Chapter 17

Ciara stepped onto the boat with a heavy, tired sigh. “Thanks. I’m feeling like an old woman today.”

“Well you look like one too.” Ciara stuck her tongue out at her young friend as Nick took his hand from hers and turned back to his work on the boat for their day out. This was one of his favorite things to do with her…with anyone really, but he and Ciara had been fishing partners for years. They could be quiet together. They could joke together. And his dad didn’t torment him when he was with her like he did with girls he was meeting in his travels with the group. She was Cici…just Cici.

“Hey! Ciara! You made it!” Brian ran up from the lower level of the boat smile plastered all over his face, as usual. Only change this time was a 7 yr. old blonde boy squirming under his arm. He set Aaron down on the deck and popped him in the behind as the boy scampered into Ciara’s arms.

“Yep. You just don’t turn down fishing trips with these guys. Too much fun.” She gave Aaron a welcoming squeeze. “And where have YOU been hiding?”

“Below deck. You gonna catch a shark today, Cici?”

“I don’t know, buddy. I’m gonna see if I can catch something though.” Looking back up to Brian, she stood and offered her arms for a hug. “I didn’t know you’d be here today. What’s the pleasure?”

He casually hugged her, pulling back to look in her eyes. “Too short of a break. It’s a pain in the butt to head home every time, so Nick invited me over. It’s okay I break into the party isn’t it?”

“Of course. You can help me throw Nick overboard if he gets out of line.”

“No problem. I’m gonna go help Nick here. We’ll talk more later.”

She loved this. This family was more of a family than her own sometimes. They only talked to her about her health on her own terms, in her own time...it wasn’t the prime subject of conversation. They asked nothing of her and accepted everything. Her family on the other hand walked on egg shells every time she walked in a room, every time her name came up in conversation, she was sure. Here she was, almost 20 years old, getting virtually straight A’s in college, fully financially independent, and they couldn’t get beyond the fact that she was less than perfect in body. Nice. Made her sick. She’d offer to watch her nephews and would get turned down. “What if you get sick while they’re there? I can’t risk it.” She’d tell them of travels she was taking and listen to an hour of ridicule for not sitting home in front of the TV submitting to the trials her body put her through. Talk of successes at the hospital and it’d only be about her. “At least you’re getting experiences so you’ll understand what’s happening to you.” They didn’t get that she was going to graduate and be the best nurse Florida has ever seen. It was as though she didn’t deserve it. Here, she could be the Cici she wanted to be, the Cici she was. The good, the bad...the healthy, the sick.

“Alright, Ci…you drive today. We’re all geared up.”

“OH! Okay, thanks, Bob…might need some direction here.” She made her way to the front of the boat, tickling Aaron on her way.

Mr. Carter showed her the few extra things she needed to know and they were off. Everyone on board joined her on the bridge and they watched the colors of the horizon change from sky blue and murky green to deeper blue and deeper blue, almost becoming one color.

As they approached their spot of choice, she slowed the motor and dropped anchor. The activity picked back up as everyone grabbed fishing gear and just as suddenly stopped as lines dipped in the water and they sat back to enjoy the day. No problems were allowed on the Carter boat. No worries. No baggage. You went fishing to forget about it all and Ciara had plenty to leave on shore…as did the boys.

Worries mounted as they worked to honor the contract in which they were signed. Personalities had begun to clash now and again and the outside activities of some were upsetting to others. Namely Kevin. Seemed Lindsey wasn’t the only woman he fancied and spent time with. It was truly none of their business, but his late hours and exhausted behavior the morning after his partying were getting old and burdensome. Seems as though everyone on the boat had something to escape.

“Finally, we can sit! How’s stuff goin’ guys?”

Nick tossed Ciara a can of pop and sat down across from her and Brian. They sure made a cute couple. Too bad she was attached to that dorky nurse dude. “Stuff’s goin’ pretty good. I’m just wanting to get to the studio. Gettin’ anxious.”

“Yeah, I can imagine. When do you think that’ll happen?” She tried to pop the top of her can and finally looked helplessly at Brian. “Dammit…do you mind?”

He looked at her quizzically. It was a pop top. What was so hard? “Yeah, sure…you okay, Ci?”

“No. But, no worries, remember? Nick’s mom made me promise before I got on the boat this morning.”

He opened the can for her and stole a sip before giving it back. “Eeww! Ppthpthpthpphtpt! Diet! Gads! How do you drink that swill?”

Nick and Ciara cackled at the looks crossing Brian’s face. You’d have thought it was motor oil. She wrapped her arm around his back, thumping as though he was choking on a piece of meat. “Have no choice, dork. And I kinda like it, thank you very much.” She grabbed the can from the drama queen and took a huge swig, winking at Nick across the boat. “Now, as I said before…when do you think you’ll make it to the studio?”

“Lou now says late spring, early summer. We’ve got a few songs we’re working on, but I don’t know what we’re waiting on.”

Brian got up to get his own can of pop, sugar-filled, thank you and plopped back down next to Ciara. “We’ll get there soon enough, Nicky. You’re too impatient.”

“I know…just seems like we do the same junk every stinkin’ day. I’m bored.”

“You were born bored, Nick. It’s a miracle you can sit out here and fish all day.”

Nick nodded in agreement and he threw back his own can of pop, letting off a huge belch of appreciation at the person who created such refreshment. Ciara echoed the sentiment with a belch of her own and Brian jumped back. “Woah! Jeez woman! Didn’t yo’ mamma teach you any manners?”

“Yep, and in Japan that’s mannerly. Compliments to the chef. Brrraaappp!” Brian couldn’t help but laugh and chime in with his own chorus of burps.

The three friends cackled at their noise and were abruptly interrupted by a yelp from the front. “You guys are gonna scare away the fish. That’s just gross.”

“Oh, like you screamin’ at us is helping, Dad…I learn from the best!” Nick offered a cheesy grin and turned back to check his line. They were really here for fishing, right? Brian and Ciara followed suit and Ciara jumped as she saw her line being pulled toward the water.

“Aw, jeez…I’ve got something. I need to wake up.” She picked her pole up from its resting place and tugged to judge the size of her catch. It was a fighter, that was for sure.

“Dad! Dad! Ci’s got one!” Aaron was jumping up and down as though he’d never seen anyone catch a fish before.

She continued to work on bringing in the line but was having difficulty. With the way this critter was fighting and her continued weakness in her hands and arms, she wasn’t getting anywhere. Brian saw her troubles and came to her aid, standing behind her and adding his strength to the fight.

“Man, Ci…you got somethin’ here!” They worked for a few moments, with Nick and Aaron standing by, giving directions on how to best haul it in. Finally the fish’s identity was shown. A swordfish. Okay, so it was a baby swordfish. But he was pissed and strong and making the reeling of it in a two man job.

After a few more moments of sweaty work, they finally hauled the fish in, and Nick took her pole to remove it from the line. “My God, Ci…what’d you bait that thing with? Ten pound of caffeine??”

“Hell, I don’t know…whatever your dad gave me. My God. And after all that, we’ve gotta throw him back, don’t we?”

“Yep. Let’s get a picture first. Mom likes to see what we’ve come up with.”

Nick disappeared below deck as Brian and Ci sat on the floor exhausted at the energy they’d just exerted getting the fish out of the water. That and the energy they exerted at ignoring how much they had enjoyed the physical contact it all had required. Without a word, Brian leaned in and softly brushed her lips with his.

For but a moment, she gave in. He was such a nice young man, great looking and…NO! She pulled back quickly and shook her head. “Brian, no…we can’t do this.”

“Why not?” She got up and moved away from him lest she cave in. Those damned blue eyes of his…blue eyes were deadly, she was convinced. “Ciara?”

“Brian. No. Look at Linds and Kevin. I HAVE a boyfriend. No. I can’t do this to Nick either.”

“What the hell does Nick have to do with this and do NOT put me in the same box as Kevin. He may be my cousin, but believe me…the similarity ends there. As for Dwayne, well…” He lowered his head. “I have nothing to say. You’ve got me there.”

“I know you’re not Kevin and it has nothing to do with Nick and Dwayne’s an ass. But he’s MY ass and…and…” She sighed looking down. “I just can’t do this Brian. Believe me, I’d like to…but I can’t. Please, let’s not ruin a great friendship over a kiss.”

He looked in her green eyes, pleading for understanding. “Okay. I’ll respect it. But, Ci?”

“Yeah, Bri?”

“I’m here…whenever, okay?”

She had to smile. What a damned dollbaby. Idiot. Why did he have to be so nice? “Yeah, I’ll, uh…thanks, Bri.”

“Okay, guys. Get off your butts and pick up that fish. Time for a picture!”

******~~~~~~******~~~~~~

“I’ll get him, Nick. You get those wet clothes in the laundry for your mom.” Ciara carefully lifted a sleeping Aaron off the couch and carried him upstairs to the deck of the boat.

“You caught a big fish, Ci.” The young boy’s blonde hair tickled her neck as he turned his head to get more comfortable.

“Yeah, buddy. I did. Go back to sleep.” She smiled up at Brian as he held onto her arm helping her off the boat onto the small pier bordering their slip. “The kid’s beat.”

“Yep, so am I…and we’ve gotta meet up back in Orlando tomorrow. Early.”

“You sleep good away from home?”

“I do okay. My problem here is Nick never seems to get tired. Keeps me up late playing video games and stuff.”

“Well, look at him…” They both turned back to the lanky teen, trudging up the hill to the house with a load of wet clothes in his arms. “I think you might get yourself a break tonight.”

“Here’s hoping. You got him okay? I can take him in.”

“No…Cici’s got me.” Aaron squeezed his arms around her neck and snuggled in closer.

“I think we’re okay, thanks. I’ll just tuck him in bed and be on my way.”

They finally reached the house and Ciara took the sleeping lump to his room, tossing his sand covered sandals on the floor. “I gotta brush my teeth. I got chips stuck in ‘em.”

“Aaron…I think it’ll be okay for one night. You’re too tired to mess with it now.” She pulled back the comforter and laid him in bed, kissing his forehead and brushing his long hair from his face. “You sleep now, big guy. I’ll come see you in a few days.”

He was gone. He snuggled into his pillows, into dreams of his own swordfish catch.

As Ciara left the boys’ room, she was startled to see two other “boys” watching her. “Active little guys crash big, don’t they?”

“Yeah, when he goes, he goes. Brian says you’re takin’ off?”

“Yeah, Nick. I’m beat too. I’ve got class tomorrow and work tomorrow night. I’d better head out.”

Brian said his goodbye’s in the hall, wanting to let Nick and Ciara have a few moments alone today. Besides, he was still a little stung at her rejection, though not to the degree that it would be a permanent mark on their friendship. She was right. One misguided kiss should not ruin something like that.

“Thanks for coming today. I like being normal when I come home.”

“Well, I’m glad to be part of your ‘normal.’ I hope I always am.”

He was getting still taller, looking more mature each time she saw him. They’d known each other for 4 years now and normal definitely defined the roles they played in each other’s lives. She wasn’t sick when Nick was around. Or if she was, she didn’t feel it, didn’t care. And Nick? Well, life would only continue to change for him, but hopefully, Ciara would always be the person he could come home to in one fashion or other and remember who he is. Who he wanted to be. Who he could be.

“I’m plannin’ on it…” He pulled her in for a hug, something they did less and less often now that he was getting too old for that stuff. But for now, the moment seemed right.

As she pulled back, she couldn’t help but reach up and touch his face, looking in his eyes. Damn. They were blue too. Yep, definitely deadly. “Alrighty, Nick. Time for me to go and for you to go be a Backstreet Boy.”

***

 

 

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