‘Snorkelling at Aquarium Bay. He’ll only need swimming shorts as the sea is very warm and crystal-clear.’
He leaps up excitedly. ‘Let’s go, Babaanne. I need you to find my favourite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shorts. And my twin katana swords.’
His grandmother raises her fingertips to her lips as she emits a chuckle, watching him race ahead towards the guest staircase. ‘It’s nice to see him being a child for once. Thank you, er… what did you say your name was?’
‘Maddie,’ I say. ‘He’s actually been really good company.’ He reminds me of growing up as an only child. I spent an awful lot of time alone.
‘It’s quite sad really. He’s always acting out to impress his parents. I just wish they’d spend more time with him than humping each other every five minutes. They’re like rutting deer.’ She lifts her sunglasses to peer at me. ‘She gets it from me unfortunately. We have very high sex drives in our family. And Emir’s half-siblings are all grown-up and rarely have anything to do with him. That reminds me, I must say hello to the captain. He’s really rather dishy,’ she drawls in her plummy accent.
I furrow my brow as she hurries after him.Is everyone on board this vessel here to fornicate?
I get to work, speedily picking up dropped food, plates, glasses and mopping the floor as quickly as I can, just as we glide into the tranquil waters of Aquarium Bay. I’m relieved to see the rest of the team, even Tiffany and Astrid, pulling their weight to leave the dining area and bar polished and sparkling, ready for this evening.
Garry walks over to us once we’re done. He’s looking freshly showered, his uniform pristine.It’s all right for some, I think crossly. He’s such a slacker. ‘Tiffany, you and I will stay here because I can’t swim and there’s a Tantric Yoga for Ladies afternoon planned.’ With a lecherous grin, he waves a VHS in his hand. ‘This video tape is one of my favourites. Shaun and Astrid, you go snorkelling with the adults. Maddie, you take the brat.’
‘Astrid should stay here while Shaun and I go snorkelling.’ Tiffany stands with her arms folded and a threatening look on her face. ‘After all, she much prefers low-level holiday repping to doing anyactualwork.’
After their little booze cruise earlier, I feel this is the pot calling the kettle black, but I’ll not say anything.
‘Absolutely not.’ Astrid is having none of it. ‘You’re not in charge. Garry, tell her,’ she whines. ‘She had Shaun for the last activity.’
‘He’s not a toy to be shared, Astrid. He’smyboyfriend. It’s time you remembered that.’
It’s timeheremembered that, I think to myself as Shaun keeps quiet, a sheepish look on his face.
‘I know he’syourboyfriend, Tiffany, because you never shut up about it, do you? Even when you seem to break up every other day. Honestly, I can’t see why you bother.’ She huffs loudly. ‘This is about who he takes with him for the ski season, isn’t it?’
Garry clears his throat. ‘Okay, you two, let’s leave it, shall we? The plan stays. Shaun and Astrid, you take the divers, and Maddie, you take any beginner snorkellers with you and the kid. Be finished with both activities by 5p.m.’
‘Emir,’ I state.
‘What?’
‘The kid’s called Emir.’
‘Whatever. Who cares? Rendezvous back here ready for dinner which will be at…’ He glances down at his fake gold Rolex. ‘It will be held at 7p.m. at Akmars.’ As we turn to leave, he adds, ‘Don’t forget the new boss is coming to spy on us sobestbehaviour.’ He flicks Shaun a subtle look.
* * *
Against my better judgement, even the mere mention of Jackson turning up has me flustered. I dash away, eager to get changed into my swimwear. The sooner the snorkelling is over, the sooner I can get back to shower and get ready properly. Jackson cannot see me looking a right mess… again. I burst through the bedroom door, instantly taken aback and appalled at the sight that greets me. I am obviously sharing a room with two mess-makers operating at the highest levels. Clothes and underwear strewn everywhere, spilling out of open drawers, wet towels left on the floor and worst of all, open bottles of toiletries and make-up on every conceivable surface.When? When have they had the time? We’ve been run ragged since we stepped on board.I hurriedly root through my case to find my bathing suit and clamber into it before wrapping myself modestly in a towel and hurrying along the corridor to use the secret staff doorway through to the guest bedrooms.
I knock on Emir’s parents’ door, and it immediately swings open. Emir is standing dressed in bright red swimming trunks, his skinny little frame tanned and lean, and he is holding what looks like a meat cleaver. He has a huge grin on his face. ‘Let’s go hunting.’
I gulp. ‘Let me take that from you,’ I say hesitantly as I reach out to gently confiscate it. ‘We won’t be needing weapons.’
His mother comes up behind him. ‘You’re off snorkelling? Oh, good. I bet you’re an excellent swimmer, aren’t you, darling?’
Emir shrugs. ‘Probably.’
Probably?
‘He can swim, though, right?’ I enquire, handing the lethal chopping blade back to her. ‘He’s had lessons?’
‘I’d have thought so,’ she says vaguely, beginning to shut the door on us. ‘Have fun!’
Click.
We stare at the closed door. ‘Okay then. Let’s find out how good a swimmer you are,’ I say brightly, internally praying that he can. I mean, it’s not like there’s a shallow end or anything. We are going to launch from the lower deck of the boat straight into the middle of a cerulean-blue lagoon famous for its abundance of sea life and lack of human interference. There are no emergency services standing by should anything go wrong. ‘Or maybe we could sit on the deck and watch?’
