Loving Madeline

Madeline's POV

I wanted to speak with Karen before I went to sleep, but since I felt so tired because of our trip from Magnolia village to the town of Zambo. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep, and when I woke up, I realized it was already seven o'clock in the morning when I looked at the clock on the wall. And I felt nauseated, I could feel the involuntary reflexes on my stomach, and my mouth was filling with saliva. I could feel the boat was rocking so hard, and when I looked on the floor, my doll shoes and the suitcase they prepared for me were already on the door, and they continued to move as the boat continued to stride violently, and I suddenly felt so scared.

I know I can swim, and I am aware I can swim only at the beach and in the swimming pool, but not in the ocean. My eyes scanned the room, and I was looking for a life vest, and I felt relieved when I saw one on the other end, and I was holding at the bed for support because the waves continued crushing the boat, and I was afraid if I am going to fall on the floor hard. I need to protect my child whatever happens, and there is no way I will allow the situation to kill my baby.

I couldn't stop myself from crying because I felt so terrified that I would die without saying goodbye to my husband and giving birth to my child. I don't want to pass this way because I still want to spend more time with my husband. And I suddenly miss Hunter so much. I don't want to get up, but I don't want to vomit on my bed, and I don't want to vomit on the floor either, so I don't have a choice, with trembling hands, I hold on to the bedpost, and I slowly stand up, and I groped into the wall, and I felt glad the shaking temporarily stopped.

The moment I reached the bathroom, I found it hard to sit on the toilet bowl since the waves were pounding the ship again, and I felt dizzier, and I was sobbing hard. After I urinated, I held on to the bathroom sink, and I could no longer hold myself from vomiting; I wouldn't say I like it, but I need to let it out to end my misery. And I wonder if I am experiencing this now because of seasickness or my morning sickness. I was puking hard, and I felt so tired, and I was drained after I vomited, and I returned to my bed in the same way I got up.

I don't want to look at the water outside because I know it will be terrifying. Even if I was only feeling the waves, I could tell that we were facing big waves at this moment. I couldn't stop myself from crying as I continued to hold onto the bed. I suddenly heard thumping on my door, and I didn't want to get up, but I needed someone to talk to at this moment, or else I'd be going crazy. I need to know if we can survive this situation.

"Hold on!" I shouted as I tried to get up again, and this time, I could feel the water suddenly become calm, but I knew the waves would hit the boat again. I took the opportunity to open my cabin door, and I couldn't believe Karen would be smiling at me as if nothing was going on.

"OMG! What happened to you?" She asked as she looked at my face.

"The boat is rocking so hard, am I the only one who felt it? You are standing there as if nothing is going on." I said, and the boat started to sway hard again, and I returned to the bed, and I was gripping hard on the ship again.

"Can you tell me what is going on, Karen? Are we going to die?" I asked, and she laughed, and I gave her a stern look.

"We are not going to die, Madeline. I want to inform you this is only mild." She replied.

"Are you kidding me? I can feel my stomach is turned upside down because I felt so dizzy, and I could hardly move around because of the pounding of the waves, and you are telling me this is only mild?" I said as I wiped my tears away.

"Hey, don't cry please, I promise tonight it will be back to normal; the ocean will become friendly again." She said, and my mouth hung open.

"Do you mean it will be like this the entire day?" I asked in disbelief, and she nodded her head with a weak smile on her face.

"Everything is new to you; that is why you feel like the world is ending, and you felt like you are going to die but believe me, I feel the same way too on the first day my brother took me on board, I was only fifteen years old back then. I was a minor, but I didn't have a choice. I need to survive, and my brother needed my help, and this is the only way we can earn more money." She said, and my worries suddenly subsided as I looked at her, and I could tell we were the same age, and I wondered what kind of life story she had.

"Life is like the ocean, Madeline, sometimes it can be rough, and sometimes it would be smooth sailing. Lucky are those who grew up with a silver spoon on their mouth because they will never experience the rough part of the ocean because they will never ride the boat, and they will travel by private plane." She said, and I could tell Karen must experience the hard way of living just like me.

"Where are your parents?" I asked, and she smiled at me.

"Some other time, Madeline." She replied, and I could tell she was not yet ready to share her story with me. I smiled back at her as she got inside my cabin.

"Do I need to wear a life vest?" I asked, and she laughed hard.

"Relax, Madeline, we are not going to sink; you have to trust me; we have taken this route so many times, and sorry if we took the shortest way because we also need to save fuel. If the captain took the longest way, it would take us one month more or else." She replied.

"Can I pay for the fuel? And we will take the other way." I declared, and she continued laughing, and I could see the amusement on her face.

"It was late for that, my dear, so you are one of the rich kids, I guess?" She asked, and I quickly shook my head.

"And who are you, Madeline Brownwood?" She asked, and it was my turn to smile at her.

"Maybe some other time, Karen," I replied.

"Fair enough." She responded, and I can tell since Karen talked with me, I can no longer feel the fear even if I can still hear the smashing of the waves on the boat.

"I just came to check on you, and I knew you were having a breakdown; you need to relax, Madeline, and everything will be alright." She said, and I nodded my head.

"I will bring your food thirty minutes from now." She said.

"Do you have a chef on the boat?" I asked, and she nodded at me.

"Of course, the best chef for us. And he is our cousin, and you will meet all the crew members once the weather is good; you need to eat even if the boat is rocking tremendously for your baby." She declared, and I smiled at her, and then she walked out of the door after saying goodbye to me.

The moment Karen left my cabin, I couldn't stop myself from worrying again. I wished the waves would stop shoving the boat, but the more I wanted it to stop, the more it nudged the ship violently, and I didn't have a choice but to remain calm, but I was holding on to my bed because there is a big chance I will fall to the floor if I do not grip on the bed. My plan to escape vanish because there is no way I can get out of this boat alive unless I am a supernatural being.

"Here is your food, Madeline; no matter how hard it is for you to eat, you need something in your stomach," Karen said the moment she returned to my room.

"Thank you, Karen," I said as she helped me stand on the floor, and she held my hand so I could sit on the chair. I could smell the aroma of bacon and pancake, and my mouth watered even if I felt dizzy.

"Don't worry because I won't leave you unless you are finished eating your breakfast." She said, and I started eating my food heartily. I felt so glad Karen made my stay at this boat bearable.

"Thank you, Karen," I said.

"You are welcome, Madeline," Karen responded, and she took the dishes, and she only left my room when I finished drinking my vitamins.

As I continued to listen to the wild squashing of the waves, I couldn't stop the tears that trickled down on my face as I realized I had nothing with me, no cellphone, no money, and I felt like an idiot; how can I ask Karen if I could pay for the fuel when I don't even have a coin with me, and I can't stop the piercing of my heart as I think of my husband's face, and I missed him so much. I don't even have my wallet with me where I can see our wedding photo.. I continued to cry as I realized I had never felt so alone and helpless in my entire life.