Julie Lawson - A Blinding Light

The sailboat, Seevgel, lived up to her name, skimming over the waves like a seabird. Flying, flying, the skipper laughing in the face of a stinging winduntil the unthinkable happened.

The mast snapped.

Seevgel collapsed in a crumpled heap of sails, dragged under by the weight of water.

The skipper would have been lost at sea if he hadnt managed to swim ashore, determined to make his way home. Thats how Livy saw it. No matter how often she was told otherwise, she believed that her father was alive. Even though hed been gone a long time. Not three years gone, like the soldiers who were off fighting in the Great War, but still. Six months was a long time to be waiting.

She tightened the scarf around her neck and picked up her pace. Now that shed come out of the wooded section of Point Pleasant Park and was on the beach, there was no escaping the bite of the wind. How stupid shed been to forget her hat! She could already hear her mother scolding. Thatll teach you, Olivia. Being in such an all-fired hurry to leave the house.

Her ears were numb and the wind was running wild with her hair. The curls would be a tangled mess by the time she got home, and thered be more grumbling and scolding about that, but Livy didnt care. The sun was shining and it was good to be outside. And if she wore her scarf over her ears instead of around her neck, the cold ear problem would be solved.

She made the switch, tied the scarf ends under her chin, and ran to the point where the waters divided. The Northwest Arm on the west, Halifax Harbour on the east. Nothing was moving on the Arm, but a ship was just now steaming up the harbour past McNabs Island. Shed sail up between Halifax and Dartmouth, through the Narrows, and into Bedford Basin to be moored.

Livys dad had loved coming here. So had her brother, Will. Theyd watch the ships coming and going, but unlike Livy, theyd know something about them. Theyd talk endlessly about where the ships were heading, where they were from, what they were carrying, what life might be like on board. The times they let her tag along, shed join in too, feigning an interest. Shed put up with anything to be includedthe cold, the hours of standing, the nautical terms she didnt understand. Any kind of ship drew their attention. But for Livy, the only one that mattered was Seevgel, Dads beloved sailboat.

Her hair blew across her face and her heart lurched. He never scolded or minded that her hair was in tangles.

Livy! Didnt think Id find you here.

The high-pitched voice yanked her back to the present. Lewis Fraser. She groaned. Thin and gangly, with a freckled face and sandy-coloured hair even more unruly than her own, he was the most annoying person in the world and the last person she ever wanted to see.

Dont lie, Lewis. You knew I was here because you followed me. Didnt you? For the last four months, since the Dominion Day party at the church, hed been trying to get her attention. Well? she prodded. Didnt you?

He ignored the question and pointed out that her scarf was slipping off her head. Do you want to wear my hat? Itll keep your ears warm.

And get your cooties? Im not that desperate.

Your scarfs not long enough to tie properly.

She readjusted her scarf to prove him wrong.

Are you coming here tomorrow? he said.

Tomorrows Stir-up Sunday so were making the Christmas puddingas you well know, since you do the same thing at your house every year. And if I was coming here, youd be the last person to know.

Sure you dont want my hat? He took it off and held it out to her.

Its full of cooties! She slapped it away. Im warning you, Lewis, if you dont stop bothering me Im going to tell Will. Then youll be sorry.

He nodded and looked serious for all of one second. Then he grinnedthe most irritating, lopsided, stupid, dimply grinand said, You want to go somewhere?

No! And we are somewhere. Its where I wanted to be and I wanted to be here alone. Now youve come and spoiled everything. She spun around and headed towards the path in the woods.

He was right at her heels.

Get lost! she yelled over her shoulder.

Wait! Ive got something important to tell you.

No, you dont! You never do! Youre worse than a puppy! Before long, Livy had left Lewis behind and dismissed him from her mind.

Her earlier thoughts werent as easy to dismiss. They stayed with her during the expected scolding from her mothera scolding that, for once, she endured in silence. And they were still on her mind that evening, taking her back to the last day shed spent with her father.

It was a day Livy had looked forward to. A whole day of sailing, not just a couple of hours. Dad had even asked Hannah to pack them a picnic. Shed complained, but no one had paid any attention. As the live-in cook and housekeeper whod been with the family forevereven during Livys grandparents timeshe was entitled to a few complaints.

The plan was to stop at one of the small islands or, if the day was especially fine, sail the whole length of the Northwest Arm and out into the harbour as far as McNabs Cove.

But we wont go past McNabs Island, Livy said, wanting reassurance that they wouldnt venture into the Atlanticnot with German submarines prowling the area.

Dont worry, said Dad, well be safe as houses.

They loaded the picnic hamper into their new motorcar, waved goodbye to Mum and Hannah, and were soon on the road. The small marina where Dad moored Seevgel wasnt far, but walking would mean less time for sailing. And taking the car gave Will an opportunity to practise his driving, since he was almost old enough to apply for his license.

Well done, Dad said after Will had expertly parked the car. You two run on ahead. Ill bring the picnic basket.