Makarovia! Yes, I Know Where That is! Sophomore Year - 54. Chapter 54

Antikythera

Cookout Part One

It wasn’t fair. Peter and I had a great time. The guys looked to be having a good time as well, but they were working. The four inside had drinks that they hardly touched. Still seemingly together, but watching everyone. Now that we were back on the Duchess, we went to bed? No. It wasn’t fair. Now, there was really no hurry to get up. We even left word for Henri we didn’t know what time. It was approximately four hundred kilometers. That’s two hundred and fifty miles. (Ow. Math makes my head hurt. I try to avoid it as much as I can.)

The trip would take seven to ten hours depending on various nautical things like currents and weather. It would be lunch or lunch time when we got to Antikythera. We’d spend the night there and go to Malta. That was almost a thousand kilometers. (Ow.) If we went straight across. The recommended course had us skirting Italy’s shore adding more!

The Duchess was seaworthy, so no problem. We’d pick up Yuri and Boris, stop in Athens and visit our friends there and go to Venice. Then Makarovia.

Peter and I were lazing in that wonderful bed together.

“I really like this trip.” Peter sighed with a chuckled. “You were right. This is very dangerous.”

I nodded. “I hope we can go on the Duchess again in the future. Maybe our legal step-aunt-in-law will let us.” I grinned. “Our step uncle and aunt, the Count and Countess.”

“And we have a brother who is king and a mother who is queen.” Peter added. “Aunt Maria should be thrilled her sister-in-law is a queen!”

“Are we talking pedigrees here?”

“Aren’t you?” Peter argued.

“No.” I rested my head on the pillow looking at him. “Two years ago, there was just me and grandma. Then added you and Olek, your mother and my family of two are now extended around the world. Some pretty important people. I just love the connection.”

“Oh.” Peter smiled. “I see.”

“My family just wasn’t that…” I thought a second, “productive with family. Mom and Dad were only children. Mom and Dad had only me. That’s why I love the connections through you. I even find connections that aren’t really there. Countess Maria von Bar is an example. The truth is,” I confessed quietly, “I’m only genetically connected to that one person.”

Peter frowned and rolled to be over men. “I had no idea you felt this way.”

I shrugged a nod. “Not all the time.”

Peter kissed me gently and held my left hand up. “And we aren’t just related. We are married. For life.” He kissed me again. “In front of millions around the world! Oh, yeah, we are sooo related.”

We were stirred again, but this time due to the fact we weren’t moving.

Showering and going to the living area we discovered the Duchess was anchored. Antikythera was…well, it was a rock sticking out of the water. It wasn’t ugly or bad, but it was rocky with just a little vegetation bigger than a shrub that I could see. It had one very appealing feature. I didn’t see a soul. There were some buildings that lined a lagoon, but no people could be seen or heard. Just the sound of the water lapping up to the Duchess. The clean salted air breezing through, it was very tranquil. I really noticed that as my body just relaxed. We were on the edge of the Aegean Sea. Some of those breezes were pretty gusty, but not chilling.

There wasn’t much of a marina. There was a small gathering of boats near the shore with maybe three boats there currently. None as large as the Duchess. There was a wide…road? It ended abruptly, the cars would be in the water if they went on. Big enough for a couple of lanes of cars. Two cars were waiting now. The ferry business was very big here connecting many of the islands and countries.

“I didn’t know if this is what you wanted.” We heard the captain say behind us. “It’s bigger than that first island…”

Peter grinned. “It’s perfect.”

The captain nodded. “They have a scheduled ferry arrival in a couple of hours. We can go closer or farther out.”

We went to the galley. Henri was cooking things.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Peter said. “Coffee?”

Henri looked up and beamed quickly. “Of course!” Without even looking, Henri pulled down the correct mug and glass and moved smoothly and quickly to get the coffees ready. “You also need something to eat.”

I looked in a large pot and saw potatoes? “What’s all this?”

Henri looked helpess to change things. “Well, we’ll be in Malta when we get to a fresh market. That’s two or three days from now. To stay good with my word, the best way is to pre-make some things.” He shrugged.

“Lunch doesn’t have to be complicated or labor intensive.” I said. “Grilled cheese sandwiches will be fine.”

Henri paused as he finished our coffees and said slowly. “Sand witches?” He sounded clearly confused. Again with the body language, you could see in his eyes that mischievous glimmer. “Grilled cheese?” He shook his head. “Doesn’t ring a bell.” He pointed at the clock everyone in the galley could see. “What does that clock say?”

“Twelve thirty-seven.” I said.

Henri nodded. “One o’clock. Be here!”

Peter chuckled saluting Henri quickly. I did too and said. “Roger that.”

Henri started moving again. Watching him was like watching ballet. Hear me out, or read me out. It was a dance. He never searched for anything. He may cook in other places, but the galley of the Duchess he knew better than the back of his hand. This was Henri’s domain! Boris was the same way. He was furious when someone moved an ingredient from where he put it. What it was didn’t matter; that he had to look was the problem. Boris’ fury was like a distant storm. You may not see the storm clouds, but that rumble was heard.

That was another commonality they shared. Everyone gets angry. I’ve seen Olek and Yuri become very angry. Furious. It’s how they expressed that anger was telling of them. General Hammond, General Burke…they all have control of that anger. To this day, I believe Olek would have shot Penelope Baldwin. Yuri would have, too, but Olek worried about legal complications. Olek is king.

Back to Henri. Whenever someone does something so easily it looks simple. That’s art. Henri was perfectly at home.

Peter and I went out on the deck.

“Do we need to go anywhere?” Peter asked. “We will in Malta.” He gave a shrugging nod. “I’m sort of burnt out with the paparazzi.”

I smiled as the wind made his hair dance on his head. “No. We don’t.” Then held a finger up chastising him even before I spoke. “And if you disagree, fine. I don’t believe in lies. Even harmless white lies.”

Peter’s head went back a little surprised. “Okay.”

“You never looked bad to me.” I smiled. “Ever.”

Peter turned a little pink and was starting to say something.

“What did I just say?” I demanded smiling. “My impression was that whole Transylvania thing you had going.”

“Transylvania? You mean Dracula Transylvania!?” Peter balked.

“Pale like you never went in the sun…”

“The sun doesn’t shine much in winter!” Peter protested laughing.

“I know that.” I nodded. “Now. I’m saying that because as windy as it is. You’re never been where you don’t look very good.” I kissed him. “Oh, and I love Dracula and many of the other vampire stories. So, you were fine.”

Peter was turning red. “You’re bias.”

I pulled him close. “You are right. But I’m not wrong.” After feeling ugly over a decade, his ego needed a boost now and then. He was having a hard time believing it. The other evening ago at the dinner table was an example. “All the magazines say so.”

“About you and me.”

“Why would they lie?” I asked. “You,” I kissed him, “are beautiful.”

Drinking my coffee was easy, it was cold already. Peter’s was only half finished when my watch sounded the alarm.

We arrived at one. Henri grinned. “I’ve trained you well.” He took a big cover off. There was a bowl of home fries! You know, they’re like potato chips, just a little thicker. They might crunch, but it would be a “meatier” bite of potato. Something had been sprinkled over them. Green onions?

I smiled at Henri. “I have eaten home fries before, but none like this.”

Henri looked shocked. “Of course, not. I didn’t make them for you.” He grinned. “They have a light sour cream and onion flavor.” He picked up two plates and put two steaming good sized sandwiches in front of us. “You wanted grilled cheese. Here they are.”

Peter looked at them. “What is coming out besides the cheese?” He asked.

“Lobster and crab.” Henri shrugged. “It would be thrown out if not used.” He said logically.

“And you did this in twenty minutes?” Peter asked verifying.

Henri nodded with a chuckle. “You saw me preparing things for tonight, tomorrow and the days after. Miracles? I do those.”

“None of these foods is beneath you?” I asked.

Henri shook his head. “Food is food. No food is beneath me. I can make burgers and fries!” He bounced once. “My way.”

I smiled. “How about this evening?”

Henri looked uncertain. “You want burger and fries for dinner?”

“Not for just Peter and me.” I waved at the Duchess. “We’re not moving. I mean everyone. Makarovian and the crew of the Duchess. Nothing needs to be monitored, does it? I mean the Captain and you, too!”

Peter was nodding the whole time I was talking. “Is there an outdoor grill out there?”

Henri nodded a little shocked. “A very nice outdoor kitchen.”

“If you agree,” I said. “That means you join us.” I tried one of the home fries. “This is delicious. This has been a magical trip for Peter and me. That wouldn’t have happened if you and everyone else didn’t make it magical. We want to say thank you.”

Peter nodded. “You’re more than just a chef. You started as that, but became our friend, too.”

“We need to talk to Captain Agius first.” I said and had another home fry. “After lunch. These are wonderful!”

The sandwiches were lightly tangy from cheese I knew wasn’t Kraft cheese singles you used for sandwiches back in the United States. There are just so few words! If I said orgasm of the taste buds, that would be close.

We went to the bridge where Captain Agius worked on a computer. He looked up smiling instantly.

‘What can I do for you?” The Captain asked.

“When we’re stationary,” Peter began. “What does the crew do? What do you do?”

The Captain looked confused. “There’s always something to do. I read a lot. Do research on weather patterns…”

“Does anything need constant watching?” Peter asked more specifically.

“No.” Captain said. “The Duchess monitors herself. There are periodic checks to see if the balance is maintained.”

“Great!” I said happily. “Then you can help us by showing up. Peter and I are throwing a thank you cookout on the deck! Everybody and I mean everybody is to come.”

The Captain smiled and began his you don’t have to do that objection.

“We don’t have to,” I agreed. “We want to.”

The Captain nodded. “What time?”

We went down to the crew area. Four were playing cards. They were in jeans and t-shirts. The uniform was not on one of them. No one jumped to attention this time. Rolph looked up. “Are we going somewhere?”

I nodded. “You are.” I pointed up. “You’re going out there.”

They didn’t understand me.

“Did you bring swimsuits?” I asked.

“You want to go swimming.” Mikell said trying to understand.

I blew a frustrated breath. “We're trying to be nice to you lunatics! Swim, lay in the sun.” I pulled the cards from Mercea’s hand. I nodded. “Not a bad hand. I thought I asked you to play up there.” I handed Mercea’s cards back and looked at Mikell’s hand. It was mean, but… “Mercea’s hand is better.”

Mercea threw his cards down in disgust. “Oh, man!”

I chuckled. “You didn’t include Peter or me in this game.” I pointed out. “There’s a huge ship up there! Go see it!”

Peter smiled. “We are having a cookout tonight, too. For you guys.”

“Why?” Mikell asked. “For doing our jobs? We’re paid to do it.” He really didn’t understand.

“Yes,” I nodded. “You are. You do it damned well. All of this,” I waved at the Duchess around us, “is because Peter and I got married. I have had a wonderful time. A simple thank you isn’t enough.”

“Being friends goes both ways,” Peter nodded. “Keeping us safe is your job. Being friends with us is not. You are.”

“Have you ever had an office party!?” I asked.

Rolph grinned. “Not like this.”

Alec, the only blonde agent who almost never spoke. “We don’t need to keep watch?”

“Are keeping watch now?” Peter asked.

“No.” Alec admitted.

I nodded. “That’s right.” I pointed up again. “Believe me when I say, there isn’t much to watch. Looking on the shore I saw no one. There’s little to no water traffic. This island has less the seventy people on the whole thing. They have a hotel and restaurant. Even with tourists there won’t be a lot of people.” I waved at the island. “The land is rocky and so is the beach. No one should be a problem.” I pointed at Alec. “You and I are going to talk.”

Alec’s blue eyes grew. “We are?”

I nodded coming over to him. “We are.” I smiled at him. “You’re a hold back.”

You know directly from Makarovian to English doesn’t work sometimes. Alec’s face said he didn’t understand. “I’m a what?”

“I still know nothing about you.” I explained. “You are holding back. I want to know you.”

Alec shook his head, but looked away. He was smiling, but said. “I’m not that interesting.”

“Says who?” I asked. “You were born and are standing here now. Can I know somethings in-between?”

“It’s not very exciting.” Alec chuckled.

“A calm life is sometimes better.” I said quietly touching his shoulder. Again, body language told a lot. I felt the slight pull away from my touch. He didn’t jerk away, nor did he tell me to stop and not touch him. It was a reflex. “We don’t have talk about anything unpleasant.” I now began to think he had a lot of unpleasant things in his past. “I just want to know you.”

Alec nodded. “I’ll tell you what I can.”

I nodded. “I look forward to it.”

Alec was in his thirties. I didn’t know a thing about him. I had guesses. I really did think of doing the psychology thing. My “armchair degree” told me he was abused at a young age. Those early formative years follow you through your entire life. You know there had been problems being cut off from the world. Those two at St. Nickolas’ celebration where their mother killed their father and then herself. Never mind the two small children left alone to fend for themselves and nearly died.

Unfortunately, abuse could be human nature, too. It’s not anger, not by itself. Frustration and Cabin Fever was part of it. An imbalance in brain chemistry is frequently a reason and all of the above. Life was hard in Makarovia. There was limited medical assistance and almost no Psychological except after World War II. Then nonexistent when the Soviets had control.

“Put whatever on and come up.” Peter said and looked at the Duchess’ Mechanist. “Everyone.”

The overall feeling changed. This wasn’t an act. At first, it was a slow rising from below as two came up. Almost like Prairie Dogs checking to see if the coast was clear, but ready to scramble down to safety. These were grown, tough men. It was almost comical. I resisted the urge to say, “Come here, boy,” in a voice you used on a skittish and shy puppy to win trust. Or whistle for them. Peter and I talked about the swimsuit issue. There were many nude beaches in the area for thousands of miles. No one gave it much thought. Peter and I went to a beach wearing no suits at all. So did King Olek. We left it to them. Mikell and Cosmo were first to come up. In swimsuits. Those bikini ones by Speedo or someone like that? I will admit to liking that. They worked hard on fitness and beautiful. They did come up to use the workout room I found out. They were healthy men. The honed muscles showed. And why is it that body hair is so varied? I heard professors talk about evolution and knew the basics. The hairy part has so many “theories.” Theories, not conclusive answers. All these guys were from a similar portion of Europe so not that genetically diverse. Even me. Peter was hairier than I was. On his chest. Humans started shedding fur as we started walking upright. Our great ancestors were not pretty. At all. Whatever. Cosmo was hairy! I mean his chest and back and shoulders…he was hairy! I’m sorry, but my opinion, no one else’s. Cosmo was in shape, but all that hair was a turn off. For me. I loved Peter’s and even Olek’s. No manscaping allowed. Peter was to shave and trim nothing but the hair on his face and get his hair cut.

Mikell had a nice covering of hair on his broad chest. It wasn’t bushy or anything. He was a handsome man.

Then we heard this…almost battle cry as Mercea charged past them, tossed a towel on a lounge and leapt, pulling knees up and did a cannonball off the Duchess’ side. Not in the deck’s pool, but the water surrounding everything. The deck we were on was the main deck. There were two more below that. It was a good drop in distance.

We walked to the side to see Mercea had surfaced, shook his head quickly to remove excess water. He let out a loud “Whoa! This water is cold!”

Mikell nodded with an almost evil grin. “The pool water isn’t. Now what’ll you do? I don’t know a way back up from there. There’s no ladder.”

I looked at Mikell and said quietly with a grin. “You are such a liar!” I chuckled. “There has to be a way.”

Mikell smiled and shook his head. “Ah, but I didn’t lie. Knowing there has to be is different than my saying I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I don’t! That wasn’t a lie.”

Peter chuckled. Let’s go fish him out.”

The very bottom of the Duchess was where the engines and power generator was. I don't what all was down here. The Duchess was streamlined for minimum usage of space. There were computer monitors all about down here. They were part of the system and were checked regularly to see a potential problem. It was also used for cargo. There was still enough for two cars parked side by side.

The rear of ship or the stern was where we would get in a smaller boat and go to shore. Or, as with Mercea, we decided to take a dip in the Aegean Sea. We helped Mercea up and I saw clearly, the man/boy quality. His body looked great, but he had a child’s innocence still in his face making him very attractive. He’d would be breaking hearts. He was only six or seven years younger than Peter and me. Those different ages mattered when we were younger. A remarkable difference between a baby and a seven-year-old. That difference shrank with the passing years. Okay, I admit it. I hoped Mikell and he were a couple. They did it well at Big’s.

“Next time.” Mikell said doing the one arm manhug. “Ask first.”

“Look before you leap.” I said.

Mikell looked puzzled. “Didn’t I just say that?”

I huffed and rolled my eyes. “It’s used in many stories as a moral. It’s an idiom popular in the West.” I shoved Mikell away lightly. “I won’t give up on you guys, but you could make it easier.”

The cookout began sort of stiff. They came and just sat. Henri came out with a couple of large bowls of snack foods. No tortilla chips or potato chips. One had these round whitish shapes; the other had a pile of “chips’ that had green edges. “I’m coming, I swear. These are salt and pepper zucchini chips.” He pointed to the green edged chips. He pointed to the little balls. “These are blue cheese balls. What’s in it is wasabi, so a bit spicy…”

Gretchen came over with another bowl of what looked like thick crackers. “Here you go.”

“These are Za’atar Chickpea…Cracker?” He questioned that word choice even to himself. “For the cheese balls. You know Za’atar?” Our lack of response told him the answer. “A combination of things like toasted sesame seed, dried sumac and cayenne peppers. Or at least my version of it.”

I shook my head at Henri. “You just couldn’t open a bag of chips?”

Henri frowned, putting his fist on his hip pointing at me. “Have you ever opened a bag of chips on the water or beach!?” He demanded.

He was funny! I nodded. “I have.”

“What happens in less than an hour?” Henri nodded as he asked.

“They went flat like they were spoiled.” I grinned. “Because of the humidity.”

“There you go.” Henri said in triumph. He waved at the bowls. “These won’t.”

I looked at Gretchen. She a nice looking woman in her early thirties with blond hair. “And you!” I said to her. “Last night was when I first saw you. Then Mikell tells me you were onboard since we left Venice! How’d you do that?”

Gretchen laughed and shrugged. “I just do.”

“I probably would never know if it wasn’t for yesterday and this cookout.” I said.

Mikell was right about my saying that making her day. She beamed after that.

Everyone was true to their word and came. The volume increased, someone got the entertainment center playing some nice music over the speakers on the deck. There were only two female crewmen on the Duchess. Too bad many of the men were married, gay or both. Then again who knew about them?

Henri did bring his supplies out and started the grill.

Yes, I was getting fixated. Alec was here, but off to himself. When he was included with a joke, he’d laugh and make comments back, but didn’t engage much. He wore shorts and a t-shirt. He looked younger. He looked more youthful. He was that reserved? It was more than just being shy.

Mikell had been watching me. He startled me from my thoughts. He chuckled. “You do give a damn about everyone.”

“Of course, I do!” I smiled pointing at him. “A year ago I proposed to all of you and you all said yes. A week ago I married all of you!”

Mikell chuckled again. “Yes, you did.” He looked at Alec and looked serious. “He’s a special man. I won’t give away any confidence, but I will tell you he’s overcome a lot.”

“I could tell that downstairs.” I said softly. “If you’ll excuse me.” I said to both Peter and Mikell.

I sat by Alec on a lounge. “Hi, Alec.” I always joked and kidded with…everyone. I didn’t think he would appreciate that. “Good to see you out in the sunshine.”

Alec lifted his sunglasses and smiled at me. “Is this the talk?”

I sighed. “This is me getting to know you. I hope the talk never ends.”

“What do you want to know?”

“You were born in Makarovia?” I asked. “What part?”

“I was born in the small community of Busk.” He looked at me. “You know where that is?”

I nodded with a chuckle. “Yes, I know. I studied the map after meeting Peter. It’s northeast of Skoal.”

Alec nodded. “That’s right. A population made up of miners.”

“I read that.” I said. “Was that what your father did?”

Alec nodded. “Until I was eight.” He became uncomfortable. “Mom and I moved to Stryia then. We lived with my Aunt Sofia.” He looked at me. “You don’t want to know why we moved?”

I smiled. “I want you to tell what you want to.” I knew there was a lot he left out. “I want you to be comfortable with me. I need to be comfortable with you. How we do that is to talk together.” I waved at him and back to me. “I’m trusting you with my life. I need to make sure you are happy and healthy. I care about all of you. It just makes sense to talk.” Don’t be mistaken, I was not a psychologist. I was not a therapist. I was trying to be a friend that used what I was taught by Grandma and what I learned in class or books. Alec was going to be tough. I decided to share with him first. “What do you know about my past?”

Alec looked surprised. “Not that much. Not much from TV. I know you have a grandmother who was pretty famous.”

I told him about the Bolshoi Ballet and her defection from the USSR. Her love of dance and that she was my only surviving family member. I told him about the family I’d lost. He was now listening as I told of grandpa, mother and father.

“You weren’t happy they died?”

I schooled my expression at that surprising question. “You were.”

Alec shook his head. “I wasn’t sad.” He sighed. “In winter there could be days or even weeks before my father would come home. The mines had a transport to pick up and drop off miners. If they picked him up I was happy and terrified when I’d hear them drop him off.” He grimaced. “It depended on the snow. If he was home and it snowed, that was scary. He couldn’t go to work and be home all day. We had one that lasted two weeks when he was at work and that was a happy two weeks.”

I wasn’t going to ask him questions. He needed to tell me what he thought he could.

“One day the big siren went off.” He looked at me. “The one that goes off if there’s a cave in?” He was shaking a little. “Mom wanted to go to the mine! I said no. That I hoped he was dead.” He wiped at an eye. “And he was.” He looked at me. “That’s a horrible thing to say, isn’t it?”

I leaned forward. “That depends on what led to that. I make no judgement.”