Deadliest Catch: My Shot On The Northwestern #Wattys2017

Pipe Down Greenhorn

Sig walks into the gally and wakes up the crew, Mandy and I are the first ones to the kitchen. She begins to pull stuff out for cereal and I put on a pot of coffee. Sig comes up to me with a smile "you ready?" "Yes sir" I replied back, overjoyed. "Alright, we need you to head out first to grind up some bait, you do know what to do right?" "Yes, Jake Harris has taken me out to sea on a smaller vessel and taught me every job for a greenhorn and a full share deckhand." "Exellent" Sigs smile widens and he turns away grabbing a cup of coffee. I eat quickly and dress in my gear, I step out onto the deck and my smile warms as the cold air brushes against my face. I hurry over to the bait and begin to grind it up the cod, once I finish grinding up the bait I quickly stuff the bair jars full and set them aside, they are ready to be put in the pots as soon as neccasary. I step out to the center of the deck and look up at the helm, Sig is watching, I give I'm a thumbs up, letting him know everything is prepared. Sig smiles wide and turns to Edgar at his side. "Where's the greenhorn?" I hear a male voice call out. "She's grinding up bait".I look up as the rest of the crew step out onto the deck, including Edgar. "What are you having trouble?" Edgar snickers after he spoke "no, the bait is ready to be placed in the pots". Edgar looked at me in surprise, I grin triumphantly. Mandy flashes me a small smile, and I return with a grin. "Alright let's drop the first string of pots here" Sig spoke over the intercom. I look out at the sea, watching the waves crash against the side of the boat. Edgar uses the crane to put a pot on the launcher, the crew opens the hatch on the pot and I hurry over with bait, I climb in the pot and clip the bait in place. I quickly climb out and they latch the pot shut. "Would you like to throw the bouys?" "Sure". I lift the lancher and the pot drops into the water, they throw the shot over and I toss the bouys over effortlessly. "Not bad greenhorn" "thank you". Edgar scowles at me and Nick "c'mon back to work!". I shake my head slightly and load the next pot with bait. I repeat this process all day and night until every pot is off the boat. We all walk into the boat and strip off out gear, then we make out way to the gally where we all plop down in the booth. A grinning Captain Sig comes down from the helm, "nice work out there today-" Sig fixes his gaze on me a smile creeping on his lips " you did good greenhorn". I nod and smile "thank you Sig, and thank you for this job, I won't let you do-" "oh pipe down greenhorn!' Edgar snaps at me, I blink at him in surprise. "Why are you so negative towards her?" Mandy asked. "Shut up rookie" "Edgar!" Sig looking at Edgar sharp, his anger rolling off him like fog. "We don't need some lost little girl on our boat! She wont make it out here! She'll give up and more than likely ask to take her back because she's scared!" I feel as if I've been slapped in the face. Perhaps Sig senses this because he asks Mandy and I to join him in the helm. Walk climb up to the helm leaving Edgar in the gally to cool off, Sig sighs as he shuts the door. "I'm sorry, Edgar isn't fond of having an additional female to the crew" "it is alright, I'm used to being called weak, I hear it quite often" Sig frowns "you aren't weak, your work today proved that". I nod in agreement and part my lips to ask a question but the words don't find their way out as Edgar ,now calm, approaches me. "I'm sorry" "it's alright Edgar" he flashes a small smile. "Sig me and the boys are gonna catch some shut eye." Sig nods. He looks tired, his hair is messed his eyes are dark and wild. "Dad maybe you should get some sleep" "I can't, who will drive the bo-" he stops and smiles at me. "Can you?" I nod, once again, driving the boat is another think Jake taught me. "I'll stay up with you Nicole, now go to sleep dad!" "Alright alright, sheesh" Sig walks to the gally and climbs into his bunk. I climb into the captains chair and sigh. "Mandy do you think your dad would mind if I talked to Jake?" "No not at all..... but I have a question.... are you and Jake a thing?" "No!" I blurt out embarassed. Mandy laughs as a dark blush creeps along my cheeks. "You like Jake!" "Shut up!" I laughed quietly. "Isn't he a little old for you" "Mandy he is only five years older than me" "oooohhh well I'll let you call your boy-toy" she giggled and walked to the other side of the helm, slipping on sound surpressing earmuffs. I turn the channel to the Corneilia Maries. "Jake?" "Nicole? What are you doing on the Northwesterns channel? Have they not left dock yet?" No, they left dock. But Sig hired me" "oh my god? Really? As a deckhand?" "No as a greenhorn" "oh, but hey, dream come true right". "Yeah, I'm overjoyed" I smiled. There was silence for a moment, then Jake finally replied. "Hey,uh, Nicole?" "Yeah?" "I was wondering, if maybe after this season ends you might want to go out on.... a date?" I hear him suck in his breath quickly, as he waiting for my reaction. "Oh course I would" "really! Yes!" I giggled at him " I can't wait" I replied with a smile. "Alright well I have to go, time to pull in some pots, jarrod is taking over" "alright I'll talk to you later Jake" "bye Nicole!". I smile and turn the c.b back to its original channel. Mandy takes off the earmuff and makes her way back over to me "well?" . "Jake asked me out on a date" "what! Oh my god!"