After the exhausting evening, between all the preparation and performances, Carolyn Muir sat counting the money raised from their fundraiser. "WELL!" she said with authority, "according to these figures, we've made just enough money last night for a new seaman's home." Turning to look at the lovely blonde, Captain Daniel Gregg smiled gratefully, "All thanks to you Madam." Refusing to look up just yet, she smiled, "Oh, thanks to everybody, but mainly Bob Mason, you know he really did us a great favor."
Hearing a knock at the door, Carolyn went to welcome the dog trainer and Louis the 'wonder dog'. The Captain stood silently watching the children and Scruffy, he smiled, knowing his family was together and happy.
Hearing the Captain clear his throat, Carolyn turned and headed back into the kitchen. "Madam, again, I must truly thank you for all your services." Confused, the blonde widow turned and looked up at him. "As you may recall," he continued, "upon my unexpected demise, I left two key issues unresolved. One was the misconception that my death was a suicide, not an accident." His raised eyebrow forced her to focus, and realize the narrative he had in mind. "Over a year ago, you played a key role in publishing a retraction to that vile slur upon my character."
Stepping toward her, he smiled, "And now, to my great pleasure you have overcome my final barrier. With the creation of the new seaman's home, my final obstacle has been met and overcome."
"WAIT!" she said, hand raised, "You don't, you can't . . ." "I offer nothing at this moment Madam," he purred, "Other than a wish to escort you on a walk along the shore, if you are amenable?"
Nodding, she led the way as they slipped out the side door, past the cavorting Louie and Scruffy and unobserved, they headed down to the beach.
Pulling the neck of her coat closer around her neck, she looked over at the Captain, who, with hands clasped behind his back, sauntered beside her as if he had not a care in the world. Unable to resist, she finally spoke, "Your FINAL obstacle?" "It could be," he murmured. "If you recall, I have spoken of the spectral fraternity?" Seeing her nod silently, he took that as an opening to continue his speech without interruption. "They are not an illusory body as you might imagine, but in fact, a group with serious powers and oversight to all who remain between the worlds. Upon my crossing, my own ego, my serious hubris mired me here on the earthly plane. If I could regret it, my insistence that my passing be understood as an accident, and my need to assure aged seaman of a home, both combined to hold me here in Schooner Bay, even when my logical path should have been to move into the beyond."
"If you COULD regret it?" Carolyn asked, unable to pull her tear-filled eyes from his gaze. "If I could," he continued calmly, "If I had, I never would have been left here at Gull Cottage," silently he turned to look up at the house, looming over them on the cliff above the beach. "If I had," he continued turning to look at her, "I never should have known you . . . known my destiny and my true place in the universe."
Unbidden, she raised her hand over her heart, "Go on," she prompted. "As you might assume," he smiled, "upon overcoming these two barriers, I received a messenger from the fraternity, in fact this very evening." Her alarm, and the tears in her eyes warmed his spirit, and told him all the unvoiced assumptions he had weighed, were as they hoped they would be this evening.
"And I told their messenger, and quite strenuously this very night, that I was absolutely prepared to reject their offer to move forward into the beyond." "NO," Carolyn said with alarm, "you mustn't, you cannot. . . you are ready, you have the right to be where you belong, to find your place in heaven, whatever that may be. . ." her voice trailed off, tears shedding down her cheeks, as she understood the future she faced without him there beside her.
"Heaven?" he smiled, reaching over and invisibly waving her tears away, "there wouldn't ever be much of heaven for me without you there beside me M'dear."
"Really?" she said, face beaming, eyes shining in surprise. "Truly," he smiled. "After a hundred or so years, what's a few more until we can go together." Her mouth opened, and finding nothing more to say, she let, or she hoped she let her joyous expression speak for her as they walked together, side by side.