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Chapter 1
I pried my cold fingers off the tiller and gladly gave handed it over to Damien. I gave him a quick peck on the cheek and climbed through the hatch. The air down below was warm and bearable. I warmed a small pot of soup and drank it down quickly. Had I been more awake, I would have considered having a cup of tea, but for now all I wanted was to sleep. I was thankful that Damien had gained his sea legs and volunteered to take first watch. The rhythmic sloshing of water lulled me to sleep that night.
When I awoke it was morning and sunlight gently trickled in from the partially open hatch. I was mad at myself for sleeping so long, but I felt my strength renewed. I wiggled free of my sleeping bag and stretched.
“Good morning beautiful!” Damien smiled at me from the cockpit.
“Morning!” I smiled back.
“Good night’s sleep last night?”
“You bet! Good sailing?”
“Sure thing, honey.”
“Say, you wouldn’t happen to have any breakfast up there, would you?”
“You betcha.” He grinned.
“I’ll be up there in a second.” I yawned and opened the door of the head.
A few minutes later I popped out into the cockpit, hair brushed and face washed.
“You should’ve woken me up last night and had me take second watch.” I commented, gratefully taking a cup of orange juice from him.
“Hm, perhaps I should’ve, but I couldn’t bring myself to wake you up.”
I curled my feet up under myself, digging into the piled plate of marmalade-covered toast on the hatch cover.
“Mmm.” I sank my teeth into my second piece. “You’re wonderful, Damien.”
“Hey! Don’t eat it all!” he grinned, “save some for your wonderful husband!”
I took the tiller again after I had cleaned up the breakfast dishes and sent Damien down below to catch some sleep. To my dismay both the wind and water were calm. We bobbed for a couple hours before a good breeze picked up. The sails were soon filled with rushing air, I grinned as we clipped along. The next couple hours passed quickly as I captained the Tocatta and served as her one-man crew.
“Lunchtime, wouldn’t you say?” Damien said from below.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
A short while later he climbed through the hatch, a sandwich in each hand.
“Thanks, hun.” I smiled, taking the one he handed me.
“Getting some good speed out of our old girl, are you?”
“Guilty as charged, captain.” I grinned.
I dangled my bare feet over the edge and relished the sensation of the cool water. I felt the sun caress my tanned face and arms. Wind threw hair into my face, making it hard to see. I tossed it up in a sloppy bun and hurried to follow captain’s orders. We were tacking away from a trio of logs in the water ahead to starboard. He shoved the tiller over and I let out the jib sheet, hurrying to the other side to haul it in. We turned neatly and avoided the hazard completely.
“Nicely done, captain!” I settled myself down next to him.
“Not to be a bother but you wouldn’t happen to have a spare mug of tea lying around would you, Jen? The Brit in me is coming out.” He winked at me.
“As a matter of fact, I was thinking about having some myself.” I slid the hatch cover back all the way and climbed down.
“How soon do you suppose we’ll get there?” I called from where I was filling the kettle.
“Another day or two, if the wind stays the same, which it probably won’t.”
“Fair enough.”
“We got enough food for the next couple days?”
“Sure thing. Enough for another week, at least.”
Soon the kettle was whistling and I poured the boiling water.
“Here you go.” I stood on the middle step if the companionway and handed him a steaming mug.
“Thanks dear. You’re the best.” He grinned and readily accepted his tea, clinking it against mine. “A toast to good sailing and the Azores ahead!"
I pried my cold fingers off the tiller and gladly gave handed it over to Damien. I gave him a quick peck on the cheek and climbed through the hatch. The air down below was warm and bearable. I warmed a small pot of soup and drank it down quickly. Had I been more awake, I would have considered having a cup of tea, but for now all I wanted was to sleep. I was thankful that Damien had gained his sea legs and volunteered to take first watch. The rhythmic sloshing of water lulled me to sleep that night.
When I awoke it was morning and sunlight gently trickled in from the partially open hatch. I was mad at myself for sleeping so long, but I felt my strength renewed. I wiggled free of my sleeping bag and stretched.
“Good morning beautiful!” Damien smiled at me from the cockpit.
“Morning!” I smiled back.
“Good night’s sleep last night?”
“You bet! Good sailing?”
“Sure thing, honey.”
“Say, you wouldn’t happen to have any breakfast up there, would you?”
“You betcha.” He grinned.
“I’ll be up there in a second.” I yawned and opened the door of the head.
A few minutes later I popped out into the cockpit, hair brushed and face washed.
“You should’ve woken me up last night and had me take second watch.” I commented, gratefully taking a cup of orange juice from him.
“Hm, perhaps I should’ve, but I couldn’t bring myself to wake you up.”
I curled my feet up under myself, digging into the piled plate of marmalade-covered toast on the hatch cover.
“Mmm.” I sank my teeth into my second piece. “You’re wonderful, Damien.”
“Hey! Don’t eat it all!” he grinned, “save some for your wonderful husband!”
I took the tiller again after I had cleaned up the breakfast dishes and sent Damien down below to catch some sleep. To my dismay both the wind and water were calm. We bobbed for a couple hours before a good breeze picked up. The sails were soon filled with rushing air, I grinned as we clipped along. The next couple hours passed quickly as I captained the Tocatta and served as her one-man crew.
“Lunchtime, wouldn’t you say?” Damien said from below.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
A short while later he climbed through the hatch, a sandwich in each hand.
“Thanks, hun.” I smiled, taking the one he handed me.
“Getting some good speed out of our old girl, are you?”
“Guilty as charged, captain.” I grinned.
I dangled my bare feet over the edge and relished the sensation of the cool water. I felt the sun caress my tanned face and arms. Wind threw hair into my face, making it hard to see. I tossed it up in a sloppy bun and hurried to follow captain’s orders. We were tacking away from a trio of logs in the water ahead to starboard. He shoved the tiller over and I let out the jib sheet, hurrying to the other side to haul it in. We turned neatly and avoided the hazard completely.
“Nicely done, captain!” I settled myself down next to him.
“Not to be a bother but you wouldn’t happen to have a spare mug of tea lying around would you, Jen? The Brit in me is coming out.” He winked at me.
“As a matter of fact, I was thinking about having some myself.” I slid the hatch cover back all the way and climbed down.
“How soon do you suppose we’ll get there?” I called from where I was filling the kettle.
“Another day or two, if the wind stays the same, which it probably won’t.”
“Fair enough.”
“We got enough food for the next couple days?”
“Sure thing. Enough for another week, at least.”
Soon the kettle was whistling and I poured the boiling water.
“Here you go.” I stood on the middle step if the companionway and handed him a steaming mug.
“Thanks dear. You’re the best.” He grinned and readily accepted his tea, clinking it against mine. “A toast to good sailing and the Azores ahead!"
I'd like to write more on it after I finish my trilogy, though. 
