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She felt she was responsible for so much of the failure of their marriage, but realistically she knew that he had to accept some blame as well.
The thing was, he never did. He blamed Jenni, and she took all the blame.
Then, humiliated and scarred, she escaped back to Raleigh. She never tried to fight to get him back, but now, upon reflection, maybe it was a good thing she hadn’t.
“Penny for your thoughts,” said Mike as he moved to sit down next to her. “Or would you rather be alone?”
“No, it’s fine, Mike. Thanks. I guess being out here really sets your mind free,” Jenni said as she accepted a bottle of water Mike offered.
“That’s true,” he agreed. “At least for me. So, you’re a St. Adrian’s grad too. Tell me about yourself.”
Jenni began with the basics. Mike was a good listener, and soon she surprisingly found herself sharing about Compy, the fishing tournament, and even a bit about the gala.
She tried to be very circumspect when mentioning Caleb, but Mike was very astute.
“SeaAnna always chastises me for trying to be an amateur psychologist,” Mike began when Jenni concluded her sharing. “But I see several things going on. Maybe you’ve already thought about them or maybe not. Would you like for me to go on?”
Jenni nodded and took a drink of water. They were out in the ocean now, moving quickly, but even the wind couldn’t provide enough cooling. It was going to be hot.
“I know your ex-husband hurt you deeply, but it seems you’ve allowed him to become the model for all men. SeaAnna would be the first one to tell you my faults.” He smiled. “But we’re not all like your ex. So, you have to give people a chance.”
Mike paused for a moment before continuing. “There’s a funny saying, probably a meme on Facebook or something, that says there’s a reason the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror. At some point, you have to let go of the past and not let it define your future. Susan, Jo’s grandmother, went through a big hurt with Chris, and they almost lost what they have today. I don’t know what turned her around, but I do know it took a lot of self-work and soul-searching on her part. Thankfully, for our family, I can say it has had a very happy ending.”
He shifted on the seat and caught a signal from Dare. “There are a few more things I need to do before we get ready to fish. Hope I didn’t stick my nose in where it doesn’t belong.”
“You didn’t at all,” said Jenni, adjusting her hat in the wind. “Lots to think about for sure.”
“Right now, let’s think about fish,” he said as he stood up. “That will clear your head.”
Jenni could see that while the cavalcade of boats had spread out somewhat since they’d hit the open ocean, they were still relatively close.
Suddenly, she noticed a change in the color of the water and she swore that somehow, they’d made it to the Caribbean. Caitlin and Andrew, who had ended their morning nap, were equally in awe.
“Gulf Stream,” shouted Dare. “And I’m hearing some chatter about tuna.”
“Do all the boats talk to one another?” asked Caitlin.
“Absolutely,” laughed Mike. “You should hear some of the nonsense they discuss. But they also are all friends and competitors, so when a boat starts catching fish, everyone knows it, and it’s immediately a game of one-upmanship.”
He motioned to Jenni. “Do you want to sit in the chair?”
Jenni shook her head no and looked at Andrew. “This is really meaningful for you. Have at it.”
He jumped at the chance, and Mike handed him a rod, and the line and bait disappeared into the boat’s wake. Jenni watched as Dare maneuvered the SeaAnna II to where a school of tuna was apparently headed.
Suddenly, Mike, Dare, and Jo all shouted and Andrew lurched forward in the chair. His rod tip was bent down, and he began the try to reel his catch in.
“Keep the tip up,” Jo yelled down.
Perspiration was forming on Andrew’s forehead, and the muscles in his arms strained. “I had no idea…” he panted.
“Just keep reeling,” replied Mike. Dare had come down from the tower to lend a hand, and Jenni was amazed to see Jo guiding the boat as Dare called up instructions. “I don’t want you to lose this fish!”
Dare stood over the edge of the boat and pointed for Jenni to look. “There it is. Do you see it now? A nice tuna. Andrew, keep reeling.”
Jenni thought Andrew would give up, but he persevered. In a matter of moments, there was a flash of color as Dare leaned over with the gaff and brought the fish onto the deck. The rest of them applauded and Andrew was ecstatic.
“Mike, I think you can take it from here,” Dare said as he scrambled up the tower. He was immediately on the radio, and Jenni knew Andrew’s catch was the talk of the moment.
