Eileen's experience with the lone orca was life changing. Both her and Caleb were still beaming from the day before. They couldn't wait to get on the water again and see their new friend. Eileen steamed out to where they had seen the orca the day before. Part of her had hoped the orca wouldn't be there, the last week on the ocean has given her more joy than she had ever dreamed and she didn't want to get greedy. She had a good heart. But the orca was right where they had left each other yesterday. The whale was happy to see them. It splashed and did tricks. It would nestle up to the boat so Eileen could pet it like a dog would. They played for hours. The new friends were so caught up in the moment, that Eileen didn't notice heavy storm clouds rolling in behind her. In an instant the wind changed and the chop began to rock the boat. Eileen rushed to beat the storm but it was too late. The clouds opened up and it began to downpour. The orca darted off taking shelter under the waves. The chop turned to swells and was becoming more than Eileen's whaler could take. She was deftly navigating the rough seas when all of the sudden. Bam! A six foot wave crashed right on top of her, knowing her to the deck. The sound was demeaning, she thought for sure the hull had split or maybe her head had split. When Eileen came to she noticed the engine had cut and Caleb was missing. She searched under the bench seat, in her pack, in any crevice in the small 12 foot whaler had. Eileen's good heart sank. Caleb was overboard. Her instinct was to jump in after him but the sea was rough, she wasn't the strongest swimmer and the current could've taken him in any direction. She shouted his name out into the void hoping to hear any sound, nothing not a whimper. She continued to shout as she made her way back to the marina. When Eileen docked safely she didn't return home right away. She didn't want to tell Maura. She couldn't bare to tell her love that she lost their child because of her stupid heart. Instead, she grabbed a flashlight from the glove compartment in her car and scanned the beach all night. By morning, the sun rose and broke the rain cloud. The sea leveled off and Eileen sat in the wet sand shivering as reality set in. She took one more stroll of the beach in the daylight just hoping to find a body. When out in the distance she saw what looked to be a surfer but there weren't any waves. As the surfer got closer to shore Eileen realized it was Caleb standing on the orca's nose. When Caleb was tossed overboard in the storm, the orca swam beneath the 12 pound French bulldog and kept him above water all night. Caleb came sprinting onto the beach, tongue wagging, straight into his mother's arms. Eileen wept with joy as she waved thanks to the lone orca. It turns out she was friends with a whale. Because of her good heart.
THE END