The cold Atlantic tugs at Thomas’s body. He can no longer feel his hands, and his boot drags at his foot as he splashes towards the boat. His mind, fuzzy at the edges from the many beers, focuses on the boat. There is nothing but the boat. You must get to the boat.
After an eternity, his hand brushes the wooden hull. ‘We’re here, Emmy.’
‘Don’t go, Da’.’
‘I’m not goin’ anywhere. Now, you has to be brave, son. Grab hold of the net. You knows how you liked to climb the riggin’ when that American fella’s schooner came into Rod Fizzard’s last summer? It’s just like that. Pretends the net’s the riggin’ on that schooner.’
Emmett grabs hold of the net. ‘I gots it, Da’.’
‘Good fella. Now, I’ll lifts off this life preserver so you can scamper up the riggin’, just like last summer.’
Emmett slowly climbs up the net. When he reaches the top he turns around, his face lit by a bright smile. ‘I did it, Da’!’
Thomas smiles up at his son. ‘Good boy, Emmy. Be careful now. Just gets in the boat and I’ll be right up after you.’
A thud as Emmett slips and falls into the boat.
‘Emmy?’ Thomas thrusts the life preserver away and swims to the net. ‘Emmy!’
The net swirls around Thomas as he grapples for a hold. Twisting around his leg, it tangles through his boot and around his body, dragging him down into the sea.
The large grey body with its white belly slides by, the barnacles that ghostly green. The black eye watches him as the creature glides past. The whale rises in a graceful arc to the surface, where all that exists is light and the memory of Ellie’s smile.
***
Emmett reaches for the side of the boat and pulls himself to his feet, his head throbbing. He peers out into the inky blackness.
‘Da’! Where you at, Da’?’ He scans the surface of the water. Fear stabs at his belly.
‘Da’! Da’!’
His voice breaks into a sob as he slides to the floor of the boat. ‘I’m sorry, Da’. I’m sorry. I didn’t wear my jacket inside out. The fairies gots you, Da’. I’m sorry.’
Chapter 71
Tippy’s Tickle – 16 September 2011
Ace levers himself onto one of the long counters in Florie’s store, and jabs an Ugly Stick against the wooden countertop, setting the bottle tops jingling as he pounds at the tin can head with a drumstick.
‘Here ye, here ye, we is gathered here tonight to celebrate two …’ he holds up two fingers ‘… what’s that, Thor? Three, not two …’ he holds up three chunky fingers ‘… three important events in the life of this hidden paradise of Tippy’s Tickle.’
‘Get on with it, b’y! The cod’s thawin’!’
Ace winks at Thor who is holding a glistening frozen codfish above his head. ‘Right you are, b’y.’ Ace bangs the tin can head. ‘Firstly, we gots to pay homage to the Queen of Tippy’s Tickle, who’s all of eighty-nine years on this earth today. Now, I’s been told she landed on this here rock back in nineteen forty-six, which actually makes her …’ he screws up his face as he counts on his fingers ‘… a young maid of sixty-five ’cause your life starts when you comes to The Rock. Florie, take some candles off the cake, girl!’
Florie gives Ace a thumbs up. ‘Right you are, b’y!’
‘I thought you didn’t approve of all this tourist stuff, Florie,’ Ellie says.
‘Well, if you can’t beat them, you joins them, right? And we could all use a knees up.’
‘The cod’s startin’ to whiff, son!’
‘Holy God, he’s not jokin’!’
Ace thumps the Ugly Stick. ‘Hold your horses, I’m just about there, b’ys.’ He motions to Thor who is wiping a hand on his Rush T-shirt. ‘Bring up the fish, b’y. We’re gonna need her in a minute.’ Ace surveys the room. ‘Now, I hears we gots some Come From Aways here today.’
‘Gotta change that, son! Can’t have CFAs here!’
‘Screech ‘em in, b’y!’
Holding the dripping cod above his head, Thor weaves his way through the throng towards the counter. Ace bangs the Ugly Stick until the crowd quietens. ‘Now, we’s got to fix this situation ‘cause we all knows what happens to CFAs if they’d don’t gets Screeched in, don’t we?’
Emmett cups his hands around his mouth. ‘They stays CFAs!’
‘Right you are, Emmett Parsons! We can’t have that happen. So, will the followin’ CFAs approach the Ugly Stick – Miss Becca Byrne, Miss Sophie Parry and Miss Ellie Parsons!’
‘That’s three Screech-ins and the birthday, Ace! That’s four events, not three!’
Ace’s thick grey eyebrows draw together. ‘You gots more tongue than a logan, Toby Molloy!’
Sophie glances at Sam in panic. ‘What do they want me to do?’
He prods her forward. ‘There’s no getting out of this one, Princess Grace. Just do what he says.’
Becca walks over to Sophie. Smiling shyly, she grabs Sophie’s hand and pulls her to the front as Florie pushes Ellie forward.
‘Right you are, ladies! Give us the Screech bottle, Toby, and three glasses. What am I sayin’? Glasses all round!’
The room erupts in a cheer.
Ace splashes the dark rum into three shot glasses for the women and one for himself and hands the bottle to Toby. ‘Pass it around, b’y. We’re all gonna Screech them in. But first we needs some ceremony.’ He clears his throat and stamps the Ugly Stick.
‘Here’s to your health, and here’s to your gullet,
Drinks up the Screech, b’y; hangs on to your wallet.
Then when you’re done, don’t goes, m’ duck,
The cod’s here to kiss, and we all gives a—’ he waggles his bushy eyebrows ‘—buck.’
He waves at Emmett. ‘Emmett, b’y! Pass the hat. Pops your loonies and your
