Chapter 21 #2
‘How did that huge crab spider get into the boat?’ I wonder aloud, peering down at Emir as he shrugs innocently.
Astrid attempts to swim back to the gulet, spitting feathers and determined to blame someone (me) for not checking the kayaks thoroughly enough as she drags hers with her.
Once she has clambered back onto the wooden platform, she takes her oar and flicks the crab from the boat.
She spins around to face us, hands on hips.
Her hair is splattered to her face, fronds of dark brown sea kelp are gathered on her shoulders, and her legs are streaked with strands of green seaweed. ‘Well?’
‘Right. Let’s get you fitted with a lifejacket and some magical weapons,’ I say, ignoring her as I hand Emir a toy water gun and slip a shimmery gold waistcoat (slim pickings) that I grabbed from the games cupboard over his lifejacket.
‘To protect you,’ I explain quietly, nodding over to Astrid. ‘From the sea monsters.’
‘Cool.’ He’s so excited to get going that I’m filled with a rush of delight as I check him over.
‘Hey, Maddie. I know that crab had something to do with… Shit!’ Astrid yelps.
I turn around to see she has accidentally stepped through a lobster pot and is shaking her foot free. The pot is attached to a length of fishing wire.
‘Look out!’ I yell. Astrid flings her elbow up to protect her face just as a bucket from the shelf above flies towards her.
She is knocked straight back into the sea, causing everyone to erupt with laughter.
It’s like a scene from Scooby Doo. Wait.
I glance down. Emir has a satisfied look on his face.
We exchange a few non-verbal communicative gestures that neither confirm nor deny his involvement.
I shall have to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Before Astrid has a chance to climb back on board, we step diligently down off the platform onto our vessel and encourage the remaining guests into the water so that we can lead a group of eight kayaks over to the beautiful island very close by.
Astrid is bringing up the rear and has been partnered with Emir’s grandmother whom I am both delighted and very surprised to see volunteer for the trip.
It looks like she’s letting a fuming Astrid do all the work.
When we reach the island and drag our kayaks onto the shoreline, Emir’s granny comes straight over to greet us.
‘Last minute change of plans,’ she says gleefully. ‘Apparently, some of the reps aren’t to be trusted. I thought it best to keep an eye on our precious cargo.’
Ah.
‘About that. I’m sure Astrid didn’t mean to…’
Emir’s grandmother raises an eyebrow, which stops me in my tracks. Astrid definitely meant to push Emir in the water, whether it was a joke or not. She was in the wrong. And this is clearly not the family to cross.
‘Anyway, life’s too short to spend it playing board games when I could be here exploring with my only grandson and heir.’ She looks Emir up and down before bending down on one knee. ‘Very snazzy outfit.’
‘It’s got secret powers,’ he whispers in her ear. ‘And look. A weapon.’ He thrusts his water gun into the air. ‘I’ll protect you, Babaanne!’
This makes her chuckle as she tries to straighten up. I give her a hand. ‘Thank you, dear. You know, it’s lovely to see him being a child. He’s so routinely over-exposed to the adult world that it’s easy to forget he’s not a market trader trapped in the body of a nine-year-old.’
‘Five, Babaanne. I’m only five. But I’ll be six in a few days,’ he exclaims joyfully. ‘Then I’ll be a big boy. Like Mehmet.’
We are momentarily interrupted as Astrid, further down the beach, screeches something unintelligible, yanks at her lifejacket and begins waving it around while trying to scratch her back, her arms and now her hair.
Once again, the guests are treated to her plunging into the sea. There is much guffawing.
Emir is transfixed, a bemused look lighting up his face.
‘Oh, that reminds me.’ His grandmother gives me a serious look and murmurs in a low voice out of Emir’s earshot, ‘My daughter wants you to organise something for a birthday bash the day before the end of the cruise. Obviously, we’re here for their wedding anniversary, but they all clean forgot it’s Emir’s birthday too. We’ll need you to do a party for him.’
Seriously? They couldn’t have mentioned it beforehand?
‘When we get to Selimiye Bay, there’ll be a delivery coming on board. All of his presents, balloons, cakes, and anything else you think we need. Just let my daughter know by tomorrow, and it will be waiting as we dock.’
As in the same day that I get off this boat and secretly run off into the distance (i.e. head office) with Jackson?
I nod my head rapidly, feigning enthusiasm. ‘Of course. Leave it all to me.’
Bugger.
‘Think big. Money is no object. Give him a birthday to remember. One like no other.’
I bite my lip, feeling very torn. On the one hand, Jackson doesn’t want me to let slip, yet on the other, how can I commit to organising Emir’s birthday party if I know I’ll not be here?
‘Emir.’ I swing him up onto my shoulders. ‘Can you see any haunted ruins?’ I ask, changing the subject as we make our way across the slim stretch of beach towards the forest and the ancient remains of a fortress poking above the treetops.
As he squeals with delight, his grandmother walks alongside. ‘Are you familiar with the family business?’
‘Not really. Is it a chain of restaurants called Hello Chicken and More?’
‘Yes. Emir’s half-brother, Mehmet, runs it at the moment. And then when Emir is old enough—’
‘In a year’s time you mean,’ I joke, making her guffaw with laughter.
‘Yes. Yes. Quite right.’ She catches her breath as we begin hiking through the forest. ‘He’s so wise and focused for one so young. But Mehmet is the opposite. His head is elsewhere. Always with the ladies. It drives his father to distraction. And you can see why, can’t you?’
I shake my head.
She rolls her eyes. ‘The ladies chase him all over the place. No wonder my daughter, Cassandra, is keen for Emir to take over the business as soon as he’s old enough. She doesn’t trust Mehmet not to run their empire into the ground.’
Like father, like son, I think to myself. Emir’s parents behave like newlyweds whenever I see them.
Suddenly, the image of the woman on the plane holding her giant baby with its shock of wig-like, jet-black hair pops into my head. Didn’t she say she met her baby-daddy working in a Hello Chicken and More?