Katie sat there listening just waiting to hear the worst. Gina could tell that Katie was nervous, but she didn't have a clue how this was affecting her so much all she did know was she had some bad news for her, and she felt guilty about it.
Gina looked up from her hands and said, "Well it's like this. You know how you got me up this morning, and it must have been early. Then I sent you back to bed. Well, everything was dark in the kitchen. I stood there for a moment just wondering what I was going to do when someone grabbed me from behind and kissed me while grabbing my boob."
Katie let out a gasp thinking about what she would be thinking if it happened to her. Then she thought about it, and what did this have to do with being confused with her? She knew why Gina didn't want to say anything in front of Will and the captain. Then it hit Katie just what it was. It had to be Jake and he had been expecting her in the kitchen with Gina. When he saw Gina in the dark there would have been no way that he would have been able to tell the two of them apart in a dark room.
Katie realized there was nothing that Gina could have done to avoid it, but that didn't mean that she had to be happy that it happened either. She knew that she was going to have to have a talk with Jake about this and that he was going to have to make sure it was not Gina from now on. Katie started to wonder why Gina was acting so guilty about it. As far as she could tell there was nothing that she could have done to avoid it since he grabbed her from behind. She started to wonder, did she see it coming and just let it happen? But then why would she knee him in the groin and push him to the floor after? If she knew that it was coming? Was she starting to like him for herself? Was she trying to protect him so that he wouldn't get in trouble? If Gina was keeping him out of trouble, was it for Katie or was it for herself?
Katie looked at her and saw that Gina was upset that it had happened. So, Katie asked, "Did you like it? Is that why you are so upset about it?" Katie couldn't help but feel a little jealous about it as it was her first love.
Gina was totally caught off guard by the question. It was not like she hadn't asked herself if she liked it, but it was different the way that Katie was asking her. Gina said, "No." Then in a quieter smaller voice, she said, "I don't know for sure. It was the first time a guy kissed me. But I didn't like the way he did it, or the fact it was Jake. He is yours I didn't want him kissing me."
Katie asked, "So if you didn't like it, and you didn't do anything wrong. Why are you acting so guilty?"
Gina was almost in tears now and said, "I didn't want to hurt you, and I figured that you were going to be upset that he kissed me and that I kneed him in the balls because of it. The last person in the world that I ever want to hurt is you and I know how you feel about him."
Katie knew that it was just an accident and she believed that Gina would never do that to her on purpose. The two girls hugged and with a smile on her face Katie asked, "How was it?"
Gina blushed and said, "More of a surprise than anything. It took me by surprise and then was over so fast I didn't really know what to think. Does he always grab your chest when he kisses you?"
Katie blushed a little at that one and was glad that he had only gone that far with her. Although with it being dark and if she had allowed him to go farther, she knew that he would have tried a lot more, especially thinking that it was Katie that he was with.
Gina noticed Katie blushing a little and knew that she had gone all the way with him and that she let him do a lot more when they kissed. Gina wondered what it would be like to have it happen to her, but she knew that she didn't want it to happen with Jake being the one she was kissing. She would make sure to never let him touch her like that again no matter what.
Now that they were both feeling better Katie said, "We better hurry and get back if we want to eat the spectacular breakfast that you and Tug made."
When they opened the door to the captain's mess everyone looked up at them. They noticed that everything was good between them again and the captain thought that he would have to be careful what questions that he asked from now on. Everyone had almost finished their breakfast as the two had retaken their seats.
Snow broke the silence by saying, "Gina, you have outdone yourself with this one."
Gina saw Mistress Snow's smile fade as she said, "I thought that I said that if you were going to help in the kitchen the three of you were going to have to stick together."
Gina got a very worried look on her face as Mia clasped a hand over her mouth. She was wondering what Snow was going to say next. Knowing that she could punish all three of them for not following orders.
Gina said, "Sorry Mistress Snow it was just that Mia and Katie didn't sleep all that well. So, I figured that I could just go and help Tug like I did before. You were sleeping so peacefully that I didn't want to wake you just to ask for permission."
Snow gave her a stern look letting her know that she made an error by not asking and letting her know where she was at. Snow said, "I noticed that. When I awoke with Katie beside me."
A smile formed on Gina's lips at that then she quickly hid it. Snow said, "I have already questioned Katie about that one."
Gina looked up at her apologetically and said, "I am sorry."
Snow smiled at her knowing that she had tortured her enough to make her think and said, "With a meal like the one that you just fixed how can I stay mad at you, but make sure that you don't do it again? Or no matter how good the food is it won't save your ass from the punishment."
Gina gave her a nod and replied, "Yes Mistress Snow."
Mia let out a little giggle and Snow shot her a look like this is not the time for you to be giggling. Mia hid her face not wanting to get yelled at. Snow just shook her head slowly at that.
The captain could not help but smile as he watched them. He asked, "Have you made the portions smaller?" Since he was still feeling a little hungry.
Gina looked a little embarrassed about that one and said, "Well your crew has grown so much I was thinking that a little bit smaller portions would be what everyone was needing at this point."
She was hoping that they would all buy that instead of realizing that she had just not made enough to feed them all more. It was not really all that much off of what she normally fed them she was thinking.
The captain gave a hearty laugh as his belly shook, he could not deny that his crew was showing that they were eating a lot better and some of them were getting bellies. He had noticed that some of them were slowing down a little. With a nod, he guessed that she knew best it wasn't like he could run a ship with all his crew being overweight and unable to do their jobs.
Will was glad that they were taking action before he was going to have to start rationing just to get the crew back in shape. Even though he felt the impact of all the good food. He was not one of the ones who had to climb up the mast to furl the sails. As he sat and thought about it, he was glad that he no longer had to do duties like that, but he knew that he could still do it if it came down to it. It was a lot better to have the position that he had now.
Gina said, "We will work with Tug to make sure the portion size is what it needs to be to get the crew back in shape."
She remembered last time that she was teaching him she had noticed that most of the men looked like they were starving. Because Tug was serving just one dish all the time was keeping them alive but that was about it. So, they intentionally made the portion size bigger, but they had not told Tug that he was going to have to shrink them once the men got to the right weight.
Gina knew that the captain was still hungry and with everything that had been going on so far, she was not really all that hungry now, so she offered to share part of hers with him.
The captain shook his head as he looked at her knowing that she needed the food a lot more than he did saying, "Thanks anyway even though it is some of the best food that I have ever eaten you need it a whole lot more than I do." As he rubbed his big round belly.
The captain decided that this was a good time to talk to the girls since they were still eating and everyone else was already done. The captain asked, "So what are your plans once you have been to the trial?"
Snow knew that this topic was going to come up sooner or later, but she was hoping that she would have had a chance to talk to the girls first and fill them in on what he wanted them to do. As well as being able to tell them why she didn't think it was such a great idea. Now all she could do was watch and then maybe give them her advice after he was done.
The girls looked at each other and were not sure just what to say. They had been so busy just trying to survive, and then all the things that they had been learning about Rodger. It was like their life at that point had just stayed still waiting for the resolution of what was going to happen to him and them.
Filmore was hoping that they had not made any permanent plans as of yet. That way when he brought up them staying with the ship, at least he would have a shot at getting them to stay. He said, "I have been thinking about what you had said before. About how Tug needed more help and I know you both have more that you could teach him." At this point, he made sure to give them both his warmest smile before saying, "You know how the crew already considers you both family and part of the ship's crew."
The girls looked back and forth at each other to see what they were thinking of the idea. Gina saw that Katie was interested at least a little in the idea. She knew that part of it was because she was not happy that they were on a slaver's island. Even Gina had to admit there were problems with the way that the place worked. It did limit them from doing some things that they would not have to worry about in other places. But that was where Miss Kathy and Mistress Snow lived. It was not like she wanted to give them up or the lessons that they were getting from the chef. Gina knew that another part was that Jake was one of the crew and if they were living onboard the ship, she would be able to see him all the time.
Katie couldn't hide what she wanted but then neither could Gina. Snow saw that they were both struggling with the proposal that they were presented with. Snow said, "You both should take some time and think this all over and there is nothing saying that you both have to do the same things all your lives at some point you will probably go your separate ways and develop your own lives."
Snow knew that it was going to be hard for them to hear but it was something that they both had to have thought about before. She knew that Katie had to be thinking that way even if Gina really hadn't. Because it looked like Katie was pretty serious about Jake. It was not like she was going to be wanting to live with Gina and Jake at the same time. Snow was thinking that Gina just had not found what she really wanted yet. Snow looked over at Mia and could tell what she wanted without a doubt.
Filmore said, "She is right just give it some time and think about it you know that you will be welcome here anytime. There is a place for one or both of you I am sure that the owners would not mind turning this into a passenger vessel or moving the crew to a new vessel that is made to transport people."
Katie spoke up and said, "We will think about what you have both said. After all, it is not like you need to know now we have to get through the trial first."
Filmore nodded his head and said, "Fare enough." Knowing that he still had a day with them to show them how good it was going to be sailing with them. He was going to try and show them every perk that he could think of to make sure that it was appealing to them.