his now so-called family, and all the explorations they had been on. His family wasn't really a family to him they never had been. Judson and Mac were his family with the exception of Christian. He was always there for him no matter what. As he drove towards the boat he wondered what he was going to say to them. That he was leaving them to go and practice magic with his brother. No that wouldn't fly with Judson and definitely not Mac.
As he pulled in front of the boat he saw Judson standing up on the upper deck with a cup of coffee in his hands. It was around 10:00am and Mac was most likely still asleep. He stopped in front of the boat and turned the engine off and walked out of the car and up the gangplank. As he came on the main deck he was greeted by Judson.
"Hey Gabe what's up?"
"Nothin, listen I need to talk to you and Mac about something." Gabe said as he walked over to the stairs that went down to the cabins. As he descended the last stair he saw Mac sitting at the kitchen table reading the morning paper.
"Hey Gabe." Mac greeted him with a smile.
"You guys should sit down." Gabe said gesturing to Judson to take a seat beside Mac.
"Okay." Judson said sitting down.
"Listen something came up when I went to visit my brother the other day. He's having a ruff time and he needs me so I'm going to go and live with him for a while. That means that I'll be leavin you and Mac for awhile." Gabe explained to the two-team members.
"That means that you'll come back right?" Mac said with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
"I can't answer that right now." Gabe said looking at the sparkle in Mac's eyes fade. " I'm going to go and get my things."
"Wait a minute, hold up. How long are you going to be gone?" Judson said getting up from the table and blocking Gabe's path.
"I don't know a month or a couple of years." Gabe said not looking at Judson but at the ground instead.
"A couple of years!" Mac screamed getting up from the table and standing in front of Gabe with the same expression as Judson. Shock and disbelief.
"I promise that I'll keep in touch."
"That's not the point. Your more less saying that you're leaving us and not coming back." Mac
said or most likely yelled at Gabe.
"I'm sorry but my brother needs me right now and he's family."
"Oh and like were not.' Mac said not letting him pass.
"Judson tell Mac to let me pass so I can pack my things. It will only take me a few minutes."
"Mac back down." Judson said grasping Mac's arm and pulling her aside so Gabe could pass.
"But Judson?" Mac nearly cried.
"Remember what I said earlier WE WILL be supportive of whatever decision he makes and WE
WILL I repeat WE WILL be supportive, understand?"
"Yes, but?"
"No buts."
Ten minutes later Gabe was taking the last of the boxes out to his car and put it in the trunk. He came back up on the deck and faced Mac and Judson.
"Well that was the last of it." Gabe said gesturing towards the car and the packed trunk. "I guess this is good-bye?"
"No not good-bye but I'll see you later." Judson said giving Gabe a hug.
"Yeah I'll see you later." Gabe repeated.
Next was Mac's turn. "See ya later Mac." Gabe said turning around to leave.
"Hey don't I get a hug and good-byes, Judson did?" Mac said jokingly
"Of course you do. I just didn't see you as the person who would want a hug good-bye." Gabe said walking back over and giving Mac a big hug. As Gabe was about to end the hug Mac slipped something in his jacket pocket and whispered " Don't tell Judson."
Once again they were all standing around when Gabe said " Well I better get going I'll see you guys around."
"Sure."
"Yeah sure, around."
With that Gabe turned around and walked down the gangplank of the "Vast Explorer" not knowing when he would be back on the ship were he had had the best years of his life. He got into the car and started the engine when he remembered that Mac had slipped something into his jacket pocket. He pulled out Mac's favorite handgun with a note attached to it. Gabe looked down at the note and it read
Dear Gabe,
I know I'll probably regret giving this to you but you might need this more then I do so here's something to remember me by.
I'll miss you lots
Mac
P.S the gun is loaded.
"Oh Mac." Gabe whispered as he sat the gun and the note down on the passenger side seat and put the car in gear and drove down the dock. Knowing if he looked back that he would never be able to leave.