Free Of Sea and Cloud by Jon Keller Page B

the stainless steel baitbox and peered into the twenty bushels of salted herring resting in their own septic grease.
    You won’t always have that kind of money.
    Julius ignored him and pulled a plug on the baitbox and drained the blood and oil into a plastic five-gallon bucket and dumped it overboard.
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    The eastern sky lit an apron of clouds. Thirty minutes later the sun lifted from the water. The sea turned blue and clear. Julius stood stuffed tight to Osmond’s side and Osmond stole a glance at Julius’s serious face and the boy didn’t scare him but the fact that he even thought of fear was troublesome. After Julius’s mother had died and his father had left Osmond had adopted his three grandchildren. He’d rearranged his life for them and rebuilt his home for them and soon everything had become for them.
    Osmond breathed the salt air. He held it in his lungs until they burned. He gripped the steering wheel tight and steamed offshore for another hour. There were no other boats on the water. Julius baited bags and piled them on one side of the baitbox and when they neared the first ten-trap trawl Osmond throttled back and went below.
    Do you girls want to get up and help fish these traps?
    They didn’t move and he shook Dolly’s leg. It was thin and light in his grip. He shook it again. Dolly? Are you alive down here?
    She woke up and pinched the paper towel from her ears. The steady banging of pistons within cylinders filled the fiberglass hull.
    You want to help fish these traps?
    Okay. I’m coming but let me get Rhonda up too. Dolly rubbed her eyes with her fists and pushed the blankets off and woke Rhonda. Rhonda shook her head and wouldn’t look at Osmond. He waited.
    You want to help your old grandfather catch lobsters Rhonda? I’m too old to do it without your help.
    The girl looked at Dolly with empty eyes.
    Come on up here quick. We’ll get you some cocoa to keep you warm.
    Are there any whales out today, Grandfather? Dolly said.
    No, not today.
    I want to see one.
    You’ll see one again sometime soon. They’ve all gone on vacation, but they’ll be back.
    Osmond climbed the three steps back up to the wheelhouse and saw Julius holding the wheel in one hand and with the other hand he held the gaff over the side like a trident. Osmond watched the boy for a moment then stacked six fish trays into two piles. When the girls came up he lifted them into the trays. Their legs hung out as the boat rode the chop and swell.
    That comfortable?
    I’m cold.
    You’ll warm up soon, he said and spread their blanket over the both of them.
    He took the gaff from Julius and set it on the washrail. He stared at the horizon and as he did so he felt calmness rising like warm water. He knew this feeling to be faith and he knew the ocean to be the only external source of faith he had left but nevertheless Nicolas dug at his heart. He breathed in and out with slow methodic breaths until he felt Nicolas rest.
    Look over the sea, Osmond whispered to his grandchildren.
    Look at what, Grandfather? Dolly said.
    Julius leaned against the washrail opposite Osmond. He wants us to see the Lord out there is what. Same as ever.
    That is right, Julius, Osmond said.
    I don’t see a thing, Julius said.
    You must be still long enough, Julius. Faith is something you must learn and accept. Watch the water. Everything there is to know can be found on the water. Osmond watched the sea in silence for three full minutes then looked at his grandchildren and nodded.
    He steered the boat to his first buoy and gaffed it and hauled it aboard. The rope coiled at his feet. The boat surged up and down and spiraled around the rising rope as if untangling it from the whirlwind. Julius stayed at the bait tub with his hands resting on its steel rim. The traps rose one at a time until he had ten lined on the washrail and Osmond ran his hand down the wooden runner beneath a trap and