“Morning, Doc, you look pretty damn good yourself,” I said, meaning it, and she blushed. She was a very pretty girl, so it was a pity she never tried to show herself off to her best!
“Hey, Ed, what do you reckon?” Mickey asked, as I poured myself a coffee and grabbed some toast.
“Hell, Mickey, it is too early to say. Let’s see how the boat trip grabs them,” I said.
“Gillian here tells me that she has done some sailing,” Mickey said.
“Is that a fact?” I asked.
“My Uncle used to race his thirty foot yacht, so I used to love to crew for him,” she said. Somehow, I could see her doing stuff like that.
“My boat ain’t got no sails,” Mickey said.
“I am used to any boat, I used to go over to Shetland on the old steamer,” Gillian replied.
“I’m going for a run, so I’ll see you in about half an hour,” I said.
“Would you mind if I joined you?” she asked.
“Be my guest, I’m not used to running with anyone, so I hope you can keep up,” I said.
“I’ll try, but don’t slow your pace for me,” she said.
I always went for a run, just a couple of miles or so before the heat of the day. It gave me space to think, so I was a bit thrown by her request.
I set off along the shoreline, setting quite a fast pace, my knee gave me some pain, but I ignored it. She surprised me by keeping exactly to my pace and timing. She made no conversation, just running quietly next to me. Her breathing matched mine. She ran nicely, her long legs were smooth, and her action perfect.
I ran to the point, where the view was best. I usually did some push-ups and stretching exercises here. To my surprise, she matched me, push-up for push-up, but quit when I reached a hundred. I kept going for another fifty, and she smiled.
“I’m sorry, I am not as strong as you,” she said, pulling a plastic bottle out of one of her pouches, taking a sip of water and pouring some over her head. She passed it to me, so I did the same.
“Hell, girl, you’re fitter than most Marines I know,” I said, and she blushed again, putting her water bottle away.
We jogged back and I realised that, once again, I liked having her with me. She said nothing, yet we both seemed to get something from the company of the other.
We arrived back at the Flying Fish, to find most of the party were now up. I was amused to see them all tucking into a big fried breakfast. I smiled, noticing Gillian helping herself to some fruit.
I went and sat on the deck, where she joined me.
“I bet they all up-chuck before the day is out,” she said, with a wicked grin.
I loved her accent. Some of the words she used were just great, and ‘up-chuck’ made me laugh. I immediately thought of all my English friends I had made in my first other life. I tried not to think about it too much, too much pain! Maybe I should have blocked them all.
No. They were still all I had left of those times.
“Hell, I thought that last night. Which one will ‘up-chuck’ first?” I asked her.
“Craig, he is the most likely, and a complete tosser,” she said.
I laughed again, as I had come to the same conclusion.
We sat and chatted a while. She told me of her upbringing on a farm in Scotland. I heard about her brothers and the life she led. She shared her dislike of having to conform to what her mother wanted her to be, and how she had yearned to be a boy like her brothers.
I just nodded. My mind immediately went back to my own youth, and the hidden desire I kept so secret. The fact that I had taken the opportunity to enjoy a complete lifetime as Jane, and then as Layla did not remove my inner yearning.
I now knew why she and I seemed to hit it off so well, we were kindred spirits. I could not bring myself to share my secrets with her, but I knew that in the course of the next few weeks I would endeavour to.
Mickey yelled for everyone, so we made our way to the boat. I had already loaded my gear and some of the essential equipment on board, so I was able to assist with their kit. Luckily, they didn’t have much, as they would be spreading the load of the tents, food and other essentials, once they got to the other end.
Soon we were heading out to the open sea, and after we had been going for half an hour Craig ran to the side and evacuated his breakfast.
I grinned at Gillian and we shook hands. I then noticed Russell watching us, and he was frowning. I went up to the bow, took off my shirt, and lay down to catch me some rays.
Chapter Two
Gillian.
I sat up talking with Ed for hours, very unlike me. But he was so easy to talk to, and he really had crammed a lot into his life. We just sat and chatted, drinking a few beers. I felt very relaxed and safe with him, and for the life of me, I can’t say why. It felt like he was my brother, or at least, something like a brother. He certainly didn’t feel a threat.
I slept well, but awoke early, and went down to bar. I deliberately selected to wear my old combats and boots, just to identify with him, I think. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I actually wondered if I ought to put on some make up. Silly thought, as I had none with me.
Mickey, the boat’s captain was the only person in the bar, so I joined him for a coffee. Then Ed arrived, looking very smart in his jungle fatigues and a khaki tee shirt. I bet even his socks had knife-edge creases in them.
He grabbed a quick orange juice, and then announced he was off for a run, so I asked if I could join him. He said he wasn’t bothered, but I could sense he wasn’t used to company, so I just ran next to him in silence.
He was very fit, hitting a steady rhythm very early, so I just matched it, keeping up with him. I did notice he had a slight limp, as if his right knee was giving him pain. We came to a beautiful point, which overlooked the ocean. He started doing push-ups, and so I followed suit. I had to stop when he reached a hundred, as I was completely knackered. He kept going for at least another fifty, and looked as if he could keep it up all day.
As we jogged back, we said nothing, but at one point I glanced at him, and found he was watching me. He smiled, and I blushed, he made me feel very strange.
When we arrived back, the others were all out of bed and eating greasy eggs and bacon. I shuddered, if they were going on the open sea in a small boat, then they were asking for trouble. I grabbed some fruit, and went onto the deck again.
Ed and I chatted for a while, and I heard myself telling him that I always wanted to be a boy, like my brothers. I can’t believe I told him that, almost a complete stranger. I had never told anyone that, ever!
But strangely, he just nodded, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He smiled at me, so I knew that, somehow, he understood and passed no judgement at all. It was almost like a confession, because afterwards, I felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from me, and I felt really great.
After breakfast, we went onto the boat; Mickey had called it Lucky Lucy, after his daughter. It was a fishing boat really, but had been converted to carry people and light cargo.
I watched the land disappear behind us and smiled, as Craig was first to the rail to up-chuck. I glanced at Ed, and he was grinning at me. He came over and shook my hand.
He then went up to the bow, took his shirt off, and lay on the deck with his eyes shut. Russell came over to me.
“You seem to be getting on well with Captain America!” he said.
“Yes, he’s cool!” I said.
Russell’s eyebrows shot up.
“Cool? I have to confess, I find him rather abrupt and militaristic!” he said.
“Of course, he’s a Marine. You have to realise, that civilians are a lower life form to Marines, so they need to be nurtured to develop any rapport!” I said.
“Oh, is that what you are doing? I thought you were just flirting!” he said, with a teasing smile.