Five minutes later his father was on the ladder and he stepped onto the deck. Dylan had the towel he used to dry the camera. He'd usually take his father's flippers and specimen pouch. Instead, he turned his back and ignored Clay to dry his camera.
Clay knew the cold shoulder when he received one. It wasn't how Dylan usually behaved but he had called the dive early and as far as his son knew, there wouldn't be another dive for some time. Dylan was growing up and becoming more independent.
“I had plenty of air and I wanted to use up the film in my camera,” Dylan explained as he dried his camera and then vigorously dried it all over again.
He kept his back toward his father and his anger filled his words.
“You think I call off a dive because I want to exercise my arm? You know better than that. I had a reason for ending the dive when I did,” Clay said, not intending to explain until Dylan turned around to talk to him like civilized people did it.
“I was there. I saw no reason not to finish the dive. I was getting some good footage,” Dylan said, still not able to look at his father.
“I saw the need for us to surface. I am responsible for our safety. I ended the dive to be safe,” Clay said.
Dylan turned around to face his father.
“What made you decide we needed to surface, Dad?”
“I'm glad you asked me that question. I'll tell you why we surfaced. To my left as I faced the reef, above the far side of the reef, two hammerhead sharks were moving around near the surface. It's unusual to see more than one hammerhead at any given time. They're solitary creatures and seeing two seemed unusual. I decided not to take any chances. Considering where the Sea Lab is anchored, it was safer to return to the boat. We'll give the hammerheads all the room they want. You wouldn't want some testy Hammerhead to eat that 16mm camera of yours, would you?”
Dylan was able to smile. It released a lot of his anger but he had something to say about hammerhead sharks.
“I've only seen pictures of Hammerheads, Dad,” Dylan said. “Let me get a look next time before we split. I'd love to get a close up of one of those suckers.”
Clay laughed and he immediately felt better. .
“Sure thing, Kiddo. Our chances of being attacked by a shark while diving are far less than our chances of being attacked walking in Fort Myers,” Clay said. “I've never had a shark take more than a passing interest in me. Closer to shore is where sharks are most dangerous. The splashing and sounds made by people playing in the surf can get a shark's attention.”
“Why is that, Dad? I saw Jaws. That shark didn't mind eating people anywhere he found one,” Dylan said.
“Movies are meant to entertain. It would be rare for a shark to claim an area as populated as Amity Island. The splashing, swimmers playing in the surf, sounds the same as a fish in trouble. Food for them is often a fish struggling in the water. Making a splashing sound can sound like the dinner bell to a hungry shark. They don't see well but vibrations get their attention fast.”
“Makes sense,” Dylan said. “They indicated that in the movie.”
“When we encounter a shark while diving, son, the best thing to do is stay still. We surfaced this time because hammerheads are unpredictable. I've seen two together once before. With them fairly far away, I decided to get out of their way.”
Dylan stood in front of his father looking into his eyes. Before Clay knew it, Dylan wrapped his arms around him, hugging him for all he was worth.
“I'm going to miss you so much,” Dylan said, feeling like he might cry. “Do you have to go, Daddy? I don't want you to go.”
The mature man-child he'd raised gave way to the little boy still living inside his son.
“Yes, I've got to go, Dylan. It's a chance of a lifetime for me. Diving in the Pacific Ocean is as exciting as anything I've done. Why don't you come along with me?” Clay asked.
Dylan stood back from his father to see his face. He wanted to be sure he was serious.
“Me? Go along? Are you serious?” he asked.
“I was going to wait to tell you until we were on our way back to the cove. Bill called and invited you to go along. That was the phone call I took while we were in Ivan's shop last week. I needed to think about it before I told you. Earlier that morning I told Ivan, I wasn't going because I couldn't leave you for that long.”
Dylan rarely beamed but he was beaming now.
“You didn't know how he knew you'd be at Daddy-O's shop. You think Daddy-O had something to do with it.”
“It's the kind of thing Ivan would do,” Clay said.
“He's been looking forward to spending the summer with me. That's what he told me,” Dylan said.
“He told me the same thing. He was looking forward to spending the summer with you without me being around,” Clay said. You're father is quite a guy. He has put our welfare over his. He'll need to do without both of us for the next two months.”
“I wasn't looking forward to you going away, you know?”
“It's one of the reasons I decided not to leave. Your father knew how I was looking forward to seeing the Pacific Ocean. When I said I wasn't going, he reasoned out that if you went along, the problem would be solved. I went straight to, I can't go. Ivan knew how to solve the problem and make me and you happier by going together.”
“you aren't mad at him for getting involved?” Dylan asked, understanding how things worked between them.
“I can't be mad at your father. I'm hopelessly in love with him.”
Dylan listened without expressing an opinion. He didn't know he had one but instead of Clay leaving him, he was leaving Daddy-O and he hadn't been away from Ivan since he came home four years before. Leaving Ivan would almost be as hard as Clay leaving him. “Couldn't Daddy-O go with us, Dad? We could all go together.”
“I'd invite him but he can't go. It will be the first summer he expects the campgrounds to be full all the time. Taggart is capable of running things for short periods but he's not ready to take all the responsibility onto himself and Ivan doesn't expect him to.”
“He didn't do well over the winter. The weather kept people away. He needs to be here to do what he does. Don't forget, a lot of people return to the cove because Ivan treats them like their happiness is important to him.”
“I think he likes seeing people happy,” Dylan said.
What Clay was saying was true. There was no choice to make. Dylan wanted to see the Pacific Ocean every bit as much as Clay did. He didn't like leaving Ivan behind but in this case it was necessary.
“How does Bill really feel about me going along? I mean, it's like he's forced to take me or he loses you,”
“Bill has been interested in your photography for some time. Harry shows him pictures you take. I make him copies of what I like. That underwater motion picture camera was used on the Horizon. That's the ship we'll be going on. He has a professional filmmaker going along to create a documentary on this years research. He said the guy teaches photography when he isn't taking pictures. He thinks he'd be willing to teach you,” Clay said. “He seems to see you going as similar to us going. We're all there to learn something.”
“He's going to want to waste his time on a kid?” Dylan asked.
“Teachers tend to like to teach. Like Aunt Lucy,” Clay said. “I don't know the guy and I won't know how I feel about him teaching you until we're on our way but being exposed to a professional filmmaker isn't going to hurt, even if you only watch him work.”
“No. I could learn how not to make the mistakes I keep making. This trip is sounding better all the time,” Dylan said.
“He was at Harry's when he showed my movie. Daddy-O gets the film I'm using from him. Why does that guy care about what I'm doing?” Dylan asked. “I don't get it. Dad.”
“Bill's altruistic. He looks for the good in everything he encounters. He admires what you are trying to do. What we're doing is trying to make our environment cleaner, healthier. Bill's been doing his own photography using the camera he sold Ivan. That camera,” Clay said, indicating the camera in the canvas deck chair. “You'll need to figure out a way to carry that camera with you to the Pacific.”
“You're serious? You're going to let me take my camera?”
“I see no way around it. We'll talk about when you can use it. We're going to be diving in the Pacific Ocean. I'll need to see what conditions are before you go diving with that camera,” Clay said. “I don't want any arguments.”
Dylan looked at his father without speaking. If he said anything and it wasn't what Clay wanted to hear, it might not be the best idea.
He'd keep his mouth shut. He'd figure a way to get into the Pacific with his 16mm camera. He'd need to get to the Pacific to do that.
“Kewl,” Dylan said, the possibilities exploding in his brain.
“I'll let you tell Ivan that you're going with me. You'll need to talk it over. I'm sure he set this up with, Bill but he needs to know that you are going with me and you won't be staying at the cove.”
“He gets morose any time the subject of you going away comes up. He doesn't want to be separated from you, Dad. Wait until I tell him I'm going too. He'll be suicidal. He works too hard already, and he'll work more while we're gone. He depends on us but he knows you'll be going along. He gave no thought to you not wanting to go.”
“What comes around goes around. This time we're leaving Daddy-O. Maybe he'll see how it feels to be left behind,” Clay said with some old pain coming back on him. “That's really not fair. He's done good since he came home.”
“Dad, he's been back four years. Give him a break already,” Dylan said. “He isn't going to leave the cove for love or money.”
“He better not,” Clay said. “Yeah, he's done good.”
Dylan laughed. He knew the feeling.
“A filmmaker,” Dylan tried out loud without knowing how that might help influence his ability to film his father at work.
“Yes, and I'm not sure how I feel about that, Dylan. I don't know the Pacific and we'll need to talk about you using that camera there.”
“I'm going to photograph your work, Dad. I know you'd rather have me on dry land but I want to be with you. I want to photograph what you are doing and you'll be able to use my films when you talk to people about saving the Gulf of Mexico,” Dylan said without any doubt in his voice. “I know, I've only just started. I have a lot to learn and I plan to learn it. One day you'll use my films to show your audiences what you do. I've made up my mind.”
“That's a fine plan, Dylan, but you're young. You might find other things along the way that you want to explore. Don't cut yourself off from other possibilities is all I'm asking you,” Clay said.
“I like photographing you while you're involved in doing some important work. I want to be a filmmaker,” Dylan said. “I want to film you working. I've know that since I was a kid.”
Clay hugged Dylan like there was no tomorrow. He wasn't going to tell him he was still a kid. He didn't mind his son was interested in what he did. He wasn't sure that photography would end up being Dylan's career. As time went on and he was exposed to other influences, he could change his mind about photography. Clay wanted Dylan to be open to such a thing.
Dylan began putting the equipment away and Clay went back up to the bridge. He started the engines to let them warm up before raising the anchor. The sun was rising high in the eastern sky as Clay turned the Sea Lab in the direction of home.
It was after a dive that they could totally relax. Dylan sunned himself on the deck below and Clay kept a careful watch on the horizon, until he was seeing the first sign of the Florida coast.
He'd throttle back to half speed to let the engines adapt to the slower pace before he cut back to five knots an hour as they entered the cove. When Dylan heard the engines slowing, he put on his shirt and went to sand beside his father on the bridge.
Dylan liked standing next to his father on the bridge as they left the Gulf and entered the cove. It reminded him of how lucky he was to live where he lived and had the life that he had.
He liked seeing the Cove Enterprises Daddy-O created from what was a rather junky looking cove before. He liked passing the boats of the fishing fleet when they were anchored in the cove. He liked passing the Fish Warehouse as they moved toward Sea Lab's slip. It reminded him of the only commercial enterprise in the cove before Ivan began building his cove empire.
Dylan wouldn't consider living anywhere else. He'd lived here for his entire life and he never planned to leave, How could he leave the most beautiful place on earth or the people he loved.
When Clay backed Sea Lab into her slip, the promised thunderheads were building to the west.
The afternoon thunderstorms would come early today. There was a stillness on the pier and in the cove.
*****
On the day before Clay and Dylan will depart for San Francisco everything has been done except for Clay to finish his packing. They'll need to leave fairly early tomorrow to go across the state to catch the flight from Miami to San Francisco, where the Horizon is docked.
Ivan couldn't help but feel his loss. He stayed as close to Clay as he could when he wasn't working. He wants to gather all the positive energy he can to send his men off with only good vibes to see them through until they came back home to him.
What Ivan felt was similar to how he felt for the years he was away from the man he loved. He didn't know he had a son until he came face to face with him on the day he walked back into Clay's life.
Having a son was more a salvation than a hardship. He doubted Clay would have taken him back if it wasn't for Dylan. As glad as he was to see Clay for the first time in years, he was fairly certain he was going to be told to move along. If someone did to him what he did to Clay, he'd tell them, keep on moving. Nothing here for you any more.'
The first time he saw his son, Ivan was more surprised than Dylan. In his enthusiasm over finally meeting his biological father, he dubbed Ivan Daddy-O. Ivan knew it was an insult. Dylan was showing his contempt for the man who fathered him. He'd one fine without him and if he kept on moving, Dylan wasn't going to miss him but from the instant Ivan first saw his son, he desperately wanted to be in his life and find a way to make his absence up to him.
A son was seeing his father in the clear light of day and his father seeing a son that didn't merely look like him. It was a reason for Ivan to regret what he'd done. He'd robbed himself and Clay, but mostly he'd robbed Dylan.
He did his best to make it up to both of them. As they preparing to leave him, he was happy for them. It wasn't about him. It was about them following their destiny.
Over the years, the name Daddy-O was a reminder that Ivan skated on thin ice with both of them. Ivan knew by keeping his word and staying put, they'd have no reason to dump him. He probably deserved dumping but he desperately wanted to be in their lives.
Now they were leaving him and he had nothing to say about it. He'd smile and feel lucky that at the end of the summer they'd come home. He had plenty to keep him busy and as he watched Clay pack and repack a suitcase that was lying on their bed, he smiled and did his best to be cheerful. He wouldn't complain.
“Why are you packing dressy pants and your best shirts. You're going to be in the middle of the Pacific Ocean,” Ivan teased.
“We're meeting The Horizon in San Francisco. We'll have one full day to go sightseeing before we meet Bill. I want to show Dylan the city. We'll want to eat at a nice restaurant. I don't want to look like a deck hand,” Clay replied.
“You could spend that extra day here with me. I'd show you sights you won't see in San Francisco,” Ivan said in a low sexy voice.
“I haven't left yet, Big Boy,” Clay did his best May West impersonation. “Show me what you got. I have all day to pack.”
“That's the best offer I've had since last night,” Ivan said.
“It's going to need to last you for two months. Unless we can squeeze in a little squeeze this afternoon. It could be arranged.”
“Don't tempt me, Cutie Pie. I've got nothing on the agenda, except picking up the trash at the campsites in the morning. By the way, Dylan wants me to take him with me. It's the last time we'll have together until you guys come home.”
“He mentioned it to me. He doesn't want to leave you behind. It isn't easy for him to go away from here. The only times he's left this stretch of beach is to go with me on speaking engagements. You've been a staple in his life for four years. He's happy with how things are. That doesn't mean he doesn't want to see the Pacific Ocean. He's been floating on air since I told him he was going with me.”
“We'll make the most of the time we have. Since you're staying here tonight, we'll keep him with us until bedtime. Maybe we'll go out for dinner. He loves pizza and what else is there to do?”
“You'll have to arm wrestle Mama if you think you're going to get either of us away from her dining table tonight. There are other people we need to consider,” Clay said. “I'll be with you all day.”
“Mama! How could I have not seen that coming. Lucy's home from the legislature. The family will be there for out last meal.”
“The more the merrier, Big Guy. You'll eat with us and you won't be eating pizza. Mama got a pork roast from Piggly Wiggly over the weekend. She's already made the dressing. She's baking a peach and an apple pie for dessert. Lucy was churning ice cream when I left there. We won't get a meal like that until we're back from this trip. I can't even imagine what the food on the ship will be like.”
“You've talked me into it,” Ivan said. “Is Dylan packed?”
“Dylan was packed the afternoon I told him he was going along.”
“He is looking forward to it. We both had long faces when we talked about how long you'd be gone. Now only I have a long face. He'll have trouble saying goodbye. Once you get airborne he'll forget about home,” Ivan said. “This is a big adventure for him.”
“I hope your right. I know he's excited about meeting this Logan guy. He has that 16mm camera wrapped up in clothes and in that backpack he wanted to take along.”
“His prized possession, Clay. That 16mm camera means everything to him.”
“Anything but that gigantic Teddy bear you gave him. If he could find a way to take that thing along, he'd leave the 16mm at home.”
Ivan laughed.
“You didn't want to take your Teddy bear?” Ivan asked.
“I'm not as easy as Dylan, my love. It took a hell of a lot more than a Teddy bear for you to win a place back in my heart.”
“Clay, your lips say no, no but your heart says, Heck yeah. I watched you when I gave you the bear. There was a tiny crack in your suit of armor. That bear wiggled the needle. Go ahead and deny it.”
“Maybe but you had a long way to go. If it wasn't for Dylan you wouldn't be here now. Maybe I wouldn't be here now,” Clay said, noticing he was in Ivan's house and in their bedroom.”
“All's well that ends well. You don't know how often I thought about you when I was gone,” Ivan said.
“No and I don't want to hear about it. I'm going this time and I'll be gone for nearly two months. Once the voyage is over, I'll be on my way home,” Clay said. “And you'll meet us in Miami.”
Ivan didn't say anything but he moved behind Clay to put his arms around him. He kissed the back of his neck.
“I hope you are amazed and blown away by what's out there, Clay. I know that you and Bill won't run out of things to talk about. The teacher and his prize pupil. You've done well, My Love. I doubt Bill saw you as becoming as important ass you are in his field.”
“He's responsible for it. I think he had some idea of what I was going to end up doing. He didn't have that research ship until five years ago. We hardly see each other any more. He's teaching at the university or he's out on the Horizon investigating the deep blue sea. Anyway, I want Dylan to see San Francisco. He might never get another chance to go there.”
“Does he have anything dressy he's taking along?”
“His school clothes are good enough. We'll go to dinner, ride the cable cars, and see Fisherman's Wharf. Catch a bite there.”
“You know fine dining to Dylan is KFC or Pizza Hut,” Ivan said.
“I'll keep that in mind if nothing else is available,” Clay said. “How long were you there when you brought Boris back?”
“Several weeks, I think. I did not enjoy San Francisco. I wasn't sure Boris wouldn't be arrested for desertion. He disappeared off a battlefield over ten years before and here he is trying to get back into the country. Needless to say, they didn't welcome us with open arms. I had idea because the people I worked for saw to it. They had me taken to Boris. They didn't furnish him or his family with papers. I hope you have a better time than I had there. After a few weeks, they let us go on our merry way.”
“Didn't Harry get involved,” Clay said. “He got you cleared to enter the country. That's pretty involved if you ask me.”
“Yes. Lucky for me he did. Otherwise, we might still be in San Francisco. I was happy to leave there,” Ivan said.
“Harry always liked you, Ivan. He admires what your grandfather did when he escaped communist Lithuania. He brought his fishing boat and helped make the Fish Warehouse what it is. He built this house and he was the cove's first real immigrant success story.”
“Pop Pop was a hell of a man. I learned a lot by spending my summers here with him. No one else in my family wanted to live here,” Ivan said. “Look at us now.”
“We're a pair all right,” Clay said, as he rearranged the clothes in the suitcase. “I can't get the suitcase closed.”
“You'll have a whole ocean to wash your clothes in. You don't need all that stuff, Clay,” Ivan said.
“I do to. I know what each piece is for. You leave me a lone. I'll make it fit,” Clay said.
“I have no doubt you will, Babe, but you've only got until tomorrow to do it.”
“Shut up,” Clay said.
Ivan continued hugging Clay from behind, moving with him as he packed this and unpacked that.
“It's going to fit,” Clay said. “I'm going to make it fit.”
“I can think of better ways to spend our day,” Ivan said.
“I've got to get packed and you aren't helping.”
“I'm doing what I can,” Ivan said, looking over Clay's shoulder at a stuffed suitcase with plenty of stuff left over.
“I don't know. Maybe I ought to just stay home. I don't know why Bill picked this year for me to go along. Why ask Dylan to go?”
“Whatever he's found out there, he wants your opinion, Babe. Since he got that boat, you two have hardly seen each other, except at doings at Harry's, and then you can't talk shop because of the chaos that creates. Harry's always in politician mode and Bill simply sits to one side to watch his old friend operate.”
“Still doesn't explain why now,” Clay said, looking at his suitcase. “He's being going out there for five years. He never asked me to go before. Can't back out now. My kid would hate me. Maybe I'll send Dylan and I'll stay here with you.”
“Which brings us back to what they got out of the deal. You give talks all over the Southern states. Hardly a few months pass before Harry asks you to appear in front of his environmental committee, They made an investment in you, Babe. You paid them back big time,” Ivan said. “You're the gift that keeps on giving and you ain't half bad looking either?”
“Shut up,” Clay said, “You're distracting me. I can't make it fit.”
“It always fit before,” Ivan said kissing the back of Clay's neck. “You've got two pairs of shoes in the bottom. You need one pair and the shoes you have on. Why two pairs?” Ivan asked.
Clay looked at his feet. He had on a fairly respectable looking pair of shoes. He didn't need two other pair. He began pulling stuff out of the suitcase until he uncovered the shoes. He tossed one pair on the floor.
“OK. The extra underwear and socks. Put those in the side pockets. They don't need to be neatly folded up with the shirts and pants. No one is going to see you underwear. They better not be looking at my man's underwear. No one cares about your socks being wrinkled. Put them in the other side pocket. That'll make some room.”
Clay moved the socks into the side pockets and rolled his underwear to fit on top.
Clay began stacking his clothes back in the suitcase. Ivan held Clay's arms so he had to stop. Ivan reached around Clay and put the pants on one side of the suitcase and the shirts on the other side. He stacked the sweaters on top of the slacks and shirts.
“There,” Ivan said. “You've got plenty of room.”
“Deodorant, shampoo and bathroom products?” Clay asked.
“We'll put the less likely to leak items between the socks and your underwear. We'll stand up the shampoo and mouthwash at the end of the side pockets. There,” Ivan said, working around Clay.
“How'd you do that? When have you ever packed a suitcase?”
“Babe, it's the product of a mathematically precise mind. There's nothing to it,” Ivan bragged.
“Get out of here,” Clay said.
“Examine the results, My Love. Your helter skelter stick it anywhere method or my mathematically precise method. You be the judge. Doing it my way has created room for the shirts you took out. I wouldn't bet on that third pair of shoes going in there though. I've been wearing this pair of shoes since I came home. I think you can manage for six weeks with two pairs of shoes,” Ivan said in his most thoughtful voice. “But I know such hardships vex you.”
“Vex me?”
“I know you are wed to your creature comfort, Babe. Take the shirts, leave the third pair of shoes.”
“And where do I put the cannoli?” Clay asked. “I saw that movie.”
Clay looked at the almost full suitcase. He put back in the shirts he'd taken out in order to make more room. The fit with ease on top of the sweater and he closed the lid of the suitcase without resistance.
There was plenty of room for the third pair of shoes but he didn't need three pairs. He'd wear his walking shoes and his dress shoes were already in the suitcase. He could manage with two pair.
The suitcase closed but he didn't latch it. With extra room he might think of something else he needed to take.
“Fits like a fine leather glove,” Ivan said. “Like you fit in my arms. You're lucky you're busy or I might take advantage of you.”
Rotating in Ivan's arms, he reached his arms upward and around Ivan's neck. He kissed him square on the lips while melting into him.
“I'm going to miss you, Big Boy,” Clay said.
“You'll be so busy you won't have time to think about me,” Ivan said.
Clay held tight and didn't say anything. This was going to be harder than he thought. He'd been looking forward to the trip until a few days before and now he felt like he needed to cling to Ivan.