Fourteen
Monday, March 8, 7:58 P.M. CST
Offshore from Cuba
The night felt peaceful to Thomas, the troubles in Kansas far behind him. The waning moon reflected off the wave wake of the Aggressor as she sliced through the waters. Mel had put the boat on autopilot.
“It’s good to be back in the Caribbean,” said Mel, who was busy fixing a dinner of baked chicken and roasted zucchini. “The air smells tropical, like good sunscreen.”
Thomas helped prepare the vegetables while the chicken thawed. “Sunscreen? What would you know about that? Your skin is like leather. Seriously, you should get your skin checked by a dermatologist at least once a year.”
“Son, my tan protects me.”
“What you think protects you is actually a sign of damage. Sun damage that causes cancer. You just have good genes a
