“No,” Paul told him. “That’s just the means of taking us out to the boat that belongs to Eric’s family.”
“Boat? What kind of boat?” Adam’s heart pounded and his mouth dried up.
Paul chuckled. “Nowyou’re asking. All I know is it’s a big boat. You can ask Eric when we’re on board. Doubtless he’ll have all the facts and figures at his fingertips.” Footsteps beside them. “David and Taylor are joining us, and on board will be more of our friends: Shane, his twin Mikey, and another friend Jason. There were two more invited, but they couldn’t make it.”
“So, eight in total.”
There was that chuckle again. “There’s plenty of room on board, trust me.”
Adam had questions.Has Eric invited me? Will Eric be steering the boat?But he kept silent as Paul led him along the jetty, David and Taylor bringing up the rear. The waves lapped at the jetty, a sound Adam always associated with his time skippering boats. He’d visited a great many marinas during the last ten years.
Happy times.
“All aboard, gentlemen.” That had to be Eric. He had a cheerful voice. “Paul, you want to get in first and help your guest? I’ll lend a hand too.”
“Certainly. Cane first, please, Adam.” He handed it over. Paul moved away from him and then his hands were taken in a firm grip, Eric on his other side. “Carefully now.”
Adam stepped down into the RIB, the two men helping him to a seat in the centre. Paul returned his cane. “The boat is anchored out a bit farther,” he told Adam. The RIB dipped as David and Taylor clambered on board.
“And we’re off,” Eric announced in a gleeful tone.
Within seconds the RIB was bouncing along, and Adam felt the cool wind against his skin, the spray on his arms and cheeks. It had been too bloody long. Only a minute or so passed before the small craft slowed down.
“There’s a ladder at the stern, sir,” Eric told him. “Paul will climb aboard first and be there if you need him.”
“I’m Adam, not sir, okay?” Then he realised how brusque that had come out. “I’m sorry. Let me know how many rungs,” Adam replied, “and I’m good.”
“Shane, catch!” Eric called out. Adam waited as the RIB was moored to the stern of the boat. “Okay, lads, up you go.”
Paul assisted Adam to stand and move to the RIB’s side. Adam waited until Paul reached down to help him up. “Seven rungs, okay?”
Adam handed up the cane first, then felt for the first rung with his foot. Grasping a higher rung with one hand and Paul’s fingers wrapped tight around his other, Adam climbed the ladder and stepped down onto the deck.
“There’s wooden benching all the way around the deck,” Paul told him. “Sit down and once we’re under way, you can talk to Eric.”
Adam complied, his head reeling. Not for one minute had he suspected how his day would turn out, and yet there he was, on board a boat for the first time since losing his vision. Oh, he’d thought about it, dreamed of doing it again, but one day off in the future.
I can’t believe this is happening.
The wind wafted over his skin, and he breathed deeply, taking the fresh sea air into his lungs.
It had to be a dream.
“Would you care to join me at the helm, Adam?” Eric asked him, about five minutes after drawing up the anchor.
Adam grinned widely. “I’d love to.” He stood, knowing Paul was doing the same. “Paul, point me in the right direction and give me an approximate distance.” He couldn’t believe how great he was feeling, like he could doanything.
“Left toward the stern,” Paul informed him, “and roughly four feet until you reach Eric. The deck is clear of obstacles.”
“Thanks.” Adam tapped his way along the wooden deck until he felt a firm hand grasp his.
“There’s a step down, and then a bench to sit on,” Eric told him, gripping his hand tightly as Adam negotiated the step. He located the bench and sank onto it.
“Tell me about the boat, Eric.”
“With pleasure. She’s a Holman Rummer Class, thirty-five feet Bermudan yawl, constructed in 1960. My Dad bought her off this Danish couple about five years ago, when they were moored up in Yarmouth. They were checking out a fifty feet Duchessa motor yacht that was for sale and were keen to sell. Dad fell in love with her at first sight.”
“Where was she built?” Adam asked, stroking his hand over the wood surrounding the cockpit.
