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I swallowed and nodded. “Yes, sir.” I bit my tongue to let him speak, but I rushed, “What you thought you saw today? It wasn’t like that. I...I panicked when Neri threw her oxygen tank at me, then dove below without any air. I couldn’t stop thinking of my little sister. Of those I’ve lost and...and I let my temper colour how I spoke to her.”
I rubbed my nape. “What you saw was me apologising. That’s all. I know what you’re going to say. But you don’t have to say it. I already know.”
Anna stayed sitting forward, but her soft voice pinched my heart worse than any harsh word. “You’re a good kid, Aslan. We will do all we can for you, but there are boundaries you must never cross.”
“Boundaries that will mean the end of our hospitality. Do you hear me?” Jack asked calmly. “You are welcome in my home, on my boat, and in my family, but if you ever touch my daughter in a way that is anything more than platonic, you will be on your own so fucking fast you’ll wonder how it happened.” His gaze narrowed. “And I don’t do second chances.”
I held his stare.
I placed a fist over my heart. “I will never give you a reason to doubt me.”
“Good.” Twisting back in his seat, Jack rolled his shoulders and said in a much happier tone. “You did good today. The data was kept where it should be. You’re going to be a great help.”
“For a week at least.”
He turned and caught my eyes. “For a week at least.”
Nerida wrenched open the door and struggled to climb inside with bags of delicious-smelling food. Reaching across, I took the paper bags from her, flinching under Jack’s intense stare.
“Thanks.” Neri gave me a grateful smile and buckled into her seat.
I placed the food between us.
The scents wafting from the containers sent another wave of guilt through me. I couldn’t repay these people. I had no way of thanking them for all the meals, the welcome, and the willingness to keep my illegal status a secret.
It wasn’t just about how much Jack could trust me around his daughter but also my refusal to take advantage of anything that belonged to him.
The cash.
Shit.
I totally forgot I still had the money Jack had given me at the hospital.
Tearing into my pocket—his pocket—I yanked out the folded notes held together with a paperclip. Leaning forward, I tossed them into Jack’s lap.
He started and looked down. “What’s this?”
“I can’t pay you for any of this. I can’t take your money either.”
He gave me a look. “You can keep it, you know.”
“No. I can’t.”
He studied me before nodding quickly. “You’re a good kid, Aslan.” Catching Anna’s stare as he turned to face the front again, he wedged the money into the console, then threw the Jeep into gear. “Let’s go home.”
* * * * *
The takeaway bags had hidden the best meal of my life. Better than the Nemo burger or handmade pizza. The creamy spaghetti, zesty pesto penne, and cheesy garlic bread were simply sinful.
Every mouthful had wracked me with guilt and gratefulness.
Guilt that my family would never taste Australia’s multicultural cuisine and gratefulness that I could.
It was the first moment I stopped cursing being alive.
The first night that I allowed life to interrupt my despair, and I settled into it as peacefully as I could. I didn’t speak much at dinner, preferring to listen to the Taylors discuss their plans for tomorrow, scold Neri for still not doing her homework, and the upcoming conference that Jack and Anna had to attend on the breeding habits of deep-sea tuna.
I didn’t know if it was the extremely rich meal or my lack of endurance from being on the sea all day, but my eyelids grew heavy the moment the last morsel was gone.
I swayed in my chair; Jack chuckled. “Go to bed, Aslan. We’re up early again tomorrow, and I assume you’re coming with us?”
I nodded.
Never again would I let this man down.
I’d let my father down.
I’d let my uncle down.
Jack Taylor would be the one man I didn’t.
“Of course. I’m willing to do whatever you request of me.”
“Even though it means working on the ocean?” Anna asked carefully, her sun-browned hair catching the string of lights hovering above the outside deck where we sat like last night.
“I’ll make peace with it.” I shot Neri a look. The first look all night. “Eventually.”
She understood what I was saying.
That I was accepting her wisdom that I’d heal...eventually.
She gave me a smile, blushed a little, then looked at her plate.
Her usual energy and sunny vibrancy seemed dulled, as if clouds had cast over everything that made her Neri.
I wanted to make things right between us.
I wanted to apologise again for not handling my grief and all this newness well.
