Winter's End Part 17

"Come on then," said Chris, jumping out of his chair. "The garage's this way." He walked swiftly to the back of the living room. He opened a door to a string of stairs leading down to the bottom of the boathouse. With Jai following close behind him, they bounced down the stairs which opened to yet another furnished living area of the garage.

Towering the centre of the garage was a white yacht, resting on its waters.

"What is she called?" said Jai in amazement.

"He actually," corrected Chris. "So discriminatory. Why are all boats and ships called 'she'?" he teased. "But yeah, she is called Bran, Son of Llyr."

"Who was he?"

"Bran was the son of sea-G.o.d Llyr and king of Britain and Wales. He was so tall and ma.s.sive that the tallest building could not shelter him nor any ship could carry him. It was told that he waded through the seas. Bran here, however, is not as large as her name sake, but her spirit is. So whenever I take her out into the water, on the seas, she soars."

He climbed onto the deck and then helped Jai onto it.

"Want to help me clean her up?" Chris said. "We could take her for a spin after."

Jai broadened into a wide smile. "Yes," he replied, excitedly.

After having spent a couple hours cleaning the dust off Bran, Chris pulled the yacht out into the bay. They sailed into the open waters, Chris at the helm and Jai, leaning over the bow rails, watching it cut through the deep, blue sea.

Chris smiled as he looked over at the boy. "Hey," he called out. "Do you want to hold onto the wheel for a second?"

Jai's eyes twinkled excitedly. "Really? Cool! Yeah!" he fisted into the air.

Chris laughed, ruffling the boy's long, blonde locks.

After an hour of sailing around the bay, they were now both back seated on the balcony of the boathouse, watching the foams gathering on the waves.

"So why are boats and ships always called 'she'?" asked Jai. "Just doesn't seem fair that Bran has to be a girl." He scrunched up his nose at the thought.

Chris chuckled. "I know. But why are boats and ships called she, that I don't quite know. I suppose there is a whole lot of bustle around her, she has a waist and stays and when she is reaching port, she's always heading for the buoys. Also someone once did say that a ship is always referred to as 'she' because it costs so much for one to keep in paint and powder."

Jai giggled. "Yeah, I guess so. It makes sense."

Chris paused before asking cautiously, "So, did you and your dad spend a lot of time together?"

"No," said Jai, leaning over the rails of the balcony, facing the sea.

"No?" Chris repeated.

"Dad was always busy. You know work and stuff. Uncle Richard took us out most of the time to places like aquariums and things."

"Did you spend a lot of time with Uncle Richard? You sound real close," said Chris, surprised by his sudden jealousy at the thought of Jai at an exciting boy's day out with Richard Winston.

"Yeah," he replied casually. "But we spent most of it at home."

Chris leant back into his chair, thinking. Sea gulls soared and skimmed over the surface of the waters. Waves sauntered lazily into the sands of the bay.

"I was looking for someone to share this boathouse with," Chris said, watching the boy from the corner of his eyes. "Do you know anyone who might be interested?"

Jai turned, his eyes widened with excitement. "Like for free?"

"Yeah, free," said Chris. "For company."

"Can... I... share with you?" Jai asked, hesitantly.

"You're interested?" Chris said seriously, his lips upturned in pretentious thought. "Yeah okay. But its life term membership, just so you know before you accept."

"I accept," said Jai, beaming. "That means I have half a share to the boathouse?"

"Yes," said Chris, smiling, closing his eyes.

"Like an equal share?"

"Yes."

"And I can come in here anytime? Even if you're not around?"

"Yes."

"So we're like partners?"

"Yes," said Chris, tiredly and then added quietly. "And I'm regretting it already."

Emma turned right on the hallway, just as Theodore had told her. She heard the running of the treadmill even before she reached it. The door was open. She walked into the gym and saw Chris at the end of it.

His eyes were focused on the screen monitor before him. His strong legs beat heavily on the treadmill, powering over the belt. Beads of sweat formed on his temples, breaking into rivers, cascading down his face. She watched him briefly, hesitating to disturb him. Mesmerised by his powerful form, she admired his physique and his strong profile. She felt a variety of senses pulsating in her body, blushing as she became aware of the heat flooding through her. This was her husband.

He didn't seem to have heard her enter or pretended so.

"Hi," she said.

He turned, surprised. He switched off the treadmill and stepped off it. Reaching for a towel, he began wiping his face. "Hi," he replied.

"Nice gym," she said.

He looked at her curiously. "Yeah."

"You workout often?" She bit her lip, feeling silly she had asked that. She would have kicked herself, had he not been looking at her.

He arched an eyebrow. "Twice a day, if I can help it."

She bent her head, twitching nervously at her fingers. "I just wanted to say, thank you for taking Jai out. He needed it."

He nodded.

She continued, trying to avoid his eyes. "He was telling me about the boathouse and his yacht ride. He said he's an equal partner to all of it, whatever that means." She finished with a nervous laugh.

He smiled.

She said, "Jai seems to really like you. Hannah too. They can't stop talking about you. Hannah's, though, a little upset that you didn't take her on your yacht. And Jai's been taunting her about it since he's arrived. He can be quite a rascal sometimes." She knew she was rambling. She closed her eyes and drew in a sharp breath before lifting her head. "Thank you for making this easy on them."

His eyes had darkened, watching her, his mouth drawn into a thin, hard line.

She stood there skittish, wondering what he was thinking about. When she realised he wasn't going to respond, she turned around, feeling more foolish. She began to walk out when she heard him say, "Emma."

She turned back at him.

"I would love to take Hannah for a cruise on the yacht. Perhaps, if you're interested, you might like to come too?"

"I'd love that," she said, the corners of her lips turning into a smile.

He nodded and stepped back onto the treadmill, switching it on. His eyes focused determinedly ahead of him as he resumed his jog. When he heard her footsteps fade into the hallway, he smiled.

He joined his grandmother in the parlour in the evening. She was playing with her small, brown, fluffy Pomeranian on her lap while her other white Maltese, danced around her feet vying for her attention.

"Hi, there Sadie," he said, gathering the little Maltese in his arms. "Granny's been ignoring you, has she?"

The white dog lapped at his hands, rubbing itself happily against his chest.

"Where's everyone?" he asked.

"You keep looking for them," she replied, watching out of the corner of her eyes. "Why is that, I wonder?"

"They keep disappearing on us," he grumbled.

"They spend more than enough time with me. Hannah's been teaching me that Pauline, the blonde doll is not Casey, the other blonde doll with the chequered overalls. I think I should be grateful for any time she does spare me, don't you think?" she chuckled.

"And what about Emma?" he asked, curiously. "What has she been up to?"

Ethel smiled. "Emma's a lovely la.s.s. But sometimes I wonder what goes on in that pretty red head of hers. Her eyes keep telling me that she's always drifting off to another place."

"What do you mean?"

"She was with me this morning, chatting as she read. Then she excused herself and left. I didn't see her for a couple of hours. Apparently, she was in the library on her computer all that time, all by herself," she said, sighing. "The la.s.s is terribly lonely, Christopher. I know it because I can feel it. And that loneliness has been there, inside of her, for so long, I'd bet even she doesn't know it exists."

Chris gently placed Sadie, the Maltese back onto the floor.

"She went back to her house, today," added Ethel, letting the brown Promenarian join his little canine friend. "I think she misses it. It makes me terribly guilty for having placed her in this situation."

Chris raised his brows. His grandmother had never openly regretted anything she'd done before.

"She'll come around it," she continued. "I know she will."

Chris folded his arms across his chest and leant against a table, thinking. Gran had yet to make a lousy business deal. She never jumped into any situation without considering and re-considering the consequences. But he still had to verify her skills as a matchmaker.

"Why do you think she agreed to marry me?" he asked.

"Why else? For love," his grandmother said.

"For me or you?" he added, sarcastically.

Ethel smiled. She didn't answer but instead watched her two dogs wrestle for a small, rubber toy on her marbled floor.

He walked over to the kitchen. They were there, just as his grandmother said they would be. He could hear their voices resonate through the door. This time though, a melodic jig played in the background. He heard Hannah and Jai singing along with their mother. Wait...was that Nancy as well? He smiled when he heard Theodore's voice add a note of his own.

He shook his head unbelievingly. What was it about Emma Abbott nee Cameron? She wasn't a remarkable beauty like the many women he dated. Yet she had an exquisite, exotic charm about her.

It was still too early for dinner and so he curiously wondered as to why they were all gathered in the kitchen.

He opened the door gently and walked slowly towards them. He knew they hadn't heard him because they were still singing aloud, followed by a series of teasing, taunts and laughs. Theodore was at the table, a beaming smile upon his face and a gla.s.s of bourbon in his hand. Nancy, Hannah and Jai were playing a game of cards.

"Go fish," said Hannah, beaming as her brother, grumbled and leant forward for another card.

A delicious aroma streamed towards him. He realised it was escaping from the pot bubbling on the stove. He frowned. Emma was cooking while their cook was playing cards with their children.

He watched his new wife, standing at one end of the table, busily slicing an onion, tears streaking her face. She sniffed, trying to hold them back.

He stood grounded and mesmerised by her adorable messiness. Her hair was held back at the top of her head in a chaotic knot. Loose strands framed her face. From the dust of flour speckling a spot on her cheeks, he could tell she was also baking.

"Mr. Cameron," said Theodore, standing abruptly. "I didn't see you there, sir. Is there anything you need?"

Despite the continuing happy tune playing on the ipod, the two women in the room tensed immediately as they turned to him at once.

Hannah's lips split into a wide smile. "Papa! We're playing Go Fish," she informed. "Wanna play?"

Jai ignored him, grumbling as he picked one more card from the deck of cards on the table.

"That's alright. I'll just sit with Theodore, here," he smiled back.

Theodore shifted nervously at his feet, puzzled by his employer's entrance in the kitchen.

"Pour me a gla.s.s too, Theodore," said Chris, pulling a chair.

Theodore poured him a drink and then stood uneasily at the table.

Chris looked at him and then at Nancy, nervously standing at the other end.

"You don't mind if I do join you, Theodore?" he asked "Not at all, sir," said Theodore, uncomfortably as he sat back into his chair. He looked at Nancy, silently indicating for her to sit as well.

She followed suit, still nervy at the presence of her otherwise usually formal employer in her kitchen.