Deception Bay: A Way To Lose Yourself on The Water

Mitchell sails confidently through familiar waters, sharing sea tales and narrow escapes with Peter. His control of the yacht mirrors the one place he feels certain—out here, among the tides, currents, and markers of a world that obeys rules.

Peter’s casual question about children strikes a chord.

There will be no children, Mitchell says. Samantha wants them, sure—but not sex. That part is missing. Always has been.

Peter’s disbelief grows with every confession. Seven years of celibacy before marriage. A honeymoon disaster. Sam clings to faith, tradition, and impossibly literal interpretations. She wants immaculate conception; Mitchell just wanted love and connection.

Their marriage is quiet and sexless. Sam is distant, uninterested in boats, intimacy, or shared dreams. She has her world—one of books and control. Mitchell has his yacht, Surly Mermaid—his escape, his church, his sanity.

They sail past Deception Bay, aptly named. Its shallow waters trick even seasoned sailors. Peter listens, stunned by the emotional wreckage, the absurd logic, the years wasted in silence.

“You could leave,” Peter offers.

Mitchell stares across the water. “I could,” he replies, “but I made her a promise.”

And with that, he adjusts the sails—steadying the boat, and himself, once more.

[excerpt from SEETHINGS 2 – available for download now!]

Ch 4.