‘Listen, Danny, it’s OK. Just speak to Dad – I’m sure he can sort it. He knows people. He’ll get you a lawyer or whatever.’ A pause as an inaudible mumble came through the phone. ‘Well yeah, he’ll be mad, but not as mad as if you don’t call him.’
Sofia didn’t want to be caught eavesdropping, as much as she wanted to keep doing it. She knocked lightly on the door.
‘Just a minute,’ Jack called, and then, in a loud whisper: ‘Just call him. Please, Danny, for me.’ Another pause. ‘Yeah, exactly, exactly, love you.’ Jack opened the door gingerly. ‘Sorry about that, it was...’ he seemed to be weighing up whether to tell her the whole truth ‘...it was my brother.’
‘No problem,’ Sofia said brightly, before noticing that Jack was shirtless. She willed her eyes not to wander, but when he turned she settled on the muscles straddling his spine. It wasn’t the first time she’d found herself wondering what they might feel like under her fingers. She needed to get a grip. She followed him into the small cabin as he sat down on the lower bunk, typing on his phone, and running his hands through his hair. It occurred to Sofia that maybe it was an anxious tick, rather than a flirting technique.
She took her pyjamas into the bathroom and changed. When she came out he was still there, typing with his chest bare. Sofia didn’t know where to look. She clambered inelegantly up the ladder and lay staring at the ceiling. Jack sighed loudly.
‘You all good down there?’ she asked tentatively.
‘Honestly?’ He sounded tired.
‘Yeah.’
‘Not really. Danny, my brother, he got done for a DUI, and now he’s in jail for assaulting an officer.’
‘Shit.’ She didn’t know what else to say.
‘He’ll get out – I’m not worried about that. My dad, he knows people or whatever. What I’m worried about is that he’s going to hurt himself, maybe that’s what he...’ Jack stopped abruptly, as if realising he’d said too much.
‘It’s OK. Whatever you might think of me, I’m not going to judge you.’ Sofia hadn’t meant for it to sound accusatory, but her hurt was obvious in the barb of her words.
‘What do you mean? Why would I think that?’
Sofia grimaced. She was just adding to his load. His voice was hoarse and weary.
Something about not having to look at him empowered her to go on. ‘It’s just something Patricio said. You warned him that I was judgemental, that he shouldn’t tell me about you getting him the job.’ She held her breath for his response – another loud sigh.
‘It wasn’t aimed at you, Sofia. Everyone on this boat can be judgemental. It took years for anyone to respect me for the actual work I was doing, instead of assuming that I was some rich layabout who got handed the job because of family connections. He wasn’t supposed to tell anyone.’
Sofia breathed out. Part relieved, part embarrassed for once again assuming the worst; maybe shewasthe person he hadn’t accused her of being.
After a beat he added, ‘And for the record, I told him not to tell anyone, not you particularly. I’m assuming he couldn’t help but tell Declan though?’
Of course, he hadn’t only told Sofia, he had also told Declan. Those two were becoming thick as thieves.
‘Bingo,’ she said, trying to laugh off the matter.
‘For what it’s worth, I actually find it surprisingly, maybe even worryingly, easy to talk to you, Sofia.’ The hard edge had melted from his tone and she found herself warmed by it.
‘I’m sorry about your brother. It’s nice that you’re there for him.’
‘Not as much as I’d like... I feel bad sometimes, for abandoning him, to live the life I never could, under the thumb of our dad.’ He was speaking so softly, Sofia had to strain to hear him.
‘You can’t blame yourself for going and living your life. He’s an adult. I expect he’s probably proud of you, if a little envious, for finding what you love and going after it.’
There was silence, and Sofia imagined he might be crying. ‘All good down there?’ she tried again.
‘Yeah,’ he said, gruffly. ‘I think I really needed to hear that.’ His voice broke on the last word and Sofia held her tongue. She didn’t want to tip him over the edge.
More silence, and then: ‘You’re a good friend, Sofia.’ It was almost a whisper.
‘Thanks.’ It was her turn for gratitude. ‘I thinkIreally needed to hear that.’
They lay in the quiet, the distant sound of the sea lulling them both into drowsiness.
‘Night, Sofia,’ he said finally, turning off the light.
