the third boat down on the right. Her name is Abbracci and she’s a beauty. Although I have been told, that the two happiest days of your life when you have a boat; are the day you buy it and the day you sell it,” he laughed a rather contagious laugh.
Liking the sound of it, she joined him. “Now it can’t be that bad; what about all that family time you were going to have on board?”
“Well it’s great in theory, but it hasn’t happened as much as I’d like, although Coco is joining me onboard this afternoon. She’s bringing a little friend and we’re having a sleepover.” Raising his eyebrows, he grinned.
“Truly, that sounds wonderful!”
Jeff was now casually leaning against a sign post, with one foot propped up behind him. “I’ve been busy stocking the fridge with treats for the girls. It’s a little different sleeping in the marina, not as quiet as at home, but a bit of an adventure for Coco. She’s becoming an excellent first mate. We’ve been heading out on the bay some Sundays. It’s fantastic!” The entire time he’d been talking he’d been smiling.
Her eyes lit up. “Have you taken it up to the Whitsunday’s and cruised around yet?”
“You do have a good memory. No, it hasn’t happened yet. You think that you’re going to make the time, but before you know it, the year has gone.” Chilli felt her face drop at this. Quickly Jeff changed the subject. “How was Paris?”
“We go in two weeks time. I can hardly wait.” She smiled again. “Anyway, my parents are expecting me so I’d better keep going. Good luck with your boat.”
“Would you like to have a look onboard?”
He’d taken her by surprise. “Actually I’d love to.” Her voice was full of enthusiasm.
He held the gate open for her. Together, they walked the few metres to the Abbracci and in that time an alarm bell went off in her head, warning her loud and clear that she may be sending the wrong signal.
“Do you know,” she said hesitantly, “I won’t come onboard. I’ll just look from here and then I’ll have to dash.” But then she paused. “Goodness, she’s beautiful Jeff,” she said with feeling. She took in the generously proportioned back deck with the navy and white striped canvas seating, the flybridge up the top, and she could just see a hint of the interior; white leather upholstery and beautifully polished teak.
At the sound of a voice calling, they both spun around at the same time.
“Dad! Hi! Can you open the gate for us?” Coco called loudly to her father, her friend in tow.
“Hello girls, all set for a fun night on the boat?” he asked. Coco was staring at Chilli. “You remember Chilli don’t you Coco. We had breakfast at her restaurant.”
“Oh yeah, it’s my favourite restaurant now. Dad says we can go again soon.” And then she looked at her father. “Can we go for breakfast tomorrow Dad, please, please, please? I want Ruby to come and try the coconut pancakes. Chilli this is my friend Ruby.” And before Chilli could respond, Coco remembered something. “Oh and Mum’s waiting in the car, she wants to speak to you, she couldn’t get a park. She said you had to hurry.”
The look that crossed Jeff’s face, didn’t escape her. The woman was evidently not a boating person; not everyone was. This was her cue. “Well I’d better get going…”
Coco interrupted, “Oh there she is. She must have found a park after all. Come on Ruby, let’s put our things in the cabin. Bye.” The two young girls clambered aboard.
Raising his brows, Jeff greeted the woman in a rather monotone voice, “Hello Gayle.” It wasn’t hard to miss his body language.
The woman slowly blinked and then answered in a similar tone. “Hello Jeff.” She was a tall, beige blonde with a short bob, in her late forties. Chilli thought she was a bit beige all over; her hair, her complexion, her clothes and her voice, but she was stylish, if not rather conservative. It was obvious that she would have been attractive when she was younger, but now had a slightly matronly look about her. Her demeanor did nothing to help.
To Chilli’s interested eye, this woman wasn’t what she pictured Jeff’s type to be. But then again how did she know what Jeff’s type was? She barely knew the man.
“Gayle this is Chilli Montgomery, Chilli this is Gayle,” Jeff said, still in his monotone voice.
“Hello, nice to meet you.” Chilli spoke quickly, sensing something that she had no intention of being involved in. “Look I was just running past, must keep going. Bye.” She took off at a faster pace than she intended, noticing that Gayle hadn’t actually responded.
Twenty minutes later, perspiring profusely, heart racing, and almost out of breath, she pushed open the gate to her parent’s home, a 1920s Queenslander, which they had masterly renovated to give a contemporary look and feel. The usual welcoming aroma of freshly baked bread wafted all the way out to the front door, greeting her, and giving her a sense of comfort. “Come in, come in,” her father welcomed, attempting to hug her.
“Dad, I’m all sweaty, you’d best not.”
“That won’t hurt me,” he said. “Come here.” Grabbing her, he gave her his usual embrace and a huge kiss on the forehead. “Your mother’s in the bedroom. She’s been fussing for hours over what she should take. Go sort her out love.” And then he called to Solange. “My favourite daughter’s here.” This was his all time joke that he thought was hilarious.
Glancing back over her shoulder to him, she rolled her eyes. “I’ll just grab a cold drink of water.” She headed towards the kitchen. “Won’t be a minute Mum!” she called on her way through the house.
Over the years, her parents had collected beautiful pieces of modern art, blown glass pieces and sculptures. The blown glass pieces were displayed to their full advantage in hallway niches. Her eyes were drawn to a particular piece. She stopped and picked it up. Holding it to the light she marvelled at how the colours changed. She and Rob had chosen this particular piece while on a trip to Mykonos. Really it had been Rob’s choice, he’d had superb taste. Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother calling out.
“I’m in here up to my eyeballs in clothes. I can’t decide on what to take. Help!”
Putting her head around the door, she smiled. Her mother was sitting on the bedroom floor surrounded by half her wardrobe.
“Select the clothes that you know you absolutely will not be able to do without. Then work out the shoes that go with them. After that only take clothes that go with the shoes you have already decided on. That narrows it down and makes choosing easier. Two things though, think comfort and think glamour. Nothing worse while travelling, feeling like you don’t look like yourself because you’ve chosen for comfort only.” Chilli flopped onto her stomach onto the bed.
“Clever girl, I know exactly what I should take now. There were some outfits that I needed another pair of shoes for, but I’ll leave them out. I’ll put all those ones back first and then you can help me choose from the rest.” Her mother walked into her robe, but continued talking. Chilli stayed where she was on the bed.
Solange popped her head back out. “What’s wrong with you, you haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”
