Bachelor at the Lake

"That's amazing."

"Thank you. I have the contract to redeck her next winter."

"What teak and caulking?"

"Yes."

"Um you'll need assistance won't you?"

"Yeah, I'll employ three on the decking while I hop between supervising that and supervising the two guys machining the teak to requirements."

"I should talk to my dad. He rarely takes vacations, usually only to boat shows including in Europe, Australia and South Africa. Mom would love to get him away from the yard over winter. He'd probably love to help."

"Well I don't know."

"Good comment because I don't know either. I'll start by chatting to him. Where are we going?"

They were traveling in the opposite direction to the village.

Orlando said to see some boats.

They passed the highway on which Sinead had approached the lake until coming to what appeared to be a farm barn set in trees on the other side of the road from the lake beach.

"This is called O'Sullivan's Beach in memory of an early surveyor who drowned here, apparently drunk and forgetting he couldn't swim."

"How intriguing."

Orlando frowned at Sinead. "No really. That's what I call colorful history."

Orlando unlocked the heavy door and rolled it open.

"Sailing dinghies," Sinead shouted. "Twelve of them."

"Yes but how could you count so fast?"

"Two threes on that side equals six and this side has the same number, so two sixes are twelve."

"Good god, how does your mind work?"

"Very nicely thank you," she grinned.

He grinned and asked what did she think of them.

She walked along looking at each one briefly. "There are four Snipes, six Optimists and two Lasers. The hulls will be fine if they haven't been abused. I'd need to closely inspect the mast and sails. Are you planning a sailing school rather than boat hire?"

"Yes," Orlando said in surprise. "I scouted around and purchased ten two years ago and acquired two more since. But couldn't get the school established because I failed to find a chief coach."

"I see. And now you've found me."

Orlando shuffled his feet. "Well I've been thinking. You are used to being by water and that is not where you are living now. And being a lab technician for someone so free-minded as you are must be rather depressing."

"So free-minded am I?"

"It's not a put-down."

"I didn't think it was. Actually I'm twenty-two and this has been my first job since graduating and I'm bored to the gills."

"You can live with me permanently and even sleep with me if that's your wish. And in the winter you can do the lake water sampling and process the tests for the water authority as presently the sample have to be sent away because their chemist refuses to live at the lake over winter."

"I see. So at those moments I've caught you looking at me reflectively you were not thinking how sexy I look but how you could exploit me... snaring me for your bed and getting work out of me?"

"I thought by in large it fitted your requirements rather well."

"Actually it does. May we go back and look at your standard of boat building. That should tell me about you, probably more than you'd think."

"God how your mind roams like a huntress on the prowl."

"I'm just an ordinary woman. You problem is you've been largely on your own for too long.

"I doubt that you'll learn much about me from my work," Orlando said, "but then again you are welcome to surprise me. Um, do you think at thirty-three I'm too old for you?"

"No I found older men are best at sex and generally have put aside their boyish ways."

"God you sound like my mother. My folk live in California these days."

* * *

While Sinead looked over the traditional 10ft rowing dinghy, lapstrake-built over bent frames, and the 28-foot glassed-over ply cruiser with day cabin, Orlando sat at his workbench with a beer taken from the small fridge. He'd handed Sinead a glass of white wine. He studied her, very carefully, and before long decided this young woman had more that a passing interest in small watercraft construction.

When Sinead returned to his side he asked, "What do you think?"

She replied carefully. "The lake cruiser is el cheapo but in all probability you were screwed on price whereas the rowboat tells me you are a master craftsman. Of lapstrake (clinker) construction with western red cedar planking over bent white oak frames she will look so beautiful when finished."

"Well spotted," Orlando smiled. "The dinghy will be a grandfather's gift to his three grandchildren who are already into the age of messing around in boats but he wants them to row, sail and motor with pride and in relatively safety. His father bought him a clinker rowboat in England when he was seven."

"Oh what a beautiful story." Sinead smiled. "I like the thought you build boats."

They returned to the house where they drank red wine in front of a fire. Sinead kept an eye on her watch at and 3:57 went and looked out on to the deck and noted the wind had swung round and was now coming off the hills behind them. She went to the front porch and looked out.

Nothing.

She gave it another couple of minutes and revisited the front porch, She returned to her chair smiling but said nothing.

"You're a hard-nosed bitch," Orlando said, face impassive.

"All right, at 4:02 when I checked again it was snowing. What do you want, a medal?"

He grinned and patted his knee. Sinead went over and was cuddled while they chatted.

Sinead stood at her rented vehicle after lunch next day, Orlando kissing her and playing with her hair.

"That was beautiful sex last night."

She smiled and said she thought so too.

The big question had remained unanswered so Orlando's impatience got to him. "Will you come and live with me?"

"Probably but first I want you to email me a long description of what our life will be like here through the four seasons, exactly how will I fit in here and what will I do and who am I likely to befriend round me own age. I want you to know I'm very interested in running the sailing school for you and if we can get sufficient registrations with some students already with some sailing experience we would need three other trainers."

"That's about what I thought. We'll get registrations and kids get bored doing nothing structured after a while and seek challenges. I'd need to buy a patrol-rescue boat."

"No three jet skis would be best with one instructor and perhaps sometimes two in the trainer boats."

"Why jet-skis."

"More rapid response and greater flexibility."

Orlando nodded and said she was probably correct. "So you've sold on the idea?"

"Perhaps," she said. "Give me six weeks to think about it."

"I'll have to set-up for the new season.. Three weeks."

"No but I'll accept a deadline of four weeks. I have my career to think about."

"Yes of course and you'd need to hand in your resignation."

Sinead thanked him for being considerate and told him to start writing the information she required."

CHAPTER 2

Arriving early at work next morning Sinead went straight to Walter Meadow's office. He'd come in early as usual. They greeted warmly and she frowned and handed across an envelope.

"Your resignation?"

She whispered yes and said sorry in a stronger voice.

"It's okay. Nancy and I had expected this."

"May I close the door?"

He nodded.

"It's not necessarily what you think. I have some things to sort out first but I can do that at weekends. In one month's time I'll either return to the lake or disappear. I relocated here to put an unhappy relationship on hold, to give us both time to have a rethink. Well as far as I'm concerned the thinking time is over so I'll return home seeking resolution."

"To Chicago?"

"Yes."

"Then take the Friday or Monday off. This is not something to rush."

"Thank you. May I take off this Friday?"

"Certainly."

"It's possible Orlando suspects I'm involved in something like this because I asked for thinking time. I'd appreciate if you say nothing to anyone about this but you may tell Nancy."

"Why don't you tell her? Her understanding is you two have hit it off very well."

"We have but right now I don't with to be grilled on this. The even bigger problem is I have to decide whether to bury myself up at the lake for X amount of time and put my career on hold or to commit to a life up at the lake."

"I see."

"It's okay. Orlando is aware of my uncertainty in that respect and has been asked to state the case in writing for me to relocate to the lake. He's offered me the opportunity to live with him and we have discussed the possibility of me heading a summer period sailing school and he thinks there's a possibility I could be taken on to sample and test lake water for six months centered on the winter season. Those two options taken together would interest me."

Walter rubbed his chin and said, "Well it would appear all is not lost. In my opinion you'd be the perfect woman for my brother... a female with backbone and some get-up-and-go, not like the two bimbos he's tried to domesticate up there. In both instances as soon as fall snows arrived and the place virtually closed down they were off. Sorry, I ought not have used the term bimbo. They actually both had lovely personalities."

"So do you accept my resignation?"

"Yes, effective from twenty-eight days from today. Sooner if you require earlier release."

"Thank you Walter."

"What's wrong with Walt?"

"Thank you Walt. Well it's back to the lab for me."

That evening Sinead called Gregory Gatlin in Chicago.

"Hi Sinead," his said, sounding happy. "You said you'd call me in due course. Is this due course?"

"Yes."

"Where are you?"

"I'll be home this weekend. Do you wish to talk about us?"

"I certainly do. As you know both sets of parents wish to see a relationship between us resume."

"Yes."

"I've been dating, sometimes with sex, but never more than two dates to the same women."

"You didn't have to tell me that."

"I know so what about you?"

"I haven't been altogether lonely at times but let's leave it at that."

"What about dinner Saturday."

"Fine and thank you Gregory. I'll be home Friday and will dine out with my parents and will go shopping with mom on Saturday morning. After that I'm free."

"Great. We'll be laying a keel through to early afternoon Saturday. Give me a call around noon. Do you still have my cell phone number?"

"I've just called it haven't I?"

"Oh right. My mind was on your body."

Sinead winced. "Well until Saturday then. I guess you are well."

"Yep, never better. And you?"

"I'm fine. Could we do French on Saturday... the Italian restaurants you like are so noisy and we need to talk."

"I don't like French, it's too rich for me."

"Then what about Thai or Chinese."

"Yuck."

Sinead sighed and said just book a restaurant, any restaurant.

* * *

Sinead arrived at the yard unannounced. Both sets of parents wanted to see her married to Gregory and both yards merged on to the Morgan expanded site. There was still six months to run on the option her father had to acquire the adjoining land for a price already fixed. Talk about pressure. And then Gregory behaving like a goat and carrying on as if he were heir-apparent to the combined business. That's when Sinead walked out on him and warned she might not be back.

Davy Johns spotted her and he displayed all the gaps of missing teeth.

"Miss Sinead, you're home."

"You old goat, I told you a hundred times to just call me Sinead."

"I was the first to see you after your parents on the day you were born. Your mother said with pride when she showed you to me, 'Davy, meet my little princess'. From that day I called you Baby Sinead and that changed to Miss Sinead when you started pre-kindergarten."

Davy had been in the navy with Sinead's paternal grandfather and had been the first person recruited by the late Earl Morgan when he leased the original site of what would become Morgan's Boat Yard. Although eighty-eight Davy still held down his job as technical supervisor.

A woman came out of the office and yelled, "Davy stop chatting up skirt. You're wanted down at Bay 4 to inspect progress on epoxy sheathing."

"You know this piece of skirt."

Amanda Morgan raised her reading glasses and screamed, " Ohmigod, Sinead!"

Mother and daughter had barely got started when Amanda said, "What's brought you home?"

"To dine out with dad and you tonight and then to sort it out once and for all with Gregory tomorrow night."

"S-sort it out?"

"You've turned white mom. Stop it. At present I have an open mind, no fixed position, but I possess doubts."

"Ohmigod, the merger is doomed."

"Mother, I've told you I have no fixed position... yet."

"Ohmigod, I'm off to have coffee with Elaine Gatlin. We need to discuss coaching strategies."

"Off you go mother but first listen to this. Did it ever occur to you two couples you could have a merger whether or no Gregory and I tied the knot."

"No, I mean yes, no I mean why haven't we?"

"You're panicking mother. The next step is hyperventilating. Don't crash your car getting to Elaine. Taking minutes longer won't change a thing. I'm off to find my solid as a rock father."

"I'll call a cab."

"Very sensible thinking mother. Call the cab and then do your hair and make-up. You know how critical that Gatlin woman is."

"That is no way to speak of your imminent mother-in-law."

"That possibility is very much open to debate mother and you know it. Stop trying to put the screws in."

"You're impossible."

"Now mother, you know you get nowhere using that kind of talk with me."

"Sorry darling."

"Thank you. Here I'll come and do your hair and make-up for you. You are far too tense to perform perfection."

Amanda managed a smile. "You are such a darling Sinead."

Steven, Sinead's father greeted her with a hug and big smile. "Davy yelled when passing ten minutes ago you'd dropped anchor here. You are looking in prime condition young woman."

"Thank you daddy. And you look fit enough to do an ocean classic. All the bays appear full. Business booming?"

"These are depressed times darling and..."

"I'm not here to ask for money daddy."

"Oh, well actually we are doing unbelievably well and some of the yards are reducing work hours to stay afloat. That is a lesson for you young woman..."

"RCPP...Reputation, Competitive Pricing, Performance. Er I've missed one."

"The 'Q' for Quality Performance. You'll have your grandfather turning in his grave."

"Oh poor memory and he was your father. He was cremated and..."

"... we took the ashes out to sea and scattered them in a southwesterly gusting up to 30 knots. I remember. What I was saying to you was a figure of speech."

"Or it was the result of poor concentration?"

Steven grinned. "Argumentive and uncompromising, just like your father."

"Oh but my saving grace is I have charm father."

He sighed and shook his head.

"Father dear, might I interest you in a winter project, redecking a 48-foot eight-five year old boat in teak that goes by the romantic name of Lake Princess."

"In teak you say. With proper maintenance and daily care the original decking, had it been in teak, ought to have seen out 100 years."

"Well she's been a work boat all her life."

"Has she now. It takes a dedicated owner or a professional crew to get a full life out of teak. It must never be allowed to dry out so a washing at least once a day and..."

"You sound interested daddy."

"Might be. So I would be paid a pittance?"

"Perhaps a craftsman's rate. Part of the attraction would be away from your own yard, working up high amid snow and under a temporary outdoor cover, probably canvas no doubt."

"Ohmigod, you remember... how your grandfather and I worked on a team redecking a 205 ft three-mast barque with a 26.4 beam in San Francisco when I was a youth?"

"Well I suppose I did hear that story one hundred times. You had just joined granddad as an apprentice, grandma had died not quite a year and he decided to spend winter away from the yard and you threatened to run away unless he took you with him."

"Where is this lake?"

"About a ninety minute flight from here and then a 150 mile drive."

"From that I guess we can't fly closer."

"No."

"Okay give me more info."

"I can't yet. But will set something up. I suggest you fly in on a Friday afternoon and we head to the lake immediately. We can either return to the airport Saturday afternoon or early Sunday."

"Sounds good to me. No harm taking a look at the boat and sizing up your man."

"What man?"

"You mom, almost hysterical, called just before you reached me to say you've found a man who works in boats."

"You are well informed."

"Daddy the truth now. Do I have to marry Gregory to make you happy?"

"Christ girl, do you want your mother to knife me?"

"Cut the crap daddy. This is between you an me."

Steven sniffed and tugged an ear lobe. He warned Sinead she'd be in the biggest trouble of her entire life if she breached confidence.

She eyed him steadily.

"The truth is if you marry that guy and the merger goes ahead you'll probably be responsible for me becoming very unhappy."

Sinead rushed in and hugged him, kissing him all over his face until he pushed her away.

"Don't forget there are options outside of any marriage daddy: stay as is; merge and buy out the other party or sell to the other party and then start the new phase of your life."

"And you?"

"Don't worry about me. I'm focusing on my options and before the weekend is over I'll know which one to choose."

Sinead found dinner with her parents better than expected. Her mom had cleared the air beforehand at home, saying to her daughter she just wished to state her position emphatically. Sinead poured two wines and lay back in her armchair and said, "Okay mom, have your say."

Nothing had changed. Foremost on her mother's business mind was to see the two families united to become a more powerful business entity.

"I know Gregory Gatlin acts somewhat erratically at times and shows signs of being a little too self-centered but he is only a year older than you, is handsome and keeps his body in good trim. Do you agree with that?"

"Yes."

"Well?"

"Mom this will be a one-sided conversation. All I intend doing is to listen and that's what you wanted. I do not intend debating the issues with anyone other that Gregory. It was because of his over-bearing manner I escaped from here and I have now returned to assess whether he appears to have changed."

"Well that's too complex an issue to assess and decide in twenty-four hours."

"Don't under-estimate your daughter. As an analyst I've been trained intensely to use my senses and in techniques to arrive at critical conclusions."

"Then I'm being shut out?"

"Did grandma influence you to allow dad to woo you?"

"Good heavens no. The night before he met me he'd resisted arrest for drunkenness and spent the night in jail but next morning the Judge let him off after a severe dressing down that was reported in our newspaper. My mother didn't want me anywhere near him."

"So your mother took no part in encouraging you to marry daddy?"

"No, absolutely not. In fact quite... oh you sly hussy. I should have seen that coming. You have heard about the courtship of your mother and father many times and how my mother later..."

She stopped.

Sinead smiled and said, "And how grandma at the wedding breakfast stood and publicly admitted she'd been guilty of initially making a grave mistake about daddy's character."

"Well yes but this romance between Gregory and you is completely different."

"What romance? It has been nothing more than a relationship and yes we were living together when I disengaged and headed off, virtually to escape to find myself again."