I do, but you're still going to die someday."
Gail nodded. Then, looking down at her shoes, she asked, "Are you afraid of dying? I mean, do you worry about it?"
Nathaniel shrugged once more, "I used to worry a little, but I've learned not to. It would really be a waste, if you think about it. You can't live everyday of your life fearing death or you'll never really be able to live, will you?"
"No," Gail agreed, "You won't."
"How old are you?" Nathaniel questioned, with a sudden interest.
"How old are you ?" Gail returned.
"Eighteen."
"I'm turning fifteen next week."
"Really? Well I suppose I should wish you a happy birthday now then."
"Why?"
Nathaniel seemed to think this was a silly thing to say. He replied as though it were an obvious answer, "Well, I just didn't think you'd be coming back in her anytime soon."
"Why not?"
"Why not? Well, number one, I don't think you like me very much. Number two, I don't know why you'd wish to spend your birthday in a small, stuffy room like this one when you could be up in the fresh, cool air. And number three, I really don't get many visitors. The only person who's set their foot in this room since I've arrived, besides you, is Charlie. No one wants to spend time with someone who's ill. It's just not very fun, I suppose. It's been this way my whole life, so don't feel bad about it or anything."
"Maybe if you were a little nicer, you would have more visitors."
"No one's even been in to say hello. They don't know if I'm nice or not."
Gail felt sorry for him. She didn't want to, for he had been very rude earlier, but it was impossible. She couldn't even imagine living a life like his. He'd been living in beds his whole life. He hadn't been able to run around or even just sit out in the fresh air since he was a child. He had no friends. And most importantly, he had no promise that he'd awaken the next morning. What sort of life was that?
Nathaniel suddenly spoke again, pulling her out of her reverie, "Thank you for the dinner, Gail, and happy birthday."
"Oh," Gail muttered, still lost in her thoughts, "Thanks. Well, er . . . good evening."
"Good evening," Nathaniel replied, now too engaged in his meal to even look up.
Gail left then, feeling as though her head was in the clouds.
CHAPTER 7
Gail’s Birthday
Festivities were occuring on deck for Gail's fifteenth birthday. Her sisters had prepared a meal full of her favorite dishes, which she ate eagerly. Afterwards, two of the sailors played music and sang while everyone else had fun dancing. Then, Mary brought out a large cake topped with strawberries as well as fifteen candles. Everyone crowded around and Gail laughed as she blew them out.
The rest of the night was a whirlwind of dancing and singing.
Almost all of the sailors crowded around Mary, asking for a dance. They seemed to have forgotten all about her fiancé, and Mary couldn't blame them, for she'd done the same. Although she missed Ethan terribly, it was easy to let him slip from her mind when she was surrounded by many handsome, earnest sailors. By the end of the night, she'd shared a song with each one.
Emy danced with Sawyer for the first few songs, but she was having trouble enjoying herself. Her eyes kept drifting over to Nora, who was standing in the corner looking foolishly lovesick. She was gazing over at Ben with a wistful expression, dreaming of what it would be like if he actually asked her to dance instead of Mary.
Emy finally succeeded in convincing Nora to forget about Ben for a bit and enjoy a dance with Sawyer, who quite willingly volunteered.
While Nora was occupied dancing with Sawyer, Emy gathered up all her courage and made her way over to the sailors waiting for their turn to dance with Mary. Ben was laughing over a joke Michael had told with a bright smile, his blond curls sat like a mop atop his head. Emy lost her breath, realizing why Nora had been so allured by him.
Gail nodded. Then, looking down at her shoes, she asked, "Are you afraid of dying? I mean, do you worry about it?"
Nathaniel shrugged once more, "I used to worry a little, but I've learned not to. It would really be a waste, if you think about it. You can't live everyday of your life fearing death or you'll never really be able to live, will you?"
"No," Gail agreed, "You won't."
"How old are you?" Nathaniel questioned, with a sudden interest.
"How old are you ?" Gail returned.
"Eighteen."
"I'm turning fifteen next week."
"Really? Well I suppose I should wish you a happy birthday now then."
"Why?"
Nathaniel seemed to think this was a silly thing to say. He replied as though it were an obvious answer, "Well, I just didn't think you'd be coming back in her anytime soon."
"Why not?"
"Why not? Well, number one, I don't think you like me very much. Number two, I don't know why you'd wish to spend your birthday in a small, stuffy room like this one when you could be up in the fresh, cool air. And number three, I really don't get many visitors. The only person who's set their foot in this room since I've arrived, besides you, is Charlie. No one wants to spend time with someone who's ill. It's just not very fun, I suppose. It's been this way my whole life, so don't feel bad about it or anything."
"Maybe if you were a little nicer, you would have more visitors."
"No one's even been in to say hello. They don't know if I'm nice or not."
Gail felt sorry for him. She didn't want to, for he had been very rude earlier, but it was impossible. She couldn't even imagine living a life like his. He'd been living in beds his whole life. He hadn't been able to run around or even just sit out in the fresh air since he was a child. He had no friends. And most importantly, he had no promise that he'd awaken the next morning. What sort of life was that?
Nathaniel suddenly spoke again, pulling her out of her reverie, "Thank you for the dinner, Gail, and happy birthday."
"Oh," Gail muttered, still lost in her thoughts, "Thanks. Well, er . . . good evening."
"Good evening," Nathaniel replied, now too engaged in his meal to even look up.
Gail left then, feeling as though her head was in the clouds.
CHAPTER 7
Gail’s Birthday
Festivities were occuring on deck for Gail's fifteenth birthday. Her sisters had prepared a meal full of her favorite dishes, which she ate eagerly. Afterwards, two of the sailors played music and sang while everyone else had fun dancing. Then, Mary brought out a large cake topped with strawberries as well as fifteen candles. Everyone crowded around and Gail laughed as she blew them out.
The rest of the night was a whirlwind of dancing and singing.
Almost all of the sailors crowded around Mary, asking for a dance. They seemed to have forgotten all about her fiancé, and Mary couldn't blame them, for she'd done the same. Although she missed Ethan terribly, it was easy to let him slip from her mind when she was surrounded by many handsome, earnest sailors. By the end of the night, she'd shared a song with each one.
Emy danced with Sawyer for the first few songs, but she was having trouble enjoying herself. Her eyes kept drifting over to Nora, who was standing in the corner looking foolishly lovesick. She was gazing over at Ben with a wistful expression, dreaming of what it would be like if he actually asked her to dance instead of Mary.
Emy finally succeeded in convincing Nora to forget about Ben for a bit and enjoy a dance with Sawyer, who quite willingly volunteered.
While Nora was occupied dancing with Sawyer, Emy gathered up all her courage and made her way over to the sailors waiting for their turn to dance with Mary. Ben was laughing over a joke Michael had told with a bright smile, his blond curls sat like a mop atop his head. Emy lost her breath, realizing why Nora had been so allured by him.
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