Sequel to "Mr. Perfect"                  Susan G.

   Carolyn rolled over and groaned as she heard Martha in the kitchen downstairs.  She hadn't left a note, so Martha wouldn't know that Blair had left late last night and wouldn't be requiring breakfast.  She sat up, then looked quickly around the room.  No, no Captain.  But he HAD been here last night, and because of him, she had had a very restless, sleepless night!  His little trick of calling out once she had been in bed had startled her so much that the adrenaline was STILL racing through her even by morning!
   Grabbing her robe, she put it on, ran the comb through her hair, and made her way down to the kitchen.  "Good morning, Martha."
   "Oh, good morning, Mrs. Muir." Martha eyed her, speculatively.  "I know it's none of my business, but you don't look as if you had much sleep last night.  Is Mr. Thompson up yet?"
   "I don't know." Carolyn shrugged.  "He decided last night to go back to his yacht."
   Martha put the eggs she was holding down.  "May I ask why?  I thought he was staying until noon today?  Too much champagne?"
   "We only had one glass out of the bottle, Martha!"
   "I know, I saw in it the refrigerator ... and found the two empty glasses.  You were celebrating something?"
   "Well, not really."  Carolyn looked around.  "Let me get some coffee."  She poured herself a cup and sat down at the table.  Martha sat opposite her, nursing her own coffee.
   "Blair asked me to marry him again..."
   Martha nodded.  "I heard him myself on the pier, and figured he'd do it again ... you gave him plenty of opportunity throughout the day."
   "I wasn't trying to give him the opportunity!  I was just visiting with an old friend!" Carolyn protested.
   "So the champagne was to let him down lightly?"
   "Well, actually, I gave it to him, and when he proposed again, I said yes."  Carolyn was almost defiant. 
   Martha choked on her coffee.  "You WHAT?"
   Carolyn grinned at the disconcerted look on Martha's face.  "I said yes." she repeated.
   "So he decided he couldn't stay because he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stay quietly in the spare room after you finally agreed to a wedding?  Or did he just hate my fish stew?"
   "No.  He couldn't stay because he was suddenly back-peddling furiously.  Once I reminded him that it wasn't just ME accepting him, but that now he had a ready-made family with two children, a housekeeper and a dog, and that he wouldn't have to worry about drifting around any longer not knowing where he was going to be next, or with WHOM ... he remembered an important engagement at noon today, and had to get out so he wouldn't influence my decision.  He thought maybe I had agreed on a whim."
   "But you hadn't."
   Carolyn laughed.  "No.  I know Blair well.  He never wants what he can get easily.  As soon as I said yes, the magic was gone ... I wasn't a challenge any more.  I seriously doubt I'll hear from him again."
   "Well, some people have all the luck.  Here you are, with so many marriage proposals, and I've been waiting all my life for one..."
   "Martha, it's only luck if it's the right one!" Carolyn smiled at her friend. 
   "And Dr. Rodman and his mama would definitely be the WRONG one!" Martha sighed.  "My luck to have picked on HIM."
   "In that case, it's OUR luck!  We couldn't do without you ... you know that!  And there are other men around Schooner Bay!  Just wait and see..."
   The children came down at that moment, and the conversation was interrupted.  After breakfast, Carolyn went to her room and dressed, then came back downstairs and went out to work in the garden.
   She had only been out for about an hour when a car pulled up to the gate.  "Carolyn?"
   Looking around, Carolyn jumped to her feet.  "Paula!  Betty!  I can't believe it!  What are you two doing here?"  She ran to meet her college friends and hugged them.
   "We decided we had to come and visit ... it has been ages since we've seen you, and your mother said you had a house now."
   "Well, we rent it." Carolyn nodded. 
   "We thought we'd drive up and spend the day, and have an all night gab session the way we used to in the dorm, and go back tomorrow.  Aggie really wanted to come too, but Stuart was planning something, so she said she'd try to get up in a couple of months or so."
   "I get to drive home," Betty added to Paula's recital, "because I usually fall asleep first.  So I won't be as tired."
   "That was before we ALL got older!" Carolyn laughed. "I can't see myself staying up all night anymore either.  Especially after I had such a bad night LAST night."
   "Oh?  What happened last night?" Paula's ears perked up right away.
   "Blair was here yesterday..." Carolyn began.
   "BLAIR THOMPSON?  You're kidding, right?  You've been seeing him and not telling us?"
   "I haven't been SEEING him!  I got a telegram from him on Wednesday that he'd be arriving, by yacht, no less, on Saturday."
   "So how many times did he ask you to marry him?" Betty chuckled.
   "About four." admitted Carolyn.  Then she hugged her friends again.  "Oh, it's SO good to see you both!  I'm sorry Aggie couldn't come too.  It would have been just like old times."
   "Yes, like before you eloped with Richard, and we had to spend our time discussing you and Blair and how many times he asked you to marry him every time you saw each other.  He was up to eight, wasn't he?  In one evening?"
   "Paula, it wasn't that bad!" Carolyn's protest was swift.  Then her smile faltered.  "Was it?"
   "Paula's just jealous." Betty grimaced, and she dodged Paula's swat with a laugh. 
   Suddenly remembering the Captain, whose jealousy had been rampantly displayed last night, Carolyn looked up at Gull Cottage.  What would he say about their visitors today?  She bit her lip.
   "Where're the children?" Paula asked, looking around. 
   "Down at the beach.  They'll be back shortly.  They wanted to do a bit of fishing.  If you listen closely, you'll hear a radio?  That's Candy's ... she got a transistor from Blair yesterday, and we've been hearing it pretty well steadily ever since!  Come on in.  I'll introduce to you to Martha..."
   "Oh yes, we heard you had someone to live with you and help with everything." Betty grabbed her things from the car, tossed Paula her purse and HER overnight case, and the three went laughing up the steps of Gull Cottage.
   Carolyn ushered the other two into the kitchen first, and introduced them to Martha.  "Paula Tardy and Betty Freeman.  We were roommates and inseparable in college days!  Martha, my companion, housekeeper and friend!"
   "Sorry we just dropped in on you like this, Martha," Betty said, shaking Martha's hand, "but it has been about two years since we've seen Carolyn, and over ten years since we had a good long visit!  Talking on the phone and writing letters just doesn't seem the same.  We decided to make it now, even if the fourth in our group couldn't be here!"
   "We hear you've been getting a run on Carolyn's old friends this weekend!" Paula added.  "What did YOU think of Blair?"
   Martha shrugged, "I really couldn't say..."
   Betty and Paula both giggled.  Paula turned to Carolyn, "I thought you said Martha was a good friend.  Don't you tell her everything?"
   "Well, I ..."
   "Good friends don't need to pry." Martha said, sternly.  Then she relaxed and grinned.  "I was trying to be very tactful when I asked where Blair slept last night."
   "Martha!" Carolyn gasped as Paula and Betty pounced on her words, shaking Carolyn.
   "You didn't tell us THAT!  All you said was you ‘had a bad night'!  Give!"
   "Yes, Madam," the Captain asked, "Forgive my presumption, but why did you have a bad night?"
   Carolyn closed her eyes for a brief moment to gather her thoughts which had scattered at the Captain's sudden appearance.  Then she glared at her friends.  "Blair slept on his yacht.  I TOLD you that, Martha!  After I told him I'd marry him, he ..."
   "Carolyn!" shrieked both Betty and Paula, "you DIDN'T!" 
   "Oh, girl, you HAVE got it bad!" Paula added.  "After all you used to tell us about him, how could you possibly be feeling so lonely that you had to ACCEPT him?"
   "I'm NOT feeling lonely!" Carolyn protested.  Her eyes met the Captain's.  She continued slowly, "I love it here at Gull Cottage.  This is home now.  I don't think I ever want to leave."
   A slow, satisfied smile spread across the Captain's face.  Carolyn had to look away from the intense look in his blue eyes.  She spoke to Paula and Betty, "I only accepted Blair so that he would leave me alone.  For good.  YOU know Blair."
   Their horrified expressions gave away to relieved laughs.  "Oh yes.  That's right.  You were the challenge, and a Thompson THRIVES on challenge!" Betty said.  "So that's why he left late last night?"
   "Running scared!" Carolyn grinned.
   "So why didn't YOU sleep, Carolyn?" Paula wondered.  "Afraid you hadn't made the right decision?"
   "Oh, I knew I was right about that!" Carolyn was adamant. 
   "Well?" Betty asked.
   "Let me show you the rest of the house!" Carolyn refused to talk any further with the Captain standing there, a smug expression on his face.  After last night, she knew how deeply the Captain cared for her.  That was one of the things she had pondered over during the long night.  For the sake of her happiness, he had been willing to stand aside and "facilitate" marriage between her and Blair, even though it was obviously a great sacrifice for him.  She had seen the heartbreak on his face when he said he believed it was the best thing for all; for her and the children.  His voice had almost broken, and he couldn't get the word ‘me' out, so had just repeated it was best for all.  But, having realized that, she was still angry with him for presuming to know what was best for her, even to the extent of pushing her into Blair's arms!  Not to mention, of course, his "and sleep well, Madam!" comment right after she had settled into bed that had sent her heart thumping wildly.
   Showing Paula and Betty into the living room, Carolyn glared surreptitiously at the Captain.  "Go away!" she hissed.  "You said you would only be near me when I expressly summoned you!"
   "I was sure you HAD, Madam." he smiled serenely.  "I can read your thoughts..."
   Hoping fervently that was merely a comment to annoy her, Carolyn turned to Betty and Paula who were exclaiming over the charm of the room. 
   "And this handsome rogue is?" Betty looked up at the portrait of Captain Gregg.
   "Captain Daniel Gregg.  He built Gull Cottage a hundred years ago.  It's his house.  WAS his." she corrected herself quickly, ignoring the smirk she knew the Captain would have on his face.
   "Quite the man." Paula breathed. 
   "Your friends have marvelous taste, my dear." the Captain said in Carolyn's ear.
   "So that's why all the sea stuff around?" Paula didn't wait for an answer.  "No wonder you love it here.  You always WERE a private sort of person, and you would get one idea in your head and it took a lot to shake you!  Until you married Richard.  Then you changed, trying to fit into HIS idea of a ‘little wife'.  But before that, and SINCE Richard, I think, you've gone after what you want.  You almost remind me of Blair ... thrive on challenges! "
   "Oh, please, not like BLAIR!" Carolyn made a face.  "Come on, I'll show you the upstairs.  We can take your things up at the same time."
   The three of them went up the stairs, and Carolyn showed them the children's room, bathroom, and spare room.  "Do you want to leave your things here?  I'm afraid you'll have to share the bed..."
   "Not on your life!" Paula said.  "We said we were coming for a pyjama party!  We're not USING beds!  Is your room big enough for the three of us on the floor, or do we have to use the living room?  That would be okay, I guess.  We could light the fire ..."
   "And we'd have the Captain to listen in to our conversations!" Betty chuckled.
   Carolyn felt her heart flip at the thought, and tensed briefly.  "I think my room would be big enough..." and she threw open the door.
   Entering almost reverently, her friends hardly breathed as they stood just inside, and looked around the large bedroom.
   "This is superb, Carolyn!" Betty finally spoke.  She walked over to the desk.  "This is your office, too?  Is this where you wrote that incredible story, ‘Maiden Voyage'?"
   Smiling self-consciously, Carolyn said, "Well, yes... You read that, did you?"
   "My dear, I was THRILLED to be able to say that the author was a good friend!"
   "You wrote it about the Captain, didn't you?" Paula said, suddenly.  "Captain ... whatever his name is.  The portrait downstairs."
   "Captain Gregg.  And yes.  NO!  I mean..." Carolyn was suddenly flustered.
   "Carolyn, are you in love with the Captain?" Betty turned on her, intrigued by the confusion she sensed.
   The colour rose in Carolyn's face.  "He's DEAD, Betty, remember?  It is not possible to be in love with someone who is no longer alive!  Who ..."
   "I think you're protesting a bit much," Paula said, "But we'll leave it for now.  This is the kind of topic we can get into later ... when it's dark!  And we have the fire lit in that fireplace!  This is a marvelous room for our party!  We brought a bottle of wine...not that we really need it.  We seem to get high just from being together again!"
   "I have part of a bottle of champagne from last night." Carolyn added.  "Blair got scared off before we finished it." and she grinned.
   "All right!" the three laughed again.  Betty added, "We'll pour one for Aggie, too, and share it.  She was not very happy she couldn't come."
   "How are she and Stuart doing?" Carolyn asked, delighted at the change of topic.
   "Same.  They fight, break up, get back together, set the date for the wedding, fight, break up, get back together, set a new date...."
   "Poor Aggie." Carolyn laughed.  Then she said, "Let's go see if Martha has something for lunch!  The children should be back any time too."
   After lunch, the three women spent the afternoon on the beach with the children.  They came in with big appetites, and sat down to a delicious Red Flannel Hash supper.  Martha sat beaming at all the compliments she received.  After supper, Betty suggested they get the room ready for their party. 
   "Can we come?" Jonathan and Candy looked eager.
   "Just for the beginning part.  You can help move furniture and mattresses ... and have popcorn by the fire." Carolyn agreed.
   "Then after that, we get into ‘woman talk', and no children allowed!" Paula grinned.  "We're going to pretend we're back in college and talk about our love lives."
   "Guess that lets ME out." Martha said.  "I'm certainly no child, but I don't have a love life!  Oh well, bed is looking better and better anyway."
   Paula and Betty looked a little guilty at having forgotten to include Martha, but Carolyn winked at them.  She knew Martha would never have dreamt of joining them anyway. 
   "I'll start the popcorn after the dishes are done, you five run along and get to work." Martha added, shooing them out of the kitchen.
   The children ran ahead of the women up the stairs.  When Carolyn got to her room, Jonathan was insisting that the desk and chair couldn't be right against the telescope, because then there'd be no room for the Captain to stand to look out.
   "Mom!" Candy was clearly exasperated.  "Does he have to talk about the Captain ALL the time?"
   "Captain?  What Captain?  YOUR Captain?" Paula and Betty swung around to Carolyn, who gave them a weak smile.
   "No, Jonathan's." Candy was disgusted.  "His imaginary friend."
   "He's REAL!" Jonathan insisted.  "Isn't he, Mom?"
   "Listen, we can't argue about this in front of company." Carolyn frowned at Jonathan, then said, "For tonight, the desk can come over by the bed... since I guess I won't get to use it."
   "Nope.  Just the mattress." Paula said.  "We're ALL on the floor tonight."
   "Groovy.  Wish I could come." Candy looked longingly at her mother.
   "Sorry!" Carolyn ruffled her hair.  "You can have your own sleep- over party sometime.  MY turn tonight."
   They moved the furniture, got Carolyn's mattress onto the floor, and struggled with the mattress from the spare room until it, too, was in front of the fireplace in the master bedroom.  Then Carolyn laid the fire and lit it.  Martha came in with the popcorn just as they were all flopping down on the mattresses.
   "Perfect timing." she commented, putting the two big bowls down between the others.
   "Join us, Martha?" Paula invited, waving a hand.  "Just pull up a mattress..."
   "Thanks, but if I got down, I may never get back up!" Martha chuckled.  "Have a good night!  Can you put the children to bed, Mrs. Muir, or do you want me to do it?  Then you can start early on your party."
   "We can, thanks, Martha."  Carolyn smiled up at her. 
   "See you all in the morning ... I hope you're not like Mr. Thompson and decide to leave in the middle of the night..."
   "Oh, I thought it was in the evening!  Now he stayed until the middle of the night?" Betty's teasing glance swung to Carolyn.
   "Not in front of the children, Betty!" Paula spoke sternly.  "Just remember the question for later!" and the two laughed uproariously.
   Carolyn rolled her eyes and ignored them, taking some popcorn and passing the one bowl to the children.
   After a couple of hours of eating and chatting, Carolyn looked at her watch.  "Sorry, kids.  Time for bed.  You have school tomorrow."
   "Aww.." Candy began.  "Can't I stay up with you just for a bit?  I'm ALMOST a woman!"
   "No fair if she can!" Jonathan piped up instantly.
   "School tomorrow, so NOW!" Carolyn was firm.  "Into the bathroom, Candy.  Jonathan, you get into your pyjamas."
   "We're going to change, too, kids ... so you're not alone!" Paula said.  "So's your mom, right?"
   "I guess so." Carolyn smiled.  "Okay, crew!  Change time!  I'll be out in a minute to check on you two!"
   Jonathan and Candy scampered out the door.  Paula and Betty dug into their overnight bags for their nightgowns, and Carolyn unhooked hers from the closet door.  She cast a quick glance around for the Captain, but saw no sign of him ... hadn't seen him since this morning, in fact.  She assumed he had abandoned ship for a while because of having three women in "his" cabin!!  She sincerely hoped so, anyway!  With the mood Paula and Betty were in, and the way SHE would get if they got into the wine and champagne made her realize it was not the sort of conversation she wanted him to hear!  It may have been 10 years since their last "gab session", but Carolyn's memory was excellent in that regard!  Richard had been quite disgusted with them, so they hadn't had one since Carolyn's marriage.  Too bad Aggie couldn't have come too ... it would indeed have been just like old times!
   When the children were settled in, Carolyn ran downstairs to the kitchen for the champagne.  She got the glasses and a tray, and turned to the fridge for the bottle. 
   "Imbibing again, Mrs. Muir?" the Captain materialized by her side.
   "Oh, good evening, Captain.  Yes, we're going to finish the champagne.  It will be going flat soon anyway." Carolyn didn't look at him.  She was wishing she had put on her housecoat ... she knew the flimsy negligee was not really something to wear while flitting around the house!  The Captain, of course, was being gentlemanly about it, and was concentrating on the champagne, the ceiling, anywhere but her half-naked body! 
   "Couldn't you have dressed?" he finally said, as she poured the champagne.
   "Sorry, Captain.  I'll just be a minute.  You can always pop out if you want!"
   "I can see it's going to be a long night." he sighed. 
   "I'm afraid so." Carolyn smiled.  "There's a little bit left over, shall I pour you a glass?"  Without waiting for an answer, she did so, and passed it to him.
   He picked it up, eyed the few mouthfuls, and sighed.  "Hardly enough to drown my sorrows..."
   "Don't you think you're exaggerating just a little, Captain?  No need to pout.  Really!"  She washed out the empty bottle and put it by the back door, then picked up the tray and started upstairs.  "Good night, Captain."
   "Madam." came his disgruntled rejoinder.
   Carolyn rejoined Paula and Betty in front of the fire and they toasted each other and the absentee Aggie.  After the first sip, Paula turned to Carolyn and said, "Now, please.  The whole story of yesterday."
   With a laugh, Carolyn obliged, as far as she could without mentioning the Captain!  She imitated Blair's movements with the sprinkler, and the other two howled with laughter.  Then she told of the afternoon fiasco on the yacht, and repeated the Captain's comment about a "dashing suitor -- dashing out of the lounge, dashing on to the deck, dashing over to the rail..." 
   "Poor Blair!" Betty gasped, rolling on the mattress.
   Carolyn sighed.  "Yes, actually, I felt rather sorry for him."
   "Is that why you said yes the next time he asked you to marry him?" Paula said, slyly.
   "Um-hmm." Carolyn nodded. "But what about you two?  Why are we still talking about me?"
   "Because you're infinitely more interesting!  And can we see the locket Blair gave you?"
   Carolyn groaned.  Then she got up and got the locket out of her dresser drawer. 
   They opened it.  "Ooh, this looks like it was taken the year we all went to Provincetown for a vacation!  He still had the picture?  Must be love, Carolyn!"
   "Idiots!" Carolyn said, affectionately.  She took back the locket and put it away. 
   "Did you let him close enough for a kiss this time?" Betty asked.
   "Betty, what a question!" Carolyn blushed.
   "Well?" Paula demanded.
   "Well... yes, I guess so.  I broke it off and went for the champagne then."
   "So it was as unpleasant as you used to find it?" Paula laughed.
   "I'd forgotten that." Carolyn was bemused.
   "Well, you had Richard in between." Betty consoled her.  "No wonder your memory went!  You're getting old, you know."
   "Thanks." Carolyn said, dryly.
   "Now, what about your Captain?"
   "My Captain?" immediately Carolyn was on her guard.
   "You know, in the story ‘Maiden Voyage'?  That was so vivid, you had to have been telling a real story, just changing some of the names to protect the innocent!" Betty grinned.
   "Or the not-so-innocent!" added Paula.
   "Well, I was not the maiden!" Carolyn took another sip of champagne to hide her face from their scrutiny.
   "What are the Captain's kisses like?" Betty asked.  "Better than Blair's?"
   "Betty, I haven't kissed the Captain!" Carolyn spoke without thinking.
   "So there IS a Captain!" Paula crowed at the success of Betty's trick question.  "Why haven't you kissed him?  You're surely not STILL mourning Richard!!  Or were you afraid the Captain's kiss would be as unpleasant as Blair's?"
   "No, I would LOVE to ki..." Carolyn stopped midsentence, her mouth open and a look of horror on her face.  She had never meant to say anything of the kind to Paula and Betty, and certainly never where the Captain might hear ... and he had suddenly materialized by the door and was watching her with a wicked grin on his face!
   "You were saying, Madam?" he almost purred.
   "What is it, Carolyn?" Paula's sharp gaze followed Carolyn's to the door.
   "I think we have an eavesdropper." Carolyn said, grimly.  "Excuse me a moment please, while I try to remove him."  She got up.
   "You mean Jonathan's still up trying to listen to grownup talk?" Betty laughed.  "I'm amazed you heard him!"
   "I just know." Carolyn's lips tightened, and she glared at the Captain as she moved towards him.  She opened the door and stepped into the hallway, out of sight of Paula and Betty, and beckoned fiercely to him.  He obligingly followed, his grin firmly in place.  Carolyn shut the door behind him, and hissed, "What are you DOING here?"
  "I merely heard my name mentioned in passing," he said airily.  "So I stopped to hear the rest of the conversation.  Rather enlightening, too, I might add.  Although somewhat irrelevant to OUR relationship, I fear."
   "You are to STOP this, do you hear?" Carolyn whispered furiously.  "Go away!"
   "Madam, you cut me to the quick!" he began.  But she angrily brushed past him to check on the children. 
   Candy muttered something, but rolled over and went back to sleep when Carolyn tucked her in.  Jonathan was sound asleep already.  Carolyn went back to her room, relieved to see the Captain had gone again.  For the rest of the night, she hoped fervently.
   "Sorry about that," she said as she stepped in the door.  "I just tucked them back in."
   "BOTH of them?" Paula was surprised.
   "I'm afraid so."  Carolyn subsided onto the mattress and picked up her champagne.  "Now, we're not going to talk about me any more.  You two may know what has been going on in YOUR lives, but I don't, and I want to hear it!"
   "Aye, aye, ma'am!" Betty saluted.  She looked rather astonished, then, and said, "You know, I've never said that before!  Must be the atmosphere of this place, Carolyn.  No wonder you started dreaming about sailors and such, and writing stories about swashbuckling heroes."
   "No more of ME!" Carolyn repeated, refusing to be drawn.  Paula and Betty sighed, then complied, and talk went on until the fire burned out many hours later. 
   The three had discussed everything under the sun, finished the wine and the champagne, and were lying down lazily watching the last few embers wink out.  "Can we go to sleep now?" Betty asked plaintively.  "I'm beat!"
   "Me too." Carolyn murmured.
   "Me three." Paula concurred, softly.  "Carolyn, I'm sorry if we seemed to have ganged up on you earlier and made you talk about things you didn't want to."
   "I'm not, really, but I am if it REALLY bothered you." Betty agreed.
   Carolyn laughed softly.  "Go to sleep, you nuts!"
   "Does that mean we're forgiven?"
   "Of course!"
   "Then will you tell us about the Captain?" Betty was crafty.
   "No." Carolyn answered briefly.
   "Blast." said Paula.  There was a long pause.  Carolyn had tensed at the word, and the others felt it instantly.  "Umm, care to explain why I said that?" Paula sat up.  "And why it bothered you?"
   "No." came the quiet response.
   Again no one spoke.  Carolyn gradually relaxed, and hoped the others would fall asleep.  She thought of the Captain, and wondered if he HAD listened in to the entire evening's conversation.  She cringed inwardly remembering how he had caught her saying she would love to kiss him.  Well, as he had said, rather irrelevant to their relationship!
   She wondered that he had allowed her to have Paula and Betty stay at all, but assumed it was probably because after the day with Blair and her outburst then, he was a little afraid to try something again.  He HAD acted like a jealous idiot over Blair.  Obviously he didn't see Paula and Betty as a threat to him.  Probably quite the reverse.  But she didn't want to think that way either.  Oh, blast, now SHE was starting to sound like a jealous idiot!  Must be all the wine and lack of sleep!  Carolyn wanted to roll over and punch her pillow to get more comfortable, but was afraid to move for fear of waking the others. 
   She lay still for what seemed only a few minutes longer, then suddenly was blinking at the bright sunshine streaming in through the open window.  The Captain was at his telescope, surveying the ocean.  She moved to pull the sheet over herself, and he looked back at the movement, seeing that she was awake.
   "Good morning, Madam." he spoke heartily.  Seeing her widened eyes, he smiled.  "Don't worry, they can neither see nor hear me.  And they're both sound asleep."
   Carolyn frowned at him, hoping he would get the message and leave.
   "Are you trying to tell me something?" he asked, smoothly.  "Too bad you can't move or speak for fear of waking your friends.  That makes you rather a captive audience, doesn't it?"  Carolyn's frown deepened, and he laughed.  "Not very sociable this morning, are you, my dear?  I guess you didn't get enough sleep last night!"
   Not able to stand any more, Carolyn rolled over and crawled out of the sheets.  Sure enough, Paula moved too, then Betty rolled over with a groan.  The Captain disappeared.
   "I think I'm getting too old for this!" Betty grumbled.  "How come you look so good in the morning, Carolyn?  I feel like a witch."
   Carolyn smiled.  "You look wonderful, and you know it, Betty!"
   "I've heard this conversation before." Paula said, sleepily.  "You two both say the same thing every time we do this!"
   Both Carolyn and Betty threw a pillow at her, then the three dissolved into giggles.
   When she could talk again, Carolyn said, "I want to thank you both SO much for coming.  This has been wonderful for me.  I've needed it.  I hadn't realized how much I missed you.  What with moving and settling in, and trying to write enough to keep eating, I haven't had a chance to make many new friends.  Besides, there's nothing like old friends to make you feel better!"
   "Watch who you're calling old!" Paula shot back.  "But I needed this too.  Thanks for not throwing us out yesterday."
   "Yes, we'll have to do it again sometime.  Let's not wait ten years again, all right?" Betty said.
   "Okay.  But I'm coming to Philadelphia next time.  It's not fair for three to travel and one to be here!"
   "That'll be fine.  But I DO like your place here."
   "So do I, Betty.  So do I!" Carolyn's eye caught a movement on the balcony, and realized the Captain was at the wheel, probably listening again.  She sighed.  Oh well, at least he was out of the room this time.  And she didn't mind that he knew she liked Gull Cottage!  THAT was nothing new to him!
   Following breakfast, Paula and Betty helped Carolyn re-organize her bedroom, then they packed their things back in the car and gave her a final hug. 
   "Thanks, Carolyn!  Keep in touch!"
   "I will.  Friends are definitely a necessity in life!" Carolyn waved as the car moved off.
   Then Paula's window rolled down, and she called back, "And NEXT time, we get to hear about the Captain!!" 
   Carolyn chuckled, turned back to the house, and saw the Captain standing smiling at her.
   "I just MAY tell them about you next time!" she threatened.  "But thank you for not frightening them off."
   "Me?  Frightening two lovely ladies?  Madam, you wound me!" he put his hand on his chest. 
   "I'm sure." Carolyn looked up at him, and her lovely smile lit her face until the weariness was erased.
   "You said friends are necessary.  We ARE still friends, are we not, Mrs. Muir?" he sounded almost anxious as he studied her face.
   "Yes, Captain.  The very BEST of friends." Carolyn agreed warmly.  She longed to say something about his sacrifice when Blair was here, but knew it couldn't be done.  His eyes spoke of love to her, but she still wasn't ready to accept it.  Not from him.  Not yet.  But maybe some day!