wrath of the Sea Queen (121 page)

"
And yet
I returned in one piece thanks to you on at least two of those accounts.
  Although, thank you and a kiss hardly seem sufficient for what you did
for me
today.  You
,
and you
r gift
,
are
amazing."
  Vin hugged her close again
, ever thankful for the twist of fate that brought
C
a
eli
into his life
.

"
Gift?  That is still open for debate.  But, I am glad I was able to help you.  Knowing that you
a
re all right, and
perhaps another
kiss, is all the thanks I need," C
a
eli smiled as she ran her hand through Vin's dark hair
;
the bullet
wound
was
barely visible.

"
Gladly
,
but
don't tell Salma about that particular method of payment.  Ben would knock me down a
few
peg
s
if I attempted to thank
Salma
with
such
a kiss
," Vin joked
and obliged
C
a
eli
's
request
.

"As would I," C
a
eli returned playfully.

"Undoubtedly, so let's
change the subject
. 
Y
ou know we need to sit down and have a serious talk about a few things, right?"

C
a
eli
glanced down the hall to see
Ben and Salma standing near the lounge entrance.  They were aware that Vin had arrived
, but
were giving the
m
a
few
moment
s
before intruding.

"Yes, but I don't think we are going to get that chance right away.  I have to warn you
that
both Ben and Salma are somewhat irritated with me.  Apparently, I
a
m not a very cooperative patient."

"Honey, that's not
true
at all.  You are a delightful patient
as long as you
a
r
e too sick to deny it
,
" Vin
laughed
.

"
You are hopeless.  Besides, h
ow is that
any
different from your refusal of treatment?"

"I
never deny that
I'm sick
. 
I simply prefer to choose my own
treatment plan
.
"

It was true.  Never once had Vin taken all of his prescribed medicine, returned for a follow up visit, or stayed in bed when he ran a fever.  He would not even listen if Salma casually reminded him to use an umbrella on a rainy day.  He never once completely followed through on any
instructions
Salma gave him.  It wasn't in his nature, even though he trusted Salma completely.  Vin knew he was a terrible patient, and it was a long-standing, good-natured joke between
them
.  C
a
eli, on the other hand, simply did not like it when others had to wait on her or
when she was unable to
do things
for herself
.  It
grated on her independent spirit
.
  She did not like to admit that an infirmity could require her to ask for assistance.

"You, in most cases, won't acknowledge the fact that you are sick because you don't want anyone to fuss over you."

Vin laughed with her as she chuckled again.

"That does sound accurate
,
if not exactly how I would have phrased it," C
a
eli admitted with a grin.

"Come on.  Let's go join the others.  I'm eager to hear what Salma learned from her tests."

"Actually, I was getting ready to help Apela start dinner.  Why don't you go ahead and keep them company
.  I shouldn't be too long."

After having no luck convincing C
a
eli that she should be resting,
Vin poked his head into the kitchen to say
hello to
Apela
.  They exchanged a few words private
ly
before
Vin
continu
ed
to the lounge.  As
Vin
walked the short distance, a dozen thoughts ran through
hi
s mind.  He considered everything that had happened during their
brief
trip and
even
before they left home.  Vin added his
personal
suspicions to that mix.  After what Vin learned from Apela earlier that morning and what he experienced firsthand, he was more curious than ever to hear the remaining details from C
a
eli.
  He already did not like where his tentative conclusions were leading.

"H
ello
Ben
,
Salma.
"

"Vin, I'm glad you're back.  What took so long?"
  Salma asked with a hug.

"Complications that I don't want to get into right now.  We have a lot to catch up on, but let me say hi to Max first.  I need to ask a favor of him."

"Be easy with the boy. 
He
i
s still upset about C
a
eli," Ben cautioned.

"Why?  What upset him about C
a
eli?"

"We'll explain in a minute.  Just take it easy on him," Salma added.

Vin walked over to the small table where Max was coloring quietly.

"
Hello Max. 
How are you?  Thanks for letting me borrow you
r
P
apa today.  He helped me more than once."

"Papa is brave."

"
What are you coloring? 
It looks familiar.  Max, w
here did you get that picture?"

Vin noticed the image that Max was re-creating from an older photograph that he knew well.
  For a kid so young, his drawing was incredibly detailed.  Standing over Max's shoulder
and looking at the picture on Max's drawing pad
, Vin easily recognized C
a
eli as the subject of the drawing
.  Max had taken the liberty of
detailing
her
completely in shades of blue.

"I'm drawing pretty C
a
eli.  She g
ave me a picture
when we were
on the
big
plane
and Papa made me go to my seat
. 
Mr. Vin,
I kept an eye on pretty C
a
eli
.  She was talking to the Sea Queen.  I tried to stop her.  I was trying to help her."

"I don't doubt it, Max.  Thank you very much.  You did such a great job that I would like to ask another favor of you.  Would you help me keep an eye on her again?"

"Sure."  Max stood up and started to walk toward the kitchen.

"No, Max.  Not like that."  Vin held Max by the arm and then whispered in his ear.  Max giggled and clapped his hands excitedly.

"Yes, I can do that, Mr. Vin.  That will be fun."

"Ok, go back to your coloring.  I will tell you when."  Vin
ruffled
the boy's hair
and then
join
ed
Ben and Salma at a bar-like counter across the room.  He sat in a tall stool across from the two Ben and Salma occupied
, p
osition
ing
himself with a strategic view of the kitchen doorway so he could see C
a
eli as she
shadowed
Apela.

"Where shall we start?"  Vin asked after a moment.

"Tell us what kept you at the hospital so long?"  Ben said.

"Initially,
I had to
wait for a doctor, and then
the weather
pummeled that area
.  I had to wait until the storm eased up and they permitted commercial vehicles on the roads again.  I intended to catch a taxi, but
then I
got delayed
by
the sheriff.  He's the one who finally gave me a ride," Vin brushed hurriedly over his adventure.  He wanted to hear about C
a
eli.

"That has to be what
C
a
eli
was doing out there.  She knew you were stuck at the hospital because of the storm," Salma commented.

"Out where? 
C
a
eli
said she work
ed
on the storm. 
What did
she
do?"

Ben and Salma
explained what happened on the beach and how Max reacted.

"It
is
even
more complicated than that, and some of it I cannot share with you yet."  Vin added
some additional
details, but withheld the information about Rika.  He wanted to discuss that with C
a
eli first.
  He wanted to find out
more
about Rika.  There
is
more going on with C
a
eli than
any of them
knew.