<em>~ Maddi sitting below with the two girls, the rudder safely lashed ~</em><br/><br/>Maddi sat back in her seat, sighing contentedly, "Lizzie that was just great, thanks for taking the first turn cooking."  She smiled across at her, it had been one of those perfect afternoons, the wind enough to keep them humming along, the sun hot and as they lay out and sunbathed, taking turns at steering they had put the world to rights as usual.<br/><br/>It wasn't that they'd always agreed on everything either, she wasn't sure just why this triumvirate worked so well, perhaps it was because they truly respected and cared for each other. They all came from such different back grounds that was for sure.<br/><br/>She stretched leaning back against the hull, "I think after washing up I'll fall straight in my bunk guys, I'm bushed, I hope you don't mind, you can finish off the wine between you, if I have more that I'll crash out right here and now."<br/><br/>She wasn't ready to tell them just why the last few weeks had been so tough, but she would. She knew that here, with her two wonderful friends, she could finally unburden herself and get the support she knew they'd give her.  In the meantime they'd have real fun, and a break away from all the worries and sorrows, and let the sea, the freedom and their friendship create a Utopian holiday that would heal her wounds.<br/><br/>She eased out and started to take the dishes to the sink, there was only room for one, and she pumped the water up, emptied the hot kettle in and quickly cleared away with the ease of long practice, running through in her head the little chores she wanted to do the next day as well as laze and fish and laugh the day away. She listened to the two girls talking, as ever alert for any sound that would mean one of them needed to go topside.  Lizzie was first up tonight, and she expected that Kira would probably stay up with her until her own watch, and then sleep in as normal.  Maddi was used to broken nights, but she was relieved that tonight she could get eight hours of unbroken sleep, she needed it if she was going to be on par.<br/><br/>