She hummed inagreement. “Well, he’s not wrong. Look what’s happened on thisjourney. I can’t imagine throwing a baby into the mix.”
I shuddered atthe thought. If I’d had the child in my arms when I went overboard…I shook the image from my mind and forced a smile. “I wouldunderstand if you didn’t want to stay, though. If you wanted tocatch a ride back to Newfoundland.”
Lottieappeared offended. I had to stop underestimating her loyalfriendship. “The Queen is my home now. I go where she goes.” Herhand stretched across thespace between us and slide over mine. “And I have afeeling you will need my help.”
“I won’targue against you there,” I told her. Finding Maria and Eric wasbound to be a hard task. It wouldn’t hurt to have aknife-wielding badass by my side.
Lottie made ussome warm tea and we sat together for a while. Talking. Sharing.Enjoying one another’s company. I told her all about The BlackSoul. About the insane captain, their curse, and how Pleeman hadsaved my life. I also told her a bit about Benjamin, leaving outthe part about him wanting to keep me. We’d gotten past that, afterall.
I’d neverreally had a close girlfriend in my life. During my teenage years,when close friendships usually formed, I’d been too busy dealingwith my dad and counting down the days until I could leave. Thelast thing I wanted back then was something to tie me to RockyHarbour. Sweet Aunt Mary was hard enough to leavebehind.
But now, itfelt like something I needed in my life. Lottie’s loyalty to me asboth her captain and her friend was endearing, and I cherished it.I imagined my kids running through the grass, playing and gigglinghappily. They would long for the days when Aunt Lottie and UncleGus came to visit. All I ever wanted since I was a little girl wassomeone to love. A person to share my adventure with. I alwaysthought it would be a handsome man, but never expected that dreamwould expand to include a friend. A sister, of sorts.
“Do youthink you’ll ever settle?” I asked her as I sipped my tea. “Maybehave some kids?”
Her facedpaled. “No, I’m not exactly the mothering kind,” she repliedhonestly. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ll adore your children. Happily. Icannot wait to hold them and spoil them silly.”
We both laughedat the idea.
“But, myheart belongs to the sea,” she added. “It’s where I was born. It’swhere I shall die. I live for the adventure.”
“I thinkGus would be happy with that life,” I suggested.
Her soft, palecheeks flushed yet again at the mention of the man. “Yes, well, weshall see. It’s a bit early to be making assumptions such asthat.”
I thoughtabout how quickly Henry and I had fallen in love. “Nah, I don’tthink so. I believe that when it’s right… it’s right. Nothing else matters.”
Her eyes rolledand regarded me from the side. “Not everyone can be lucky enough tohave a love such as yours and Henry’s, Dianna. What you two have issomething otherworldly.”
Hearing someoneelse confirm my own feelings made the idea all the more real.Something did pull us together. Through time. Through everything.Our souls were connected, and nothing could break that tether. Iremembered something then, something that the siren had told mewhen I wished to go back to Henry. Only one thing could break thelaws of time and I smiled inwardly because it truly was the onlyword that could describe what Henry and I shared.
Fate.
***
The moonilluminated all the curves and cracks of my ship as I climbed theladder to the upper deck. I stopped for a moment and leaned againstthe railing, admiring the dark emerald waters below and how themoonlight radiated like liquid silver on its surface. The sea wasstunning when it was like that. Calm, soothing. Like a sleepingbaby.
I took in adeep breath of fresh night air before I made my way over to myquarters and entered to find Henry sitting by the window reading.He glanced up from the book and his widened grin melted my heart. Ishut the door behind me and sprinted to his open arms, nestlingmyself on his lap.
“Everything alright with Lottie?” he asked as his thumbrubbed at the back ofmy neck.
“Yeah,she’ll be fine,” I told him with a wink. “Girl stuff.”
I moanedhappily as Henry’s face pressed against my throat and his lipsdragged across my skin. I attempted to shift in his lap, to facehim better, but my curved stomach made it difficult. I glanced downand feigned a frown.
“I’mreally starting to show now,” I pointed out. “It’s like the babyhad a growth spurt or something. You may get your wish afterall.”
“Whatwish may that be?”
“Me in adress,” I replied cheekily, “You know, like normal women? My pants will only fit for so muchlonger.”
Henry’s stronghands slid under my bottom and gripped it tightly as he stood withme securely in his arms. He elicited a deep, slow, and raspy moanand dipped his face to my bosom.
“Or youcould just remain naked,” he suggested jokingly as he laid me onthe bed. He crawled in next to me and hovered overtop. “That wouldsurely solve the issue.”
I laughed andtook his warm mouth, tracing my lips around his. “I love seeing youlike this.”
“Likewhat?” he asked, pressing his forehead against mine.
“Happy.”
“I’malways happy with you,” he replied.
“I know,but… before. You were–” I didn’t want to spoil the moment but itneeded to be said. “I thought I was losing you.”
Henrytook my hand and placed a kiss in its palm before holding it to hischeek. “You’ll never lose me. I can say that with certainty now. Ihad told you I would open up. That I’d talk about what happened.But, in hindsight, I wasn’t ready to make that promise to you. Forthat, I’m truly sorry.” He shifted then, moving fromatop of me to laying at myside. “But… I believe I’m ready now.”
“Really?”I asked and propped myself up on one arm.
“Watchingyou be taken away from me that night during the storm,” he pausedto sigh, the memory clearly still a fresh wound, “It changed me. Itshifted my perspective of what
