Enduring the Storm

Chapter 6 First Night Alone

Brooke's POV

I'm in awe, wandering around the boat as my hand trails over every last surface. Enjoying the details and textures as my mouth stays permanently open as if it was meant to touch the floor. There is a lot of stuff in here, I would assume that it was just him being prepared in case it was to be used.. I don't know how often he used it but it was enough for him to keep things stocked which helps me when it comes to maintenance and cleaning. I keep looking around as I feel the lawyer's presence behind me, so I turn around to face him. I don't trust him much at all, let alone enough to leave him close behind me without an issue.

He smiles at me before he notices that I am staring at him, feeling the awkwardness being created in this moment. He looks away before saying to me. "I don't know if you have room at your house for anything like this.. but if not, then you have a couple of months to move it. Your father paid a yearly fee for it to stay here, so the next time he would need to pay it for the whole year would be in February. So you have 5 months until you either have to pay to keep it here or move it." He says this to me as I nod.

"Is there any rules for staying on it.. now? Like, can I stay on it, while it's docked here?" I ask him as his eyebrows furrow thinking about my question. "Do you not have a place to stay?" he instantly asks as I think about if I should really answer him or not. I let out a deep breath as I reluctantly shake my head to answer, while wanting to expain without totally embarrassing myself. "I have never had a place to stay since my mother passed away.. I mostly just live in my car as of right now, but this would be nice to have at my disposal... That is if I can use it without getting in trouble."

The pity that is in his eyes once that comment leaves my mouth, suddenly fills the rest of his features as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Oh.. ok.. well.. uh.. yeah of course you can stay here.. He actually signed this boat over to you, years ago, so no one else could have a claim on it. It is paid off and nothing needs to be worried about except for maintenance, and the yearly fee to stay here. But he was out here weekly taking care of this and using it to fish.. So you probably don't have much to worry about. But yes, you could move in here right now. I would just make sure to keep the door locked.. I know there is not a lot of people around here, but you never know." he says this to me as I smile and nod.

"Thank you.. I can't wait. This is great and nothing I ever expected when I woke up today." I say with so much excitement as he hums out showing me around the boat. "Here are the manuals for the boat.. here are the titles and every paper you need with your name on it proving it's yours.. I just need you to sign it." he says as I quickly take his pen and signing on the lines he points at for me and him. I feel my happiness filling me up as I fight the urge to bounce around on my toes like a kid in a candy shop.

"The gas and water are over here.. electric here.. it's solar powered.. um.. Your father even has a plethora of books, on how to sail and driving boats, how to winterize and all of that information that is needed to keep this boat in good shape.. just in case you don't know much about boats in general. I would recommend reading these before taking the boat out on your own. And everything else you will figure out how to use on your own as you go along with everyday life. But there are nets and fishing poles in storage in case you want to do that as well, which I would recommend as long as you know how to cook them.. Do you have any questions?" he asks me as I shake my head while my orbs continue to bounce around the inside of the boat, like a pin ball. Not knowing what to focus on since everything seems so beautiful and new to me.

"Nothing about the boat, you have been so thorough with everything and thank you for that.. I would hate to bother you any further, but is there anyway I could catch a ride back to my car to grab my things?" I ask him as he smiles big while nodding. "Of course.. but how will you get it back here? I thought you said your car broke down." He asks as I shrug my shoulders. "I will figure out a way back.. maybe I'll have to pay for my car to be towed, get a cab, walk or something along those lines." I state this with confidence, feeling higher than the clouds, that not even walking or towing of my car back here could get me down.

Besides, I wouldn't want him to have to worry about me anymore than he already has. I can take care of myself, I have done it for many years, so I can definitely do it again. But after my response, I watch his head shake, without hesitation. This shows me that even with the confidence in my tone, trying to show him I will be alright, hasn't worked. "No I won't have that. I will drive you back here with your things after we collect them together." he states this as I shake my head trying to object, but before I can his hand flies up to stop my words from escaping my lips.

"Rich was a good friend of mine and, of course, a fantastic client. But I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing I just left you out in a broken-down car by yourself when I don't have much going on today and a perfectly good car to give you a ride.. Plus, I don't want to leave you on the side of the road when you have a safe place to stay over here ." He states this with so much determination and protectiveness in his words, making sure that I know there is no room for negotiation.

I just nod at him because I won't object. I appreciate the help, it's not like I ever have a lot of help normally so this is nice. Makes me feel not so alone or hated. We jumped into his car again as I gave him directions to drive us across the city and back to my car, just talking about anything that we can come up with. Which has been so much fun for me, to just hang out like this.. Moments like this don't happen often for me.

He seems like such a nice man and I would like to think that my father was just as nice as he is. Every little story he tells me about my father, seems light and uplifting, He seemed to be an upstanding man.. Well, besides the ditching us for the work part of the story. But it sounds like he regretted it, my mom just wouldn't let him come back. Which I do understand.. but if she would've, I think we would have had a way better life.. I don't obviously know that for sure, but I would like to imagine it would have been better, but nothing can change the past. So I just have to move on with the future.

Maybe it's best that I didn't have my father there because I wouldn't have turned into the strong fighter I am now. I am such a hard worker and maybe if I had him there to spoil me, then I might have turned out like those spoiled brats back at the mansion. That is not the type of person I ever wanted to be like. So I have to be happy for the results inside of me that never would have been possible without his absence. I am sad that I can't even meet him now after everything is said and done, even to help me learn about this boat and how to work it and everything on it. But the silver lining to this is that now I can learn another skill to add to my long list of skills. So this should be a fun and new endeavor for me, even if it's still on my own.

The excitement is building within me, as we head back across the city and to my new place with all my stuff in the back of his car. I am nervous of the night to come, all by myself, sleeping in an environment that I have never been around before.. That will probably make sleeping harder than it normally is, since I am not used to this.. But the mere fact that I have a place of my own that I can lock and keeps me away from the loud traffic and horrible people will help my mental state a lot.

Not to mention the fact that it has a bed that I can comfortably fit in. You know, instead of the alternative of the seat in the back of my car, that I have to scrunch myself up on just to try to be comfortable, with a seatbelt in my back and head, making it hard. So the thoughts of having a bed I can stretch out in and a place to call my own is creating an excitement that I couldn't be more elated about.

Just knowing that this was something special to my mother, adds a love and warmth to this place that makes me feel better about being here. I would like to say the same goes for knowing it's my father's too, but I never knew him like that, so that thought doesn't have the same effect. I bring in an arms-full of items as he brings in the rest, following me into the boat. He sets everything down before saying. "There is a small grocery store down the street if you needed anything." He says this to me as I smile but shake my head, even knowing I am lying. But I can head over there later on my own to grab anything I might need.

I do need to get food, but there is no way I will be bothering him anymore than I already have because all that we have done so far has now made the day for both of us just fly by. It is late afternoon and almost dinner time, so I will be needing something to eat, but I can figure it out for myself. "You know you're just as bad of a liar as your father was." he payfully states as I let out the breath I never even knew I was holding in. "It's that obvious?" I ask him as he busts up laughing. "yes it is.. let's head to the store really quickly and then I will stop harassing you." he suggests as I smile at that comment.

"Ok.. sure.. but why are you helping me so much? You don't think you have done enough for me already?" I inquired of him, causing his smile to grow. "You remind me of my daughter, this is just like the day I brought her to college. I couldn't leave her alone until I knew she had everything she needed. It's the fatherly instinct within me that won't let me walk away until I have properly helped out." He responds this so quickly that there is nothing I could say to change the warmth he gave me with his care for my well being. This must be what it is like to have a fatherly care for basic things. It's nice and makes me feel special.

We headed straight for the store, grabbing basics for me. He even insisted on the soap, shampoo and conditioner and made me replace my brush and toothbrush. He even insisted on more dishes and cooking ware, since he doesn't know all that my father had stocked up inside of the boat. So we grabbed everything from silverware, to cups, pans and pots.. even plates.. anything one might need for a new place. He really is just going to continue treating me like his child, but honestly, as of right now, I don't mind. I know if he treated me like this every single day, I would come to hate it, since I am an independent woman.. but it's just for tonight, so I will appreciate the love and I care I get since it won't last long,