Author: SerenaJ
Title: Rachael and JD
Part: Chapter 14
Universe: Reedville and The Davidson Fishery
Summary: You remember that 'unforesceen tragedy' JD mentioned?
Keywords: MF, oral, interr (HF/WM)

Chapter 14: Wind and Rain

It had been overcast most of the day but the rain had started in
earnest as JD left Richmond.  It had been a good day – the tax
bill passed but with the pass thru clause and an additional
waiver for fisheries under a specific income level.  The guy with
a boat fishing for his own dinner was not going to be impacted. 
JD was pleased about that.  The government wanted to protect the
fish and the water; he was glad they decided to protect a few of
the people too.

He started to reach for his cell phone but stopped.  Since he had
spent the day in Richmond, Rachael was out on the boats.  He
smiled at the thought.  Now that the latest legislative crisis
was over, maybe they should both quit and join the crew.  Edward,
however, had made it clear that it would not be on his boat – not
both of them, at least.  Even if she had the phone handy, she
should not be taking his calls while she worked.

Instead, he turned on the radio and scrolled through the
stations.  He paused when he heard weather advisory.  This was
still storm season in the Atlantic and though it was pretty late
for hurricanes, it did not need to be that bad for a boat to get
in deep trouble.  He began to have an uneasy feeling and shook it
off.  Davidson’s Midday Sun was a re-fit Coast Guard 44MLB.  It
was damn near unsinkable short of just tearing into the hull. 
Between them, Ed, Mike and Paul had something near 120 years of
experience.  Rachael was actually safer on the water with them. 
When the advisory started to replay, he turned off the radio.

He felt foolish and paranoid when he finally gave in and called
Candice.

“Yes, Julius.  Everyone has called in and Midday is on her way to
Reedville.  She’ll probably beat you home.”

“Thank you, Candice.”

He relaxed for the rest of the drive home.  There were several
cars in front of the house when he arrived – which annoyed him a
touch because the mail had been left in the box.  ‘You’d think
someone could have grabbed it.’ He groused to himself as he
headed into the house.  From the front hall, he could already
hear the video game from the living room.  Inside on the floor
sat the nearly identical heads of Edward’s twins.

He squatted down with a grunt and kissed the top of both heads,
“Who’s winning?”

“Hey, Granddad!” they spared a little attention for him but Joan
actually kissed his cheek, “I am.”

“Momma’s in the kitchen with Gran-Gran.”  Jean added.

“Where’s Miss Rachael?”

Jean shrugged.  “Haven’t seen her.” Joan added.

He ruffled their hair. “I play the winner when you done?”

The girls exchanged looks then focused on the game again. 
“Deal.” Jean said.

JD went into the kitchen.  Momma and April were cooking far too
much food – which meant half the family was coming over again. 
He kissed them both and started opening pots on the stove until
April smacked his wrist.

“Dad!  Nobody called you in here!” she teased, “You’re just under
foot.  Out!  Go sue something.”

“Momma!” he looked at his mother for support but she just smiled
and turned back to her chopping.  He scowled and left, “’Least my
woman loves me.” He muttered as he headed upstairs.

Ten minutes later he was back in the kitchen, clothes and
expression changed.  “Where is Miss Rachael, anyhow?” When they
did not respond right away, he added, “I notice Edward ain’t
around either.”

“Weather’s bad, Julius,” Momma said calmly, “boat’s always late
when the weather’s bad.”

“Right.” JD had a prickly feeling across his skin. “Right.” He
said again mostly to himself.  He looked at these two women
coolly bustling around the kitchen and suddenly realized that
apart from holidays, the largest family meals he could remember
happened on stormy nights.  How many times had mothers and wives
cooked in this kitchen and reminded each other about the weather?
 He used to be annoyed that there was no phone in the kitchen. 
Now that seemed like a deliberate design rather than an
oversight.

“Grandad!” a sing-song shout came from the living room, “I won!”

April grinned and prodded JD with a spoon.  “Go on.  Out.  Unless
you want to cook.”

He surrendered and kissed his mother’s cheek again on his way
out.  With Joan’s help, he was able to give Jean a run for her
money but he was there more to spend time with the girls than to
win the game.  He tried not to notice the rest of the
grandchildren wandering in.  Before Jean could start a re-match,
George’s boy, Alex, jumped up and switched to the TV.  Joan put
the game away and the sisters took up positions on couch on
either side of him to watch the most recent episode of some young
folk series JD could not begin to follow.  His questions about
who was doing what were meet with terse answers or exasperated
shh-ing.  He chuckled and contented himself with holding the
girls comfortably, surrounded by the next generation of McElroys.

Until he realized the time – 9:30.  9:30 at night and neither
Edward nor Rachael was home.  Candice had not called.  This was
not just bad weather; something was wrong.  During the next
commercial break, got up and headed back into the kitchen.  Momma
and April were sitting at the table chatting with Elizabeth and
George’s wife Stacy.  He watched them all for a moment.

Then he fixed himself a drink.  Bourbon.  No water.  He looked
out the kitchen window; the rain had finally stopped and the
night was clear.  Starlit.  He took a swallow and hoped that
Rachael was somewhere that she could see them.

“Daddy?  You eaten yet?” He heard Elizabeth behind him.

“Kinda late fo’ dinner ain’t it, Lizzie?”

“You go on back in an’ relax an’ I’ll fix you a plate, Daddy.”

“Sit, woman, I already got one mother.” Then he rolled his eyes
as he heard the whole table giggle and remembered where he was.
“No disrespect, intended, of course.”  He cleared his throat,
“I’m gonna take a walk.  I’ll eat when…” he cleared his throat
again, “when Marcus and Candice get here.  Aught to wait fo’ the
whole family, right?”

“Now there’s a boy who ain’t never missed a meal.” Momma laughed,
“You can’t put out enough food to feed Marcus!”

They all laughed and JD wondered ultimately over the years who
had been braver – the men on the boats or the women here.  He
knew where he would be if he had a choice.  He tipped his glass
at the table and slipped out the back door.

He wandered down to the family dock and sat on the bench, looking
out over Cockerell Creek.  After a while, he put his head down
and began praying.  Losing Rachael, now, would kill him.  He just
got her back.  And Edward; how would he tell Claudia if Edward
died?  A heavy hand gripped his shoulder and he knew without
looking that it was Marcus.  He kept praying until his voice
broke; then Marcus took over.

“Lord, please forgive me.  I haven’t been a good man.  I sent
Augustus ta ya too soon, Lord.  An’ I tried to send ya Julius, I
know.  But please don’t take Edward an’ Rachael today Lord,
please don’t take ‘em both.  You know my brother’s heart Lord,
he’s always been yor voice in my ear.” Marcus gasped and JD
realized that he had never seen his brother cry, “We love you,
Lord an’ if you see fit, then take ‘em to glory.  But Lord, we
beg you.”

“Amen.” JD whispered.  He put his hand atop Marcus’ and they
stayed that way for a long time, neither able to speak.  When JD
finally began to pull himself together, he took a large swallow
of his drink then handed the glass up to his brother.  Marcus
took it, drained it and sat beside JD.  Neither spoke for a
while.  Eventually, Marcus pointed to the pier.

“Every damn time, I think of that spot.”

JD did not ask ‘every time what’; he knew his brother meant every
‘rainy family dinner’. “Why?”

“That’s all I could see.” JD waited for Marcus to go on.
“Augustus was behind me an’ I kep tryin’ ta push him off ‘cause I
could see this one ‘lil spot on the dock and I jus’ kep thinkin’
that if-n we jus’ swim, we’d both be safe an’ dry ‘fore Momma
caught us.”

Augustus was probably holding him, trying to keep his younger
brother’s face out of the water with one hand and a gripe on the
boat with the other.  If they fell in on the far side, not the
dockside and Marcus was struggling, Augustus probably could not
decide if it were better to try to swim or wait there for help. 
Not a choice a child should have to make – not a burden a child
should bear.  Then, JD had an epiphany.  Sixty years of family
history and veiled references became as clear as if he had
witnessed the events.  He went down on his knee and took Marcus’
hand, “Lord, I’m callin’ on you again tonight to forgive me for
all my years of cruelty to my brother who has carried the guilty
of our eldest’s death for most of his life.  Please, Lord, ease
his burden.  Tell him that a six-year-old cudd’na swam ‘gainst
that current no more than a four-year-old cudda.  If’n you tryin’
ta teach me ta appreciate what I got, I do Lord.” He looked his
brother in the eye, “I’m sorry Marcus – it never even occurred ta
me that you thought you shoulda saved him.  I regret e’very
spiteful mean word I ever said ta ya.  You been e’vy thin’ uh
brother could be an’ more.  I wish I were half the man you are.”

Marcus’ grip tightened for a moment then he pulled JD forward and
hugged him hard.  “I thought you blamed me too.  I let him die,
Julius.  I know if-n I’d jus held on to him ‘stead pushin’ him
away, we’d both be here today.”

“Who you lyin’ to, boy?” Julius chuckled hoarsely, “Most likely
I’d lost two brothers instead uh one.”

They held each other until they became aware of the intimacy. 
Brother or not, Julius was not overly comfortable holding another
man and after a few minutes they let each other go and just sat
together.  JD picked up his glass and frowned briefly to see it
empty.  Marcus tapped his leg and JD smirked as he took the
bottle from him.  He refilled the glass and handed the bottle
back.  They toasted silently and stared out at the water again.

‘Again’, JD thought, ‘my son and my wife.’  “I can’t loose ‘em
one at uh time, can I?” he said mostly to himself.

“You nevah could do nothin’ by half.”

They both snickered and had another drink.

JD sighed heavily, “I nevah even asked if e’body else came in.”

“Safe and sound.”

“Good.” He nodded, “Paul’s wife been called?”

“Yeah.  She’s probably at the house by now.” Marcus took another
swallow, “Bill was on the Pride but I think he stayed dockside. 
He an’ Mike still try an’ keep it quiet.”

JD nodded again and refilled his glass.  “I guess I’ll call her
sister in…” he stopped mid sentence when he heard an air horn
faintly in the distance.

He swallowed hard, “You said e’body else safe an’ sound?”

“Only one slip empty when I come up here ta see you.”

JD was on his feet and moving almost before he was aware of it. 
The two docks were almost a full mile apart and they heard the
air horn twice more before they got to the commercial dock. 
Charles and George were dockside on cell phones when JD and
Marcus arrived and the Midday was just pulling in.

She was water logged and her antenna where missing. Only one
light was on but it was enough light to see three wet crewmembers
waving at the shore.  JD could hear Rachael’s voice and nearly
wept again, “Oh, Jesus.  Thank you, God.” He whispered.  Bill
moved past JD toward the empty slip and JD joined him to help tie
the boat into the dock.  Rachael was the first one off and JD
paused just long enough to make sure Mike could get off behind
her before trying to squeeze Rachael as tightly as he could.  She
smelled like salt water and she was cold and JD could not stop
thanking God.

A hand touched his shoulder and he looked up to see Edward also
wet but alive and well, and let go of Rachael just long enough to
embrace them both.

After a minute, Edward pulled back, “Come on.  We’ll catch our
death uh cold out here.”

Reluctantly, JD let go of everything but Rachael’s hand and they
all headed down the dock.  He reached out and shook Mike and
Paul’s hands as well, “Glad to see you boys as well.”

“Oh, yeah.” Paul quipped.

“What in the hell happened?” Bill asked.

Edward shook his head, “We got rolled, hit something and broke
the antenna clean off.  Lost the radio and flooded the damn
engine.”

“Christ almighty.”

“But everyone’s ok, JD.” Rachael added, “Passengers got a little
bruised but we dropped them in Reedville before we came home. 
They’ve got some fish tales to take home!”

There was some tired agreement to that.  They got back to the
dock house and another reunion ensued as half the family had made
it down from the house.  Through all the subsequent hugs and
tears, JD never released Rachael’s hand.  Eventually, they all
went back to the house where a more subdued reunion took place as
dinner was reheated – the kids had been quiet but knew a ship had
been missing.  Joan and Jean fell into their father’s arms with
evident relief.

Rachael squeezed his hand.  “You go eat, I’m going to shower. 
I’ll be back in a minute.”

He kissed her shoulder, “The hell you say.  You not leavin’ mah
sight, woman.  Go on.  You smell like somethin’ just washed up on
shore.”

Joan must have overheard him, “Yeah, you kinda rank, too, Daddy.”

JD smiled.  It all sounded so normal.  He silently thanked god
again as he followed Rachael up to the bathroom.  They showered
together and under the running water, he kissed her tenderly.

“I thought I’d lost you fo’ good this time, Willow.”

“It was never that bad, JD.  Ed had everything under control the
whole time.  And he made me stay below deck with the passengers
for most of it.”

“Thank god.” He held her tight again, “You not going back out
there.”

“Yes I am.”

JD grabbed her chin and held it, “I am not foolin’ with you,
woman. You not going back out there.  Period.  This is not open
fo’ discussion.”  He was trembling.

Rachael put her fingers gently on his cheeks and kissed him. 
“Ok.” She kissed him again, more deeply.  Soon, he had her
leaning against the wall as the need to feel her warmth
overwhelmed him.  It was easy to slide down her body, kissing,
but he thought he might drown trying to eat her in the tub.  He
gave up when he managed to evoke one deep shuddering groan from
her and worked his way back up to her lips.

“JD.  I love you,” She said between kisses, “but I’m hungry.”

“I guess we could continue this later.”

“Definitely.”

They dried off, dressed and went downstairs.  From the stairs, he
could hear the kids talking and suddenly realized that it was
about them.  He stopped to eavesdrop.

“I’d do her.” Peter was Charles’ eldest and his sister Beth hit
him.

“You are so gross!  She ‘bout ta be our grandmother!”

“’Sides,” Gracie was the eldest and worked in the office with her
father George, “If she’s got a thing for older guys, she wouldn’t
look sideways at you.  I think they’re sweet.”

“Yeah, but ain’t it kinda weird?” Jean shrugged, “I mean
Granddad’s old.”

“You heard that.” Alex snickered, “I guess he ain’t too old.” The
oldest three laughed and Joan and Jean squealed, “Eeww, gross!”

JD cleared his throat loudly at that point, “Now come on Miss
Rachael,” he made sure his voice carried to the living room,
“family’s waitin’.”

They got some odd looks as they past the door on the way to the
kitchen.  Rachael did not help matters when she leaned in and
said, “It’s not age, guys, it’s skill.”  The room erupted into
laughter and JD just shook his head.

It the kitchen, the adults were not much better.  Bill and Mike
had stayed as had Paul and his wife and the kitchen was over
flowing with people standing around.

Marcus raised an eyebrow as they came in, “That took long
enough.” Charles, Elizabeth, Edward and April all stifled
laughter.  JD would have said something but Rachael was pretty
when she blushed.

Someone made space at the table and they sat down to eat.  It was
close to midnight but no one looked ready for bed.  Finally,
Momma spoke up.

“Julius,” she said, “I’ve been thinkin’.  It ain’t right.”

“What ain’t?” he kept his tone light but he could feel the
tension run down his spine.

“You gonna make this po’ child marry under that old willah tree
in the middle uh December.  Ought to be a proper church weddin’.”

He looked at his mother and actually had to bit his lips to keep
them from trembling.  He stood up and leaned across the table to
kiss her cheek. “Thank you, Momma.” He said softly.

* * * * * *

Thank you for reading the whole thing. More of my work can be
found at http://www1.asstr.org/files/Authors/SerenaJ/