Rewriting Seven Years

17. Reunion

Rapid thumps bashed against Robin's chest. Darkness kept her vision and her head felt light. In a dream encapsulated she slept. She felt unbalanced and her ears felt flooded. Her brain swayed on the boat she slept on but the pace felt odd.

"Robin?" Garth's voice asked. Robin imagined his burly body watching over hers as she lied peacefully. He kneeled down slowly, one knee after another. He kneeled beside her like a prince observing a princess' sleeping curse. He bowed down moving his face closer to hers. He pushed her chin up with the pad of his fingers and kissed Robin sideways.

A force flowed through her chest and Robin's heart jogged for a second, then faded.

Hurt. Hurt the heart felt. Death clouded Robin's mind. Is my time already over? She was contempt with leaving Garth's world, she done all she could, but something inside her wanted more.

Her lips felt abused and her throat felt restrained. She couldn't breathe. Hands pushed down on her chest. A lump rode up her throat. Pain like fire burned in her neck. The lump stopped under her chin, then moved back down. Fingers wrapped around her chin again and warmth pressed her lips. The lump rocketed out of her mouth, gushing at the lips.

The chilled air surrounded her skin and she could feel the cold, wet floor boards on her back. Hands moved under her back and flipped her onto her side. Mucous continued to vomit out of her mouth onto the floor. Robin cracked open her eyes. Garth's silhouette in the pouring rain sat by her side.

"Robin?" Garth asked against the barraging rain.

She let out a weak moan. The last thing that she remembered was meditating on the upper deck. It was late at night, and she was dealing with troubling thoughts. Garth had moved back into the main quarters and he had avoided her throughout the day.

"Thank god," Garth sighed with relief.

"What happened?"

"This storm is what happened," Garth explained, "it came out of nowhere and threw the boat around. I came out here looking for you and lucky spotted you in the water." Garth was drenched, particularly understandable in this circumstance but he wasn't drenched by the rain.

The words coming from Garth's mouth made no sense to Robin. How could she have floated in the water? Why didn't she wake up to the storm? Why did you save me?

Garth reached out for Robin's arm. He lifted her up and placed her over his shoulders. He carried her back to the Captain's quarters. Robin held onto Garth as tight as she could, but she was weak. She didn't want to let go. Rain pelted against her, stressing her face.

Robin wailed. Crying and panting as she hugged onto Garth's back. Garth took a quick glance at her but looked away fast. He loved her. No one would risk their lives to save someone who they despise. She didn't control him to, it was all his volition. She felt his warm aroma around him and knew then that he loved her.

Garth laid Robin gently on Lily's bed.

"You found her!" Lily rejoiced, standing behind the desk. "Is she alright?"

"She almost drowned," he explained. Robin continued to bawl and covered her face with her hands. "Get those wet clothes off her, light some candles, and keep her warm. I have a ship to steer."

As Garth exited the quarters Robin stumbled off the bed and reached for a scrap of paper and an ink pen, pushing Lily's aid away.

Garth pulled on a rope to a sail, letting another sailor tie the loose rope. The harsh winds pushed on the large sails—the rope tried pulling Garth off the boat but Garth stood strong. The winds howled and the floorboards shook. Garth felt the tension from the sails and the rope leading behind him. He gently released the rope, testing its stability. The tether was securely tied.