He puts the bottle of seawater to his lips to drink it, taking a big old swig. He really has lost his mind.
Honey slaps the bottle out of his hand.
‘Don’t drink that!’ she snaps. ‘It’s idiotic to think you can! And that fruit is ackee – you can’t eat it raw, it’s toxic! How can you be so dumb?’
Lockie tilts his head curiously, a smug grin spreading across his face.
‘How canyoube so dumb when you’re so smart?’ he replies.
Honey freezes.
‘Honey… are you hiding your intelligence?’ I ask.
She groans as she throws her hands up in submission.
‘Yes, okay. Fine. It was for the show,’ she says and, oh my God, it’s like her voice has changed. It’s actually much lower and slower. ‘People don’t like their bimbos smart, and men like me way more if I’m ditzy and I don’t challenge them or threaten them in any way.’
‘No man who likes you more for pretending to be anything other than yourself is worth liking back,’ Lockie tells her. ‘I like smart women. Plenty of men do. If you let yourself actually be yourself, you’ll see that.’
Honey’s face softens.
‘I know you’re right,’ she replies. ‘I guess I could tone down the act, start bringing a little more of myself to my character.’
I shrug.
‘I like this version of you the most,’ I say. ‘She’s been here all along, keeping us safe…’
‘It’s idiotic not to research where you’re going, what the danger is, what to do in certain situations. I wish I’d read up more on being marooned.’
We both laugh.
‘Well, I might not be dumb, but I do still like a tan, and you’re blocking my light,’ she tells Lockie.
‘We’ll leave you to it,’ he says with a laugh.
‘You have a real thing for fixing people, you know that?’ I say as we walk away. ‘First Camilla and her hostility, Tony and his self-consciousness, now Honey. What are you going to do about Ozzy?’
Lockie laughs.
‘Isn’t Ozzy perfect?’ he replies.
‘Not really,’ I say. ‘Almost, but he can’t cry. He says it shows weakness.’
Lockie nods once, very seriously.
‘Then we make him cry,’ he says.
‘I’m sorry, what?’
‘I’m serious,’ he replies. ‘If you see me trying something, follow my lead. We need to show him that it’s okay. And, as for your issues, I’m working on it.’
‘My issues?’ I echo. ‘What about yours?’
‘What issues?’ he says innocently.
I roll my eyes.
‘You do have a way of getting through to people,’ I admit. ‘Making them feel better. Maybe that’s why everyone likes you.’
