A Ship in Harbor is Safe

“You got plans tonight?”

Athena sets a plate of fresh ravioli in front of her father as she shakes her head. “No, do you?”

“I’m headin’ over to Jimmy’s after this. Gotta take a look at this machine he got from his brother. He’s worried it may have somethin’ wrong with the motor.”

Taking her own seat next to the head of the table, Athena nods and takes a sip of her water. “Yeah, he sounded a little worried earlier.”

Silence collapses over the table as Athena and her father begin to eat. While chewing a large piece of ravioli, Athena glances into the living room to see Tyson lounging on the cool, hardwood floor.

“How old is he?” She speaks before swallowing her mouthful of food.

Looking up, Walter shrugs. “Two. Maybe three.”

“He reminds me of Daisy,” Athena says quietly, staring at the sleeping dog.

“Me too,” her father nods, “s’why I got him. He really is a good dog, too.”

Nodding, Athena turns back to her plate and gently stabs at her dark green salad leaves.

“So,” Walter speaks with a mouthful, “I didn’t get a chance to talk to ya last night.”

Athena stares at her plate as her stomach churns, suddenly glad she only has two more ravioli and some salad to eat. She nods, reluctantly.

“You never told me why you’re back here.” He pauses to take another bite of ravioli. “You just called and showed up some days later.”

Leaning back in her chair, Athena nods. “Uh, Grandma Oliver died.”

“Oh,” he puts his fork down, “shit, Athena. I’m sorry to hear that.”

Shrugging, the young woman shakes her head. “She had a heart attack.”

The man shakes his head, leaning back in his chair, “damn.”

Athena takes a deep breath, “so I’m back here for the time being.”

“And you know that you can stay as long as you want. This is your home.”

Nodding, Athena forces herself to smile, in attempt to reassure her father. “I know, Dad.”



After sitting on the edge of her bed for a moment, Athena picks her flashing cell phone up off of the nightstand. She opens the text message, only to see that it's from the number she sent a text to at work.

No. Sorry to disappoint if that’s what you were counting on.

Biting her lip, Athena watches as her fingers produce a message on the screen. Actually I’m glad it’s not. I would like to know how this number found its way onto my phone though. Pressing the send button, she leans back onto the mattress and lets the smile on her face linger.

She picks the vibrating phone up and reads the text message. I put it there. I hope you’re not upset.

No. is all she replies.

“Tyson,” she looks as she feels a shift in her mattress, “what am I supposed to say to him?”

Lazily, the dog drapes his heavy head over Athena’s left ankle.

“You know, if you’re gonna stay in here, maybe you should help me out,” she mutters to the dozing dog.

I'm glad (: how’s Thunder Bay treating you?

Athena smiles up at the phone in her hands. It’s okay. Only my first official day back. After sending it, she quickly sends an additional message, and by okay I mean boring.

A few moments later her phone tingles on her stomach. Picking the device up, she reads the text message. Chin up, it’s only your first day back.

“Yeah,” Athena nods to herself as she rereads the text message. “You’re right.” Her fingers move quickly around the keypad of her phone as a discouraged grimace weighs her features down, she attaches a text message to the same picture of Tyson that she sent to Jordan earlier that day, I’ve got one friend here to keep me company :).