Chapter 18, part 2

"Brielle, do we have a strip of clothing? Preferably in white color."

"No, I don't think so. What do you want it for?

"You will see. Do we have scissors somewhere?" I asked her again.

She sighed. "No we don't have."

"Can you go and ask Jimena if she has scissors, please."

"How I will justify that you didn't go as you should?"

"You can tell her that you deliberately went to see her and chat for a while. You haven't seen her today anyway."

She looked at me thoughtfully. "Yes, that's true. Very well, I will go. But first, I want you to confirm to me that you will not do anything crazy."

At first, I looked at her confused, but then I understood what she meant. But what nonsense was she thinking?

"If I wanted something like that, would I use scissors? There are so many knives on this ship, so many ropes to hang myself, would I use scissors?" I reassured her.

Brielle laughed softly. It was more of a relief laugh. "It is true that seeing this situation I got afraid of. Okay, I will go. I will be back as soon as possible."

"Okay, I'll wait for you," I told her as she left the room.

***

It seemed to me that I was waiting for her for an eternity.

When she entered the room, she waved the scissors like a trophy.

"I found the scissors you need, here it is," she announced to me.

I approached her and took it from her hands.

"Will you finally tell me what you want them about? Maybe I can help you."

I looked at her and sighed. "Okay, I will tell you. I want to cut a strip of fabric from the bottom of one of the shirts I have. They come quite long anyway and I will be able to wear it again."

"And what are you going to do with the strip?" she looked at me, half-closing her eyes. "Is that what I'm thinking?"

"Oh, I don't know what you are thinking. I'm not in your mind."

"Yes, but I am in your mind. You think of tying your breasts with it, don't you? "

I looked at her in surprise. "But how…?"

"I know you well… Serena!" she told me and smiled. "I will do the cut for you. You will completely ruin the shirt. Ah! You should have told me before. I would have asked for a needle and thread to darn the shirt after cutting the strip. If I don't do it, it will go to waste. But it doesn't matter, I will do it later."

She took the shirt I had hung to dry.

"I will cut the strip from that shirt which is to blame for this whole situation."

I smiled. "Do as you wish."

She cut the strip, and I admired her skills. She cut it in a perfectly straight line.

"There." She told me and gave it to me.

I took it and took the shirt I was wearing off. I wrapped my breasts with the strip and fastened the edge of it tight on both sides-up and down-.

Brielle also helped me.

I put on the dry shirt and tucked it into my skirt.

It was a pleasant sensation not to feel so exposed.

But how come I didn't think to do this earlier?

"I'm going back to work, Brielle. Should I return the scissors? '

"Okay. Yes, return it to Jimena, please."

I took the scissors and left the room.

I returned the scissors to Jimena, thanking her, and went back to my chores. The captain had gone for his noon nap, so I didn't have to concern about that too.

The time passed without me realizing it, and I felt as tired as ever. I worked hard so as not to be able to think. I didn't always succeed, but it was definitely better than being locked in a room with nothing to do and be only with my thoughts.

When I went out on deck to empty buckets, I noticed we were approaching land, but there was no port. I wondered what was going on and decided to ask Jimena.

She explained to me about the water supply, and because of the captain's injury, we would stay ashore until the captain felt better, and on this occasion, the crewmen would go hunting and fishing.

"Everything sounds great, but why should we wait for the captain to recover? It can be cured while we will sailing."

Jimena laughed and pinched my cheek slightly.

"Because the captain is the only one who can steer the boat at night. He is the only one who knows how to read the stars."

"Oh, it is that so!" I told her. I couldn't find anything else I could say.

"Yes. This is the reason. Now go back to work."

"Yes, okay," I told her, "I'm going."

"Wait! I forgot to tell you that where we will stop for supplies, it is a good opportunity to wash clothes and it will be a lots of them." She informed me.

"Okay, Jimena, whatever you say. So, can I bring also my own and Lady's clothes for washing?"

"Yes, of course. And if it is necessary, we will part them to be washed in two days and not all of them at once."

"Very well! I will pass from the room later to inform Lady to keep it in mind ".

"Do as you think. It is your Lady you know best what you should do. But for now come and take the tray with the food for the captain."

I swallowed hard. "Is it time for his dinner?"

"Yes. The day today went rushed, eh?"

"Yes, indeed. Is it necessary to have dinner too? He ate before. It is enough."

Jimena laughed out loud. "You are funny! You made me laugh. I didn't know you have sense of humor."

Yes, but I wasn't joking at all. I meant everything I had said.

I realized that I wasn't getting away with it. Eventually, I would have to go to the captain. Otherwise, I would have to explain the reason to Jimena, and that was something I definitely wanted to avoid.

"The tray is ready, you can get it," Jimena told me, taking me out of my thoughts.

I picked up the tray and headed for the captain's cabin. I was walking as slowly as possible, yet I got out of his door at some point.

My heart started to hammer in my chest, and I felt my body tremble.

I didn't want to enter, but I had to. I stayed outside the door for a while, waiting to calm down a bit, but my condition was getting worse.

I made my decision and knocked on the door holding the tray better with my other hand.

The faster I would go in, the faster I would go out.

I heard his voice inside saying, "Come in."

I took a deep breath, opened the door, and entered.

I threw a fleeting glance at him and saw him sitting at his desk. His eyes were fixed on me.

"Serena…" he began to say.

I panicked. No, I didn't want him to talk to me.

I avoided his gaze. With quick steps, I approached the small table and left the tray.

"Bring it here on the desk, please, I can't take it from there," I heard him saying. Oh, yes, his injured shoulder.

Even though I couldn't be near to him right now.

I picked up the tray and headed to the desk in hasty steps. My eyes were glued to the tray all the time. I didn't go around the desk like the last time, but I left the tray from the front of the desk, and immediately I turned around and moved to the door.

"Wait, Serena," he said, and I heard the chair creak on the floor. Steps began to approach me. "Wait a minute," he told me again.

I ran to the door, went out, and closed it with force.

"Serena, wait!" I heard him say louder.

I heard the door opening behind me.

I saw Lucas on the deck bent over a large crate and ran to him.

"Lucas!!" I shouted at him, and he turned his head. He saw me and smiled.

Above my shoulder, I sneaked a glance behind me and saw the captain's door closing.

I breathed again.