The Urn Carrier by Chris Convissor Page B

itinerary.”
    “I had a messed up visit from Cousin Joe.”
    “Oh shit. No! Really?”
    “Really.”
    Dina looks awesome. She’s lying on her bed, her long hair
disheveled, her head resting in one hand as she holds the phone and speaks.
    Tessa is hopelessly in love. “I miss you.”
    “I miss you too, punkin.”
    “I didn’t think I would.”
    “It’s only been, what? Three days? Four?”
    Tessa sighs. “Yeah, I know . . .”
    The ship’s horn blasts.
    “Wow that’s loud! Even over the phone.”
    Murphy’s up on all fours, looking around nervously. Tessa pets him
and cuddles him so Dina can see.
    “Oh, poor Murph,” Dina coos. “He’s like, the coolest dog. What a
great jacket. You oughta take pics everywhere you go and post ’em. Murph and me
on the high seas.”
    “I would if my uncle wasn’t being such a prick.”
    “Uh-oh.”
    “Yeah. Dickhead. Sending Joe after me. I don’t trust any of them.
Neither does Murph. He won’t even let Joe pet him.”
    “Good judge of character.” Dina laughs.
    “I’ll just learn how to make a little montage, or movie or
something. Will have to show you when you come to Canada with me.”
    “I’ll try to come to Canada with you. I still don’t have
the okay from my job or anything.”
    Tessa wonders what the anything is. Xander? But she refrains from
asking.
    As the ferry pulls underway, the wind blows Tessa’s hair into her
face, so she shifts to the side and sees a really cute, older woman in a white
uniform, with blue-and-gold shoulder caps, watching her and Murphy. The woman
grins when their eyes meet. She winks and moves on through the crowd, asking
folks how they are? Everyone settling in?
    “Who are you looking at?” Dina is smiling.
    “How did you know?” Tessa points the phone at the uniformed woman.
She hasn’t learned how to reverse the picture yet. She knows there is a way.
She aims the phone back at herself.
    “Oh yeah, if you’re into old ladies.”
    “She’s not that old.” Tessa laughs.
    “A woman in uniform is handsome, I’ll give you that.”
    “She winked at me.”
    “Oooh, I’m gonna be jealous.”
    Tessa smiles broadly.
    “God, you’re beautiful.” Dina looks at her with that open love
look. “I promise. I will do my best to meet up with you in Canada.”
    “You better.”
    “Okay, hon, it’s the waitress job for me. Kisses. Keep sending
pics. I love it.”
    “K.” Tessa hesitates. “Love you!”
    “Love you too.”
    A message had popped in while they were talking. Billy.
    Can we FaceTime now?
    Lord. She’s going to have to let him down.
    Bad signal.
    She shuts the phone off. She stows it in her
backpack. Just as she reaches for a bottle of water, a shadow crosses in front
of her. The woman in uniform is standing there, petting Murphy.
    “Love your dog.”
    “Murphy.”
    “Well, hi, Murphy, nice to meet you.” Murphy is wagging his tail
and the woman reaches in her pocket.
    “I think I have something for you.” She looks at Tessa to see if
it’s okay.
    Tessa nods. She wishes she could control the flushing she feels
rushing to her cheeks. Up close the woman is even more striking, with her curly
topped hair and trim figure. Murphy salivates as he senses the biscuit, drool
hitting the deck before he gobbles it from the woman’s open palm.
    “Hey.” Tessa laughs. “That’s not nice. Be gentle, Murphy.”
    “Oh, not many can resist my homemade treats.” The woman’s eyes are
a greenish brown and the smile reaches all the way up to her crinkles. “I’m
first mate Schwab. Schwabbie to my friends.”
    Tessa stands and shakes her hand. ”Tessa.”
    “First time on the SS Badger?”
    “First time on a ferry.”
    “If you have any concerns at all, please find me.” She rubs
Murphy’s head again. “I’ll be back.”
    Only when the first mate moves away, does Tessa see that more than
a few people noticed their exchange. A couple with a young son, waiting to meet
First Mate Schwab, follow after