The Divit Brothers.....On Their Way Home

Chapter Seventeen

      Efe had sailed through the night. Kadir had went below to his cabin for a good nights rest and Carolina had taken Kadir's spot on the deck. 

      They had made good time with Efe pushing it hard to reach home by the end of day. That beautiful glow of orange was just spreading up from the horizon, a time when it was both day and night. The sun not visible yet, and the stars were fading, saying that final goodbye until later. That distant array of color was just the preview of what was to come. 

      He loved this time of day, when things were new and the possibilities of what the day would bring was a mystery.

      He could barely see the outline of land in the distant, but he knew they were close to Almeria. He recognized the peninsula that jetted out into the sea from the coastline. His heart was full of love for the country and the excitement of getting home had taken over his body. It felt like that they had been gone for years, when it fact it had only been a little over two months.

      He made himself a promise, " We will be home, our boat docked on the beautiful beach of home, before this day is over." 

     He smiled knowing he could do it. He glanced over at Carolina, the woman that had changed his life, as she laid sprawled out on the deck bench. He couldn't wait for his mom to meet her, he knew they would love each other. 

      Kadir poked his head up from below, " Aye aye captain, how does coffee sound." He asked, giving him a salute. Efe waved, " Sounds great, make it strong." He answered. Kadir disappeared below again to make the coffee.. Efe couldn't remember the last time he had felt of good, so exhilarated,  so excited to be going home.

      Along with the coffee, Kadir had brought some fruit and cereal. " Here have some food, you've got to be starving. Then let me take over for a while and you can get some rest." He said, feeling better than he had the day before. Efe wrinkled up his face, " I don't know, do you think your up to it?" He asked. He could sure use a rest, but I didn't want to do anything to jeopardize his brothers health.

      " Of course I am. I feel even better than yesterday. And I promise I would get us off course." He joked. He looked around to get his bearing, " Hey is that Almeria over there. Wow Abi you made good time. At this rate we will be pulling up to our dock before nightfall." Kadir boasted, giving his brother a high five.

      Efe smiled broadly, proud that they had accomplished what they sat out to do. They had sailed for weeks, had some close calls with the weather, had some equipment problems and even an accident, but they made it back home in one piece. He had never felt so worthy of being a Divit than at that moment.

      As the morning hours ticked by, the scenery became more and more appealing as they got closer to home. Each one of them excitedly pointing out all the features of the beautiful coastline of their homeland. The resorts that line the beaches, then the vast areas of the forests that separated them all. It was a sight to behold, especially from a boats point of view.

      Carolina was taking it all in as they cut through the water at record speed. She could tell how excited the guys were to be nearing their home, and that, in turn made her excited as well. But she was also terrified as the thought of meeting his parents. She had heard so much about them,  how perfect and beautiful they were, that she was sure she would never measure up in their eyes. 

      What would they think of her, a woman that would meet a man in another country, spend the most wonderful few weeks of her life with him, and then jump on a boat with him and sail away. She couldn't believe it herself, she had actually threw caution to the wind and followed her heart.  Not at all how she handled Grant back home. But now that she thought of it, she never followed her heart when it came to Grant, she just loved the thought of him, his attention. 

      But that was over, she had learned her lesson on older men,...they were all shallow and petty, and married!! 

      Carolina knew that one day she would have to tell Efe about Grant Baxter, but not this day. This day was a happy day, a day they wanted to remember together as a day of a new beginning. She would keep that little secret to herself for a while longer. But she knew she would have to tell him before he met her dad.  

      The winds had picked up, the sails were bellowing out full of wind, as they sped across the water toward their dock. Efe checked his watch, it was 7:18, and they were at least 40 minutes from home. His heart was beating faster as he saw all the landmarks of his home. He wondered if they should call ahead and let his dad know they were about to dock. But he decided against it, " let's just let it be a surprise"  he thought. 

      That morning they had left their dock seemed like a lifetime ago. The lights of Malaga were visible and bright as they veered around the huge port of Malaga. The sky was changing from that brilliant clear blue, to a soft muted color of amber. 

      Kadir had joined his brother at the wheel, just a he did the morning they left. The both soaked in that  view of Malaga as if they had never seen it before. Carolina was quite in awe of it all. The tall towering hotels that loomed out over the long white beaches. She had no idea that Malaga Spain was such a enterprising city, so large and full of life. She couldn't wait to get acquainted with it all.

      The sailed past the port and on to the southwest a bit. Their home was outside of town about 5 miles, on toward Churricana, but it wasn't far now. 

      Kadir jumped up pointing toward the lights in the distance, " Abi, look there it is,...our dock." He yelled. The long dock protruded out from the beach a good ways, and it was lined with white lights all around the outside. It was very easy to spot from a distance, but there was one other light visible, a huge amber spotlight that their dad had installed to help guide them in to the dock. Their dad would have their mom turn it on for them when they were coming in from one of their sailing trips. He told them it was the welcome light....

      " The welcome light is on, do you see it Efe." Kadir said, his throat tightening from emotion. The tears had filled his eyes as they got closer and the view of the home became clear. 

      They were home, they had done it......Efe's chest ached with pride as he maneuvered the large boat toward the dock.

      Then they saw him, their dad, sitting there on the end of the dock. Waiting......waiting for his sons to come home...