Chapter 19, part 1

When I got close to Lucas, he straightened his body and looked at me better. "What's up Serena?" he told me playfully.

"Everything is fine, what are you doing here? What's in the box?" I asked him, looking inside the wooden box, trying to figure out what was in there.

"Are those fishing nets?" I asked.

"That's right! I intend to check if they have any holes to fix them. They must be ready as soon as possible. Even tomorrow if it is possible."

"But it is already getting dark," I remarked.

"I have brought a lantern with me and I will light it when it gets dark."

"Do you need any help? But I can only help you check for holes. I don't know how to fix them. How about you? Where did you learn to repair fishing nets? Here on the ship?"

He looked at me somewhat hesitantly. "No, my father is a fisherman and I was helping him. Then things changed, and so I joined Captain's Carter crew."

I realized that he didn't want to tell me anything more, so I didn't ask for anything more.

We were in silence for a while.

"I thought about it and I would like some help if you had no other job to do," he told me, breaking the silence.

"Should I go and ask Jimena first? I think it is better to inform her. I will not be late," I told him.

"Yes, go. It would be better for her to know," Lucas agreed with me.

Jimena gave me the permission I needed, and I went back to Lucas. I found a low stool and sat down next to him to help him.

As time went on, I realized in practice that it was more strenuous work than I had imagined, but with Lucas' pleasant company, the work became more enjoyable. He didn't seem to know anything about the incident with the Captain, and that set my mind at rest.

From the moment of the incident, my mind had created terrifying scenarios. That everyone would learn my mishap from the Captain and laugh. I imagined them looking at me mockingly and behind my back gossiping and commenting like that day I had overheard them. Or they asked me to wet my shirt again so that they could see what the Captain had seen.

My thoughts were crazy; I knew it because knowing better those men and how nice they were, I believed there was no account for me to be treated that way by them.

And the proof was that indeed, from all that I had imagined, nothing had happened. Did that mean the Captain hadn't told them anything?

Shortly before daylight went out, I heard the Captain's hoarse voice on deck.

I remained bent over in my work, but I felt his gaze burn me.

"Hello, Captain!" Lucas greeted him cheerfully.

I heard his footsteps approaching us, and he stood above us.

"What are you doing here?" he asked us.

"I check the nets for holes, Captain, and Serena helps me."

"Very well. But as soon as it gets dark, leave the rest for tomorrow."

"I have brought a lantern with me, Captain."

"No, I would rather go to rest and continue tomorrow at dawn than ruin your eyes under the lantern's dim light. We have time to fish, don't worry," he told him and patted friendly on Lucas's shoulder.

"Okay, Captain! As you wish."

The Captain left us and went to Ian, who was at the helm.

"Ian, you should drive the boat as close to land as possible but beware of rocks. We will stop here for the evening. Tomorrow we will enter the river. Based on my maps, it is a little higher from the position we are now."

"At your service, captain," Ian told him, turning the steering wheel a little to the right, leading the boat ashore.

"Tanner!" cried the Captain loudly to be heard all the way up to the mast where the young man was.

"Captain!" Tanner's response came.

"Do you see rocks in the sea?"

"Yes, Captain. Straight ahead. But it is still far away. "

"Okay, Tanner! Ian you have to stop the ship before the rocks. As soon as you can so that we have the opportunity tomorrow to avoid them by making the circle and overtake them."

"Okay, Captain. I got it."

With the Captain not leaving his side, Ian led the boat where Captain had instructed him, and the men immediately got to work.

Some dropped the anchor; others lowered and fastened the sails. I watched them and admired their speed and how skillfully they did it all.

The dark had fallen, and Lucas turned on the light so we could see and gather the nets. We put aside what we had checked. We had found some holes and those that he didn't manage to repair; he marked them by tying a thin rope to the torn point.

"That was great, Serena. Thank you very much! Your help was invaluable. "

I smiled at him. "It was my pleasure. If I manage, I will help you to finish them tomorrow."

"It would be perfect!"

"But now I will go to bed. I am so sleepy I can hardly keep my eyes open." I told him, and it was the truth.

"Of course, go for sleep. Sweet dreams."

"Good night." I told him and headed for my room while the crew was carrying mattresses on the deck to sleep.

I said goodnight to them too, and I went to my room. Men's behavior towards me was as always, and it made me calm down inside, eliminating all my bad thoughts.

Brielle was still awake. As soon as she saw me, she smiled at me and wanted to talk to me, but I stopped her.

"Tomorrow, Brielle. Tomorrow."

I undressed quickly and lay down. As soon as I rested my head on the pillow, I fell asleep.

***

The following day when I woke up, Brielle was still asleep. I got dressed and left the room.

I glanced at the deck and saw the men still asleep.

I walked to the kitchen, and luckily Jimena was there.

She had already put the cooking pot on the fire and was cutting vegetables.

"Good morning, Jimena." I told her.

"Good morning, you woke up very early." She commented, making me wonder.

"It's the same time I wake up every day."

"Oh, yes, forgive me. I missed the fact that you wouldn't know it. In such cases when we stop, you can all sleep a little more in the morning. Even now if you want, you can go and continue your sleep for a while longer."

"No, it doesn't matter. I woke up. Don't you need help here?"

"Yes, if you want. You can help me finish cutting the vegetables."

I approached her and started cutting the vegetables, noticing how Jimena was doing it, and I tried to do the same.

We talked in a low voice and cut more than half the amount of vegetables when a male voice was heard to the door's opening.

"Good morning, Jimena, Serena."