On Tuesday morning with Ivan and Dylan scheduled to do the trash pickup at the packed Cove Campgrounds, Clay drove to the Conservancy house for Dylan. He dropped them both off behind the shop next to the trash buggy.
Going back to the Conservancy house, Clay ate breakfast with his mother and father. Lucy was still in bed. She'd gotten little sleep the week before because she hosted the woman's rights forum.
Clay returned to the cove to get ready for the dive with Dylan. It had been put off for a day while Harry got the briefing he asked for on Monday.
Once they returned from their dive, they'd meet Lucy for lunch at JK's. Dylan would return to the shop to spend the rest of the day with Ivan, and Clay would finally go to his Conservancy lab to begin cleaning up the mess that had been left for him.
After breakfast, Clay drove to the shop. He went inside to make a pot of coffee. He never got enough coffee.
He could hear the trash buggy working its way toward him. Ivan was letting Dylan drive these days and he ran the trash. It took another fifteen minutes for Ivan to be coming in the front door of the shop. Dylan drove the trash buggy around back to park it, once he'd driven it to Jk's, the Fish Warehouse, and anywhere else he could think of before if finally ended up behind the shop.
Tag had the day off and he wasn't scheduled to do the trash all week. It was his reward for doing double duty after Clay and Dylan came home.
“Hey, babe, you look swell this morning,” Ivan said.
“You don't look bad yourself, stud.”
Ivan closed the distance between them, putting his arms around Clay and planting a big kiss on his lips.
“Careful, big boy. I have a full day ahead of me. Wouldn't do to use up all my energy saying hello to you.”
Ivan kissed him again. The hug would need to do until tonight.
Clay got Ivan coffee and put it down in front of him at his desk.
“Forgot how nice it is to have you around,” he said.
Ivan took the cup, drinking a good bit before putting it down.
“I'm meeting Lucy at JK's for lunch. Why don't you join us?”
“Can't babe. Gave Tag the day off. Need to watch the shop.”
Dylan came in the front door after Clay sat on the other side of the desk from Ivan.
“Hey, we ready to go diving, Dad?”
“We've got to fill the tanks and get them on the Sea Lab and we'll be ready to go,” Clay said.
“They're filled and at the back door,” Ivan said.
“Thank you,” Clay said, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Ivan.
“Don't thank me. Tag filled them yesterday. I told him you'd be taking Dylan diving today.”
“Tag going to be here today?” Dylan asked.
“No, just me and you kid. Once you're back from your dive.”
“Kewl,” Dylan said. “I'll take the tanks to Sea Lab.”
“You bring the camera?” Clay asked.
“I left it in the backseat last night. I was tired after pizza and I forgot it,” Dylan confessed.
“You must have been tired. You only ate a pizza and a half last night. I thought you were off your feed,” Clay said.
“I needed to leave room for dessert. Mama fixed peach cobbler last night,” Dylan said. “It's nice to eat food I recognize.”
Dylan opened the back door and left with the air tanks.
“Harry going to do anything with what you brought him from behind Bill's reef?” Ivan asked.
“Hard to say. He didn't act like he was that interested,” Clay said. “You never know what's on Harry's mind. He keeps his cards close to his vest,” Clay said. “Time for me to go to work.”
Clay stood and Ivan met him halfway. They hugged.
Clay stepped back to look at Ivan.
“I really, really, like being home,” he said before kissing Ivan.
“Me too,” Ivan said. “Like you being home but that problem with my dick. It hasn't gone away.”
“We'll have to work on that,” Clay said, kissing Ivan again. “Do you know that shirt is soaked, my love?”
“I ran the trash,” Ivan said. “It's my exercise.”
“If you get any thinner, you'll disappear and I wouldn't like that.”
“I've got to keep my figure so all those young hot marine biologists you hang out with don't turn your head,” Ivan said.
“No one has ever turned my head but you,” Clay said.
“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” Ivan asked.
“You might have mentioned it once,” Clay said and the kiss lingered as they were warmed by the physical contact.
They had to let go of each other, but it wasn't easy.
Clay had never been happier and Ivan's life wasn't really complete without Clay being near. He'd known going the summer without Clay would be difficult. He had no idea how difficult. They were back together again and they were both made happy by it. “Morning, Boss,” Tag said, coming in the front door.
“I thought I told you to take the day off,” Ivan said.
“Mama's car isn't running right. Earl's looking at it. I took her to work. Thought I'd stop to see if Dylan was still here.”
“Sea Lab,” Ivan said. “Just took the air tanks down.”
“You're going diving. I should have figured that. I bet it's nice being home, Clay.”
“Very nice,” Clay said.
Tag went back out the front door and turned toward the pier.
The sun stood like a bright yellow ball in a brilliant blue morning sky by the time Clay left the shop.
One line held Sea Lab in her slip, once Dylan released the others. Tag stood behind the boat as Clay went to the bridge and started the two Detroit engines that powered Sea Lab.
Clay listened to her gulping air as the engines warmed. Tag took the last line as the sound of engines being engaged cut through the air. Dylan stood fast as Sea Lab began to move. Tag waved and Dylan waved back as Clay aimed the craft toward the cove's opening on to the Gulf.
In another minute Dylan stood beside his father as the Detroit's rumbled. They were being restrained until Sea Lab reached open water, and then, for the first time in a long time, they were set free as Clay pushed the throttles three quarters of the way open. With the sun warming their backs, Sea Lab's nose raised and her stern dug into the water. Clay pointed Sea Lab directly west.
Clay and Dylan were happy to get back to the routine.
It was warm but not hot. The humidity wouldn't set in until the afternoon, when the heat would smother those not lucky enough to be on the water or in it.
It was like visiting an old friend. Clay liked feeling the sea under him. The Sea Lab was no Horizon, but she got Clay close to the water. That's where Clay needed to be, close to the water. He needed to be close to the water as he were heading west to dive on a reef with his son. It was a reef he'd been keeping his eye on for some time.
Nothing was said as the Gulf waters captivated father and son. They were content to see the sea passing beneath them. Breathing the fresh sea air exhilarated them both. It was nice to be on the Gulf.
“You can go down and get some sun, Dylan,” Clay said after a few minutes had passed. It'll be another hour before we reach the dive site.”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Dylan said in Sidney Peacock's brogue.
Clay laughed.
They'd brought good memories back from the Pacific Ocean. It was almost like the time away happened to someone else.
The Sea Lab purred like a kitten as the breeze ruffled Clay's hair. This was his domain and it felt good to be back. This was where he belonged. It was as familiar as family and home.
As he looked out for miles toward the horizon, the sea ahead was empty. They were the only ones out on a beautiful Florida morning. Clay suddenly realized Dylan was yelling at him.
He was standing on the deck, waving his arms, and yelling.
“Dad! Dad! Stop. Stop the engines.”
Clay cut back on the throttles so he could hear.
“Dad! Dad! Stop. Stop. Somethings in the water. I want to get my camera. I want to film it. Paper or something it's all around us.”
Clay did as instructed. He looked around and saw something white in the water. He cut the engines and let Sea Lab drift as he headed down to the deck.
When Dylan dashed back on deck with his 16mm and he was bent on shooting what was in the water, until he saw his father. He was standing in the middle of the deck weeping. “What's wrong, Dad?” Dylan asked, losing interest in filming.
“Fish. Dead fish everywhere,” Clay said with a sob in his words.
Dylan turned to starboard to look. He moved to the stern to look. He raised his head to look out around the boat. They were surrounded by a sea of dead fish.
“What? How?” Dylan stammered.
It was the white bellies of thousands of dead swollen fish for as either of them could see.
Dylan's camera dangled at his side. He couldn't move. The sight had him paralyzed.
Dylan couldn't breathe.
“Who did this?” Dylan screamed at his father.
“I don't know but you need to go ahead and film it,” Clay ordered in a stern voice.
“No! I won't. It's awful. I won't film it.”
“You want to document what I do. You need to document this. It's part of why we are out here, Dylan. Sometimes it's not a nice job but I need it recorded. If you won't film it, give me the camera.”
The tears passed and he spoke with determination in his voice.
Dylan knew his father was right. It didn't make him feel any better. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he put the viewfinder up to his eye and began filming off the starboard side before moving to film from the stern. He filmed off port too.
Clay went to his lab and came back to take water samples. Going to the equipment locker he brought back a net to dip a dozen dead fish out of the water. It all went to the freezer in the lab.
Dylan took off his sandals and moved along the side to get to the bow. He stood filming as he heard his father start Sea Lab's engines.
Dylan kept filming as Clay turned Sea Lab around.
There would be no dive today.
Clay had his work cut out for him.
THE END
Coming soon: Gulf 5, The Gulf & The Spy