Ch22: Stolen June 14th-15th

June 14th

After another of Ian’s cooked breakfasts, we go down to the boat hand-in-hand. He kisses me before stepping into the boat.

“I’ll see you on the twenty-eighth of June. Look out for me in the morning.”

There’s tears in my eyes. I don’t want him to go. I don’t want to be alone, and twenty-four hours with Ian has done little to quell the loneliness inside me. “Can’t you stay a little longer?” I reach for him, grab his hand and try to pull him back onto land.

“I need to get back to my businesses.”

“But it’s the weekend. Surely you can stay for today. You could go tomorrow morning instead.” I give him a cheeky grin. “I can make it worth your while.”

Ian looks to the sky, then to the north. “I suppose I could…”

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to Wally.”

He looks quizzically at me. “That’s not a euphemism, is it?”

I laugh. “Of course not. Come on!”

Having Ian about for another day has cheered me up. I half drag him up and over the hill and to the tidal pool. I make him sit next to me, the ground damp from earlier rain.

“Don’t say anything,” I say to Ian then turn away from him. “Wally, where are you?”

A puffin pokes its head from a nearby burrow, catches sight of Ian and ducks back inside.

“That’s odd. I don’t think Wally likes you.” Curious, I didn’t have any problem befriending the birds. I look to the tidal pool. “You have any idea how to cook crabs?”

Ian cocks his head at me. “You are full of odd questions today.”

“There’s a reason. When the tide is out you can get at the really big crabs. They hide in the seaweed. I wanted to catch and cook one, but don’t know how.”

“Sorry, that’s beyond my remit. Haven’t a clue.” The rain has started again and Ian zips his jacket up. “Come on, let’s get back in the dry.”

I trot alongside him as he marches up the hill. For some reason I find it strange that he doesn’t know how to cook a crab. Someone his age should know. My Mum would know. Also, he’s a wealthy man. Didn’t rich people grow up knowing this sort of stuff? Plus he was quite obviously a foodie. Something doesn’t add up.

The day merges with the evening with the light hardly changing. We’re coming up on the longest day of the year, and you really know it this far north. I’m used to the light nights now, but Ian woke me a few times last night, tossing and turning. Ian’s got another couple of steaks and having already experienced them, I can’t stop my mouth watering.

“There’s a sack of potatoes on the boat we need to bring up. Keep them in the larder and they’ll last for weeks. Thought you might like a change from rice and pasta.”

He’s made a cheesy mash to go with the meat and broccoli on the side. He’s even got a pepper sauce. I’m so hungry from the sight and smells that my stomach is hurting.

“What else did you bring me?”

“Lots of tinned fruit and veg, make sure you eat it. You need to have a rounded diet.”

I flop on the sofa, putting my legs over the armrest. “Yes, will do. Need to stay healthy.”

He taps the side of his head. “Healthy body, healthy mind.”

“Okay, I’ve got it. Eat tinned fruit and veg.”

“But only after you’ve eaten the fresh things.”

I do a mock salute. “Yes sir, anything else sir?”

He laughs. “I’ll let you know.”

The food is done and the steak is once again the most divine meat I’ve had the pleasure of consuming. We follow it up with more carrot cake. Ian’s going tomorrow, I know there’s no more delaying him. I figure the least I can do is make the best of his time here. I put the dirty dishes to the side, grab his hand and pull him into the bedroom.

June 15th

There’s a storm coming, I can’t see it in the sky yet, but the waves tell a different story. The surf is wild and the boat is bobbing around next to the pier. Ian decides to go early, to get ahead of the worst weather. I could delay him until he has to stay another night, but something about his demeanour makes me back down.

We share a brief kiss and then he’s on the boat, asking for the ropes to be untied and chucked in the boat.

“I’ll miss you.”

Ian smiles at me. “See you in a couple of weeks. I’ll bring news from your parents.”

I nod, and blink hard to try and stall the tears that want to fall.

He backs the boat up a bit, then turns her towards the north. The engines roar and he’s off, the boat bouncing over rough waves. White foam tops the waves, and I think this would be perfect to paint. The boat grows smaller too quickly and I feel a tug inside me. I want to stay with Ian, I don’t want to be here, despite what everyone else seems to think. But I have no choice. He’s gone now.

Rain is beginning to fall and purple clouds are beginning to edge the horizon. As the clouds darken the sky the greenery of the island takes on an almost bluey-green colour. Animals are smart and the rabbits are tucked up in their burrows. Even the sea birds are staying put for the most part. They know the best things to do when nature decides to come in force. I take their lead and head back to the cottage and wait for the bad weather.

All alone again, I make tea and cut a slice of cake. The storm finally arrives, and I wrap up in a blanket and huddle on the sofa, watching the rain batter the windows. The sea is a scene of frothy pounding violence.

Ian’s taken the radio with him, when he tried to turn it on this morning it wouldn’t work. The sound of rain battering the cottage isn’t enough to fill the void of being alone. I get my iPod and put on Eden House and watch the storm.