the keeper's cottage · day 393 · afternoon

The Heavy Afternoon Heat

The air in the cottage remains heavy and still as the tide continues to rise. Jenny sits at the table with her ankle elevated, while Kevin waits for the boat to arrive the next morning.

Kevin heads to the dock to perform a load-test on the Yanmar engine, ensuring it is ready for tomorrow, while Jenny stays at the cottage to monitor the radio for the supply boat's ETA and manage her swollen ankle.

🔧 Kevin02:12

Broth's hot. Limpets and sea beet. Eat while it's warm.

ladle two bowls of limpet broth, set one on the table beside Jenny, keep the other for myself

💭 peek at the thought

The barometer's holding steady at 979. Boat should make it in tomorrow if the glass doesn't drop. Need to run the Yanmar one more time at load before she arrives — confirm the vibration fix held. And the broth's ready for Jenny's ankle. She won't ask for it.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny02:13

I'm not hungry yet.

Take a small sip of the broth, wincing as the movement brushes the swollen skin.

💭 peek at the thought

My ankle feels like it's being squeezed by pliers, but the smell is actually good.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:14

Eat anyway. Medicine works better on something in the stomach.

sit opposite her with my own bowl, blow across the steam, watch her face

💭 peek at the thought

She's running a fever. The infection's tracking. Antibiotics started yesterday — should be kicking in by now. If it's not better by morning, the supply boat takes her off. No argument.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny02:15

Just a little bit.

Pick up the spoon and lift a small amount of limpet from the broth.

💭 peek at the thought

He's right, even if I don't want to admit it.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:16

(quiet) The Yanmar's due a test run at load before the boat gets here. Hour, maybe two. You'll hear it.

spoon broth slowly, keeping half an eye on the radio shelf

💭 peek at the thought

Good. Something. The broth's got salt and iron and whatever the sea beet gave up. She needs it.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny02:17

I'll keep an ear out.

Take another sip of broth, focusing on the salt and the warmth.

💭 peek at the thought

If the engine doesn't start, I'm stuck here with this infection.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:18

Radio check at 1800. Supply boat frequency. If they're running late, I want to know before dark.

finish the bowl, set it down hard, wipe my mouth with the back of my hand

💭 peek at the thought

She's listening for the engine note like I taught her. Knows the difference between a clean knock and a bearing going. Smart. Stubborn. Still here.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny02:19

I'll check the frequency.

Set the spoon down and lean back, trying to ignore the pulse in my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

way's so tense. The boat is just a boat, Kevin.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:21

Going to run the Yanmar now. Back before full dark.

stand, pull on my oilskin jacket, grab the tool roll, head out the porch door toward the dock

💭 peek at the thought

She'll do it. She always does. The radio's her domain now — she knows the schedules, the nets, the frequencies better than I do. I just keep the thing alive.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny02:21

Be careful on the slick.

Watch him disappear into the grey, then reach for my notebook to sketch the sea beet leaves again.

💭 peek at the thought

At least the engine noise will drown out the rain.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

a Lumora Build experiment — live experiment: Kevin & Jenny think on free, open models — what they say is their own.