This story is by Susan Walker Finlay and was part of our 2018 Spring Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.
The nor’easter howled like a banshee from hell. When the radio finally crackled. Ruby ran to it.
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“That you, Billy Blue? Over.”
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“Ruby, I…pain…oh God, help…my heart.”
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The reception was so poor with the storm, she wanted to believe she hadn’t heard right.
Tears began to trickle from her eyes. “Stop it!” she commanded herself.
—
She’d tried several times to radio back, as her hands shook and her breath grew shallow, but he hadn’t responded.
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“Well, nothing for it but to go fetch him. Can’t just leave him out there alone, to die–”
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“Oh no you’re not!”
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Ruby jumped and gasped. “Lydia, ya ’bout scared me half to death. I didn’t hear ya come in.”
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“‘Course not. It’s the wrath of God out there.”
—
Ruby grabbed Billy’s heart pills. He’d spent more time at her place, in their twenty-two years together, than he had at home with his wife, Althea.
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“You’re never goin’ out in this!” Lydia said.
—
Ruby grabbed the bottle of whiskey, took a big gulp and passed it to her friend.
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“I have to. You don’t understand…”
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“I been hearin’ the radio at home, right enough. But you’ll get yourself drowned out there.”
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“Ya think I wanna go out in this old hag of a storm? Maybe drown? But I have to. It’s that or leave Billy alone out there, sick and—worse. No chance. No more ‘n you could if t’was your Gerald. No more ‘n we’d leave each other out there to die.”
—
Ruby tried to grab her slicker from the pegs by the door, and Lydia tried to stop her. They each tugged at it until Ruby stomped her foot and turned as red as her hair. Lydia released it.
—
“Swell. Looks like I’m goin’ for a boat ride.” Lydia put her hat back on.
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“Oh no you’re not. You get on home ‘n safe.”
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“If you’re goin’, then sure ‘s Sally, I’m goin’ with ya. Ya think I’d let ya go out in this alone?”
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Ruby breathed one deep breath. “Right then. I knew ya would. There’s whiskey ‘n blankets ‘n everything onboard. Let’s go.”
—
Ruby opened the door, and it wrenched from her hand and banged against the outside wall. The wind sucked their breath away, and the cold rain drenched and chilled them before they’d gone twenty feet.
—
###
—
Ruby pushed Red Mermaid through the chop. The motors growled. They hit the channel easy enough. but it was slow going. She shouted a heads-up to Lydia, where she’d taken refuge on the floor, and tossed her the radio handset.
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“I ain’t got three hands girl, and I’m barely keepin’ this bucket upright with the two I got. Put out a Mayday on Billy Blue, location uncertain.Then you gotta get a lantern and swing it ’round—try t’ catch sight o’ him. Lord, it’s almost dark as night. Some’ll have heard, ‘long here, but I doubt many’ll be able to search in this.”
—
With that, they spun right around, and again twice more in the next few minutes. Ruby struggled for control. She yanked hard to starboard, then port. She wrestled with forward and reverse on the twin engine inboard/outboard. She alternated curses and threats to Mermaid to dry dock her for good if she didn’t behave, with words of love.
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“C’mon now my beauty, Mermaid. You can do it. I’m here, and you ‘n me’s the best. Billy, I’m comin’ to get ya! Don’t die now dammit. Oh, why didn’t you just wait till it blew over, like I said? Think it’s blowin’ over some a’ready?” Ruby roared at Lydia over the still vicious wind, daring to hope.
—
“I was thinking just so, Rube.”
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“There! Right there! Ten o’clock!”
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“It’s him,” they shouted.
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“He’s drifted in some. He’ll soon be in too close. We gotta move. Hang on, girl, it’s gonna be bumpy.” Ruby sped cross-wave, and they were battered from port side.
—
“Call the hospital in Wiarton from the radio. We’s just west of the airport.”
—
Lydia had been on the radio since they spotted him. “Did that,” Lydia answered. “Ahead of ya this time. They’re sendin’ an ambulance by land, since he’s so close in.”
—
Lydia helped Ruby tie up to Billy Blue, dropped the bumpers between boats and checked the depth with the pole. She clung to it as they rocked violently. Ruby dropped anchor as easily as she had twenty years ago.
—
The wind had subsided a little, though it still clamoured in ferocious gusts. The rain continued to pound down, and there were foggy patches everywhere.
—
Ruby gave a wordless cry, then wailed “Billy!” as she saw him slumped over the helm. She climbed aboard and rushed over to him, Lydia on her heels.
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“Billy…Billy. Can you hear me, honey? He’s still breathing, but he’s real bad. He’s grey. Look at him. Oh Lydia, whaddo I do?”
—
“We gotta get him outta that seat, ‘n down to the floor.”
—
They lay down a doubled up blanket, and maneuvered Bill onto it, wrapped him snugly in more blankets and propped him up with pillows.
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“Nitro,” said Ruby. “I’ll try his nitro, and if he’ll swallow one of his heart pills…”
—
They heard the ambulance siren.
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“Shit,” said Lydia. “I said I’d be out there to flag ’em down. Here goes nothin’.”
—
She eased herself into the chest-high frigid water, gasped and cursed under her breath, slipped around on the slimy rocks, and made her way to shore holding the lantern high, then ran.
—
###
—
Ruby gave Billy two doses of nitro. He revived slightly, and opened his eyes.
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“Ruby. I shoulda listened to you.” His voice was a thin wisp. “That trip through the channel…too much.”
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“I know, pet, I know. Don’t try to talk. Save your strength. You’ll be okay. I’m here and the ambulance is here now. Shhh, just rest.”
—
But Billy was determined. “Wait, Ruby,” he choked out, and grabbed her arm. “Love…I love you. Always have…” Tears ran from his eyes.
—
“It’s okay, Billy honey. I know you love me. And I love you too. Now just rest. Don’t try to talk.”
—
She lay on the floor beside him and stroked his thick white hair, her tears mingling with his. She knew. He’d already had two heart attacks. And he’d set out, not feeling well–she knew he hadn’t been well—and in this terrible weather—all because of her. He’d wanted to see her.
—
Suddenly she was sobbing. She couldn’t hold it back. Bill wasn’t conscious anymore. He was dying, and Ruby knew it.
—
“Oh Billy, how I’ve loved you all these years. Neither of us ever said it, but we both knew. ”Twas love at first sight for me, and I dare say t’was for you too.”
—
###
—
It was over now. All but the crying.
—
Billy died in the ambulance. Lydia had handled it all, having arranged to hear from a friend who worked at the hospital. Ruby didn’t want to show up there. Althea and their sons would be there, and she knew what was right. She longed to go, to be near him. But he wasn’t there, anyway. He wasn’t anywhere, ever again.
—
The clock-hands moved in terrible silence, as she stared out at the grey churning water. Up the peninsula a foghorn sounded its lonely cry.
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“‘Course I won’t go to the funeral or nothin’. Nope. Guess I seen the last of my Billy Boy. Sure am glad we made it—in time. But if we’d been quicker, maybe…” Her voice broke.
—
“T’wouldn’t of mattered. Bonnie said not. Sorry, Ruby, but you mustn’t think that. I was gonna tell ya. They said nothin’ woulda saved him this time.”
—
Lydia had never seen Ruby look so old. She poured her some whiskey, but Ruby just sat and stared.
—
Ruby sighed with her whole body. “I s’pose I knew that. Still, I can’t help but think…”
—
###
—
They were startled by a loud banging, and the door crashed open to Red and Ann, followed by Sam and Becky.
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“What on earth…” Ruby and Lydia leapt up.
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“It’s a wake,” said Red in his booming voice. “Bill and you deserve least that!”
—
Within thirty minutes, the house was full. Everyone brought booze and food, and someone turned on the Hi-FI. Emotions ran high, and tears were shed. But for every tear, there was a laugh.
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“I wanna make a toast,” said Eddie. “You gals done somethin’ right brave and honourable today, goin’ after Billy in that storm. Cheers!”
—
The room roared in approval as they all raised a glass.
—
Near dawn, Lydia tucked Ruby into bed.
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“Lydia, I haven’t thanked you. I couldn’t ‘ave made it, without you.”
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“‘That’s okay,” Lydia replied. “What are friends for?”
—
“He finally said it. He said he loved me. Last words I heard, in fact.”
—
Lydia patted her friend’s back and tiptoed out.
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Ruby slept.
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—
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THE END
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