Chapter 5
Day Two
Summer wakes to the sun streaming through the small porthole in her cabin. A sea of sunshine greets her and hope for the future fills her with excitement. “I'm starving.” She dresses quickly in a green day dress and pulls the sides of her blonde hair up adding a few curls to frame her face.
When she exits her room, she finds a quiet cabin and a note from her mother.
‘Meet us in the dining hall. We will save you a seat, Mother.’
Summer smiles while hurrying out being sure to lock the cabin door and tuck the key into her small handbag. As she makes her way through the hallway, she adjusts to the sway of the ship. The August heat greets her on the deck along with the strong smell of the ocean. Her eyes water as she moves along towards the dining hall.
Stepping into the room, she waits for her eyes to adjust to the darker interior. “Summer!” Hayden squeals and runs forward to guide her to their table.
“Good morning, love. How did you sleep?” She asks as Hayden drags her to the table.
“I had the best dreams, Summer. Just wait till you hear about it. I found a castle under the sea full of…”
Hayden’s voice fades into the background when Summer sees her father having tea at a separate table with Jung. Her smile fades when she looks at her Mother and demands, “What is he doing here?”
“Good morning. He's having tea while discussing your father's research and new protocols.” Summer starts to storm away to tell Dr. Jung what she thinks, but her Mother swiftly grabs her arm.
“Summer Denning, you will trust your father and let him work. He has never led our family astray.” Natalie says in a stern voice. Tears sting her eyes as she looks at her Mother.
“Mother, I don’t trust him. I only want to help protect his work.” Her eyes plead for understanding, but her Mother won’t hear of it.
“I know you do, but in this instance, you will only cause more harm. Trust him.” Releasing her daughter's arm Summer glances over and catches Dr. Rudolph watching her.
“Now come eat.” Her mother says returning to her seat.
“I’ve lost my appetite, but I will have some tea.” Hayley runs to the serving table and grabs a biscuit for her sister and returns.
“You don't like him do you, Summer, even though he hugged you last night?” Hayden questions.
“Excuse me?” Natalie’s cup of tea pauses in midair.
“Not like that mother, I tripped, and he steadied me.”
“Tell her the rest, then you looked angry and told him what for,” Hayley reminds her.
Her mother smiles when Summer laughs and replies, “Yes I did, and he will think twice before he touches me again.” The smile fades from her mother's face when her daughter rubs her upper arms as though still feeling the grip of danger.
“Did anything…”
“Don’t fret, Mother I am fine, let’s eat. Tell me about your dreams girls.”
Breakfast passes quickly, and Summer watches close as her father shows a journal to Dr. Rudolph. The leather-bound book is wrapped in a cord, and she realizes it is not the new protocol. Relief washes through her, and she feels guilty.
The girls take a stroll on the upper deck and find the children from the night before at dinner to play with. “When we arrive in Boston, we are being met by a family who will help get us settled. The school has thought of everything, they even secured a rental house for us to stay in until we decide where to live,” her mother explains. “Our trunks should be waiting for us when we arrive.”
“Is the house near the university?” Summer asks.
“It is close enough to walk. What will you do with your time? Are you planning on working with your father?” Natalie asks her daughter.
“Not exactly.” A smile curves her lips as she moves with her mother to a shaded area to sit in two deck chairs near the playing children.
“That’s vague, Summer.”
“I have a secret too, Mother. If it pans out, I will tell you more. Don’t worry it's nothing bad.”
“Sounds exciting. You know you can tell me anything.” Natalie squeezes her daughter's hand gently.
“I know.”
A shadow passes overhead and blocks out the sun. Summer sighs in relief until she looks up. Her father has joined them with Dr. Rudolph.
“Good Morning, Miss Denning,” Jung says with a small smile. Natalie squeezes Summer's hand before standing up to join her husband and Summer takes the hint. “Dr. Rudolph we must thank you for the delicious chocolates.”
“I am pleased you enjoyed them. I disappointed my family by not joining them in the family business, but my Mother would not hear of any of her children not learning how to make candies.”
“You made them?” Natalie gasps in astonishment. “How wonderful!”
“Thank you, my parents own a candy company. They specialize in hard candies and milk chocolates. It comes in handy with my patients.”
Summer smiles at the sound of the children laughing and gasps when they begin climbing the railing. Natalie fusses at them to get down, but they are excited and yelling about mermaids.
“Are they following us? Do you see tails?” Summer asks, picking up the smallest child who is about four so he can see the water.
“Why does she encourage such nonsense?” Dr. Rudolph asks. “Fairy stories are an absurd waste of time,” he snarls.
Dr. Denning’s blue eyes grow sharp as he looks at the young man gazing at his girls. Natalie grips his arm and bites her tongue. “Does the German culture not have folktales that are passed from generation to generation, Dr. Rudolph? That ‘nonsense’ teaches fundamental core values and Summer has a creative mind.”
“Of course.
