Voyage of the Defiance

  “Mom,” Makayla whispered, her voice cracking. “Does she… Does she know about what happened?”

  “Yes,” Henry said. “She’s worried about you, honey. Call her.”

  Makayla nodded, forgetting that Henry couldn’t see her. “Okay,” she mumbled. “I’ll call her now while we still have a signal.”

  “Love you, girl,” Henry muttered.

  “I love you, too, grandpa,” she said. “Over and out.”

  Henry slowly lowered the phone, a soft smile curving his lips. “Over and out,” he repeated before looking at Jason. “She made it.”

  Jason nodded. “She’s just like her grandpa,” he said, giving his dad a smile.

  “Yes,” Henry said, looking out the window. “Yes, she is.”

  *.*.*

  Teresa stood looking out the window of her condo. In the background, she could hear Arnie making them lunch. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was glad he was there.

  The last couple of months had been hard, but good. For the first time in years, she felt like she was in control of her life. She also realized how much of it she had wasted. That was one of the things she and Arnie were working through. She wasn’t ready to be in another relationship yet. She needed time to discover who she was underneath all the baggage that she had collected over the years.

  Deep down, she knew she had a lot to thank her dad for. Arnie had been frank with her, not sugarcoating the fact that she had a damn good life and was just pissing it away. A smile curved her lips. He was the first person in a long time to tell her that she needed to quit wallowing in the past and get on with the present and future.

  The last four months she had done exactly that. She had been weaned off the pain killers that were slowly killing her and was back in the workforce again. With dad’s help, she had a roof over her head and a decent, dependable car. Now all she needed was Makayla back in her life to make it complete.

  She turned when she heard Arnie walk back into the room. He set two plates down on the small table set up near the window. Well, she thought, almost complete.

  Teresa turned to sit down when her cell phone rang, playing the familiar ring tone that she had programmed in for Makayla. Trembling, she looked at Arnie. He walked over and picked the phone up, holding it out to her.

  “You’d better answer it,” he said.

  Teresa nodded, reaching for the phone with trembling fingers. After touching the screen, she pressed it to her ear. There was a brief pause before she was able to say anything.

  “Makayla?” She whispered, turning her back on Arnie to face the window again. “Honey, is that you?”

  “Hey, mom,” Makayla’s familiar voice replied. “I… Grandpa said he told you… about me.”

  “Yes, yes, he did,” Teresa said as silent tears coursed down her cheeks. “He said that you took the sailboat.”

  “Yeah,” Makayla replied with a short laugh. “I guess a bus ticket would have been smarter, huh?”

  Teresa chuckled, wiping at her damp cheeks. “Yes, it would have been a lot faster and safer. I’m sorry, Makayla. There’s so much I should have done, none of it was right, I should have…” She broke off when she felt Arnie’s hand on her shoulder.

  “The present and the future, Teresa,” he softly reminded her.

  “Everything is good,” Makayla said. “I’ve learned a lot the last few days. This… This has been a good thing,” she assured her mom. “Is that Arnie?”

  “Yes,” Teresa responded in surprise, turning to look at Arnie with a raised eyebrow. “How do you know about him?”

  Makayla laughed. “I’ll tell you when I see you,” she said. “We should be there by Tuesday afternoon as long as there are no more storms.”

  “We…,” Teresa asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Yeah, I brought along a stowaway,” Makayla laughed.

  Teresa listened for several more minutes as Makayla explained about Tyrell. A soft chuckle escaped her when Makayla told her about threatening to push him overboard, the first time Tyrell learned how to swim, and his fascination with cameras.

  “I think my entire life is now plastered online for everyone to see,” Makayla muttered. “Listen, the signal is getting weak and I have been trying to not leave Tyrell at the helm for too long. He may decide to sail around the world now that he thinks we are invincible. I’ll call you again tomorrow if I can. Just… Don’t worry about me, I’ll be okay.”

  “So will I,” Teresa said with a smile. “Love you, honey.”

  “Love you, too, mom,” Makayla replied before the signal died on her again.

  Teresa lowered the phone from her ear and stared out the window for several more minutes before she turned and looked at Arnie with a raised eyebrow. Her lips tightened. Something told her that he had been more than just a concerned neighbor.

  “Do you want to share how my daughter knew about you?” She asked with an intense stare.

  Epilogue

  “Hey, Makayla, look!” Tyrell called from where he was standing near the bow of the sailboat on Tuesday afternoon.

  Makayla nodded and laughed as a pod of porpoises danced along the wake created by the sailboat. Almost a dozen of the light gray creatures jumped in and out of the water, entertaining them with their antics. It was as if they were a welcoming committee sent to guide them home.

  Raising her face to the sun, she smiled. It had turned out to be another beautiful day and they were making good time. She stared up at the sails. This is the type of weather that she wished they could have had for the entire trip.

  She laughed when several of the porpoises jumped closer to the sailboat, drawing a loud yell of delight from Tyrell. The wind was coming off their quarter between the stern and beam, filling both sails. They were flying across the water, just like that day that Henry was teaching her how to sail. It seemed like a lifetime ago, even though it had only been a couple of months.

  In the distance, they could see the twin towers of the Skyway Bridge rising up like giant sentinels guarding the entrance to Tampa Bay. About half a mile out, a large red cargo ship cruised in the same direction. They were ahead of it and would make the entrance under the bridge well ahead of the huge ocean freighter.

  Makayla watched as Tyrell worked his way back to the cockpit. He was wearing Henry’s long shorts again and had taken his shirt off. Anyone else watching him move over the smooth surface of the boat would have thought he had been born aboard one. It was hard to believe that a week ago, he had been terrified of the water.

  “You’re getting good at that,” she commented when he jumped down into the cockpit next to her.

  He turned and sat on the back section of the stern and grinned. “I’m an island man, pretty lady,” he said in his best Jamaican imitation. “I was born to be on the water.”

  Makayla laughed and shook her head. “Not quite,” she teased. “You still only know how to doggy paddle.”

  “Yeah, but no one knows that but you,” he said, leaning back. “It’s going to seem strange going back to school after this.”

  Makayla glanced out at the wide expanse of water. “Yeah, it will be,” she agreed.

  Tyrell looked at her with a serious expression. “Are you still planning on quitting school?” He asked, watching her.

  Makayla was quiet for several long minutes before she shook her head. “No,” she finally said. “No, I’ve come too far now to quit. I have dreams,” she added, turning to look at him. “I want to see where they take me.”

  Tyrell’s smile lit up his whole face. “You go, girl,” he said with a nod, before straightening and shielding his eyes. “What the heck?”

  Makayla turned as a helicopter flew over them. On the side, she could see the letters WFLA Channel 8. Turning, she stared in fascination when it flew back over them at a slightly lower altitude. She and Tyrell raised their hands and waved as a man with a camera pointed it at them.

  “What’s that all about?” Makayla asked as it continued to follow the
m for a few minutes before moving off.

  Tyrell shielded his eyes and followed the helicopter as it flew past them toward the bridge. He shrugged, moving around the side until he could climb up to the bow. He stared toward the bridge, a puzzled expression on his face as the helicopter circled it.

  “I don’t know,” he yelled. “Maybe there was an accident on the bridge or something.”

  “I’m going to use the engine to help guide us under it,” she called back to him. “Is the channel clear?”

  “Yeah, though it looks like a lot of boats on either side of it,” Tyrell replied in a loud voice before a soft curse escaped him. “Holy crap!”

  He could see what Makayla couldn’t at first. The bridge was lined with people, lots and lots of people. His eyes widened as they drew closer to the channel leading under the huge structure. All along the bridge, people stood waving flags and cheering. Turning, he stared at the boats anchored up on both sides. People stood in them, waving flags, whistling and cheering. He saw several kids on a small powerboat waving a handmade banner that said ‘#VoD Rocks!’.

  His hand lifted and he waved to the kids, drawing loud yells of delight from them. His eyes swept back and forth as it began to dawn on him why there were so many boats and people out. They were there for them.

  His eyes froze as they passed another boat, this one looked like one of the sightseeing boats that took tourists around the bay. There were three levels to it and all three were filled with smiling faces. He stared in disbelief at the huge banner that hung along the side of it. The words ‘Welcome home, Defiance!’ blew in the light afternoon breeze. Turning, he hurried back towards the stern and Makayla.

  “Did you see that?” He asked, turning to look at the boat again. “They are welcoming us! This is for us!”

  Makayla was looking up at the bridge, her eyes wide with amazement and shock. She jerked her head around at Tyrell’s comment. Glancing off the port side as they crossed under the bridge, she saw the huge boat that he was talking about. Her eyes widened in shock at the sign and the people on board cheering and waving.

  “But… How did they know?” She whispered, turning back and forth to see all the boats that were beginning to follow them before looking up at the bridge again. People lined the east side of the bridge, as well, waving and cheering. “How? Why?” She stuttered, looking at Tyrell in puzzlement.

  “It’s the messages,” he said, turning to look at her with bright, excited eyes. “They heard them. They know.”

  “Who knows? What are you talking about?” She demanded, twisting as a Coast Guard patrol boat came up beside them. “Oh, crap!”

  “The Voyage of the Defiance,” Tyrell said in awe. “They followed the Voyage of the Defiance. It was the name of our project.”

  “The name of our…. Are you nuts? You mean, you’ve really been posting those pictures and video to the web?” Makayla muttered, staring at him in disbelief. “I’m really going to shove you overboard this time,” she promised, glaring at him in exasperation.

  *.*.*

  Makayla and Tyrell had furled the sails so that it would be easier to control the Defiance among the line of boats. She grimaced when she saw a Florida Marine Patrol boat idle toward them. There were three men on board it. One of the men motioned for her to slow down so he could board the sailboat. Makayla nodded, slipping the throttle control into neutral as the men threw out several bumpers along the side of their boat.

  She caught the back line while Tyrell moved back to the bow. She swallowed as one of the men climbed aboard the Defiance. It wasn’t until he smiled reassuringly at her that she began to breathe normally again. He took the rope from her and tossed it back to the other officer.

  “I’m Officer Walker, I’ll help guide you into the marina,” he said with a nod to Tyrell as he came back down to the cockpit. “Do you have a VHF radio aboard?” He asked as he stood next to Makayla as she slowly pressed down on the throttle again.

  “Yes,” she said, following the other boat.

  “Why didn’t you respond to our hail?” He asked with a frown.

  “It was damaged in the hurricane,” Tyrell explained.

  “That must have been a scary experience,” Officer Walker said with a shake of his head. “I have to admit, I wouldn’t have wanted to be in your place. Storms can be very unpredictable.”

  Makayla gave the officer a crooked grin. “I already told my granddad that if another one came up, I was beaching the sailboat and walking the rest of the way,” she retorted dryly.

  “She’d do it, too,” Tyrell teased. “She’s crazy in a good way.”

  Makayla just shook her head and laughed. She couldn’t believe all the people that had come out to welcome them home. It was hard for her to concentrate on where they were going. All she wanted to do was stare back at everyone.

  The sound of the camera clicking drew another chuckle from her. She glanced at where Tyrell stood. He was taking pictures of everything with his cell phone. She had a feeling that she would be seeing the event plastered all over the web later tonight. She still couldn’t believe he had tricked her into completing that stupid assignment that Mrs. Moore had given them.

  All I know is, we’d better get an A for it, she thought as she brought the bow around in a wide arc in preparation for lining it up with the dock.

  “You have a rather large reception waiting for you,” Officer Walker commented with a grin as the pier came into sight when the Patrol boat turned away. “I heard that even the mayor is waiting at the dock.”

  “I’m going to need the Canon,” Tyrell muttered, turning and jumping down into the companionway to grab it.

  Makayla rolled her eyes, listening with half an ear as Officer Walker told them that their voyage had been all over the news the last few days. There had been interviews with their friends, both here and on the other coast, sharing more about their lives.

  “You two have captured everyone’s imagination,” he said. “In all honesty, I didn’t think you’d make it.”

  Makayla glanced at him and gave him a strained smile. “There were a couple of times, I didn’t think we would either,” she replied in a quiet voice that died when she caught her first good look at the docks ahead of them. “Oh!” She breathed. “Tyrell!”

  Her eyes widened as they focused on the large group of people waiting on the dock. Swallowing, she zoned in on Henry, Jason, Brian, and….

  “My mom,” she whispered, swallowing over the lump in her throat as tears threatened to choke her. “Tyrell, it’s my mom,” she repeated, her eyes glued on her mom’s glowing face.

  *.*.*

  Tyrell turned as he climbed back up to the cockpit. He looked where Makayla was staring, his own eyes widening at the large group of people waiting for them. He glanced back at Makayla. Instinctively, he lifted the camera in his hands and snapped a picture of her face. He had learned a lot about Makayla during the voyage, and knew that this was a very intense and private moment for her. On her face was a look that said it all; hope, surprise, worry, fear and… love.

  He reached out and steadied himself when he felt the change in the boat and the sound of the engine as she carefully pulled into the slip. He smiled reassuringly to Makayla as she cut the engine of the sailboat as several men reached down to drop bright yellow bumpers along the front and sides.

  He was about to tell her good job when he heard his name being yelled. Turning, he watched in disbelief as his older brother, Jerome, and his grandmother pushed through the crowd. His mouth dropped open when he saw Jerome put his arm protectively around their grandmother.

  “Grandma!” Tyrell yelled, forgetting for a moment that the sailboat wasn’t tied down yet. “Hold on! Hold on!” He called out as he quickly wrapped the rope around the back cleat and threw it up to one of the Sheriff’s deputies standing on the dock.

  “Makayla,” Tyrell said, turning with a huge grin on his face as he stared at all the cheering people lining the docks. “We made it.”

&
nbsp; He didn’t wait for her response. Instead, he reached up and grabbed the hand of one of the deputies as he climbed up onto the dock. He shifted the camera around his neck to the side as he pushed through the crowd that started to gather around him, then stopped when he reached his older brother and grandmother.

  “Hey, grandma,” he said with the crooked grin that she loved. “You can’t say I didn’t let you know where I was this time.”

  Tyrell stared down into the face of Charlotte James. She stood in front of him with brilliant tears glittering in her eyes. His face softened when she smiled up at him and opened her arms. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her close, bowing his head.

  “I love you, grandma,” he whispered. “I was living my dream.”

  “I know you were, boy,” Charlotte whispered, squeezing him tightly to her.

  Tyrell raised his head and looked at his older brother through narrow, cautious eyes. “I wasn’t expecting you here,” he said in a quiet voice.

  “I thought about what you said,” Jerome muttered, looking at the swelling crowd around them. “About… not wanting to end up six feet under. Seeing what you’re doing….” Jerome looked back at Tyrell and gave him a tight smile. “This is pretty incredible, man. I was thinking that if you can do it, so can I,” he admitted, gazing at Tyrell with an uncertain smile. “I figure it’s worth a try.”

  “It is,” Tyrell replied in a quiet voice.

  Tyrell glanced over his shoulder as Makayla slowly stepped off the Defiance. He nodded at her when a look of uncertainty and a hint of being overwhelmed crossed her face. He chuckled when she raised her eyebrow at him and gave him that ‘look’ that said she would be getting back at him for this.

  “We made it,” he mouthed again, giving her his famous crooked grin.

  As their gazes locked, he knew deep down that they were sharing a private moment that only two people who had seen death and lived life on the edge could have. Tyrell realized that he and Makayla had a rare and unique friendship that not many people were gifted with. His smile grew serious when she nodded her head in agreement before turning toward the small group of people waiting for her.