Five Sisters (15 page)

"No," Nathaniel replied without looking towards her, but Gail could barely hear him.

She headed upstairs to get a glass of water and soon found herself dawdling around the deck and stalling so that she wouldn't have to head back downstairs again. It wasn't that she didn't like Nathaniel, she'd been having a lot of fun with him for the past few hours, but she felt terribly uncomfortable with him when he was in this strange, stationary state. She didn't know what she was supposed to do with him now. Perhaps it'd be best if she just left him alone to get his rest. Or perhaps he wanted her to entertain him and read him a story. Neither choice really appealed to Gail.

Still rather uncertain, but feeling very guilty about leaving Nathaniel alone, Gail walked back downstairs. The color had risen up again a bit in Nathaniel's cheeks, although they were still as pale as ever, and his eyes were no longer cold stones.

"Feeling better?" Gail asked.

Nathaniel nodded, "Yes, very."

"Would you like to play a game then? If you're tired of Chinese checkers we could always play cards or something. Or if you don't feel like playing I could just read you a story," Gail suggested.

"Whatever you want."

"No, it's up to you," Gail refused, "I'll do whatever you like."

"I suppose we could finish our game then."

Gail rose and set up the game on the bed between them and they continued for a short while as though nothing had ever occurred to disrupt their game. But Gail noticed that Nathaniel's eyes were watching her rather suspiciously, scrutinizing her every move as the thunder clashed louder just outside.

Finally, he spoke: "You don't have to be here if you don't want."

"Yes, I know," Gail replied, "But I'm perfectly content where I am, thank you."

"No, I just . . . You don't seem like the type of girl who enjoys spending all her time indoors."

"Well . . ." Gail paused, "I'm not, I suppose, but that doesn't mean . . ."

"It means that you would rather be anywhere than here. Don't feel as though you've been forced to come here today. You can go anytime you please."

"But what if I don't want to leave?"

"And you don't have to lie to me either."

"But I'm not lying."

Nathaniel sighed, "I'm tired of feeling pitied. I know you would much rather be up on deck in the wind and excitement than down here in this stuffy room with me."

Gail tried to speak, but Nathaniel interrupted.

"I'm sure I've already scared you with . . . with . . ." Nathaniel stammered, "With whatever was happening to me. I'm really not sure what it was exactly, but it's happened before."

"I tried to help," Gail said, "But I didn't know what you wanted me to do and you kept telling me you were fine."

"I know, I know, I just . . ." he paused, "I just don't want you to feel obligated to be here. I know that no one in their right mind would ever want to spend their day down here with me in this horribly suffocating and disease-filled room and
I
. . ."

"Are you saying I'm not in my right mind?" Gail asked a bit defensively.

"No," Nathaniel assured, "Not at all, I just . . ."

But Gail interrupted him, "Because I'm perfectly sane, thank you very much."

"I never said you weren't."

Gail crossed her arms. "You said that 'no one in their right mind would ever want to spend their day down here with you.' And if I do want to spend my day down here, then you must be insinuating that Iam
not
in my right mind."

"Gail I . . ."

"Why do you always do this?" Gail asked angrily, rising from her chair, "Every time things are starting to go well, you try to start up some sort of argument."

"But I didn't mean to . . ."

"I'm sick of this! I've tried to be nice and I've tried to make friends. I thought you could use some company. I thought you might want a friend!" Gail fumed, "But obviously I was wrong! If you really wanted a friend you wouldn't be so rude and ignorant! I'm sorry I ever came down here today! And I . . ."

Nathaniel sat up, his eyes mad with fury,
"
Do you know what I think? I think you're just perplexed that I've been a rather pleasant companion all evening. And because I haven't started up any sort of quarrel, you feel the need to do so yourself! I didn't mean to say anything that would offend you! And if I did, I'm sorry. But you must admit that you made this entire feud appear out of thin air! You did it all yourself!
I
am not the one to blame!"

"How dare you try to blame this all on me, Nathaniel
West!
" Gail spat back, "
I
've been trying to make friends with you, but you just won't have it, will you? It seems like every time I come in here all we do is fight! I'm tired of it! And you know what? You're right! I
would
much rather be up on deck! But it's not just because of the fresh air and excitement, it's because each and every one of the sailors is ten times nicer than you'll ever be! I'm tired of this!" she screamed, "And I'm leaving!"

With one final glare at Nathaniel, Gail stomped out of the room, making as much noise as possible as she did so. Nathaniel watched her with an uneasy expression upon his face.

He bit his lip, "Gail?"

But she didn't turn around.

"Gail, come back!" he called.

She slowed her pace, but didn't bother to reply.

"Gail, please come back!" Nathaniel
called,
his voice hoarse and shaky, "I didn't mean what I said. I didn't mean any of it. Please don't go."

She'd come to a stop just outside of Nathaniel's door, listening to what he had to say and wondering if he'd continue.

"You were right. It does get lonely down here," he said, "And I-I do want a friend. One could go mad down here by himself all the time. There's absolutely nothing to do and most of the time I'm bored out of mind. The best times I've had on this journey so far have been my four visits from you. Some of them didn't go over so well and both of our tempers flared at points, but I've always enjoyed the times you've come to see me. No one else has even bothered to look in, besides Charlie. And it's terrible to sit down here by my lonesome self when I can hear everyone on deck upstairs, laughing and singing and dancing. You don't know what that's like. I'm sorry for all the times I've been rude, and I really didn't mean to hurt you. Well," Nathaniel scratched his head, "I probably did at the time . . ."

Gail smiled and turned around.

Nathaniel continued, ". . . but now I don't. I'm not asking for much, but I . . . It . . . It would really mean a lot to me if you'd come down every so often. We could play checkers again.
Or cards.
Or . . . or anything you want. It doesn't even have to be that often, if you don't want. Just once every two weeks or so would be more than enough. And I'd promise not to let my temper get the better of me if you'd only just come down and see me . . . I'm sorry, Gail. Just please, please don't go. Please don't leave me."

His voice was so sincere that Gail knew he must be telling the truth. She didn't know how to respond to
all that
he'd said though. Gail wasn't very good with emotional situations and she didn't want to sound silly or sentimental.

With a blank face, she walked back across the room and set the game board on the edge of Nathaniel's bed. Then, she moved one of her red marbles into a new space and looked up with a small smile, "Your turn."

In the distance, just above the line where the ocean met the sky, a flash of lighting appeared, followed shortly by a crash of thunder. Dark clouds floated ominously overhead, but as of yet, not a drop of rain had fallen.

Nora had woken that morning with a sudden feeling of confidence and determination, and had planned on finally sitting beside and speaking to Ben during breakfast. But when the meal began she found herself beside not Ben, but Sawyer. It would be silly to scheme and strategize a way to move closer, so Nora simply sat where she was.

At first she was rather miserable, watching Ben wistfully from across the table, but before she knew it he'd been erased from her mind, disappeared into thin air.

And as the day went on, Nora found that she could rarely even think of Ben.

She spent most of the day with Sawyer, as a matter of fact.

First Sawyer tried to teach Nora how to fish, since she had yet to catch anything while fishing with Zooey. And after an hour and a half of practice, she felt a tug at the end of her line. Reeling in her string, Nora was so excited she was grinning with glee. Not long after, a small, thrashing fish became visible at the top of the water. With Sawyer's help Nora was able to reel it in. And although it was definitely smaller than the fish she'd seen the sailors catch, Nora was proud just the same.

Sawyer smiled at her accomplishment and asked, "So is he going to be your dinner then?"

"My dinner?"
Nora gasped, "How could I ever eat this poor little fish?"

Sawyer grinned, "You've been eating fish just like this one ever since you set foot on this ship. How's this one any different?"

"I don't know . . ." Nora sighed, watching as Sawyer removed the hook from the fish's lip, "But he's the first fish I've caught. And look how cute he is!"

"Cute?" Sawyer laughed.

"Couldn't we at least keep him around for a little while?
In a pail, perhaps?"

Sawyer shrugged, "If you want."

They found a wooden bucket, filled it with water, and dropped the little fish inside. They watched as it swam around the pail joyfully, relieved to find itself in a container of water rather than being chopped up and served on a platter.

By that time, the day was still early, so Sawyer and Nora decided to get a little work done and spent a few hours in the kitchen, scrubbing the floors, sinks and counters. Most would have thought this a terrible way to spend one's day, but somehow it ended up being one of the most enjoyable times Nora had had on board since they'd left Laraford. Both Sawyer and Nora were busy scrubbing with their soapy sponges, laughing as they did so, when Sawyer went back to the bucket in the corner to wet his sponge. As he was walking back across the room, a bit of soapy water dripped from his sponge onto Nora's arm.

"Sorry 'bout that," Sawyer said, pushing his glasses up further on his nose.

A sly smile crept across Nora's face. She moved over to the bucket on her knees and dunked her sponge into the water, not bothering to wring it out afterwards. Then, she scooted over to Sawyer and twisted the sponge right over his head. Water and suds trailed down his flaxen blond waves and onto his freckled cheeks. And then, without any sort of warning, he jumped to his feet and ran after Nora with his sponge held high in the air.

Although most of their afternoon was spent in
an amusing
water fight, by dinnertime the kitchen was sparkly clean, from ceiling to floor.

After dinner, Sawyer and Nora headed back up to the deck.

Mary was downstairs weeping in bed. Nora didn't know what was wrong with her, but had only heard that her eldest sister had been terribly upset all afternoon. Sara was in the office with Charlie, while Gail had headed downstairs to Nathaniel's room. Nora didn't know where Emy had gone off to, but could correctly assume that she was mulling around somewhere, hopelessly lovesick with some mysterious man that her sisters had yet to identify.