After a moment, he says, “Listen, William, I appreciate the effort. Very kind of you. But certain things are best left alone, this situation being one of them. The frequency with which I am forced to go out on the sea isn’t so great that I need to do a deep dive into my psyche about it.”
I nod and offer him a small smile even though it sort of feels like he’s a headmaster who’s just given me a whack with a ruler. “All right, Your Majesty. If you need anything, please let me know.”
“I shall,” he answers as I get up.
I walk over to the group, praying this will be the moment that will turn everything around. Dolphins are always the best for creating a sense of excitement and fun. I stroll past the camera crew and hear Clara telling our guests everything she knows about dolphins. “They are not fish, they are mammals.”
“It’s a fish,” James says.
“Nope, I already telled you,” Clara says, sounding agitated. “They are mammals like us. The mummy dolphins feed the babies milk, just like human mummies do.”
“It’s a FISH!” James yells. “It lives in the ocean, dumb bum!”
“James!” Tessa says. “No name calling!”
James, of course, doesn’t hear Tessa because Clara has decidedshe’llbe the one to deal with the great transgression of being called a dumb bum. She shoves James in the chest with both hands—hard—knocking him onto his bottom.
“That’s it!” both Tessa and Libby announce, each of them grabbing their own child and moving toward opposite sides of the yacht. As they go, I can hear words like ‘timeout’ and ‘early bedtime’ being thrown about.
The cameraman starts to follow Tessa and James, but Arthur steps in front of him. “Any footage with my children is subject to my approval.”
The guy opens his mouth, but before he can ask, Arthur says, “No. I won’t approve any of that.”
“Oh dear,” Arabella says with a light chuckle. “Here I thought the kids would get on so well.”
“It’s to be expected, really,” Arthur says. Thank God, an olive branch. “Clara’s been an only child and has had all the attention, so when two other kids show up on the scene, it’s got to be rather off-putting.”
Emma sets her jaw. “Oh really? Is that the problem? Because I thought the issue might be coming more from the twins adjusting to a different time zone.”
Before things can go any further, I shout, “Is that a great white?!”
That worked. Now everyone is staring over at the nothing I’m pointing to. “I don’t see anything,” Arabella says.
Seriously, Belle? Do you not know what I’m trying to do here?
Harrison, who obviously doesn’t need word getting out that there might be great whites in the bay, speaks up in his most authoritative tone. “Will is only kidding. There are no sharks in these waters.”
“No sharks? In the ocean?” Arthur asks, sounding highly skeptical.
“He means great whites,” Emma tells him. “Of course there are sharks, but little ones, like reef sharks. Nothing dangerous.”
“Exactly,” Harrison adds. “We’ve never had a shark attack here in Paradise Bay. Not one. It’s completely safe.”
“Really?” Arthur asks. “Not one? In the entire history of the island?”
Harrison narrows his eyes. “Nope. Not one.”
Oh, please stop, you pair of dumb bums.
“I find that hard to believe,” Arthur tells him.
“Well, it’s true,” Emma answers with a scowl.
“What’s stopping them from entering the bay? Some magical forcefield?” he scoffs.
Arabella makes a Pfftt! sound. “Magic forcefield. Oh Arthur, you’re so funny.” She turns to the rest of us with a tight smile. “My brother’s sense of humour is an acquired taste, I’m afraid. Always with the jokes!” She gives him an urgent look, then adds. “Stop teasing, Arthur! People will think you’re serious.”
Tessa and James come back at the same time as Clara and Libby. Both children have quivering bottom lips as they face each other. Clara gives James a nod, and says, “I’m very sorry I pushed you.”
