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He laughed and called up to Sarah, “Did you see me, baby?”

She laughed, “I did, you looked like an ocean god battling your arch nemesis, gravity.”

Dan climbed to the deck and flung the water from his hair. “I see how you guys are. Beckett do you hear how the love of my life is talking to me?”

“I do, you should have awed her into silence by showing your ass.”

“My luck is I’d get court-martialed. I’m not cute enough to get away with any of that.”

Dan towel-dried his hair as he left for the galley. “I have a birthday cake to make. Better get busy.”

Beckett watched Luna, remembering the first day when she paddled into his life, much like this, cheeky smile, paddling in lazy circles. She watched the horizon while Beckett watched her. Finally, she turned her board to the ship, shielded her eyes from the sun, and called up, “Beckett can you call Rebecca out?”

Beckett and Sarah both yelled, “Rebecca!”

Rebecca appeared a moment later, wiping her hands on a towel. “Yes?”

Beckett gestured down at Luna, who called up, “Rebecca can you put on your bathing suit and come down? I have something to show you.”

“Me? My bathing suit?”

Luna grinned. “Come on, it will be worth it. And go quick, bring your camera.”

Rebecca raced into the lab and came back a few minutes later in yoga pants and a bathing suit top. As she passed Beckett she asked, “Do you know what it is?”

Sarah said, “I think she’s taking you out paddleboarding.”

“Oh.” She climbed down the ladder to the lower deck and asked, “Should Jeffrey or Dan come, bring the Zodiac?”

Luna said, “Nope, the engines would scare what I’m showing you.”

“Really, what? Is it something cool, something big — tell me Luna.”

“It’s a birthday surprise and you’re going to miss it if you don’t jump.”

Rebecca took Luna seriously and instead of going down the ladder did an awkward jump out with an arm-flapping descent. She swam two short strokes to Luna who lifted her under her arms to the board and somehow kept them both balanced. Rebecca kneeled at the front and Luna paddled to the horizon fast, calling over her shoulder, “We’ll be back in a few minutes! Don’t leave!”

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They were gone for over an hour. When they returned, Rebecca was exuberant. She began talking way before she got to the boat and continued nonstop. “Whales everyone, whales, Luna took me to see whales. And how do you think she saw them? She was paddling and noticed the water current. Then she saw a school of fish. She followed it with her eyes and in the distance she noticed a splash and she just knew. That’s all it took. She paddled me out there right in the middle of a pod.” Luna held the ladder while Rebecca climbed from the paddleboard. “Did you see how far away we were? Could you see the flukes?”

Sarah said, “I didn’t see anything. How many were there?”

“I think seven. One of them came so close I could have touched it. Gray whales.” She stood beside them on the deck. “It was the most amazing thing I ever saw.” She called down, “Luna do you need help?”

Luna laughed as she pushed the paddleboard into the sling to be lifted to the ship. “Nope, carry on.” She climbed the ladder and joined Beckett. “I want to take you to see them, but I’m very tired, do you mind?”

Beckett said, “I understand, we have always.”

Rebecca said, “That was the most amazing birthday present I’ve ever had, thank you so much Luna. It meant the world to me. That was, wow.”

“I’m happy to do it. You really haven’t seen that many? It must be the engines.”

“Really? Maybe we need paddleboards for the next trip. Come on Sarah, I want to go tell Jeffrey about it.” They wandered off.

Luna’s mouth gaped open in a big loud yawn.

Beckett laughed. “How about I show you to my bunk so you can nap? I have about ten more chores to finish before I help everyone with the birthday party prep.”

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