Then the sun came up. Just a hint of red at the horizon before it slowly rose and the new day began.
It was probably the prettiest sunrise I’ve ever seen.
* * *
Daisy’s Log: Day 3
It’s past bedtime but I’m awake. The ocean was rougher today and the boat is still doing this back-and-forth up-and-down thing, and it turns out that doesn’t rock you to sleep like a baby, instead it’s like someone attached said cradle to a rollercoaster.
I don’t like it.
It scares me. It makes me realize how far from anything we are.
I kept on looking at the GPS chart today and it’s just…there’s nothing out there.
NOTHING!
Just endless sea.
And there’s nothing going on in here. None of our phones work, we don’t have any internet, there’s the satellite phone but that’s only for emergencies.
Thank god I brought my Kindle and a few paperbacks, otherwise I would be bored as hell.
I think the others are starting to feel the pinch too.
Lacey is baking bread all the time.
Richard is fishing off the boat (and not catching a thing).
Tai is being Tai. We talk to each other, of course, and occasionally he’ll say something charming, and then I’ll admire the way his lips move when he’s talking, and then he’ll put up some wall again to keep me in my place.
But the food has been good and cocktail hour, albeit bumpy as hell, is a nice way for everyone to come together.
Hopefully that was the last of the waves.
* * *
Daisy’s Log: Day 4
Today Richard defied the odds of his dorkiness and caught a Mahi-mahi!
Tai cooked it for dinner. Highlight of the day, hands down.
(Have I mentioned there’s nothing sexier than a man that can cook?)
Oh, Lacey ran out of yeast and had a meltdown.
I read two books back to back.
The seas are calmer today. Last night wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be though, since I actually felt better being on deck in the fresh night air.
I’m starting to look forward to Tai’s extra strong coffee and our middle of the night rendezvous.
I’m starting to appreciate the silence.
* * *
Daisy’s Log: Day 5
I’ve discovered that there are fifteen steps from the cockpit to the front of the boat. I walked those fifteen steps for an hour, just to try and get my steps up. I miss working out. I miss going for runs. I miss going for a walk ANYWHERE.
Instead all I see is water. All I see is this boat.
All I see are Lacey and Richard and Tai.
Richard is growing a mustache and it looks awful, like someone glued pubes to his face.
Lacey is making flatbread now since she ran out of yeast. We pretend it tastes good.
And Tai has a sore back from sleeping on the couch. I only know this because I noticed him wincing when he was going up the stairs and I had to literally bug him forever until he finally admitted it.
The couch is way too small for his frame at any rate.
So I gave him my room.
He wouldn’t take it.
Then I lay down on the couch, so that if he really wanted me to move, he’d have to carry me (again…ugh…nice reminder there).
He tried. Oh, he tried to pick me up.
But then his back went out.
So I won.
He’s asleep in the cabin now. Richard and Lacey are up top, quietly arguing about something. This forced proximity is even starting to get to them.
And I’m scribbling into my journal, wishing I had something more important to talk about.
Oh yeah…five more days of this hell left! First thing I’m doing when I get off this damn boat is heading straight to a bar. I’m going to get drunk, I’m going to hook up with some hot tourist and let loose what will be ten days worth of sexual frustration of being so close to Tai (I mean, my dreams have been filthy).
Then I’m going to say adios to these three amigos for a very long time.
Maybe forever.
* * *
Daisy’s Log: Day 6
Guess what?
There’s no news at all, and there never is and never will be, because this sailing trip is like Groundhog Day, with every day exactly the same. There’s no relief, there’s no escape.
We are in a timeless loop.
WELL, except it turns out I’m an excellent poker player. I guess there’s something vacant about my face that makes it hard to tell if I’m bluffing or not. If I have bad cards, I’m smiling, if I have good cards, I’m smiling.
Seems like that’s been how I’ve operated most of my life, or at least Lacey made that comment slip once I beat her ass for the millionth time. Hey, got to work that shit to my advantage—plus I made fifty dollars and I won the last bottle of vodka. Not like I’m going to drink it all in the next four days but…actually, yeah I might.