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Besides, this weather was nice in its oay The air tasted like salt and storm, wild I walked to the end of the deck and stared over the edge with , and I found myself a lot less fearful of it than I’d been at the dock The sea here wasn’t pretending to be calm, and I liked it better for its honesty

I leaned over and watched the bow of the ship cut through the waves, spray shooting up like a running horse’s ht roings and fly It took my breath away--and my nausea When I couldn’t feel my nose anymore, I turned and walked the perimeter of the deck

There were fewer people out here than there’d been the night before, ith the weather But even if there’d been more, the person in the wheelchair up ahead still would have been recognizable Claire’s paisley blanket was higher now, shielding her fro at her, then wavedout fro?" she asked as I arrived

"I’htly more convinced about this mode of transportation than I was yesterday"

She nodded, like I had just learned a valuable lesson "I love it out here You’ll need a thicker coat, though, especially for the Alaskan cruises"

"I’ll get one" I huggedstill

"Would a walk help keep you warm?" she asked

"Sure, uh--" I looked at the brakes on her wheelchair To wheel, or not to wheel, was the question

"You look pretty strong Plus, I’ her blanket

"Ha Okay" I leaned over and undid the brakes "Hey, you kno Hal asked us if ere needs yesterday?" She nodded as I pushed her She was heavier than she looked, but her wheelchair made an excellent windblock "Well, Asher proposed this et to share ood neith someone Mysince given up on et a chance to host a wedding shower

Claire turned to look back at ood to tell someone

She tilted her head and pierced me with one bird-like eye "What about the baby? Does he know?"

I stopped abruptly, and the ship rolled, sending her wheelchair back to run up against ht it "What? How did you--"

"I’h

Well Since I’d already outed myself anyway "Um, yes He found out about the baby before he proposed Not that he wouldn’t have anyway, eventually--he was just really excited about everything"

She smiled and nodded "He’s a stand-up man"

"I like to think so" And despite the fact that I’d asked for it, I felt a little overexposed and desperate to change the conversation "Do you have kids of your own?" If she did, they’d be e--or my mother’s

Claire shook her head sorrowfully "Oh, no, that was never in the cards for Hal and h"

"Me too I think" I waited a bit "I hope"

She laughed melodiously "I’m sure you’ll catch on," she said, and leaned out of the wheelchair to point "Can we go over there? That’s where I was supposed to be, before I started wandering" I started to push her across the deck, impressed she’d been able to roll herself that far Her upper body was probably stronger thannext, after this?" she asked ht be the wrong answer

She shook her head "No, no I mean after this cruise" She braced herself on the wheelchair’s arly oblivious to the rocking of the waves "You shouldn’t finish one trip without having another one insoave ot to see the world while you can, preferably while you still have your original knees"

I grinned at her "How old are you? If I can ask, that is"

"Well, I’d tell you that bullshit line about ladies never revealing their age, but let’s just say I’hty-nine Or you are, since you’re back there"

I snorted We’d almost made a full circle of the deck--on this side, ere protected by structures on the deck from the wind We passed by a few people deterh in the hot tub, and a few kids racing around the kiddie pool under shivering parental supervision