23C sunny
Had a good day yesterday on the story. I hope to finish it very soon.
Bowled in the morning. Then in to Victoria. M is off to the computer shop today, I think I'll sort out all the fishing tackle and get it ready for sale. I need to get some more finch food, they have virtually disappeared since I didn't get it last time.

He stopped and looked around the table and then simply spread his hands.

Jim and Natalie were both intent on their muffins but Irene had watched both of them intently from the moment Bob had first gone to Alicia. Unnoticed  a smile played around her lips and she nodded her head very slightly.

“Okay,” Bob said, “ now that’s over with I guess you want to hear our story.”

This time Jim looked up sharply at the use of the word ‘our’, he opened his mouth to speak but closed it quickly when he received a light kick from the direction of his wife.

Bob went on, commencing with the ordeal of the storm and his awakening on the beach.

He skipped through a lot of the first few months and made everyone including Alicia laugh when he told the part about their first encounter. At that point she jumped in and told the story from her perspective.

Before they knew it, the morning had passed and Bob saying he needed a break declared that they should go for a walk. “Now that I’ve got some money, I’ll treat all of you to lunch down by the water.” He said.

  

Chapter 26

Jim and his family had come prepared to stay the night and had made a reservation at one of the local motels.

After a leisurely lunch at a restaurant that over looked the harbor, Jim and Bob stopped by the motel to get check in while the two women and the gorl walked on back to Alicia’s home.

While they had lunched, the story was continued up to when Alicia had found Bob pinned under the tree.

Intuitively Irene sensed that Alicia had some reservation about telling all the details of the rescue. As they strolled back along the street, she said, “It must have been very traumatic for you when you found him, I don’t know how you managed.”

Alicia shook her head, “Well yes and no, I just acted on instinct for the most part but the worse was when he was so cold and I was afraid that shock and the cold would, would ah, do ….., oh Irene, I was so scared when I got back, I knew I had to get him warmer, he doesn’t know but I stripped down and used my body to warm his.”

Irene’s eyes widened then she quickly turned to Natalie, “You will not tell either your Uncle or your Father what you just heard, do you understand?”

“Yes Mom, but ….”

“No buts, Alicia did a very brave thing and probably saved Uncle Bob’s life, she doesn’t need to have any embarrassment come her way. Go on Alicia.”

Realizing she had suddenly acquired a new and understanding friend, Alicia recounted the events of the following two days.

They reached her house just as she was telling about the events of the morning after the ordeal. “I’ll leave it there as from here on Bob was awake and lucid and it gets back to being our story as opposed to the bit while he was out of it.”

Irene had listened in silence, tears had come to her eyes repeatedly during the telling and as Alicia ended she reached out and drew Alicia to her. The two women clung to each other for a moment, then both stepped back, teary but smiling.

As they opened the door and went inside, Irene said to her daughter, “I hope your Uncle realizes he has found a gem.”