Nina
Nina was spent as she left the café at the end of the pier. Despite her layers she was still shivering at the shock of what had happened. She’d never admit it to Maeve, but sitting there in the boathouse with her, waiting for news, both knowing how brutal the sea could be, Nina had begun to think the outcome wasn’t going to be a good one. Right up until they’d got the phone call from Adrian she’d been fearing the worst and the emotions from that had her exhausted, barely able to put one foot in front of the other now.
She leaned in to Leo, her head resting against him as they walked. It didn’t matter that they’d not done this in years, it felt right, and Leo didn’t seem to want her to do any differently as they made their way from the start of the pier, up the road that would take them away from the town and towards the turning for the cabins and Stepping Stone Bay.
‘You’re an uncle,’ she smiled, lifting her head up and walking alone again as they left the pier behind.
His profile was more visible as they passed beneath a street lamp. ‘I’m pretty happy about that.’ He breathed out the emotion as they walked uphill. ‘I can’t believe I didn’t see it. I mean I do now, it seems obvious, andthinking back, Adrian and Maeve were close, although how close Ineverrealised.’
‘Me neither,’ she said, trying not to let her teeth chatter.
‘You’re cold.’ He began to undo his jacket.
‘No, you keep that. We’ll be at the cabins soon enough. And you lost custody of your jumper to Jonah remember.’
He laughed. ‘That’s right, I did.’
‘Bet he sleeps well tonight after his ordeal.’
‘So will we,’ said Leo.
She couldn’t help the fizz in her tummy even though she knew he didn’t mean together. ‘I still can’t believe Maeve kept Jonah’s paternity a secret all this time.’
‘It’s going to take Adrian a while to get his head around it for sure.’
‘It’s good to see her back, Adrian too.’
‘It’s good to see you all back,’ Leo told her. ‘I hadn’t realised how much I felt alone when you all left. I mean some days I did, other days I got on with it. I worried about my brother, I was angry at you. Back then,’ he added, to clarify.
‘Do you think Maeve and Adrian might …’
‘Make a go of it?’ He shrugged. ‘Who knows, early days I’d say, but the way they were looking at one another in the café just then tells me they both want to pick up where they left off. And they’re parents, that counts for a lot.’ His deep exhale was most likely a release from the night, for the sheer relief at the happy ending with his new-found nephew who had already been in his life at the boathouse unbeknownst to him.
‘I can’t believe Adrian took the boat out just like that.’ She shook her head. ‘When I dropped him at the marina he didn’t even hesitate.’
‘I can’t quite believe it either. It’s what I’ve wanted him to do for such a long time.’
They reached the top of the track that would lead down to the cabins and Leo used the torch to navigate their way down the track. ‘I should bring this torch out more often, it’s far easier to see your way down here. Why did I never think of it before? Last week I went to the pub for a few drinks and almost bumped into one of the trees at the edge.’
Close beside him Nina pointed out, ‘That’s probably more to do with your inebriation than the lighting I’d say.’
When Leo reached the bottom of the track he wanted to go and make sure everyting in the boathouse was switched off and properly locked up. ‘You head to your cabin, warm up.’
She didn’t want to leave his side, but the shivering was constant by now. She was about to agree when he pulled her to him and wrapped her in a hug. Her momentary surprise gave way to her melting into the familiarity of his chest, the place that felt right. He held her firmly, didn’t say a thing and she felt her eyes closing as she was lulled into a sense of peace she hadn’t felt with the chaos of the day.
She felt warm enough after a minute or two and looked up at him, eyes glassy, unsure of what to say.
He took the lead. ‘You go inside your cabin, I’ll check on you when I’m done here.’
All she could do was nod, and avoiding the puddles that had formed in the dips leading up to her veranda, she took the few steps up and let herself inside. She wasted no time taking off her layers and her jeans. She put on a fresht-shirt and over the top of that a chunky fawn jumper and her warmest brushed cotton pyjama bottoms. In the kitchen she took the milk out from the fridge and the container of cocoa powder from the cupboard. She pulled out one mug, but hoping Leo would come inside when he stopped by, she took out a second and made sure she poured enough milk into the pan.
She felt calmer by the time Leo knocked and was more than happy to oblige when he suggested they take the cocoa over to his cabin. ‘I’ve got the log burner,’ he added, ‘and you need the extra warmth tonight.’ He’d taken one mug and no matter what his cabin was like, all Nina wanted to do was lay her head against his chest, against the navy jumper he’d changed into, and stay there until she fell asleep.
‘It feels like winter is on its way,’ said Nina as they carried their mugs the thirteen stepping stones between their cabins.
‘Won’t be long.’
Leo’s cabin felt so homely when they stepped inside. As he sorted the log burner she took in all the little touches that made it that way – over in the kitchen there was a barbecuing cook book on a metal stand opened at a page with a recipe for a colourful sauce to use for marinading meat. Next to the stand was a bowl for eggs, another bowl for fruit which was piled high with bananas and firm red nectarines, a couple of kiwis balancing precariously on top. There was a knife block, a rectangular trivet with a metal sailing ship in its design and even a blue-and-white striped apron hanging on the hook in the corner past the oven. She smiled when she saw the little wooden placard hanging from one of the cupboarddoors which said ‘What happens on the boat stays on the boat.’
