Chapter 3 Full Stop
Carolyn awoke to the sound of birds outside the open living room window. She opened one eye, noting the captain
comfortably settled in an armchair, an open book in his hand, a cup of . . . she sniffed . . . Not coffee beside him. He looked up as she yawned and stretched. "Thank you for last night, Daniel."
He grinned wickedly. "It's gratifying to know even after a hundred years I would hear those customary words from a beautiful woman's lips, but never before for a dance."
Perceiving his need for pride, for no discussion, just to continue as if nothing had changed, she replied, "Your humility is dwarfed only by your even temper."
He chuckled. "Touche, Madam."
She stood, suddenly too aware she'd slept in the clothes she'd worn all day yesterday. She must look terribly grungy. She began to fold the afghan, debating between a cup of coffee or shower first. She glanced at the clock and wailed, "It's so late! Why didn't you wake me?"
Martha bustled in, holding out a cup of coffee and taking the afghan. "Good day, Sleeping Beauty. Don't worry about the car-pool, I switched you to after school today."
It was a short but busy day, trying to get everything done in less time. Finally after running errands, picking up the kids, and typing up the latest story from her scrambled notes, she offered to play a game of Monopoly with the kids. As Candy rolled the dice, Jonathon chattered away about the captain. He mentioned how Captain Gregg had once lifted him so he could see the eggs in a bird's nest. Carolyn asked, "When was that, Jonathon?"
"Gee, I don't remember. Oh, wait, right after that barnacle Claymore and I dug up that cool treasure chest."
"So you understood a ghost could touch people pretty soon after you met him?"
Jonathon shrugged. "Yeah, Mom." It meant nothing to him.
Candy chimed in "When did you find out Mom?" Bulls-eye, the arrow hit the target. Jonathon knew two years before she did?
"A little after that, honey." Really, it didn't matter. The captain had been protecting her from a horrible possibility, the poor man. Although, she thought to herself, it was presumptuous of him to think the "the greatest possible personal intimacy" was a path they might go down. They'd never even kissed, except in the Christmas dream. They were engaged in that dream, but there had been no proposal, no opportunity to say yes or no. The dream kiss had been lovely, standing out in the cold, the heat of his body and his lips warming her. Maybe outside a dream his kisses would not be so special. Once when she was a teenager, she'd had a crush on a boy for months. Their first kiss had ended her crush. Or worse, maybe he was the type to jokingly smack her on the rump as if she were a horse. Robert had done that once, and once only. Even if becoming lovers were possible, Captain Gregg was so old fashioned, always chiding her for not being ladylike. Imagine a comment like that during . . . intimacy. Keep working on it, she told herself, and maybe you can convince yourself that the grass is blue and the sky is green.
"Mom, you came in last!"
"Isn't that always the way?" She pretended sadness for a moment then added, "But really I win because I have you two." She tickled them both into fits of giggles. "Okay, bedtime now. Give me a hug!"
She went downstairs to mend more bridges. She made two cups of hot chocolate and brought one to Martha. She sat beside her in front of the television. "My, the weather has certainly improved around here," Martha commented. "You want something else?"
"No, I don't mind Laugh In."
After it was over, Martha insisted on taking the cups, "Otherwise I'll have to write and you clean the house and cook, and let's face it, I'm not a writer and . . . .
Carolyn laughed, "I'm not a cook."
Carolyn retired, changing into her nightgown. She wondered if Daniel was ticklish, not a useful line of thought. There was a knock on her door. Expecting Martha, she opened it. He stood there, wordless, eyes burning. "Yes?"
He brushed a stray strand of hair off her cheekbone, such a gentle touch, almost like a butterfly wing despite the calluses on his fingertips. They remained there for a moment, looking at each other. Just a single touch, yet this time he had initiated it. He sighed, raggedly. "Madam, we must continue on as though touch were impossible. However in light of recent events, I'll not enter our cabin while you're in it without your invitation."
She took a breath, about to speak, when he disappeared. She was glad he hadn't given her time. What was there to say, really, that wouldn't cause more pain? She climbed into bed, sighing. She said, hoping he'd hear it, "Captain, you haunt Gull Cottage in more ways than you can possibly imagine."