had shared.
Ben had been struggling to stay awake until she returned. ‘This was the best day ever.’ He clutched his toy rabbit and yawned. One eyelid and its surrounds still had traces of smudged black paint, remnants of a makeshift eye patch. Anya reached up and stroked his soft blond mop. Within a minute, breathing deeply, he was fast asleep. Like so many young children, he vacillated between full speed and complete shutdown. She watched him resting peacefully after his fulfilling day of exciting adventures.
‘Sweet dreams,’ she whispered.
‘He loves you a lot,’ Martin said from the balcony. ‘You’re a good mother.’
Anya watched his face to see if he were mocking her. Instead, he smiled. It was the first time he had complimented her parenting. Normally, he derided how she spent more time at work than with the family.
She joined him outside. The breeze had picked up and it released pieces of hair from her ponytail.
He unscrewed a bottle of water and presented it over his forearm, as someone would a fine wine. ‘Excellent vintage. Can I tempt you?’
Anya smiled as he poured two glasses and gave her one. They clinked. It was the first time in a while that they’d been in unison. She had to admit that they had worked well together today, in difficult circumstances. It reminded her of the Martin she had loved a long time ago.
For a brief moment, it felt as if the craziness of the world had stopped and for once they were a normal family.
‘You know, Annie, it always amazed me how calm you are in a crisis. And how much you care about people.’
The cold water felt good in her dry throat. ‘I thought it annoyed you. How I couldn’t switch off.’
Martin shoved a hand in his jeans pocket. ‘Well, I might have grown up a bit since then. Being a parent does that, you know.’
He really was an adult version of their son – curls, expressions, dimples and all.
‘You’re doing an incredible job with Ben. Sounds like he was a hit with the club counsellors.’
He looked out to sea. ‘He can’t wait to go back in the morning. But I said we’d have to ask you.’
Anya flicked his shoulder. ‘Great, make me the bad guy if I say no.’
Martin became serious. ‘I figured that security guy might want your advice tomorrow and it might even come in handy if anything goes wrong with our gunshot patient.’ He put the glass down on the white plastic table. ‘I get that you can’t turn your back on these people.’
Anya thought of Jasmine Chan and the promise she’d made to herself to find out more about Lilly. She wanted to spend more time with Ben too though – she hardly ever had the chance to be with him all day.
They sat in silence as the wind whipped around them. Dark clouds buried the moonlight. The sound of the ship hitting waves became louder. The storm the captain had forewarned them about was starting to hit.
‘Better batten down the hatches,’ Martin finally said. He stood and let Anya return to the room first. ‘It could get rough out there, but the way the stabilisers are on this ship, we’ll be unlikely to feel it.’ She felt a little queasy but his words were comforting.
He closed and locked the sliding door before making sure the curtains were pulled shut. Within seconds, rain pounded the balcony.
She showed him to the door.
He patted a shirt pocket for his room key and yawned. ‘I’ll be off to bed then.’
Just like Ben, Martin’s energy had expired.
‘Will I see you in the morning for breakfast?’ he asked.
She glanced at their son. ‘Let’s see what time sleepy boy wakes up.’
Martin grinned and headed out the door. ‘Sleep well, and do me a favour: deadlock the door when I go. Whoever did that to Lilly is still out there.’
‘Night.’ She closed the door and clicked the bolt. She changed into an oversized T-shirt and curled up under the covers. Using the remote control, she scanned the television channels and stopped at one highlighting the facilities
Ben had been struggling to stay awake until she returned. ‘This was the best day ever.’ He clutched his toy rabbit and yawned. One eyelid and its surrounds still had traces of smudged black paint, remnants of a makeshift eye patch. Anya reached up and stroked his soft blond mop. Within a minute, breathing deeply, he was fast asleep. Like so many young children, he vacillated between full speed and complete shutdown. She watched him resting peacefully after his fulfilling day of exciting adventures.
‘Sweet dreams,’ she whispered.
‘He loves you a lot,’ Martin said from the balcony. ‘You’re a good mother.’
Anya watched his face to see if he were mocking her. Instead, he smiled. It was the first time he had complimented her parenting. Normally, he derided how she spent more time at work than with the family.
She joined him outside. The breeze had picked up and it released pieces of hair from her ponytail.
He unscrewed a bottle of water and presented it over his forearm, as someone would a fine wine. ‘Excellent vintage. Can I tempt you?’
Anya smiled as he poured two glasses and gave her one. They clinked. It was the first time in a while that they’d been in unison. She had to admit that they had worked well together today, in difficult circumstances. It reminded her of the Martin she had loved a long time ago.
For a brief moment, it felt as if the craziness of the world had stopped and for once they were a normal family.
‘You know, Annie, it always amazed me how calm you are in a crisis. And how much you care about people.’
The cold water felt good in her dry throat. ‘I thought it annoyed you. How I couldn’t switch off.’
Martin shoved a hand in his jeans pocket. ‘Well, I might have grown up a bit since then. Being a parent does that, you know.’
He really was an adult version of their son – curls, expressions, dimples and all.
‘You’re doing an incredible job with Ben. Sounds like he was a hit with the club counsellors.’
He looked out to sea. ‘He can’t wait to go back in the morning. But I said we’d have to ask you.’
Anya flicked his shoulder. ‘Great, make me the bad guy if I say no.’
Martin became serious. ‘I figured that security guy might want your advice tomorrow and it might even come in handy if anything goes wrong with our gunshot patient.’ He put the glass down on the white plastic table. ‘I get that you can’t turn your back on these people.’
Anya thought of Jasmine Chan and the promise she’d made to herself to find out more about Lilly. She wanted to spend more time with Ben too though – she hardly ever had the chance to be with him all day.
They sat in silence as the wind whipped around them. Dark clouds buried the moonlight. The sound of the ship hitting waves became louder. The storm the captain had forewarned them about was starting to hit.
‘Better batten down the hatches,’ Martin finally said. He stood and let Anya return to the room first. ‘It could get rough out there, but the way the stabilisers are on this ship, we’ll be unlikely to feel it.’ She felt a little queasy but his words were comforting.
He closed and locked the sliding door before making sure the curtains were pulled shut. Within seconds, rain pounded the balcony.
She showed him to the door.
He patted a shirt pocket for his room key and yawned. ‘I’ll be off to bed then.’
Just like Ben, Martin’s energy had expired.
‘Will I see you in the morning for breakfast?’ he asked.
She glanced at their son. ‘Let’s see what time sleepy boy wakes up.’
Martin grinned and headed out the door. ‘Sleep well, and do me a favour: deadlock the door when I go. Whoever did that to Lilly is still out there.’
‘Night.’ She closed the door and clicked the bolt. She changed into an oversized T-shirt and curled up under the covers. Using the remote control, she scanned the television channels and stopped at one highlighting the facilities
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