Scully anymore and that was someone else. Her hopes rose... and then crashed the moment she stood in the cabin rooms’s doorway.
Cancer sat in a fold-up chair next to Scully, who was half sitting up in a bunk in the middle tier. The cramped closet of a cabin had three bunks lying opposite the doorway. Blue curtains covered each bunk held up by a white rope. Scully had his curtain bunched by his waist. Cubby drawers took up all the wall space on the sides. Taking up the rest of the room was Cancer, who glowered at her with his brown eyes. Jessie’s stomach dropped.
“And what are you doing here, little lady?” Cancer said, his voice suddenly an octave lower than a moment ago.
She felt like she could piss herself. At the same time she wanted to punch him for being so unnecessarily rude. She could deal with the stupid moniker, but not the attitude. She puffed herself up just a little. “I-I came here to apologize. To Scully.” She clarified her statement to make sure the doc wouldn’t mistakenly think she believed she owed him an apology as well. No way. Not a chance.
“You can do that later. I am busy monitoring the concussion you gave him. Now leave.”
Jessie felt tears well in her eyes. She took a deep breath and raised her chin. Before she could catch her breath and calm herself enough, Scully spoke.
“Let the poor girl talk. I betcha it took a lot of courage for her to come down here.”
“Scully, she’d bad luck. I wouldn’t fraternize with her if I were you. Look at the state of your head already.”
“You don’t really mean all that,” Scully said with a smile.
“Oh, I do.” He turned back to Jessie. “Leave.”
“Stay. Don’t listen to him. I’m the one you came to see. I’d be happy to talk with you.”
Part of Jessie wanted to leave so she wouldn’t have to deal with Cancer. But, if she could make Scully happier by staying, then...
Cancer got up with a huff. “Fine.” His towering frame stomped past her. She shied out of his way with a whimper and he stomped off without talking or glancing at her. She’d half-expected him to punch her. That’s what other men had done.
“Make yourself comfortable, miss,” Scully said in his soft-spoken gruff voice. He gestured to the fold-up chair.
Jessie glanced down the cramped hallway. Cancer had disappeared to wherever. She took one step inside the cabin and protectively folded her arms as her heart rate slowed back down. “Please call me Jessie, instead of ‘miss.’”
“Jessie. That’s right. I don’t much remember the conversation in the galley. Just lots o’ vomiting. Where’d you say you were from again?”
“Cyprus.”
“Mediterranean. Sounds like a nice place,” he said with a thoughtful nod.
“It is.”
“The captain will probably veer his route towards Cyprus so you’re not an out-of-the-way stop.”
“You really think so?” Jessie’s hopes rose a little. She still didn’t know if Dyne would keep his word, especially after Cancer’s poisonous words.
“You might be surprised what a gentleman would do for a nice lady. I know you said something about your recent years being full of bad things, but give us a chance. Even Cancer.”
Jessie shuddered at the thought of befriending the doctor. “I’m not a lady and Dyne’s not a gentleman.”
Scully laughed. “You’re quite right.” He’s no gentleman but he is a good man. He’s just the type who’d save your life then go on complaining about having to save you. He cares about others. He just don’t like to show it.”
“I hope so. I really want to get home.”
“I bet you do.”
A moment of silence followed. Waves gently swayed the boat side to side. Jessie looked at the folding chair, feeling it would be more polite to sit. However, she couldn’t bring herself to do such a thing, even in the company of an injured man. Scully said nothing, nor did his gaze look anything but serene and a bit out of it. Hopefully he had enough wits about him to
Cancer sat in a fold-up chair next to Scully, who was half sitting up in a bunk in the middle tier. The cramped closet of a cabin had three bunks lying opposite the doorway. Blue curtains covered each bunk held up by a white rope. Scully had his curtain bunched by his waist. Cubby drawers took up all the wall space on the sides. Taking up the rest of the room was Cancer, who glowered at her with his brown eyes. Jessie’s stomach dropped.
“And what are you doing here, little lady?” Cancer said, his voice suddenly an octave lower than a moment ago.
She felt like she could piss herself. At the same time she wanted to punch him for being so unnecessarily rude. She could deal with the stupid moniker, but not the attitude. She puffed herself up just a little. “I-I came here to apologize. To Scully.” She clarified her statement to make sure the doc wouldn’t mistakenly think she believed she owed him an apology as well. No way. Not a chance.
“You can do that later. I am busy monitoring the concussion you gave him. Now leave.”
Jessie felt tears well in her eyes. She took a deep breath and raised her chin. Before she could catch her breath and calm herself enough, Scully spoke.
“Let the poor girl talk. I betcha it took a lot of courage for her to come down here.”
“Scully, she’d bad luck. I wouldn’t fraternize with her if I were you. Look at the state of your head already.”
“You don’t really mean all that,” Scully said with a smile.
“Oh, I do.” He turned back to Jessie. “Leave.”
“Stay. Don’t listen to him. I’m the one you came to see. I’d be happy to talk with you.”
Part of Jessie wanted to leave so she wouldn’t have to deal with Cancer. But, if she could make Scully happier by staying, then...
Cancer got up with a huff. “Fine.” His towering frame stomped past her. She shied out of his way with a whimper and he stomped off without talking or glancing at her. She’d half-expected him to punch her. That’s what other men had done.
“Make yourself comfortable, miss,” Scully said in his soft-spoken gruff voice. He gestured to the fold-up chair.
Jessie glanced down the cramped hallway. Cancer had disappeared to wherever. She took one step inside the cabin and protectively folded her arms as her heart rate slowed back down. “Please call me Jessie, instead of ‘miss.’”
“Jessie. That’s right. I don’t much remember the conversation in the galley. Just lots o’ vomiting. Where’d you say you were from again?”
“Cyprus.”
“Mediterranean. Sounds like a nice place,” he said with a thoughtful nod.
“It is.”
“The captain will probably veer his route towards Cyprus so you’re not an out-of-the-way stop.”
“You really think so?” Jessie’s hopes rose a little. She still didn’t know if Dyne would keep his word, especially after Cancer’s poisonous words.
“You might be surprised what a gentleman would do for a nice lady. I know you said something about your recent years being full of bad things, but give us a chance. Even Cancer.”
Jessie shuddered at the thought of befriending the doctor. “I’m not a lady and Dyne’s not a gentleman.”
Scully laughed. “You’re quite right.” He’s no gentleman but he is a good man. He’s just the type who’d save your life then go on complaining about having to save you. He cares about others. He just don’t like to show it.”
“I hope so. I really want to get home.”
“I bet you do.”
A moment of silence followed. Waves gently swayed the boat side to side. Jessie looked at the folding chair, feeling it would be more polite to sit. However, she couldn’t bring herself to do such a thing, even in the company of an injured man. Scully said nothing, nor did his gaze look anything but serene and a bit out of it. Hopefully he had enough wits about him to
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