with thanks to Kathy and Denise who
read it over and made suggestions ... <G>
Susan G.
New Year's Traditions
The evening after Christmas 1969, Carolyn, Candy, Jonathan and
Captain Gregg were discussing New Year's Eve celebrations in the living
room of Gull Cottage. The fire was burning brightly, and the Captain
had spoken of how fire symbolized many things for the new year as well.
"It shows how the light of knowledge is brought from one year to the
next. It carries forward the light of hope to a better world."
"I sure hope it works, Captain," Candy said, staring into the
flames. "I have a math test next week when I get back to school. I
hope I haven't forgotten all of it!"
The Captain smiled at the young girl.
"What do people do for New Year's Eve, Captain, in some different
places?" Jonathan asked. "You've been to so many places. You're so
lucky."
"I had a Danish seaman on board my ship one year, and he said that
the young people in Denmark bang on friends' doors to smash in the New
Year."
"Like playing Nicky-Nicky-nine-doors?" Jonathan asked, with wide
eyes. "And they don't get into trouble?"
"Nick...?" the Captain began.
"It's a game where you sneak up to someone's door, knock or bang on
it, then run away and hide so when they answer it, no one's there."
Candy explained, seeing the Captain's puzzled look. "We played it when
we were little. It's stupid. You never had to worry about it at Gull
Cottage ‘cause it's too far away from Schooner Bay, and besides, they
were scared to come here because of the ghost!" and she giggled a
little.
"Lots of cultures have the custom of making loud noises, like banging
on pots and pans, blowing whistles, ringing bells, etc. for New Year's."
Carolyn said. "I remember a friend saying she would go outside right at
midnight in the city, and just listen. All over the city, she could
hear a huge racket, everyone yelling, and shouting and making a lot of
noise."
The Captain added, "Shooting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is
another way of sending out the old year and welcoming in the New Year.
On the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, the Chinese people believe
that every door in the house, and even windows, have to be open to allow
the old year to go out."
"That would be cold!" Candy shivered. "And you have a lot of windows
and doors around here!"
"In Ireland, right at midnight, everyone goes out the back door and
in the front door for good luck. Same idea, I suppose." the Captain
said.
"That's weird." Candy said.
Carolyn said, "You don't have to leave U.S. shores to find unusual
New Year's traditions. One of the oddest is Philadelphia's Mummer's
parade, which dates back to about 1840. Grandma and Grandpa Williams
took the two of you to see it a few years ago, but you probably don't
remember much."
"I remember a bit." Candy said, her face screwed up as she thought.
"I was probably too little still." Jonathan said, rather grumpily.
"Will you take us again, now that I'm big?"
"We'll see." Carolyn was non-committal. "Over 25,000 Mummers from
different clubs spend a year preparing elaborate routines and ornate
costumes for the parade. On New Year's Day, they brave the cold to wear
their costumes and strut along the parade route, acting quite strangely,
often accompanied by bands with accordions, drums, violins, banjos, and
other instruments. The parade probably dates back to medieval England,
where troupes of costumed performers went from house to house presenting
a folk drama or mummer's play at Christmas time."
"Any other neat customs?" Candy asked.
"Well, Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year, is celebrated on the 31st of
December every year. It's a big celebration, usually with parades with
lots of pipers." Carolyn said. "In more remote parts of Scotland first
footing, and Scottish dances called ceilidhs, take place."
"I had forgotten about first footing." the Captain smiled.
"What's that?" asked Candy.
"The first person to enter your home after midnight is the first
footer, a symbol for the New Year. It is believed that you will have
good luck for the year if a tall, dark stranger comes to your door at
midnight, with a lump of coal for the fire, a cake, or coin. You must
offer him food, wine, or whisky." Carolyn explained.
"Wine or whisky?" Candy made a face.
"I'd like the food." Jonathan said.
"I'd make book on THAT. You're a bottomless pit!" Martha said,
coming into the room just in time to catch Jonathan's last remark. As
was his custom when Martha was around, the Captain retreated a little,
to make it easier for the children to pretend he wasn't there. Carolyn
glanced at him, faint apology in her eyes, and he nodded at her before
she looked away.
"We're talking about New Year's customs." Jonathan informed Martha.
"Not JUST food."
"Oh!" Martha grinned. "I'm the one to talk to about food for New
Year's!"
"You need special food?" Now Jonathan's eyes were huge.
"Well," Martha said, "Some traditional New Year foods are thought to
bring good luck. Many people believe that anything in the shape of a
ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle,"
completing a year's cycle. So the Dutch people believe that eating
doughnuts on New Year's Day will bring good fortune."
"Yummy!" cried Jonathan.
"Many parts of the U.S. celebrate the new year by eating black-eyed
peas, often with either hog jowls or ham. Black-eyed peas have been
considered good luck in many cultures and the pig is considered lucky
because it symbolizes prosperity."
"Black-eyed peas?" Candy looked incredulous.
"Peas don't have eyes, Martha!"
Ignoring Jonathan's last comment, Martha kept on. "Cabbage is
another "good luck" vegetable to eat on New Year's Day. Cabbage leaves
are also considered a sign of prosperity, since they're sort of like
paper currency. So some people eat pork and sauerkraut. In some
regions, rice is a lucky food that is eaten on New Year's Day."
"Gee, you sure know a lot about food, Martha." Jonathan said.
"And I have the girth to prove that it's first-hand knowledge."
Martha comfortably patted her stomach.
"I think I'd rather eat doughnuts, not the vegetables." Jonathan
declared.
"All right, children, it's getting late, and we have a lot to do for
the next couple of days if Martha is going to be ready for her trip to
Florida." Carolyn stood up.
"Do you REALLY have to go, Martha?" asked Candy.
"It's just for a couple of days." Martha said.
"But it's over New Year's. And we have to eat Mom's cooking."
"My cooking isn't THAT bad!" Carolyn exclaimed, in mock anger.
"But it isn't good like Martha's." sighed Jonathan.
"Get on with you! Enough of the flattery!" Martha waved the children
off with a laugh. Then she looked at Mrs. Muir. "Are you changing your
mind about me going? There is a lot to be done ..."
"Of course I'm not changing my mind! What needs to be done that I
can't do?"
"Well, I guess I can get some things ready. I just don't feel right
about leaving you alone for the holiday." Then she laughed again.
"Still, it'll be different than what I'd be doing were that wild dream I
had the other night to be true!"
"What wild dream?" Carolyn asked, as she picked up Candy's sweater
off the floor.
"That crazy one where you and the Captain were going to be married on
New Year's Day."
"MARRIED!" Carolyn straightened up quickly, dropping the sweater.
"He was pushing for Christmas Day, but I said I couldn't possibly be
ready before New Year's. Think of all the baking I'd have to do!" and
Martha's broad face beamed as she thought of doing work she enjoyed for
someone she loved. She shook her head. "Mince pie! I should have
known." and she bustled out of the door.
Carolyn glanced over at the Captain who was standing by the
fireplace. His bright blue eyes twinkled at her discomfort. "She's
right, my dear, that was the plan. After all, I AM a gentleman,
remember? You must have known that marriage was in the near future when
we were out on the porch ..."
Flushing wildly at the recollection of the dream, the words and
especially the kiss on the front verandah of Gull Cottage, Carolyn
turned away from him, saying nothing as she hurried upstairs to say
goodnight to the children.
Later that night, Carolyn checked once more on the children before
going in to her own room. She closed the door, then realized the
Captain was standing by the telescope. "It's rather late to be seeing
anything with that, Captain." she commented.
Turning, he said, "I merely wanted to ask what you thought of the
dream I gave you all. After all, we have not spoken of it, and it was
my answer to your question about my best Christmas."
"Yes, I'm aware of that." She hesitated briefly, then said evenly,
"The dream was lovely, Captain. Except for one detail. In it, you were
planning to marry me. But believe me, I vowed after Robert's death that
I would never marry again!"
There was a long pause. He studied her for a moment, wondering if he
should pry further. He knew it was not his concern except insofar as
everything about her mattered immensely by reason of his love and
respect for her. "What really brought you here, Mrs. Muir? Why did you
leave Philadelphia?" he asked, at last.
"Robert's parents are there. My parents, too."
He looked blank.
"It's complicated." Carolyn sighed. "Robert's parents worshipped him
because he was their only son. I didn't want to blurt out the truth
..."
"The truth?"
Carolyn looked away, then said bleakly, "It no longer matters.
Robert's dead, and has been for four years. Suffice to say I didn't
want to destroy the perfect image they all had of him." She turned back
to him. "Besides which, both sets of grandparents kept referring to
Candy and Jonathan as their "poor babies", and that wasn't good for
them. So I decided to put some distance between us all, to give myself
a chance to heal."
"And have you?"
Her smile was wry now. "I don't know. I hurt in different ways
now. But I'm not angry about Robert anymore. Just resigned, I guess."
He wanted badly to take her in his arms. "If you are no longer
angry, then I would like to hear the truth."
"No!"
"My dear," he spoke gently, "it sounds to me as if you are indeed
still angry. Perhaps you need to talk to give yourself a chance to
heal."
"It hurts too much," her voice was a mere whisper when she finally
spoke, acknowledging the truth of his statement.
"Did he beat you?" Now the Captain's voice was harsh.
"Not physically," Carolyn said, after a moment, her eyes distant as
she thought back. "Well, not at first. Back then, he was charming,
sophisticated and fun to be with ... when he was sober."
The Captain's lips tightened. A drunken sot!
"When he drank, which he began to do more and more after the babies
came, he ..." she couldn't continue.
"What did he do to you?" the question came so softly, that she began
to answer automatically.
"He destroyed me verbally, telling me I wasn't woman enough for him
or for any real man ..." her breath caught in her throat at the memory,
and her eyes darkened with pain.
With narrowed eyes, the Captain prompted her quietly, "How so, my
dear?"
She gestured helplessly, "He said I was too small, my figure wasn't
shaped right -- I wasn't voluptuous enough for his taste." Her face
burned and she continued brokenly, "He said that I might have the face
of an angel, but my body and more importantly, my mind, couldn't hope to
live up to the illusion of beauty. My self-confidence crumbled ..."
Rage half-blinded the Captain. Had her husband ever had any idea
what a jewel he had found in her? How could he have done that to her?
His fists clenched. If only he had the dastardly poltroon in his power
for even two minutes ...
Carolyn began to tremble, and her eyes sparkled with unshed tears as
she looked up at the Captain. "One night, he ... he hit me. I took the
children and left, but he came after me. Our neighbours had left their
car running, to warm it up, and he took it. He ... he ran a red light
which I had managed to get through, and he was hit and ... and killed.
It took all I was to pull myself together after the accident, to fight
for my independence and for my life and a decent life for Candy and
Jonathan. I thought I had buried my pain and my past with him. I tried
to keep the Robert I first knew alive for the children, and didn't want
anyone else to ever find out about the Robert who tried to make me a
failure ..."
"And because of him, and what he did to you, marriage has been
tainted?"
"I thought you didn't believe in marriage, either, Captain. What has
happened to change your mind?" suddenly Carolyn turned the tables on
him.
"I, Madam? I have not changed my mind!" he reared back, such dismay
on his face that she would have found it comical were she not so
uptight. "I merely felt that, for you, that is, for a woman ..."
"I don't wish to discuss this further." Carolyn's face closed. He
understood that the topic was no longer seaworthy, and promptly changed
the subject.
"So, what have you decided to do for New Year's Eve?"
"New Year's?" she echoed, bewilderment crossing her face.
"Yes. After all, they say that every new year is an adventure, a
special chance to reminisce about the past. It's a time for making
memories in unique and special ways, but more than anything, it is a
chance to find the promise that dawns with each new day. Perhaps this
year is time to unwrap the magic of Christmas and enjoy the gift of love
now and every day of the new year."
"I ..." Carolyn couldn't think of anything to say.
"I have another gift for you, my dear. It is not really a Christmas
gift, nor a New Year's gift. But it is from my heart. I made it when I
learned your maiden name."
"My maiden name?" she found herself echoing him again.
"Aye. Williams is a Welsh name."
"Yes, my father is from a Welsh background. But what does that have
to do with anything?"
He handed her a small package. Carolyn unwrapped it to find an
exquisitely carved wooden spoon, highly polished. "Captain ... you MADE
this?"
"Aye. Out of some of the wood from the Monkey Puzzle tree."
Carolyn flushed again at the reminder of the tree she had so
callously cut down, but the Captain was still speaking.
"The love spoon is uniquely Welsh. The tradition began with the
common people sometime during the sixteenth century when young men began
to carve wooden spoons with intricate designs on the handles and then
gave these spoons to their beloved as a prelude to courtship. Spoons
were always carved from a single block of wood using simple tools, and
the more complex the design, the more it symbolized the carver's love
for the recipient."
"So what do these designs mean?" Carolyn asked as she traced the very
complex design on her spoon -- the ship and the anchor, the flowers
surrounding the heart-shaped keyhole at the top, the heart- shaped bowl
of the spoon, and two links of wooden chain to hold it.
"Naturally the heart is for love."
Carolyn said nothing, but a smile crossed her face as she kept her
head bent.
"The ship indicates a happy life, and the anchor means home. The
flowers are a sign of gentleness, and the keyhole stands for the door to
the heart, and the links tell the number of children. You see, in a
time when few of the common people could read or write, the love spoon
took the place of a love letter."
"Read it to me?" Carolyn asked quietly.
"I've already told you what everything represents." his words were
abrupt.
"Please?" Carolyn looked up at him, her fingers still smoothing over
the beautiful spoon in her hands.
He swallowed, then began to speak in a husky voice. "Dearest
Carolyn, my wish for you is a long and happy life. Your love and
gentleness, not to mention your two children, have opened the door to my
heart. May our love for each other make Gull Cottage into the home of
our dreams."
"Is it signed?" Carolyn said, when she could speak again around the
lump in her throat.
"Aye. Your Daniel." his voice was tender and low. They stared into
each other's eyes.
"Thank you. I will always treasure it." Carolyn whispered at last.
"Good night, my dear." he bowed formally, and vanished.
For a moment or two, Carolyn stood with the spoon in her hands,
running her fingers over the beautiful work and thinking about what the
Captain had said. If only he were not a spirit, she could so easily
have been persuaded to change her mind about marriage!
Martha spent the next two days cleaning the house. "I'll bet this
housecleaning is some New Year's tradition from somewhere," she muttered
as she swept the kitchen floor while Jonathan watched from the table as
he ate cookies.
"China." Jonathan volunteered.
Martha stared at him. "Now how would you know that?"
Jonathan shrugged. "Scuttlebutt."
Rolling her eyes, Martha kept on cleaning.
"The Captain said that the Chinese people believe the entire house
should be cleaned before New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, all brooms
and stuff are put away."
"That's good. I won't be here then. I plan to be lying on a beach
in Florida." Martha said.
"Even there," Jonathan continued, "You can't sweep or dust on New
Year's Day or good fortune will be swept away. And you can't sweep the
dirt out over the threshold, or you will sweep one of the family away."
"Don't tempt me." Martha said, brandishing her broom with a smile on
her face.
Swinging his legs and taking another cookie from the plate on the
table, Jonathan kept on talking. "The Captain said that if you sweep
the dust and dirt out of your house by the front entrance, you sweep
away the good fortune of the family, but if you sweep inwards and then
carry it out, no harm will follow. And all the dirt has to be taken out
the back door."
"It does, does it?" Martha finished sweeping the dirt onto the dust
pan. "Will your Captain let me throw it in the garbage can?"
Jonathan thought about that for a minute. "I guess so. The garbage
can then goes out the back door."
"You're right. And it needs to go out now." Martha looked at him
meaningfully. Heaving a sigh, Jonathan got up and carried the garbage
out to the bigger cans outside.
When he returned, he had a parting bit of knowledge for Martha. "The
Captain says that red clothes are best to wear for New Year's, because
the Chinese think that red is a bright, happy colour, sure to bring the
wearer a sunny and bright future. And what you look like and act like
for New Year's is how you'll be for the rest of the year."
"I'll be sure to remember that. Thank your imaginary friend for me,
will you? Now I know all about the Chinese New Year."
"Well, not all. I forgot to tell you about the red envelopes with
money in it for all the kids." Jonathan said.
"Get on with you! I'm not Chinese, neither are you!" and Martha
laughingly chased him out of the kitchen.
When Martha had gone, the house seemed empty. To cheer them up,
Carolyn told the children that since it was traditional to greet the new
year at midnight and celebrate the first minutes of the year in the
company of friends and family, they would be allowed to stay up late on
New Year's Eve. She explained that people hold parties which last until
late into the night. After the celebrations, it is time to make new
year resolutions, and these are a list of decisions about how to live in
the coming year. Horns are blown at midnight, and people hug and kiss
to begin the new year with much love and happiness.
"We could invite Claymore ..." Candy said, hesitantly. "No one else
knows about the Captain, and most people I know in Schooner Bay are
afraid of Gull Cottage because it's haunted."
"Even Claymore is." giggled Jonathan.
"Well, we can invite him. And if he doesn't come, we'll still have a
wonderful evening, just the four of us!" Carolyn said.
Accordingly, she extended an invitation to Claymore. He wouldn't
commit himself one way or the other, but he DID thank her for the
thought.
New Year's Eve was quiet at the start. In deference to the Chinese
idea of wearing red, the three Muirs all had on something in that
colour. Carolyn was wearing a red turtleneck and a long woolen plaid
skirt. Jonathan had a red shirt, and Candy wore red pants. Carolyn had
handed the Captain a red poinsettia she had cut from her plant, and he
had pinned it on his lapel with a smile of thanks. The four sat in the
living room with a blazing fire on the hearth. They ate popcorn and
played games and listened to some of the Captain's stories. Then
Carolyn turned on the television so they could watch the big silver ball
drop in Times Square. She had the children ready themselves, with arms
crossed and joined, to sing Auld Lang Syne.
"Why?" Jonathan wanted to know.
"It's sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-
speaking country in the world to bring in the new year, lad." the
Captain said. "It was partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700's
and first published after his death in 1796."
"What does it mean, Captain?" asked Candy. "Weird words."
"Literally, I suppose it means ‘old long ago'." he answered.
"Old long ago?" Jonathan wrinkled his nose.
"Kind of like the good old days." Carolyn said.
"Like YOUR old days, Captain?" Candy asked.
"Yes."
"Do you miss them lots, Captain Gregg?" Jonathan asked.
The Captain looked at the children, then his blue eyes fastened on
Carolyn's. "There are many compensations for a future." he said. "I am
glad to think back on the old days, and would not want to forget them,
but the future, and more particularly the present are far superior."
"The ball is falling!" Jonathan yelled suddenly.
As the crowd in Times Square erupted, the four in Gull Cottage sang
the song.
"Yuck, they're all KISSING!" Jonathan said, looking at the television
in disgust."
"Tradition." the Captain smiled, then his eyes were again on
Carolyn's as she stood next to him. She found herself swaying closer to
him, her surroundings fading from her consciousness, her world filled
with the Captain. In a moment, her lips would touch his ...
Suddenly there was a pounding on the door.
Carolyn jumped and turned away, her heart thumping. What had she
almost done?
"Who is it?" Candy yelled excitedly.
"Claymore?" Jonathan asked.
The two started for the door, but it burst open and a crowd of men
poured in, led by a burly, dark-haired man who towered over the others.
"Danny-boy! Gregg, old chap! Happy New Year, all!"
The children hesitated for a moment, then shrank closer to their
mother. Carolyn backed against a wall for a moment, her arms around the
children. Who were they? Then she realized with a jolt that she could
almost see through them. The Captain was greeting one and all with a
hearty, boisterous laugh and shouts of recognition.
The first man bowed to Carolyn, and held out a lump of coal to her.
Wordlessly, she put out her hand, and he dropped it in her palm with a
grin. "Now luck will be yers for the comin' year, lassie!" he said.
"Th - thank you." she managed. Then she pulled herself together.
She knew the tradition to follow! "Would you ... would you care for
some wine?"
"Rum is my toddy!" he winked at her. "I thank you, mistress!"
Keeping a firm hold of the children's hands, she edged her way to the
door.
"Who ARE they?" Candy breathed as they hurried across the foyer.
"The Captain's friends, I think." Jonathan said. "Wow."
"Yeah, WOW." Candy agreed.
Pushing open the door to the kitchen, the three stopped for a
moment. "Martha!" all three cried.
Carolyn rushed to her friend and hugged her. "Martha, what are you
doing here?"
Martha grinned. "Aren't dreams marvellous, Mrs. Muir? I was in
Florida, I ate just the teeniest piece of mince pie before going to bed
... and here I am back in Schooner Bay! I guess I didn't want to miss
anything."
"Like what?" Jonathan asked.
"Oh, like a ... a wedding or something."
"A WEDDING?" Candy's eyes widened.
Carolyn hurriedly pulled some glasses out of the cupboard and
rummaged for the bottle of rum, one of whiskey, and one of wine. "This
is your DREAM?" she asked Martha as she worked to load a tray.
"Sure is. I was thinking how hot it was there, and wondered what was
going on here ... next thing I knew, here I was, and you three were
coming in the door! You have a lot of company, Mrs. Muir." Martha said,
cocking her head. "Having a party without me?"
"Hmm."
"It's the Captain's friends." Jonathan explained.
"Oh, I see. Well, anything's possible in a dream! Let's go meet
them!" Martha took the tray from Carolyn and marched into the living
room.
"Happy New Year, one and all!" came the toasts, thick and fast. Then
the ghosts talked the children into opening all the doors and windows,
and walking around the house outside from back to front.
"This is great!" Candy giggled. "Come on, Jonathan. Mom? Martha?
You have to come, too. It's good luck!"
Martha waltzed off beside a seaman who was admiring her girth, her
broad face beaming. The children followed. Carolyn hesitated for a
moment, then the Captain was beside her.
"Carolyn?" he said in a low voice.
"Captain," she spoke, not really hearing him, "do you know them all?"
"Aye. They are dear friends. Captain MacDonald took over the Mary
Anne when I assumed command of another ship. He's sailing her now.
She's down at the Schooner Bay pier."
"Captain MacDonald?"
"That's me, lassie!" the tall, black-haired man was next to them.
"Should ye require my services, I would be honoured to tie the knot for
ye, aboard the Mary Anne." he beamed.
"Tie the knot?" Carolyn repeated.
"Aye." he winked again, then whirled and was off, calling loudly to a
piper who had unfurled his pipes just outside the kitchen door.
Carolyn covered her ears for a moment, and stared at the Captain.
"WHAT is going on?"
"Come, my dear, let us walk around the house, too. I think we need
all the luck we can muster." the Captain said, hurriedly.
They followed the crowd around the house, then, when the others
disappeared inside the front door, the Captain beckoned Carolyn to the
side of the porch. "Captain MacDonald was saying he would be willing to
marry us. Aboard his ship. To fulfill my dreams. He knows that it has
long been my dream to be married on board."
"Oh?"
"Aye. When Vanessa and I were first betrothed, I spoke with
MacDonald. He was most happy. When I told Vanessa, she was most
decidedly not happy. In fact, she refused to marry me. She said it
might have been MY idea of a dream wedding, but that it certainly wasn't
a WOMAN'S dream wedding."
Carolyn raised her eyebrows, then admitted softly, "If I were
marrying you, and if I believed that dreams could come true, it would be
MY dream wedding."
With a suddenness that took her completely unawares, he gathered her
closely into his embrace. He kissed her with a tenderness that was
backed by a masculine firmness. Surprise weakened her and made her
pulse flutter, but before the surprise had even faded, other sensations
were opening like floodgates and awareness poured into every cell of her
body. In those few seconds, a lifetime of forgotten needs was awakened
in Carolyn. Warmth blossomed in her skin and flowed through her veins,
her breath died in her throat, heartbeats scattered through her body
like raindrops in a sudden gust of wind. Consciousness expanded like a
slow, deep breath and then faded into nothing but the sheer sensory
awareness of Daniel's closeness.
Then he raised his head, and said huskily, "I know I should not have
taken the liberty, without your permission, but I am sure you know how
much I have wanted to kiss you since our very first meeting." His eyes
were darkened with his passion, and intense as he looked at her
searchingly. "How much I have wanted to touch you like this, to show
you that dreams can come true."
Carolyn simply looked back at him, unable to speak, hardly able even
to breathe. She felt stripped and weak, nerve endings exposed and
alive, unfulfilled yearning tightening and aching in every cell. Her
heart was still thundering, her skin tingling, her breath uncertain.
She compressed her lips and lifted her chin slightly, letting him read
in her face what he would.
He saw only the truth. The hurt and the dignity, the wanting and the
strength, the acknowledgment of the breach that lay between them and
would for her lifetime. He saw the softness of vulnerability and the
quiet waiting. He saw her love for him, and the acceptance of his love
for her.
"Carolyn ... WILL you marry me? Tonight? Aboard the Mary Ann?"
Carolyn could sense his love for her. She could almost feel his
spirit touching hers. He made her feel as if they had time, all
eternity, to be with one another, look at one another, to experience
love at its best. He made her feel as if she was the most desirable
woman in the world, and that his only goal was to please her. How could
she not marry him? She loved him more than she had ever dreamed it
possible to love another. Suddenly the trance caused by disbelief at
his first touch seemed to snap. "Oh, Daniel, yes! If I HAD to, I would
wait for you. I would wait for you for all eternity. I would wait for
you until the end of time itself." After a pause, she continued, her
enchanting smile spreading across her face. "But we don't have to
wait. We can have it all now ..."
Her hand reached up and smoothed over his cheek, across his nose,
traced his lips. "I can really feel you. I can REALLY feel you!" she
murmured. "Oh, Daniel, our ‘if onlys' and our dreams can come true
tonight!"
He gave her another hard kiss, then, his arm around her shoulders, he
guided her into the house, calling for Captain MacDonald.
When the good captain appeared beside them, and heard Daniel's
request, he said, "I'd be glad to do the honours for my friend, Danny
Boy!" Then, winking at Carolyn, he added, "And for the lovely lady,
too."
Martha was at Carolyn's side. "So you two ARE getting married?"
"Mom?" Jonathan and Candy were tugging on her hands. "What's going
on?"
"I ..." Carolyn felt overwhelmed, suddenly.
Martha whooped. "We're having a wedding! Let me get some champagne!"
and she hurried away.
"You're marrying Captain Gregg?" Jonathan asked.
"Jonathan, Candy, I should have asked your permission." the Captain
squatted down and looked at the two closely. "Would you be upset if
..."
"WOW!" Without waiting for him to finish, both Jonathan and Candy
hurled themselves into his arms, almost bowling him over. Laughingly he
managed to get to his feet, looking over at Carolyn.
"I do not think they are upset." he grinned.
"Nor I," Carolyn's return smile was tremulous. She had a feeling of
unreality, but decided that if Martha thought it was a dream, it must
be. There was no other way to describe such incredible happenings,
things that occur only in stories or in movies. She had to have somehow
fallen asleep and be dreaming. And really, it WAS a wonderful dream!
So she resolved to enjoy it thoroughly, and take whatever may come.
After all, she could actually feel the Captain's touch in this dream,
and that was worth everything!
Just then the doorbell rang. The children ran to answer it, and
found Claymore standing on the threshold. "You're having a party when
Martha's away? What are you eating? Wait a minute, isn't that Martha
over there? I thought she was going to Florida? What happened? Who's
she talking too? Who's here?" He fired questions at the children, his
eyes roaming over everyone in the room. Then he took a closer look at
the guests and shrieked.
"No one will notice the noise, it's New Year's and is supposed to be
noisy!" Candy said. "Just don't faint. You might get stepped on."
"Faint? Me? Why would I do that?" he scowled.
"‘Cause you're turning pale and shaky." Jonathan shrugged.
"I am not!" he squared his shoulders, and tried not to look at the
others. "Listen, kids," he bent closer. "Just who are these people?"
"Friends of Captain Gregg." Candy said, a pitying look on her face.
"I see." For a moment Claymore stood still, then he grabbed for a
chair and sat down fast, holding his head in his hands. "How do I get
myself into these things? WHY did I come up here tonight?"
"Oh, Claymore, never mind! Come on, you can come with all of us.
We're off to a wedding, right now! Tonight!" Candy was jumping up and
down with excitement. "On a ship!"
"Whose wedding?" he asked, suspiciously.
"Mom's and the Captain's!" Jonathan grinned.
"Oh, how nice! That's wond ... WHAT?" Claymore suddenly realized
what had been said. Carolyn came up at that moment to greet him, and he
looked at her as if she had completely lost her mind. "You would even
CONSIDER this kind of marriage? What about your family? A wedding
dress? A CHURCH?"
Carolyn shrugged. "The most important family is here ... the
children. Martha. Most important of all, the Captain. A dress and a
church aren't the important considerations to my mind."
"But, Mrs. Muir ... how ... how could you even think about marrying
... marrying HIM when you've been married before? To a REAL man?"
"That has nothing to do with THIS!" Carolyn didn't even want to think
about her first marriage. If Robert was a ‘real' man, she didn't want
any part of such creatures. The Captain stepped closer to her, and she
smiled up at him, her heart swelling with her love for him. Softly she
said, more to herself than Claymore, "All that matters is love."
"Oh, Mrs. Muir, how COULD you love him?" Claymore moaned again. "A
horrible, spooky, ..."
At that moment, one of the ghosts called for everyone to take hands,
saying that it was time to go to the Mary Ann. Everyone joined hands,
but Claymore wailed as one of the spirits seized his, "No! No, I don't
WANT to go! No!"
It was too late. In an instant, the entire group had been
transported to the deck of a ship. Martha looked at the crowd, and
looked around at her surroundings with an open mouth, then turned to
Mrs. Muir. "I should swear off mince pie for LIFE ..."
"But Martha, I couldn't possibly be married without you being here."
Carolyn tried not to smile at the consternation she saw on Martha's
face.
Taking a deep breath, Martha nodded. "Very well, I will make the
best of it. After all, it's only a dream. Now all I have to do is
convince that idiot." and she glared at Claymore.
He was clinging to the mast, whimpering, "No, take me home! I get
seasick just LOOKING at ships. And ... and I hate ghosts! I don't WANT
to be here! Surrounded by a ... a horrible haggle of haunts! A vision
of ghoulish ghosts! Spirits of spectres! A spiritual gaggle! A horde
of horrendous ..." his breath came out in a wheeze.
"We prefer a host of ghosts," one jolly tar informed him.
"How about, a void of apparitions?" another grinned toothlessly at
the hapless man.
"Oh, I wish!" Claymore moaned. "More like a fright, not a void! I
hate all spookfaces ... and THAT one most of all!" and he pointed with a
trembling finger to the Captain, who turned and glared at him.
"It's only a dream, Claymore," Martha said, comfortingly.
"A nightmare! Wake me up. Now! PLEASE!"
"Shall I drop you overboard?" the Captain was suddenly beside them.
"No! Oh, please, Mrs. Muir, don't let them touch me! Make them take
me home!"
"After the wedding." Martha frowned at him. "Now shut up and let's
get this show on the road. I've places to go and things to see ... this
is a terrific dream! I wonder what the galley is like?"
"Never mind that now, Martha," Carolyn said, hastily. "It looks like
Captain MacDonald is ready to begin."
Carolyn was presented with a poinsettia to match the one on the
Captain's lapel, and she smiled her thanks. Martha grabbed for her
hanky, tears beginning to spill. Looking around, Carolyn marvelled at
the sight. It was well after midnight. The moon was bright, the air
crisp and cool. Yet she was quite warm as she stood on the deck of a
GHOST ship, surrounded by the spirits of many of Captain Gregg's
contemporaries, her excited children, Martha who had somehow been
teleported from Florida and was convinced she was dreaming, and Claymore
who was almost prostrate with fear. Most importantly, as she had said,
she was beside Captain Daniel Gregg. His blue eyes were shining into
hers with a warmth and a love that she knew would never go away. And he
was hers. Whether it was a dream or whether it was real no longer
mattered. Captain Gregg was hers. Hers, forever.
It was truly a glorious start to a New Year!