‘I was scared, shit, I’m still scared of this story coming out, of what it means for my job, and for yours, but mostly I was scared because you were leaving, and I’m only brave when I’m with you, and …’ Daniel faltered and then took a deep breath.
‘And because I love you, Ore, in a way that’s terrifying, in a way I’ve never felt before.’
Ore wanted more than anything to see him, to stroke his face with her fingers, to feel the heat of his breath on her neck as he pulled her into his arms. A hot teardrop rolled down her face and dripped onto the notepad in front of her.
‘Are you still there, Ore?’ Daniel asked softly, but urgently.
‘Yes, sorry, I’m …’Lost for words.Except for four. ‘I love you too.’
She could hear the smile in Daniel’s voice. ‘I’m sorry for everything, and I’m sorry that you had to be the one to call. I’ve dialled your number probably about a hundred times in the last week, but then again, as I said, you’re the brave one.’
Ore laughed. It was a raspy hiccup of a sound, stifled by the tears now flowing thick and fast. ‘Vicky told me what you did, that you spoke to everyone and convinced them to go on the record for me.’
‘Vicky? I didn’t think she was taken in by my speech at all.’
‘Your speech? Captain Wilsons, what has gotten into you?’ Ore teased.
‘You,’ Daniel replied earnestly ‘I just thought, “what would Ore say right now?” and it all just came flowing out.’
‘And what about Agatha? That was a bit of a shock I have to say.’ Ore couldn’t help herself with the questions.
‘That was nothing to do with me, she left right after you in the morning, but I’m glad she came around. I always hated how Chuck treated her.’
‘I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye.’ Ore imagined him watching her leaving from the tower of the wheelhouse. The thought made her desperately sad.
‘It’s OK. It was understandable in the circumstances …’ There was a moment of silence, as they each sat with what a different version of a goodbye might have looked like.
‘Anyway,’ Daniel said finally, ‘I’ll do it. I’ll go on the record, if that’s what you’re calling about.’
‘How did you know?’ Ore replied with mock-amazement, trying to lighten the mood, although getting him into thearticle had swiftly fallen to the very bottom of the reasons to make this call. ‘My editor will be thrilled.’
‘So you’ve found a publisher?’
‘NY Tribune.’
‘Wow, even a southerner like me knows that’s a big deal,’ she could hear the pride in his voice.
‘Are you with the Hartfords yet?’ She didn’t want the call to end.
‘No, I’m staying with my mom. They’ve pushed back my start date, something about spending another week in Mozambique because they haven’t seen a lion on their safari yet …’ They both laughed. ‘But they’re not like Chuck. They’re demanding, sure, but without the weird mind games.’
‘A blessing,’ Ore agreed, and then a worry popped into her head. ‘The article is coming out next week by the way. Is that going to be a problem with them? I know discretion is a pretty big deal in your world.’ Ore was already working out how to explain to Gail that she hadn’t been able to get hold of him, or maybe that he’d just flat-out refused again. ‘I could probably do the piece without mentioning you at all.’
‘No, I’ve thought about it, and it would be unfair. I’m the captain and I’ve got to go down with the ship, if the rest of the crew are going to brave the storm, so am I.’ Daniel sounded very sure.
Ore’s eyes welled again. He sensed that their time was drawing to a close. It was hard not to wallow in the tragedy of it all. For a while they both just breathed, neither wanting to pull the plug, and then both at once.
‘I better go …’ Ore began as Daniel did too.
‘It’s getting late …’ Another shared chuckle, another bout of silence.
‘Night, Ore, good luck with everything, sending … all my love,’ Daniel said quietly, the depth of his voice rumbling right through her. She closed her eyes, wanting to savour the feeling.
‘Night, Daniel, sending all my love right back.’ Ore hung up before he could hear the sob escape from her throat. She cried until her chest hurt. When she realised the recorder had been running she skipped to that part … the part where he said those magic words, and replayed them over and over until she fell asleep.Because I love you, Ore, because I love you, Ore, because I love you, Ore, because I love you, Ore, because I love you, Ore.
