Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 66
When Karlos reached the bay, he was a bit clueless about how this place worked. He scanned the wide stretch of docked boats, from luxurious yachts to weathered bangkas swaying gently on the water. He knew that there were sections in the bay, ,some parts were privately owned, and only people who could afford to pay could dock their yachts there.
As for a small bangka like Karlos's, he had to find a free spot. After a few minutes, he saw the section where small boats like his could dock. The wooden platforms creaked softly under the weak rhythmic slap of the waves, and seagulls circled above, looking for scraps.
Unlike the concrete docks, the public ones were made of wood, with their pillars submerged in the calm water.
Now that Karlos had a moment to stay at the bay harbor, he realized that the waves here were indeed calmer, almost to the point that his boat wasn't bobbing at all. The stillness of the water made it look like a mirror.
"Hey, someone owns that spot."
Right as Karlos started tying the ropes, two middle-aged men showed up. They had roughened faces and sunburned arms.
"But I thought this section was for everybody."
"That's right, but someone already took that spot you're using. You have to find another place."
"You've got to be kidding me."
"So you're not going to leave then?"
"Alright, fine. I'll leave." Karlos exhaled sharply. He wasn't here to pick a fight.
He decided not to make the matter worse. He was in different territory and wanted to avoid trouble as much as possible.
Left with no choice, Karlos went to a different spot. He reached the farthest corner and found a dilapidated wooden dock with missing planks. The old wood looked like it would crumble with one wrong step.
He stepped onto the dock and confirmed that it was doable. He tied his boat and carried the engine first after it cooled down. This was the most expensive part that he couldn't afford to lose. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he carefully lifted the greasy engine, mindful not to slip on the damp planks.
"You new here?"
An old man who was fishing at the bay called out to Karlos as he carried the engine. The man sat on a stool, wearing a tattered straw hat, his fishing line bobbing lazily in the water.
"Yeah," Karlos replied, feeling like lying was useless.
"You probably don't know, but the bay has turfs. Even in the public docking sections, you have to pay to dock your boat."
"I just learned that today."
"I can see that." The old man chuckled.
"Do you live here, old man?"
"I'm sort of a caretaker of this bay." The old man was waiting for a fish to take the bait. He tapped the side of his bucket.
"Does that mean I have to pay you?"
"Nah, the dock you used is old and useless. You can use it. People don't like that section anyway because most of the wooden planks are broken. So where do you live then? Based on this boat of yours, you're a fisherman who changed address, am I right?"
"Old man, I think you're a psychic." Karlos grinned slightly.
"I don't know what a psychic means. So where do you live?"
"I live in the Araneto villa."
"... Shut the fuck up." The old man didn't believe what he said, and Karlos only shrugged. The disbelief in the man's tone made Karlos chuckle.
"Look after my belongings while I'm gone, old man. I'll return in a few minutes."
"..."
The old man didn't answer, but Karlos decided to trust him. The old man seemed like a good person.
'It seems like I'll need to use a cart tomorrow. I have to take the cart from Andres' house.' Karlos slightly groaned while carrying the heavy engine. His arms trembled slightly from the weight.
After a few minutes of walking and recalling the route to the villa, Karlos finally reached the place. The Araneto villa wasn't directly in front of the bay, but it was within walking distance. The tall gates came into view, with their ornate metal design.
When Karlos called out for the gate to open, the gardener, Foster, showed up and opened it. The man was surprised to see a sweaty Karlos carrying an engine.
"You carried the engine?" He found the method odd. Foster blinked, the corners of his mouth twitching in mild disbelief.
"Yeah, my engine is small and can be stolen easily, so I decided to carry it."
"That explains it. You can leave the engine in the garage, it's safe there."
"Thank you, I have to return to carry other stuff."
"Do you need help? We have a cart."
"Really? I want to use the cart then. Thank you, Foster. I just need the cart, you don't have to follow me."
"I'm not going to push myself then, haha. My bones are also creaking from carrying heavy stuff." They laughed as Karlos put the engine in the garage. Their laughter echoed lightly in the open courtyard.
"You're back." Maya opened the door and found Karlos sweaty. She hugged him despite it. Her arms wrapped around him tenderly, her face burying against his chest. She didn't care about the salt or the grime, this was the scent of her hardworking husband. She actually loved his sweaty scent.
"Papa!"
"Pa!"
The twins excitedly slid by using their baby walkers. Their giggles filled the air, and the small plastic wheels squeaked as they rolled toward their father.
[Author's Note: Sometimes I mistakenly wrote baby crawlers, but they were actually baby walkers. It's an equipment where you put a baby in to help him practice walking, assisted by the walker with rolling wheels. I posted a picture in the Discord.]
Arabella and Iñigo raised their hands, asking Karlos for affection. He chuckled and knelt to kiss them. The warmth of their tiny hands against his rough palms made the exhaustion of the day worth it.
Wanda and the two maids saw their interaction. Wanda and Daisy found it adorable, while Claire slightly frowned upon seeing Karlos's sweaty image. Her lips pursed, torn between disgust and fascination. The rugged, masculine air around Karlos stirred something she didn't want to admit. She found it attractive but didn't like it at the same time.
"Does docking in the bay area go fine? No one troubled you, right?" Maya asked with concern. She'd heard that some sections of the bay were privately owned.
"Nothing happened, you don't have to worry." Karlos chuckled. He smiled reassuringly. He had no intention of making his wife worry. Besides, nothing bad happened anyway, it was just a normal interaction.
Karlos left the villa, this time pushing a cart. He reached the dock section and found the old man still fishing. His bucket had three fish. The old man was humming softly, his hands steady as he reeled in his line.
The old man looked at him.
"Are you really not lying? You live in the Araneto villa?"
"Do you want to follow me to the villa? That's the best way to convince you."
"... I'll talk to the others and tell them not to mess with you." The old man said.
"Really? You'll do that? Thank you, I appreciate that."
"You don't have to thank me. If they find out you live in that villa, they'll let you go peacefully."
"Why is that?"
"The harbor was created by Governor Araneto fifty years ago."
"I didn't know that."
Karlos was surprised. He paused for a moment, looking left and right at the bay harbor.
"Now you know."